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

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Over the next several days, hundreds of athletes, coaches, officials, organizers and spectators will be converging on Slave Lake for this year's version of the Arctic Winter Games. To reach the games is a great achievement for all of these people who have qualified to participate in the games. There are many others, throughout the north and all of the regions who are involved and who have worked very hard to make these happen. I would like to congratulate all of these people plus all of the participants in all of the sports who participated in the trials. They have all worked hard and deserve a lengthy round of applause from all of us and from everyone else, even though they did not make the teams.

I have been an active participant, official and entertainer in some of the games and trials. I know the feeling when you get on a plane to go to an event like this. There is a great feeling that you are representing, not only the Northwest Territories, but Canada. The sound of the national anthem when you are standing on a podium receiving medals brings great pride to everyone involved. I wish our athletes well, especially the athletes from Inuvik: the junior boy's soccer team; I think we have a shooter; a hockey player; and, a basketball player. My great pride and a lot of my attention will go to the curling events because I have two boys and one girl who are going to represent the Northwest Territories in the curling teams.

---Applause

So I wish them well. I wish all of our athletes well and I know they will show their exuberance and skills when they stand up on the podiums receiving their gold ulus. Mahsi.

--Applause

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River, Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 179-12(5): Requirement For New Health Facility In Gjoa Haven
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
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John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good afternoon. Madam Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ningark on February 22, 1994, regarding the health facility in Gjoa Haven.

Madam Speaker, on February 22, 1994, the honourable Member for Natilikmiot asked the Premier whether the Minister of Health would investigate the requirement for a new health facility in Gjoa Haven.

Madam Speaker, the health centre in Gjoa Haven was constructed in 1970. It was renovated in 1981 and again in 1987, immediately prior to the 1988 health transfer. The community has, in the past, asked for a replacement of the facility. In 1992, the Department of Public Works and Services evaluated the facility and found the health centre to be sound and functional. This evaluation was supported by the Kitikmeot health board.

The department recognizes, however, that there is a shortage of program space and it has subsequently identified renovation and expansion of the facility in its five year capital plan.

The KHB has initiated a community health services planning process for all communities, including Gjoa Haven. This exercise will identify program requirements for the community. Based on this information, a functional program will be developed which will identify the space requirements. The functional program is scheduled for 1995-96 with renovation and expansion work to commence in 1996-97. This time frame will allow the KHB to complete its community profile. This information is required in order to provide the community with the best possible service. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 179-12(5): Requirement For New Health Facility In Gjoa Haven
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Baffin Central, Ms. Mike.

Further Return To Question 247-12(5): Status Of Computer System For Social Assistance Payments
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Madam Speaker, this is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Whitford on March 2, 1994 regarding status of computerized system for social assistance payments. A total of 44 of the 61 communities listed in the social assistance regulations are off-line. That is 72 per cent. We plan to increase the number of offices which have access to the on-line system. However, that cannot occur until the communication links are in place in smaller communities. Records of social assistance in these communities are transmitted to the closest regional centre, where they are entered into the social assistance information system. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 247-12(5): Status Of Computer System For Social Assistance Payments
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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the Premier. When the government announced the reshaping of northern government initiative back in 1991, there were a number of departments which were to undergo consolidation and amalgamation.

Madam Speaker, can the Premier advise this House which amalgamations are complete?

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I had a reply to that question all ready, but I cannot find it. So I will take that as notice and give a complete report tomorrow. Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a question about amalgamation also, but it is more specific, so hopefully the Minister will have that information at hand. Specifically, this House has heard that the government proposed to amalgamate the departments of Health and Social Services. This was supported by the Special Committee on Health and Social Services, but during the course of the committee, the committee had also heard conflicting information from the government, including a letter from the Premier indicating that the amalgamation might be on hold. My specific question for the Premier is, what phase is the government currently at on the amalgamation of Health and Social Services?

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Return To Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I would like to state to the honourable Member that the amalgamation is not on hold, we're just not moving as quickly as anticipated. One of the areas that we wanted to make sure of is that when we receive the report on health and social services, is that it gets considered with what we are doing in the amalgamation. We just haven't been able to accommodate the dates that we originally set out to do. I believe by the fall session we will be substantially along the way to having that particular function, the consolidation plan in place so that we can move along with it as quickly as possible. I just want to assure the Members of the House that we are not putting things on hold. It's just that we were not able to do as many things as quickly as we wanted to. Thank you.

Return To Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
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The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm not sure if I heard the Premier correctly, but I just wanted to confirm for the record. Did she say that by this fall there would be a complete consolidation of those two departments, and that the plan for that would be in the House sometime in the future?

Supplementary To Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
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The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, the desire of the government is to try to move the consolidation along as quickly as possible. That's our goal and that's our intent. I'm hopeful that by the fall, we'll have a plan on exactly how that can be done so we can move ahead as quickly as possible on a consolidation. Hopefully, in the fall session I'll be able to say exactly what's going to happen and how we're going to implement the consolidation, if not before, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
Question 254-12(5): Amalgamation Of Health And Social Services Departments
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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Every student of psychology knows that people work best if their work is valued and have some sense of security in what they do. There are currently a number of government employees who do not have this sense of security. These are employees in the departments of Health and Social Services, staff housing employees relating to Public Works and Services and also parks employees in ED&T. Madam Speaker, they've heard of all this impending amalgamation involving their departments. My question to the Premier is, what is our government doing to keep these employees informed both at the regional level and here at headquarters? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Return To Question 255-12(5): Initiatives To Inform Employees Of Amalgamation Plans
Question 255-12(5): Initiatives To Inform Employees Of Amalgamation Plans
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, the intent of the government has been brought to the Legislative Assembly and certainly in terms of the planning and organization, the information as it has been realized is transmitted to employees. Perhaps some of the concerns that employees might have is that they hear about something going to happen but the implementation plan has not been in place, so the apprehension is when is it going to happen and how is that going to affect us? Although employees know which areas have been identified, the concern is that they're not quite sure when we're going to do it and what may or may not happen to them. Sometimes we can't give those answers until the implementation plan is in place.

With regard to parks, I think the employees can rest assured because we have decided on the parks consolidation with Renewable Resources. That particular area has been put on hold and we won't be approaching that for some time. Thank you.

Return To Question 255-12(5): Initiatives To Inform Employees Of Amalgamation Plans
Question 255-12(5): Initiatives To Inform Employees Of Amalgamation Plans
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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Public Works and Services. Over the course of the past year and a half the government has sold off a lot of its staff housing units. Theoretically, I gather, with that decrease in the number of units, the management and maintenance staff required to maintain those units won't be required at the same levels as they are now. Has the Minister's department determined yet how many staff are no longer needed as a

result of the decrease in the number of staff housing units? Thank you.

The Speaker

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

Return To Question 256-12(5): Decrease In Maintenance Staff Due To Sale Of Staff Housing
Question 256-12(5): Decrease In Maintenance Staff Due To Sale Of Staff Housing
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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have not yet determined how many staff we need to maintain the existing stock. We are still looking at transferring whatever is left over of the staff housing to the NWT Housing Corporation, and how that stock is going to be maintained as well as the stock of the Housing Corporation. We have to look at both issues at once and then make the decision. Thank you.