This is page numbers 100 - 122 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 2nd 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 school.

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Return To Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 106

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the government I am responsible for dealing with quite a number of aboriginal organizations in the NWT as well as across this country. It would be difficult for me to start making conditions as to under what terms and conditions I would recognize the different executives and representatives from these organizations. While I understand the comments that are being made by the various Members about what they perceive the issues to be, as far as I am concerned as a Minister, I believe that the TFN is responsible for their own executive. The board is managing the affairs of the organization. There is an executive that is in place to carry out their direction on a day-to-day basis, and I believe it is really an internal matter that I have very little power or authority to do anything about; ultimately, I think it is the Inuit, the constituents of TFN and other public leaders that have to deal with it and make a decision on it, not this Minister. Thank you.

Return To Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Supplementary To Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 106

James Arvaluk Aivilik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that he is in a difficult position to respond to the question, but can the Minister in his position, representing the Government of the Northwest Territories and representing this House -- can he at least write to TFN about the feeling of reappointment of the TFN leader to the position that he is holding now? I am not necessarily asking him to approach the leader himself; rather, the board of directors of TFN. Will he be letting them know about the government's feeling on that reappointment?

Supplementary To Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Item 5: Oral Questions

February 23rd, 1992

Page 106

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I think as a Minister I could make note of the comments and the concerns that have been raised here and simply pass them on to TFN, in light of some of the very immediate and significant decisions and issues that we all have to face and which this government and other people of the North have to face that are being initiated and carried out by the TFN leadership. So I can take that step and pass it on to the TFN. Thank you.

Further Return To Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Question O130-12(2): Not Recognizing Tfn As Legitimate Organization
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 106

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Justice. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Justice, is there a process by which the Minister of Justice can express public concerns to the judiciary, taking into consideration respect for the independence of the judicial system, regarding the recent case and decision with respect to Mr. Quassa?

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Justice, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the honourable Member for asking that question. It is a question that arose in my own mind as a result of at least one question that I was asked today, and statements from other honourable Members earlier in this session. It is a sensitive matter, and I would appreciate the Member's indulgence to take the question on notice and get back as soon as I can. Thank you.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. Both in the press and in this chamber, the Minister has indicated that we could be in a deficit position of anywhere between $50 and $100 million. Now that is a big jump, Mr. Speaker; for ordinary people like us, that is an awful jump -- to talk about $50 million and $100 million. So I would like to ask the Minister, since he is now well immersed in his new portfolio and has got a grasp of everything, whether he could explain to us the circumstances under which we could be in a $100 million deficit position.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 106

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this year we will run a deficit of some $50 million. This year the forecast was to run a deficit of some eight million dollars. That will eat up our accumulated surplus, Mr. Speaker, and if we continue to spend in the manner in which we have been spending and our revenues from the federal government continue to decline, then next year we could see ourselves running a $75 or $80 million deficit. In two years that could grow to well over $100 million, Mr. Speaker. So when I say between $50 and $100 million, I am saying that could happen in the next two years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 106

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. We have new figures now, Mr. Speaker, of between $75 and $80 million. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, since we have already taken all kinds of measures -- we have put the brakes on spending all over the place -- does that mean that if we continue going the way we are going, that these figures will not apply, that we will not have that kind of deficit, because we have already taken all kinds of money-saving measures?

Supplementary To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Pollard

Further Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, no. The freeze measures that were put on were to stop the spending that was taking place, because I was alarmed at its growing from an eight million dollar forecast deficit, and I could see it going through the $40 millions -- and it went through there very quickly, Mr. Speaker -- and so the freeze was put on to stop the spending this year, to get the thing slowed down. If we continue with the freeze, we still may run a large deficit, so that is not the answer to our problem, Mr. Speaker. The answer to our problem is to live within our means. Thank you.

Further Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Will the Minister confirm, then, that our overall problem is really a revenue problem? Is that how he would describe the nature of the beast he is trying to tackle?

Supplementary To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our revenues from Canada have declined because the down turn in the economy in southern Canada has had an effect upon our formula. The gross domestic product has been very low, and that has had an effect on our formula. The population factor which we thought would work in our favour has not worked in our favour, and we are some $33 million lower in revenue this year than what we had forecast, Mr. Speaker. So the Member is correct that the lack of revenues coming from Canada is one of those things that are aggravating our financial situation -- that and increased demands. We have got Health, which is continually demanding money, and we have to treat those people, Mr. Speaker, so it is demand partly, and it is also the fact that we are receiving less money from Ottawa, partly. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Further Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since it seems that the formula is what is causing difficulty, and we had a shortfall of $30 million, it is very difficult to translate this $30 million, in light of the fact that we had a surplus, into this $50 to $100 million that the Minister of Finance has referred to. Is he anticipating that there will be a further reduction in revenue, then, to account for this $100 million he keeps on talking about?

Supplementary To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 107

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Question O132-12(2): Circumstances Of Deficit Position
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, that will occur if our revenues remain as they are. Our spending has to be brought below our revenues, Mr. Speaker, and at our present rate of expenditure that is not occurring. So I do anticipate that if we do not get out of this recession, if the formula does not start to perform better, there may be some further losses of revenue from Canada; but that alone is not the problem. The problem is that we are spending more than we are taking in, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.