Robert Hawkins

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm wondering if the Minister can elaborate it says, for example, $308,000. Can she elaborate to what specifically that is. I mean, I can read it says NWT film and media sector, but is it to is it treated as a grant? Is it treated as to backfill something? Is it a position? Is it that type of so we'll start with that. Thank you.

All right, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, employment issues are varied throughout the Northwest Territories. There's not a onesizefitall solution. You know, there's those positions where we want to hire local employment, but sometimes we need skilled and foreign workers to come to our communities, whether it's Inuvik opening up or making sure the restaurant's opened. It's in Nahanni; we need a SAO. We need specialized skills sometimes in special places.

I'd like to ask the Minister what is she doing to support employers to bring in specialized skills, often referred to as skilled workers...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I appreciate the question from the Member just to further clarify. It does not. This guidance has been this guidance is offered and given by the independent review committee and passed on to the Assembly for final direction.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Ministers want the questions in advance. They got the question in advance by me asking it. It should be pretty straightforward. Will they revisit this decision, yes or no?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the question. I believe if I have it correctly, the change is to bring consistency over a fiveyear period that reflect the consumer price index. If it went year by year, it would be influenced by major spikes, be it up and down, therefore this brought longerterm consistency. I look to the I look to the clerk for maybe some further explanation beyond that.

I'm that excited, Mr. Speaker. I'm that excited. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is well within her purview, her authority, to say yes to this young person to reinstate this grant bursary which was offered to her earlier this fall that is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Please, would she do that?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to speak to Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, in my capacity as a Member of the Board of Management.

In the previous Assembly, changes were made to the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to adjust pay by the average percentage increase or decrease in the consumer price index for Canada in a period of five years. This bill aligns the maximum amounts allowed annually for Members' expenses to the same consumer price index to make sure the act is uniformly using the same measurements. That...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And good day, colleagues. I'm going to tell you a sad story about a young person, a lifelong Northerner and a resident of Yellowknife, who recently talked to me and brought forward their concern, deep disappointment about their experience of working through the NWT Health and Social Services Bursary Program.

Now this young person, I was really inspired and now I'm not going to table it because it's a they're even a published author, Mr. Speaker. They work with groups like Home Base, the Tree of Peace, and many other wonderful organizations, even Dechinta, about trying...

Déjà vu. Or as a former Speaker used to say, déjà vu all over again. Mr. Whitford. So starting from the top, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues, for your indulgence.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for a second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to adjust the maximum amounts allowed for Members' expenses as adjusted by using the average change in the consumer price index over the past five years. This aligns the Act with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, they provided information, but it wasn't detailed such as can a doctor refuse to take a client. So, Mr. Speaker, when people are waiting six to eight years on the medical waiting list to get a family doctor, they have no idea when it's coming. So, Mr. Speaker, I'm asking again what can the Minister do to bring some level of transparency to the doctors' waiting list for the public? Thank you.