This is page numbers 211 - 238 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 6th 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 information.

Federal Funding Cuts For Language
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 214

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Mahsi. At the time, many Members of this House were upset at the heavy-handedness of the federal government's initial response to this very important speeding ticket. But thanks to the excellent negotiating skills of the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, and his Cabinet colleagues in 1984, we were able to come to an agreement that both parties could live with.

Now, Madam Speaker, the federal government is threatening to throw away 10 years of progress and goodwill on the languages issue. By threatening significant cuts to languages funding in the Northwest Territories, the federal government is returning to their heavy-handed ways.

Madam Speaker, I suggest the federal government is acting dishonourably in threatening to cut languages funding. It's as if they decided they could weasel out of our agreement, now that we have committed to translating our laws into French. I hope that the present Cabinet and the Premier are making it very clear to Ottawa that those who recognize the importance of aboriginal languages to the people of the north think the federal government is being unfair and unjust. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Federal Funding Cuts For Language
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 214

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Baffin Central, Ms. Mike.

Federal Funding Cuts For Language
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 214

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 2, Ministers' statements.

Federal Funding Cuts For Language
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 214

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 2, Ministers' statements. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, honourable Member for Baffin Central, Ms. Mike.

Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements
Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and colleagues. I wish to correct, for the record, my return to Mr. Zoe's question yesterday concerning the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs reorganization.

Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements
Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements

Page 214

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Ms. Mike, I have just been advised by the Clerk that we don't have a copy of your Minister's statement. According to our rules, Ministers' statements have to be filed

an hour prior to the House sitting. Therefore, it either has to be considered or requested as an emergency statement under Ministers' statements or file your statement accordingly, in accordance with our rules. Thank you. The honourable Member for Baffin Central, Ms. Mike.

Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements
Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements

Page 215

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was going to make an extension to a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Zoe yesterday, in addition, which you ruled out. It is a similar response that the Premier made that you wrote that weekend on doing the House. So I thought it was okay for me to go back to Ministers' statements to make corrections that, in my response, I made to Mr. Zoe yesterday.

Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements
Revert To Item 2: Ministers' Statements

Page 215

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Ms. Mike, in accordance with our rules, Ministers' statements are to be developed in accordance to policy. Further clarification with regard to your comments can be made to the Member through, as I indicated, letter format or through returns to oral questions. However, what I am indicating to you is that Ministers' statements have to be filed with the Clerk to advise this House that Ministers' statements are going to be addressed in the House prior to the House sitting and we have not received a record of your Minister's statement as of yet. Thank you.

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 215

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have a visitor in the gallery, Liza McPherson. She is area director for the Fort Simpson area. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board. Madam Speaker, this refers to the hearings on the second phase of a general rate application by the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. My understanding is that the Public Utilities Board has only advertised these important hearings in the publication News/North which has limited circulation in Nunavut and is published in English only, and not Nunatsiaq News which has wider circulation in Nunavut and is a bilingual newspaper.

I would like to ask the Minister if he thinks that advertising in an English-only newspaper for hearings affecting Nunavut is adequate notice on the part of the Public Utilities Board. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 215

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No, I don't think it is adequate. I want to assure the honourable Member if this practice has taken place I will instruct the PUB forthwith that in future there'll be a far more extensive advertising campaign put into place with respect to hearings across the territories, including CBC and bilingual newspapers like the Nunatsiaq News for the eastern Arctic. Thank you.

---Applause

Return To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm very pleased with that response. I would like to ask the Minister more about these hearings. Madam Speaker, I understand that the Power Corporation, in its application, is proposing significant changes to the levying of power rates in Nunavut, including the creation of a new diesel Nunavut zone for the entire Nunavut area. Yet, I understand that the Public Utilities Board is holding hearings today and this week only in Yellowknife.

I would like to ask the Minister, Madam Speaker, if it's correct that, as far as he knows, even though these hearings will have major implications in Nunavut, there are no plans at present for the Public Utilities Board to hold hearings on this issue outside Yellowknife. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 215

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Mr Todd.

Further Return To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 215

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm not aware of whether the Public Utilities Board is holding hearings in other parts of the country. However, I do concur with the honourable Member that if the rates that are being discussed are affecting communities in the eastern Arctic, there perhaps should be a Public Utilities Board hearing there to give people the opportunity to express their concerns. So, I will communicate with the chairman of the board later on this afternoon to determine whether there are hearings going to be held in other parts of the country.

If there aren't, I will provide him with some direction to ensure that, in future, these take place. If this is not going to happen, I apologize to the honourable Member and the communities in the eastern Arctic who are affected. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 215

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am pleased with the Minister's response, but I would just like to seek a little bit of clarification. He talked about future hearings. I would like to understand the Minister's commitment. These power rate applications under way now, I understand, will affect the long-term power rates in Nunavut. So, I would like to ask the Minister, just to make it clear, do we have his commitment that he will use his good offices with the Public Utilities Board to ensure that if there are not plans to hold hearings outside of Yellowknife on these important rate applications affecting the people of Nunavut, that before the application is concluded hearings will be held in Nunavut? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 216

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 216

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes. I will take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the Public Utilities Board will meet in those regions affected. I am, quite frankly, quite surprised that it isn't. Hopefully, I can correct that tout de suite. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Question 100-12(6): Advertising Pub Hearings Affecting Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 216

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Question 101-12(6): Merit Increases For Excluded Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions

October 11th, 1994

Page 216

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the absence of the Minister of Finance, I would like to ask the Premier a question relating to salaries, bargaining and so on. The Minister of Finance has made a statement that the teachers have accepted a zero per cent increase and are excluded. Even the government has accepted it. Well, it resolved they were going to get a zero per cent increase. My question is, does that also mean that there will also be no merit money for these excluded people? The statement said there would be no increases for that group.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I will take that question as notice. Thank you.