This is page numbers 1525 - 1578 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 language.

Topics

Evolution Of Government System
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the last day, I thought I would talk a bit about the need for increased cooperation amongst the elected leaders of the Northwest Territories. I think the misunderstanding we recently had between the aboriginal leaders and our Legislative Assembly brings home a plight, at least to me, that we probably have to rethink how we approach some of these things.

Any misunderstanding that has happened is definitely not the fault of any individual Minister or of this government. I think our government can be quite proud of the fact that we have better relationships with aboriginal organizations than any government in the country.

However, times are changing quickly. The reality is that the regional land claims have given constitutional status to many of the aboriginal organizations. The division legislation has given legislative status to organizations such as NIC and self-government discussions have raised expectations and, at some point, many aboriginal organizations will be lost in the Constitution of Canada. That is a reality.

Another reality is that public government in the Northwest Territories has a legislative base. It has a very strong elected mandate and it is supported by a large number of people in the Northwest Territories and it isn't going away.

The third reality is we have a strong history in the Northwest Territories of community governments, mayors and chiefs, and our communities are well respected and are taking on new responsibilities. So unless we come up with some new structures in our government, we are inevitably going to head towards clashes. I think we will see that more and more unless we look at changing the way we do business here in the Legislative Assembly. The present system is too rigid to deal with these new realities. There is no doubt in my mind that there is going to be a lot of frustration in self-government negotiations, a lot of misunderstandings, as well as frustration in the division negotiations. Unless we find mechanisms where people can work out these problems, we are going to end up fighting amongst ourselves. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Evolution Of Government System
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Member for Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Ballantyne.

Evolution Of Government System
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think now, when Mr. Pollard and the government are putting together the transition document, is the time to think about some of these things. If we don't do them, the results could be quite disastrous.

Next time, we should look at institutionalizing regular meetings of Cabinet with aboriginal/municipal leaders. There have to be regular opportunities for aboriginal/municipal leaders to meet with the Legislative Assembly and with committees of the Legislative Assembly. The next government should follow the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Finance, to have a separate intergovernmental affairs secretariat and aboriginal affairs secretariat, and we should look at setting up some bureaucratic structure that includes bureaucrats from aboriginal organizations that meet on a regular basis.

Unless there is a free flow of information some formalized mechanisms to work out problems and strategize, inevitably we will be turning on ourselves. I think the future of the Northwest Territories will depend on increased cooperation and problem solving amongst all the elected leaders of the Northwest Territories. It is my own feeling that we are not going to have the luxury to be able to fight amongst ourselves. There is too much at stake. At the end of the day, either we hang together or we are going to be hung separately one by one. Thank you very much.

---Applause

Evolution Of Government System
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Ballantyne. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Appreciation Of Constituents, Colleagues And Staff
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, or as my eastern colleagues would say, qujannamiik, uqaqtii.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, you see, I have learned something in this House in the last four years.

---Laughter

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, I will be speaking in my language. It seems that today will be the last day we will be meeting. So if all goes well, we should be finished our meeting today. We are representing the people who have elected us into office. Our term is just about over. I hope we have worked well for people who have elected us. I would like to thank you for being the Speaker. In your term of being an elected official with the territorial government, you have learned the system of the territorial government, so I feel you have done the job well.

Four years ago, when we asked the Minister...I hope I work well with the people who are elected as Ministers. At the time, she said yes. Today I would like to thank the Premier. In the four years that I have been an MLA, I hope I have worked well for my constituency. I would also like to thank the Ministers who I have worked with. I would like to say thank you to her for working well with the Minister. When I questioned the Ministers and also asked for things, I feel I worked well with them. I would also like to thank the Ministers from the past. There are many things that we still have to work for in the future, whoever is in government after us.

Mr. Speaker, my time has run out, so if it is okay with everyone, I would like to continue my speech.

Appreciation Of Constituents, Colleagues And Staff
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Antoine. The MLA for Nahendeh is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Antoine.

Appreciation Of Constituents, Colleagues And Staff
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been four years since we were elected. I have learned quite a bit from my four years as an MLA, how the system operates. I feel I've done okay in the four years that I've been an MLA.

We are representing our constituency and we to have to keep in mind: who are we sitting here for and what are we here for? These things should be thought out and remembered. That is the only way I feel things will turn out well for us in the future.

The Ministers have a hard job too, but they sometimes have to remember that their constituents are the people who have elected them and where they are from. Whether they're white people, Dene or Inuit, they should remember where they are from. They have to inform their constituents well. (Translation ends)

...four years. I have thanked the Government Leader, the Ministers and my colleagues, the Members of the Legislative Assembly, for support in the things that I wanted to do in my constituency over the last four years. I would also like to thank

the Legislative Assembly staff; Mr. David Hamilton and his staff.

