This is page numbers 357 - 395 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 highway.

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Supplementary To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 362

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is no intent on my part as a Minister, no intent on the part of Cabinet, not to comply with the act as it is set out. There is no intent whatsoever, thank you.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 362

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 362

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister indicated there was no intent to disregard any part of any act. At this time then, I would like to ask the Minister if he wants to inform us of any other parts of the NWT Development Corporation Act that he is currently disregarding.

Supplementary To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 362

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 362

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the Member is fishing then I do not think it is the responsible way to go. If there is something specific that he wishes to ask me about, I would be quite happy to try and answer the question. Members of the Legislature should be aware that following concerns by the auditor general, the Financial Management Board, in February, directed that I undertake an operational audit of the Development Corporation. That is underway at this time, it will be conducted and we will look at the way the Development Corporation has operated in the last few years, since there are major concerns with the auditor general that need to be addressed. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 362

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr.

Erasmus.

Point of Order

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise on a point of order. The Minister had indicated that I am fishing. I do not stand here today with any fishing gear in my hands. I stand here asking him questions and replies to the answers he is giving us. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Are you going to come up with your point of order? Mr. Erasmus.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had intended to mention that the Minister is inferring motives that I am simply fishing. I am simply asking questions in response to the answers that he is providing and that is all I am doing. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On Nwt Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Question 132-13(7): Vacancies On NWT Development Corporation Board Of Directors
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. There is nothing there to impute motive. Again, perhaps the Member is overreacting. These are normal questions and normal responses by the Minister. In all jurisdictions the Members ask questions, they are fishing, or they might not be fishing, but normally that is the principle of question period is to ask, to fish and to do whatever you can to get the fish. There is no point of order. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Miltenberger. It is in regard to the Member's statement that I made where the community of Tsiigehtchic find themselves in a pretty grave situation, where they have lost their principal and also a teacher because of a medical emergency. The individual was medevaced out of Tsiigehtchic along with his wife, and who may not be returning because of the emergency. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister exactly what can his department do to assist the community of Tsiigehtchic? They have not heard anything back from the divisional board of education in Inuvik, they have not gone into the community to see how they can assist, so I would like to ask the Minister what can he do as the Minister of Education to assist the community of Tsiigehtchic in this grave time of emergency, especially in consideration of the quality of education and the welfare of the children of Tsiigehtchic to conclude this school year? Can the Minister state exactly what he can do to assist the community of Tsiigehtchic?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Return To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I first became aware of this issue as the Member was making his statement and what I can tell the Member is that, in fact, senior officials from the department here are in contact with the DEC. We are aware of the situation and we are attempting to locate teachers as we speak until at least the end of the school year. We will see what happens with the medical emergency that my colleague mentioned and we are going to be making every effort to try to find from a rapidly shrinking pool, mind you, of teachers, to go in to fill in as soon as we possibly can so that, in fact, there is no loss of any educational time in the community. Thank you.

Return To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear that from the Minister, but I would like to get some assurances from the Minister that the individuals that they do send into the community are qualified and do have their doctorate in education, or whatnot, so we do have qualified teachers in the community to assist at this time.

Supplementary To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a fast-breaking issue. My latest note is, in fact, that there are a couple of teachers being interviewed tonight about possibly going up to the community. We are hopeful that we can get teachers in there in the next day or so to address this issue. I will make a commitment, as well, to keep the Member fully apprised of all and any developments that are happening in this regard, now that I am aware of it. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to this incident, which is an emergency, I believe that no one knew that this would happen, I would like to ask the Minister since the community was without a principal and a teacher for two weeks, does the department have a policy to deal with such emergencies, so when there is an incident such as this in Tsiigehtchic that the government can respond a lot faster to fill in these vacancies?

Supplementary To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must confess I am not aware of a policy, if one exists. I know that our intent is that when an emergency arises we bring all of our resources and forces to bear to try to deal with it. We do not have a pool of teachers that we can just tap into that are on a sort of casual substitute basis, unfortunately, but the department, like all departments in the government, wants to respond as quickly and expediently as it can to any emergency that arises, such as this. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 363

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 364

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe this is an incident where I would suggest maybe we consider, or the Minister considers, looking at such a policy so that when other emergencies do occur in the future that this department is prepared and ready to deal with the incident, and that we have some contingency plans in place so that we are able to react a lot sooner.

Supplementary To Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Question 133-13(7): Shortage Of Teachers In Tsiigehtchic
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 364

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Miltenberger.