This is page numbers 183 - 213 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th 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

Diamond Mining In Dogrib Region
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 186

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yellowknife is gearing up, the NWT Chamber of Mines, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and the city MLAs have been working through the Yellowknife economic development committee for a number of months now. Mr. Todd has met with Yellowknife business people. Our community is coming together. Mr. Todd has set up a committee consisting of the mining industry, Yellowknife MLAs, Mr. Ng, Mr. Zoe and the private sector. The message has been strong and clear. We can't wait until we finalize our constitution. We can't wait until division. If we wait until we figure out our internal differences there will be nothing left for any of us to control. I think we've had enough doom and gloom. We could have the opportunity of a lifetime. Every country in the world, right now, is looking at the NWT with envy and aspirations to be in our situation. Wars have been fought over mines of this magnitude. I fully agree with Mr. Todd that if we take some risk we can win big, if we do nothing, we lose and we lose and we lose. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Diamond Mining In Dogrib Region
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 186

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Aivilik, Mr. Arvaluk.

Appreciation Of Constituents For Support
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 186

James Arvaluk Aivilik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It's good to be back.

---Applause

The past year has been a long and stressful one due to an investigation that you're all aware of which I will not dwell on. Now that it's over, I would like to assure this House and my constituents that I will continue working hard in fulfilling my obligations as a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and be active in the development and human development of the Northwest Territories.

---Applause

Appreciation Of Constituents For Support
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 186

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Fire Alarm Systems In Communities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 186

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Our municipalities have always had the need for adequate fire alarm systems. These systems are critical in minimizing the response time for our fire fighters. Some communities currently utilize a pull box system, a paging system accessed through telephones or a combination of both. There may be other systems in use which I am not aware of.

In these communities there are problems with both systems. Communities using the pull box system have encountered some pull boxes being unusable as a result of breakdowns which have proven to be difficult or expensive to repair. The problems with the pager systems have primarily resulted from the difficulties in activating the system, as an individual must have access to a telephone. As we all know, not all our residents have telephones. There have also been instances in which fire fighters have misplaced or forgotten to carry their pagers.

Madam Speaker, in a majority of our communities, the most recent problem has been in keeping up with the growth of new subdivisions. In particular, the installation of new sirens where existing ones are ineffective and inaudible due to their location. The sirens are critical in the fire alarm system due to many fire fighters and fire fighting support staff such as water truck drivers, RCMP and medical personnel, et cetera, not having pagers.

Madam Speaker, our government must place a priority on evaluating, upgrading or repairing all fire alarm systems in the NWT in order to ensure the effectiveness of these systems to protect the safety of the residents in our communities. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Fire Alarm Systems In Communities
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 186

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Madam Speaker, I have been asked by some of the people from Fort Good Hope -- mostly the old people, the elders of the community -- to mention three

people they wanted to have recognized in some form. So I have chosen to mention them in this House.

It's a recognition for the extremely hard work, long hours that three individuals put in during the long, cold spell that many of us -- especially people in the smaller communities -- endured, particularly in the month of January when we had a few weeks of minus 40 degree weather.

These three individuals: George Voudrack, Francis Erutse, and Alfred Masuzumi, were three people who made an extraordinary effort to check on all the old people of Good Hope and other people who didn't have the capacity to make sure they had enough wood to make it through this cold spell. I think many people were not prepared for it.

These three individuals pushed themselves to the limit every day, from morning until quite late at night, with their machines and their equipment to make sure that everybody had enough wood to survive. I think, very often, some of us forget living in a place like Yellowknife that there are still people who struggle daily just to make sure they have enough food and wood to provide for themselves. So for that reason I wanted to make special mention of them, at the request of many people from Good Hope. Thank you.

---Applause

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was disappointed when we met at our planning committee in Cambridge Bay that we didn't discuss an issue on our order paper about the changes we could possibly make in our style of government. We keep on talking about constitutional development and yet the government we have is not the people's government, it's a government, in fact, that's figured out by 24 people. And there's been no real public debate about the form of consensus we have. It's something we decide among ourselves. This is the way we're going to do it. It seems to me that we're turning a blind eye towards the evolution of our consensus type of system so it can work better than it is.

There has been a proposal made by several people, which we no longer seem to want to discuss, about strengthening the form of government by choosing our Government Leader through a public vote throughout the territories. This could result in a more cohesive Cabinet because along with that election of a Government Leader there would be the power of a leader to choose her own Cabinet. It would be a more coherent government policy. The government would be accountable to the people, not just to the 24 of us. And it would give the leader a bit more power.

