Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to recognize two constituents, a newly published author, Ms. Karen Hollett, and Bettylou Mcllmoyle, who is up behind me somewhere. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members already know now, tomorrow, October 22nd, is International Stuttering Awareness Day, and I’m going to use my statement today to talk about stuttering.

Statistics show that in the NWT alone approximately 500 children and adults could be affected by stuttering, but it’s a little known, little acknowledged condition, Mr. Speaker. We don’t often speak about it. Stuttering is a condition which we as a society are uncomfortable with. It’s a disability that’s kept in the shadows, one that nobody talks about.

For differing reasons, people with a stuttering disability...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, October 21, 2010, it shall be adjourned until Monday, October 25, 2010;

AND FURTHER, that any time prior to October 25, 2010, 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 stated in such notice...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask some questions to the Premier, who is also the Minister for the Executive, and I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement. I think these questions probably fall under his duties as Minister for the Executive. I mentioned in my statement that there was a program manual that was published, I think it was last year, a program manual for managers who deal with NGOs. I’d like to know what work has been undertaken by the GNWT as a result of that program manual for managers to deal with contracts more efficiently than what seems to be happening. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope it’s not news to the Members of this House that our NWT non-governmental organizations are invaluable to us. Since starting my job here three years ago, Mr. Speaker, I’ve advocated for the better treatment of NGOs, organizations who very capably provide services to our residents on behalf of this government.

Today I want to highlight a recent but alarming change in the practice of our government in regard to the relationship to NGOs.

Since the start of this fiscal year there’s been a move by the GNWT away from multi-year contracts with NGOs to one-year contracts...

Thank you for the information from the DM. Mr. Chair, I move we report progress.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just have a question with regards to facilities for women prisoners. Social Programs committee has been discussing with the Minister and the department for some time now the need to renovate, rebuild, build a new facility for women prisoners in Fort Smith. I would like to know from the Minister if he can give me an evaluation of the state of the women’s correctional facility in Fort Smith at this time. Thank you.

I’m disappointed in that answer. I’m not asking for a review of the total aspect of the New Deal, but simply a review of the infrastructure contribution, the capital part of contribution that this government gives to communities. I think that certainly could be done between now and the end of March.

We do supplementary increases for all manner of things, and communities and their capital structures are a huge part of the Territory and our residents, and they’re the basis on which most of us survive and live. So I would really encourage the Minister to rethink and just evaluate the...

Thank you to the Minister. My apologies. I was listening but I obviously didn’t listen very well. I didn’t hear that question earlier.

Five years seems like an awful long time, though. With communities taking over government buildings which used to be handled and maintained by GNWT and they’re now taking them over, and it’s happening more and more as communities get more used to having the autonomy and the responsibly and the control over their own assets, it’s something which I think the department ought to consider, whether or not five years to review is too long a time. I would think...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the commitment from the Premier to get that information. I will look forward to that.

I did ask the Premier’s office whether or not there were criteria for the NGO Stabilization Fund and the answer that I got back didn’t indicate that there were any. So I would hope if there are some that the Minister will be able to get those for me.

I have stressed the need for long-term stable funding for NGOs. The Minister references a forum that is upcoming in November and that’s good to hear. Will part of the forum discussions, deliberations, will it look at and take...