Tom Beaulieu

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today I talked about the layoff of GNWT staff. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance a couple of questions. In this current year of 2017-2018, have the departments of the GNWT been directed to lay off staff for reduction purposes? Thank you.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [translation not provided].

Mr. Speaker due to reductions, the layoff of staff has created real issues for people of the NWT. Several people working for the GNWT were told the GNWT no longer needs their service. Meanwhile, the GNWT continues to fill jobs. Mr. Speaker, as a hypothetical example, the GNWT places more value on hiring a young engineer from Toronto than keeping a young mother from the North in their job. This young mother serves as a key to the entire extended family. She uses her income to help her extended family. Mr. Speaker, the layoff of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, is that applicable to Aboriginal community governments as well? I recognize that this would be standard for the hamlets and others elected among the entire population, like the town councils and so on. Would that also be applicable, when you have Aboriginal governments that have an agreement with the department to have this money, for spending this money? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chairman, I think during this review I need to touch on a few of the projects. I think they are in the books. I think they are moving forward, and I think we have some of them on record. My objective, I think, is to give comfort to individuals in the communities that have been asking for the various items that do not appear in this year's capital plan, but there is some planning going on that advance some of these projects.

I am looking, for sure, for one of the big items that is not in the capital plan except possibly a study which does not really secure the capital...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is something that does not make me happy, but it is what it is, and I will move on to my next question. I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister can commit to doing a socioeconomic analysis of staff members when they are laid off. In my Member's statement, I talked about the loss of actual people to the Northwest Territories. If we lay someone off and they take their family and four of them go down south, we lose transfer payments, which could be potentially higher than the salary that we are saving by reducing that position. Again, my question...

The GNWT has policies to retain a priority status when they are recruiting employees to the GNWT. Does that same set of policies apply when there are layoffs being contemplated by the GNWT in I guess sort of in a reverse sense? Would the GNWT look at the Affirmative Action Policy to lay individuals off?

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, each time the GNWT decides to lay a person off, this scenario has the potential of repeating itself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Infrastructure questions on Highway No. 6; that is Highway No. 6 that runs into Fort Resolution. I would like to ask the Minister what the current status of the highway is insofar as the construction phase. Whether they are currently on the highway, they are shut down for the winter, that type of status, I am looking for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am trying to get into more of the traditional knowledge, so I want to ask the Minister: while considering which species to be put on this designation, do the Aboriginal governments or Indigenous governments in the NWT have equal say as to the actions that are going to be taken by this group or by the federal government or by a group between the Minister's department and the federal department? Thank you.

I was wondering if the Minister could advise the House if the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has a regular working relationship with the specific federal department that is responsible for species at risk.