This is page numbers 1197 - 1228 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 education.

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Supplementary To Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response. Mr. Speaker, I do have one concern. If these negotiations drag out until after the election, I think it would be harmful to our position. I think the Minister has built a good rapport and the Premier has built a good rapport with the federal government, and I would feel much more comfortable if I knew we had a deal before the election. My question to the Minister is, Mr. Speaker, is the Minister optimistic that a deal can be concluded before the election? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Pollard.

Further Return To Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no indication on Canada's part that they want to prolong negotiations. We have received support from both our MPs, east and west, with regard to our position. Audrey MacLaughlin, the MP for Yukon, is involved in the process as well, I am advised. There is no indication from any of the parties to prolong this issue, and I would venture to suggest that we will have an agreement whether we like it or not, Mr. Speaker, by the end of August. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Question 549-12(7): Status Of Formula Financing Agreement Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Fred Koe Inuvik

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I received a concern raised by one of my contractors in Inuvik, and it has to do with the privatizing of a task by the Ministry of Transportation. They are currently privatizing some of their activities. They recently let a tender out for the aerological weather observations program. I understand that there were quite a few bidders on this tender and that many local companies submitted bids. I also understand that the South Slave Research Centre also bid on this particular tender. So I would like to ask the Minister for clarification as to what the South Slave Research Centre is.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

---Laughter

Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you. I'm not absolutely certain, Mr. Speaker, because I don't think the South Slave Research Centre is much more an independent regiment with the community than it is with our organization.

Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

Fred Koe Inuvik

Is the Minister saying, then, that the South Slave Research Centre is part of the NWT Science Institute, which is part of the Aurora College institution? I would like some clarification, please.

Supplementary To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

---Laughter

Further Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to advise the honourable Member that they are part of the organization.

Further Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

Fred Koe Inuvik

Okay, if they're part of the organization, then most of its funding would be from this government in terms of the budget that it receives. And, I assume that part of their money is from third-party contributions or agents. I'd like clarification about what policies are in place for a Government of the Northwest Territories agency, board or commission to enable them to bid on other government contracts against local northern contractors.

Supplementary To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The problem with this particular matter is, on the one hand, I was criticized by the Members in the Assembly for not allowing the independence the organization had before for third-party agreement which we, in fact, supported. The other thing the honourable Member is raising -- and I appreciate the concern that he has raised -- is the matter of organizations getting involved in tendering processes against the private sector.

I've had an opportunity to review this matter, and the difficulty is part of the training that we offer to our community airport observers was, in fact, part of the organizational responsibility that the federal government used to have. The problem with it being privatized is that it now takes it out of the federal government's hands and, therefore, our ability to access that responsibility. We will reduce what would normally be a training opportunity for our airport observer program. It's a bit of a difficult one, yet we needed to ensure that we were part of the process. It was a bidding process and, therefore, didn't really take into consideration our training requirements as part of the tendering process.

Further Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1208

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

Fred Koe Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This causes a lot of concern, especially to the private sector, because they're competing against a government agency that is publicly funded. The overhead staff are already in place and they don't have to worry about winning tenders to continue their operations, whereas it is quite difficult for a small company to do that.

I guess I'm trying to get an understanding of the dilemma this contractor is in. If the government is doing training for the SAR program, using the Science Institute and government contracts, then how do you propose that a private sector company take over this training? Is there any way or are discussions going on so that everybody wins in this situation?

Supplementary To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the concern raised by the honourable Member. It was only in the last week that I was made aware that we were involved in the bidding process and I had an opportunity to speak to one of the individuals who is interested in the contract, an individual from the private sector.

I just want to advise the honourable Member that, having heard the concern that was raised and having heard the comments that were made by the honourable Member, I will certainly have the staff review this matter and provide me with options available for the involvement of the private sector for this particular project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Question 550-12(7): Description Of South Slave Research Centre
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Item 6: Oral Questions

June 7th, 1995

Page 1209

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. I would like to ask the Minister if he could report on how things are progressing in setting up the new Nunavut Travel Authority. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I met last evening with the interim board of the Nunavut Travel Authority. The discussions and negotiations are progressing well as to trying to reach an arrangement with the three regions -- the Keewatin, the Kitikmeot, and the Baffin -- as to how a new authority would ultimately be represented; where the location of the office would be; the distribution of funding, et cetera.

The current interim chairperson of the Nunavut Travel Authority is Tracy Beeman who operates out of the Baffin region, the current interim executive director is Colleen Dupuis who currently runs the Baffin Regional Tourism Association and the interim board is made up of people recommended to me by industry for different sectors: hunting and fishing, adventure, et cetera.

There is one government representative on that who is Mr. Graeme Dargo and I've suggested, fairly aggressively, to the interim Nunavut Travel Authority board that all these arrangements have to be concluded by November 1st. Then they will determine an appropriate method to elect the board, decide where the office will be and how to distribute the funding, et cetera. Thank you.

Return To Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Question 551-12(7): Status Of Nunavut Travel Authority
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1209

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that report. I would just like to ask the Minister, is he quite satisfied that all three Nunavut regions are participating equally and fully in the development of this new authority? Thank you.