This is page numbers 853 - 883 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 recall.

Topics

Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, no, because we have not passed the supps. Thank you.

Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

I was under the impression that we had. The supp was from April 1st to June 30th and we passed that last week. What was the request in the supplementary budget for the Department of Health for? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Cournoyea.

Further Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, in the supp, there was an interim appropriation that was passed. My understanding is until the main estimates, which outline the money for the Metis health benefits, clear the House, we won't see it. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Just to clarify, Mr. Speaker, it was my understanding that the supplementary estimates was a portion of the funding allotment for the Department of Health. I don't have a supplementary estimates book in front of me, therefore, it is difficult to determine. It was my understanding that a certain percentage of the Department of Health main estimate budget was formulated in the supp budget to approve expenditures of this government from April 1st until the end of June. Within that percentage, I had presumed that the Metis health benefits were available to the Metis people of the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister advise the House as to when these benefits will be available for the Metis people to take advantage of? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Cournoyea.

Further Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 867

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, once the main estimates clear the House and I have had an opportunity to sit down with the Metis Association to see how these benefits are going to be applied and we can agree on how far we can go on the allocation, then they will be instituted. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Further Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is unfortunate that as of today, if they have a prescription, they can't go to a pharmacy like status people can to get either a free prescription or whatever their benefits may include. In the event that Metis people have such an expenditure with regard to health, is this expenditure reimbursed retroactively to Metis people of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Cournoyea.

Further Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I can't make that statement because when and if the Legislative Assembly is going to pass this allocation, I will have to sit down with the Metis Association and determine what areas this allocation can cover and where they want to put their priorities. It would be presumptuous of me to say if someone made a purchase, that that specific item would be on the agreed-upon list, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Question 425-12(7): Date Of Eligibility For Metis Health Benefits
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson. No? Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Justice regarding the legal interpreting program cuts. Mr. Speaker, I am one of the fortunate ones to have taken that program when I was an employee of the language bureau. Before I took the program, whenever I had to interpret in court, it used to be very intimidating not really knowing the procedures of the courts and not only that, but interpreting for someone whose life might be at stake. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is have there been any assessments made if drastic cutbacks are going to proceed? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, there is no study such as what the Member is making reference to. It is our view that we have to continue to do the best we can to retain the basic services that we are obliged by legislation to provide. We take the optimistic view that whatever cuts are being delivered and contemplated would not be of such a degree that it would completely cripple the ability of this government to meet its obligations under legislation. If it should come to such an occasion, I suppose all Members of this House would have to contemplate making revisions to legislation to ease the demands that we place on ourselves at this time. Thank you.

Return To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Supplementary To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't agree with the Minister. I understand the manager of the legal interpreting program had a linguistic background. Inuktitut language grammar is very similar to the Dene languages, which all of us found during legal interpreting courses that we took. As you know, Mr. Speaker, sometimes one little word in English can have other possibilities in our native languages and that is one of the things that this program offers, that legal interpreters be very careful how they interpret when a witness is being questioned or cross-examined.

I'll give you an example. In a sexual abuse case, the defence lawyer was asking a question along the lines of this: "Were you laying down?" I was about to interpret that into Inuktitut when all of a sudden I realized what this program taught me. In our language, we have more than four different ways of laying down. This program is very beneficial in recognizing such things like that. If you're not interpreting properly, the outcome of the court...

Supplementary To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Mike...

Supplementary To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is, will he at least consider making an assessment of what impact the cutbacks he is proposing will have on the legal interpreting program?

Supplementary To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

I will remind the Members that when you first ask a question, you have time for a preamble and when you make supplementaries, you should try to limit yourself because you've already explained what your question is all about. Can I ask Members, when you go to your second and third questions, that you keep your preambles short. Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, we don't contemplate at this time any specific review of what the impact reductions will have on legal interpreting but we are organizing to ensure that we streamline the management of the program within the department division. We're going to take the training component out of there and centralize it in concert with the other departments. We will continue to do what we can to ensure that whatever reductions are made are internal to the department and do not affect positions that directly serve the communities. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Question 426-12(7): Assessment Of Impact Of Cuts To Legal Interpreting Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 868

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Question 427-12(7): Regulation Re Fire Retardant On Canvass Tents
Item 6: Oral Questions

April 5th, 1995

Page 868

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the honourable Minister of Safety and Public Services. Earlier this morning, I received a phone call from one of my communities regarding the wall tents that are sold in the regional stores in my area. According to the gentleman, Mr. Speaker, wall tents that are sold now have to be fire retardant. Also, according to the same gentleman, when you move around your personal effects from camp to camp, these tents

can be very heavy and cumbersome. People in the eastern Arctic go camping in the early spring and late fall when they use Coleman lamps and stoves.

When you have your Coleman lamps and stoves on in an airtight tent, there is a danger of a build up of poisonous gas. My question to the honourable Minister, Mr. Speaker, is, is there a regulation that wall tents sold in regional stores now have to be treated with a fire retardant coating? Thank you.