This is page numbers 23 - 84 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 5th 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 chairman.

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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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you. Premier.

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 22nd, 1997

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not trying to be flippant or anything, but I do not really know the answer to 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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The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. According to the list of Mr. Steen, the question Mr. Roland asked was the final question. I have Mr. Krutko.

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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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question to the Premier is in regards to the accountability of this government, Members of Cabinet and also himself as Premier in regards to some of the activities that we see happening, especially in regards to capital projects and also expenditures that we see projects being moved, especially in regards to Ministers' ridings. I would like to ask the Premier, especially after the case of the motion that was passed of censure in this House and what has he done in regards to the motion, and also accountability of the Cabinet Members to this government and also what action has he taken as the Premier?

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 John Ningark

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Premier.

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. Any movement of dollars within the government is following that motion that was passed in the Assembly. Any dollars that are moved within departments, it comes to FMBS. It is accountable to FMBS. Ultimately it comes in through a supp through this House that you have just previously passed and that is the accountability to this House and the general public. 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 John Ningark

Thank you. Question number two. Mr. Krutko.

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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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My second question to the Premier is, in regard to issues that are passed either through Member's statements, petitions, motions passed in committee of the whole and items that are of importance to the Members and their ridings. I would like to ask the Premier exactly what role does he play to ensure those motions, petitions and items are basically taken forth by Members through the processes that are available to us taken seriously and carried out in regard to the petitions, motions and demands that are made on us by our constituents to raise these issues in this House to ensure that they are carried out?

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 John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Premier.

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

Mr. Chairman, we take all motions, and the motions in the committee of the whole that are normally recommendations, seriously. We look at those motions and recommendations from the Ordinary Members in the committee of the whole. We have the responsibility to manage government and manage within the fiscal boundaries that we have and in some cases, the recommendations we cannot follow through. We just do not have the dollars and we have set out an agenda and we continue down that road. Like I said earlier today, I know that some Members may feel at some point, they do not exactly get everything that they would like in their riding, but all ridings are basically the same. It is not an easy time to govern. It is not an easy time to be a Member of this Assembly. But, we try to treat everybody in a fair and equal manner and we have a process of doing things through committees and this Legislative Assembly, so that we have public accountability. 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 John Ningark

Thank you. Question number three, Mr. Krutko.

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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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One of the priority items of this government, especially in relation to the government and this Assembly, is to work towards healthy communities and community-based program solving to assist communities in regard to community wellness. In the last two years, probably a lot of people, especially the Minister of Health and Social Services, are probably tired of hearing me harping over this issue. It is in regard to the TI'oondih Healing Society in which petitions were tabled in this House and a motion passed in committee of the whole, especially in the riding I come from, where there is a lot of support for this initiative to go forward.

I had a commitment from yourself, as the Premier, from Mr. Todd, as Minister of Finance, and Mr. Ng, Minister of Social Services, to work with the Tl'oondih Healing Society and establish a committee. But the committee met for a brief period of time in which there was correspondence sent back and forth between the Gwich'in Tribal Council and this government and yourself, as the Premier, to ensure that this aspiration of the communities and program would be able to continue on and assist in the area of community wellness and community healing, but for some unforeseen reason it came to a complete halt and hit a brick wall.

I would like to ask the Premier, with these types of commitments that are made of Members and to organizations to work alongside this government on initiatives such as that, to assist communities and the regions for the well-being and the health of our residents, are those commitments honoured to ensure that they are concluded successfully? 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 John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Premier.

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. I remember very clearly that we made a commitment to Mr. Krutko's riding and Mr. Krutko to have the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Finance work with his delegation from Fort McPherson to try to develop a process, or ways of solving the problem of the funding of the healing centre in his community of Fort McPherson. I would love to be able to sit here today and say to you, David, yes, we found whatever it took. $1 million or $1.5 million a year to operate that centre. But we just do not have the dollars. I am still committed to working with your people to try and find those dollars. There are new initiatives coming through the federal government on community healing as well as income support and child poverty issues and child wellness issues that the federal government is reinvesting dollars into health.

My understanding as well is, there was a problem on the facility of being accredited, so we could put people there, so they would get the federal government to pay for it. We were unable to accomplish that, and I do not know why these meetings that we committed to, came to an end. I do not know that. The commitment was there for the finance Minister as well as the Minister of Health and Social Services to continue to work with your people and as far as I understand, the department officials met with the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the chairperson of the Gwich'in Healing Society and the MLA from Mackenzie Delta to discuss the department's ability to fund the program. That was back in November, 1996. And then those people who came in with you to Yellowknife at that time, David, we had requested all that financial information about the healing camp and todate none of this information has been received. I will make that commitment to you to work with your people on this issue, but it is going to be a two way street so that we try to find...

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 John Ningark

I would like order in the committee of the whole, please. The Honourable Premier is endeavouring to answer an honourable Member. Mr. Premier.

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. I am not willing to sit back and right this off. Drug and alcohol programs, healing programs, families; we have enough social problems in the Northwest Territories. There has to be different ways to approach it, but we have to approach it together. Once again I think that we can work with the community and Health and Social Services, mental health and we have some reinvestment as 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 John Ningark

Is it just me?

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

I am having a tough time here to talk because of those around me and I am trying to be...

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 John Ningark

Thank you. Thank you. Those Members who have sat here for the last two hours are trying to make sure we are here because of the important item on the table. Now we have a number of Members who have just walked in and started talking on the sidelines. We have stated in our opening remarks that we have a very important item and we stated that Members of this committee, those asking questions should be concise. The Minister's response should be clear. Now we are trying to follow the format, a process that we came up with, until some Members walked in and started talking on the sidelines. Please be respectful of other Members. Thank you. Mr. Premier.

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. And advise the Members that are here and we do have some reinvestment in 1998-99, and also the federal government. All the messages we are getting are, they are willing to look at reinvesting in health care. Especially when it comes to youth and children in this country. My understanding is, that the program up in the Delta, in Fort McPherson, is geared to family and healing families. So there should be, hopefully, the potential to work with the Gwich'in of Fort McPherson to make that a reality. 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 John Ningark

Thank you. Question number four, Mr. Krutko.

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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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would also like to thank the Premier for his commitment. I have a question that comes in line of a commitment that the Premier has made in regard to letters he sent to all municipalities in regard to their priority items for the five-year capital plan and their forecasts. In regard to priority projects that they would like to see prioritized in their particular communities and their particular ridings, I would like to ask the Premier about these letters that were sent to the prioritized items, back to the Premier, and trying to ensure that these items are put into the five-year capital plan and either restructured to ensure that the priority items of those communities are carried out now, rather than waiting for later. So I would like to ask the Premier, what has he done with these letters that he has received from all the

municipalities, communities in regard to prioritizing their projects?

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 John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Premier.

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. All letters that we received from communities on the capital plan in process and the prioritization of the communities capital plans are to the departments that are affected. They go into the capital planning process to make sure that the staff who are developing the capital plans have input from the communities. That is the whole intention of that and that is where they go. 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 John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Krutko, question number five.