Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As was stated by the Minister, this bill was a real collaborative effort. I noted in the Minister’s opening comments, he said it was a priority of the 17th Assembly. I’m very glad that it was and I’m very glad we’re to this point, because it has been some 10 years that NEBS has been trying to get legislation to govern their operations, and it’s very gratifying that we are finally to this point where we’re just about ready to see third reading for this bill.

I want to echo the comments that have already been made about the uniqueness of the process. It certainly was unusual...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya.

A number of other matters were raised by stakeholders. First, a community advocate asked the committee to ensure that amendments align with human rights legislation. Specifically, he sought to ensure that Aurora College students have the right to receive a copy of their tenancy agreement. Some students have been denied this request in the past, which prevented them from voting. He further recommended ensuring that landlords do not have the right to enter student premises without notice or a police warrant. The committee noted that the act exempts...

To the Minister: I have to express my surprise and my huge concern that the Minister is not aware that this stretch of road needs upgrading. It’s not an access road; this is a GNWT highway, a territorial highway. Albeit, it’s in the city of Yellowknife, but at the moment it’s a territorial highway, and if the Minister doesn’t know that it needs upgrading, it’s no surprise that we haven’t had any success.

To the Minister: he’s going to have this meeting. At this meeting is the Minister willing to commit to provide funds to get the repair work done that’s needed on this road? Thank you.

Nine boards were composed exclusively of men and 18 boards had only a single female representative. The land and resource management regimes created through the settlement of our comprehensive land claims have given Aboriginal governments equitable representation and co-management, but have not promoted gender equity and board membership.

A strong case can be made for regulators and government nudging corporations and boards towards greater diversity at the highest levels. There’s ample evidence that companies and boards with women in decision-making positions are more profitable, better...

Mr. Chair, if I’m hearing this rightly, so the Child and Family Resource Program, I am presuming the two pilots will continue as they did but there will not be any expansion. Can I get confirmation that the pilot programs will continue and that there will be no expansion of the Child and Family Resource Program in ‘15-16? Thank you.

Thanks. I’ll try the question a different way. Is the Child and Family Resource Centre Program going to be in operation in the ‘15-16 budget year? Thank you.

Thanks again to the Minister. That’s a great target date. I certainly hope that it can be met.

My other question on this page has to do with the next line item, transfer of funding from Education, Culture and Employment to support the expansion of the Healthy Family Program. I’m certainly in support of expanding the Healthy Family Program, but I’m trying to understand where the money is coming from in Education that’s going to be transferred to the Healthy Family Program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move we report progress.

---Carried

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the Minister. I don’t remember what the total amount would be that we have put into the pension plan for the Hay River Health and Services Authority, but I would think it’s many, many millions of dollars.

How close are we to bringing the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority in under our GNWT public service so we can bite the bullet once and for all, pay what we need to pay to get their pension plan in, similar to superannuation, and then have them as our employees going forward? Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Thanks to the Minister. I think I understand.

I just have one last comment. I was somewhat dismayed to hear the Minister say that in the next bundle it’s going to be mostly bridges. It’s already decided what’s going in the next bundle and it hasn’t even been brought before any Members on this side of the House to have any kind of an input. We didn’t have much input into this bundle and where this money was going, and it sounds like it’s already decided where the next several bundles are going, so I have to express my dismay. Thank you.