This is page numbers 585 - 623 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 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Oral questions. Do you have a supplementary, Mr. Evaloarjuk?

Supplementary To Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

December 7th, 1998

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Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister has misunderstood my question. I was talking about policies concerning ratio and the number of nursing staff required in the communities. That was the policy that I was asking about and I think he will remember that correspondence. Thank you. (Translation ends.)

Supplementary To Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

The Speaker

Mr. Ng.

Further Return To Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize to the Member for misinterpreting the issue that he was referring to. There has been, as I have indicated in the past, no set ratio or policy in respect to the ratio of staff to residents of a community. We know that the deployment of the resources is currently within the mandate of the Regional Health boards. Recognizing that at the time of the health transfer from the federal government in 1988, the existing resources in communities were the amounts that were transferred to this government and have been kept intact since that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

The Speaker

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Evaloarjuk.

Supplementary To Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to thank the Minister for his response but I would also like to see his response in writing. I will thank the Minister in advance and let him know that there is more of an adequate number of staff in Igloolik right now, as it is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends.)

Supplementary To Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Question 271-13(6): Community Nursing Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

The Speaker

Thank you. I did not hear a question. Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As per my Member's statement, I would like to direct my question to the Minister responsible for the environment, Mr. Kakfwi. What ongoing efforts has the government undertaken to aid the reduction of global warming at regional, national and international levels? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

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

Return To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to give a 15-minute response, much to my Member's chagrin.

--Laughter

The Government of the Northwest Territories has participated with other provinces and the federal government to look at the issue of global warming. It is a major global concern. The Government of Canada has signed, along with 160 countries, in December of 1997, an agreement to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the world by a certain percentage within a few years. I believe it is a six percent reduction from 1990 levels by the year 2013.

We have made a commitment, the Canadian government has made a commitment, and we are now working with the federal government and the provinces to develop a process by which we will develop a strategy to try to reach that target. We are also doing some work to define the economic impact that such a strategy would have on our communities and our economy, as well, the cost of undertaking such a strategy.

Here in the territories, we have done a number of things. We, for instance, have continued to work to improve the energy efficiency of all our buildings or houses. We have set up an energy alliance using the Power Corporation, municipalities, the Government of the Northwest Territories and other stakeholders, to look at ways in which we could reduce the amount of energy consumption and increase the energy efficiency of our buildings and our programs. We have an energy conservation capital program, which has been in existence for a number of years, that is available for individuals, communities and organizations to apply for. They can ask for capital money where they can show that it will result in a reduction of energy consumption and where it will improve on the energy efficiency of particular buildings. This is open to the private sector as well as broader-based community organizations.

These are some of the initiatives; of course, we have the user-pay programs that the government has initiated where everyone, even tenants, as well as the government departments, have to be conscious of how they use their buildings, electricity and heating. User-pay makes us more conscious of how much we are consuming as clients within our own departments and buildings. Those are some of the examples I can give. Thank you.

Return To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 592

The Speaker

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr.

Barnabas.

Supplementary To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 593

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, have there been any studies done on permafrost? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, permafrost is one characteristic of our ecosystem up here that is unique and one that is considered extremely sensitive by everyone concerned. We have a number of studies that are ongoing, some of them on a national level; it looks like, in particular, sensitivities of permafrost in regard to climate change and temperature fluctuations. I would be pleased to provide Members with a summary of the most recent studies completed and in progress regarding permafrost and the impact, particularly the impact that global warming will have on permafrost in the north. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 593

The Speaker

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

Supplementary To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 593

Levi Barnabas High Arctic

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last spring during my whale hunt with my colleagues in Arctic Bay, we noticed that there are significant changes to the ice, really thin ice. The ice went pretty fast in our area. I noticed on a documentary on television that there have been studies on the ice. A ship called Sheeba was studying in the high Arctic areas, in the western Arctic area. Can the Minister give the Members the results on the study of the ice? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 593

The Speaker

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to locate the particular information and study that the Member is referring to and share it with the Members. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Question 272-13(6): Global Warming Initiatives
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

At this time I would like to recognize in the gallery a former Member, Mr. Ernie Bernhardt.

--Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is addressed to the Acting Premier. Yesterday in the House, we passed a motion that one of the components of it was to strike an independent review committee. I would like to ask the Acting Premier if he could indicate what the relationship is going to be with the committee of deputies that has been struck prior to yesterday that was going to look at some similar and related issues and if you could outline the connection and how they would together to a positive end? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Acting Premier, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Return To Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I had indicated last week, the intention of getting the deputy ministers together to look at the report was to ensure that the government, in every possible way, reacted positively to the many recommendations and comments to the report. I have since heard Members have some reservation on possibly the credibility of this committee and I am sensitive to that. I have asked the secretary to Cabinet to keep that in mind and the work that they are undertaking to not interfere in any way with the processes that have been started here in this House. We are also sensitive to the perception by the public and the MLAs that, that process remain as credible as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

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

Supplementary To Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 593

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It would seem that the issue would be not only the one of possibly interfering with each other, but, in fact, being able to feed in to each others' efforts and to ensure, that possibly they complement each other, so that at the end of the day when the final report is brought to the House that it reflects not only the work of possibly this independent committee, but this separate deputies committee as well. Could the Acting Premier indicate whether he would, in fact, consider that sort of proactive step to make sure that, in fact, they are linked and working together? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Question 273-13(6): Deputy Minister Review Committee
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. I must rule the question out of order. It is a matter for MSB not the Acting Premier. Oral questions. Mr. Steen.