Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The nature of our modern government is that a large number of very important decisions are delegated to statutory officers. The example I use today is the employment standards officer. This is, of course, sometimes the only efficient way to do government, in today’s day and age. What concerns me is that too often the government’s oversight seems to end with an appointment or, certainly in the case of employment matters, when they hire these folks. It cannot be overstated, but the decisions made by the employment service officers have very far reaching impacts. Sometimes if you disagree with them, to some extent, they can be taken to court for review. This is a very expensive process and the courts are reluctant to interfere with the decisions of our statutory officers, as I made mention today.

Once affirmed by the courts, the officer’s decision, that is, whether it’s been good or bad, clear or unclear, it becomes a new standard for employers and employees to live within. It’s therefore critical that we ensure that people who are appointed to these decision-making positions have the right skills and knowledge to do their job properly.

Often you will hear the phrase “to ensure they have the proper competencies” to do the job. That doesn’t mean they’re not doing the job in a manner that they are trying the best they can, just making sure they’re skilled properly with the right ability.

That then leads me into the interpretation of how we balance and manage this problem. What does the government do to help set minimum qualifications? As we all know, interpreting legislation is a challenging business. Do we require mandatory training of people who are in these areas, as I pointed out, such as the employment standards officer? What do we do when such areas as supporting them with training in administrative law and procedures? Do we teach them or mentor them on writing good, clear decisions?

Many challenges have come up, and I’ve heard from different people on this particular issue, but it always seems to come back to this: How do we support and train our folks who make these very important decisions, because they are far reaching and many of them are extremely costly? Later today, as the example I used of employment standards officer is only one of many examples, I will use this example to ask questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to find out how we support these people doing these tough jobs.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate the graduating class of 2012 at Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson for Friday, June 15th . I’d also like to

congratulate the parents and teachers on a job well done.

On June 20th the students of Chief Paul Niditchie

School in Tsiigehtchic will be having a graduation for the students in Tsiigehtchic. Congratulations, everyone.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Family and close friends are sitting a 24-hour vigil with family matriarch and respected elder Irene Sanderson this week in Fort Smith. Despite being ill for many months, Irene has remained the strong woman she’s always been, not complaining about her lot in life, not even to say why me after receiving a terminal diagnosis. She’s a testament of strength to her children, her relations, and her friends.

Irene is a trapper’s daughter, born and raised in the bush at Ambers Portage between Fort Chipewyan and Fort McMurray. She became a trapper’s wife in Fort Smith, where her eight children were born and raised. Charlie, Elaine, Sam, Lisa, Sandy, Andrew, Alma and Ray grew up learning and living the traditional life their mother taught to them. Hunting, fishing, trapping, cutting dry meat and hanging dry fish, you name it. Irene taught her children how to survive in the bush and respect the traditional lifestyle. Her children knew how to hunt moose and

make bannock on a wood stove, long before they knew how to turn on an electric oven or buy meat from Kaiser’s Store.

I’ve known Irene Sanderson for a long time. She’s been a long-time supporter who brought bannock to my constituency office many times over the years. You can bet that when she takes a stand on an issue, Irene’s not shy to speak her mind or stand her ground. Like the time she became upset about the ban on caribou hunting. Irene even stopped talking to me for awhile. I’m told that her daughter Lisa reminded her mom of those years on the trap line at Burnt Lake, when Irene would stop trapping beaver and muskrat for a few seasons to give them time to restock. Lisa reminded her mom, it’s the same thing he’s doing for the caribou.

Irene spent a lifetime teaching what she knows best to her children, her 16 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Most of them continue to live in Fort Smith. She’s known for sharing her home with other families in need, welcoming and treating the children as though they were her own. Irene has lived a clean and sober life filled with lots of love, laughter and compassion. I understand she called the family home last week to spend time with each person, reminiscing about the old times, and to say goodbye individually to the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to whom she has devoted her entire life.

Irene Sanderson’s children are her legacy to Fort Smith and the North. She shared with them a lifetime of invaluable knowledge on how to thrive and live off the bounty of the land. At the same time Irene taught her children the importance of being kind and respectful to people whose lives they touch and be respectful and loving of each other.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s very touching.

I wanted to congratulate Tu Nedhe recipients of the Premier’s awards today for the Premier’s Award for Collaboration on the Slave River and Delta Partnership Team. We had two members from Fort Resolution, Patrick Simon and Tausia Lal.

