This is page numbers 339 - 366 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 education.

Topics

Lack Of GNWT Services In Hall Beach
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Some Hon. Members

Shame, shame.

Lack Of GNWT Services In Hall Beach
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Although the economic development officer from Igloolik makes occasional visits, this is absolutely not acceptable for a community of this size. Also, Hall Beach does not have an arena and their community hall is badly in need of repair. This situation has gone on far too long already and it is time for the Government of the Northwest Territories to face immediate action to address these urgent needs.

I will be pursuing this matter vigorously during this session.

---Applause

Lack Of GNWT Services In Hall Beach
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Member's statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Exemption Of Elders From Cigarette Taxation
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, yesterday in committee of the whole, I made some observations about the tobacco tax situation. The purpose of this Member's statement is to qualify my position on this issue. I am in full support of our government's raising of taxes on cigarettes to discourage the younger generation from smoking.

However, Madam Speaker, with this tobacco tax, the Northwest Territories will pay the highest price in Canada for cigarettes, and, unfortunately, not spend enough.

Even with the announced federal funding on anti-smoking education, if we are going to make this tax grab, we should be prepared to spend and access revenue realized on anti-smoking programs.

The federal government has announced an assault on Canada's social programs. At the very least, Madam Speaker, I can see old age pensions being frozen at their present levels for awhile. As with any government austerity programs, it is the poor and those on fixed incomes who suffer. Madam Speaker, I remain convinced that we should not charge seniors the extra tax that we are proposing to add to tobacco. The elders of these territories grew up in a different time, a time when smoking was considered a social necessity. We must remember, Madam Speaker, that most institutions up here, at the turn of the century, encouraged smoking. Tobacco was a cheap, light trade good, so, of course, Madam Speaker, the traders and the Hudson's Bay Company did everything they could to get our forefathers hooked on tobacco. Let us not penalize our older citizens, the majority of whom are on fixed incomes, by raising the tax on tobacco for them. Madam Speaker, we must remember that they are a product of a different time. I encourage the Minister of Finance to offer an exemption of this tobacco tax to our elders. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Exemption Of Elders From Cigarette Taxation
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Northwest Territories Statistics
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Normally, this would be a statement for Friday, but I am not going to be here tomorrow, so I will make this today.

Yesterday, in the mail, we received a copy of the Statistics Quarterly, a document from the Bureau of Statistics, and it reports as of December 1993. In a cursory review of some of the statistics, I find some very interesting facts and numbers. I would like to go through some of them.

I note that our population as of June 1991 is 57,650, and of this population, 33 per cent of our population is under 14. Another interesting note is that three per cent, or 1,605 people, are 65 years and over.

Continuing on in the document, I note that our school enrolment has gone up from 1992 to 1993-94 by some 630 students, and of these, 17 per cent are in senior high school. Compared to that, though, the graduates who are graduating from senior high school are only about ten per cent of our students that enter senior high. Another little fact here is that our student assistance for post-secondary education has gone up, but I note that the mix from 1991-92 to 1992-93 has changed, whereas, more people are now going to university than there are going to technical school.

Another interesting fact is that federal old age security statistics show that, as of June 1, 1993, there were 1,668 people age 65 and over that were receiving some sort of old age security, and I find that interesting because when we look at the population it shows that we only have 1,605 people that are 65 years and over. There is a difference of some 63 people. Another interesting note...

Northwest Territories Statistics
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

The Speaker

Mr. Koe, your time has lapsed for Members' statements.

Northwest Territories Statistics
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Fred Koe Inuvik

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Northwest Territories Statistics
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 344

The Speaker

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Continue, Mr. Koe.

Northwest Territories Statistics
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 344

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi. I note that in people sentenced to federal custody -- these are normally people sentenced to two years plus -- if you take an average of each two years, it shows that we have at least 40 to 60 people in our federal penitentiaries in any given year.

Another statistic I find interesting is our average personal incomes, and I note that the highest average incomes seem to be in the regional centres, but the highest average incomes are earned by people living in two, what I deemed, single resource communities. Nanisivik is the highest with an average income of $53,505, and in Norman Wells, where it is $40,168.

Another fact is the consumer price index, and I note that, from January to November of 1993, in all categories that the consumer price index is divided into, there have been increases across the north. More significantly, in Yellowknife, the highest increases occurred in the city of Yellowknife in all categories.

