This is page numbers 407 - 438 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 6th 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 nunavut.

Topics

Return To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I could not provide any assurances of the sort. The benefits the Member refers to are all subject to the collective bargaining process and totally outside the responsibility of my department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Supplementary To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, another issue that was raised was regarding the housing situation for the teachers. The fact that there are very few houses that are available for rent and if they are, the extreme cost of these houses for rent. Are there any initiatives underway to alleviate the housing situation that the teachers face in the communities?

Supplementary To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my department continues to work with FMBS on a case by case basis as we find instances that need to be addressed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Supplementary To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, teachers work long and hard hours and have various responsibilities. Can the department provide any assurances that the records of employment remain intact after transition or division occurs?

Supplementary To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Can I ask the Member to rephrase his question. It is a new question and you were talking about benefits. Mr. O'Brien.

Supplementary To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik

Mr. Speaker, thank you. I am asking the Minister of Education if he can provide assurances that employment records of all teachers will remain intact after transition or division occurs. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Question 220-13(6): Benefits For Keewatin Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

I am sorry it is a new question. I will rule it out of order. Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the High Arctic most of the patients have access to Yellowknife. The only thing that we would have seen going to Yellowknife is maybe delivery, but there are specialists here in Yellowknife, doctors and specialists, who handle patients from the High Arctic. My question is, why do people from the High Arctic have to wait for doctors or specialists in Iqaluit when there are specialists and doctors in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Return To Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is because the Baffin Regional Health Board has the jurisdiction for delivery of services within the honourable Member's constituency. Certainly I believe that they are flexible enough if there is a need, that they could certainly make arrangements through the Stanton Regional Health Board for provision of some services for whatever reasons they could not be accommodated in a timely fashion from Iqaluit. Thank you.

Return To Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Supplementary To Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some patients have to wait at least six months to see a heart specialist or a doctor. How long do these doctors come up to Iqaluit to see these patients? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Mr. Ng.

Further Return To Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Item 6: Oral Questions

November 12th, 1998

Page 420

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the actual schedules are of the different special services that may be provided through the Baffin board, through Iqaluit. I can certainly get that information back to the honourable Member. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Question 221-13(6): High Arctic Residents' Access To Doctors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 420

The Speaker

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for RWED. Mr. Speaker, recently we learned that the environmental groups had pulled out of the environmental review process for the Diavik Diamond Mine project and this causes some concern among several of my constituents, as well as to me. I would like to know if the Minister could indicate what reasons were given for these environmental groups to pull out of the environmental process? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 421

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, they had not given any written reasons to myself or any notice of the concerns they have had as environmental groups for the stress they signalled, and for pulling out of participating in this particular process. I believe that their fundamental reason was because Diavik was not at this time going to receive the full, more comprehensive type of a panel review that the BHP project received.

The federal government had decided to proceed initially with a study process. I understand that significant environmental issues were raised in the course of that process. It is possible that it could be elevated to the review process that the BHP project was subject to. It seemed logical to me that the environmental groups should stay involved, contribute their expertise and their views that would protect the animals and the trees and the environment as they are mandated to do should significant concerns be raised. It is their responsibility to work on that. It is unfortunate that they have decided to neglect their duties for political posturing. Thank you.

Return To Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 421

The Speaker

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 421

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister indicated that perhaps it was because the mine was not going under a full review, but rather going under a study. What is the GNWTs position on the fact that they are doing a study and not a full review on this mine? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 421

The Speaker

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Question 222-13(6): Diavik Environmental Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 421

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This type of process is totally a federal responsibility. It is the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development that receives application of these projects and decides what process it should be assessed through. In this case, they have decided to do it through a comprehensive study. The Government of the Northwest Territories is not party to this process.

Initially the group that is going to make decisions, the trim and the scope of the study and developed guidelines is all federal, it is DIAND, Natural Resources Canada and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Government of the Northwest Territories has asked if we could be members of that. At this time, we are part of the steering committee, which has been set up to advise the decision-making body called the Responsible Authorities Caucus, that is what the federal department is called. That is the one who is going to be the over-all decision maker on this study process. A group set up to advise the Responsible Authorities Caucus or the RA Caucus, is what you call a project steering committee. That is made up of aboriginal groups, DIAND, the Government of the Northwest Territories, Akaitcho Treaty 8, Dogrib Treaty 11, Kitikmeot Inuit Association and the North Slave Metis Alliance. It is an advisory body that will work with the caucus.

We will also set up an experts' pool, which the Government of the Northwest Territories will become part of and then we will also advise the RA Caucus. As a department, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, we are taking the lead in establishing a working group across all departments within our government to look at the project as it proceeds, and to make sure all our departments are in a position to assist and respond to the issues as they arise. Thank you.