This is page numbers 503 - 531 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 land.

Topics

Further Return To Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 515

The Speaker

Mr. Arvaluk, I would just like to remind you to keep your preamble short. The Premier asked you to clarify your existing question, but to bring forth another question with regard to the amount of preamble you're giving I would respectfully request that you put forth your final supplementary that you initially posed to the Premier. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

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James Arvaluk Aivilik

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is a certain amount of complaint in the community that some of the government employees are not fulfilling their functions or responsibilities as much as the non-government employees are at the moment. Ms. Premier stated to me that the GLOs have no real direct function or supervisory capacity or reporting to the Executive when some departments are not fulfilling their functions and the community gets frustrated. I want to know what is the community's avenue to report or make complaints that can be believed by the Executive or other departments?

Supplementary To Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, if it's a departmental issue, an ordinary resident of a community could and should raise their concern with the supervisor or the superintendent of Social Services, Department of Public Works, or whichever department at the regional level. I notice from time to time because of languages, sometimes an individual citizen will get concerned and will ask the government liaison officer to help them reach the right person, or to help them make a report. The actual point of complaint should be with the regional superintendent. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Question 267-12(5): Role Of Liaison Officer In Small Communities
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 515

The Speaker

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

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education. Yellowknife has had a history of local control of education that goes back more than 50 years, Madam Speaker, including responsibility for both public and separate education. Within the next week or so, there will be a board elected in Yellowknife whereby Francophone parents will have control over the Ecole Allain St. Cyr, and they will then, presumably, have legal responsibility for those children. I would like to ask the Minister, since this kind of power is constitutionally guaranteed, is it also a legal body under the current Education Act that this board is being formed?

The Speaker

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

Return To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Presently, the structure that is proposed is based on an agreement that was reached between the department and the French first language school, Ecole Allain St. Cyr. As a result of that, we included it as part of our agreement with the federal government and will be financing it through the French language agreement. It is our intention to review the whole matter of French first language authority in our Education Act, as part of the particular review. As such, we will consider the appropriate legislative authority and powers in that particular legislation because presently it's non-existent in our legislation.

Return To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 515

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Would this board that is being formed over the next week or so, be just an advisory board and, if so, who does it advise?

Supplementary To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The situation right now is that it is a cross between an advisory board and a board of authority with regard to the school they are managing. It's our view that they will be managing the school, but also advising and reporting to the Minister of Education. However, the honourable Member, I think in his own experience, will note that the present legislation, the Education Act, which should be the legislation that governs this whole area, does not include a section that deals with French first language educational institutions. As such, we need the legislative authority to give the levels of powers that can be transferred as we do with the CECs, the divisional boards of education and the district boards. There are different authorities and it needs to be established in legislation.

Further Return To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Since this board will be more than an advisory board, obviously, and will be responsible and accountable to some extent, I would like to ask the Minister since it has no reality under the Education Act, what gives it legal authority in order to perform the functions that it will be perform?

Supplementary To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Presently, the manner in which the authority is being established is through an agreement with the Minister of Education to allow them to apply the authority under the Education Act, which we have already done. The other point is that there's a need for us to deal with the whole matter of section 23 in our Education Act in which it deals with the rights of French language education, which is being considered under the review of the new Education Act.

Further Return To Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Question 268-12(5): Legal Authority Of Francophone Board Under Education Act
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 516

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. To the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism about the NWT Development Corporation. I would like to ask the Minister, does the mandate of the Development Corporation permit that corporation to actively compete with and undermine the private sector working in the same field? Thank you.

The Speaker

Minister responsible for the Development Corporation, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 516

John Todd Keewatin Central

The current rules and regulations allow it to compete with the private sector. I don't know whether I would want to use the term "undermine." However, I have asked the chairman of the board of the NWT Development Corporation to address this concern that was raised earlier in the year with respect to competition in the marketplace. I believe the question was earlier raised because of the Arctic Winter Games uniforms. They are trying to address that. It's not an easy one, but we are trying to address that at this time.

Return To Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, Madam Speaker, if the Minister can be presented with evidence that the Development Corporation is using its weight and the massive power of government financing behind it, not only to compete but to undermine a private company in a community by practices like dumping. Does the Minister have the authority over the Development Corporation? Does he have any ability to make directions or take steps to remedy such unfair practices? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. I recognize our time has lapsed for question period, but Mr. Patterson did pose his initial question prior to the time lapsing. I think, in fairness to the Member, they should be allowed their allotted time for their supplementaries, even though time has lapsed. Therefore, I have allowed Mr. Patterson to continue. Minister responsible for the Development Corporation, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 5: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think it's important for perspective. I'm told that between the fishermen and the fish plant in Pangnirtung, we employ close to 100 people there. That was the original intent of the Development Corporation, that we would provide it with some subsidies initially, to employ our people. However, with that in mind, if there is a specific instance where it appears dumping dead fish into Iqaluit in competition with some minor players in that area, who I understand have other business interests, I would be only too happy to address them.

Further Return To Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 269-12(5): Mandate Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Time frame for oral questions has lapsed. Item 6, written questions. Item 7, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.