Thank you. Mr. Antoine.
Debates of Feb. 25th, 1998
Topics
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
The Chair John Ningark
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We do not know how much the work at the Yellowknife airport is going to be to do the plan. We are still waiting for a proposal. We are estimating in between $50,000 and $100,000. Just for clarification on that $17.089 million, the largest part of it is contract services at about $11.69 million for contracts for services that we have at the airports. There are utilities of $2.6 million, materials that have to be purchased for the airports, like gravel and so forth, is $1.233 million. Then you have travel and transport, $737,000, purchasing services, $327,000 and so forth. Fees and payments and other expenses are minor, but the majority of this $17 million is coming from the contract services. Thank you.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Roland. On the list under airports, is there any Member who has not spoken yet on airports who wishes to speak? If not, I recognize Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, regarding the report from the resource committee. The committee was concerned regarding the transfer of airports in the Keewatin region, especially regarding the transfer in the Keewatin of which this is a pilot project. The Members are interested in exactly what the outcome of this community empowerment initiative is. Could the Minister update us on exactly what the status of this pilot project is today regarding airports?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
The Chair John Ningark
Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The initiative, that the honourable Member is referring to, is the airport transfers and community empowerment in the Keewatin. The department is proposing to transfer the ownership and responsibility for the development of operations and maintenance of the airports to the individual communities who have an interest and demonstrated their capabilities and the capacity to assume the responsibility. The department has no discussions under way that would propose to transfer airports to regional entities at this time. The transfer of airports to communities has been stated the objective of the GNWT since 1974. It is only since 1991, when airports were transferred from the federal to territorial government, that the transfer to communities was possible. We have been working with the interested communities toward agreements to transfer these airports and consistent with the community empowerment initiatives. We have involved communities in development operations and maintenance of the airports for 20 years now. The department has noticed significant additional effort and incurred virtually no new costs to bring in the possibility of community ownership to airports closer. Discussions about the airport transferred to local authorities have begun in all regions, except Baffin where no community has as yet shown interest. We will be pleased to provide more discussions with the community.
Negotiations on the Keewatin airport transfer have proceeded well, but there are still a number of issues that have to be resolved. The department and municipalities hope to come to an agreement fairly soon, before April 1, 1998. This may now be delayed somewhat pending resolution of some of the outstanding issues. Safety is one of the main concerns that we have, orderly transfer, capacity building. We hope that the remaining issues can be discussed with a community representative that has been going on. We had hoped to have discussed with some of the communities, with the workshop that just took place in Rankin Inlet. We would like to continue to try to reach an agreement with respect to some of the outstanding issues that I just mentioned. Thank you.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Airports. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The big concern in regard to the committee was the whole safety factor and also the responsibility we did take on when we did agree to transfer airport authority from the federal government to the Government of the Northwest Territories and living up to those obligations we have with the federal government with the transfer of airports to this government. Those were the areas we had concerns on. With that, I would just like to ask the Minister if he can continue to keep the committee informed on whatever the results of this initiative are. Thank you.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Mr. Chairman, we will keep the committee informed about the progress of this initiative. Thank you.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1137
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. We are considering 1998-99 main estimates. Transportation, on page 10-7, activity summary, airport, operations and maintenance, total operations
and maintenance, $24.975 million. Agreed?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Page 10-8, detail capital, airports, building and works, headquarters, total region, $416,000. Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the airport planning studies, is there any possibility that through those funds, they can also take into account the Tsiigehtchic request to consider looking at an airport with the money that is identified in the budget?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Headquarters. Mr. Minister.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
Thank you. The airport planning studies are for that. We look at different airports and once we do decide, after the meeting in Tsiigehtchic that it is worth looking at then this is a possible place to find funding to do some planning. Thank you.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. I believe that is identified under the $100,000 various, territorial, total region, $416,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Buildings and works, Fort Smith region, total region, $90,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Building and works, Baffin region, total region, $3.242 million. Agreed?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Building and works, Keewatin region, total region, $885,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 28-13(5): Recommendation To Provide Fair And Equitable Access To Compassionate Travel
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1138
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Next page, building and works, Kitikmeot, total region, $1.487 million. Agreed? Mr. Steen.