This is page numbers 303 - 319 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 corporation.

Supplementary To Question 113-13(7): Pay Equity
Question 113-13(7): Pay Equity
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 113-13(7): Pay Equity
Question 113-13(7): Pay Equity
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to discuss this with my staff at FMBS, but I would want to be careful that we do not confuse people because we cannot reopen the offer to unionized employees before we have an agreement with Nunavut. There is a bit of a concern here that we do not create some additional confusion when, in fact, we can probably individually contact the people who may be able to participate in a settlement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 113-13(7): Pay Equity
Question 113-13(7): Pay Equity
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier. As I mentioned in my opening statement, today is a Gwich'in holiday and yet, Mr. Speaker, it has been seven years since the Gwich'in have signed their agreement and they have implemented, but yet, Mr. Speaker, there are still a lot of outstanding issues which have not been resolved and a lot of them deal with this government. We talk about the economic measures chapter, we talk about the Northern Accord, of that agreement, and I also mentioned programs and services that organization is trying to implement on behalf of their membership especially in regard to the Tl'oondih Healing Society. Yet, Mr. Speaker, it has been seven years, but these issues are still outstanding. I would like to ask the Premier in his role as Premier and knowing that these issues are out there, what can he do as a Premier to ensure that the Gwich'in issues are going to be addressed in a process that will not take seven years to complete?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Gwich'in final agreement came into effect on December 22, 1992. There are processes that are in place to implement this agreement. It is a three part agreement, the Government of Canada as well as the Gwich'in and the GNWT are party to signatories to this final agreement. There a number of boards that have been established. The Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act finally came into being December 22, 1998, last year. Things are progressing along, it is not that nothing is happening. There are a lot of things going on.

Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that there is an implementation committee established as part of the land claim agreement but I am talking about programs specific to this government. Mr. Speaker, I moved a motion in this House asking for support from this government to assist in the Tl'oondih Healing Society to ensure they had resources to implement their alcohol and drug program, yet to date nothing has happened with that motion.

Another example, Mr. Speaker, is the question of assisting the aboriginal groups such as the questions raised in this House in regard to the band, the band corporation in Fort McPherson where nothing has been done there again. Mr. Speaker, another issue that I have not seen much progress on is the whole area of the economic chapter that the aboriginal groups feel is the responsibility of this government to carry out when it comes to negotiated contracts, sole source contracts and what activities take place in the Gwich'in settlement region. I would like to ask the Premier exactly what is this government doing to ensure that we improve the working relationship between the aboriginal organizations, especially the Gwich'in Tribal Council to carry out our responsibilities on programs and services this government delivers, to ensure we do not end it up in arbitration like the case of the Tetlit'zheh Construction, who is now in arbitration, who may have to go bankrupt because of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister tell me why are these issues all out there and nothing is happening with it?

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Again, to remind the Members to keep once you have done your preamble, there is a focus on the supplementary regarding that preamble. In this case it was the Gwich'in agreement. I also would like to remind the Members that once you have established your preamble you can ask three supplementaries regarding that preamble. There is no need to carry on the preambles every time you ask a question and I would caution the Members because this is going on. I will remind the Members as to what is your supplementary and not to carry on with preambles every time you ask a question that is focused on one area. Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in continuing to reply to the honourable Member on the implementation of the Gwich'in final agreement, especially on the economic measures, that was the original question I understand from the Member's statement as well. The economic measures, for the honourable Member, is that the Gwich'in final agreement obligates the government to meet with the Gwich'in Tribal Council not less than once every three years to review the effectiveness of the program relating to the objectives of chapter 10. Since the Sahtu final agreement has the same provision of the economic measures, a meeting between the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada officials was held on November 4, 1998, last fall. The Government of the Northwest Territories was represented by the ministry officials and regional superintendents and staff of the Departments of RWED, Education, Culture and Employment, Public Works and Services, Transportation, and the Housing Corporation. One of the recommendations from that meeting was that the implementation committee consider creating an economic measures working group to review the economic measures provisions in the Gwich'in final agreement as well as the Sahtu final Agreement. A meeting of the working group was held here at the end of March to carry on with this agreement on the economic measures, so we need all the three parties to come to an agreement on the interpretation of the economic measures of chapter 10 of the Gwich'in final agreement. This is what we are all working towards, Mr. Speaker.

