This is page numbers 533 - 559 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 housing.

Topics

Return To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, the issuing of federal contracts is not a responsibility of this Minister.

Return To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Allooloo.

Supplementary To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Mr. Speaker, I would think that the Minister who is responsible for aboriginal people would care enough to contact his counterparts in the federal government. Has the Minister, representing the people in the Northwest Territories, inquired of his counterpart in the federal government as to what happened in this case? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Allooloo. Mr. Minister.

Further Return To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, there is a concern I have as a Minister to make sure that the spirit and intent of the Nunavut claim is followed by governments. The Member is correct, we always have to be diligent to make sure that the federal government does not start to slide into the position of not appearing to honour the original intent and spirit of these agreements. It has been the case with treaties all across this country.

But as far as this particular contract is concerned, as I understand it, the federal government as the contractor has decided for economic or political reasons to issue a contract to a Quebec firm. This is not the first time that it has happened. It has happened in previous years in other work that has serious implications for people in the Northwest Territories. Have I as a Minister for aboriginal affairs done anything specifically to protest this action by the federal government? I must say that I have not done anything. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Allooloo.

Supplementary To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories was given a copy of our letter expressing great concern over the awarding of the contract, and requesting an urgent meeting from Mr. James Eetoolook, acting president of Nunavut Tunngavik, to the federal Minister of Supply and Services, dated February 21, 1994. My question to the Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs is, is the Minister aware of whether a reply was given to Mr. Eetoolook's letter? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Minister.

Supplementary To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I don't understand why the Member is pinpointing his questions at me. I think Mr. Todd is the one who is very anxious to jump up and answer these questions. Since it is the intent of the Members to seek good answers to their good questions, I must humbly request that he redirect his question to Mr. Todd so that Members of this House and the constituents in Nunavut will get the answer and the information that they seek. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was alerted to this situation by Mr. Fred Hunt who is the general manager of the Nunasi Corporation, about two weeks ago. I do have a copy of Mr. Eetoolook's letter with respect to the disappointment of the awarding of this contract to a Quebec firm.

The action that we've taken to date is that I was in consultation with Mr. Anawak's office in Ottawa, asking him if he could make a case to the federal Minister to see what can be done. Letters have gone to Mr. Collenette, the Minister of National Defence, expressing our concern with respect to it, in particular -- as Mr. Kakfwi says -- as it relates to the spirit and intent within the land claim agreement.

I am meeting with Mr. Anawak and Ms. Ethel Blondin-Andrew on Tuesday, and that's one of the issues we intend to address at that time. Hopefully, we'll get some response. I'm not optimistic that we'll get a change, but certainly we want to bring it to the attention of the federal government that, as Mr. Eetoolook said in his letter, under the land claims agreement the spirit and intent was that there be consultation with respect to large contracts similar to the one he's discussing.

We've raised the political profile of the issue. I will be discussing it at some length with Mr. Anawak. Hopefully, we'll be in a position to advise Mr. Eetoolook and the Nunavut Tunngavik group of the results of our discussions with the federal Ministers. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Question 279-12(5): Circumstances Re Awarding Of Contract To Non-inuit Company
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 546

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you very much, Mr. Todd. Before I recognize another Member, in our gallery we have Martha Flaherty, the president of Pauktuutit.

---Applause

Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have had a number of very serious questions today about some important issues. But it is Friday, and on Friday we sometimes have questions that are not quite so serious. As it's coming to the end of question period, I have one that may not be quite so serious that I would like to pose to the Minister of Education. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, I was paying attention to the Minister's statement and in his statement he made note of national meetings which will be held in Montreal this coming May. I was wondering, given the Minister's statement on Wednesday during tabling of documents, if we could get some clarification. Is this statement then meant to give the House official notice that if we're still sitting in May, he will be absent some time?

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 280-12(5): Minister's Statement Re National Meetings
Question 280-12(5): Minister's Statement Re National Meetings
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 547

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's giving notice to the honourable Member that he need not criticize me if I'm absent.

