Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How many times do we need to hear Ministers say, “Our staff are our most valuable resource,” or better yet, “We are committed to health and safety,” or finally, “We are developing a robust Occupational Health and Safety Program that meets legislative requirements”?
Every one of our Ministers at one time or another spews these paid political announcements about as freely as the falling snow. Yet the courts have clearly told us our failure of the safety promise. Territorial Supreme Court judge Garth Malakoe on Action 2013-000272 said, “The ultimate goal of workers safety legislation is to create a culture of safety within the organization. Those organizations which incorporate such a culture will avoid breaches of such legislation and the accompanying monetary penalty.”
This was read in just as the GNWT pleaded guilty – and I repeat guilty – of failing to live up to our
obligation as a principal contractor. This guilty plea cost the taxpayers a severe fine and, of course, unnecessary injury to an NWT worker.
When the GNWT doesn’t respect our own laws, how can industry be expected to abide by the same laws? Clearly, the GNWT owes no less than for us to be held to a higher standard than that of industry.
This lack of a heightened responsibility took a different twist on Friday, March 6, 2015, in the House during Committee of the Whole when the Public Works and Services Minister was asked by the Member for Range Lake about the lack of a contractor management system in our shared procurement service model. When asked why basic safety procurement is not used, the reply is, “We would be eliminating the majority of our contractors in the small communities.”
I couldn’t believe my ears it was such a bold statement. Would we really be, as the Minister indicated in his words, leaving people out in the cold, or was this just a means to deflect responsibility and the apparent laziness of the department?
The Safety Act and its regulations are deemed the law that governs the safety and well-being of all Northerners. Again, the courts have reminded us of this, and with the multiple court cases still pending, one would think this wake-up call would resonate at our highest leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I am appalled and dismayed that a Minister would even hint that a responsibility would be excused on the deceptive pitfall of a small community punch line.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted