Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have committed to going to all the communities within the Northwest Territories within the year, and when I am in the communities, those are just the kinds of discussions that I hope we can have with the people there, with the health care providers and the community leaders and the residents of the various communities. Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 20th, 2002
This is page numbers 21 - 47 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was development.
Topics
Further Return To Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Further Return To Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Supplementary To Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the government does not provide assistance to families of patients who are terminally ill and often have to be in Edmonton, to get down there and back, but can his department create an environment down there that will assist individuals who are there to comfort their loved ones? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.
Further Return To Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if in fact that environment that the Member refers to is found to be wanting, we will take the steps to address those shortcomings through this negotiation process. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Question 22-14(5): Southern Medical Support Services
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance in relation to some information that was contained in today's budget announcement. In relation to income tax initiatives, specifically, Mr. Speaker, the intention to introduce a minimum cost of living tax credit for low income residents. Good news, I think, across the board on that one.
I wanted to specifically ask whether this tax credit is something that will be clawed back from income support recipients? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.
Return To Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Speaker, I am not 100 percent sure that it will be clawed back because I do not really know how the benefit from that tax credit will be treated. This is an area that is more within Mr. Ootes' file, but I have asked my staff and they told me they thought it would be, but they were not certain. Thank you.
Return To Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Supplementary To Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I take it then that this is still a policy area that the government has to look at and is very specific to this cost of living tax credit? When could the Minister confirm how this initiative is going to impact income support recipients? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.
Further Return To Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Joe Handley Weledeh
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I will double check on this and certainly get back to the Member before this House recesses. Hopefully we can do it much sooner than that. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Question 23-14(5): Minimum Cost Of Living Tax Credit
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Premier from my opening statement and ensuring that employees of this government feel comfortable working for this government, and also that we follow the Affirmative Action Policy and ensure we have a reflective workforce within this government, especially in senior and middle management areas like regional superintendents, deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers.
Mr. Speaker, it has been an issue for several years and we do not see it being reflected in this government. I would like to ask the Deputy Premier what action are you taking as the Government of the Northwest Territories to show that we have a reflective workforce that reflects the population of the Northwest Territories?
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 40
Return To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Affirmative Action Policy of this government has been around for a long time and we have been monitoring it through statistics from the different departments throughout the government on the affirmative action.
We have aboriginal people who are within the territorial government workforce in the various departments and affirmative action also encompasses women in the workforce, as well as disabled people.
Looking at that, we currently have approximately 30 percent of our workforce throughout the various government departments who are aboriginal people. The departments are closely monitoring it and encouraging employment for aboriginal people. We have done some studies. The Grant Thornton study that came out indicated the statistics.
I know that MLAs have looked at it very closely and they have also indicated that there are some concerns there. As a government, we are continuing to monitor this. Certainly there is a lot of work that we should be focusing on but at this current time, the affirmative action is there and we encourage the different departments on their own to initiate and implement this policy. Thank you.
Return To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Supplementary To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Deputy Premier stated, they have realized themselves that there is very little movement in that area. The Deputy Premier mentioned that they are taking action in the different areas. I would like to ask the Deputy Premier exactly what is that action? What is being done to ensure that we do see a change in opened up opportunities in government with regard to affirmative action candidates?
Supplementary To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Further Return To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has delegated the authority for human resources to every department, so as a government we try to follow the Affirmative Action Policy. It is up to the departments to look at and promote this affirmative action. It has to be a key human resource strategy by each department now to come up with how they could implement the strategy. If it is a problem by the honourable Member that we should be more vigilant and be more aggressive in this initiative, then that is what we as a government will have to do. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Supplementary To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister exactly what action is being taken for those departments that do not follow the Affirmative Action Policy and where you do not see any increases in the number of affirmative action candidates? You mentioned 30 percent. That is low. We do have 50-odd percent of the population that is aboriginal. I would like to ask the Minister exactly what action do you take against those departments that do not live up to the obligations of the Affirmative Action Policy?
Supplementary To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Further Return To Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Question 24-14(5): Representative Public Service
Item 7: Oral Questions
Page 41
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are certain different departments in this government, if you look at the statistics, they have a pretty low percentage of aboriginal people within the department. I guess the concern here is at the deputy minister level. We do have aboriginal people who are deputy ministers. The number might be low in the assistant deputy minister positions and in the director positions. We have some departments that need more work. There are some departments that are doing fairly well in aboriginal representation in their departments in key positions. It is ongoing work that we have to do as a government, and we have to encourage these departments to take a closer look. It is going to have to be a key human resource strategy of each department to refocus and look at this area. Thank you.