Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for that answer. It was confusing. He cleared it up very perfectly, so I thank him very much. Those will be my questions for this section. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess my concern is the job evaluation process. I've seen, in other departments, the process take up to a year, and that is a huge concern for me, especially with the need for these positions. In my riding especially, some of the challenges that we've been facing. So I guess my question is: does the Minister feel comfortable that these job evaluation processes are going to go smoothly? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for that. I guess my big concern is we start at five. We're around 20 now. If we continue to do it, it's just going to keep on going and going and going. I understand the department needs to do research on it, but at some point, I mean we just got to bite the bullet and do it.

I really think that this needs to be done sooner than later. I honestly believe that needs to be done during this 18th Assembly because, again, if we wait until the 19th Assembly, then we're going to see more increased costs. I guess my concern or my hope is that this will be...

Child and youth mental health workers here. This is the section. Can the Minister provide us with an update on what's happening with these positions for the Deh Cho and the Tlicho please? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to have to rebut that. I have been in the Northwest Territories all my life. Yes, it is 1.3 million great square kilometres, 33 communities. The day I am talking about, the plane went from Edmonton to Fort Simpson to Inuvik to Yellowknife. It hit four communities. Again, this airline company or the contractor didn't provide the service that was much needed.

I realize sending patient escorts out earlier than required might not be the best solution. I have heard it before about the potential appointments being cancelled, capacity issues with boarding homes, et...

I appreciate that, and I thank you very much. Kakisa, though, is in the Deh Cho, and I think the member from Deh Cho might get mad at me if I try to take that community away. My next question, and I do not know if this is the area, here is the cessation planning regarding smoking and that. I heard the Minister talk about a new program that they are implementing right now, so is this the area that we talk about this program right here? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I appreciate the Minister's answer there. I guess I am looking at the crews and how many crews are out there, because I know, in some of the smaller communities, we do not have crews there. I think I have asked this question before to the Minister: Jean Marie and Nahanni Butte, I do not know if they have crews in there, so I am wondering if the department would be looking at putting crews there? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to contract services, I am assuming that is for the fire fighters and stuff like that. Can the Minister tell me how many fire crews are in my region and in which communities? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, and I appreciate the Minister and his department looking at that.

Maybe the deputy minister or the Minister can correct me, but presently, in some of the other provinces or jurisdictions, they actually have a rule or a law against that. Is that actually out there? Thank you. I will leave you with that one there. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I guess I should explain the scenario here. These athletes here were fogged in, so they jumped in a vehicle so they could try to catch the charter going into Yellowknife, or from Yellowknife to Inuvik. That was the charter that was not successful. Will the Minister get the department to look at reimbursing them for their gas for their trip?