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.

Members Present

Mr. Antoine, Hon. Silas Arngna'naaq, Mr. Arvaluk, Mr. Ballantyne, Hon. Nellie Cournoyea, Mr. Gargan, Hon. Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Lewis, Hon. Jeannie Marie-Jewell, Hon. Rebecca Mike, Hon. Don Morin, Hon. Richard Nerysoo, Mr. Ng, Mr. Ningark, Hon. John Pollard, Mr. Pudlat, Mr. Pudluk, Mr. Whitford, Mr. Zoe

---Prayer

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Good morning. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Elimination Of NWT Science Institute
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I continue to have grave concern, Madam Speaker, about the government's determination to eliminate the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories.

The fears of those who promoted the concept of a science institute, more than 15 years ago, have now been realized, the political process advanced to the stage where science is bought like any other commodity. Governments shuffle around the science that best supports the positions of the government in power.

Eliminating the Science Institute means the legislature would no longer have an arm's length agency that would provide it with the best advice available without fear or favour. The science advisory function would be part of the college system, and would be lost in the workings of the largest department of the government. The focus has completely changed from what was originally envisaged.

The attitude of government seems to be if we can't control it, let's eliminate it. Some of the most memorable events to have occurred in this legislature have occurred when, through the Science Institute, Members have listened to careful, objective analysis of northern scientific problems by scientists with no axe to grind and no positions to promote.

I vividly recall the debate on uranium mining and the deep impression made on William Noah -- and I just use him as an example. He was, at that time, the MLA for Baker Lake. I remember the gratitude he felt towards those scientists who carefully explained the nature of uranium mining in a fair, objective fashion. This, I fear, would be lost and we would be the poorer for it. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Elimination Of NWT Science Institute
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe. Member's Statement On Rae Lakes Documentation Of Dogrib Traditional Government

Elimination Of NWT Science Institute
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Over the past year, Madam Speaker, the community of Rae Lakes has been documenting elders' knowledge of Dogrib traditional government. This information is very important. Madam Speaker, this information will help build a community self-government model. The information will also be used in the school curriculum.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, also the Department of Executive and the Department of Renewable Resources for their support during the 1993-94 fiscal year. I would also like to take this opportunity to say how pleased I am with the government's response to the traditional knowledge working group report. The response says that the government will redo the existing grants and contribution program to make the traditional knowledge initiative a priority.

Madam Speaker, given the government's position, I would like to request that the government departments do everything they can to ensure that this project is given the financial and income support necessary to complete the work. Like the Dene justice project, Madam Speaker, this project will require three years for it to come to completion. The community has completed its first year and looks forward to completing the work in the next couple of years. Thank you.

---Applause

Elimination Of NWT Science Institute
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.

Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. There was a meeting in Iqaluit this month. The conference was with regard to the NWT Council for Disabled Persons. During the meeting they were also planning towards the Nunavut of 1999. The people of Nunavut are concerned with regard to the disabled persons in their communities. There is a council that deals with disabled persons right at the moment that is located in Yellowknife, but in the communities this council does not exist. I am in support of the possibility of establishing a committee or a council for disabled persons for the Nunavut area. This was one of the major concerns brought up while they were dealing with the Council for Disabled Persons in Iqaluit.

The people of Nunavut will want this treated as one of the priorities as we come closer to Nunavut of 1999. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the Member representing Kivallivik, a part of the wider Keewatin region, I would like to take this opportunity to express, through this House, my regrets for not being able to attend the Back to the Future panel discussion sponsored by the Keewatin Chamber of Commerce to be held this weekend in Rankin Inlet.

I received an information package from the Chamber of Commerce two days ago which outlined a number of important topics of round table discussion, including a number of issues under government departments, of the departments of Public Works, NWT Housing Corporation, Economic Development and Tourism, Transportation, Workers' Compensation Board and Education. I also learned from this package that I had the honour of being placed on the list as one of the panellists. As much as I would have liked to, given the short notice, I am not able to get out of a prior family commitment in order to attend the meeting.

I would, however, like to send along with my regrets, my sincere wishes for a successful round of discussions. Madam Speaker, as one of the three MLAs for the region I know these are important topics of discussion. I look forward to hearing about the outcome and to participate in future discussions of a similar nature. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Negotiated Contract For Donnie "teflon" Morin
Item 3: Members' Statements

March 24th, 1994

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today is a very significant day. Today we send a happy band of MLA warriors to do battle for the hearts and minds of the public.

We have faced 1,000 years of bad press, Madam Speaker...

---Laughter

...and today our warriors can finally prove...

---Applause

...the truth of our calling. But a small cloud, Madam Speaker, hangs over the head of our team. This morning, coach Maduke announced that Donnie "Teflon" Morin signed a ten year no-cut, no-trade contract.

---Laughter

The problem is, Madam Speaker, it was a negotiated contract.

---Laughter

The rest of the team have one year contracts all selected by the public tendering process.

---Laughter

---Laughter

He is northern-owned and operated, he has a high percentage of aboriginal content, and he obviously spends his money in the north -- except for his boat...

