Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to clarify to the House what actually happened in Iqaluit. I did hear the comments made by Jose Kusugak at that meeting in Cambridge Bay. In the interest of staying on the subject that we were discussing, I elected not to respond, on the good advice of my friend, Mr. Todd. The meeting in Iqaluit was for Inuit employees of the Department of Public Works and Services. It is part of the overall implementation of our Inuit employment plans which we are obligated to under the land claims agreement. This year, we brought together 14 Inuit employees of DPW from the three regions of Nunavut and discussed with them their concerns about the direction that the department is going, training opportunities and what they can expect the department to look like in the future. We also had presentations by Arctic College, EC&E, the NIC and MACA. One of the more interesting things to come out of that meeting was a summary of concerns by the Inuit employees that was sent to me and of which I am (inaudible). Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 18th, 1997
Topics
Return To Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Return To Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.
Supplementary To Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is good to hear the clarification from the Minister. Will the Minister commit to contacting the employees who participated in these discussions, to assure them of the intent of the meeting personally, so that there will be no permanent breakdown in actually what occurred and this type of innuendo will not go on? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Arlooktoo.
Further Return To Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Member that the employees who did go to that meeting know exactly what the meeting was for. I believe they all appreciate the information they received and the opportunity to give input. I think where the problem lies is with the interpretation by the person I was speaking to in Cambridge Bay and the lack of understanding. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Question 333-13(4): Inuit Employees
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 665
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier. This government is in need of an employment strategy whereby we can identify what employment will be available in the coming years, both in the government and in the private sector. By doing that, we can then identify training programs and educational programs whereby individuals can be slotted into those positions. The federal government has identified almost $40 million in the next three years to be applied to prepare Nunavut residents for the increase in government employment in Nunavut that will come about as a result of division. I think that is excellent. However, here in the west, we are also going through dramatic changes and part of that being the division process. Secondly, the advent of mining coming about. We will also no doubt see a need for retraining of the employees of the Government of the Northwest
Territories and for training for potential jobs in the mining industry.
While the Premier was in Cambridge Bay at the Nunavut Leaders' Conference this weekend, I wonder if the Premier had an opportunity to speak to the Minister of Northern Affairs about this matter to see if we could get some funding allocated for the western part of the Territories for training, such as they have in Nunavut. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Premier.
Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the Nunavut training issue that is specific to Nunavut, because of the agreement they have with the federal government, they are getting approximately $39.8 million. As far as other training initiatives in general, I did not have an opportunity to speak with Mr. Irwin on that issue. He was there to deal with Nunavut issues. He flew in and flew out fairly quickly. Thank you.
Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
I wonder if the Premier could tell me if he sees the situation similar as I do, where there will be an ongoing need for us to get into a retraining program and training for the mining industry. Let me perhaps ask that question first, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Morin.
Further Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We agree fully with the Member of the Legislative Assembly and we have talked about that in the Legislative Assembly before. Mr. Dent is doing work on that. We have to capitalize on the jobs that are going to be spun off from the mining industry and we should be prepared. Mr. Dent is working with a group of people on northern employment strategies, so that we can benefit as northerners from that development. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Premier entertain creating an opportunity whereby he could speak to the Minister of Northern Affairs or the officials from the federal government about the possibility of gaining funding similar to what Nunavut has obtained to train their particular employees, so that we, at least, get some funding here in the west for training of our employees and for training for the potential jobs that we may have in the mining industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Morin.
Further Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Dent is handling the file on training and he has been dealing with the federal Ministers on trying to get as many dollars out of the federal government as possible to get northern people trained to take advantage of jobs that will be created from the mining industry, as well as any other industries in the north that are starting to be developed, like forestry, as well as oil and gas in the Liard area. We have to try to capitalize on any dollars possible from the federal government. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.
Supplementary To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear that the Minister of Education is speaking with federal officials. Could the Premier identify if specific funds have been identified, outside of our present budgetary process and budget requirements? If more funds have been applied for? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Morin.
Further Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
Don Morin Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take that question as notice and Mr. Dent can return the question. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Question 334-13(4): Western Employment Strategy
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Mr. Ng.
Item 10: Petitions
Item 10: Petitions
Page 666
Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a petition with 260 signatures from Cambridge Bay, Petition No. 13-13(4), showing their support for the libraries. Thank you.
-- Applause
Item 10: Petitions
Item 10: Petitions
Page 666
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you, Mr. Ng. Petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. Bill 8, Committee Report 2-13(4), Committee Report 3-13(4), Committee Report 4-13(4). Mr. Steen in the chair.
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
February 17th, 1997
Page 666
The Chair Vince Steen
I call the committee to order. Business before the committee. We have Bill 8,
Appropriation Act, 1997-98; Committee Report 2-13(4), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the Main Estimates for 1997/98; Committee Report 3-13(4), Standing Committee on Infrastructure Report on the Review of the Main Estimates for 1997/98; Committee Report 4-13(4), Standing Committee on Resource Management and Development Report on the Review of the Main Estimates for 1997/98. I would like some direction from the committee as to how you wish to proceed. Mr. Barnabas.