This is page numbers 719 - 751 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

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. On Friday, March 18, I asked the Minister of Social Services about a mother having to carry a deceased child in a coffin at the airport. This morning I received a transcript of the 7:30 CBC news. I would like to commend Mary Broussard and I quote from the transcript, "We immediately realized that it will be in our best interest to convene a meeting with the people who are involved. That would include Social Services, the airlines and we also spoke to the Status of Women and we will come together and talk about it and put procedures in place to ensure such an incident doesn't occur again in the future." I think Ms. Broussard deserves to be recognized publicly in the House and I hope this will not happen again. Again, I am thankful for the quick action upon this very sad issue. Thank you.

---Applause

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kivallivik, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Election Of President For Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Item 3: Members' Statements

March 20th, 1994

Page 723

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to remind Inuit in the city of Yellowknife that there is an election being held today for the Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated president. The election booths are at the Yellowknife Inn in annex "B." They were open at 10:00 am this morning and they will be closing at 7:00 pm. I would encourage all Inuit to go and make their vote count. There should be six names that they should be able to select from. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.

Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. The recently published details of the agreement between the Makivik Corporation and Hydro Quebec over the Great Whale project, looks like it is a money deal as opposed to a deal that will look after the interests of all Inuit in the Hudson Bay. Can the Premier tell us what this government is doing to protect the interests of Sanikiluaq? Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I have not seen the details of that agreement. I know there was discussion, so I will take that as notice and report back to the Member. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to Mr. Kakfwi. On Friday, the members of the Constitutional Development Steering Committee met with the Minister of DIAND, Mr. Irwin, for about half an hour, between 5:15 and 5:45 pm, and tried to get some idea of the federal government's commitment to helping establish some aboriginal rights in the Northwest Territories, and also in helping us with our constitutional development and the renewal of our act. He indicated some support for this process, but he didn't indicate what kind or how far. I would like to ask the Minister, in subsequent conversations with the Minister, could he tell us what exactly the federal government will do to assist with this process in the Northwest Territories?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister has indicated that he wants to support the Constitutional Development Steering Committee process as the one visible and viable process here in the western territory for trying to get all aboriginal people and non-aboriginal people to work together to articulate what their political and constitutional vision is for the future of the western territory. In that respect, he has finally indicated he is prepared to talk in terms of dollars, and in terms of support by way of defining statements of what is and what is not acceptable with regard to political and constitutional development in the western territory.

There is no specific dollar terms that have been articulated. Hopefully, that will be done in the next few days. We have had some discussions with his staff to try to refine a budget and a process that would be acceptable to the Minister. We hope to finalize that this week. Thank you.

Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you very much. During this visit, the Minister has already given us an indication he is prepared to also sit down with treaty groups, Treaties 8 and 11, and also to come up with some arrangement for the Metis. I would like to ask the Minister, does this indicate to him that he expects the territorial government will be involved with aboriginal institutions, or will there also be money from the federal government to do that?

Supplementary To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Further Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Madam Speaker, the discussions that Treaty 8 is having with the federal government and ourselves regarding a bilateral relationship for programs and services to Treaty 8 are intended to be set up as a tripartite process, that with the expectation in the end, if everyone is satisfied with the talks and the negotiations that Treaty 8, probably on the establishment of reserves, can take over programs and services and have a bilateral relationship directly with the federal government. As to whether we can realize that or not is the prerogative of the federal government. We're supporting the initiation of those talks and have given that strong indication to Treaty 8 and the federal government. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 723

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Since our government is committed to working with this process -- and it's to be commended for doing that -- I would like to ask the Minister, in these areas where there may be other arrangements, will this have any impact on the

community transfer initiative that this government is engaged in to give powers to communities even while this other process is going on?

Supplementary To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Further Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Madam Speaker, the Minister had indicated that he doesn't want to talk about jurisdiction and authority, at this time. He wants to get on with the administration. What it appears to mean is that he wants to get into the practical measures of communities, and in this case bands, to take on the day-to-day task of administering and running the programs and services. In his view, that is what is going to make a day-to-day difference in the lives of people, and not signing agreements that recognize theoretical terms like self-government and sovereignty and those types of things. That appears to be what he is saying.

In that regard, we have indicated to Treaty 8 a number of times that if they wish to talk community transfer initiative, we're prepared to talk. We know that in the case of at least one community, Lutsel K'e, it is very possible for us to get on with the administrative set-up of transfers, because Lutsel K'e is almost 90 per cent treaty Dene. It's the notion of trying to make it bilateral that would make community transfers not realistic for the Treaty 8 groups. They are not interested in doing administrative set-ups at this time, but they want to establish that programs and services will flow between the federal government and the First Nations.

So the community transfer initiative, as it is now, is not in the interest of Treaty 8 to engage in. Regardless of that, we're prepared to help them with getting on with negotiations with the federal government. We don't expect that we will be funding any of these initiatives since it is bilateral and Treaty 8 has shown very little interest, other than getting us to help by coordinating and supporting their initiatives of asking for funds. We see it as largely a bilateral process. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Since the funds for programs for the residents of the Northwest Territories sit within the budget of the Government of the Northwest Territories, what would be the process to ensure that those funds, when the arrangements are made, could be handled on a bilateral basis since we already handle those funds?

Supplementary To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Further Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Madam Speaker, the federal government, as I understand it, is bound by a policy to deliver all programs and services in the Northwest Territories through the Government of the Northwest Territories. I understand that to be a policy of the federal government. One of the obstacles is how do we negotiate with that obstacle, which is why I say I think it's largely the federal government's responsibility to try to figure out how they can respond to Treaty 8. They can say yes or they can say no. If they say yes, they have to be prepared to set up a bilateral relationship that bypasses and leaves out the GNWT for programs and services. That might mean a change in Cabinet policy. They have to decide whether they're prepared to provide that in the absence of reserves or other land-based definitions.

There are a number of things that the federal government has to respond to. Our view is that, politically, it is the right way to go. If First Nations want to take over their own programs and services, if it can work to their advantage, if their membership supports them in it and there is actually improvement in prospects for the delivery of programs and services, we will support it 100 per cent. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Question 332-12(5): Federal Government Assistance With Western Constitutional Development
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 724

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Aivilik, Mr. Arvaluk.

James Arvaluk Aivilik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs or perhaps Renewable Resources, they are responsible for environmental matters. I guess it is very handy it is the same Minister. Madam Speaker, I want to know if the Minister has heard about this deal between the Makivik Corporation and Hydro Quebec?