This is page numbers 507 - 546 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 chairman.

Topics

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Ms. Snider.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Snider

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman I think that the answer to that is yes.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Snider. Mr. Bell.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you. I am hoping that Mr. Snider can be very sure and very concise. Can she indicate which of the two former employees indicated that they were leaving their employment unwillingly? I would assume that this would have been something in writing.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Ms. Snider.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Snider

They both indicated not in writing, but verbally, that they were unwilling to leave the positions, but felt that they had no other choice. One of the positions, as Mr. Handley has indicated, was eliminated so it did not exist anymore.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Snider. The Chair recognizes Mr. Roland.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In my earlier line of questioning the last response that I had was in the area of the executive assistant position. If there are other executive assistant positions that have a contract of this nature and the Minister replied in the area, "Well, there is no more chief of staff position so there is no problem here." That is revisionist history, Mr. Chairman, and I think that the people of the Northwest Territories would take offence to that.

I ask the question, are there any other contracts of an executive assistant that would mirror the one of the chief of staff, which was said to be in this House by the Premier, an executive assistant position? Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Ms. Snider will answer that.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Ms. Snider.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Snider

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It was in fact an executive assistant position, but it was a unique executive assistant position and that is why it was considered that an at pleasure contract was warranted. All executive assistants serve a sort of political-type of arrangement with their Ministers. They are all chosen by their Ministers.

As I have indicated and I believe that the Premier indicated in the House when he was trying to describe the position that this one had unique responsibilities.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Snider. Mr. Roland.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is difficult to get a precise answer here. Is there another executive assistant position that would have this type of contract attached to it?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, there is no other position. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Roland.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the uniqueness of this position, is that why the Premier would have signed off on this termination negotiation? Earlier in the line of questioning, Ms. Snider said that she signed off on the other position, the principal secretary, I believe was the position, but it was the Premier who signed off on the chief of staff position. Was that the uniqueness of this chief of staff position?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Yes, Mr. Chairman. That is right.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Roland.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Now again, Mr. Chairman, in trying to pin down this contract, if in fact it was an executive assistant position or not, we are all aware during the questioning and so on as to when this position was established, an executive assistant position, it qualifies under the pay grid and we are all aware of what in fact this chief of staff position was pulling in. Again, in Hansard, page 952, November 16, 2000, the Premier stated and I quote from page 952, "where there is reference to deputy minister it should read chief of staff instead of DM". Mr. Chairman, was this in fact a DM contract?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Handley.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Chairman, it was an at pleasure contract. This position was a senior political position and I realize that all EA positions are probably somewhat political. This is not unusual that the Premier would sign this off. That is the case at least in Newfoundland and I believe that it is also the case in the Yukon as well; it is a similar kind of position. There is nothing that we were doing here that was different than anywhere else. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 540

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Roland.