(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends) Early today in my Members' statement, I raised a concern about privatization of the interpreter/translator services in the Language Bureau. I am concerned about how we will make sure that there is a consistent level of service. Can the Minister explain how his department will monitor the consistency and accuracy of interpreter/translators when there is no more staff in this area? Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 10th, 1997
Topics
Question 274-13(4): Interpreter/translator Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central
Question 274-13(4): Interpreter/translator Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. The Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, Mr. Dent.
Return To Question 274-13(4): Interpreter/translator Services
Question 274-13(4): Interpreter/translator Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are not proposing that all of the staff be eliminated in the Language Bureau. There would be some staff kept on who would be responsible for ensuring that the job was still being done adequately. It would be our intention to ensure that interpreters and translators were properly certified. This government would continue to develop and institute standards and certificate programs to ensure that interpreter/translators were certified. We would need to have some core staff who would work with the language communities, and cultural communities, to ensure that work was still being done on the development and promotion of aboriginal languages. Mr. Speaker, if I can, just one point that the Member made in his Members' statement, he talked about medical interpreters in the Language Bureau. Medical interpreters are not tied to the Language Bureau. Medical interpreters are directly hired by hospitals and health boards and there would be no impact from this change on medical interpreters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 274-13(4): Interpreter/translator Services
Question 274-13(4): Interpreter/translator Services
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Evaloarjuk.
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq
(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Premier, Don Morin. Would the Premier agree that food prices in remote communities are significantly higher than in Yellowknife and southern Canada? Does the Premier agree with me regarding that statement? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Premier.
Return To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Food prices are a lot higher in our remote communities and in communities that we are supplying off the highway, for example. Yellowknife food prices are fairly reasonable this day, but the smaller communities, remote communities, are very high. Thank you.
Return To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Enuaraq.
Supplementary To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq
(Translation) What is the government doing to ensure that prices for food in remote communities are not unnecessarily high? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)
Supplementary To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Morin.
Further Return To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government has many subsidies in place, for example, fuel subsidies. We also have spent many dollars on putting in winter roads and to some communities we also have upgraded the icebreaker system in the eastern Arctic, putting dollars into that as well, and we try to assist wherever possible. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Evaloarjuk.
Supplementary To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq
(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Premier commit to having this government review the situation in the Amittuq area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Morin.
Further Return To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have any problem reviewing the situation or looking at the situation, but as Members know, and as the Member does know, that we, as a government, are in a financial situation that makes it very difficult to find spare dollars. We do not have any spare dollars to put into lowering food prices at the present time, but we have worked with the communities to try to get more food brought into those communities. For example, in Grise Fiord, where the food did not get shipped because of the ice, a government resupply was shipped privately. We did assist in that case. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Question 275-13(4): High Cost Of Living In Remote Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 496
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment. Can the Minister confirm that his department is considering a new method of allocating funds to public libraries throughout the NWT? Thank you.
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, Mr. Dent.
Return To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been some initial work started. There was an internal discussion paper regarding the restructuring of library services, which I believe the Member for Iqaluit has asked some questions about previously. So the answer to the question is: yes, there has been some work started at examining the possibility of restructuring library services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Return To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.
Supplementary To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the Minister could identify, I realize it is in the preliminary stages, but the new funding method, what it is based on? If it includes cost of living, population, so on? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the document that the Member refers to is not before this House, and is not intended to be a public document. I am not sure that it would necessarily serve the public interest to talk about something which was an initial kick-at-the-can, as I said earlier, in which we were taking a look at how to restructure library services. I think, Mr. Speaker, the intention is to recognize that there is a problem with the way libraries are handled right now. There are 40 communities in the Northwest Territories that do not receive any funding for libraries. So, while the Members' communities of Baker Lake and Arviat do get funding for libraries, in the same region, Chesterfield, Repulse and Coral Harbour get nothing for libraries.
Further Return To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
Some Hon. Members
Shame!
Further Return To Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Question 276-13(4): Public Libraries Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 497
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
We have to find some way to deal with that. We have started the work with an internal discussion paper to look at various ways that we can address the situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.