This is page numbers 5413 - 5452 of the Hansard for the 18th 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. View the webstream of the day's session.

Topics

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I request a recorded vote.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Question has been called. The Member has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please rise.

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Deputy Clerk Of The House Mr. Ball

The Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Deh Cho, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

All those opposed, please rise. All those abstaining, please rise. The results of the recorded vote: 16 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly Board of Management make allowance for Members to be absent from the Assembly without financial penalty for up to four months due to pregnancy, childbirth, or the care of a Member's child following birth or adoption. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. The motion is in order. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This Legislative Assembly has had women with small children as Members, but I don't think that there has ever been a Member who has given birth while sitting as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. This is a proactive motion that would allow those who give birth or who adopt a child or are the partners, part of a family in which a child is born or adopted, to take a period of time off without financial penalty or without any other kind of penalty in recognition that they need to be present for their families during this formative part of the child's life.

While there is a range of time in different Legislative Assemblies around the world, four months is the amount that we felt represented a reasonable compromise between serving our constituents and maintaining our roles here on various standing committees and in the Assembly, yet being able to take time to care for our children. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Thank you. To the motion. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am going to speak both as a mother who has borne children and also as a social worker who specialized in child and human development. There is a lot of research that talks about the importance of bonding with infants and the importance of gaining a solid attachment with your infant. Allowing only a couple of weeks for a parent who has an infant to be able to be with their child and then get taken on the road, as many of us do, is contrary to the whole idea of building attachment and bonding. Research shows that, the more attached that a parent is to their child, the better chance of success for that child throughout life. This is a critical component, not only for allowing women to enter politics, but also for the well-being of children. I am hoping, again, that all Members will support this motion. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the support from the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and I would like to request a recorded vote.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Anything further?

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Question has been called. The Member has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please rise.

Recorded Vote
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Deputy Clerk Of The House Mr. Ball

The Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Deh Cho, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Sahtu, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

All those opposed, please rise. All those abstaining, please rise.

The results of the recorded vote are: 15 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions.

---Carried

Seeing nothing further from committee, does committee agree that this concludes consideration of Committee Report 14-18(3), Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Interim Report?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of the report.

Committee, we have next agreed to consider Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2018-2019, which is Tabled Document 381-18(3). I will turn to the Minister of Finance for opening comments. Minister McLeod.

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here to present Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2018-2019. The document provides for an increase of $2.5 million to the infrastructure budget.

The two items included in these supplementary estimates are:

  • $2.5 million to complete the implementation of junior kindergarten infrastructure in the remaining 10 schools; and
  • $374,000 for the Slave Geological Province Corridor Project.

These expenditures will be fully offset by funding from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. I would be happy to answer questions that Members may have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Do you have witnesses?

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, please introduce your witnesses for the record.

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have to my right Mr. David Stewart, who is the deputy minister, Department of Finance, secretary to the FMB; and I have Mr. Sandy Kalgutkar, who is deputy secretary to the FMB. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Are there any general comments on the supplementary estimates, or can we get right into it? General comments. Mr. Beaulieu.