Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Minister of Justice. I talked in my statement about rent controls or the lack of and the impact that rent increases are having on constituents, particularly in the market communities and particularly here in Yellowknife. Without a rent ceiling, many residents have been finding it extremely difficult to find the rent that’s needed every month. Our cost of living is always going up and rent is a huge part of that. I would like to know from the Minister, he’s a new Minister to this department, and I’d like to know from him when this issue...

That’s good to hear and I look forward to seeing those results as do many people, I think.

We’ve had, over the last year or two, some changes within the department in and around the issue of duty to accommodate. I believe we have a duty to accommodate an officer now, and I think we also have a policy. It’s been in place, I think – the Minister can advise me – but I think about a year. I’d like to know whether or not there’s been any evaluation of the position and/or the policy and the affect that it’s having on our employees. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a couple of questions here. I’d like to at the outset, though, to say that I was very pleased to see that three negotiations which were entered into in the last several months were settled in short order and that basically everybody on both sides is happy. Kudos to the department for that.

A couple of questions with regard to, well, I’ll start with the UNW agreement and the statement that there will be interim whistle-blower phrasing, I guess, for lack of a better way of putting it. I’d like to know from the Minister or from the department when they expect that...

No. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Are there any further general comments? Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Next on my list I have Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Sergeant-at-Arms, would you escort the witnesses into the House. Thank you.

Minister Abernethy, could you introduce your witnesses to the House, please.

I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for Human Resources if he has any opening remarks.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his commitment. I guess I would like to ask the Minister, if he’s going to consult with French coordinators, I would ask him that he also consult with parents. There has been little, to my understanding, consultation with parents whose students are involved in this particular situation. It’s one thing for a French coordinator to say that this is the way it should be, but I would ask the Minister to consult with parents and to consult with students as well. Thank you.

I appreciate the response from the Minister. I’m having great difficulty because I have looked at a policy for secondary high school education from Alberta and from NWT and they do seem to be definitely different in that Alberta both policies state that any student can challenge any course. I need to obviously have a better explanation from the Minister as to why what I’m reading doesn’t obviously jibe with what he’s reading.

I guess I need to ask the Minister again why, when I read the policy, I see that French immersion students may not challenge a French first language exam, and yet it...