This is page numbers 745 - 772 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.

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Further Return To Question 343-12(6): Illegal Caribou Hunting
Question 343-12(6): Illegal Caribou Hunting
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. With regard to caribou hunting, I will be

informing all communities and the hunters in the communities who will be affected by this. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 343-12(6): Illegal Caribou Hunting
Question 343-12(6): Illegal Caribou Hunting
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. (Translation) I have a question for the Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi. On Monday we found out that $15 million is coming to us. That is a lot of money. Native people think that is a lot of money. In Fort Providence last spring, a person said that perhaps a prison could be built there. He said maybe we can work on this. We talked to the mayors and talked about it. We went to the site where they want the prison built. But, up to today, nothing has happened. With all this money, the question is how they can build something that is so big. There isn't enough money. That's why I want to ask him, are they still talking about building a prison in Providence, or is there not enough money for that?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

(Translation difficulties)

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

I will just ask Members to bear with us, until there is a translator available.

Return To Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

(Translation) When I went over to Providence, I had a meeting there with the people, and this is what the people at Providence said. There is a place not too far from Providence, along the Mackenzie River. They looked at that old Con site, so maybe we could build our prison there. Maybe we could gather some more and talk about it. If we work together we could come to some kind of agreement on that.

We went up the Mackenzie River by boat and we looked at that location. Then, not too long ago, the DPW gave us back a report. They told us that it's going to be really expensive to rebuild a site there. I was under the impression that they could fix it up; so, my colleagues and I had a meeting, and we came up with $3 million. Maybe with $3 million we'll be able to start something in that location for next year. But for now we have to start planning. If there is going to be a prison for women, for young offenders, small prisons for different people, how many people would be working there? They will run through different kinds of planning actions, then how will you work on it, how will you go through the development of this planning? So we could give you a figure to work with, and for now you could plan that out so that everybody who is present now will know where it's at.

Maybe Providence will be included in there, maybe McPherson, Aklavik, we don't know yet what is going to happen, who is going to be first. We have to plan it yet, we have to make a report on it first. After that, we could start having more meetings and discussions on it. Thank you.

Return To Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Supplementary To Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

(Translation) Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Justice, when you build things, power and fuel and everything that is included in the house are very expensive. I've already said this before. When you build a prison that big, maybe you don't need some of these things. They could use wood or they could live the traditional lifestyle of Dene people. Now, Madam Speaker, many of the people who are in the prisons now, it's like they live in glass houses, they don't work. Maybe if they were out working, cutting wood and things like that, maybe they would feel useful. Living in a prison, maybe if they lived the traditional ways they might change their ways. That is why I want to ask him, if they could work at things like that; if you think the white way you lose the traditional Dene lifestyle. That is why I want to say if you build a prison and they live the traditional Dene lifestyle in the prisons, maybe they will change their ways. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you.

Further Return To Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

(English not provided)...(Translation) If there are going to be any more prisons built in the future, we don't want another big facility like we have here in Yellowknife. It is not up to people to say the size of the future facilities. You have to consider that there are a lot of people who go to prison, and you do need facilities to be a certain size to house all of them. But if your constituents wish to have a small sized prison close to the community, if they would like to have even cabins or whatever in the bush and have people be taught traditionally, if people wish to do this, we can work with them to make this happen.

How the work would be done on it and how it shall be maintained. If we have other people work on this for us, they can work on a plan and then we can still discuss further on how it could be made better.

The members of the communities close to the facilities should be the ones to decide on the maintenance and who would be working in the facilities, being local and community members they would be employing. It would be almost the same as the way they are running the Yellowknife facility. If that prison is built in the future, if we would like to make changes or make further recommendations this is what will be discussed. If people have any concerns, we can sit down with them and have a discussion on how we could fix it, how the facilities will be built, how much money will be spent, who would be working in the facilities, the whole process of building this prison will be up to the community members. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Question 344-12(6): Construction Of Correctional Facility In Fort Providence
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Renewable Resources. Madam Speaker, there were reports coming out of Ottawa that the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is contemplating significant cutbacks. The reports also state that the Minister is looking at the possibility of turning over certain responsibilities to the provinces. Madam Speaker, my question to the Minister, has the Minister looked at the opportunities that this might give us as far as taking over federal programs from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Return To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, we are looking at how we might be able to take over some areas that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for. At the present time, we have not come to a conclusion about what areas of the department we will be able to work with. My deputy minister will be meeting with the deputy minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans within the next three weeks in Ottawa and I believe they will be starting discussions at that time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Supplementary To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are two concepts that we deal with when we deal with Ottawa. One is devolution and one off loading. The only difference is devolution means there are still resources to give to us and off-loading means they transfer when all the resources have been stripped. I would like to ask the Minister, is he looking at exploring the possibilities of devolution with the federal Fisheries Minister?

Supplementary To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At the present time, I believe the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will continue to operate offices in the Northwest Territories that have to do with marine fisheries. However, I believe it is the intention of the Minister to transfer freshwater fisheries to the Department of the Environment. The time frame and the specific areas that will be transferred, I am not aware of at this point. It is our intent to start these discussions at the deputy minister level and find out exactly what it is that the Government of the Northwest Territories would be able to take over. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Supplementary To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you. Could I have the assurances of the Minister that he will move quickly on this issue before federal cutbacks descend upon us like Attila the Hun. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 753

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have the assurance of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Mr. Tobin, that all the offices that are in the marine fisheries division of the department will continue to be employed by the department. With changes that will be taking place as far as freshwater fisheries are concerned, my deputy minister has confirmed that he will be meeting with the deputy minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans within the next three weeks. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Question 345-12(6): Devolution Of Programs From Fisheries And Oceans
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Question 346-12(6): Pricing Of Wild Furs
Item 6: Oral Questions

November 3rd, 1994

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Renewable Resources. It has to do with the fur industry. As we all know, we have been involved in the fur industry for many years in the Northwest Territories. This new incentive subsidy the Minister is talking about, is good to help out trappers to get a better price for their furs, but I think we have to look further than that for the fur industry.

As you know, our wild furs in the north are very good quality furs and what we have been doing in the north is sending our furs south to fur auction sales. Our fur is mixed with other furs from southern Canada, and a lot of these furs are farm furs. The way I see it, our trappers are not getting their due price for their furs because their furs drop in price to bring the price of southern furs up. I would like to ask the Minister if his department is doing anything to try to get better prices for the trappers in the north because of our wild furs. Thank you.