This is page numbers 1400 - 1440 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

Supplementary To Question 651-12(7): Commencement Of Salary Increase For Certified Firefighters
Question 651-12(7): Commencement Of Salary Increase For Certified Firefighters
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. That was your final supplementary. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. Off and on we have talked about training programs, supplying training to our youth. At times, we have talked about counselling our youth in this particular jurisdiction. We all know that keeping the dialogue going between the elders and youth is very important, especially in this day and age. I think the Members of this Legislature know what I'm talking about. Our youth needs direction from the elders, and we all need the wisdom and knowledge of the elders in our communities.

An Hon. Member

Hear! Hear!

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Mr. Speaker, we spend a substantial amount of money providing training and we are very thankful for that. We also spend a substantial amount of money providing counselling. We are thankful for that, Mr. Speaker. My question to the honourable Minister is this: is there any funding available from this government to provide elders and youth committees in the communities? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Mr. Pollard.

Return To Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kakfwi, as Minister of Justice, has been impressing upon Members of Cabinet that there needs to be a community justice system. Madam Premier, in her responsibility as Minister of Health and Social Services, has been saying that we need to get these issues back to a community level. There is going to be a disbursal of some funds to communities to get their community wellness strategy together.

At the bottom of all this is the recognition by these two Ministers that getting the youth and the elders working together, using the advice of the elders to keep those young people out of trouble, using their vast experience to guide problems that occur within communities is paramount. So I think that you will see, through both of these Ministers, some involvement of the elders' system in our communities, to either counsel those youth or to make suggestions on how we could make things better. It won't, perhaps, be direct funding, but they will be involved in the process. The communities will be left to decide how they spend the money that the Minister of Health disburses this summer, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Return To Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Pollard. Mr. Ningark.

Supplementary To Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. With regard to the programs and services that the honourable Minister is alluding to, would the Minister tell the House what the budget is in the wellness program under this government? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1412

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Mr. Pollard.

Supplementary To Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1412

John Pollard Hay River

Mr. Speaker, I'm speaking on behalf of two other ministries, so I'll take the question as notice and make an answer to the House tomorrow specifically. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Question 652-12(7): Funding For Community Elder And Youth Committees
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

The Minister is taking the question as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, with regard to transfers and devolution of federal programs to the Northwest Territories, has there been anything done on the community economic development organization funds, the CEDO funds, that the feds have? I would like to ask the Minister, what is going on with this particular program? Thank you.

Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The CEDO funding, which is given to band councils and to Inuit organizations across the territories, is under review by the Ministry of DIAND, the same as EDA, community futures and all the rest. We are currently under discussions with them in an effort to try and protect that funding, and there are discussions, I believe, going on directly between DIAND and the parties involved in an effort to see what can be retained and what's going to end up having to go with respect to the federal cutbacks. Thank you.

Return To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1412

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This CEDO funding is one source of funding for the band councils, I know, in the west, and they make very good use of it. I am totally against anything that would jeopardize this type of funding. I am sure that the band councils, if they know or aware that there is some possibility that this is going to change, are going to be very concerned. I would like to ask the Minister if the chiefs of councils are aware that there is a review of this particular program and that the GNWT is, as the Minister put it, trying to protect this funding. Could the Minister elaborate on what he means by protecting the funding, as well? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it's important to point out that we have no jurisdiction over this funding. This is a direct relationship between the federal government, DIAND, and the aboriginal groups. What we are saying is that discussions were under way with respect to trying to look at a new EDA program. Community futures was on the chopping block, and my understanding is that the CEDOs were being reviewed. So we have had some discussions in the broader context as it relates to federal funding with respect to economic development programs, but we have no direct jurisdiction at this time. That program is currently in the hands of DIAND. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1412

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what type of dialogue is going on and if there have been letters exchanged. Maybe he could let us know about it, perhaps even giving us copies of what's been going on so we will be totally informed, because once the chiefs of council find about this, they'll be coming to us, as MLAs, and we have to be informed about this. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Mr. Minister.

Further Return To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1412

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that there have been some meetings with the aboriginal groups. I know in the Nunavut area they've had some meetings directly with DIAND people. I'm not a party to those discussions. As I've said, we've been dealing with this thing in the broader context. We're just trying to endeavour, as we did with community futures, to ensure that these pots of money remain in the territories and that there's some integrity to the pots of money. In other words, they stay where they belong and in the hands of those that currently have them. That's the context in which we're dealing with this issue. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Question 653-12(7): Status Of Cedo Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1412

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. We're on item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question to the Minister responsible for fire management. Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister responded to a question on June 5th, and had indicated to this House that two companies were contracted to provide an experienced pilot to accompany

the DC-4 crews. One was Foulger Aviation Services of British Columbia and the other was Ken Harvey Associates of Alberta. It was my understanding at the time that it was a different company; that it was Air Spray from Red Deer.

Can the Minister indicate to this House whether or not his department has used Air Spray to assist DC-4s this past summer? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. Mr. Morin.