This is page numbers 321 - 355 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.

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Supplementary To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 328

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 328

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are not anticipating a shortage of teachers per se based on our pupil/teacher ratio, but we are very concerned about the state of education as I have indicated in this House over the last week or so in regard to trying to respond to the Minister's forum's recommendations. We have a strategic planning process in place to put forward a document by June that will lay out the longer-term plans. I am meeting with the board chairs of the DEAs and the DECs here next month to discuss this issue. The ministerial forum members, as well, have been brought back into the loop to see how we can move ahead on the short-term recommendations, so we are very

concerned. We are listening very closely to the feedback we are getting, and we are doing everything in our power within existing budgets to try and address the needs that have been identified. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the education forum and the recommendations that were made, they also identified the increase in our classrooms as a major problem. The statement from the education forum, concerns from the different ridings and from this House, can the Minister ensure there will be more money considered to ensure we do have the teachers in our classrooms next fall and not have these shortages that we have had in the past?

Supplementary To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is well aware, we are currently in the budget process. The money in the budget for education is approximately $168 million with $2 million being proposed by way of motion when our department comes up to add to that. That is the money I can commit to at this point, unfortunately I cannot commit to any further sums. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Question 123-13(7): School Enrollment Trends
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Oral question to Mr. Kakfwi, Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Mr. Minister, on your return to my oral question, you leave the impression in your return that Mr. Handley and Mr. Sigurdson, the general manager of the Arctic Canada Trading Company Ltd., made these decisions in isolation of yourself, so my question is, did you have any involvement at all in briefing or in consultation with your deputy minister, Mr. Handley, the acting president of the Northwest Territories Development Corporation, in any of these decisions on the closure or the giving away of stores to the Arctic Canada Trading Ltd.'s southern outlets? Did you have any involvement at all? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Return To Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There were a number of decisions that were made going back to the time when Mr. Soloy was still president of the Development Corporation. It would not be possible for me to say categorically that I was not involved in any discussions. I may have been informed by Mr. Soloy, I may have been informed by Mr. Handley that they intended, as acting managers or as the principle executives in charge of these operations, to carry out these actions. Unless I know what the Member means by being involved it is not possible to say categorically, but I will check with my staff to see if, in fact, we were informed, if there were any meetings that we had where these decisions were brought to my attention, and if I actually had anything to say about them. Thank you.

Return To Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It may not have the glitter and everything else that goes along with diamonds, but the NWT Development Corporation is an very important development corporation for our small communities, Mr. Speaker, and I advise the Minister that he should attempt to pay a little bit of attention to it. Also, just to go back, Mr. Speaker, on whether he wanted to pay any attention or if he was willing to or not, I do not know, but the Northwest Territories Development Corporation has an act that ultimately the Minister is responsible for. Under the act, Mr. Speaker, the board should develop guidelines for the sale of subsidies or a portion of the shares it owns as a subsidy and the shares or any other interest the Corporation owns in a business enterprise. The guidelines are subject to approval of the Financial Management Board.

This is a fairly straightforward question, I am sure he can kick his memory into gear because he would have to sign a Financial Management Board paper off, and he would have to pay attention because it is not that detailed of an issue. Did he take the change of the Arctic Canada Trading Company Ltd. to the Financial Management Board as required under the act, as required under the act that gives him the right, as a Minister, to ultimately be responsible to the NWT Development Corporation. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is true that as a Minister I am responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, and also the NWT Development Corporation. I have always taken these responsibilities very seriously, but it is not possible to micro-manage the operation of the department at every level. As a Minister, I have a deputy minister and the president of the Development Corporation, that are in charge and responsible and well paid to manage the day-to-day operations and the staff in the departments and the Development Corporation. That is the way the government works and the Member, as a former Minister and Premier knows that better than anybody else. The details that he wants are not available to me. I will take the question as notice and again, I will be prepared to give him a full written response. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Question 124-13(7): Ministers Involvement In Decisions To Close Retail Outlets
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 329

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Can I ask all the Ministers in responding to the Members' questions, if they are going to take it as notice then the Minister does have an option of taking it as notice, answering or declining to answer it, but not a mixture of

all three. The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Perhaps if he is going to take it on notice he should do so before he rambles on for five minutes. Mr. Speaker...

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

I have already reminded the Ministers about how they answer their questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister alone, I understand, is responsible for appointing board members to the NWT Development Corporation. The Minister had taken questions as notice as to when was the last time that there were seven board members on that board. What I would like to know today, Mr. Speaker, is within the last 18 months, did any staff member whether from RWED or from the Development Corporation inform the Minister that perhaps he should add more board members and that information could have been supplied either in letter form or orally. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Again, to remind the Members regarding questions that have been asked before and answered that they cannot ask the same questions again. I believe this question was asked on Friday and it was responded to by the Minister. Mr. Kakfwi, do you wish to respond?

Return To Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 330

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the difficulties that we have had is in planning for the appointment of new boards as the Members know, one of the board members has been recently appointed as the new Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Dan Marion. Another board member recently left, we had a change in the president of the development corporation as well. It is my information that the auditor general and our staff understand a quorum to be not of a particular number, but a quorum would be defined as being a majority of the members appointed, according to the act, at the time a meeting may be called. Although we have not had seven members appointed to the board since something like 1996, we have had duly constituted quorums for board meetings since that time. I think we have consistently had five members on the board and we have been able to legally meet the definition of what a quorum is to conduct our business since that time. Of course, the idea of filling vacancies and seats on boards is an ongoing discussion and responsibility of staff so, of course, it has come up a number of times over the years and it will continue to do so. We hope to appoint additional members to the board sometime this week. Thank you.

Return To Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 330

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 330

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, even though the act says it is supposed to be a minimum of seven board members, the Minister has indicated there has not been a minimum of seven board members for at least three years. He also indicated that he was reminded several times that he should appoint more board members. He also indicated the auditor general seemed to be in agreement that it was okay to not add more board members. Could I ask the Minister if the auditor general at any time indicated since this date of 1996 that he has mentioned, if the auditor general's office indicated that more board members should be appointed?

Supplementary To Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 330

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 330

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not certain what the auditor general may have said about the number of board members appointed and I would be interested in finding that out and sharing that with the Member. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 125-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 330

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.