This is page numbers 1229 - 1250 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 premier.

Topics

Further Return To Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaking of limited fiscal resources, I would like to ask the Minister, just out of curiosity, what task and activity within the department would be employed to fund such important lobbying activities at political party functions? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

John Todd Keewatin Central

I know it's Friday and we're supposed to be humorous, but I think it's important to address the issue because obviously Mr. Patterson, who frequently talks about the NDP, occasionally talks about the Conservatives and now is talking about the Liberals, wants a response.

The fact of the matter is that in 1992 there was a roads steering committee. It was set up in Fort Smith. This committee has been actively pursuing the need for additional money from the federal government to expand their road into Alberta which would bring about significant economic benefits to the people of the north. We funded two members of that committee to meet with the Prime Minister to see if he would move up on the priority list the requirement for a joint cooperative approach to the expansion of this highway. Thank you.

---Applause

Further Return To Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Question 558-12(7): Financial Assistance For Liberal Fund-raising Dinner
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Pudlat.

Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As was mentioned earlier, the funding for the positions of government liaison officers in the communities was cut and they became half-time positions. In my communities, their positions were cut by half also, and the employees went to work only half of the day. Mr. Speaker, I would like to get an answer, perhaps from the Government Leader, as to what their status is now, as they were not given appropriate time to respond to their offers. What is the status to date? How many have not accepted those offers? Do you think this GLO funding cut has been successful? I would like to ask the Premier how many of the communities have part-time GLOs and did communities lose their GLOs at all during this turnover? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, in recognizing the realities of restraint, the increased role departments are playing in regional communities and the increased abilities of the communities to tend to their own affairs, a total of 11 government liaison officer positions were flagged for reduction, from full-time to part-time, in the Executive offices main estimates on April 1, 1995. Two of these GLO positions were in the Keewatin region, while the remaining nine were in the Baffin region.

Amended job offers were issued to all 11 incumbent GLOs with a request to respond within a five-day period as to whether they wished to accept the amended offer of part-time employment or if the Government of the Northwest Territories should proceed with a lay-off action.

The two Keewatin incumbents responded to the job offer within the requested five-day period. The GLO in Arviat accepted the offer of part-time employment, while the GLO in Baker Lake chose to receive notification of layoff. None of the nine GLOs, having received part-time job offers in the Baffin region, responded with an acceptance of the offer.

Commitments have subsequently been received from the departments of Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment to fund four part-time positions in some of the affected Baffin and Keewatin communities. Where applicable, amended job offers were made.

It's rather lengthy, but I can provide to the Members and circulate by community who has part-time offers and where they are shared with other departments and where the offers are, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Return To Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1234

Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Premier for her response. My supplementary is brief. In the Baffin, you were saying that there are some who haven't responded, so I wonder if you can give me an update

as to what has happened to date if they haven't responded to their offers? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in my reply, I will circulate to the Members community by community the exact status of each position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Question 559-12(7): Status Of Part-time Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier with respect to GLOs. I appreciate the answers that I have received from the government in terms of the reduction that took place that affected GLOs in the communities. I wonder if the Premier would be able to give me the services that GLOs provide to the departments. Which departments in our government contributed to pay for and accommodate GLOs in the communities in terms of paying their salaries and their benefits? Which departments will contribute to pay for them? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, I will provide a listing. In that listing will be a status of what the individual employee has done, what he has accepted; also, the reason why I indicated that I would provide that information and circulate it is because it is a bit lengthy and it also provides the information that the honourable Member has been asking for on which department has offered to share certain positions with the GLO. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Premier's answer. The GLO would do work for all the departments, such as Social Services and Transportation -- in terms of issuing drivers' licences; vehicle permits; that sort of thing. Since the government contracts POL to private contractors, GLOs have to make reports to support what's happening in terms of oil being delivered to houses. As well, GLOs are expected to be part of Personnel with regard to interviewing, to set guidelines. With all of these departments requiring government work to be done in the community and expecting GLOs to participate, would they be able to contribute to the cost of having GLOs in the community? Thank you.

Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, if possible, I would like clarification. Is the Member seeking further information, in addition to what I had planned to distribute, about exactly what the GLO position is doing at this point in time, Mr. Speaker?

Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Allooloo.

Supplementary To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is, would the departments that require work to be done in the communities and ask the GLOs to do it for them, be able to contribute to the cost of having a GLO in a community? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, what I will do is provide further information, in addition to what I said I would provide on what exactly each position is doing. This is an Executive position. When we looked at the Executive's needs and what the positions would do for the Executive, the idea was that they would be half-time positions. However, all the departments were asked if there were additional needs so that they could finance the position further, to bring the positions up to full-time positions again. I will also provide that information, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Question 560-12(7): Departmental Responsibility For Glo Positions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1235

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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