This is page numbers 2921 - 2956 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 3rd 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 work.

Topics

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. I totally agree that if any employee is involved in an activity that could put them in a conflict or could leave them in a situation where they have access to confidential information, that should not be shared publicly. So I fully agree with the policies that are there, but is the Minister aware -- if he doesn’t know of a practice or procedure -- of instructions that are given to managers, deputy ministers, directors, or senior managers to find out from their employees what activities they are involved in?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Minister of Human Resources

I’m not aware of any specific directions that are given to deputy ministers or senior managers other than I know that most employees take it upon themselves to report to their supervisors if they are involved in any organizations and so on, just to be on the safe side, I presume.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I guess that sounds to me as though employees of their own free will are providing this information. That’s not the impression that I was given when I got this information. I would like to ask the Minister if he would be willing to look into this situation and to determine whether or not there are managers who are asking for this information as opposed to taking it from the employee when they offer it of their own free will.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Minister of Human Resources

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I’ll endeavour to do that. Certainly we don’t want employees reporting on things that we have no interest or no need to be involved with.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today was on the income support cheques and regarding the way they’re distributed to the communities. Will the government re-evaluate the way income support cheques are distributed and how various government departments deal with residents in the small communities?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Member did bring that to my attention a while ago about distribution of cheques into the small community, whether it be some sort of non-cash item in the stores. Some family members are not getting the actual food that they should be getting. Those are the areas we are seriously looking at, how we can distribute a certain amount, whether it be the cheques or vouchers to the stores, so that the families can certainly benefit from it. I’m glad the Member is raising this issue because it is important to us, the well-being of the children and the community.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Will the government commit to develop a true one-stop shop for all government support services?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Certainly that is one of our goals when we transfer the program, the one-stop shop that we’ve been talking about here in the Assembly. We continue to do so; provide various subsidies in a one-window approach. So we continue to improve in that area. However, if we can improve in certain areas, we’d like to hear from the Members as well. Certainly that will be one of our mandates to move forward, to have a one-stop approach.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue that I raised today in my Member’s statement will be the focus of my questions to the Minister of Justice. I keep raising the issue of fair rent for working families. My first question to the Minister of Justice is, what is stopping his department from looking into the issue of some type of rent control that provides protection for working families due to increased cost to the rent?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The rent control is a separate issue that we’re currently talking about here. That area will definitely have, whether it be positive or negative, impacts. We realize that other jurisdictions do have rent control and we have reviewed that. We have investigated that. There are pros and cons. We can certainly share that with the standing committee if we need to move in that direction. The local contractors may not be able to build units if they can’t control the rent. So those are the areas that we seriously looked at. We continue to do more research in that area.

With respect to how the rental officer deals with issues or complaints that are brought to attention on notification of rent increase given notice, those are the areas that the rental officer is in charge of. We continue to work with that.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if he would take on the initiative to consult with people in a public way on their feelings regarding rent control and the matter of providing reasonable protection for renters and, at the same time, provide reasonable protection for landlords who have to make sure they cover their costs and make a reasonable profit. Would the Minister take on that challenge and create some type of public discussions so that we can have some public awareness and some real, true public feedback on this issue?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

Certainly this is one area we need more consultation with the general public. It will be, I guess, a bigger discussion that we need to have within this Legislative Assembly. We need to hear the input of the general public. We can certainly work towards that with the Members of the standing committee on how we can pursue that.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

The Minister had said we need more consultation with the public and then he said a few other things I didn’t quite write down, but he also said works towards this with the standing committee. I just want to be clear, in my experience here, that almost sounded like a commitment that the Department of Justice will investigate this issue and create some type of public dialogue. Can I get that clearly on the record today, that the Minister of Justice will create some type of dialogue framework or discussion paper, get out, speak to committee as well as speak to the public?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

As the Minister responsible for Justice, I continue to work with the standing committee and I certainly don’t want to run

with the legislation without consultation with the standing committee. As a commitment from my perspective portfolios and also this government, we need to consult with the standing committee. I will continue to do so. I’m making a commitment to work with the standing committee on a moving-forward basis.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. Can I get some clarification from the Minister when the particular committee, which would be the Standing Committee on Social Programs, when does he expect to be able to reach out and create some type of discussion with that committee before going public with the public discussion paper on the issue of fair rent for working families?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

I did mention in this House that there is a business plan in process that will be underway after session concludes. That’s when we can start opening a discussion with the standing committee. I’m willing to meet with the standing committee and we will continue with our dialogue on how we can improve our program.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice in response to his Minister’s statement on improving family law services. I’m quite pleased to hear the announcement that they’re going to be moving or setting up a new mediation project with a roster of five mediators. I know that a number of Members in this House, both in the House and in the back hall, have been encouraging the department to go in this direction of setting up a mediation process.

My first question is just a question for clarity to the Minister responsible. Is this mediation going to be mandatory or is it going to be optional?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.