Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier and related to the two contracts that were tabled on October 19, 2009.

In regards to the two contracts, Tabled Document 7-16(4) and Tabled Document 8-16(4), one with the Northern Strategy Group, dated December 21, 2007, and extended August 18, 2008, and the other with John Todd Holdings Limited, dated January 1, 2008. For each of the contracts:

1. Can the Minister please provide a description

of the federal, provincial and territorial meetings that resulted from the services provided by the contractor?

2. Can the Minister please state the subjects of

the discussions taking place at each of these meetings?

3. Can the Minister please provide documentation

certifying the value and nature of services received in verifying receipt of deliverables?

My questions are for the Premier of the Northwest Territories.

Can the Premier please provide a list of the sole-sourced consulting services contracts given by all departments during the life of this Assembly with

former Members of the Legislative Assembly and former GNWT public servants at or above the director level?

Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission 2008 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table two service contracts, the one to Angevine Economic Consulting Ltd., dated September 1, 2007, and the other to Mathews Energy Consulting, dated August 30, 2007. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, October 22, 2009, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on October 22, 2009, it shall be adjourned until Monday, October 26, 2009; and further, that any time prior to October 26, 2009, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive

Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, October 22, 2009, I will move the following motion: Whereas, on June 3, 2009, the Legislative Assembly adopted Motion 21-16(3) as amended, directing the Standing Committee on Social Programs to conduct a review of the Child and Family Services Act and its implementation and to present the committee findings to the House at the earliest opportunity; and whereas, the motion also directed the Standing Committee on Social Programs to prepare additional terms of reference for the review of the act and its implementation and to present the terms of reference to the House at the first opportunity during the October 2009 sitting of the Assembly; now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that the terms of reference for the review of the Child and Family Services Act be established as follows:

1. The Standing Committee on Social Programs

shall examine the following: a. the achievement of the objectives as

stated in the preamble of the act;

b. the

administration

and implementation of

the act, in particular where child protection apprehension is considered;

c. the effectiveness of the provisions in the

act, including the assignment of the scope of independent powers to the child protection workers and the general oversight of the NWT child protection services;

d. the use of alternative dispute resolution

methods such as mediation, conciliation, arbitration and case settlement conferences to avoid child apprehension and adversarial court proceedings wherever possible;

e. the supports required to fully implement

the community child and family services committees as provided for by the act;

f. the community supports available for

families and children to prevent apprehensions;

g. the gaps in care and services for youth

between 16 and 19 years of age;

h. concerns regarding frivolous complaints;

and

i. the potential role, responsibilities and

powers of a territorial child advocate.

2. The Standing Committee on Social Programs

shall, during its examination, consider the following: a. incorporation and respect for aboriginal

values, beliefs and approaches to conflict resolution;

b. real or perceived racial undertones in child

protection investigations and apprehensions;

c.

complexity of family law issues;

d. potential conflicts between federal and

territorial legislation; and

e. discrepancies in the supports and

resources available to the different parties in court proceedings.

3. The Standing Committee on Social Programs

shall have access to such persons, papers and records as necessary for the conduct of this review.

4. The Standing Committee on Social Programs

shall be provided, through appropriations of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, with the necessary administrative and professional support to carry out its terms of reference and assigned responsibilities as they relate to this review.

5. The Standing Committee on Social Programs

may make recommendations for amendments to the act that it considers desirable through a final report.

6. The Standing Committee on Social Programs

shall table a final report on the review no later than October 2010.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 1-16(4), NWT Capital Estimates 2010-2011, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The wish of the committee is to continue today with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, then Justice, then, time permitting, Health and Social Services. Just in terms of Health and Social Services, with a view to perhaps winding things up by around 5:30 as we have a meeting at the rise of the House today. That is the order we would like to consider those in. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Does committee agree?

With that, I will ask the Minister if he can bring in any witnesses. With that, we will take a short break.

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I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. As we agreed, we will begin with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. At this time, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance if he will be bringing in any witnesses. Mr. Miltenberger.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Does committee agree that the Minister bring in his witnesses?

Agreed. Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witnesses in.

Mr. Minister, for the record, could you introduce your witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; Dan Daniels, deputy minister of Education; Paul Guy, acting deputy minister of Public Works and Services.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. We can begin on page 8-2, which we’ll defer for later consideration in regard to the department summary. With that, 8-3.