Tom Beaulieu

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if Cabinet examined the negative impact on the cost of living and employment of our citizens as far as looking at other jurisdictions to determine whether additional taxing is the way to go.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the impact and effect the high cost of living is having on families in the smaller communities. I also talked a bit about the proposed taxes and how they can also impact their efforts to make a better living for themselves.

I’d like to ask either the Premier or the Minister of Finance if, while looking at options, the Minister or Premier, the Cabinet, has considered the impact of taxing our citizens, as far as retaining those families in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS section 40.2. (1) of the Public Service Act provides that the Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, shall appoint an Equal Pay Commissioner to exercise the powers and perform the duties set out in this Act;

AND WHEREAS the appointment of the current Equal Pay Commissioner, Ms. Nitya Iyer, expires on June 30, 2008;

AND WHEREAS Ms. Iyer has expressed an interest in reappointment for a second term as Equal Pay Commissioner;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management has considered Ms. Iyer’s expression of interest and is prepared to recommend her...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, June 23, 2008, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Ms. Nitya Iyer be appointed as Equal Pay Commissioner in accordance with the Public Service Act by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Legislative Assembly; and further, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of the appointment to the Commissioner.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

I move we report progress.

Motion carried.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to address the elders in my aboriginal language. [English translation not provided.]

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m talking about the actual thought of a whole bunch of individuals working in this area in the communities, working for the department. I don’t think that has been contemplated, so I would like to ask the Minister if he’s committed to working with a committee of MLAs or some of the communities to develop a long-term solution to seriously look at the issue of actually having youth staff working for the department at the community level. Of course, that would be during the next business process.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to increasing much needed funding to the communities to specifically address the issue of sports, recreation and youth?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the need to support our smaller communities with sport and recreation youth programs.

When we were younger, many of us were able to participate in a wide range of winter and summer sport and recreation activities here in the Northwest Territories. Among them were a very successful skiing program in Inuvik, a floating swimming pool that made stops up and down the Mackenzie River, above-ground swimming pools, and vibrant outdoor rinks in many of our smaller communities: all of this in the 1970s. What happened? How were we able to provide all...