Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. It was reasonably clear. Will the government still be proceeding with the disposal of the structure that is on that property, regardless of whether the city uses it or not? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Debates of Feb. 17th, 1998
Topics
Supplementary To Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Supplementary To Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Todd.
Further Return To Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
John Todd Keewatin Central
My colleague, Mr. Dent, advises me that city hall will be making a decision on this proposal on Monday. Subject to whatever the decision is made by city hall, then the government will have to decide how it acts. Assuming city hall agrees they are going to build a new arena on that property and given that Cabinet has to sign it off, then I would make the assumption, that the land would then be transferred to the city and the government would put out the tender for the facility, the building, to public tender for people to bid on. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Question 348-13(5): Disposal Of GNWT Liquor Warehouse
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 16th, 1998
Page 857
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Public Works and Services. It is in relation to the reply he had made about my questions concerning the NorthwesTel rate increases. I appreciate that the CRTC sets the rates of phone companies. The Minister had indicated that the company which provided local access, decided the local system had to pay for itself instead of depending on long distance revenues. It was the reason for the local rate increases. I would like to know if there was a reason for implementing the local phone rate hikes over a period of time, rather than raising it all at once when long distance competition is allowed into the NWT?
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Antoine.
Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know the reasons why. I do not know the complete details of the package different companies are bringing forward. I will endeavour to look into that and try to get more specific on exactly what their reasoning is for the honourable Member. Thank you.
Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister also indicated that at the last hearings they recommended that the CRTC introduce subsidies for areas like the Northwest Territories where costs of providing services are high. Could the Minister indicate from whom would the subsidies come?
Supplementary To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Antoine.
Further Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 857
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, NorthwesTel previously was subsidizing the local phone rates for long distance. The subsidy would be done by the phone
companies that will be continuing to provide those services. If NorthwesTel is going to be providing those services, the subsidies would be handled internally from within the company. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister had indicated that subsidies would be from competing companies, including companies from the south. Could the Minister indicate what would be the consequence if there are no subsidies involved in the CRTC's decision? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Antoine.
Further Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I assume that if presentations to the CRTC during their hearings across the country in the north, starting in May, are is not taken into account, mainly the position that we will be moving forward is, urging them to seriously consider looking at the north. The cost of doing business in the north and using the telephone is very high and they should seriously consider having a subsidy system in their works. If that is not taken into consideration, the worst case scenario is, the telephone rates will be a lot higher than what we have today. NorthwesTel has been directed to increase local rates by $4 effective August, 1998, and $6 effective August, 1999. This is after the hearings take place. There is already direction by the CRTC for NorthwesTel to increase their rates. I assume that would remain in place. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.
Supplementary To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the CRTC does not include subsidies in its decision, will outside competition be contributing anything at all to the phone system which is currently operating in the north, so people can actually have phones in their homes?
Supplementary To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Antoine.
Further Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know at this point in time. Again, there are going to be public hearings and we are going to be making a very aggressive effort in trying to have subsidies to help northerners. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Question 349-13(5): Northwestel Rate Increase
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.
Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Justice and it is with regard to a division related issue which is the statutes revision. About a year ago, when a detailed process, such as this, was undertaken, the decision was made by the department to use in-house staff to take on this task, as opposed to bringing in somebody specifically detailed to do that job. From what I am hearing, this has become a full-time occupation for some of your senior people. A lot of the other legislation needs to be updated and will not get addressed because there is not time. What we will be doing is marrying inadequate, old and out of date legislation in the west marrying in the east because of the fact we do not have time. Could the Minister indicate whether this process is on time? Thank you.
Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Minister of Justice, Mr. Arlooktoo.
Return To Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Goo Arlooktoo Baffin South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The statute revision project we started as a new Assembly in May of 1996, involved several things. One is to consolidate and ensure that the laws and statutes were in place for both the Nunavut Territory and the Western Territory. Also, at the same time, deal with the French translations of both sides and the Inuktitut translations for the Nunavut side. The federal government did provide more than a million dollars of funding to do this project.
I am informed that the work is in progress and the Member is correct, it is a massive task that will require many hours of work for our staff. At what stage it is at now, I will be asking for a briefing from the department very soon so that I will be able to tell the Member exactly what stage it is at now. Thank you.
Return To Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.
Supplementary To Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Question 350-13(5): Statute Revision Process
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 858
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister, as well, elaborate on the fact that initially we were under the understanding that this could be done part-time by your senior people? Now in fact, it is a massive job. His department was supposed to be able to do all the other attendant work as well as do this and not miss a step, so that there would be a seamless transition. Could the Minister indicate whether, in fact, this is still going to be possible? Thank you.