This is page numbers 581 - 608 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 communities.

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Supplementary To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 597

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I can wait another couple of weeks, but I would like to ask the Minister, what's the problem? Why is this taking so long? The colleges have been established since January 1st and the Minister planned this change at least a year in advance. Why

is it taking so long to give these new creatures the dignity of a name? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I don't want to get in to a debate with the honourable Member. I just want to say to the honourable Member again, I'll have the names ready when we come back after the break.

Further Return To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Mr. Speaker, I am not proposing to debate. I just asked what I think is an innocent question. Why has it taken so long for the Minister to generate names for the two new colleges which were created by legislation passed last fall and established by a regulation, I believe, January 1, 1995? Why have we had to wait so long for the two new colleges to get names? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The honourable Member should recall that there was a request that was put out to the general public to give us advice on the matter, including the recommendations of the Members of this Assembly. What has occurred is that there have been a number of names proposed. We have narrowed it down to three specific names. My recommendation, in light of the names that have been brought forward, is to recommend two names; one for the Nunavut College and one for the western Arctic College. The matter, I can advise, will come up, hopefully, on the Cabinet agenda, but it's been there and we are just waiting for the final decisions. I have moved it as far as I can. The fact is that it needs to come back on the agenda, and it's not for me to decide the agenda. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing that the majority of the Nunavut residents' first language is Inuktitut, I would like to ask the Minister if it is his intention, in recommending a name to Cabinet for the Nunavut College, that an English name and an appropriate Inuktitut name also be officially designated for the campuses in Nunavut? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The designation, obviously, will be able to be translated in the Inuktitut language, or for that matter hopefully in the Dene language for the west. The fact is that we have to deal with the question of naming the college in English and appropriately designating that in the legal documents. It is not just simply a matter of naming them, but we have to make the appropriate legal name changes.

Further Return To Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Question 310-12(7): Renaming Of College East And College West
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. I know Mr. Todd is a very capable Minister and this is not to undermine him; however, during a debate on the amendment to the motions concerning election dates, some Members felt that this government had very important initiatives close to completion with the federal government -- one of them being the energy accord -- and, recognizing the fact that previous governments have not been successful in bringing the energy accord home, my question is how close are we in completing the energy accord agreement?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The energy accord agreement is a sensitive issue at this time, and we're currently in negotiations with the different aboriginal groups in trying to reach a consensus as to our collective approach to the federal government. There is a self-imposed deadline, if you want, by the groups themselves; they were hopeful their positions would be clear by May 31st of this year. Now, whether, in fact, that would put us in a position then to move forward on negotiations, I am not sure. What we did ask and they've agreed to do is to bring forward all their positions on what they would want to see in the accord by May 31st. We would then have to determine if there was enough consensus to then move it forward to the federal government. Thank you.

Return To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Supplementary To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 598

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have served only one term; however, I spent a good 15 years behind the political arena, and I am aware of how difficult this energy accord has been to bring home. It is not to raise high hopes, as it was alluded to during the debate on the amendment to the election date, Mr. Speaker. With due respect to the Minister, his response really does not tell me a whole lot other than just to say he is dealing with the aboriginal groups. I am aware of

that, but for his counterparts in the federal government, what is the status? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my discussions with Mr. Irwin earlier on in the year, he indicated to me that I should seek or attempt to seek consensus amongst those directly affected once an accord would come into place, so there are no current discussions under way in terms of the transfer of an accord between our government and the federal government until such time as we try to reach an accommodation with each other as to the approach and the content that we want within the accord.

I am not trying to be evasive. That is just where we are at right now. It is an attempt to reach a common position amongst all aboriginal and public government institutions, and then, if that consensus could be reached -- and I stress "if" -- we would move forward in an orderly way with our federal counterparts to try to make an arrangement for the expeditious transfer of this responsibility. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Supplementary To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is it my understanding then that the GNWT success really depends on the outcome of your negotiations with aboriginal groups in the NWT?

Supplementary To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it is fundamental to any accord that whatever compromise or solution we reach has to be reflective of those who live, own and protect the land. So I would suggest my response would be that we are trying to reach an arrangement with all northerners, aboriginal claimant groups, First Nation groups and this public government, a consensus as to what the content and the design of the accord should be so that we can then move it forward in our negotiations with the federal government.

The negotiations are currently under way and, as a matter of fact, they were under way in Calgary just the day before yesterday and there are ongoing meetings over the next two or three weeks in an effort to try and reach an arrangement. I can't say at this time whether or not a satisfactory arrangement will be reached, but I can tell you that every effort is being made by the department and Mr. Bailey, who is leading the negotiations on our behalf, and my optimistic side tells me that hopefully, given, to some extent, the urgency of this matter, we will be able to reach an arrangement. However, it is premature at this time to be able to say that definitively. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Final supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Supplementary To Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Question 311-12(7): Completion Of Energy Accord Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 599

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister agree to keep the Members informed about the progress of energy accord negotiations during the sitting of the Assembly, or by correspondence when the Assembly is not sitting? Thank you.