This is page numbers 4035 – 4074 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 communities.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Chairman, what I’ll do is finish off by asking this and certainly hoping I can get some type of positive response from the department, are there some informal websites? I’ll tell you, a lot of people surf some of these common, everyday… I highlighted YK Trader as an example that a lot of people go on out of curiosity, and I would encourage the department to seize upon those types of opportunities to encourage these type of service areas that we have within our departments about we’re here, to know more about labour development, click here and you end up being right where you need to be – which is probably on a government website – and allow them to pursue it as such.

It’s not that easy to just say go to the website, like I said earlier. Or even as highlighted by Mr. Heide about, oh, just go to the career centre and find a pamphlet. I find it quite a daunting task as an MLA sometimes, because the last thing I want to do is turn around and send someone on another goose chase. Oh, don’t worry; the person who will solve your problem is just down the road here. Call them or you may have to call this person and so on and so on. I find that sometimes – and I’m sure these folks can appreciate this when they call our office or e-mail our office – folks are quite frustrated, exhausted, concerned by that time and they’re being pushed because time is of the essence on their concern. It’s very dramatic the way they… The last thing I want to do is push them away and say go find it on your own. I would just encourage the

department to find new ways to reach out with people in what I would consider an everyday medium. That’s all. Thank you.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister Lafferty.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I agree with the Member that we need to be innovative and creative of sharing information and educational awareness. That’s exactly what we need to do. There is always room for improvement in the programming. This is an area that we listen well with the Member and we will continue to push that forward. Mahsi.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Ms. Bisaro.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question here with regards to the Minimum Wage Adjustment Committee. My understanding is that we should be getting a report fairly soon. Could I hear from the Minister? I gather this committee has met. When can we expect to see their recommendations? Thank you.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Chair, the committee met, I believe, late last year and then we have been developing a terms of reference for the committee. I just got that last week or last week and a half. We are moving forward on that. It’s true that the committee has met. They are discussing options on the wage increase for minimum wage. I’m expecting a report very soon. As soon as I get that, we need to go through that. I will keep Members posted on that. Mahsi.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister for that. I look forward to seeing that report. In the program delivery details, labour and career development, there’s a fairly large increase from 2013-14 to 2014-15. Could I get an explanation of what the increase is funding? Thank you.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Chair, there’s a variety of sections within this, the increase. Partially it’s the Aboriginal Languages Secretariat, the reallocation, $400,000 increase in new initiatives. There’s North Slave and South Slave, so they all get a contribution. The Sahtu oil and gas, $5,000 increase as part of forced growth. Collective Agreement is part of that, as well, $48,000. Amortization. The employment and standards increased in budget of $18,000, again Collective Agreement. There’s another Collective Agreement with management and program support. These are just a variety of areas that offset the increase. Mahsi.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

The increase is about $600,000, $550,000. In listening to the Minister, I didn’t quite get all the numbers, but I gather the largest amount

is about $400,000 for the Aboriginal Languages Secretariat. Is that an increase to that secretariat or is that to set up that secretariat? Thank you.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Chair, that is the Small Communities Fund that we borrowed before. Now we are returning it, the $400,000, so it is going back to small community to focus on small community funding. We are very happy to get that back. Mahsi.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Now I’m really confused. I guess I need to ask the Minister if I could get the detailed page that he read from. I thought I heard him say Aboriginal Languages Secretariat.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. We will get clarification from the deputy minister, Ms. Eggenhofer.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Eggenhofer

Mr. Chair, if you recall, the $400,000 used to be in the Aboriginal Languages Secretariat before we had looked at the reorganization of the secretariat. We have now re-profiled the funding of the secretariat and through that re-profiling and restructuring are returning the $400,000 back to the Small Communities Fund. Thank you.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

February 26th, 2014

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Eggenhofer. Ms. Bisaro.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the deputy minister. I’m done. Thank you.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Committee, we are on page 10-25, activity summary, labour development and standards, operations expenditure summary, $10.727 million. Does committee agree?

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, committee. 10-26, activity summary, labour development and standards, grants and contributions, $409,000. Agreed? Ms. Bisaro.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Mr. Chair, I just wanted to comment on the funding for Skills Canada. I’m very pleased to see that there. I think that this is an excellent program. The department, I think, recognizes that it is as well. I think it’s only been expanding over the last number of years. We’ve gone from $35,000 from 2012-13 and we skipped last year and we now have $70,000 in 2014-15. The Skills Canada group have been doing a great deal to expand into all areas of the territory outside of just Yellowknife. I think that’s a great program that we are back to funding. I was going to ask a question on the small community employment funding but apparently I don’t support small communities so I won’t ask that question. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. We will treat that as a comment. 10-26, activity summary, labour development and standards, grants and contributions, $409,000. Agreed?

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, committee. On 10-27, information item, labour development and standards, active positions. Are there any questions?

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Chair’s Ruling
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

There are none. Page 10-29, activity summary, income security. Ms. Bisaro.