This is page numbers 851 - 876 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 3rd 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 housing.

Topics

Members Present

Hon. Titus Allooloo, Mr. Antoine, Mr. Arngna'naaq, Mr. James Arvaluk, Hon. Michael Ballantyne, Hon. Nellie Cournoyea, Mr. Dent, Mr. Gargan, Hon. Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Koe, Mr. Lewis, Hon. Rebecca Mike, Hon. Don Morin, Hon. Richard Nerysoo, Mr. Ningark, Mr. Patterson, Hon. John Pollard, Mr. Pudlat, Mr. Pudluk, Hon. John Todd, Mr. Whitford, Mr. Zoe

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

Page 851

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Good afternoon. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Mr. Speaker, family violence is a serious problem which affects people in all our communities. The cooperation of all levels of government, community organizations and individuals is necessary if people and communities are to be given the support they need to heal themselves. It is particularly important for people who work at the local level to have strategies in place to help those in abusive situations, and to help break the cycle of violence.

I am pleased to say that a number of government departments cooperated in the organization and funding for a two day training session for people who work in the area of family violence prevention in the Keewatin region. The session began Wednesday and ends today. Approximately 50 people representing each Keewatin community are attending the workshop which is being held in Rankin Inlet. The training session will help participants identify the types of family violence most prevalent in their communities and overcome some of the barriers to dealing with these problems as a community-based team. The participants include representatives of the RCMP, schools, community health centres and various projects funded by the Department of Social Services. The NWT family services developed and is delivering the workshop.

The workshop was organized by the Department of Social Services, the Department of Health and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs. It is being cost-shared by the RCMP, Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment Programs.

Mr. Speaker, family violence is an important issue that can only be resolved if everyone works together. The workshop being held in Rankin Inlet is an excellent example of this kind of cooperation. Thank you.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Thank you, Ms. Mike. Item 2, Ministers' statements. I would like to recognize in the gallery a former colleague, Mr. Nick Sibbeston, former Premier of the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Arvaluk.

James Arvaluk Aivilik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A couple of days ago Mr. Pudluk made some startling statements and Mr. Whitford had some very interesting legitimate questions about what the government will do about PanArctic's plan for ocean dumping of scrap metals in Arctic waters.

Mr. Speaker, I have spent a great deal of my life in the north Baffin where PanArctic was most active in their oil and gas exploration. Burning and burying of garbage and scrap metal was a common practice by PanArctic and was never acceptable to the people of the area but was reluctantly tolerated. Now they want to dump scrap metal in one of the most sensitive ocean ecosystems of the world, according to the scientific community. As the Minister of Renewable Resources stated yesterday, if PanArctic is allowed to dump in the ocean then there is nothing stopping PanArctic and other companies from doing it again and again, for they would have already set a precedent in obtaining ocean dumping permits.

In today's world our strong concern for the environment and the need to protect and preserve the most sensitive areas means we can no longer tolerate senseless practices of waste burying and ocean dumping. Mr. Speaker, I want to state today, where are the animal rights groups when we need them?

An Hon. Member

Hear, hear

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, PanArctic sends their fully loaded ships to the high Arctic and they return south empty. Why can they not take the garbage and scrap metal back for recycling and incinerating? This should be a simple axiom.

Lastly, Mr. Speaker, although Inuit have never fully accepted it, the federal government has taken it upon themselves to be guardians of the high Arctic on our behalf and trust. How are they then allowing this kind of irresponsible action in the eyes of the world? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Thank you, Mr. Arvaluk. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned the government seems to take the real and potential value of the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories too lightly. A new proposal by the Minister of Education is that it should be part of his very large department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs, under the college system. On the surface it seems like a modification of the previous government's position that proposed the institute be split into two parts. What it does though, Mr. Speaker, is to even further reduce the ability of the institute to fulfil its mandate under the act which created that institute.

I know everyone is not convinced we need a science institute. I feel very strongly about it though, Mr. Speaker, and believe it should play a major role in the years that lie ahead. If you look at the development of each of our provinces you would be convinced that economic progress depended on the research and development that was undertaken in those jurisdictions. I am thinking of the development of wheat in Saskatchewan, the forestry in British Columbia, the fishery in Atlantic Canada and technology in Ontario and other parts of the country.

Our modern world in large measure depends on scientific advancement. The manner in which the science institute is being pulled and pushed suggests to me that our government does not share that view. It makes me very pessimistic in the face of the challenges we will face in the decades ahead. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am becoming increasingly annoyed with the decisions made in the Department of Health. During the Deh Cho Tribal Council meeting in Hay River on September 9 through 11, a motion was passed that program funds and PYs for community health representatives should be administered by the band councils. Mr. Speaker, this was done in the belief that Ms. Cournoyea's government is committed to community transfer. In fact, her implementation plan for reshaping northern governments talks about, "community ownership of programs and services which are controlled by local people." Six months later her Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs stood in this House on September 15 and stated that, "It has been my view from the beginning that aboriginal people have the inherent right to govern themselves. That includes everything which the government has the capacity to govern, legislate on and, perhaps, more. That has been my approach."

