Mr. Dent.
Debates of Jan. 28th, 1997
Topics
Supplementary To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Further Return To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am trying to remember particularly the three questions there and answer as many of them as I can remember. There will be no change to the way the service is provided, Mr. Speaker. Currently, the regional librarian in Iqaluit may find that a book that has been requested in Cape Dorset is actually residing in Yellowknife. It is still provided from Yellowknife to Cape Dorset. It has nothing to do with the location of the books necessarily. The books will still be wherever they are located in whichever community library. If they are located in the community library in Iqaluit, they can still be shipped from Iqaluit to Cape Dorset. That is still the intention, to link the libraries so that the books are still available to all residents of the Northwest Territories, but certainly not every library in the north will have every book.
Further Return To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.
Supplementary To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess there was three answers in those three questions in the one. I will not get into a debate with it. Part of my earlier preamble when I talked about the importance of the work going on by the community librarian, one of those things is to work for the creation of the new territory of Nunavut, which means that the only qualified professional librarian in all of Nunavut is located in Iqaluit. We are laying that person off. Mr. Dent had a great speech about literacy earlier today on the World Wide Web. I wonder, can Mr. Dent tell me who is going develop the collection and maintain the collection of Inuktitut materials, now presently available in the Iqaluit regional library which is maintained by the regional librarian, who is now not going to be there at the end of three months. Who will be doing that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Supplementary To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that the regional librarian is the only qualified in the Northwest Territories. I am sure that the librarian that is also being eliminated in Rankin Inlet is a qualified librarian. As was the regional librarian in Hay River who was laid off last year.
To answer the Member's question, the Member seems mostly concerned about what sounds to me almost like a division related issue. Perhaps, the Member should be requesting that the interim commissioner for Nunavut, when he or she is named, appoint a librarian to collect these documents that the Member is referring to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Question 139-13(4): Baffin Regional Librarian Position
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
Levi Barnabas High Arctic
(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask a question to Honourable Charles Dent (Translation ends) on behalf of our mandate as an Assembly, trying to deal with the legacy of debt that we inherited. We have looked at cutting costs and providing more efficient services. We have also spent time gearing up for division. With this in mind, Mr. Speaker, it is not clear how replacing regional librarians in the east with the support services from the west and technology will be either cost effective or supportive of preparing for division. My question to the Minister, Mr. Speaker, has the Minister done a cost analysis of the additional costs to provide both technological and staff support to both Baffin and Keewatin from Hay River? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment. Mr. Dent.
Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons for this change is a budgetary initiative, to save money. So, that sort of examination was undertaken. I think it would be safe to say that, whether or not we were eliminating the regional librarian positions, this government still has a commitment to move forward with the technological change we are embarking on because it provides better service to all of the people in smaller communities across the north. That really is one of the driving factors here.
Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
Levi Barnabas High Arctic
Has he looked at the increased cost in telephones, mailings, travel for training of the new community library staff and increased staff demands? Hay River staff are not familiar with the needs of the culture of the people in these regions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 231
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that the department is satisfied that there would be no increase in mailing costs necessarily, because the books are not being moved. The books still only have to move from whatever community they are resident in right now to whatever community they are being requested in. In terms of training, it is being undertaken all of the time. In fact, the department has, for the last couple of years identified funds within its budget to ensure that the people are adequately trained to take advantage of the technology. So, Mr. Speaker, I do not think that this is an issue.
Further Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
Levi Barnabas High Arctic
There is an indication that the regional librarians are no longer needed, because part of their function will be taken over by technology. Has the Minister done cost estimate of the hardware and software cost necessary to make this reality? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated a couple of responses ago, we are moving forward with this infrastructure in any case, because it provides better service. The hardware has been budgeted for, the software has been budgeted for, the digital backbone across the Northwest Territories is something that is going in. This is not something that is additional in terms of cost to this government. We are embarking on this digital network because we have identified it as a significant way in which we can save money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas. Your final supplementary.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
Levi Barnabas High Arctic
As I mentioned in my initial question, we have been preparing for division. In most departments there is a talk about establishing an eastern presence so that the transition in 1999 will be smoother. The elimination of the regional librarians seems to eliminate the possible presence of the core library staff in Nunavut. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain why he is making these reductions which seem contrary to the approach the government is taking on division? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent
Further Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the elimination of these positions is seen partly as a budget measure in order to meet our target, but also, as I have said, because we see with the changing technology, the way library services are being offered across Canada, more and more the services are being offered electronically. We are confident that we can achieve a good level of service at better cost to this government with these changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Question 140-13(4): Cost Of Replacing Regional Librarians
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.
Question 141-13(4): Relocation Of Office To Arviat
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, earlier this fall I received written notice from Mr. Joe Hanley of the Housing Corporation that the Housing Corporation suboffice in Rankin Inlet would be closed, and positions moved to the regional office in Arviat on March 31, 1997. Subsequent to that notice, I was advised in the Assembly by the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, that the relocation suboffice had been placed on hold pending the outcome of the amalgamation of Housing Corporation, Transportation, Public Works and Services. Mr. Speaker, in light of the decision last week in this Assembly not to proceed with the amalgamation, can the Minister confirm when this transfer will take place? Thank you.
Question 141-13(4): Relocation Of Office To Arviat
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 232
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Arlooktoo.