Mr. Speaker, the short answer is yes.
Debates of Nov. 24th, 1993
Topics
Further Return To Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 140
Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput
Further Return To Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 140
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.
Supplementary To Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 140
Dennis Patterson Iqaluit
Mr. Speaker, that is not the information I have received from the mayor of Iqaluit and I will be asking him for clarification on that point. Mr. Speaker, I will leave it at that. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Question 76-12(4): Alternate Approaches To Resolving Iqaluit Situation
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 140
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Whitford.
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 140
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier on today, I talked about how important official languages are in the territories. We are all aware how many we use here and how important they are to the people they serve. The French language is very important to the Francophone people who live in the Northwest Territories. It is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is requested that certain rights be respected by provinces, in relation to language. I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister of Education. In 1991, the Association des Parents Francophones de Yellowknife and the Federation Franco-Tenoise, along with section 23 of the Charter, filed a legal action against this government and Yellowknife Education District No. 1, to ensure the rights of French education, as guaranteed under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, be respected in the Education Act. Mr. Minister, it is my understanding that the Department of Education is attempting to resolve this issue
through negotiations. What action has been taken by your department to resolve this issue?
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Nerysoo.
Return To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the notice given by the honourable Member through his statement. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Association des Parents Francophones de Yellowknife and Yellowknife Education District No. 1 have worked together in determining program funding and the government's recommendations for French first-language education in the Northwest Territories. This committee's recommendations were approved in principle by Cabinet. The proposals, which would be reflected in legislation will be included in the consultation paper, voices direction for improving the Education Act, which is planned to be released in early January. The other recommendations, which are administrative and cannot be accomplished now, are being implemented this year.
Return To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.
Supplementary To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because the Supreme Court has reinforced the constitutionality of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, in 1999 the province of Alberta, and later in 1993 the province of Manitoba -- both provinces which have a substantial number of French speaking people in them -- moved to establish section 23. Does this government have a comprehensive agenda to amend the NWT Act to uphold the rights of section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights?
Supplementary To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Nerysoo.
Further Return To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
No, Mr. Speaker. I believe the NWT Act has already been amended to respect French and English as languages for which we are responsible, including the recognition of the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, which has been approved and passed in this House. In that context, we are obligated to deal with that.
The specific issue -- the matter of French language education -- is better dealt with in the Education Act and, as such, will be part of the review and the amendments to the Education Act through which we are going to consult the people of the Northwest Territories. I indicated to the honourable Member, in early January of 1994, we will be releasing a consultation paper -- of which I was going to make a major statement in this House so that all Members would know what we were proposing to do. A consultation document called, Voices, Direction for Improving the Education Act was formulated, which we will deal with subsequently on the rights of those individuals who speak French and require education in the French language and appropriately address it in that manner.
Further Return To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.
Supplementary To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
Tony Whitford Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister when the consultation process will begin. I just wondered if in fact it had already begun.
Supplementary To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Mr. Nerysoo.
Further Return To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
Thank you. I believe I should indicate, as I indicated to the honourable Member, Mr. Speaker, that the department along with the Yellowknife French Parents' Association and Yellowknife District No. 1, have already met on the matter of programming and funding and governance for French first language education. We are working with them already and are consulting with them in terms of the manner in which we can ensure that that particular area of education in the Northwest Territories is protected and enhanced through our own Education Act.
Further Return To Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Question 77-12(4): Actions By Department To Resolve French Association's Court Actions
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Pudluk.
Question 78-12(4): Nanisivik Water And Sewage Disposal System
Item 5: Oral Questions
November 23rd, 1993
Page 141
Ludy Pudluk High Arctic
(translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to Municipal and Community Affairs. The department of MACA agreed on July 21 -- I'm sorry I didn't get the date- concerning an agreement that was recently rewritten. In November 1993, a letter was written to Dr. Allen, concerning the dumping in the sewage pipe system which had been damaged. The plumbing system was broken down and it caused a health hazard especially to the drinking water and to the disposal system. I'd like information as to whether repairs have been done to this particular plumbing system? Can we have a response? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 78-12(4): Nanisivik Water And Sewage Disposal System
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Minister Todd.
Return To Question 78-12(4): Nanisivik Water And Sewage Disposal System
Question 78-12(4): Nanisivik Water And Sewage Disposal System
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
John Todd Keewatin Central
I believe this is in the community of Nanisivik. I appreciate the concern of the honourable Member. I don't have an up to date status on the repairs on that particular water and sewer system but I will check with the department after the close of House today and get back to the Member tomorrow. Thank you.
Return To Question 78-12(4): Nanisivik Water And Sewage Disposal System
Question 78-12(4): Nanisivik Water And Sewage Disposal System
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Antoine.
Question 79-12(4): Alcohol And Drug Policies
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 141
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Social Services. In regard to the alcohol and drug policy that her department is following, in my statement earlier today, I stated that the NWT alcohol and drug policy is based on a conference that took place in Fort Churchill in
1984, that's what I'm told, and that there have been innumerable conferences since that time and the workers that are working in this field have made numerous recommendations on how to best improve these policies. However, the recommendations do not seem to be taken seriously by her department staff and incorporated into changing her policies. So, I would like to ask the Minister, what happens to the recommendations that are made at these conferences, to improve the alcohol and drug policies?
Question 79-12(4): Alcohol And Drug Policies
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 142
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
Minister Mike.
Question 79-12(4): Alcohol And Drug Policies
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 142
Rebecca Mike Baffin Central
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll take the question as notice.
Question 79-12(4): Alcohol And Drug Policies
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 142
The Speaker Michael Ballantyne
The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Koe.
Question 80-12(4): Provision Of Ed&t Organizational Review Executive Summary
Item 5: Oral Questions
Page 142
Fred Koe Inuvik
Mr. Speaker. I would like to make reference to the Minister's statement today on the operational review of Economic Development and Tourism. I appreciate the action taken by the Minister and I support a lot of the changes in that statement. However, Mr. Speaker, on page two the Minister states that, and I quote "I will be providing copies of the executive summary of this review to the Standing Committee on Finance". A lot of Members in this House are not on the Standing Committee on Finance. So, I would like to ask the Minister, will he provide copies of the summary to other Members of this assembly?