This is page numbers 943 - 976 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 chairman.

Topics

Further Return To Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 955

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you. Can the Minister advise the House whether or not he objects to the possibility of the public requesting a copy of the report? Would he make a copy of the report available to the public in the event that individuals

of the public ask for a copy, since he is not willing to table the report in the House? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have indicated that the report is a management tool and I believe any management tools that are produced are for internal use. I have indicated that I will make it available to Members who, I believe, would make constructive use of it. But as far as I understand, our intention in coming up with this report was to use it for internal purposes and that's the way I intend to keep it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Question 458-12(7): Rationale For Not Tabling Fire Suppression Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 956

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have more questions about staff housing, but this time for the Minister of Public Works. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister knows I'm grateful that he has approved the sale of some 20 detached or duplex staff housing units soon in Iqaluit to be bid on by interested employees. The concern that has arisen, Mr. Speaker, is that employees in the GNWT management training program were all Inuit life-long residents, long-term employees who have been guaranteed employment on completion of the program. They've been told that while they're in the program they're term employees and they might not be eligible to bid on the houses going up for sale.

I would like to ask the Minister if he's had the chance to look into this problem and if he would support allowing these management trainees, who I think are a very good risk and investment for the Government of the Northwest Territories, to bid on the staff housing units which are coming up soon for bid in my constituency. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister responsible for Government Services and Public Works, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 459-12(7): Eligibility Of Management Trainees To Bid On Staff Housing
Question 459-12(7): Eligibility Of Management Trainees To Bid On Staff Housing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is the first I've heard about it, but it doesn't make sense not to allow them to bid. I'll look into it and see if I can do that. Thank you.

Return To Question 459-12(7): Eligibility Of Management Trainees To Bid On Staff Housing
Question 459-12(7): Eligibility Of Management Trainees To Bid On Staff Housing
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 956

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health. Mr. Speaker, I know the Minister is considering options for providing improved health benefits to Metis, which we all know is long-awaited and long sought after. I would like to ask the Minister, is an insurance scheme through a private insurer one of the ways in which these additional health benefits might be provided to Metis in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Return To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, yes, that is an option. Thank you.

Return To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if, in looking at the option of providing health benefits to Metis in the Northwest Territories through a private insurer, it would be possible to consider allowing other people in the Northwest Territories, who don't have employer coverage or who are not covered through Indian and Northern Affairs, to purchase insurance so they can be protected from the costs of travel, medicare or drugs, if they should happen to fall ill and not be covered by their employer or another plan. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 956

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Cournoyea.

Further Return To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, it may be possible to explore that and come back with that information. Mr. Speaker, with regard to Metis health benefits, as Members know, certainly within the federal domain of benefits either for status aboriginal people or extended benefits that would include Metis, it is a far more acceptable program which would not affect the overall program delivery of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

In trying to establish health care for Metis, we have to look very hard to find a way to do that and, at the same time, retain the type of financial arrangements we have with the federal government. Since there has been quite a bit of work done constitutionally and with inherent right issues, it appears that we could move with Metis health benefits without jeopardizing the overall scheme of the financial arrangements between the federal government and the Northwest Territories.

I would think that we can always take another look at that, but it would also have to be in conjunction with what it would do with the overall financing of the NWT, if you include benefits other than to aboriginal people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 956

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make it clear that I am not advocating the erosion of medicare. What I am talking about is for the services that aren't provided

by medicare, such as more than one medical travel out which, for my constituents, can cost in the neighbourhood of $1,000 a trip. I am talking about drug costs that aren't covered by medicare. It seems to me that if an insurance scheme is being considered, which would be funded by $1 million available to provide Metis health benefits, would it not be possible for others to pay premiums and get the benefit of that kind of coverage as well as for Metis, who wouldn't have to pay the premiums. I am asking the Minister if she would look at setting up an insurance scheme that would be available to ensure that others who were not covered for these benefits that fall outside of medicare, could take the benefit of the economies of scale that may arise from setting up a new insurance scheme for Metis in the territories? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 957

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Cournoyea.

Further Return To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 957

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, like I said, this would be outside the rationale for the arguments that we gave for the Metis as aboriginal people and its effect on the overall arrangements between us and the federal government. Given the Member's question on whether we would take a look at it in terms of people buying into an insurance plan, I can work on that to see what the possibilities are. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Question 460-12(7): Options For Provision Of Metis Extended Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 957

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Yesterday, the Minister made a statement about partners in education. In his statement, the Minister made a number of comments. The Minister stated that there is a council of Ministers for Canada who are working together. One of the things they are working towards is improvement in the transfer of credits among universities and colleges. In previous sessions I have raised this question to the Minister. I wanted to know which colleges have credits in courses that could be transferred. It is good news that they are looking at improving the transfer of credits among universities and colleges for the first two years of undergraduate studies. Which universities and colleges would be accepting the credits from the north?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 461-12(7): Transfer Of Arctic College Credits To Other Institutions
Question 461-12(7): Transfer Of Arctic College Credits To Other Institutions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With regard to a short list of those programs or institutions to which we have relationships, they are: McGill University; the University of Lethbridge; the University of Calgary; the University of Saskatchewan; and, I believe, the University of Regina. There are other programs in the trades, we deal with NAIT, Fairview and SAIT. The efforts we are trying to address in this initiative that the Council of Ministers of Education are undertaking is students can transfer from institution to institution across the country and be recognized for the courses they are taking at other universities. For instance, if there is a student attending Dalhousie in the area of political science or law, they may be able to take the courses they have taken to the University of British Columbia and vice versa.

Today, there are students who have taken courses at the University of Toronto that are not accepted at the University of British Columbia. We are trying to break down those barriers. That will happen also in the trades area.

Return To Question 461-12(7): Transfer Of Arctic College Credits To Other Institutions
Question 461-12(7): Transfer Of Arctic College Credits To Other Institutions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.