Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We also are working with our Member of Parliament, Ethel Blondin-Andrew on doing exactly what the Member had requested of identifying the positions that could be relocated to the north. We also know that the mayor of Hay River has requested that Fisheries and Oceans positions that effect the north be moved to Hay River as well. Thank you.
Debates of Oct. 22nd, 1997
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A different subject. I wonder if the Premier could tell us if he will undertake to do an analysis study of the negative effects of the elimination of a centralized personnel secretariat?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The government has an ongoing process of dealing with personnel issues with the departments, and I do not think I can make a commitment to undergoing an in-depth analysis or study or whatever personnel to effect, negative effects. I have not seen any. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is an issue of great concern, I think because we need to know, one of the problems I see is that individuals applying for positions with the territorial government have to run around to different departments and that is one particular problem for example, and that is why I wondered if the government will undertake to perhaps it does not need to be an in-depth analysis, but certainly some sort of review to see what the impact has been of the loss of centralized personnel secretariat?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We all knew when we gave the management responsibilities to the departments that people would have to go to individual departments to apply for positions. We knew that. So, I do not understand fully where the Member is coming from. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The government staff have undergone a tremendous downsizing and with the upcoming creation of the two new territories which were a result in Yellowknife of more staff losses. We recently had the document on division and the creation of two new territories. In that, it was identified that there were a potential 289 positions still to be transferred to Nunavut. That naturally leaves a negative feeling with the staff. Will the Premiere tell us when the staff in Yellowknife may know exactly which positions will be affected by that?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Right now through the transition document that was presented to the Interim Commissioner as well as the federal government, basically everything right now, Mr. Ootes, is hovering until we get commitment from the federal government that they are going to pick up the bill. Mr. Todd and Mr. Kakfwi are leaving this weekend to meet with Mr. Martin and Ms. Stewart. So, we cannot say specifically right now, which staff are to be affected. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Whenever this government does get a commitment from the federal government on the questions that are outstanding in the Premier's mind, could the government act expeditiously in order to inform those individuals that will be affected by division?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 60
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
October 21st, 1997
Page 60
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have a moral responsibility as well as a professional responsibility to our staff. We will be letting people know at the soonest possible dates, and as soon as we know who is affected by the creation of the two new territories. We would undertake to do that.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The beginning of our term there was a lot of discussion regarding devolution of power from Ottawa to Yellowknife. In those days we referred to it as the Northern Accord. I have not seen a lot of progress on this. Could the Premier tell us, are we still pursuing devolution from Ottawa of control over resources and so forth and where is that at?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Ootes. That was question number nine, seven I should say. Thank you. Mr. Morin.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Don Morin Tu Nedhe
On the whole devolution issue, I have asked Mr. Kakfwi to lead that file, and he is working right now with the Department of Indian Affairs on the transfer of those people to the Northwest Territories that have responsibilities in the Northwest Territories. We are exploring a few other departments as well to transfer those people to the Northwest Territories. Through meetings with the Aboriginal Summit we could not get them to agree on devolution to the Northwest Territories. Like I have said before, I am not going to go whipping a dead horse or working where I have too much work
to do, we all do. Unless people in the north are willing to work together to bring the decision-making ability to the Northwest Territories, it is not going to happen. Indian Affairs has said that the aboriginal people must be on-side to do it and if they are not on-side then I will put it off until another time and tackle it then. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Morin. Questions for the Premier. I recognize Mr. Miltenberger.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions for the Premier on the issue of communications and communications strategy. We have had a very full agenda as an Assembly and one of the things we have not done in my opinion, as well as we could have, is the whole issue of communicating and having a communication strategy. Could the Premier indicate how he intends to proceed from here on in on the issue of a communication strategy with the new items on the agenda such as division? Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the past, the government had a communication strategy per se, but there was never a coordinated effort from government to communicate with the people of the Northwest Territories. We have been working within government to develop a communication strategy and to coordinate the activities of government departments. We now have a public affairs or a person in every department that is responsible for public affairs and communication. We have a formation across the departmental communication working group as well. We are ready now in order for anything to be communicated from this government. It is just a matter of getting the people to do it. The guide and the guidelines are also all developed. Communication as well, have a new employee newsletter. We have a home page on the Internet. The key is that we do have all government departments working together to communicate. Thank you.