In regard to the other programs that the honourable Member mentioned, that motions were in the House in assisting the Tl'oondih Alcohol and Drug, as well as assisting the band corporation in Fort McPherson, nothing has been done about it. He was saying, as well, he mentioned Tetlit'zheh Development Corporation in arbitration, I think I heard that in the last couple of days in the session as well and yes, I understand that the Tetlit'zheh Development Corporation is in arbitration, but it is not in arbitration with the Government of the Northwest Territories. It is in arbitration with the Beaufort Delta Divisional Board. This is what I understand. We have to get it clear once questions are asked is that, sure there are programs there and there are provisions in the Gwich'in Final Agreement that set out how to review the final agreement and the different chapters, and I think we are working with the Gwich'in Tribal Council and the Government of Canada to try to make sure we comply with the provisions of the Gwich'in final agreement. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Premier tell me, is there an avenue an organization, such as the Gwich'in Tribal Council, I will use an example, where the Tl'oondih Healing Society is the responsibility of this government who funds agencies, such as the Beaufort Divisional Health Board in Inuvik, which seems to be where the problem lies. There is no appeal process for that organization. They do not feel they are making progress in a certain area. Is there a way they can bring it to another level, say yourself as Premier? I hear a lot of questions in this House where it seemed to be handed back to the regions or education board, the health board. But the problem lies with the government and the aboriginal organizations working together to resolve their differences. I think there has to be some mechanism to deal with that, so can the Premier tell me if there is such an appeal process in place where they can go directly to, say, the Premier instead of having to deal with these agencies of the government?

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the honourable Member is asking if there is an avenue to approach this government if there is no success in the approach of the Tl'oondih Healing Centre applying for funding to this government, and if there is no funding available through the regular process, through health and social services, where can

they appeal? I guess the answer is there is no place where we can appeal. The way this government works, each department is funded a certain amount of dollars through the budgeting process and we have only so many dollars to operate on. This is what was in place previous years, and this is the way we are going to continue until the end of the life of this government, is to carry on with the way we have been allocating the budget to each department. The department then decides how to allocate their own budget. This is the route that has been there and we will continue to use it. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that is exactly the problem with the way the relationship between aboriginal organizations and this government is. They are not recognized on the same footing as a government. We talk about aboriginal groups being recognized as aboriginal governments. I think it is critical they be treated like aboriginal governments, and not treated like every other individual in society. We have to ensure that we make that extra effort to improve the working relationship between this government and aboriginal organizations. We talk about the problems that we have as MLAs dealing with our constituents...

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Krutko, would you please ask your supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to my supplementary, I would like to ask the Premier, is there anything happening within this government to find an avenue to improve the working relationship between aboriginal governments and this government so that they are treated differently then they are treated today? I believe we have to find a way to resolve that difference.

Supplementary To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think every time we meet with community leaders, chiefs, regional leaders, and tribal council leaders of the aboriginal people, I think we take one step towards having a better understanding between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the aboriginal leaders.

There is an agenda for the new western territories that we have been pushing for sometime now that clearly lays out what this government is facing within the big picture area of getting governance right. We want to make sure the governance is right there, and we are working on the land claims in the Beaufort Delta. It includes the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit in the Delta. We are dealing with Deline and the Sahtu. We are dealing with the Dogrib on land claims and self-government arrangements, so we are trying to get governance right. Every time we meet with them, for example, we just had a meeting with Grand Chief Joe Rabesca and the chiefs of the Dogrib yesterday to continue a working relationship there. As well, we met with the chiefs when the chiefs had a meeting here. We had a very good meeting and a lot of good questions. We continue to meet with different leaders in the Aboriginal Summit. There is going to be a conference call later on today I will be attending with the Aboriginal Summit leaders.

We are working towards some kind of a political protocol, or a political accord with the aboriginal leaders of the Northwest Territories. There is a plan of having an intergovernmental forum sometime later on in the next few months that will include all of the aboriginal leaders, the government, different business people in the north, and different prominent leaders in the north. Then there is economic strategy that Mr. Kakfwi is responsible for that will include discussion. The Northern Accord or devolution that we have been talking about is part of the Agenda for the New North that has to have partnership arrangements if aboriginal government is going to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, there are lots of avenues in which this government is attempting to communicate or work very closely with the aboriginal leaders. There are differences of opinion in some areas on specific things that are understandable, that is the way things are, but overall, I think there is a very good working relationship and I think what we are doing with the agenda is to lay everything on the table so that everybody knows what it is that we are working with. I think that is the big step that we are taking in trying to have a better working relationship with the aboriginal people in the north. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 114-13(7): Implementation Of Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement
Item 6: Oral Questions
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for MACA, my honourable colleague, Mr. Steen. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in this House in committee of the whole the MACA budget was presented and was passed. There was some information that the Minister's officials provided at that forum and I had the opportunity to check some of those figures and I am a little confused. I was wondering if the Minister could help me with some figures from his budget of last year. I believe it is important when we consider the calls from the teachers and from nurses in all the communities about underfunding and I just want to be sure that the funding is provided on an actual basis. My question to the Minister is, could he provide to me the amount of money that was provided to the NWT Association of Municipalities for the last fiscal year ending March 31st? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. The Member for Yellowknife South is seeking information that is in the committee proceedings and I must rule the question out of order since you are seeking information about a proceeding in a committee which has not yet been reported to the House and you did make reference to the committee. Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have to redirect my question now to the Premier. Mr. Premier, do you have any written instructions, or do you have any mutual agreement with

your Cabinet Ministers that they should be in question period when question period is on? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.