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

Motion 27-12(1): Strategy Committee For Implementation Of Recommendations Of "strength At Two Levels" December 15th, 1991

Mr. Speaker, I believe most Members in this House support the theme of the report, "Strength At Two Levels." Having said that, however, there are concerns among many Members regarding some of the recommendations, concerns that need to be addressed here in the House before the government moves to implement any recommendations from the report.

Ordinary Members have welcomed this government's pledge to include us much more in the decisions of government, but we have heard several statements in the past week which cause concern because these statements make it sound like the government is proceeding to implement some of the recommendations without any involvement from this side of the House. Statements like announcing that POL would be transferred to the NWT Power Corporation and that the Departments of Health and Social Services would be combined took us by surprise happening before we had the opportunity to even discuss the report in the Legislature.

The government appears to be trying to move quickly -- perhaps too quickly -- to implement recommendations from the Beatty report. Ordinary Members are concerned that their concerns about some of the recommendations might not be addressed before the government moves to implement them.

The purpose of this motion is to ensure that ordinary Members are given the opportunity to provide the sort of advice the government has said they would welcome, placing three ordinary Members on the committee planning the implementation strategy to allow the concerns of ordinary Members to be raised even if the House is not in session.

Given this government's commitment to more openness and accountability and their pledge to involve ordinary Members in government decision-making, I hope we will see the honourable Members on the government side also supporting this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 27-12(1): Strategy Committee For Implementation Of Recommendations Of "strength At Two Levels" December 15th, 1991

Thank you. Mr. Speaker:

WHEREAS the government appears to be moving quickly to implement some of the recommendations of the report titled "Strength At Two Levels," also known as the Beatty report;

AND WHEREAS the Government Leader has committed to involving ordinary Members more actively in the process of government regarding implementation of the Beatty report recommendations;

AND WHEREAS the concerns of the ordinary Members may not be easily expressed to the government when this House is not in session;

NOW THEREFORE, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Keewatin Central, that the Government Leader include three ordinary Members of this Assembly on its strategy committee for implementing the recommendations of the report "Strength At Two Levels."

Motion 25-12(1): Establishment Of A Tax Reform Commission, Removed From Order Paper December 12th, 1991

Mr. Speaker, the seconder of this motion, Mr. Todd, is not in the House today. I would like to bring it up on Monday.

Question W7-12(1): Department Of Government Services Tendering Policies December 12th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister of Government Services regarding copies of two letters which I received, which have been sent to other Members, including the Ministers, regarding tendering policies in the Department of Government Services.

The two letters from northern businesses, attached, raised significant questions about tendering policies of the Department of Government Services. 1) Would the Minister of Government Services please advise whether the concerns outlined above have been addressed, and if so, how?

2) Could I be provided with copies of letters of reply to these letters, if such replies have been sent?

Government Leader Denying Consent To Return To Oral Questions December 12th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today deals with open government and an event that took place in the House yesterday. Many times over the last few days we have heard this concept of an open and accountable government and the need to respect and solicit the views of ordinary Members. Members on the other side of the House have used these words often.

However, yesterday when the honourable Member for Thebacha requested unanimous consent to return to oral questions, the Government Leader denied this consent. Surely this cannot be considered open and accountable government.

Most ordinary Members believe the actions of the Government Leader were uncalled for. When Members on this side of the House ask to extend question period it is because they have pressing business with the government; it is not because they are trying to tie up the business of this House. We are a new Legislature, and many Members have important issues that they wish to question cabinet about. Question period is perhaps the best opportunity for Members on this side of the House to ensure that government is open and accountable.

In his Member's statement on Wednesday, Mr. Antoine told us that the strict adherence to parliamentary rules is not the way of the Dene people and does not reflect a northern way of life. Nevertheless, I would remind the Government Leader if the rules of the House can be used to stifle the business of ordinary Members, they can also be used to do the same to government business.

I hope the Government Leader will be more receptive to the wishes of Members on this side of the House in future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Question O73-12(1): Accrual Of Air Travel Points For Government Use December 11th, 1991

Mr. Speaker, in some jurisdictions when the Government pays for tickets, any travel points that accrue from that ticket go into a government pool and those points can then be used to purchase tickets in the future. Will this government undertake to institute a policy whereby all travel points from airline tickets from Members of the Legislature, government employees, or people who work for boards, commissions or agencies funded by the government, and ensure that points and airline tickets paid for by the government go into a pool for use by the government in the future?

Question O72-12(1): Economy Class Air Fares For Government Personnel December 11th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This has been a week filled with talk of restraint and gestures showing restraint. Earlier this week the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism was questioned about employees flying first class to Spain. I would like to ask the Government Leader: Will the

government issue a directive immediately requiring all employees to fly economy fare when trips must be taken on short notice and requiring the travel is planned, whenever possible, to take advantage of advance booked, reduced rate tickets?

Question O70-12(1): Relation Of Changes In Personnel Department To Beatty Report December 11th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government Leader has made assurances to this House that Members would have an opportunity to review an implementation strategy before recommendations from the report "Strength at

Two Levels." Can the Government Leader advise the House whether the changes in six positions in the Personnel department earlier this week were related to streamlining recommendations from the Beatty report and if so, why they were made prior to the House seeing an implementation strategy?

Motion 19-12(1): Construction Of Community Centre For Kakisa December 10th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to say that I will be voting in favour of this motion, but I would like to make it clear that I am only doing it on the understanding that this does not circumvent the process, that the whole capital budget still will undergo review by the standing committee on finance. I do not think this necessarily means the process is being changed; it is perhaps a recommendation by a Member that the Minister take a second look at the capital plan before submitting it to the standing committee on finance.

Notice Of Motion 27-12(1): Strategy Committee For Implementation Of Recommendations Of "strength At Two Levels" December 10th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, December 13, 1991, I will move the following motion: Now therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Keewatin Central, that the Government Leader include three ordinary Members of this Assembly on its strategy committee for implementing the recommendations of the report "Strength At Two Levels."