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.

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

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, we are aware of the situations that have come forward. It certainly would be good once we have an approach on behalf of the chief and band council on how they could work together with us. On the other hand, there are different strategies that this government is attempting to do. Like I said, we are a new Cabinet and this is a new Northwest Territories. The Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has the task of working on an economic strategy. The purpose of the economic strategy is to look at what we have here in the Western Territory here in terms of different sectors, on the oil and gas, forestry, tourism, infrastructure we have on the highways, the kind of human resources we have. We look at the whole thing that we have so we know how to approach each one of them. So, perhaps this might be one of the areas in which we could take a comprehensive look. I do not think this situation is unique to the honourable Member's particular riding. There are other constituents in the Western Territory that have a similar type of a problem, that they are overall a tribal corporation and then there are band councils with their own community corporations, and there are individuals within each communities that would want to get into their own private business, and they may, in time, be competing with the band or even the tribal corporations. These things have to be worked out.

Again, I think it is very important to stress that there are different chapters within land claims that have been negotiated on behalf of the whole tribal council. My understanding is that for every member in the whole tribe, these land claims are negotiated and there are chapters that we have agreed on, but the problem there is that the interpretation of these different chapters have not been done. We are willing to move with it, as a government, for some months now and the ball is not in our court. We are waiting so we can move along and try to have a clearer understanding of what it means in terms of economic measures in the land claims agreements for, let us say, the Gwich'in area. 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

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final 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

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that it sounds a little complicated just in regard to what is being

said here. I would like to ask the Premier if he could possibly do an internal review of the department in the Inuvik or Yellowknife offices to see why we are having so many problems in this area in regard to working with these communities and small companies in our communities when it comes to contracting and ensuring the economic viability of our communities? Thank you.

Supplementary 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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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 206

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will work with the respective Ministers to take into account what the honourable Member is saying and we will see if there are any complications or problems in the way the department is conducting its affairs. 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

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The issue of fundraising that we just alluded to and the Minister thought that this was a good thing. Mr. Speaker, I have a very large concern with this. Fundraising for a school trip for something is one thing when it is an extracurricular activity, but when we have to do fundraising in communities to raise money for basics and essentials of a guaranteed education. I will tell you fundraising does exist, it is called taxes. Then it goes into the public purse and then we are responsible for distributing that.

Fundraising and volunteerism, to begin to rely on them as an integral part of your education system is very dangerous and this is why. It is because it does not then guarantee fair and equal access to quality education for all northern students. I can assure you in communities like Hay River and Yellowknife, your pool to access fundraising and volunteers from is much larger than in smaller communities. What is the message this government would be saying if we allow fundraising and volunteers to perform a core part of the delivery of education services in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Return To Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have the information that the Member is talking about in terms of the communities and the amount of money that they are raising for core issues. I can say that the formula that the department uses to allocate money to DECs, DEAs and schools has no room in it for fundraising. It is a fairly complicated formula based on population, per capita and courses that are offered and very clearly it is based on those kinds of needs. The fundraising issue, if the Member has more specific information I would be very happy to look at that and see if, in fact, there are critical problems to the extent that DEAs or DECs have to resort to fundraising to meet core needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 206

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that we need to ensure that there is a standardized and universal access to quality education for northern students, and I believe to start trying to supplement that obligation we have with funds that are raised on a voluntary basis or resources raised on a voluntary basis is very slippery and slow. I would be very hesitant to see this government fall prey to that. I believe that one of the recommendations in the report even suggests that the department should be assisting in helping people arrange for fundraising. I would like the Minister's comments on that. This will be my last question because there are other Members that would like to raise specific issues relative to their communities about fundraising. I just hope that the Minister would agree with me that this would be a very precarious position for the government to take. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 206

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 206

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and this government, in fact, agree wholeheartedly that the right to standardized access and standard of quality of education is fundamental and is something we strive to achieve. The issue of fundraising has been raised by the Members opposite in the context, as they have portrayed it, as being a key part to supplement core funding, is not something that I have been aware of and is of a major issue that yes, if that is in fact the point or do we reach that point where people have to fundraise or communities have to fundraise to keep the schools running as opposed to fund raising for extracurricular activities or special needs that they have identified then yes, I think it would not be in the best interest of the territorial government or the people of the Northwest Territories. The expectation was that they would have to resort to finding extra money in that particular way. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Question 77-13(7): Fundraising By Education Authorities
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

