This is page numbers 397 - 430 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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Further Return To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the Member is correct in the assumption he is making that it is difficult to suggest that aboriginal people who have lived here for thousands of years should have their most basic rights, that is the right to harvest the wildlife over their traditional lands, curtailed unilaterally by any government. I believe that is what happened in the case of the Thelon Game Sanctuary and now that the Nunavut Wildlife Board jurisdiction is in place, they have moved, in their view, to reconcile that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I had indicated, the inquiries that were made of me were from a tourist operation who deals with tourists that wish to photograph wildlife. Obviously, there is concern that the wildlife would become skittish if there is too much hunting. Could the Minister indicate if there would be totally unrestricted hunting by the aboriginal hunters? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Mr. Minister.

Further Return To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 404

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not certain I can confirm that, but I do know that in the case of the Inuit as well as the Dene, they have hunted and harvested wildlife here for thousands of years and have done so in a way that respected the wildlife, and there was some management regime in place to ensure that the wildlife was never over-harvested. I believe that the Nunavut Wildlife Board is moving to ensure that they manage with the harvesters, with public interest groups, and the private sector to manage that particular area in the interest of everyone. I believe that they put their management plan forward believing that is what they have done in the best way possible. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that information. Finally, the outfitter in question is also concerned that there seem to be some very limiting restrictions on the amount of flights that can go into the sanctuary. It seems as though you can only fly in, drop somebody off, and come back and pick them up a couple of weeks later, quite some time later. Could the Minister indicate whether this is actually true, or would a person be able to fly in and fly out the same day with his...wait around, fly in, drop off his guest, come back later, and pick them up, that sort of thing? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 404

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

The Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would take that question as notice I am no longer able to provide any more details to the Member on this plan. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Question 145-13(7): Thelon Game Sanctuary Management Plan
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Thank you Mr. Minister. Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. As everyone knows, this House is set to adjourn on Friday. I know that the Premier has a very busy schedule. I know also that he has things set up for the beginning of next week, but if the Premier has any days available at all next week, I have a letter from the Great Slave Lake Forest Products, the advisory committee in Fort Resolution that is comprised of the First Nations, the Metis Council, the Deninoo Community Council. Two people from each of these community governments sit on an advisory committee on the Great Slave Lake Forest Products as well as two workers from the mill sit on this committee and advise Great Slave Lake Forest Products how to run the sawmill. They would like a meeting with the Premier, as well as the Deputy Minister, Joe Handley, and possibly the president of the NWT Development Corporation. You can even bring my good friend, Mr. Steve Kakfwi, with you, if you do not mind. If you can come down to Fort Resolution and meet with the people of Fort Resolution no later than the end of the next week, it is very important that we have a meeting so that we can start working together to solve the problems of Great Slave Lake Forest Products and hopefully Fort Resolution can go to work in the sawmill soon. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

The Premier. Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the NWT Development Corporation and the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is working very hard with his staff in trying to get a handle on the situation in Fort Resolution and the Great Slave Lake Forestry. I welcome the invitation to go there. As you know next week, there is a three day chiefs meeting, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Perhaps if we get the information together, the last day of next week there might be an opportunity to go there for the day. We will see how things evolve here in the next few days in the work that the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi is doing and once we get the information we will be able to go there and meet with the people. Thank you.

Return To Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the request that was put in to the Premier. He should have received it today, it will be in your reading books, from the Great Slave Lake Advisory Committee. Also, if the Premier could let me know by the end of the week because it is very important when we have such honoured guests in our community, like yourself and the Minister, that we prepare properly ahead of time. A lot of people are out on the land at this time of the year and we would like them to have the opportunity to attend those meetings as well. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

I will notify the honourable Member by the end of the week. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Question 146-13(7): Meeting With Great Slave Lake Forest Products
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some further questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services, regarding his statement today on the creation of the Minister's Forum on Health and Social Services. In the report the Minister states some reasons for establishing a Minister's forum and one of which is the concern of sustainability. He outlines some of the cost-drivers that lead to the sustainability problem. He refers to a severe shortage of nurses and social workers, increased competition for physicians and nurses and increased costs of operating the system. Additionally he speaks about, that the forum will focus on directions of the strategic plan, such as governance, human resources, financial sustainability and program and service delivery. My question for the Minister is, has the Minister had his department prepare reports in each of these areas that I just referred to, such as, the cost-drivers and in the area of the focus, such as governance, human resources, financial sustainability and program and service delivery. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

The Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in preparation for the Minister's forum, the department has on an ongoing basis, monitored the concerns that I raised in the cost-drivers area, as well as a number of other areas. Part of the process, when the forum members go into the communities, there will be one member of the staff that will go to provide information on the ongoing statistics as they are today in those areas of cost-drivers. There will be information provided and the department on an ongoing basis monitors the cost of delivery and services. The drivers that increase the burden on our budget for delivery of service. Information is available and will be used when the forum members go out to the communities. Thank you.

Return To Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Supplementary To Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that information, but that was not the area that I was concerned with. I am more concerned with, has the Minister had his department prepare briefing papers in each of those areas so that the Minister is fully aware of the concerns that are there. In other words, is the Minister satisfied that his officials have done adequate work and prepared enough reports to identify the problems facing the department?

Supplementary To Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 405

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Question 147-13(7): Material For Consideration By Minister's Forum On Health And Social Services
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since taking over the responsibility for the Department of Health and Social Services, it has been very demanding on the time, both from a staff point of view and my own, to try and get up to speed on all of the areas and with all the changes that have happened since the 13th Assembly, as I stated in my Minister's statement, the number of areas that the department has dealt with in ongoing change. The department has provided me with what I believe is much-needed information and I feel that I have adequate information to deal with the concerns that were raised. For example, the department is always listening to the concerns that were raised. One of the big concerns that we have heard over a number of times is incidents in communities where nurses felt their ability to carry out their duties was affected severely. We have heard, in the Delta this year, the concerns that were there and the department feels we must address these as we are heading in the Northwest Territories as

we know it now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.