This is page numbers 609 - 642 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 program.

Topics

Further Return To Question 315-12(7): Funding For Pelly Bay School Gymnasium
Question 315-12(7): Funding For Pelly Bay School Gymnasium
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 624

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that the allocation that was made to Pelly Bay does not match the request for $1.2 or $1.4 million. What is clear is that there is probably a need for the region, the community and the divisional board of education to rethink how they are going to fund a project of that magnitude.

There are a number of options we are looking at, but none of which includes the use of carry over dollars because, while the funding may not be totally allocated this year for the infrastructure program, we have an agreement with the federal government that we will carry those dollars over for the next three years. In fact, we're in the process now of negotiating a potential agreement of making the infrastructure program available for up to five years if we don't spend the resources. In that time, we might have the appropriate applications completed.

The one thing that is not clear to me is, even though we're considering extending the project period for five years, if that includes additional resources then we need to have a discussion with the federal government about that matter. It may mean more dollars or it may just mean use of the same amount of dollars over a longer period.

Further Return To Question 315-12(7): Funding For Pelly Bay School Gymnasium
Question 315-12(7): Funding For Pelly Bay School Gymnasium
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 624

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Question 316-12(7): Status Of Official Languages Directive
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 26th, 1995

Page 624

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Premier. On April 6, 1994, I asked the Premier about a progress report on the official languages directive given to employees and she promised me she would attempt to complete the directive by the end of that session. I have not seen the report or directive for employees. I wonder if the progress report on the official languages directive is now complete. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 316-12(7): Status Of Official Languages Directive
Question 316-12(7): Status Of Official Languages Directive
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, on the basis of the previous funding, we had the directive almost completed. What we're doing now with the present language agreement and the limitation of resources is we're adapting it to recognize that fact and it should be available very soon. Thank you.

Return To Question 316-12(7): Status Of Official Languages Directive
Question 316-12(7): Status Of Official Languages Directive
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, in the Premier's reply to oral questions today, she indicated that a consultant was retained to assist in consulting with Transport Canada's owners of the CL-215. I would like, just for clarification, to ask the Premier was this consultant in addition to the expenditure the Department of Renewable Resources made on another consultant? Is this a new consultant who was retained in November of 1994 after the forest fire management review had taken place? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, yes.

Return To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier whether or not she would be able to provide us a with a copy of the terms of reference for this consultant and advise us who the consultant was? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Supplementary To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as notice.

Supplementary To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to hear that, through negotiations between the Executive and Health and Social Services, full-time jobs have been restored, as I understand, in four communities in Baffin Island for GLOs who are now going to take on duties delivering social assistance, I believe. This is great news, Mr. Speaker, but I would just like to ask the Premier why it was necessary to put these people through the hell of getting notice that their jobs were being cut in half and all the anxiety that entails -- five days to reply and all of that -- when, as I think Members of the House said at the time, there was a possible solution at hand?

Why did the government do it backwards? Why didn't they negotiate the new jobs rather than giving lay-off notices and then negotiating the new jobs? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Question 317-12(7): Status Of Consultant Hired After Forest Fire Management Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

I would like to ask the Member for Iqaluit to rephrase his question and I would also like to ask Members to watch the kind of language they use in this House.

---Applause

Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No disrespect was intended. I guess I would like to ask the Premier, very simply, why was it necessary to put the employees through the ordeal of having their jobs cut in half and to give them notices, when there was a solution that could have been worked out, as has been done in these four communities already? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, during the last few months when we were going through the role and work that the GLOs were doing, the regions were well aware that some of the GLOs were carrying out, in fact, work on behalf of Social Services and perhaps other areas and not necessarily a job for the executive directorship. It's not something that was splashed upon the GLOs and they were not aware. Maybe there was an unbelieving state of mind but, at the same time, it was requested to see what these positions were doing and what type of workload there was. At the time of lay-off, we did not receive an alternative to what partial employment they could have in whatever department they were doing in carrying out some of this work. We were not able to determine in time to meet the schedule of lay-off to say exactly what it is that we could have offered up for the half-time position that they would be missing out of their daily job function. That is why the lay-off notices were given, because the answers to the questions, particularly from the Baffin, were not forthcoming. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask a supplementary. Who's responsibility was it to prepare alternative plans, such as have now been developed, prior to the time of lay-off? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 625

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, given that the GLO offices were in direct relationship to the Executive, it should

have been the regional director working in relationship with the respective department. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 626

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Question 318-12(7): Concerns Re GNWT's Handling Of Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 626

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Mr. Speaker, I'm sure the Premier doesn't want to make the regional directors responsible for her office. Since she's in charge of the Executive, I'd like to ask the Premier wasn't it your responsibility as Premier to have ensured that alternative plans were in place prior to a lay-off notice having been given and if the alternate plans weren't in place, to direct that the lay-off notices should not be given?