April 18th, 1999

Page 206

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier, and it relates to my Member's statement today. I believe it is fairly obvious from media reports that other Canadian jurisdictions are aggressively pursuing business opportunities in Nunavut. Can the Premier tell me whether his government is considering a trade mission to Nunavut? I would point to trade missions that his predecessor took to the Middle East where there was successful fundraising created for the Aurora Fund. Again, Mr. Speaker, my question to the Premier is, is he considering any trade missions from the business community of the Northwest Territories to introduce

himself to the government and the business community of Nunavut? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have only just been separated for 19 days, and it sounds like the honourable Member already misses Nunavut. Division just happened very recently and, as we know, we are still providing programs and services to Nunavut, so there is still a very close working relationship with the Government of Nunavut. We will be providing the programs and services, as a government, for some time into the future. However, the honourable Member in his Member's statement made reference to the fact that there are architectural firms in this community that were not invited to participate in the public tendering process, I understand in the Member's statement. I think the Member made reference to it. If that is the case, then certainly I think it is a good idea to meet with the Government of Nunavut.

There has already been some discussion with myself and the Cabinet mentioning the fact that we should have some arrangement like a memorandum of understanding of some sort with the Nunavut government. We have that sort of arrangement with other jurisdictions. The Yukon government, for example, the Alberta Government, for example, I think with the Government of Manitoba there was an MOU prior to division. There is a working relationship between different jurisdictions already. This is one possibility of some sort of arrangement rather than a trade mission that we could look at as well. However, I would not mind approaching it by discussion between the Premier of Nunavut as well as the Premier of the Yukon, and see what possibilities there are in terms of a closer working relationship or a continuation of a working relationship between the different companies that are in the Northwest Territories and working in Nunavut. Thank you.

Return To Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Question period is over. I will allow the Member, if he wishes, to conclude his question. Mr. Henry.

Supplementary To Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 207

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not particularly miss Nunavut, but I can assure the Premier that the business community, not only now, but certainly for the past couple of years, has been missing the business opportunities that could be created. I am very serious when I say that I think it is imperative that the Premier take this seriously. There are a lot of businesses that could benefit from the work that is going on in Nunavut and, therefore, the people of the Northwest Territories will benefit from that economic activity. My question to the Premier is, has he planned any other trade missions or is it just a status quo when we sit and wait for people to come in or are there plans for trips to other jurisdictions to promote northern business? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 207

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 207

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I take the concern very seriously. In terms of working with other jurisdictions, we took initiatives to, all the time, whenever we travel down south, make the emphasis that we are open for business in the Northwest Territories and that we have firms that are capable of participating in business in Alberta. As well, we signed an MOU with the Government of Yukon recently to develop a closer working relationship. It is aimed at trying to see how we could work closer together. There are opportunities for businesses from the Northwest Territories participating in other jurisdictions. Certainly, this hopefully will lead to it.

In my comment about talking with the Premier of Nunavut on having a meeting in the future, some of the topics raised would be to see how we could work closely together in Nunavut and maybe continue with the kind of relationship that we have in terms of the business opportunities that are there. This could be a subject of discussion when we are going to be meeting with the Premier of Nunavut.

No, it is not going to be a status quo. We will not be sitting around waiting for people coming to us to see whether we could participate. I think we should take the initiative and say yes, we want to continue to work in Nunavut and that the businesses that are here have the expertise of working in the north. We should try to promote that. That is the intention for us to look at. The division has happened very recently. We are still getting familiar with how things are working. I think we have to continue in that working relationship. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Question 78-13(7): Trade Mission To Nunavut
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Question period is over. Again, another reminder to the Members regarding question period. I have noticed, on several occasions today, that Members are using their final supplementary to ask two questions. That is against the rules. In that case, the question could be disallowed or else we will ask the Minister to answer only one question. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, replies to budget address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of standing and special committees. Item 14, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 15, tabling of documents. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled The Minister's Forum on Education, Final Report, March 1999. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Tabled documents. Item 16, notices of motion. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice on Wednesday, April 21, 1999, I will move the following motion.

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member from Hay River, that the Legislative Assembly supports the efforts of Ms. Roberta Vaneltsi to secure meaningful visits and contacts with her children, Roman and Petra Cerny, including visits to their home in the Northwest Territories.

And further, that the Premier and Executive Council are strongly encouraged to request the federal government to take all possible measures to assist Ms. Vaneltsi in being reunited with her children, including contacting the Government of the Czech Republic in expressing its strong concerns in respect to the fact that the children are being denied the opportunity to visit their mother in Canada and are being denied the right, as aboriginal children, to be exposed in a meaningful fashion to their aboriginal history and culture. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.