Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the issues that had been highlighted to me is the fairness of bringing issues forward without feeling the pressures of other people looking at you or implying things that aren’t right. We would all be well and good if we had whistle-blower legislation or an ombudsman for someone to complain to. So what is the Minister doing to ensure that we have anti-harassment training done and used, and to ensure that all employees feel safe to bring issues forward to management if there are problems, without any fear of reprisal? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Hiring agency nursing, Mr. Speaker, may help with the short-term pressures, but the question is, do we have the right staff levels there in the first place? Fixing the Public Service Act constantly gets raised about finding solutions. I say it’s time we be innovative and lead Canada rather than someone else coming up with a solution. Let’s find a made-in-the-north solution that recognizes seniorities. Sometimes we need to put the rules aside and look for solutions.

Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you a flag has been raised at that hospital. It’s not a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Human Resources.

Could the Minister look into re-establishing a standard acknowledgment notice, either through e-mail or by post?

Could the Minister look at setting up a web page to let people know general information as to the status of jobs, such as:

open competition - accepting applications

competition close - screen

interviews

finish - appeal process

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I see this as a communication opportunity, Mr. Speaker. I see this as an opportunity to be seen to be dealing with this problem, because it is a recognized, serious problem in the Northwest Territories. That’s why I’m asking the Premier. Now, it’s stated in the agreement the resource Minister has the ability to call upon them, but I think a letter from our Premier recognizing the gravity of this problem and his willingness to take leadership, because it affects multiple problems throughout our, sorry, multiple departments throughout our government. So, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pretty sure I heard a yes in there, but I’ll ask it again to make sure that we get it absolutely clear on the record. Mr. Speaker, what I’m asking the Premier is, will he work with his resource Minister to call upon the diamond mines presidents to report before the Assembly process to have a question and answer period on this issue whatever process we need to access or vent through, of course? Would he agree to call them before this House and answer questions so we can finally deal with this problem face to face? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, it is set out in the socio-economic agreements that we have the right to call these diamond companies to meet the Minister, to speak to the Minister on special issues written here discussing training, employment and business opportunities. It is to my understanding this clause has never been exercised to find out what is the problem and maybe what the GNWT isn’t doing.

So, Mr. Speaker, I demand this government to exercise this clause 8.5 in the agreement and to call these mining companies before this Assembly, before...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to seek unanimous consent to return to item 6 on the agenda, oral questions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll take that yes whatever way it came. Mr. Speaker, can the Premier agree to write this letter, and copy all Members of this Legislative Assembly, in a timely way so we deal with this problem? So would the Premier write a letter within the next 30 days requesting that the presidents of these diamond mines make themselves available for this Assembly to have this type of question period and discussion period to deal in partnership with this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m just following up with my Member’s statement with questions to the honourable Premier. Mr. Speaker, my constituents are challenging me to find new ways to deal with the northern employment problem and I believe that we have the solutions and the tools right before us. They’ve always existed and, as I’ve highlighted earlier, is 8.5 in the BHP socio-economic agreement where we have the ability to call upon the diamond mines before us to have discussions regarding training, employment and business opportunities. So the tools have always existed. Now we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I start, I should apologize to my colleague Mr. McLeod for knocking my glass over.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to discuss the issue about fly-in workers to the diamond mines. This is a growing concern of my constituents. This is a growing concern among northern communities. They are constantly asking, is this government doing enough to this problem? The socio-economic agreements between the diamond mines and the GNWT set out employment targets for northerners and aboriginal residents, Mr. Speaker. These targets for northern resident employment during the...