This is page numbers 187 - 209 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 communities.

Supplementary To Question 74-13(7): Meeting The Needs Of Educators
Question 74-13(7): Meeting The Needs Of Educators
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 203

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 74-13(7): Meeting The Needs Of Educators
Question 74-13(7): Meeting The Needs Of Educators
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 203

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not think there is necessarily anything wrong with fundraising. I also know that most DECs, in fact all DECs are running a surplus of one magnitude or another, anywhere from about five percent up to ten or so. I think fundraising is going to be part of the culture here. I do not think it should be used to try to fund core programs or to offset wages or whatever, but I think it is a way of life. The community I live in for sure, everybody fundraises for one thing or another and schools, in Fort Smith for instance, the French Club fundraised to go to Quebec. They got some assistance, but they raised a lot through their own hard work. I think that promotes a lot of positive attributes in young people and it makes the community work together as well. I will commit to ensure that fundraising is not used to replace core funding, but I do not think we should dismiss it out of hand as a sign of a system that is in terrible distress. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 74-13(7): Meeting The Needs Of Educators
Question 74-13(7): Meeting The Needs Of Educators
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 203

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are also for the Minister of Education Culture and Employment. The other day, I happened to hear the Minister indicating that there was not any new money to be put into implementing the recommendations from the report that my two colleagues have been questioning him about from the minister's forum and that he indicated that he felt that there were areas where we could be more efficient in implementing our current programs and services. I was wondering if the Minister has had an opportunity to identify any areas to become more efficient so far? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated earlier, the departmental staff has been working since last week on pulling out the recommendations looking for possible efficiencies. I am not in the position at this point to give the Member any specific examples of where I think money could be saved or reallocated, barring of course another very mild winter for continued lower use of income support or student financial assistance, which is where we were able to move money from last year. At this point, I am still looking and I intend to report back. I have written to the committee about the possibility of, at their convenience, meeting to discuss the issues to get feedback.

I would also like to point out that we have just spent months on this budget process and I would appreciate all the help I could get from my colleagues on the Social Programs Committee in terms of trying to identify any movement we can find in terms of being able to reallocate budget resources. Thank you.

Return To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am assuming that in the course of looking for inefficiencies, if there are any, that perhaps the Minister and his staff would also find areas where we have inefficient staff. Otherwise, there would not be inefficient use of money. What would the Minister propose to do with those types of situations with inefficient staff as well as inefficient situations? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is somewhat of a hypothetical situation anticipating what may or may not be found out of the efforts to look at organizational efficiency. Like any corporation, this government has processes in place to deal with what the Member called inefficient staff. Should that situation arise or that type of situation be identified, we will look at each case very carefully on an individual basis. At this point, I do not think it would be appropriate to comment any further. It is a hypothetical situation anticipating something that may or may not be proven out. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister indicate how he will be responding to the House? The way he is going to move into some type of a report that we can debate in the Committee of the Whole, or how will he be doing this?

Supplementary To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my intention to move with all speed to implement the process that I have laid out over the last couple of days in terms of consulting with the four Members and the DEAs and DECs, pulling the work to the table that the departmental staff have been labouring at over the last couple of days in coming up with specifics on the nonmonetary issues we have gone over; and I would be more than happy to share with this House and the committees in addition to the outcome of the strategic plan, which will deal with the longer term issues and direction of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Question 75-13(7): Implementing Education Efficiencies
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

April 18th, 1999

Page 204

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier regarding the social and economic viability of the smaller communities, especially where we have high unemployment, high number of people on social assistance, income support. I would like to ask the Minister exactly what this government is doing to encourage his departments to try and assist those communities by whatever economic opportunity comes along such as government contracts, either sole source, negotiated, or basically publicly tendered to ensure that the maximum benefit of public funds being spent on these projects are used to its maximum in our smaller communities? I do not say this lightly because I feel there are a lot of young people out there who want that opportunity to work, but do not feel comfortable when they see people from outlying communities or the larger centres coming into the ridings like the Mackenzie Delta, the one I represent.

I would like to ask the Premier, what is he doing to encourage his cabinet colleagues and other deputy ministers to ensure that they get the maximum benefit to our smaller communities to generate jobs and also help stimulate the smaller community economies?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the record of this government shows that there are contracts that are going into the smaller communities in terms of sole sourcing, in terms of negotiated contracts. In some instances, there are public tendering processes that are in place. However, the intention here is that, through the history, if you go back as far as the history of this government and over the last few years, quite a majority of the contracts, the work that this government has, goes into the communities, and we try to make some arrangements with the communities to make sure that as much money stays in the small communities as we can.

There are situations today particularly, Mr. Speaker, with regard to, in your riding, there are arrangements through land claims agreements, are there. We are talking specifically of the economic measures and the Gwich'in Land Claim Settlement that is there. However, the interpretation of it still has to be worked out between this government, the federal government, the Gwich'in, and the chiefs. Once we have that interpretation that all parties understand, then it will be clear on how to deal with these issues at that time. Thank you.

Return To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary. Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 204

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hope this is not a holdback to any opportunities that come from my riding. There are other groups within my constituency besides land claims organizations. There are individual contractors, band development corporations which follow through from the

Indian Act, it does not have anything to do with land claim agreements.

Mr. Speaker, it is awfully hard to tell someone who has been in a family business for some 40 or 50 years in which they are having problems just to make payroll or keep their businesses in operation. Simple projects such as labour contracts, slashing willows along the road or basically even a contract to paint a ferry. It seems like these contracts, for common sense purposes, should automatically be given to those people who do not have the skills as operators on trucks or cat operators, but who have common bush skills and are able to deal with the bush environment and work in that environment, yet it seems like even those contracts are being taken away from our small communities. Again, can the Minister tell me, is that the reason why a lot of these contracts are being held up in our communities is because of this uncertainty on land claim agreements?

Supplementary To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 205

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 205

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no holdback to these communities. It certainly will help to clear up the interpretation of Chapter 10, economic measures in the Gwich'in Land Claims Agreement, particularly as it encompasses the communities that the honourable member represents. It certainly would help to go a long way in how this government and the Gwich'in Tribal Council and the people they represent, on how this economic measures chapter would be interpreted. It will go a long ways to clarifying this uncertainty here, but there are different interpretations from different people in the different communities saying that this chapter means this or means that. On the government side, we are trying to accommodate as best we can with the type of policies we have once the contracts come out. I think we have accommodated the best we can, under the circumstances.

As the honourable Member asked, what I am doing as Premier to work with the Members of the Cabinet in dealing with this issue, this is a new Cabinet, these are new Members on Cabinet who are responsible in certain areas in dealing with contracts. This issue has come up, and we are aware that there are concerns that are coming from different sectors of the communities and we are aware that the interpretation of Chapter 10 should be done as soon as we can. We are willing to move on it as fast as we can so that we all know what it means. However, in the meantime, we will continue to work with the honourable Member and different Members of the community to try to look at the different cases as they come. We will see how we could move forward from here. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 205

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 205

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it is great that we are trying to work these things out with Chapter 10, but the problems extend further than Chapter 10. It is the local band members in the communities and the band corporations which are established under the Indian Act that are having the problem of getting these contracts. I believe, right now, the relationship between this government, the Department of Transportation, and the chief and the band council is probably at its all-time low where there is not much trust or faith being put into this government, when they try to take away economic opportunities, what little there is, for band corporations to get involved with. I would like to ask the Minister what is he doing to improve the relationship between the communities, band corporations and band councils in regard to contracts with this government?

Supplementary To Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Question 76-13(7): Economic Viability Of Small Communities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 205

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.