Robert Hawkins

Mr. Speaker, we’re asking for a simple process. The Minister can set forward an initiative, a directive, by saying “Create a consultation process that phones people once every three months, six months” — whatever the Minister feels appropriate — “to re-engage folks.” We’re throwing money away if we send them out for treatment and we don’t help them follow through. Treatment is a lifelong process. We just can’t say, “Here’s a pill. Take it. Good luck. See you later. You’re on your own.” I want to see that we follow up with people. It’s a good investment for people; it shows the government cares...

Mr. Speaker, in November I raised the issue of follow-up on treatment programs for individuals. My questions were directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Minister wrote me back, just a couple of days ago, in response to my concern about not having a follow-up process. One of the statements in her letter to me basically put the onus back on the person who’s sought treatment programs and basically said it’s their obligation to work through this process, and if they want to call in for support, it’s up to them

Mr. Speaker, my concern is that the Minister is taking, back to my...

I wasn’t 100 per cent clear on the Minister’s answers there. Did he say he would take into consideration those two areas of concern I raised: the way increases happen in the context of the amount; and further, about helping people get out of their leases if they’re built into contracts and they have to leave the normal municipality they live in?

Mr. Speaker, today I raise the issue of concerns I have with the Residential Tenancies Act. I know it’s coming forward eventually, and let’s hope it comes forward in this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, the issue is about concern with protection, and the fact that I, not unlike in many other constituencies hereabouts in Yellowknife and throughout the Territories, have many rental units. It was told to me that someone was forced to sign a lease of…. I don’t want to belabour the circumstances, but it was like: you sign here and pay this much, or basically get out if you don’t like it, and the cost to...

With a whole bunch of leases coming up, the time is now to act. With us having to find this money through our financial exercise of reductions, this is the time to act.

Mr. Speaker, what is this Minister doing to make sure that this consolidated clinic becomes a reality in this coming budget and a reality in this session of this Assembly?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I encourage the Minister, in this case, to talk about it now. What better place than this Assembly?

In a time where efficiency is…. We have a dire need to create efficiencies within our system. If we can prove the fact — which has been done already — to create a system that gives us more efficiencies, better service for less dollars, what’s the problem here?

Mr. Speaker, where is this plan in the process? There has been capital money already directed toward this project. What’s happening to date?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I am not going to say that I agree with the Minister, because I didn’t agree with that at all.

Mr. Speaker, there is no system to help a small business like a restaurant hire a professional cook who cooks a very special style. There’s no program out there that helps other small businesses bring in foreign workers so they can fill gaps for skilled and semi-skilled workers. He may have a system out there — who knows where — that helps them learn English. Yes, I know there are cases of that. I know that there are a few other things. But there’s nothing to help them...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I respect the Minister’s answer, but while I’m not going to say wrong, I don’t agree with him. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, I’m talking about people trying to get here. I’m talking about small businesses that want skilled and semi-skilled workers here to help do specialized jobs that they can’t get just walking out on the street and saying, “Here, I’ve got a job application. Please jump on board, and I’ll pay you.”

Mr. Speaker, we need talent. Sometimes we have to reach outside the N.W.T. That’s what I’m describing. I’m saying there’s a role for the Department of Education...

In this heated economy many Northern employers face shortages of both skilled and semi-skilled workers. Allowing employers to fill their labour shortages through foreign employees, both on a temporary or permanent basis, is a win-win for our economy, and there is a role for the G.N.W.T. to play.

There are shortages in a variety of industries, and we lack the number of interested people to catch up. Eleven jurisdictions, including the Yukon, have a provincial nomination system that helps speed up the immigration process for skilled and semi-skilled workers who wish to become permanent residents...

I have a number of written questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. They are as follows:

What is the foreign worker assistance program designed to help small business owners fill skilled employment vacancies called?

What is the budget for this program?

When was this program instituted?

How often has this foreign worker program been used, both successfully and unsuccessfully?

What is the average processing time with these applications?

How many businesses have been assisted by this program?

Provide a breakdown of the communities that have businesses accessing this program.

What...