Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent, with some questions my colleague, Mr. Erasmus, was asking today regarding employment opportunities for aboriginal people in the Sirius Diamonds Agreement and Mr. Dent's department. My question to the Minister is, were there any employment expectations put on the funding agreement between Sirius Diamonds and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
In the Legislative Assembly on March 29th, 1999. See this topic in context.
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
March 28th, 1999
Page 158
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Dent.
Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not normally get into the detail of agreements for training-on-the- job programs, so I am not familiar with the terms and conditions of any specific agreement. I would expect there would be a stipulation that trainees must be northerners, but I do not know if the stipulation goes beyond that. I will have to look into the matter and get back to the Members on that issue.
Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.
Supplementary To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I accept the Minister, of course, would not get into the details, but there are some fundamental things that I think the Minister should be aware of and if he is not, I would suggest that it is important to be aware of them. This government had an agreement with BHP Diamonds, who we gave no money to. There were conditions put on them regarding the hiring of northerners and aboriginal people. There was money given to Sirius Diamonds and my question, is the government being consistent in its policies regarding one organization having to employ northerners and aboriginal people and then another one who is getting money from this government with no conditions? That is my reason for asking. Are there no conditions put on funding to organizations having to employ northerners or aboriginal people or both, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have stated previously, I do not know whether or not there is that stipulation on training on the job contracts. I would doubt that there is. I should point out that in our agreement with BHP, it is a voluntary agreement. It is not one that we can enforce and we are in the same situation with other employers. I have no doubt this government and my department encouraged Sirius Diamonds to do their utmost to employ northern aboriginal people, as well as other northerners, because this government does want to see a representative workforce. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.
Supplementary To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a final question to the Minister. Will the Minister make available to the Members of this Legislature a copy of the agreement between Sirius Diamonds and the Government of the Northwest Territories so we can compare if the government is being consistent with their requirements of industry? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 158
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 159
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not certain those contracts are public documents. I will have to look into that. In any case, since it is a contract between a private company it may not be entirely open for perusal, but there may be some way which we could black out certain portions of the contract to allow Members access to it. We will see whether or not that can be done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 159
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Henry.
Supplementary To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 159
Seamus Henry Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was finished until the Minister gave me his response. Mr. Speaker, the agreement between BHP Diamonds and this government is available to Members of this House. My question again to the Minister is, the document between Sirius Diamonds and the Government of the Northwest Territories is public money that is spent and I would ask the Minister again, will he make that document available to Members of this House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 159
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent
Further Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 159
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a big difference. One is a contract document, one is not. When this government has a contract, like a lease, the details of those leases are not made public, as Mr. Henry knows. We may or may not be able to make a contract available to Members of this House on the training on the job program, but I will say again, the agreement with BHP is not a contractual one. Thank you, Mr. Speaker
Further Return To Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Question 56-13(7): Aboriginal Employment Opportunities
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 159
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Mr. Krutko