This is page numbers 171 - 185 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th 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 work.

Supplementary To Question 65-13(7): Housing Program Delivery In Nunavut
Question 65-13(7): Housing Program Delivery In Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 65-13(7): Housing Program Delivery In Nunavut
Question 65-13(7): Housing Program Delivery In Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree that it is very important that we do support our northern manufacturers. The department and this government has done that for quite some time. I will commit to the Member that I will go back with the department to get more information as to the specifics of the communication plan, how far it is along and what we can try and do to help existing manufacturers stay in business. As well, the manufacturers need to go out and market their expertise and their products in a more aggressive manner. The Housing Corporation can only do so much. As I said earlier, the Nunavut government is directing their own staff as to how they would see things done and I guess as well they would be looking at what premium they would pay on products they are willing to purchase. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 65-13(7): Housing Program Delivery In Nunavut
Question 65-13(7): Housing Program Delivery In Nunavut
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier on his statement today, Report on Cabinet Planning Session at Cli Lake. On the bottom paragraph on the first page, "Mr. Speaker, the Agenda for the New North is comprised of five interrelated components. They are governance, fiscal capacity, building our economic potential, sharing control of northern resources and improving social conditions." Out of those five, I know they are all interrelated, Mr. Speaker, but when government does look at all five as individual components, does one not keep repeating itself? Does one not keep surfacing in every component, is governance interrelated to all others more so than the others? Is governance the most important thing for the new Western Territory, getting that right, governance right? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true, the Agenda for the New North is based on five different components. Yes, governance is a key link that is necessary to make the other components work. I think there are linkages in all the different components that more or less are equal in there. Yes, governance is one of the key elements in this whole agenda. Thank you.

Return To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this day and age where we hear a lot and we talk a lot about self-government and the inherent right of aboriginal governments to govern themselves, is the government at this time, the Government of the Northwest Territories, working on any policy changes or working on any policy change of instructions to their self-government negotiators or just general policy change in the government, how they view western governance and how they view aboriginal self-government? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine. Two questions.

Further Return To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government along with the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs who have the responsibility for negotiating with the federal government and the aboriginal nations, we have changed our policy last September and as a result of that we have stated our preference that the negotiations explore and find ways for people at the community and regional level to decide upon, design, develop and deliver programs and services together. I have asked the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and have directed my officials to develop specific negotiating policies and mandates based on this government's new approach. We initiated the approach last September and we are continuing on with that approach. We are negotiating at different tables, but at the same time we have changed the policy, so as we negotiate we are giving new instructions to the negotiators based on the direction we started last September. It is a top priority for us. The work is ongoing, Mr. Speaker, since last Fall.

The Cabinet reviews the development of the negotiating mandates at the critical junctures as we develop them and as we come to a point in time when we need to review it, we do it. In this way the Cabinet provides further directions for the completion of this work. What we started last September, we are continuing with it and as we are negotiating. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, for one, would be very interested in getting copies of the new policy and whatever is developed through Aboriginal Affairs. I also know, Mr. Speaker, that I have heard many times, this government, as well as many Members in this Legislative Assembly and other northern people say that they would prefer to work together in partnership. Also, Mr. Speaker, does this government recognize the inherent right of aboriginal people to choose, to make their own choice, whether they work in partnership with this government or whether they choose to work in a parallel system? Does this government recognize that aboriginal people have the inherent right to work through a parallel system of government directly with Ottawa? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, yes, the Government of the Northwest Territories, when we did make the change to the policy last September, one of the questions was that if we do believe in the inherent right of the aboriginal people to govern themselves, we cannot really put any conditions on how they should develop this whole self-government policy. Yes, we have changed the policy to reflect that there may be some aboriginal nations up here that may prefer a parallel system. It is there in the policy as we developed it. Again, I think we have developed a new and flexible approach to implementing self-government here, Mr. Speaker. There are key features in there to this approach that we think that as we develop them, I think they will be quite acceptable to the first nations that we are dealing with. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Question 66-13(7): Agenda For The New North
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Honourable Mr. Steen, Minister of Public Works and Services. I learned this morning that the department has been conducting an investigation on the Lahm Ridge Tower lease and apparently this has taken place over the last several months, and the department did its own investigation and then hired a firm to do further investigation. I understand that an interim report is available or a draft report has been done. I wonder if the Minister could tell us if this report will be made available to the public?

Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Can I ask the Member for Yellowknife Centre if you can rephrase your question and keep the media out of it? There are continued discussions on the Lahm Ridge Tower, so perhaps maybe just an update, or rather than...you cannot ask questions based on media reports. Mr. Ootes.

Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if the Minister could tell us if the department is doing a review of how the department does its business to ensure that proper checks and balances are placed in awarding contracts?

Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department is doing a review on the report put out by the Conflict of Interest Commissioner as it applies to department staff. I believe previous Ministers of Public Works committed to having this review done in relation to the Conflict of Interest Commissioner's report and the contents of the report. Based on that commitment, the department did commit to an internal review of the facts as they apply to department staff. We did undertake the review, at this point in time the department does not have a report. I do not have a report. It was supposed to have been completed by March 31st and I understand that I may be receiving a report early next week. Thank you.

Return To Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Supplementary To Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister tell us will he be distributing this report or is it strictly an internal report?

Supplementary To Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whether I distribute the report to the Members will depend on the contents of the report. If there are certain things that would not be beneficial or that I would not be allowed as the Minister to make available that are applicable to my employees or government employees, I could not table the report. If in consultation with the Cabinet Members we agree that it can be released, at that time I would consider either tabling it or making it available to Members.

Further Return To Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Question 67-13(7): Lahm Ridge Review
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.