Mr. Speaker, the direction was relayed to the Department of Personnel the same day. Beyond that, what they have done is met with the companies. Whether they can set a date, find suitable dates in everyone's hectic schedule, I am not advised of it. That is why I had taken the earlier question as notice. Thank you.
Debates of Sept. 28th, 1992
This is page numbers 1113 - 1145 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 aboriginal.
Topics
Return To Question O865-12(2): Departmental Officials To Meet With Moving Companies
Question O865-12(2): Departmental Officials To Meet With Moving Companies
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1115
Return To Question O865-12(2): Departmental Officials To Meet With Moving Companies
Question O865-12(2): Departmental Officials To Meet With Moving Companies
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1115
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Mr. Lewis.
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1115
Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Transportation. I would like to ask the Minister, what progress has been made on paving the road from
Providence to Yellowknife, as outlined in the government long-term plans for transportation?
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Whitford.
Return To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know where to begin. Mr. Speaker, great process has been made. The plans are well under way for a five year period to reconstruct the highway between the junction, which begins highway three, to the junction of highway four which is over by the power plant. This past year there has been quite a bit of work from the junction to about 45 kilometres east of the river on highway three, that has already received chip seal. It was reconstructed last year, and received chip seal this year. Over a period of five years, the road will be reconstructed up as far as the airport here in Yellowknife, completing the project.
Return To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.
Supplementary To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does that mean that the last strip of this road will be the road that is built from Yellowknife back towards the Rae junction, which we all know is the most travelled road in the Northwest Territories. It includes not only traffic to and from the south, but also to and from Yellowknife to Fort Rae. Will you confirm that the last chunk of this road will be the road from Rae to Yellowknife?
Supplementary To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Whitford.
Further Return To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Further Return To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.
Supplementary To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre
The Minister has concurred with me that it is the most travelled road, Mr. Speaker. My question is, is there a plan within this five year plan, to include paving the road from the Yellowknife airport as far as Fort Rae? Will he confirm that, in fact, is going to be done within five years?
Supplementary To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Whitford.
Further Return To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Further Return To Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Question O866-12(2): Progress On Paving Mackenzie Highway
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Mr. Gargan.
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Thank you. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of W.C.B. Mr. Speaker, I have a question, on September 23, I asked the Minister whether he had met his earlier commitment to develop a new policy for defining who is eligible to receive workers' compensation as a traditional harvester. He did indicate that he had not met that commitment, and that the new policy has still not been developed. In the absence of a new policy in this area, can the Minister advise the House what definition the Workers' Compensation Board is using to decide who is, and is not, eligible for compensation if they are injured while in the course of traditional hunting, trapping or fishing?
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Patterson.
Return To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, the Workers' Compensation Board is using the old definition of "principally engaged" for the purpose of defining who is eligible for W.C.B. coverage when a hunter is injured. That is quite a restrictive definition. That is the one that is in use, at the moment, in the absence of a new definition. Thank you.
Return To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.
Supplementary To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Thank you. The Minister is using the old policy right now. I would like to the ask the Minister, he should be fully aware that the policy for defining who is "principally engaged" and hunting and trapping has been criticized by traditional harvesters across the Northwest Territories. That was criticized by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions. Even the Workers' Compensation Board's own appeal committee has ruled that the policy is contrary to the spirit of the legislation. Recognizing those facts, can the Minister explain how he can possibly justify the continued use of this policy by the Workers' Compensation Board?
Supplementary To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Patterson.
Further Return To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Renewable Resources pays all the bills for a claim by a hunter under the Workers' Compensation Board and its policies. The W.C.B. is simply a device for assessing the claim, and deciding the extent of disability. Once that is done, unlike the other claims that come to the W.C.B., the Department of Renewable Resources pays the bills. The Member has asked for a broader definition to include more hunters. It has been recommended by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions in its review of the W.C.B. It has been criticized by the W.C.B.'s own appeal committee, I acknowledge that. Mr. Speaker, until the Department of Renewable Resources can accept the financial commitment that a broader definition will require and identify the funds, and approve what is in effect new guidelines for paying these claims, there will be no money to pay under a more generous definition. So, I am waiting for the department, which is going to pay the bills, to accept the new definition, to budget the necessary monies, once that is done, and we are close to having that done, Mr. Speaker, then the board will be happy to apply the new policy. The board is not the problem. The problem is identifying the necessary funds. Thank you.
Further Return To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1116
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.
Supplementary To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1117
Samuel Gargan Deh Cho
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Based on the definition under section 10-1 of the Workers' Compensation Board, can the Minister tell the House, if compensation has been denied since May of this year.
Supplementary To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1117
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Patterson.
Further Return To Question O867-12(2): W.c.b. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Question O867-12(2): W.C.B. Policy For Traditional Harvesters
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 1117
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, recently there have been few claims, and of those claims from hunters and trappers, there have been some that have been denied. So, if the Member is getting at the fact that claims are being held up by the process to redefine "principally engaged", then he is correct on that. Thank you.