Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Bell.
Debates of March 11th, 2002
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
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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 Yellowknife South
Thank you. I guess what I am trying to get at is I am trying to arrive at some assurance that if in fact this did happen, our staff internally, on the basis of a legal opinion, made the suggestion that there were adequate grounds and that we should certainly be concerned about this and therefore, we should look at doing something, such as possibly signing a waiver asking the person to relinquish the right to take further action against the GNWT. If in fact there was no official suggestion that there might be legal action, I am wondering why we would even entertain such a thought?
I suppose, if we are not going to get an answer as to whether or not there was an official, threatened legal action, then we are not going to get any sort of indication as to whether or not we were of the opinion that these people possibly had grounds. Is that in fact the case, that I am not going to get an answer on 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
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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 Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, he certainly will not get an answer from me. I had declared myself in conflict on this very early on and was not privy to any of those kinds of discussions that might have happened. I will ask Mr. Voytilla to comment on it. 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
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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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Voytilla
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In these situations, we look at all those types of issues about the circumstances, our exposure, all those types of considerations. We do not release those publicly.
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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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 Yellowknife South
Thank you. I am wondering if the Minister can indicate to us if he felt that either the Premier or the Cabinet secretary was asked to make a judgment call on the amount the termination contract should entail.
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 544
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 544
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, as I said, I was not involved in any of this, so I do not know. I will ask Ms. Snider, who negotiated it. She may have a comment on it. 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
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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
I would like to characterize it as an assessment as opposed to a judgment call. As I mentioned before, we looked at a number of different things and reviewed the facts and circumstances. On the basis of those, I made an assessment on what was appropriate, given those circumstances and facts.
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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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 Yellowknife South
Thank you. So the Cabinet secretary made two assessments, an assessment in both cases, and she was able and had the delegated authority on one of them and did not have the delegated authority to sign off on the other contract. I am wondering if, in this other situation, the Premier had to take her assessment and make a judgment call about whether or not it was sound before signing.
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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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
As I had indicated earlier, when I brought the recommendation to the Premier, we discussed the reasons for that recommendation. I am assuming that he has confidence enough in the work that I do that he felt that my assessment was accurate.
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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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 Yellowknife South
However, he was still required to sign in that one case because in fact, the Cabinet secretary did not have the delegated authority. Is that not correct, Mr. Chairman?
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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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
I guess that is the case, 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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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 Yellowknife South
Thank you. I am going to move to another question that I had asked Ms. Snider earlier, and it is in reference to the Premier's comments in Hansard yesterday. I do not believe I got an answer that satisfied my concern. When I read page 1140 of unedited Hansard yesterday, again, the Premier's comments:
I know that Ms. Snider is prepared to answer the questions because she arrived at the contracts with the people involved and she, along with support staff, negotiated the severance packages, if that is what you call them, and brought them to me in both instances for signature.
Now, we know that Ms. Snider signed one, so in only one instance was the Premier's signature required. I am confused as to why these comments would be made, unless I am misinterpreting what the Premier has in fact said. I do not believe I got the answer from Ms. Snider as to why the Premier suggested that "...and brought them to me in both instances for signature." I am wondering what both instances would refer to.
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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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. As I indicated earlier, I brought my recommendations on both severance packages to the Premier, discussed both of them with him, and got his concurrence on both of those recommendations.
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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