Also, the Premier’s Award of Excellence for the team award recipients went to the Deninu School in Fort Resolution, and the principal was here to receive the award for all the teachers and administrators over there. That’s an excellent school. Each time I come into Fort Resolution and I have an opportunity, I attend the school. It is full of life, so I was very pleased to see that recognized. They have done a lot for their students in Fort

Resolution. I just wanted to say congratulations to the Deninu School team.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Before we continue, I just want to say our thoughts and prayers are with the Sanderson family. To all people in the territory, I guess, we have Members here with family in the hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with you from the Legislative Assembly. God bless you and a quick recovery.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today in my Member’s statement I talked about the truly inspirational work of one young man in Range Lake. He’s quite a difference maker. I’d like to introduce Mr. Cole Philipp; his mother, Stephanie; and his dad, Jeff, who are up in the gallery.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. I’d like to welcome all visitors in the public gallery here today. Thank you for your interest in today’s proceedings.

Item 6, acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulation Ms. Phebie Kenny of Deline, along with her team at the NWT Housing Corporation, on receiving the Premier’s Collaboration Award today. On behalf of the Sahtu region, I would like to congratulate Ms. Kenny on her continuous efforts and contributions toward her community.

Ms. Kenny is known for her hard work and her constant teamwork. The community of Deline is fortunate to have such an exceptional individual. I encourage the Sahtu to continue much of the appreciated work with their communities and members.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Wow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I was referring to the

fact that territorial laws often create statutory officers. They become decision-makers. These are individuals who are responsible for the administration of very important pieces of legislation, and they have far-reaching decision-making authorities such as employment standards, I pointed out, and in particular, we have other things such as the Legal Services Act creates the legal services board, and it goes on and on and on.

My question, though, is around ECE and, of course, the employment standards officer, so I’ll be directing my questions to the Minister of ECE. My first question for him today is: Are these appointments that we make under the Employment Standards Act to establish the employment standards officers to make these decisions, do we provide them with basic law training prior to them sitting in a decision-making capacity to write rulings? Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The principle function of the employment standards officer is to administer the Employment Standards Act. The act sets out general rights and responsibilities and minimal requirements, fundamental principles of employment standards. The act also covers such areas of work, minimum wage, termination of employment, annual vacation, statutory holidays, pregnancy and parental leave. Those fall under the act, so it’s up to the officer to follow through according to the act. Mahsi.

I appreciate the Minister providing a bit of an outline where they do their business, but it’s a matter of them being able to do their business is really what I’m after. Back to the training question, do we provide any training or mentoring for them as they make these very important decisions? Do we get behind them with special reference material to help them guide and make clear and honourable decisions in their process? Thank you.

I don’t have the specifics of the duty outline and what the Member is referring to on the training aspects, but I can definitely provide that information in detail to the Members. Mahsi.

Part of the training question that I’d like to ask at the same time, is does his department offer any ongoing training. As many people know, there are types of mediation training such as decision-writing training and these are the types of the capacities. Does his department support these statutory officers with that type of support mechanism, again, to ensure they’re making clear and good decisions? Thank you.

Yes, we definitely support those individuals in those kinds of capacity to have up-to-date experience and training requirements. We continue to provide that training, whether it be the statutory officers, or whether it be the employment standards officers, and provide them as up-to-date information as we possibly can through the training. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quite often I only hear from people who are unhappy with a particular decision or, certainly, the guidance provided by this specific office, and I’ve heard about many offices, I just had to pick one because we don’t have all day. When decisions are appealed, taken to court, it’s quite expensive and it’s a very painful process. What type of monitoring does the Department of ECE do on both the decisions made, reaffirmed by the court, and the subjects why people have taken them to the process of appeal? Does the Department of ECE ever examine and consider some of the issues raised when people are appealing decisions? Thank you.

We do work closely with the employment standards officers. We have to make sure that they’re following the act. If an individual or a party is not satisfied with the decisions that are being made, there is an appeal process, as the Member alluded to. The employment standards appeal, adjudicators hear appeals by employers or employees who are not satisfied with the decision of the employment standards officers. There is a process that’s been established and we continue to work with that as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance. I would like to ask the Minister when is the last time the northern residents’ tax deduction was increased and when was the last time our government made a formal appeal to the federal government for this kind of cost-of-living relief for the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.