Yes, Mr. Chairman. Again, with all due respect, what Mr. Krutko is referring to is a wage or pay equity issue and it is something that goes beyond the purpose of this legislation. It is a good issue that we need to look at, but it is beyond the scope and purpose of this legislation. It is something that is a big issue. If we want to do it, then my advice is that we should review it very carefully and look at all of the issues around it. Mr. Chairman, this piece of legislation does not take away anything and it certainly does not require or bind future employers who provide government services to have to follow the Government of the Northwest Territories employment arrangements. It leaves it as it is. Communities in some situations may even pay more. I don't know. They may be giving more pay and benefits than we get in government, but we as a government never enter into agreements to save money. I do not know of any of them that we have that may, and probably most or all of them cost us more money. But the bottom line is we cannot impose our employment arrangements onto another employer.
Debates of June 11th, 2003
This is page numbers 929 - 964 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th 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 communities.
Topics
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 962
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 962
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 962
Charles Dent Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't have any comments at this point. Thank you.
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 962
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 962
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, will the Minister consider separate legislation to deal with the whole contracting out issue in regard to the whole range of services that are being delivered on behalf of this government through a contract? Will the Minister consider looking at that legislation so we can see how those people who provide a public service can have some protection from the human rights legislation in place now, and if we are at some sort of legislation to ensure that when we do have contracts in place, it is outside of the government day-to-day operations to provide public services such as mental health services or economic development services or income support services, that those contracts will be looked at through some sort of legislation to ensure that they are being fairly treated as employees of this government and that they are not being paid less than people doing work of similar value in the public service?
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 963
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 963
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, yes. I will take a look at the issues around it and try to scope out what the issues are on that whole pay equity issue that Mr. Krutko is referring to. The wage parity issue, I am sorry. The wage parity issue that Mr. Krutko is referring to, I don't have any solutions to it, but we can help to scope out what the issues are around that one. Thank you.
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 963
The Chair Paul Delorey
Thank you, Minister Handley. The chair will recognize the clock and rise to report progress. Thank you, Minister Handley, and your witnesses, for appearing.
Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 963
The Speaker Tony Whitford
The House will come back to order. May I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please?
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Page 963
Delorey
Mr. Speaker, you committee has been considering Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act. I would like to report progress and, Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Page 963
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Do we have a seconder for the motion? Yes, the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes seconds the motion. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Item 21, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, may we have the orders of the day?
Item 22: Orders Of The Day
Item 22: Orders Of The Day
Page 963
Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton
There will be a meeting of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight at adjournment tonight and again at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Orders of the day for Thursday, June 12, 2003:
- Prayer
- Ministers' Statements
- Members' Statements
- Reports of Standing and Special Committees
- Returns to Oral Questions
- Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
- Oral Questions
- Written Questions
- Returns to Written Questions
- Replies to Opening Address
- Petitions
- Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
- Tabling of Documents
- Notices of Motion
- Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills
- Motions
- First Reading of Bills
- Bill 18, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2003-2004
- Bill 29, NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation Act
- Second Reading of Bills
- Bill 28, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act
- Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
- Bill 13, Deh Cho Bridge Act
- Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act
- Report of Committee of the Whole
- Third Reading of Bills
- Orders of the Day
Item 22: Orders Of The Day
Item 22: Orders Of The Day
Page 963
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until June 12th, at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 6:10 p.m.