This is page numbers 1 - 23 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th 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 communities.

Topics

Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

November 13th, 1994

Page 17

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Madam Speaker. To the same Minister, with regard to the language agreement. I understand that the community contributions for aboriginal people is administered by this government, whereas the French community contributions are administered by the Francophone Association. Is that true?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Yes, Madam Speaker, we do monitor the aboriginal languages program funding.

Return To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Supplementary To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Madam Speaker, thank you. Would it make sense, since the French association administers the community contributions for French programs and enhancement, that aboriginal contributions be administered by aboriginal associations rather than bureaucrats who are based in Yellowknife? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The fact is, the whole decision process for aboriginal funding arises out of submissions from the communities. As such, there is a commitment to try to be fair to all the communities. In some cases, the dollars that are being requested are larger than what can be funded and, as a result of trying to be fair, we have to reduce those applications.

Saying that, Madam Speaker, I believe that the future arrangements that we're trying to propose now are going to move in the direction of having the communities and the regions more involved in the actual determination of program allocation. But the question that needs to be addressed is the question of fairness, and our view is that the communities should be able to address that particular issue.

Further Return To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 17

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Supplementary To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Madam Speaker, the Minister did not answer my question. Would it make sense, since the aboriginal communities know best how the money should be spent, that the control and contributions should be coming from aboriginal organizations, rather than the bureaucrats who are living in Yellowknife so that the contributions are similar to that of French community contributions? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Further Return To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With respect to the honourable Member, the fact is that a lot of the commitments that are being made and the submissions that are being determined are the result of community decisions. They are the ones who submit the proposals.

In the case of the French funding, that is another matter for the Minister responsible for the overall languages agreement, Ms. Cournoyea. What I deal with, primarily, are the educational issues and the language services issues.

I want to advise the honourable Member -- and I'll say it again -- we are proposing that the new agreement consider seriously the allocation to the regional organizations and regional communities so that they, themselves, can distribute the money. But like everything else, we're moving in the direction of more distribution in the communities and less control of this Assembly, if you're prepared to accept that.

Further Return To Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Question 10-12(7): Administration Of Languages Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to our Premier, Madam Speaker. She has just returned from a long trip in which she has been able to speak to the leaders of our country, and possibly had a chance to speak to even the Prime Minister of Canada. So, since this House has been dominated for some time now with the issue of devolution of powers to our government, a commitment to constitutional development in the north and the appointment of a new Commissioner, I would like to ask the Premier if she had an opportunity to talk to the Prime Minister on any of the three issues that I've mentioned.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Return To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as the Member is aware, there was a very great opportunity for all of the Premiers and leaders to spend

a great deal of time together on this trip. One of the main reasons that I thought the trip could be beneficial to the Northwest Territories was the ability, for an extended period of time, to talk to the Prime Minister as well as some of the officials who advise him. The two officials who were travelling with the Prime Minister were Mr. Goldenberg and Jean Pelletier who are his two main advisors. So I had the opportunity to talk a great deal on the issues of the future of the Northwest Territories and all the subjects that the Member has indicated that need to be addressed. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is a concern that our Prime Minister did stand up in this House and commit himself to devolving powers to this government during his term of office. I realize he has a few more years to go, but did the Prime Minister indicate any kind of timetable for that devolution to take place?

Supplementary To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, the issue of devolution was discussed in the context of the whole ability of the Northwest Territories to be as financially independent as possible. I did bring to the Prime Minister's attention, and to his advisors, that there was a commitment by the Prime Minister of Canada, and also that we were having some difficulties in dealing with the future of the Northwest Territories in a global sense because the system often doesn't give us the opportunity to make a statement to the decision-makers on what is a package. Also that we want to see that arranged as soon as possible, because one area of the financial arrangement of the formula can't be dealt with in isolation of another responsibility or opportunities for revenue generation such as non-renewable resources, and it can't be dealt with in isolation of the decisions that have also been established under agreements of the aboriginal organizations.

So the commitment is made that, as soon as possible -- I believe a week from Thursday -- a series of meetings will be set up with Mr. Irwin and the Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Martin. And then, finally, a meeting with the Prime Minister to work through the issue of the Northwest Territories and its future, and a timetable so that we can be self-sufficient, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Supplementary To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I would like to ask the Premier whether in fact, during these opportunities she had to discuss the future of the north, the federal government gave any indication of continued support of at least some form of public government in the Northwest Territories.

Supplementary To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, the topic of Mr. Irwin's visit to this Legislative Assembly was discussed with the Prime Minister and his advisors. The Minister of Indian Affairs, upon reflection, saw fit not to come and make his presentation to the Legislative Assembly. I did indicate that, given the various thrusts that various groups were making and the fact that we had concluded a number of land claim settlements -- and in those settlements were embodied self-government agreements -- that we would have to try to address that so it would be financially possible to meet a lot of these commitments; and that it would have to be in the context of the role of this government and where it stands in meeting its obligations. It appears to me that the Prime Minister of Canada, himself, was not totally aware that there were difficulties in trying to get these discussions going and a timetable set.

Hopefully, with my continued nagging about the issue, we might be able to get somewhere in about a week from now in terms of setting up the stage and the process. The Prime Minister did indicate that at the wrap-up of these discussions he would want to hear, first-hand, what the problems were and what he had to do. He did make that commitment. He said he made the commitment to the Northwest Territories residents to continue to devolve and to try to make sure that we can operate on our own. There was a commitment there, and he was a bit concerned that it wasn't moving ahead as he felt was the direction that he had given. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Question 11-12(7): Premier's Discussions With Prime Minister And Officials
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I was very pleased today, Madam Speaker, to hear a very full speech from the throne. It's the longest, most comprehensive Commissioner's address that we have had, in fact, during the course of this Assembly. I would like to ask the Premier, in these discussions, was there any timetable for the naming of a new Commissioner for the Northwest Territories?