Appreciation Of Constituents, Colleagues And Staff
Item 3: Members' Statements

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An Hon. Member

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

Appreciation Of Constituents, Colleagues And Staff
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, I still don't know all the rules that well, but Mr. Hamilton and his staff are very able and they always guide me in areas where I have to work through this maze of rules that govern this Legislative Assembly. So for that, I would like to thank Mr. Hamilton.

Mr. Speaker, I have been talking to my constituents and I will be taking another run at this position on October 16th.

---Applause

I have been telling them that in their requests and in their questioning, and I've been saying that I'm going to run again. Because of the work that has to be done ahead of us...There's a lot of work to be done. I would like to thank all the Members in this House for working with me in the last four years. Mahsi.

---Applause

Appreciation Of Constituents, Colleagues And Staff
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Antoine, and good luck. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Pudluk.

Environmental Concerns
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those of us who are here are all aware that today might be the last day of this session, the last session of the 12th Assembly. I would just like to make a short statement. I know that we have to speak on one particular item when we make Members' statements, but I think I will be making a statement on two items.

First of all, I would like to talk about the environment. We have a great concern about our environment today, and we have to take very good care of our lands in today's world. Early in the 1960s, various companies came to the north for oil and gas exploration projects. At that time, they had to get permission from Indian and Northern Affairs so they could come up north to explore. But today, looking at the northern environment, there are a lot of items that have been left behind by those companies; particularly old, rusty barrels have been lying around all over the northern environment. Although we would like to take good care of our environment and our lands, it's very difficult to try and clean up our environment.

The companies that have been up here have been the ones that have destroyed the natural beauty of our country. Although they have stated that we should be taking good care of the environment around us...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to receive unanimous consent to continue my statement. Thank you.

Environmental Concerns
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Member for High Arctic is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Pudluk.

Environmental Concerns
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker and my colleagues. As I stated, we are very concerned about our environment. For instance, Panarctic went up to the High Arctic during the early 1960s. When they first started exploring they were very friendly to the people of the north, but now that they're almost concluding their projects in the High Arctic, they have stated that they would like to bury their equipment. They want to discharge all this old equipment out into the Arctic Ocean. Now they're very uncooperative with the people of my constituency. It seems like they're going against the very rules that DIAND has set out for them.

At the time, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and the company made an agreement that they would look after their own garbage and whatever junk they might have, and they would have to do away with the things that they have left behind, but it seems that they are going against the very agreement they had agreed upon years ago. Now they just seem to be doing away with the toxic waste and equipment for the people of the north to deal with. It's not just Panarctic, there are other companies that have just abandoned their waste. There is a lot of junk lying around in the Arctic, and they won't go back to clean it up. There are all kinds of barrels and heavy equipment that they're leaving behind.

I would like to, for the people who will be running in the future to become Members, encourage them to pursue this issue. Although the Indian and Northern Affairs department is responsible for this, they don't travel to the communities to see just how much junk there may be left behind by the companies.

The federal staff don't even bother to come up here. I know the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has a lot of power to do what they should do to clean up our Arctic waters, but they're not doing anything about this. We don't see any officials coming up north to see just how much damage may have been done to our waters or our lakes. They have no idea how big a problem this is.

I would like to encourage those future MLAs to pursue this. They should work hard to try and work with the federal government so they can clean up our environment, the northern waters and lands as we are very concerned about our environment. I wanted to talk about this issue, particularly.

Secondly, as I stated, I will make two statements on two different items. I would like to thank you all, all the new and veteran Members of the Legislative Assembly. I have worked with you very closely. Although it gets very stressful at times during our meetings, I think we have learned to work well together. I would like to thank the staff members of the Legislative Assembly for having helped us out in the long four years. I wish you the best in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Environmental Concerns
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1531

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Pudluk. As the dean of the Assembly, when you said you were going to make two statements under Members' statements, I was going to make reference to the rules with regard to a Member only making one statement, but the statement that you made on the environment and pollution was part of the issue too, just as baseball and football are part of sports.

---Laughter

So, I don't think you were out of order in this case.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 654-12(7): Alberta Company Hired To Assist Dc-4 Fire Crews
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell regarding Alberta companies contracted to assist DC-4 fire crews. Foulger Aviation Services and Ken Harvey and Associates were hired to work exclusively with the DC-4 crews and related support Bird Dog aircraft. Air Spray 1967 Limited of Alberta provided supplementary training to one of the Bird Dog pilots only. In the training flights, Air Spray deemed the Bird Dog pilot to be a well-prepared and above-average pilot who would qualify as an entry-level Bird Dog pilot with Air Spray. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 654-12(7): Alberta Company Hired To Assist Dc-4 Fire Crews
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Are there further returns? Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Ms Cournoyea, item 4, returns to oral questions.

