This is page numbers 885 - 912 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.

Supplementary To Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Item 6: Oral Questions

April 6th, 1995

Page 890

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Since the House has already declared it's will and the principle is dead, what does the Premier expect to achieve by bringing forward this action paper, as requested by the committee, by that date?

Supplementary To Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 890

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 890

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, the intent is to follow up on the referral from the Standing Committee on Rules, Privileges and Procedures to get all the issues on the table, the pros and cons.

Further Return To Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Question 436-12(7): Status Of Government's Action Paper On Recall
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 890

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and is with regard to a statement that my honourable colleague, Mr. Zoe, made a few days ago about the flesh eating disease called Necrotizing Fasciitis. This deadly disease came to our attention when the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, Lucien Bouchard was infected with this disease this winter. Recently, closer to home, a young man from my honourable colleague Mr. Zoe's riding was infected with it. This is a big concern for people in the north. How serious is this disease and what can the Minister of Health tell this House about it? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Return To Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 890

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I know that something of this nature causes a great deal of concern. My understanding of this disease is that it affects perhaps one in one million, although it was given quite a bit of media hype when the leader of the opposition party was affected. This is

not an unknown disease, although there are mysteries about it, such as how it actually starts. There are some medical records written about the particular disease which can be made known. There is some speculation about how it begins and whether it is considered a virus which attacks during certain conditions, but there is still a great deal of mystery about it.

I can provide the Member with some of the material I have had access to, it's not difficult to read. I can assure the Member that although it came into the public eye recently, it's not a disease that was totally unknown. I would be pleased to provide some of the written material that I have to any Member who is interested. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not a medical expert of any kind at all, but this concern has struck close to home and a lot of people are going to be concerned about it. It's a mystery. To get this information out to the people is a big concern. If they don't have to worry about it, then this information should go out to the people. I would like to ask the Minister if this communication has gone out to the people, perhaps through the health workers, and if the health workers are aware of the different signs they have to watch out for when this deadly disease is detected. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, when we were faced with this new condition, the regional medical health officers prepared a facts sheet for use by health care providers who may have to respond to public enquiries on this subject. It has been widely circulated to health care givers, particularly in the west, in the most urgent way of handling and getting the information out. The health centres are made aware of the issue. They have been provided with a facts sheet. Certainly, the medical health officers are prepared to provide more information if requested by any community or community group. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Question 437-12(7): Information On Necrotizing Fasciitis
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier a question about official languages. Mr. Speaker, I won't say wasted, but we took most of question period yesterday trying to get the Minister of Justice to agree that the cuts of half the person years in the vital legal interpreters program in his department would cripple court interpreting services, would jeopardize the right of the accused to a fair trial and would also probably be contrary to the Charter of Rights and would probably jeopardize the amendment to the Jury Act allowing for unilingual juries. Mr. Kakfwi basically said he had no option. He had to cut. So I would like to ask the Premier, who is responsible for official languages if anyone in the Government of the Northwest Territories has taken a look at the money being spent on official languages in all areas of the government's services and tried to set priorities so that vital programs like legal interpreting can be preserved over lesser priorities. Has that assessment and priority-setting exercise been done by the official languages unit? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I felt certain that the Minister of Justice had answered the questions very well. In the area of interpretation on how we are going to proceed in providing the service, it has been discussed very extensively and the role of providing education, teaching and learning is with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The need for terminology development is also complemented in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the delivery of programs, and this is where the education and the advancement in these areas has been directed to, so that we can consolidate not only the needs of health terminology, legal terminology but just general development of language. These resources are directed at the Department of Education, Culture and Employment who will be incorporating all these requirements in a program so that the advancement of knowledge and development in terminology is not brushed to the side but coordinated and enhanced by education, training and employment within that department. That is the intention because rather than having three different departments doing terminology development, it is incorporated in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Mr. Speaker, I understand that all the decisions have been made and everything is going to be okay. Education, Culture and Employment is going to look after terminology and training, the official languages unit is going to look after the court interpreting requirements. I would like to ask the Premier then, because we are all aware that we have less money to spend in this area of official languages, what on earth is the government doing spending 45,000 precious public dollars studying the training function for interpreters through the firm of Avery Cooper if everything has already been decided and all the ducks are lined up and everything is okay? Why are we wasting money with a study when according to the Premier and the Minister of Justice, it's all been figured out. Everything is okay. Calm down, Members; you have no reason to ask questions. Why are we still studying the problem at great expense if it's all been worked out internally and everything is okay? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 891

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I did not, in my response to the Member, say that everything is okay and everything is worked out. I said that we are trying to consolidate and put in one area to deal with the related issues. In terms of the study, I suggest that the honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment should address that issue because this is where the consolidation of this particular area of the development of language is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Mr. Speaker, I am going to go back to my first question which was about the overall setting of priorities. The honourable Minister, with respect, I think has kind of done what Mr. Kakfwi did yesterday and compartmentalized or departmentalized the question by saying, this department is doing that, this department is doing that and we have an interdepartmental committee reviewing this question. I would like to again ask the Premier because she's responsible for official languages overall. I presume it's in the Premier's office so somebody can provide overall direction about priorities. Has the official languages unit sat down and decided, with less money, what are going to be the priorities and what are not going to be the priorities? Has that evaluation and global assessment been done? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, that is what we are attempting to do. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Question 438-12(7): Review Of Impact Of Funding Cuts To Languages Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 892

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the Premier has said, we are attempting to set overall priorities, decide what is important and perhaps what is less important. So I have to ask the Premier, if, as in her words, we are attempting to do that now, -- and I think Members on this side of the House would welcome it -- then why on earth is Mr. Kakfwi wielding the axe and cutting positions if the overall priority-setting exercise still is being done as we speak? Why would positions be cut before the overall evaluation and assessment that the Premier has referred to is concluded? Thank you.