This is page numbers 275 - 301 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 federal.

Topics

Supplementary To Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 288

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, a source to find out about this problem in this community would be the hamlet council. Would the honourable Minister check into this problem through the hamlet council where, initially, this problem was brought up? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 288

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 288

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I thank the honourable Member for giving us that direction. It seems that a lot of times it is good when we know where to look to seek advice. We will be dealing with it through the hamlet council. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Question 177-12(5): Dissatisfaction With Spence Bay Housing Association Employee
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 288

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Aboriginal Rights a question. There was a meeting last night at which the press was present. It was the meeting of the Constitutional Development Steering Committee. I would like to ask the Minister, since there's much confusion right now as to what direction we will eventually take in the west with regard to constitutional development, and since this issue relates to money, what stage is the Minister at right now with regard to getting the Government of Canada to accept its constitutional responsibility to assist us in this work?

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 288

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Madam Speaker, the members of the Constitutional Development Steering Committee, which is made up of all the major aboriginal peoples of the western territory as well as Members of the Legislative Assembly, have developed a work plan and schedule along with an accompanying budget that was submitted to the federal

government in December. It lays out the scenario of what is required to arrive at a drafting of a constitution for the western territory in the next couple of years. Recently, the federal government has been giving indications that they have received the proposal favourably and it is my hope that they will continue to see the good light and give us a positive response during the next couple of weeks. Thank you.

Return To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

The Speaker

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I know that we always try to put a positive spin on things, but I would like to ask the Minister if there is a contingency plan should the federal government decide that at this stage they are not prepared to look at funding a process when there are so many other processes going on at the same time?

Supplementary To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you. The scenario is that we believe the federal government will support the call we've made on them to fund a process and to be a positive element by their participation and involvement in the process in putting together a constitution for a western territory. In my view, it's fully in line with the division of Canada that all federal governments have had over the years. We are to keep all the diverse groups, aboriginal peoples and other peoples of the western territory, together under one government. This is what is being called for in Canada. With elements of reform and separatist issues rearing their heads, we believe it is fully in line with the responsibility of the federal government to support the type of proposal we put forward to them. It is the only viable option at this time, other than to allow individual aboriginal peoples and groups to set up small regional governments and/or exclusive aboriginal governments at this time. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

That's a very useful answer, Madam Speaker. Since the Minister is so optimistic about the document which was sent to the federal government -- and I believe it's probably gone by now through several stages of bureaucratic review by now -- has he discussed this with the Minister of DIAND and is that the reason he's so optimistic?

Supplementary To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, the thousands of civil servants within the Department of Indian Affairs have all suffered with the lobby that we have put on over the last ten years with this general scenario. The new Minister has been approached on two occasions. Once in December when the chairman of the Constitutional Development Steering Committee, Mr. Fred Koe, and myself presented the proposal to him in Ottawa. More recently, he was approached at the federal/provincial native affairs Ministers meeting in Toronto when we had a meeting with the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. Mr. Irwin was approached to seek an early response. Last Friday night in Edmonton, he mentioned that they would be responding to this proposal fairly soon. I did not seek to discuss it with him at that time, but he did indicate that they would be responding shortly, which is all that I asked for at the time. He has been lobbied on at least two occasions. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Question 178-12(5): Federal Assistance In Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

The Speaker

Thank you. And, I'm not Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kakfwi, thank you.

---Laughter

Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot.

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Again, the honourable Minister who I would like to direct my question to is not in the House, this is the Health Minister, Madam Speaker. In his absence, I will direct my question to the Premier. Madam Speaker, in 1975, the health centre in Gjoa Haven was built, according to the information I got from that community. During the last two weeks I had the opportunity to visit the community and his worship, the mayor, personally took me around the facility. According to my observations at that time, it seems that community needs a new health facility. They are running out of space in that particular building. Madam Speaker, there is a plan for extension of that facility in the years 1994 and 1995, but after talking with the hamlet council, I was informed the hamlet council would like to get a new facility instead of an extension because the community of Gjoa Haven is the fastest growing community, not only in the region, but within the jurisdiction of this government. My question to the Minister is, would the honourable Minister look into the problem and perhaps consider building a new facility? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Return To Question 179-12(5): Requirement For New Health Facility In Gjoa Haven
Question 179-12(5): Requirement For New Health Facility In Gjoa Haven
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 289

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I am familiar with the particular situation. At the time that I was involved, I know that the hamlet council did request a new facility but there was an evaluation done of that particular facility and it was determined at that time that because the facility is in relatively good condition, there would be an extension rather than building a new facility. However, I will relay the request to the Minister of Health and he can further look into it, however, from my recollection, you don't have very much hope for getting a new facility because that has been gone over a number of times. However, I will relay that message to the Minister of Health

.

Return To Question 179-12(5): Requirement For New Health Facility In Gjoa Haven
Question 179-12(5): Requirement For New Health Facility In Gjoa Haven
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 290

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister of Social Services. We know that counselling services are quite important. A lot of Members have spoken about it in this House. There is a much greater need out there than we are able to supply. The Minister's department sent out a call for proposals a little while ago. Within a very short time, Madam Speaker, they cancelled the request for proposal for counselling services for the area south of the lake. I would like to ask the Minister, in view of the necessity that Members of this House have expressed, why this request for proposal was cancelled.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am not aware of that particular call for proposals. I will take the question as notice. Thank you.

The Speaker

Item 5, oral questions. Item 6, written questions. Item 7, returns to written questions. Item 8, replies to opening address. Item 9, replies to budget address. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Item 9: Replies To Budget Address
Item 9: Replies To Budget Address

February 21st, 1994

Page 290

The Speaker

Mr. Ballantyne's Reply