Further Return To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, my apologies. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on June 9th regarding the aircraft services used in fighting the Sahtu forest fire.

Mr. Speaker, depending on the smoke, wind and other conditions, the following resources were used to suppress the forest fire near Fort Norman and Norman Wells: four CL-215s, one DC-4, up to five helicopters, nine caterpillar tractors, nine fire crews and up to 40 extra firefighters. Mr. Speaker, in our opinion, this was the maximum number of resources we could safely deploy on this fire at one time. At one point, when conditions allowed aircraft to fly, we were circling about 3,000 feet above the fire. We watched as the five air tankers dropped a load on the fire every three minutes, helicopters moved men and equipment back and forth, and crews and caterpillars worked on the ground. This is a tremendous amount of activity to coordinate under difficult and dangerous conditions and I supported the decision not to bring in more resources.

Since the forest fire risk was extreme in other parts of the territories, we also needed to keep some resources in these areas. Fire crews were not moved out of those areas and one DC-4 remained in Hay River. As well, we issued a request for two CL-215s under the mutual aid resources sharing agreement. Since Quebec's were not available, Newfoundland agreed to provide the air tankers and they arrived in Fort Smith on June 11th. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 563-12(7): Aircraft Services Used In Fighting Sahtu Forest Fire
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 539-12(7): Problems In Contacting Maintenance Enforcement Officers
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, thank you. This is in response to a question by Mrs. Marie-Jewell, asked on June 7th regarding problems with contacting maintenance enforcement officers. There's a very heavy workload handled in that program by only three staff members. The program receives a large volume of phone calls daily, which are being handled by the staff throughout the day. Although handling phone calls as they come in is important, it is also important for the staff to devote a good deal of time to the enforcement of files. It is difficult to work on enforcement while constantly taking phone calls.

The administrator of the program decided to conduct a pilot project to see if efficiency could be increased by directing the phone calls to an answering machine during the day and regularly collecting messages and returning phone calls. However, there have been several complaints from members of the public about the phones being connected to answering machines, so the pilot project has been discontinued. Effective immediately, phones will be answered from 8:30 am to 12:00 noon each workday and will be connected to the answering machine from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm each workday. Since the answering machine will still be used for partial days, the toll-free number will be discontinued. A new toll-reversal number will be available for people to call long distance and the charges for these calls will be automatically billed to the program. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 539-12(7): Problems In Contacting Maintenance Enforcement Officers
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Return To Question 664-12(7): Date Employees Hired To Replace Dismissed Bird Dog Officers
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on June 21, 1995, regarding the date employees were hired to replace dismissed Bird Dog officers.

Mr. Speaker, only one employee has been hired to replace the dismissed air attack officer and assistant manager of air operations. Mr. Ernie Campeau was hired as a casual air attack officer from June 19, 1995 to August 25, 1995. Mr. Campeau recently retired from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources where he was a regional air coordinator. He has been involved in air attack activities since the 1970s and has also prepared Ontario's air attack manual.

Over the years, he has bird dogged many different tanker types including CL-215s, heavy land-based, Cansos, Avengers and others. Mr. Campeau comes highly recommended by the Ontario government because of his extensive experience. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 664-12(7): Date Employees Hired To Replace Dismissed Bird Dog Officers
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Are there further returns? Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Dent.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a couple of people who have given me an awful lot of political guidance over the years, along with guidance in other things, I must admit. My parents are in the gallery this morning: Doctor and Mrs. Dent. They were accompanied by my wife and young son but my wife had to take Tyler out of the gallery before he was thrown out for creating a disturbance.

---Laughter

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Welcome to the Assembly. I can see now why Mr. Dent looks pretty good in this House.

---Laughter

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would also like to recognize three seniors sitting in the gallery. I don't know if they are from Yellowknife or not, but welcome to the Assembly.

---Applause

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Yesterday, the Minister of Finance advised the House that if Canada unilaterally cuts the non-insured health benefits for aboriginal people, it would affect services in the NWT. He also advised that the Minister of Health and Social Services is corresponding with the federal Minister regarding the current review of the NIHB program. Since two options the feds are considering would limit benefits to on-reserve Status Indians or on-reserve Indians on welfare, and either would be disastrous for us in the NWT, will the Minister commit to not only corresponding with Diane Marleau but to meet with her in person to discuss the issue?