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.

Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the situation with Royal Oak, and specifically the concern for us here in the Northwest Territories is two holdings of Royal Oak, which are the Giant Mine and the Colomac Mine, specifically more the Giant Mine here. There is going to be a decision, I understand, on Friday. The judge that is reviewing this has given until Friday for a decision. I understand that the judge has asked Trilon, the financier, and the noteholders to come to court on Friday with a more detailed restructuring plan for Giant Mine. This is what we understand to be. At the present time, we have to wait and see what we are doing.

What we are doing as a government is, we had a briefing from DIAND on this issue to indicate to us the seriousness of this situation here in regard to Yellowknife. We, as a government, would like to ensure that we protect the economic viability of this mine and we also want to ensure that the environmental issues are adequately dealt with, both in the short term as well as the long term. Our officials have been meeting with the officials of the federal government, the City of Yellowknife, as well as the Northwest Territories Power Corporation over the weekend to monitor developments as they occur. In addition, Minister Kakfwi has been in Ottawa. He had a meeting with the Honourable Jane Stewart, the Minister responsible for Indian and Northern Affairs. At this present time, since we have indication that there will be a decision made by the judge on Friday, we are in a wait and see mode right now. Thank you.

Return To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Supplementary To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear that the government has basically indicated that they are trying to keep the mine open and alive and protect the jobs involved, but we also know that, I do not know how much, but there is an awful lot of arsenic under that mine. I am wondering, is there currently a plan to deal with all that arsenic? From what I understand, there could be up to 100 to 150 jobs for 20 years if this government perhaps, and the federal government got together and instituted a plan to neutralize the arsenic and to perhaps sell it as a commodity. Is there a plan to deal with this arsenic? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the meeting that the Honourable Mr. Kakfwi had with Minister Jane Stewart, there was an agreement to work jointly with DIAND and the other stakeholders to ensure that the environmental and economic interests are reflected in future decisions. As a result of the meeting yesterday, there is agreement that we have to work together to look at what the future holds for us. Again, I have to say that on Friday when the judge will finally make a decision on what to do with Royal Oak, and subsequently with Giant Mine, we would know at that time what course of action to take.

In the meantime, there is a spirit of co-operation to work together. In regard to the amount of potential environment hazards that are there in the mines with the arsenic, there are studies that indicate there is $250 million worth of work to be done in there. DIAND has indicated that they would like to study it, but we know how DIAND studies things, so we would like to get some action right away ourselves. We do not know what is there. The suggestion of Minister Stewart, which we agree with, is that a meeting of arsenic experts should be held to provide both levels of government and other stakeholders with their advice. There is some movement in that direction.

In regard to the amount of jobs there may be for cleaning up this environmental hazard that is there, our figures are substantially less than what the honourable Member is indicating. He is saying that there might be 150 jobs for 20 years, our figures are substantially less than that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Premier indicate if there is any immediate danger to wildlife and people living in this area from the arsenic that has accumulated there?

Supplementary To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 176

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the federal department of DIAND is monitoring the situation and

we take the information that they give us. From the information, there is no immediate danger for the contaminants to leak into the environment as long as they have power provided to the mine and they have the pumps working to keep the ground water out of the shaft where the arsenic is, from what we understand. Even if the court decision on Friday is for Giant to go into receivership, we understand that DIAND's plan of action is to immediately get into a care and maintenance mode, which is that they will keep the power going so that the pumps will keep on pumping the ground water out. As far as a response to the honourable Member, we are told that there is no immediate danger to the environment. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Question 62-13(7): Support For Giant Mine
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

April 12th, 1999

Page 177

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Transportation. It is in regard to a priority of this government, which is to ensure that transportation programs and services are delivered in a manner that maximizes local and territorial training, employment and business opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, I have a concern, especially coming from a small riding where a lot of contracts are going to companies in the larger centres, yet we have a high unemployment rate in a lot of our small communities where we are looking at 80, in some cases 85 percent unemployment. A lot of these contracts are being let go, yet the people in the communities are still having problems getting work, especially when these opportunities come about. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is, what is the Minister and his department doing to ensure that there are maximum employment opportunities to local communities when they do offer contracts and services for those particular communities or surrounding those particular communities?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows, this government has policies, such as the Business Incentive Policy, which offers opportunities for employment in small communities through the large contractors. Also, there is opportunity for firms from the small communities to request negotiated contracts with the government. If the government receives such a request they would consider it, and it would probably take a preference to public tender. Again, it would depend on the negotiated contract being approved by Cabinet.

However, the point here is that there are opportunities or the intent is to allow for opportunities for local employment by larger contractors, and also to share the contract work with the smaller firms in the communities. I believe that is the intent of the Business Incentive Policy. The government does have a process in place which monitors the larger contractors to assure that some of these benefits do pass on to the small communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The intention is great, but I think we have to put it into practice. There are several contracts that have gone out in my riding in the last couple of weeks in which a majority of those contracts have gone to Inuvik firms, but maximum potential for employment seems to be the operators who come in from Inuvik to do those jobs. Yet, there are a lot of unemployed people in the communities who have class one driver's licences and are not able to get a job. I would like to ask the Minister, what is your department doing to ensure and monitor these contracts to ensure the maximum potential for employment in small communities is there? What are you doing?

Supplementary To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Member is aware that I am very new to this department and I would, at this time, rather than give the Member a wrong answer, I will commit to take the question to the department and get a clear response from the department as to exactly how they intend to monitor the contractors to ensure the northern benefits are available to the community. In particular, the communities where the work is being done, but I must again emphasize the Business Incentive Policy does require monitoring and it is not only the Department of Transportation that does the monitoring, it is RWED as well that monitors the benefits from the Business Incentive Policy. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to also ask the Minister if he can possibly publish a list of all the jobs that have been created from these contracts in local communities so that we can see exactly how this policy is adhered to, and also that it is benefiting local communities?

Supplementary To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 177

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again I am going to have to get back to the Member as to how exactly the department has been monitoring in the past the benefits to the small communities. We could possibly do, the department could do an internal survey as to how many contracts we have actually been going public with versus negotiated contracts and get the numbers in that particular area, and see which ones would in fact show a benefit to that particular community or the communities in the region. Again, I am going to have to get back to the Member with that information.

Further Return To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 178

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 178

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not ask this question just in regard to my region because I believe the economy of the north, especially in the smaller communities, and the riding I represent, depend on this work for employment for the residents of the small communities. I think this is the only real opportunity we have, especially in the Mackenzie Delta region, for employment, is the transportation contracts that we do receive.

I would just like to stress, I think it is important this government monitors to see the social benefits that also come from these contracts to the communities, and I think that it is important that we use 100 percent local employment, also consideration of sub-contractors in a lot of our small communities, and also the labour force that is in our communities where we have high unemployment rates. I think this government should consider posting this information so people can see the benefits that flow from these public contracts.

Supplementary To Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Question 63-13(7): Awarding Of Transportation Contracts
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 178

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.