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 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 309

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I was asking the question of the Minister, asking a very fundamental question on the change of direction of the NWT Development Corporation yesterday, which this Minister is responsible for, this Minister ultimately is responsible to this House for the NWT Development Corporation. A major shift in their marketing strategy, not a small detail, a major shift in marketing strategy. This Minister, with his amount of experience, should have that information at his fingertips in order to answer the question. That is all I am saying. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 309

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Again, the question has been taken as notice. I will ask the Minister to respond by answering it or taking it as notice or declining to answer by saying it has been taken as notice and he will respond to the Member. Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps there is some confusion about the difference between sales and marketing. Arctic Trading Company is the marketing arm of the Development Corporation. It is not intended to exclusively set up outlets in order to sell a product, it is intended to market it in the best way it can. Arctic Trading Company will continue to operate. The new president and board of the Development Corporation will make a decision in regard to what is the best way for us to market the products that we have now.

The closing of outlets is a business decision. We are losing money. As I understand, the outlets that were closed are in Vancouver and Calgary. There is still one in Toronto, which the Government of Nunavut and ourselves are discussing transferring to them. We will continue to have an outlet provided to us to sell whatever products we have here in the west. There is no major shift in the approach to marketing we have at this time. We will see what the new president and board have to say about it. What I did take, I understood to have taken, as notice yesterday, Mr. Speaker, was the dates in which decisions were made, who made the decisions and on what basis. That I do not have the ability to respond to, so that is what I took as notice. Who is responsible for the decisions, what decisions were made, and on what dates. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin. Final supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the Northwest Territories Development Corporation Act, on the NWT Development Corporation there should be a board of directors for the corporation composed of not fewer than seven and not more than twelve directors appointed by the Commissioner and the Executive Council. The Minister, in responding to two questions, referred to the board of directors of the NWT Development Corporation and I know it would be a breach of the Act if you did not have this minimum of seven. Can the Minister at this time please give me the name, that must be in his knowledge, the names of the seven directors on the NWT Development Corporation. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree that it is necessarily a breach if you are not fully in compliance with an act. Breach is a bit of an over-statement by the Member. There are times when members of boards resign, and there are times when we are unable to comply with our own legislation. These are one of the times. Because of division, a number of board members have left, along with the president, Mr. Soloy. So we now have, at this time, five new members of the board and there are three additional members that are going to be proposed for appointment to the Cabinet in the next week. By the end of next week I hope to be able to have a fully operational board in place to work with the president. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On Nwt Development Corporation
Question 111-13(7): Veracity Of Minister's Statements On NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister had indicated that due to division members had left and it is not really a breach of an act not to have seven members, although it distinctly states in there that you have to have a minimum of seven members on the board. Can the Minister of RWED please indicate when was the last time there was seven members on that board?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 112-13(7): Composition Of Board Of Directors Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 112-13(7): Composition Of Board Of Directors Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to take that question as notice. I am not aware of the number of board members that we have had over the last year and what dates these members had meetings and conducted business. Thank you.

Return To Question 112-13(7): Composition Of Board Of Directors Of Nwt Development Corporation
Question 112-13(7): Composition Of Board Of Directors Of NWT Development Corporation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 310

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

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

Page 310

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be again for Mr. Dent on the pay equity issue. The Minister recently informed me that equal pay offers have gone out to about 460 excluded employees, pay information regarding pay equity, and that further analysis is needed to look at all the class codes to see if there are other excluded employees that should be included for pay equity, and that this is expected to be completed by the spring. I wonder if the Minister could tell us if the 460 total that seems to have been identified includes both current employees and former employees? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Page 310

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister Responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Dent.

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

Page 310

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the answer is yes.

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

Page 310

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

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

Page 310

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister tell us how he is ensuring that all excluded employees are informed as to their pay equity status?

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

Page 310

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

Page 310

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as reviews are concluded and it is determined whether or not offers should be made, the employees will be notified in

writing with the offer. There has been no publicity undertaken to advise excluded employees that this is underway, but those employees who have contacted the secretariat have been advised that the work is underway and when they might expect to see an offer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Page 311

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

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

Page 311

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the pay equity issue arose, I believe some advertisements were placed for the employees that are under the bargaining unit. I wonder if the Minister has a plan to place advertisements and make announcements regarding the excluded employees so that those former employees who may not be in touch with this government will have an opportunity, perhaps through friends and other sources such as a newspaper advertisement in the north, or public announcements, they may be able to hear about this. Could the Minister tell us if he is looking at a possible publicity campaign on this?

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

Page 311

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

Page 311

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not believe that such a campaign has been envisioned given the small numbers of people who have not already been contacted. There are very few where the reviews of the class codes have not been concluded and the expectation is that will be done within the next several weeks so it was not felt necessary to spend monies on an advertising campaign when, in fact, most people already have been contacted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Page 311

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

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

Page 311

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate we do not want to spend a lot of money on this area, but I think we do have a responsibility to try and at least make those employees who are no longer with the government, some effort should be made to contact them in all fairness to those employees. I wonder if the Minister could reconsider, to perhaps do several small advertisements in territorial publications for a short period of time?