Debates of April 21st, 1999

This is page numbers 241 - 272 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 chairman.

Topics

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Preparing Northerners For Work
Recruitment And Retention Strategy
Tuktoyaktuk Hamlet Council Invitation
GNWT Support For Small Business
Member's Statement 108-13(07): Recruitment And Retention Of Teachers
Member's Statement 109-13(07): Long Services Awards To Hay River Teachers
Territorial Youth Legislative Assembly
History Of Fort Resolution And The North
Recognition Of Two Outstanding Constituents
Return To Oral Question 58-13(7): Diamond Training Programs
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Grade Extensions In Small Communities
Policies To Assist Small Business
Recruitment And Retention Of Teachers
Education Conditions In The Nwt
Veracity Of Budget Statement
Grade Extension Policy
School Extension Programs
Fort Resolution Sawmill Industry
Speed Limit On Highways
Meeting Education Demands
Employing Special Needs Assistants
Budge Reply 2-13(7)
Tabled Document 30-13(7): Great Slave Lake Forestry Report And Business Plan, March 1999
Support For Ms. Roberta Vaneltsi
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 23: Orders Of The Day

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I certainly respect the Minister's comments of pick the fights and pick the fights that we can win. There is no question that that is the way to approach it. I will take that advice to heart, certainly that the Minister may very well have a very good point in that.

On another matter, Mr. Chairman, yesterday the Minister was kind enough to give me a letter on the Aurora Fund and it is very explanatory. First of all, it is good information and I am very appreciative and I am very glad to see the Minister respond quickly to this issue. I appreciate the more open approach and the attitude towards it. It really helps us because it had been a bit of a question how much information could be supplied. I think the Minister is working on that. Could the Minister tell me, the letter that he has supplied, is that available for me to distribute to the other Members?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member is welcome to distribute that letter to other Members. For that matter, if this committee would like, I would be happy to have copies prepared by my office and sent to all Members of the committee.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. That would be appreciated by all Members. Mr. Ootes.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, I just have only two or three quick questions left on the Aurora Fund. Could the Minister tell us, I believe there is an investment advisor and fund manager. Is he paid a commission on the total amount of the money raised or the total amount of money loaned?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, could I ask that Mr. Voytilla answer this question as it is a little more detailed than my understanding right now?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Voytilla.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Voytilla

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The way that the fund manager is enumerated is laid out in the operating memorandums. Both funds, of course, had very detailed operating memorandums associated with them. They had to receive the federal government's approval. Those lay out the percentages that are paid to the fund managers for the functions they perform.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Voytilla. General comments. Mr. Henry.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions of the liability of this government, which has diminished somewhat on the pay equity issue. I believe the Minister informed the House of an overwhelming number of government employees who were entitled to financial compensation under the pay equity issue that they have paid 80 percent of that out. Could the Minister advise this House as to the amount of the liability that is still the responsibility of the present Government of the Northwest Territories?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We estimate that 80 percent of the dollar value of the liability has been dealt with by the accepted offers.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Henry.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, 80 percent of the money that the GNWT set aside has been accepted by the members of the public service that were entitled under the pay equity. Does the Minister have the numbers or percentages of employees that at least from the government's perspective, have been paid out? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We can provide both to Members of the committee. There is approximately $6 million that is still outstanding, with over $20 million having been accepted by employees.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. General Comments? Mr. Henry.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Still within the pay equity situation, has the department or has the Government of the Northwest Territories dealt with concerns raised by excluded employees and the pay equity issue as it involves them? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we have agreed to offer excluded employees the same offer as was made to unionized employees. There are some employee classifications which still have not been reviewed, so those offers cannot be made as yet. I have been advised that by the end of May, all of the employee classifications will have been reviewed and offers will then be sent to all those excluded employees that have not yet received them.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. General comments? Mr. Henry.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that is very forthright of the government to do that and I congratulate them for that. I think there was some question earlier on that maybe excluded employees would not have been included in this pay equity resolution issue, so I congratulate the Minister and the government for acting on the excluded employees' concerns. Can the Minister tell us if any further action on the part of the Government of Northwest Territories will take place, if any further action will take place on trying to resolve the issue with the outstanding employees who may not have up, until March 31st, accepted the Government of the Northwest Territories offer? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Minister.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we will be attempting to negotiate an agreement with the Government of Nunavut to extend the offer. We are hoping to have an answer within the next ten days or so and then perhaps we will be able to continue the program.