This is page numbers 177 - 203 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th 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 federal.

Topics

Further Return To Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, it was our initial view that there could be a basis to challenge the legislation because it seems to fly in the face of what was ruled by the Supreme Court in the Sparrow case. Basically what was said there was whatever laws or regulations are made by governments to regulate the aboriginal people's right to pursue their traditional lifestyle, that it should be the least restrictive and least intrusive measures taken if they had to. For instance, in the call for safety. This legislation is proposed legislation. It is not law yet so we have nothing to challenge in a court of law. But if it should become law, then it may very well be that someone, perhaps ourselves or some aboriginal group, would put into the courts a challenge based on the Sparrow case. This is, by our initial review, very, very intrusive. It is unduly intrusive and unduly restrictive on the aboriginal people's right to hunt and to pursue their traditional activities.

That's basically where we're at. We haven't done extensive research into that legal question, but that's the initial opinion that was brought. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi once again, Mr. Speaker. Final supplementary to the Minister of Justice. I am pleased to see the level of coordination that the Minister has been able to achieve with his counterparts in the Yukon, Alberta and Saskatchewan, in expressing opposition to this inappropriate legislation. However, I'm sure that our agenda has been made clear to them as northerners. It's very different from some of these lobby groups acting on behalf of gun collectors and maybe some sport hunters in southern provinces. We have sport hunters up here as well, but in the southern provinces...Can the Minister advise the House how future decisions will be made on future joint positions taken by the NWT, Yukon, Alberta and Saskatchewan? Mahsi.

Supplementary To Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, we have regular communications between other governments and other Ministers from other jurisdictions across this country on a range of issues; for instance, on the proposed amendments to the Young Offenders Act, family law reform and other pieces of legislation plus proposed federal legislation. Often we are asked to consider taking joint or common positions with regard to specific issues. We don't always do it but we are often asked and sometimes we ask ourselves, for instance, to ask other governments to become allies with us on certain issues. In the end, it's a political decision that we make. For instance, in this case, there is a possible legal question to be brought by the provinces with regard to whether or not the federal government has the constitutional right to propose this law since the provincial governments feel that constitutionally it's their jurisdiction that should be handling firearms and the regulation of them. We are not an active partner in that strategy but again, on the aboriginal rights issue, there may be other provinces that will decide. They haven't decided at this time but they may very well decide to take an active approach to that question.

It's a flowing kind of development and we often poll our own counsel depending on what we think would be in the best interest of this government. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Question 103-12(7): Assistance To Northern Presenters Re Proposed Firearms Legislation
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 7, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. Over the past several years, there was a lot of hype, excitement, and discussions about community initiatives transfers. To my knowledge, so far we have agreements in place in the communities of Cape Dorset and, to some extent, Inuvik. Can the Minister very briefly inform us as to what the current initiatives are under the community initiatives transfers program?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I think the biggest issue that we are going to deal with in the community transfer initiative is the one that arises out of Cape Dorset, where we have moved to transfer a number of different areas to the community but, because of rules regarding the budget as they're passed now, the community doesn't feel that they have the power, capacity, authority, or the flexibility they need to maximize the benefit from the transfer. We will be, for instance, proposing that we give the community of Cape Dorset more of a block funding approach; that is, we give them, and have already given them, transfer of certain programs and services but it's sort of line by line. They don't have the power to manage it in the best way that they think. That is the biggest question we had. I think Members know that we were considering whether or not we should pass some legislation, start drafting legislation that could be used for this purpose. At this time, we think that it's not necessary but we will be proposing in the budget to pass funding for Cape Dorset that would give them the ability to exercise the management of the funds allocated under those programs in the best way that they think.

Return To Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 189

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned earlier, there was a lot of hype and a lot of excitement about transferring responsibilities from government agencies to communities. I'm not sure if that excitement is still there, other than in the two communities that have agreements. Can the Minister explain or let us know what are the people who were working on the community initiatives transfer doing now? Are they still focusing on trying to get agreements with other communities?

Supplementary To Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The staff that are assigned to work on community transfer initiatives, of course, are still working to meet the objectives that we have set out for ourselves. Communities are continuing to request assistance to begin work towards transfer agreements. These requests come sometimes with only a modest amount and sometimes up to the range of $100,000. To date, we've given out almost $650,000 to about 14 communities to help them with research and preparation for transfers. There is still a lot work to be done. We've also begun work on preparing for discussions on how community transfer initiatives could and should work with the beginning of negotiations in the self-government area. There is a lot of work to be done and it's still continuing at this time. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Question 104-12(7): Status Of Community Transfer Initiative
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 7, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Appreciating these tough fiscal times, governments have to get revenue. I note in the budget speech, Mr. Speaker, that there are several initiatives. I've got no problems with the mark-ups on liquor and liquor licensing, Housing Corporation proposals to raise rents of those people who can afford it, and perhaps when I understand it better, even the cost of health and some fees being increased.

However, since the Minister has indicated that the big challenge ahead of us is, in fact, to develop our economy and, he says, to become more self-sufficient in this budget, that we must aggressively promote economic development because we have to get more self-reliant, why is it that he is, in fact, increasing charges for Economic Development and Tourism services and also including extra costs for those services and even including increased costs for business licences and professional development fees? Those are the things, in fact, that will help us to promote our economy. These seem to be contradictory. Why has he done that?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Return To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was recommended to us from the envelope committee and it was pointed out that we have been falling behind over the last few years in the fees and services that we charge in the Northwest Territories compared to the fees and services that are charged elsewhere in the country. We were looking for revenue so we took the recommendation and put it in the budget, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Return To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, are there some increases, then, to costs to businesses that have been decided upon but are not included in this list of six revenue initiatives that Members should be made aware of?

Supplementary To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, there may well be and as I said in the budget, Ministers, as they bring their budgets forward, will expound and expand upon, if necessary, the list that I read out into the House today. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

The Minister will know that I have a lifelong interest in economic matters. Is there a proposal, as far as the Minister is aware, to increase stumpage fees, for example, that will have a tremendous impact on the renewable resource of ours in our lumber industry? Because that's one of the fears that I have; this bludgeoning industry, in fact, is going to have it's fees doubled. Is that one of the proposals that isn't in this list of initiatives?

Supplementary To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Question 105-12(7): Reason For Increasing Ed&t Service Charges
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 190

John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, it is one of the things that the Department of Renewable Resources is looking at, yes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.