---Laughter

Return To Question 280-12(5): Minister's Statement Re National Meetings
Question 280-12(5): Minister's Statement Re National Meetings
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 547

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

I think that's pretty clear, Mr. Minister. Any further questions? Mr. Ng.

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for Renewable Resources, and it has to do with an environmental issue. It relates to the same topic my honourable colleague has brought up regarding the awarding of a contract to this Quebec firm, Laval-Fortin. I understand, from their proposal, that they have indicated they are going to burn and bury any excess materials that are left over at the end of this contract, whereas the proposal that came from the other firm, Avati, which is the one that is 100 per cent owned by northerners and aboriginal people, called for the ultimate removal of any excess waste and refuse as a result of this project. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of this at this time. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

The time for question period has lapsed, but I will allow a response to this question. Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 281-12(5): Minister's Knowledge Of Contents Of Contract
Question 281-12(5): Minister's Knowledge Of Contents Of Contract
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 547

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I am not personally aware of the type of work that's going to be carried out by this contract. But I am sure that because it's not the first time this type of work has been undertaken, the department is monitoring this with the federal government. We will be making sure that whatever work is undertaken is monitored and complies with the federal laws that govern activities of this nature on the lands that are going to be

involved, and that the type of territorial legislation that applies will also be taken into account. Thank you.

Return To Question 281-12(5): Minister's Knowledge Of Contents Of Contract
Question 281-12(5): Minister's Knowledge Of Contents Of Contract
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 547

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thanks very much, Mr. Kakfwi. The time for question period has lapsed. Item 6, written questions. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a written question for the Minister of Renewable Resources.

Would the Minister responsible for the Department of Renewable Resources please provide the following information to this House:

With reference to the apparent award of a contract to a Quebec firm to clean up CORE campsites under the north warning system, has this firm been convicted of offences relating to environmental damage for work done on Baffin Island?

What are the particulars of those offences? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thanks, Mr. Patterson. Item 6, written questions. Item 7, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Mr. Speaker, Return to Written Question 6-12(5), asked by Mr. Whitford to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, concerning construction costs per square foot.

Today I am providing Members with a breakdown, by community, of the costs per square foot for new housing construction. The square foot costs have been determined based on the following assumptions.

-Three-bedroom Housing Corporation home ownership unit, 1064 square feet in size except for Colville Lake and Bay Chimo which are alternative housing program units, 640 square feet in size.

-Crawl space design except for Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Hay River which have basements.

-No land costs are included as those costs vary significantly from community to community.

-Foundation system consists of screwjacks except for Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Hay River which have basements and Repulse Bay, Igloolik, Pangnirtung, Fort Franklin, Inuvik, Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Arctic Red River and Tuktoyaktuk where the appropriate foundation system has been piling.

-Where actual project costs were available, they were used. Otherwise, estimates based on historical information were used.

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Return to Written Question 13-12(5), asked by Mr. Gargan to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

The list of courses has been prepared and has been provided to Mr. Gargan separately.

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Return to Written Question 16-12(5), asked by Mr. Patterson to the Minister of Personnel, concerning public service positions vacant in the Baffin region.

1. Positions vacant for more than three months: Broughton Island, social worker I; Hall Beach, social worker I; Iqaluit, three project officers, academic studies instructor, instructor-interpreter/translator program, regional superintendent of Social Services, mental health worker, finance and administration clerk, correctional officer I, cook, correctional officer I; Pond Inlet, classroom assistant, renewable resources officer trainee; Sanikiluaq, social worker IV, classroom assistant.

The exact location of two community justice specialist positions, one for Baffin North and one for Baffin South have not been finalized by the Department of Justice.

2. Positions vacant for more than three months because of housing: social worker I, Broughton Island.

This is an entry level position which does not normally require staff housing. The position was advertised twice, locally in Broughton Island.

The successful candidate in the second competition is from Pond Inlet. He will take up his duties as soon as he can locate private accommodations.