This is page numbers 1374 - 1400 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 assembly.

Topics

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister responsible for the forest fire management program, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 637-12(7): Responsibility For Costs Incurred Under Mars Agreement
Question 637-12(7): Responsibility For Costs Incurred Under Mars Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We pay the cost of bringing in any equipment that we request through the MARS agreement. Thank you.

Return To Question 637-12(7): Responsibility For Costs Incurred Under Mars Agreement
Question 637-12(7): Responsibility For Costs Incurred Under Mars Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It has to do with widows' pensions. I know this government helps out people who are in need in the social assistance program. In a couple of cases in my constituency, there are young mothers with two or three children who are widowed who get widows' pensions. That is not enough, so they go to social assistance because they don't work; they have to take care of their children. If they go to social assistance, their widows' pensions are deducted from their social assistance. This is a concern to me and my constituency, and I would like to ask the Minister responsible if the Department of Health and Social Services is looking into this area to see how we could help out the people who are in need. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Return To Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, the honourable Member is quite correct about the process of determining additional social assistance requirements, as they relate to widows' pensions. Mr. Speaker, at this point in time, the department is not evaluating or looking into this area of pensions or social assistance. However, I will bring it to the attention of the department for our planning process. Perhaps this is an area we can look into to see if people are being fairly treated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regarding the concern where social assistance is deducted because of a widow's pension, I would like to ask the Minister could check

with her department to see if the practice is consistent from one part of the Northwest Territories to another. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Ms. Cournoyea.

Further Return To Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, yes, I will commit to do that.

Further Return To Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Question 638-12(7): Assistance For Widows On Social Assistance
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for fire management a question. Mr. Speaker, earlier this morning, the Minister indicated that, according to Transport Canada guidelines, the pilot qualifications were sufficient enough to fight fires. I know that Transport Canada does certify pilots; however, the requirement for pilots to fly in these fire conditions is stipulated by this government through their request for proposals. The Minister commented last week about the ratchet type of effect with regard to the requirements for pilots. I would like to ask the Minister whether he feels the stipulations developed by his department for pilots were too rigid under the request for proposals that he sent out. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister responsible for forest fire management, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a document from Transport Canada that tells us that training for air attack pilots from Buffalo Airways exceeds current regulatory requirements and that Transport Canada aviation is satisfied that no compromise of aviation safety exists. They say that fire

suppression operations will be fully regulated under forthcoming Canadian aviation regulations. When we hired the best aviator auditors we could find in Canada, one of them said in the study of RFP regarding experience requirements that it appears they may be too stringent: "I know of no other fire suppression operation in Canada where the experience level requirements are so strict in their operations. In the case of the NWT, it gives the impression that they have been tailored to a favourite few." That is what one of the top safety officers in Canada who does safety checks on pilots and airplanes throughout western Canada has said.

I feel that, as a Minister, there was a ratchet effect on the standards set out for this tender, and we are making moves to change them. We accept other planes, as long as they can perform the duty. Thank you.

Return To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

So, Mr. Speaker, it's fairly clear that the Minister has said the requirements developed by this department were too stringent, the requirements in the request for proposals. If he feels as a Minister that they were too stringent, as he states, why didn't he take steps as a Minister to stop the requirements from being too stringent? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This issue started many, many months ago. It started out with directions from Cabinet to negotiate with the Dene/Metis for supply of a maintenance facility, and operations and maintenance of air tanker CL-215s in the Northwest Territories. That process took approximately 90 days. I believe it was early December when, after that process did not succeed, we issued a request for proposal. We did everything possible up to that time, but the time was limited. We did everything possible to change whatever requirements we could in the RFP so it wasn't the same the standards that Con Air had written for this government previously.

We went to proposal with the best documentation we had. After the request for proposals closed, we had people from Renewable Resources, Economic Development, and DPW reviewing the proposals. In the end, they came up with a set of standards that would be acceptable to this government, as well as the contractor that was successful. Those are the standards that we're using. There will be more changes to the standards for this government in the future. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In as much as the Minister attempted to answer my question, he didn't. He indicated that they issued a request for proposals and it was reviewed by Renewable Resources, Economic Development and DPW and they set up the standards. That's my main point, the standards are set up by his department. If he felt those standards were so stringent, why didn't he take steps at that time to review those standards? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We did take steps to review the standards. They were reviewed and changed and, consequently, both parties -- Buffalo Airways and this government -- mutually agreed on the standards we have today. Thank you. We did take the steps.

Further Return To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Supplementary To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

It is clear that the Minister took steps to change the standards after the request for proposals went out to the public, and that standards were changed after the proposals were received by the government. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Question 639-12(7): Qualifications For Pilots Fighting Fires
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.