That was not the approach taken by the Department of Health when they were asked to consider the community transfer of the community health representative position. Mr. Speaker, the department's response to Chief Landry of Fort Providence was patronizing and it slams the door on any departmental consideration for this initiative. It states that because community health representatives perform an important health education function they must be part of a team and that this can only be accomplished if the program is administered within the Mackenzie regional health services. This means within the Department of Health, Mr. Speaker, within Yellowknife.

How dare those departmental officials make these comments to a Dene chief. How dare they assume that if CHRs report to the band they will be less effective as health educators or a less important component of a health team. Mr. Speaker, Dene look after their community health needs including health promotion and education. For hundreds of years before there was a Department of Health or a centre square tower, or even a Government of Canada, it is time that ....

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Mr. Gargan, your allotted time has lapsed.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, it is time the senior people in the Department of Health recognize that we have never given up that right. They have to start to honour the commitment this Cabinet has been making in this House. It is time to consider transferring health resources to community control now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my time as an MLA, Members of this Assembly have always enjoyed and valued a close working relationship with the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories. After all, the Science Institute reports to this Assembly and, in effect, is a servant of this Assembly. It is incorporated in our own legislation.

Most of the years I have been an MLA the Science Institute met annually with MLAs, reported to us on their work and formally or informally accepted MLA's advice on research and other priorities, although this has not happened recently. I recall the work done in the past by the Science Institute in areas such as moose hide tanning techniques, uranium mine tailings clean up and the slow-poke reactor where this Assembly requested help from the Science Institute on specific issues of concern.

The Science Institute has had amongst its members distinguished Canadians and eminent scientists. It has attracted significant federal funding from the national research council and other third party funding sources.

Mr. Speaker, this government earlier announced the Science Institute would be decentralized to Inuvik and the Baffin. Recently, the new Minister of Education announced, at a public meeting of the Arctic College board of governors, his view that the Science Institute should, perhaps, be incorporated with Arctic College. Does this represent a change of government policy? Has it been decided in Cabinet? Have the views of the Science Institute or MLAs to which the Science Institute reports been sought? These are questions which must be answered.

Mr. Speaker, this is our research and development capacity. It is critical to our future. Changes must be carefully and thoughtfully planned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 411-12(3): Decision Process For Granting Education Leave
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, this is in response to a question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on March 4 regarding education leave for territorial government employees.

In 1992, 13 employees of the Government of the Northwest Territories were granted education leave. This compares to 26 in 1991 and 33 in 1990.

The decrease from 1991 to 1992 was the result of a 50 per cent reduction in funding for the education leave program.

Further Return To Question 411-12(3): Decision Process For Granting Education Leave
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

James Arvaluk Aivilik

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be directed to the Government Leader. The honourable Members are aware that the honourable Mr. Don Mazankowski delivered an economic fiscal statement in the House of Commons on December 2, 1992. The federal government announced it will be reducing a number of expenditures to commence at the beginning of the 1993-94 fiscal year. The impact of those reductions to programs and services in the north is expected to be severe. Given the very serious impact that these expenditure reductions are likely to have on important NWT programs and services, and recognizing that the Prime Minister has cancelled his previously scheduled meetings with her, can the Premier tell the House what steps she will be taking to address these damaging cutbacks?

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Ms. Cournoyea.

Return To Question 460-12(3): Actions In Response To Federal Funding Cuts
Question 460-12(3): Actions In Response To Federal Funding Cuts
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 853

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, we know we have a window of opportunity before there is another statement made by the Finance Minister. What we are doing, and began working on yesterday, is preparing a series of missiles to be sent to the Prime Minister expressing our concerns on a number of issues, including the cutbacks on, for example, the friendship centres and the aboriginal language programming. We realize it is very serious. We know the communications in these hinterlands are very important. We will be sending these communiques to them just in case the meeting does not happen before the Finance Minister has to make a statement. Thank you.

Return To Question 460-12(3): Actions In Response To Federal Funding Cuts
Question 460-12(3): Actions In Response To Federal Funding Cuts
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier today about the changes which seem to be suggested by various announcements by Ministers with respect to the Science Institute. I would like to ask the Government Leader the possibility of combining the Science Institute with Arctic College, or incorporating it into the operations of Arctic College. It seems to be a new direction for the government from what was previously announced, I believe by the Minister of Finance, the notion of decentralizing the Science Institute to the east and west. Is this new idea government policy a result of a Cabinet decision, or is this speculating and musing on the part of the Minister of Education, alone? Thank you.

The Speaker Michael Ballantyne

Madam Premier.