This is page numbers 365 - 396 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 chairman.

Topics

Return To Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of Wcb Financial Report
Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of WCB Financial Report
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of Wcb Financial Report
Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of WCB Financial Report
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister can be assured of our support for his initiatives if, in the long term, they are proven to be right. I think the fear that people have, especially injured workers -- who we are so familiar with because a number of them camped out on our steps last year -- is that a lot of the savings, which have turned into black ink in the government here, are going to go on the backs of the injured workers. I would like the Minister to assure myself, the public and the injured workers that these savings are not going to go on the backs of the injured worker.

Supplementary To Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of Wcb Financial Report
Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of WCB Financial Report
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of Wcb Financial Report
Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of WCB Financial Report
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Last year, the WCB handled close to 3,600 claims, I believe. Out of that, if I remember rightly, there were 44 appeals that there was a concern about. My understanding is that these appeals are all up to date. When you deal with 3,600 claims, there are going to be some people who are disgruntled. We are trying to accommodate the majority of people across the Northwest Territories. I believe we've demonstrated that. We're fiscally sound. We're in a better position than the majority of WCBs in the rest of Canada and we should be very grateful to the board of directors, the general manager and the management of this operation. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of Wcb Financial Report
Question 181-12(6): Explanation Of WCB Financial Report
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. May I remind the honourable Members to attempt not to provoke debate when answering questions. Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Aivilik, Mr. Arvaluk.

James Arvaluk Aivilik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. From my earlier Member's statement, I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment a question. If, as the Minister says, the federal government used the official Languages Commissioner's report to argue for cuts, what was happening to the annual accounting of languages money that was supposed to be submitted to the federal government?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo. Madam Premier.

Return To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, the Executive offices are responsible for the languages unit, which is the body that monitors and reports on expenditures of the languages department and the agreement between the federal and territorial government.

Return To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 373

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Supplementary To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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James Arvaluk Aivilik

Madam Speaker, I suppose I would then direct the question to the same Minister who responded. What I am confused about is, if this accounting took place like the Minister said, wouldn't the federal government have already been aware that some funds were lapsed?

Supplementary To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that the Member was not at the detailed briefing provided to Members yesterday. The federal government is fully aware that some of the dollars were lapsed, and that since we set up the languages unit there was better accounting, reporting and tracking of program expenditures. It has improved substantially.

I think the Member has to understand that the overall federal funding that is made available, whether it's for languages or any other government program, is under severe scrutiny. The federal government has a difficulty with continuing to finance provincial/territorial programs, as well as their own programs.

The decisions about cuts should probably be put in context of federal problems and their difficulty with funding at the levels they were previously able to do, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Supplementary To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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James Arvaluk Aivilik

Supplementary, Madam Speaker. My apologies that I wasn't at the briefing yesterday. I would like to know what further action the Government of the Northwest Territories is considering to keep the language services at the same level.

Supplementary To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I would be happy to provide the Member with the briefing that was presented to the Members of the Legislative Assembly. I want to assure the Member that every effort has been taken to try to

maintain levels of funding. I want to assure the Member that this particular area of program support is very important. We understand that, so we're doing everything we can to express to the federal government the importance of languages, particularly aboriginal languages, in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Question 182-12(6): Accounting Of Funds Provided For Official Languages
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Justice. Madam Speaker, as part of the government's response to the Final Report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services, Tabled Document 59-12(5), we were told that the government would propose implementation of the Family Law Review report recommendation giving courts the power to make orders giving the victim of family violence and the children exclusive possession of the family home.

I would like to ask the Minister what steps have been taken so far to implement this response?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Madam Speaker, I will have to take the question as notice as it involves another department. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.

Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask a question of the Minister of Finance. Last year, during session, I talked about the harvesters' support program which was in effect quite awhile ago. The Minister of Finance mentioned that he would try to find some funding for the harvesters' support program. It was under special ARDA at the time. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance what he has done so far about the harvesters' support program under special ARDA. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

It appears that the question should be posed to the Minister of Renewable Resources. However, the Minister of Finance may wish to answer. Mr. Pollard.

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good afternoon. Madam Speaker, I'll take the question as notice, research what has been done, and report back to the House. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.