Charles Dent

Legislative Assembly photo

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Charles Dent is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2007, as MLA for Frame Lake

Won his last election, in 2003, with 63% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Amendments To Legislative Assembly And Executive Council Act March 11th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last fall, Mr. Speaker, voters from across the Northwest Territories made clear their desire for a more accountable government and greater access to information.

Another major issue in last fall's campaign was the compensation paid to MLAs and Ministers of this government. Many people believe that since these elected officials are paid with public funds, their salaries, expenses and constituency expenses should be tabled in the Legislative Assembly. Many people also believe that the salaries and expenses of high level civil servants should also be tabled.

Although the figures provided in the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act can be used to calculate the maximum amounts payable to MLAs and Ministers, the public does not consider this to be enough, and I certainly agree. I think it is important to put actual dollars beside names in the case of elected officials; and beside positions in the case of senior civil servants.

I have asked our Legislative Assembly research team to prepare a document which outlines how other jurisdictions in Canada deal with this type of information. This document, which I will table later today, clearly shows that many legislatures have gone to great lengths to make salaries and expenses public. Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan provide their residents with the most detailed information. I firmly believe that we should aim to match, or better the standards set by these provinces.

Mr. Speaker, many candidates in last fall's campaign found that politicians are held in rather low esteem. I am convinced that taking steps to make more information public is one way to regain the public's confidence. Since most Members of this House have embraced the concept of more open and accountable government, and since tabling an annual report of Members' expenditures would be an important step toward providing the access to information that many of our constituents are demanding, I will, at the appropriate time today, give notice of motion asking that the Speaker prepare amendments to the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, to provide for such reports to be tabled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 11th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In last year's capital budget this was shown as a project scheduled for this year, and I think in line with previous comments that you heard from the standing committee on finance that we think the government should proceed with filling those commitments when they are made to those communities. And also, in light of the fact that waiting to install the fuel tank in Snare Lake is going to cost this government money because we will have to start flying in fuel, I think it is very important that we proceed to build this facility as soon as possible. We are trying to recommend that the government speed the process up.

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 11th, 1992

In the standing committee of finance that was our understanding. It was our concern that it might not make a lot of sense to wait. We think it would really be a justified expense to proceed as quickly as possible with the construction of this facility.

Motion To Move Snare Lake Fuel Tank Construction To 1992-93, Carried

Therefore, I move that the committee recommends that the Snare Lake fuel tank construction be advanced to 1992-93, as previously committed by the government.

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 11th, 1992

Will we actually be forced to fly in drums in the next year if we do not do something about the situation soon?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 11th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When the standing committee on finance was reviewing this, there was an indication of concern that the community of Snare Lake might have to be resupplied with drums because of a lack of fuel tank capacity. The Minister advised us that Snare Lake was supposed to be on line for fuel tank construction in the previous budgets, but it is not shown in this one. Could the Minister advise how they are intending to handle the fuel supply in Snare Lake?

Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 10th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. At the standing committee on finance, we had some concern about a senior citizens' facility which is to be completed this year in Fort Franklin, with a second facility being planned for Fort Norman, which is in the same region. It was pointed out that there are numerous regions in the North where there are no senior citizens' facilities. It was not satisfactorily explained at the standing committee on finance how the policy could be applied so that one region would wind up with two facilities when some regions had none. We thought this should be something that was needs-based rather than perhaps a situation that might be politically driven.

Therefore, we wanted to request that, before we were satisfied, if this was something that was really needed we thought that we needed to see a clearly defined policy from the department explaining why this project was needed in this region. In the absence of having seen that, Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a motion.

Motion To Delete Senior Citizen's Facility, Fort Norman, Carried

I move that the 1992-93 capital estimates for the Department of Social Services, under the activity community and family support services, for the project senior citizen's facility, Fort Norman, in the amount of $15,000, be deleted.

Question O299-12(2): Abbott Report Re NWT Participation At Expo '92 March 10th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister advise this director of NWT operations to close the restaurant and retail operation at Expo '92, if within the first 30 days these operations do not achieve a positive cash flow?

Question O299-12(2): Abbott Report Re NWT Participation At Expo '92 March 10th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will this director have direct access to the Minister when Expo is on?

Question O299-12(2): Abbott Report Re NWT Participation At Expo '92 March 10th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister

advise whether he has selected an on-site director for the NWT operations at Expo '92?

Question O299-12(2): Abbott Report Re NWT Participation At Expo '92 March 10th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. It relates to the report done for the Minister by Mr. Abbott regarding the Northwest Territories Canada Pavilion at Expo '92. Could the Minister advise the House if he agrees with the recommendations in the report on NWT participation at Expo '92, as proposed by Mr. Abbott?