This is page numbers 853 - 869 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.

Supplementary To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 857

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 857

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, when the Government of the Northwest Territories decided to move towards consolidation and some decentralization, there were a certain number of privatization initiatives outlined that we wanted to move towards. However, wherever reasonable, if there are specific areas where private people, local agencies and organizations, and development corporations see an opportunity, we deal with those requests as they occur.

Certainly, we believe -- and I think it's a well-established fact across Canada -- that business is better operated by private enterprise that can deal with it on a business approach.

Businesses are generally more equipped to focus on a business operation. Governments have taken that initiative all across Canada and we still feel there are areas that could be privatized.

In the beginning, we outlined a number of areas that we would like to see privatized, and if there are other areas that should be explored, we are open to those discussions, on a case by case basis. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Supplementary To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask Madam Premier, then, if there are any privatization initiatives planned for the upcoming fiscal year?

Supplementary To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I don't think there is anything on the table right now. But, this is an ongoing process and we're still looking. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Supplementary To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask Madam Premier, do all government departments have plans that outline services that they can possibly privatize?

Supplementary To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, at the very beginning of the question on how we can provide programs and services more effectively to the residents of the Northwest Territories and the discussion on how best those programs and services can be developed, we asked all departments to determine areas where they thought there could be possible privatization. So, initially, we had a master list, which we are presently working from. These are areas where departments felt those opportunities might exist. We have a master list and we gradually work on that master list. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Question 386-12(5): Government's Position On Privatization Initiatives
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The 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 responsible for Social Services. I'm seeking a clarification from an item in the unedited Hansard of yesterday where the

honourable Rebecca Mike was replying to my friend, Mr. Ng, about employee housing.

It says, "In the past, it has been used to lure credible employees to come to smaller communities." I wonder if that's just an error in the choice of words, or does it mean that northern employees are not credible? Perhaps they were incredible. I just wonder if a correction would be in order here?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Return To Question 387-12(5): Clarification On Use Of Term "credible" To Describe Employees
Question 387-12(5): Clarification On Use Of Term "credible" To Describe Employees
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Member for Yellowknife South for bringing this to my attention. Because English is not my mother tongue, sometimes I make errors and use a bad choice of vocabulary. What I meant in that statement was qualified employees. Thank you.

Return To Question 387-12(5): Clarification On Use Of Term "credible" To Describe Employees
Question 387-12(5): Clarification On Use Of Term "credible" To Describe Employees
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 858

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Today I spoke on my Member's statement about telephones, in my language. I represent the three communities of Jean Marie River, Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte. For a number of years now they have one pay phone type of system that NorthwesTel installed. I understand that it's the same situation in Kakisa Lake. I also mentioned Bay Chimo and Bathurst Inlet. My honourable colleague's, Mr. Ng's, riding doesn't have any telephone services.

But in my communities, for many years we've been asking for more services. People have been asking for their own private lines in their houses. The band office, the community government want faxes. These communities don't have any regular airline services, so whenever your government writes to them, it may take a week or two before they get their letter and things get pretty slowed down then. I've also received letters from teachers and CECs and the divisional board of education to improve the telephone services. We're told that there's a new communication system for all NWT schools to be able to use computers to send messages to each other, and that's impossible in these small communities.

The CRTC decision in December said there was supposed to be a plan by June 20 to provide services to all these communities. I just wanted to ask the Minister if he's aware of that. Is the plan to provide full services to these communities by June 20, or is it a plan that they're going to provide to CRTC by June 20 with a plan for the future years?

I understand that the communities have been asking for an immediate increase in the telephone service. I would just like to know from the Minister if that's the case. Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My understanding of it is that CRTC directed NorthwesTel to develop a plan on how they would provide full services to the non-serviced communities, by June. Thank you.

Return To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you. I would like to ask the Minister what type of involvement his department has with NorthwesTel to help develop a plan. Last summer I wrote to the Minister and told him that I was planning to go to Whitehorse and meet with the president myself, along with some of the MLAs who have similar concerns. I was told by the Minister not to do that because he was dealing with it. I was wondering if the Minister has been involved with the president of NorthwesTel to see how this government could be involved in the plan that is supposed to be developed by June 20. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know that my department has met with NorthwesTel in the past to work on a plan for how to ensure that these non-serviced communities are going to get service in the near future. If they've met with them recently, I don't know about it. I could check into that for the Member and fully inform him on Monday. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you again, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he has contact with NorthwesTel, if he could arrange a meeting between the representative of

NorthwesTel and Members of the Legislative Assembly who have similar concerns as I have, so that we can sit down face to face with them and tell them our concerns on behalf of the communities. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Question 388-12(5): Telephone Services To Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 859

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.