Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some comments which are very similar to some of the comments which have already been made, but I feel that I would like to express my point of view.

The act is described as a management act but I think some of the clauses within that act are more than a management of wildlife act. I also believe that there are some inequities within some of the clauses in the act and I think those need to be addressed. Hopefully they will be over time.

I’ve expressed a number of concerns previously about some of the clauses and provisions within the act. I’m particularly concerned...

I’m complimenting the mover and the seconder, you guys.

I think that the strategy that’s espoused here is something that the government has to take note of. We need to look at enabling our people to get out of poverty, those that are there. The only way we’re going to be able to do it is by providing them with assistance. It is obvious to Members, certainly on this side of the House, that the policies and strategies that we are currently employing are not working. We need to totally revisit where we’re at.

This motion talks about setting maximum rents in public housing. There have been other...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to first of all thank the seconder of the motion, the Member for Nunakput. I’d also like to thank my colleagues for their comments. I think you can tell that this is an extremely important issue. We are very passionate about it. Regular Members have fought very hard to get this funding and this program into our budget. Last year it was intended to be a food study and we managed to get that changed to a program where we could actually use the money to go and buy food to assist the kids in our schools in the various communities.

We’ve been speaking about this...

WHEREAS nearly 5,000 children across the Northwest Territories arrive at school without having had a healthy breakfast;

AND WHEREAS school breakfast programs have increased attendance at many NWT schools;

AND WHEREAS it is well documented that hungry children struggle to succeed in school;

AND WHEREAS children who are fed at school also benefit from feeling welcomed and loved;

AND WHEREAS healthy eating and basic nutrition should be learned by our children, starting at a young age, first by example and augmented later by study;

AND WHEREAS in 2010-2011, the Department of Education, Culture and...

I struggle to get my point across. “Performance” is spelled P-E-R-F-O-R-M-A-N-C-E. “Contribution” is spelled C-O-N-T-R-I- et cetera. If the Minister wants to quote from the Auditor General’s report, I can do that as well.

The Auditor General said, “…yet to implement certain other actions that could improve the health care system. These include establishing performance indicators, working with health and social service authorities to develop performance agreements that set out results to be achieved with funds…” and then she goes on to another item. I ask the Minister -- again, I’m not talking...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I mentioned in my statement that the Auditor General had some concerns with some of the operations of the department, and particularly I highlighted the concerns that the Auditor General had with the lack of performance indicators and performance agreements between the department and the various health authorities.

I’d like to ask the Minister, in response to the Auditor General’s report, what is the department doing to address the Auditor General’s concerns about the lack of performance...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the Auditor General’s report on the health programs and services. I also want to note here that the Auditor General did not look at social services during her review, just health.

The health report findings are similar to those of the findings in the Auditor General’s report last year on education. The report indicates a lack of evaluation, monitoring and data collection on the part of the Department of Health. The Auditor General gives credit to Health for its strategic plan, described by Ms. Fraser as a clear direction to improve the system...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You had to wake me up there.

---Laughter

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, March 10, 2011, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, May 11, 2011;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to May 11, 2011, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I support this motion. I believe that the intent and the background for this motion is very similar to something that I raised in the House last week. I was talking about transitional housing. This is talking about public housing.

---Interjection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to say yes I “con,” I “con” support the City of Yellowknife district energy system.

---Laughter

I “con” vote yes on referendum day, next Monday, and I will vote yes. I support the City’s Geothermal District Energy System Project and I’m excited by the concept of a district energy system, and I’m excited by the long-term benefits that will accrue to both the city and its residents.

Like many city homeowners, when I first heard the details of the project, I heard that it would supply heat to 39 downtown buildings. I wondered what was in it for me. Would there...