Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member's statement today I talked about some challenges through the CLC and community outreach program through literacy. I'm going to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment that knowing that there's going to be some significant change-ups and noting that the mandate of Aurora College no longer notes -- or maybe never have noted adult literacy, is she willing to engage with partners like the NWT Literacy Council in order to save these programs that are not only needed in the communities but in our larger centres, such as Yellowknife, Inuvik, and Fort...

Very quickly, Mr. Speaker, I'm not here to tell the Minister how to bargain; however, for years the nurses, for example, have been asking for shift premiums and labour market supplements.

Mr. Speaker, if they provide proposals, will the Minister carry that like a football all the way through FMB and score a touchdown with that industry and show them you care and you're fighting for them? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be for the Minister of Health and Social Services. So the compliment first.

Mr. Speaker, I hear the recruitment process is actually quite good. I hear that from the union. I hear that from the nurses and even the doctors. So hooray for the recruitment people. However, on the other side of the coin, I won't say what it -- call it -- but that said, it's the other side of the compliment. I often hear that the retention problem with respect to the investment and listening to those areas of concern is lacking; so in other words, it's less good.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister commit that before any agreement is formalized, that a discussion is brought to the appropriate standing committee? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up on a couple questions my good colleague, the Member for the Sahtu, had mentioned earlier and brought up with the Premier regarding the transparency process of the -- his excellency, our envoy to Ottawa, Mr. Speaker. And for the record, his pay scale's not even on the public registry of the GNWT's -- but all in, his costs are -- the GNWT is paying $400,000 roughly in round numbers and so, Mr. Speaker, I'm trying to figure out a little more than -- MLAs have never received a letter explaining exactly what this position is doing so we don't even know...

Well, Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear it because I was speaking to the council and we're concerned about the opportunities. Can the Minister -- would the Minister be willing to lean into the Aurora College to ensure that any of the CLC money that could have gone to these communities could be partnered with, specifically, the NWT Literacy Council because they don't have that perspective. So that last commitment was working together, well, yeah, that's great, but can we look at getting Aurora College to work directly with the literacy council to save the community learning centre projects. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm going to tell a story today about some excitement, some sadness, and hopefully opportunity, Mr. Speaker.

I was speaking with the NWT Literacy Council about their Skills 4 Success. So here's some of the excitement. They have created a program, they work with four Tlicho communities, they work in your riding, Mr. Speaker, in Fort Simpson and even in the -- Mr. Nerysoo's running of the Fort McPherson, in Aklavik, in those ridings. Mr. Speaker, at least seven community -- they work out of seven community learning centres. They create -- they have agreements...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear that Williams Lake, BC, you know a small little town in the middle of the province of BC, gets lots of doctors and medical support people, and why? Because their recruitment and retention people cater to the needs of these particular people. Mr. Speaker, I'm talking specifically about just once we hire you, you're left alone. We can't have that attitude.

Mr. Speaker, is there any way that the Minister can do a survey through the medical association and the CAN, the nursing association, to find out what is it the nurses and the doctors need to ensure that they feel...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure what the Minister's saying I'm not allowed to ask about secrets according to you. So there's no secrets, I agree. So thank you, Mr. Speaker, for that guidance.

Mr. Speaker, the question really comes back to is that I understand disabilities is a significant need in a sense of challenges. I support that. My concern is Is the appropriate group getting the appropriate supports, one that we can bank on that can follow through without becoming a long-term financial liability of the GNWT. That said, Mr. Speaker, I repoint the question back to the Minister which is...

Mr. Speaker, I would certainly describe moose as the northern delicacy. But that said, dry meat from caribou is always welcome and delicious, Mr. Speaker. What types of working groups are out there that the Minister's working with trying to encourage sustainable harvesting so we can see the herds increase in numbers so they will be there for further generations? Thank you.