Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. No, I appreciate that. I think that travel within the NWT is very important to continuing business with the people of the Northwest Territories, but I think it's also important that we make sure that, if the remaining 20 percent is not being spent, it is spent on things that are important to the people of the Northwest Territories.

My next question I am going to ask to the directorate section, even though it has to do with, again, all divisions of the Department of Finance. I note that the Department of Finance and specifically human resources is tasked with...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. The increases to the NWT Housing Corporation really are quite exciting ones, because they have to do with the co-investment fund, which we on this side of the House are very happy to see. Outside of the influx of money for the co-investment fund, does the Minister foresee increases to the Housing Corporation contribution beyond that? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. There is a contribution here to the NWT Housing Corporation, and I am wondering if the Department of Finance has begun conversations about converting the NWT Housing Corporation to a regular GNWT department? Thank you.

I appreciate that people have job descriptions, and I will say that every single person that we came across fulfilled their job description. They fulfilled the mandate of their department. That's what they intended to do and what they are supposed to do. People aren't boxes, and they don't fit into boxes. People's challenges in life extend beyond one single box of one mandate in one department. When somebody presents with a challenge with housing, it quite often is not simply a matter of a housing issue. When somebody presents with a challenge of income security, it is not solely a challenge...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier about the challenges that an NWT resident had in accessing programs and services through the GNWT. Two-and-a-half minutes definitely was not enough time to go through the detailed challenges and frustrating challenges that this person faced in order to get some access and in order to get some resolution to some of their challenges. My point is, Mr. Speaker, that our programs and services, we spend millions and millions of dollars making programs and services available within the GNWT, but they are definitely not accessible to NWT residents. I...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'll be sure to ask the Minister some of those questions tomorrow. As far as the Mackenzie Valley fibre link and the cost of Internet, the Department of Finance, in my understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, sets the wholesale rate for Internet throughout the Northwest Territories using the infrastructure, and then companies come in and add on a retail rate for that. Something we hear about quite often from our constituents is the cost of Internet and the service that is provided. I'm wondering if the GNWT is, at all, discussing the wholesale rate and how they...

I welcome the opportunity to discuss take our kids to work day opportunities with the Minister. I know that there are a lot of businesses that would love to get involved and play a greater role in the day. My next question for the Minister is: Given that this government has a mandate priority of advancing universal childcare, I am wondering, since we need to start somewhere, if the Minister would be willing to provide universal childcare for full-time Aurora College students.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Wednesday, the Minister of ECE advised that the department is producing a media campaign to promote women in trades. However, Mr. Speaker, a picture of a woman holding a pencil did not inspire my mother to become an architect any more than a photo of a woman in a hardhat inspired my colleague to become an engineer. Pictures of women holding hammers do not create tradespeople. Mr. Speaker, if we want our children to become tradespeople, we need to foster their curiosity, value trades education, and support employers and students. To foster curiosity, ECE has already...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS Subsection 15(1) of the Official Languages Act permits the appointment of a Languages Commissioner by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, after the approval of the appointment by resolution of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly considers the appointment of a Languages Commissioner essential for ensuring recognition of the rights, status and privileges of each of the official languages and compliance with the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act;

AND WHEREAS the current Languages Commissioner has retired;

AND WHEREAS...

I am happy to provide some context of connection between my questions for the Minister. I am looking for different ways that we can think outside of the box in order to get more people involved in trades. I do feel that providing Aurora College students with universal childcare would be a great way for us to encourage more people to go back to school, because I know that childcare for young children is a barrier for people. It was identified as a barrier for me to be sitting here, and that's why we have now a kitty that we can access for subsidies for childcare for people to become more...