---Laughter

---Laughter

The one bit of good news is that John Todd, well-known captain of the MLA Sharks dart team, who supported negotiated contracts, said I will support negotiated contracts anywhere, anytime, and I will take full responsibility for Mr. Morin's performance. If Morin doesn't score a goal, Mr. Todd has publicly stated he will not speak for one year.

---Laughter

---Applause

Negotiated Contract For Donnie "teflon" Morin
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Congratulating Caribou Carnival Organizers
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Happy Caribou Carnival to you. Madam Speaker, yesterday began the start of the 40th Caribou Carnival for the city of Yellowknife. This long-standing tradition began here as kind of a get together of people to celebrate spring, and has evolved into what it is today. It attracts hundreds and hundreds of visitors to our community.

I would like to congratulate the Caribou Carnival group for the marvellous job that they've done thus far. They've put together this relatively enormous project with fairly few flaws in it. In particular, I would like to congratulate the Caribou Carnival Queen, Tasha Rogers, who won that position yesterday for the largest number of tickets sold. The princess is Gaeleen MacPherson. Some 48,000 tickets were sold for a dollar a piece and that money goes to sponsoring prizes and various events that go along with this Caribou Carnival.

Today also marks the start of the 150-mile Canadian Championship Dog Derby. There are 14 teams registered, teams from all across Canada. There's a team from the United States and also from Europe. And, of course, our annual bouquet of Becks will be running in the race. This year's particularly pleasing for us because we now have a lady dog musher, Heather Beck, who is going to be running for the first time. As well, Madam Speaker, this is the beginning of the 23rd year that the Yellowknife Rotary Club has been responsible for the running of the dog race.

It involves a lot of work, but it is an event that attracts international recognition to our part of the country and to the sport of dog mushing, which evolved out of a necessity in the territories. People used dogs for work purposes. They still play an important part in our tradition. With that, congratulations to everybody who has participated. Thank you, very much.

---Applause

Congratulating Caribou Carnival Organizers
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Telephone Services In Small Communities
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I'm going to speak in my language. (Translation) Today I would like to say a few things about telephones in smaller communities like Jean Marie River, Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte in my constituency. In these smaller communities, they only have one phone. In Kakisa, they also only have one phone. Like the experience of my colleague here from Bay Chimo, and around that area, these small communities only have one phone.

People from these communities have been asking for telephones for quite some while, especially the band councils. There is only one phone and often times, these phones are tied up. Some people have asked for residential phones. I have received letters from some people from my constituency on these matters. In the letter I received from Don Morin, he said it was NorthwesTel that would be responsible for installing telephones in these communities.

There was a meeting a while ago regarding CRTC and NorthwesTel. As a result of these meetings, June 20 is the deadline for installing telephones in these smaller communities. They are working towards that but what I want to say is right now, there is a real need for telephones in these communities. A lot of people write to me from these communities like teachers and business owners. Thank you.

Telephone Services In Small Communities
Item 3: Members' Statements

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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 High Arctic. Welcome back, Mr. Pudluk.

---Applause

Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a very, very short question. I don't want to waste your time. I have a class three driver's license. That means I can drive almost anything. I would like to ask the Minister of MACA who owns the roads downtown? Is it the municipal government or taxi drivers? Thank you.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

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

Return To Question 382-12(5): Ownership Of Municipal Roads
Question 382-12(5): Ownership Of Municipal Roads
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I believe the municipality would own the roads. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 382-12(5): Ownership Of Municipal Roads
Question 382-12(5): Ownership Of Municipal Roads
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education, Madam Speaker. With the new direction the Minister is taking in regionally centralizing high school and having our children go to these schools, does the government have some type of policy that would allow children to go home for spring break, Christmas holiday, Easter holiday and, of course, summer holidays? And, are they developing any kind of policy with regard to parents being able to visit their own children at the regional high schools?

As you know, Madam Speaker, we don't have any kind of transportation services for the kids who are going to school in Fort Simpson, as we have bus service and some scheduled air service in Providence. We don't have anything like that. It is only the parents who have vehicles who have the opportunity to visit their children or get their children for the holidays. With the new direction in education, are we looking at developing new policies to allow for parents to visit or for students to visit their homes?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 383-12(5): Transportation Policy For Parents To Visit Children Attending Regional Schools
Question 383-12(5): Transportation Policy For Parents To Visit Children Attending Regional Schools
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just to correct the record, Madam Speaker, the direction I'm undertaking in pursuing community high school programming is not a new direction. It has been in place ever since my colleague, Mr. Kakfwi, was the Minister of Education. He began the process of developing community high school programming.

On the matter of support, Madam Speaker, at present we provide for assistance to the students to travel back to their communities during Christmas. However, it is the choice of the

parents, also, to decide the holiday for which they want us to provide assistance.

I will certainly look at the other concern the honourable Member has raised, but again it will be with considerable concern for our financial situation. That is the remark that he made where we provide for assistance to parents and students for additional trips home.

The last point I wanted to make, Madam Speaker, is the matter of where the students attend school rests with the board and they can make the choice in their region as to how they want to provide high school programming. I will review the matter, however, it has to be within the context of the financial resources we have available to us.

Return To Question 383-12(5): Transportation Policy For Parents To Visit Children Attending Regional Schools
Question 383-12(5): Transportation Policy For Parents To Visit Children Attending Regional Schools
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.