Finally, one that I find really interesting is the category on drivers' licenses, and this was the number of licenses issued in the Northwest Territories. In 1985-86, there were 25,057 licenses issued, but the next year, in 1986-87, there were only 14,054 licenses issued. Similarly, in 1989-90, there were 18,287 licenses issued, and in 1990-91, we dropped down to 13,465. I am sure there are good reasons for this, but I don't think we had an out-migration of people in the territories because I checked the statistics on migration and nobody seemed to have left the territories in those numbers.

The point I wish to make is that statistics are nice, it is a nice, fancy document that is printed, but I think when we print documents like this, there should be qualifications and some explanations of why some of these numbers are there and why there are some significant changes, because it raises a lot of questions, a lot of unnecessary questions, and it would probably prevent people like me from standing up and speaking about them. Mahsi.

---Applause

Northwest Territories Statistics
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 344

The Speaker

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Kivallivik, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Return To Question 99-12(5): Fire Fighting Systems Used In Nwt Municipalities
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 344

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ng on February 15, 1994, on fire fighting systems used in NWT communities. In response to the honourable Member's question and further discussions with the Member, I would like to offer the following response.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs does have standards for fire fighting systems and equipment. These standards are detailed in the department's capital program standards and criteria manual, copies of which have been provided to Members.

The department also provides unconditional funding for operations and maintenance costs related to the servicing of these systems as part of the hamlet funding formula. Individual communities, however, are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their fire systems and equipment. Since this funding is unconditional, communities may make their own decisions on how these funds are to be spent. The Minister does have the option of responding to special cases that may warrant extraordinary assistance.

The fire marshal's office has informed the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs that he has already directed his staff to evaluate existing fire alerting systems in all communities during 1994-95 community inspection visits. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 99-12(5): Fire Fighting Systems Used In Nwt Municipalities
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 344

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

February 23rd, 1994

Page 344

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in my Member's statement I outlined a problem that was occurring in my riding dealing with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the Inukshuk Housing Cooperative. I incorrectly referred to it as multi-family, and it should be multi-residential, for the record.

Madam Speaker, I have a question for the Minister. It appears that MACA officials arbitrarily decided to reclassify the cooperative from single-family to multi-family, after the city had already agreed upon its designation. Can the Minister advise me why a decision like that of such consequence would be made without any consultation?

The Speaker

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

Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 344

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am aware of the situation the honourable Member is raising. I sympathize with the Member and the people who are involved. I would like to say that the decision to change the classification for these units was not arbitrary, rather it was a change which was made in the categorization of these units by the city. Everywhere else in the Northwest Territories, the categorization of these units would have been multi-residential. In this case, the departmental staff made the mistake of classifying these units as multi-residential following what they normally do in other NWT communities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 344

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think the Minister got right to the point. I think it was on an assumption. There was never any indication by the city that this should be reclassified from one to four. It was with the advisement of the city that this was designated as class one to correspond to yet another cooperative in that neighbourhood. Condos are fairly new to the territories, so there may be some confusion. The decision was never made in conjunction with anyone, but the department. The department admitted this in a letter that was sent to the members of the cooperative. I would like to know, now that the error has been discovered and brought to their attention, is there any provisions for redress to an error that was caused by the department? Are there any provisions for rectifying this problem?

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

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

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I should clarify that the process currently followed, at the present time, is the department makes assessments of properties in the city of Yellowknife, which are then forwarded to the city of Yellowknife offices. To my understanding, these are then checked over by the city and their officials. In fact, I believe they hire an independent person to review these assessments. That is the second stage where a mistake like this could have been caught. They are then forwarded on to the property owner. So there are three stages that this mistake could have been caught.

I should also clarify that the taxes paid for these units are made to the city, rather than the government. So I think this is an issue that should be raised between the property owner and the city. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The city based their mill rate on the advice of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs' assessment of their property. That is what they base their mill rate on. They don't do this by themselves. If MACA makes an error, we have no way of knowing there is a mistake made. When it was brought to the attention of officials by this voluntary board, they were just soothed and were told that was just a normal tax increase. There are deadlines to be met so that people pay their taxes. When it was officially recognized and brought to their attention officially, they were told nothing could be done. I want to know whether there are any provisions in the act to redress errors that have been made, to recognize these errors have been made?

Supplementary To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

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

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don't know whether there is redress with regard to this particular act, so I am not able to respond to that. But I would be willing to commit that the staff of the department will meet with the officials of the city and the Inukshuk Housing Cooperative and come to a resolution on this matter. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Question 195-12(5): Classification Of Inukshuk Housing Cooperative
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 345

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.