This is page numbers 37 - 50 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 3rd 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 housing.

Topics

Supplementary To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, we will be tabling the budget in this House, I believe in May. All that information will be available at that time for all the general public. But all indications that we have as a government, so far, state very, very clearly -as we have shared with Members of this House -- that the annual savings will be $1 million by eliminating the regional directors of this government. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Supplementary To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

Edward Picco Iqaluit

Mr. Speaker, I noticed yesterday, the figures tabled by the Finance Minister, but June 30th seems to be the cut-off date for a lot of the people who were discussed. In three short months, there won't be anyone left in the Executive offices. My earlier question still stands because I haven't received an answer on what will be happening to the role of the Executive in the regions.

Supplementary To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said previously, the elimination of the regional officers and the regional directors will save this government a substantial amount of dollars. We also propose to keep a certain amount of dollars within the Executive budget for a transitional period, and for a period of time that we have to work with the communities for community empowerment. We will have dollars in place to make sure that that transfer occurs, and we will put a plan to this House through the budget process of how this will all happen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Question 32-13(3): Maca's Plans To Implement Regional Responsibilities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 43

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I apologize for my oversight earlier. My question is to the Minister of Finance. The Minister tells us that in Yellowknife we have 2,212 employees in the government. He also tells us that there are 150 lay-offs, 72 of which will be in Yellowknife. Could the Minister tell me what percentage 72 is of 150?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Finance ... That is a very detailed, technical question which I don't know if it's on top of the Minister's head to respond to, but I will allow the Minister to respond. Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to point Out to my honourable colleagues there are 2,212 employees in Yellowknife. As I said yesterday and will say again today, out of the 150 positions, we've managed to cut in a caring and compassionate way, that the only actual layoffs are 72 which is three per cent of the total employees in Yellowknife. Thank you.

Return To Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 44

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Layoffs In Yellowknife
Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Minister, for answering a question I didn't ask. My questions was could you tell me what 72 is of 150. 1 realize it may be a technical question, but that's around 50 per cent.

Mr. Speaker, I have supported and realized right from the beginning that job cuts would be necessary. I supported that. I think it's imperative that we get our fiscal house in order, and one component of that work would be to, unfortunately, lay-off some of the people who provide services to the government. With that, my question would be, when most other provinces or territories in the country where the capital city is -- and I will read examples of Alberta, where 53 per cent of their total government employees are located in their capital city; in Manitoba, 56 per cent of their employees are located in their capital city; in Newfoundland -- which has a large number of small communities -- 75 per cent of their government employees are located in their capital city; in Nova Scotia, 68 per cent of their government employees are located in their capital city; in the Yukon, 82 per cent of the government employees are located in the capital city. What does this government know better about the economies of scale that would see Yellowknife's numbers go from 35 per cent to much less?

Supplementary To Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Layoffs In Yellowknife
Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 44

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Layoffs In Yellowknife
Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 44

John Todd Keewatin Central

Mr. Speaker, it is Friday, so I will be kind to the honourable Member. This is not Newfoundland, this is not the Yukon, this is not Alberta; there are 52

Further Return To Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Layoffs In Yellowknife
Question 33-13(3): Percentage Of Lay-offs In Yellowknife
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 44

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, because my question touches more than one portfolio -Public Works and Services, Housing, Personnel -- I will direct my question to the Premier of this government. As I indicated earlier in my Member's statement about the request from the Taloyoak Housing Association concerning the shortage of housing, in that community there are some public units without running water. We have overcrowding in homes in that community at this point. Will the Premier seriously consider either turning over the empty GNWT units to the housing association in that community or allowing the GNWT employees who live in that community to move to vacant GNWT units? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 34-13(3): Allocation Of GNWT Housing Units To Taloyoak Residents
Question 34-13(3): Allocation Of GNWT Housing Units To Taloyoak Residents
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 44

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this day and age with the shortage of housing in the Northwest Territories, we should not have any empty houses in the Northwest Territories. I completely agree with the Member. Also, previously, as a government, we have turned administration of staff housing over to the Housing Corporation so that this type of problem should not happen. I understand that this function will be completed by April 1 st of this year. By all means, it should mean that you never have staff housing sitting empty when people in the communities need a roof over their head. So I will talk to the Minister of DPW as well as the Minister of Housing and address that issue so that we do not have empty staff housing at the community level. I would like to thank the Member for bringing that issue to our attention. Mahsi.

Return To Question 34-13(3): Allocation Of GNWT Housing Units To Taloyoak Residents
Question 34-13(3): Allocation Of GNWT Housing Units To Taloyoak Residents
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 44

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 21st, 1996

Page 44

Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Minister of Renewable

Resources, on the subject of our developing Baffin fishery. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if lip is aware of pending Baffin licence applications for about 3,000 tons of groundfish in the waters of Davis Strait.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the ongoing push by the Baffin communities, particularly, to acquire licences for offshore fishing, particularly adjacent to Baffin Island, and the difficulty they are encountering. This has been going on for about four years and we are still having some difficulty acquiring allocations and licences for the Baffin people to fish in areas adjacent to Baffin Island. We have been trying to add our voice to the Baffin communities and the Nunavut leaders, in asking the federal government to do what they can to ensure that the Baffin people benefit from the resources that are found adjacent to their communities. We will continue to do what we can to ensure that some of the licences that are presently in existence are reallocated to the Baffin so that it's not existing fishermen and businesses from the Maritimes and Newfoundland who are, after having fished themselves out of existence, moving North to possibly do the same. We will be doing what we can to ensure that the Baffin people get to fish and that this is probably, on a conservation basis, the best way to ensure that someone will take responsibility for ensuring that the fisheries are handled in a way that's going to be sustainable. Thank you.

Return To Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 45

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Enuaraq.

Supplementary To Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 45

Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask Mr. Kakfwi if he supports the applications from Baffin for a fishing licence.

Supplementary To Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Question 35-13(3): Baffin Fishing Licence Applications
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 45

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.