I'm not advocating this. All I'm saying, Madam Speaker, is that we seem not to want to discuss it. We want to discuss all these huge issues, yet our government and the way it's evolving we don't want to talk about. We just want to keep it within our walls so there's no public debate. Perhaps this forum could be used for the public to discuss how we should evolve, rather than to wait for things to happen. Thank you very much.

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Results Of Election In Wrigley
Item 3: Members' Statements

February 16th, 1994

Page 187

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, on Tuesday, February 15, there was an election in Wrigley. This is one of the communities in my constituency of Nahendeh. A new chief and band council were elected. I would like to congratulate Mr. Gabe Hardisty, as the elected chief. Mr. Hardisty is no stranger to this position, since he has been the chief before. The other new band council members are Stella Pellisey, Mike Canadien, Martha Drake, Gilbert Antoine, Tim Lennie, who was the former chief, and there is a position that still has to be finalized. Mr. Hardisty replaces Mr. Tim Lennie as the chief. I want to recognize the leadership of Mr. Lennie. I believe he has shown great leadership to help the community benefit substantially. I would like to thank Mr. Lennie and the members of his council for their support and cooperation to provide programs and services to the people of Wrigley.

I am sure that Chief Hardisty and the new band council will be consistent and provide equal support to their people in the community. It is important that this House, and the government, recognize and support community governments, such as the band council in Wrigley. It is a community government, after all. In respect to this House, Madam Speaker, I will be absent from this House tomorrow to attend a community gathering in Wrigley in recognition of the new chief and council as well as thanking the chief and council from the past. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Results Of Election In Wrigley
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 187

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Minister of Social Services and Personnel, Ms. Mike.

Further Return To Question 30-12(5): Salaries And Benefits For Hay River Treatment Centre Staff
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 187

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a response to a question asked by Mr. Gargan concerning the salaries and wages of the Hay River Treatment Centre.

On February 9, 1994, Mr. Gargan asked for information about salaries paid out in the treatment centres. The salary scale is quite lengthy and does not lend itself to a verbal response. therefore, I have provided the Member with a separate list of salaries for different levels of staff in treatment centres. The salary varies depending on the training and the years of experience of the staff. The salaries also take into account the recent increase of $2,500 per year.

In addition to the salaries, the benefits provided to treatment centre staff include: -A housing allowance of $5,400 per year.

-A payment equal to 7.5 per cent of the base salary to cover the cost of employer's share of benefits and workers' compensation.

-A settlement allowance equivalent to that paid to government employees in the community. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 30-12(5): Salaries And Benefits For Hay River Treatment Centre Staff
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 188

The Speaker

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

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

I would like to ask a question to the Premier about my Member's statement. Hazel O'Leary, the United States Secretary of Energy has promised to probe the radiation wrong-doings. Eight other US government departments and agencies have promised to follow suit. Madam Speaker, given this potential for new access to information, is this government prepared to follow up with our federal government to find out exactly what was dropped on the residents of north Baffin from 1956 to 1958? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Return To Question 118-12(5): Follow-up On Photoflashes In North Baffin
Question 118-12(5): Follow-up On Photoflashes In North Baffin
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 188

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, when the issue was first brought up a few days ago, I immediately looked into what avenues we could expedite and research what happened at that time. The direction has been put out to the office in Ottawa to quickly consolidate what is in our knowledge now. As well, the Members of the Legislative Assembly and any other people who have had some experience in that area will be contacted, so we can consolidate at least the information we have. We will move as quickly as possible to try to finalize some of the questions that have been long-outstanding to the residents who were affected by that particular event. Thank you.

Return To Question 118-12(5): Follow-up On Photoflashes In North Baffin
Question 118-12(5): Follow-up On Photoflashes In North Baffin
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 188

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe the Minister responsible for Housing has just been away to attend meetings with the federal Minister about the housing crisis. I wonder if there is any news to report to this House? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of the Housing Corporation, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 119-12(5): Update On Nwt Housing Crisis
Question 119-12(5): Update On NWT Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 188

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wasn't meeting with the Minister of Housing. I went to Cambridge Bay to meet with the KIA. I have no news to report. Thank you.

Return To Question 119-12(5): Update On Nwt Housing Crisis
Question 119-12(5): Update On NWT Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 188

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and it relates to the fire alarm systems. I would like to know if it is the department's responsibility to maintain these systems in NWT communities? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Return To Question 120-12(5): Maintenance Of Fire Alarm Systems In Nwt Communities
Question 120-12(5): Maintenance Of Fire Alarm Systems In NWT Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 188

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe it is the responsibility of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to maintain fire alarm systems in the Northwest Territories.