Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, colleagues. Do we really value our employees as much as we keep saying? If so, we need to give them the credit they are due and trust them to be responsible, not start from a position of mistrust. If my information is correct, Mr. Speaker, and we treat our employees as described, it is a small wonder we are not the employer of choice anymore. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2009, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on March 12, 2009, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, May 27, 2009.

And further, that any time prior to May 27, 2009, 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...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the answer from the Minister that they’re looking at this. I guess it goes to the question which I think Mr. Hawkins asked, but I didn’t really hear an answer. If the Minister is looking at alternative models, when might we be able to see some sort of proposal? If they’ve been working on these models since 13 months ago, is it going to take another 13 months before we get a proposal?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up as well on Mr. Bromley’s questions and some of the questions asked by Mr. Hawkins relative to funding for daycares in the NWT. I’ll go back. I spoke to this issue at least a year ago, I think. At that time, the Minister indicated that there was some possibility to look at different possibilities of funding for daycares. I’d like to ask the Minister now, and I apologize if it’s already been answered, but what is the basis for the funding that daycares currently get? He mentioned that they’re funded for O and M, that they’re funded for staffing, et...

Thanks to the Minister. I totally agree that if any employee is involved in an activity that could put them in a conflict or could leave them in a situation where they have access to confidential information, that should not be shared publicly. So I fully agree with the policies that are there, but is the Minister aware -- if he doesn’t know of a practice or procedure -- of instructions that are given to managers, deputy ministers, directors, or senior managers to find out from their employees what activities they are involved in?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement, I talked about a number of policies. I have some questions in regards to the comments in my statement for the Minister of Human Resources. My first question would be to know what policies exist that apply to employees within the GNWT public service. Thank you.

Thank for the answer. My apologies for not having heard the answer previously. That’s all. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a couple of questions related to this section. The first one relates to cell phone use by drivers operating vehicles. We discussed it a bit when we reviewed business plans in November and I just wondered whether or not the department has given any consideration to legislation that would prohibit the use of cell phones while the vehicle is in operation. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for those comments. I think I have to take his answer as a no, that there is no policy. Agreements, yes, and the need for accountability and criteria that guides those agreements, absolutely I agree. But that doesn’t tell me that it guides the government when they make these kinds of contributions. In my Member’s statement, at the end of the statement, I requested that the Minister discuss the idea of an equity policy with Cabinet and/or his department and I would hope that he would bring a recommendation forward to Regular Members for debate. I would like to ask the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance. I spoke in my Member’s statement about the need for this government to look at an equity position in large infrastructure projects. Like my colleague, Mr. Ramsay, I feel that this is an area where the government has been missing the boat, so to speak. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance whether or not he or the Cabinet has had discussions regarding taking an investment or an equity position in large infrastructure projects in the NWT. If yes, what is the nature of those discussions please? If not, why...