This is page numbers 549 - 579 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 education.

Topics

Supplementary To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 557

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Minister.

Further Return To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 557

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The fact is that the honourable Member is misleading the House by suggesting that we are not going to take care of the books. The fact is that the deputy minister and the staff have made the suggestion that there is a different and more appropriate way of providing those services to the public. And if I have offended him by stating he was misleading the House, I apologize to the Member.

Further Return To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 557

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Lewis, supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 557

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

I will let you and my colleagues judge whether I am misleading the House, Mr. Speaker. Since there are no plans to add to the collection by purchasing new books or by acquiring donations which have to be very carefully looked at, catalogued and so on -- for example, the forthcoming very important book on the Dogrib culture -- this collection will in fact remain static. Is it therefore the policy of the government that they want this library to die?

Supplementary To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 557

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 557

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

No, Mr. Speaker, that is not our intention, to make or create a situation where the library dies. There are a number of factors that the honourable Member is not taking into consideration: one, there are cultural institutes that are being created in other jurisdictions -- whether or not it is the Inuit Cultural Institute, the Dene Cultural Institute, the Educational and Social Cultural Institute created by the Gwich'in claim, the Sahtu agreement -- so in every situation it is different. The problem with having to respond to an issue of

this particular type is that we have to recognize that we are part of those agreements and we have to work through these issues with them. As such, I believe we are making the best resolution to this particular matter -- from an organizational point of view -- and I have to rest my final decisions on the judgement of the deputy minister and his staff in my department.

Further Return To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Final supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Supplementary To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize that, as a government, we are going to have to make some big decisions before 1999 about division of assets and so on. I would like to ask the Minister, in light of the comment that he just made about the various cultural institutes around the territories, whether in his vision he has plans to decentralize various bits of this collection so that whatever appropriate bits could belong to this particular group of people will be allocated to different regions in the territories. Does he have a vision?

Supplementary To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say to the honourable Member, I think the vision comes from the fact that we are reviewing our heritage legislation right now, to give us some indication of the direction that we should be going in this area. Right now -- as the honourable Member knows and he has been well aware of the information -- our legislation does not allow us to set any direction.

The honourable Member will also be aware that part of the direction we wish to go is toward the whole issue of ensuring that there is some mechanism for charitable donations. Now, in light of that, I think we also have to be aware that, from an archival perspective, we have a lot of archival work to do and information that has not been catalogued to date. We are still at a point where we have not put together an overall position in that area. So I think it is because of a combination of those issues, along with the work that still needs to be done and advice based on the financial resources that we have, that we have had to reallocate and reassign the responsibility accordingly.

Further Return To Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister of the Workers' Compensation Board for the information on the rates charged to construction and taxi businesses. Mr. Speaker, in raising the issue initially, my point was that the administrative staff who work for construction companies, and dispatchers who work for taxi companies are being charged the same rates as their respective industry and the Minister confirmed that.

I respectively submit that the risks associated with sitting at office desks or at a dispatch desk are relatively lower than driving a taxi or hammering nails. I would like to ask the Minister again whether he has asked the Workers' Compensation Board to investigate whether there could be different rates charged for administrative staff in the construction and taxi industries.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 286-12(7): Lower Wcb Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Question 286-12(7): Lower WCB Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I did speak to the chairman of the Workers' Compensation Board and asked him if he would advance the issue that Mr. Koe raised with the board of directors and see if they would consider an arrangement that would place that administrative function in a separate category. I have done that, but I have no quantitative response as to what decision the board of directors will take. Thank you.

Return To Question 286-12(7): Lower Wcb Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Question 286-12(7): Lower WCB Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question 286-12(7): Lower Wcb Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Question 286-12(7): Lower WCB Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. When the committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions reviewed the Workers' Compensation Board, this issue was raised, where possible different rates are charged for different types of work done within a specific company. Again, I would like to ask the Minister would he take it upon himself to ask the board, which he is responsible for, to investigate this issue and come back to this House with a response.

Supplementary To Question 286-12(7): Lower Wcb Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Question 286-12(7): Lower WCB Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 286-12(7): Lower Wcb Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Question 286-12(7): Lower WCB Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While I am legislatively responsible for the WCB, it is an independent group of directors that make decisions based upon the kinds of actuary reports they get. Because after all, it isn't public funds that they use, it is private sector funds that they use; I think it is important to say that. I have asked the chairman of the Workers' Compensation Board if he will ask the board of directors if they will consider reviewing the concern that has been raised by Mr. Koe and, in fact, it has been raised by others over the years. When I receive a response, I will report to the House and Mr. Koe on that response. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 286-12(7): Lower Wcb Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Question 286-12(7): Lower WCB Rates For Administrative Staff In Construction And Taxi Businesses
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 558

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister of Health but, in this case, I will direct it to the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, I spoke

earlier on about the requirements of some patients in the Northwest Territories: dialysis treatment for kidney problems. We are aware that there are a growing number of northerners who are suffering from kidney ailments for one reason or another. I have been trying to get more information but it's slow in coming. We do know that there are at least four patients in Edmonton getting this treatment. I asked earlier on whether or not it would be practical and economical to return those patients to the Northwest Territories and include dialysis among our services offered at Stanton.

I would like to ask the Minister if he would be able to update me on the status of a purchase of dialysis equipment for Stanton Hospital.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Return To Question 287-12(7): Purchase Of Dialysis Equipment For Stanton Hospital
Question 287-12(7): Purchase Of Dialysis Equipment For Stanton Hospital
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 559

John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, the Financial Management Board has given the Minister of Health, Madam Premier, approval to go ahead with the purchase of dialysis equipment and set the program up at Stanton Hospital. It will start this year, I believe around September, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause

Return To Question 287-12(7): Purchase Of Dialysis Equipment For Stanton Hospital
Question 287-12(7): Purchase Of Dialysis Equipment For Stanton Hospital
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 559

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Question 288-12(7): Rural And Remote Housing Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 8th, 1995

Page 559

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Housing. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether or not there is still availability of a housing program called "rural and remote." Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Morin.