This is page numbers 491 - 519 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 education.

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Supplementary To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps then I could ask if the Minister could just clarify for us what was the intent of his comments on CJCD last Friday and Saturday? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was asked, as was the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, for a comment by the press on the budget not having been concluded. I said that I was disappointed we had not concluded the budget. When asked if there was any impact, I said yes, there are two programs we had announced, Investing in People and the Working Together Program that would be affected in terms of when access to funds would be available. My colleague, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, made similar comments to other members of the media, and it was reported in other media in the same manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you. This is my final question then, Mr. Speaker. What the Minister of Finance is saying is that he wanted this House to conclude consideration of the $167 million for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the less than two hours that we had last Friday before the planned break in the House, he wanted that concluded in less than two hours in order to recognize the clock at 2 o'clock on Friday. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was not saying that we needed to necessarily conclude it, I said I was disappointed that we did not conclude the budget. I would point out that we did not answer any questions about the budget, nor did we get into the details of the budget. In fact, we did not talk about the budget on Friday, the 30th, when we could have at least started consideration. Mr. Speaker, there were at least two previous occasions during that week when this House voted to extend hours to conclude consideration of items or to carry on the consideration. We were not limited necessarily by the four hours less the lunch hour we had scheduled for ourselves on Friday. We could have carried on consideration if it was the will of the Members. Members did not have that will, and as a result, we took a break for a week. Thank you, Mr.

Speaker.

Further Return To Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Question 177-13(7): Break In The Budget Session
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transportation. I would like some clarification in regards to the interpretation of designate aboriginal organizations. There are certain organizations which are out there at the present time, you have the Gwich'in Tribal Council which recognizes or basically represents a Gwich'in person who is enrolled in a land claim to implement the land claim. Myself, I am enrolled in the Gwich'in claim in which, ...basically the Gwich'in Tribal Council, who is the one implementing the land claim on that sector. Then you also have other organizations in the communities such as the Metis Local which recognizes the Metis of the community. You have a band council which recognizes the band members who are basically enrolled through the Indian Act. I would like clarification from the Minister, is there a policy within the department which basically decides which organization you are with? Because I am an aboriginal businessman, does that mean that I am also an aboriginal organization? I would like clarification from the Minister on exactly how do you designate an aboriginal organization in the context of contracts?

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation has some guidelines to follow in relation to negotiated contracts. To my knowledge, the negotiated contract policy does not specifically identify any set aboriginal group that would be recognized as eligible for negotiated contracts. It simply says that any group is eligible to be registered under BIP is, in fact, then eligible to approach the department for a negotiated contract.

Return To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the interpretation, it seems like it is pretty broad to incorporate everybody who is an aboriginal person in a category of aboriginal organizations. Yet you may have a non-profit aboriginal organization which is like a band council which may have a band development corporation under its or arm or a Metis local which may have a Metis development corporation under its arm. I would like the Minister, is his department considering looking at clarification in regard to how they designate so-called aboriginal organizations when they talk negotiated contracts?

Supplementary To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department has, as the Member indicated, in the past experienced problems identifying which group is the designated aboriginal group for a community or whether or not a person is aboriginal or non-aboriginal. Whether or not we can address that specifically in the negotiated contract policy, at this point in time, the policies established do not address that specific problem. However, I am under the understanding, Mr. Speaker, that the government is considering new guidelines for negotiated contract policy. It would be possible, at that time, that we consider some way of identifying specific groups and their eligibility under the BIP or under negotiated contract policies.

Further Return To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to the whole contracting procedure, can the Minister tell me if a company is a registered company under the Companies Act, does that mean that that company, because it has a content of aboriginal ownership is classified as an aboriginal company under the BIP?

Supplementary To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that question is getting quite specific, and it may require some information from the department of RWED who administers BIP. I will take the question as notice so that I get proper information for the Member. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Question 178-13(7): Designated Aboriginal Organizations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 503

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance again, on the subject of the summer employment program called Working Together. Mr. Speaker, there seemed to be some indication that the Cabinet was prepared to entertain discussions further on Friday, but I think we were as well, Mr. Speaker, but for some reason or other, we adjourned. I think personally I was quite prepared to sit Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but there was a decision to adjourn until today. There is some concern on my part to have the suggestion that we pass this budget in the time frame that we did when the big issue is education, and it is of concern to many people out there.

Mr. Speaker, to get to my point of the question, we have been talking about ensuring employment for students for a number of years now. It seems strange to me that we have a special program called Working Together which becomes part of the budget and only if the budget is passed do we have that summer student employment program. I do not think that was ever the intent of any Member here. I cannot speak for everyone here, but certainly for some of my colleagues, I think it was an intent that we have a summer employment program. Can the Minister tell me, is this program predicated on us passing this budget with specifically this million dollars in order to have any kind of employment of students this summer? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 179-13(7): Working Together Program
Question 179-13(7): Working Together Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 504

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have no doubt that some students will find employment in programs that are not funded through the Working Together Program. This program would not support the salaries of all summer students who work for this government. However, the hundreds of students who did have jobs that were funded by the program last year may have to wait until the approval of this specific million dollars. To answer the Member's question, yes, much is dependent on that specific million dollars. In fact, during consideration of the budget in committee of the whole, we will be introducing amendments to include that million dollars as it is not included in the Main Estimates at present. As we are going through the budget today, tomorrow, the day after or whenever we get to that specific line, we will be introducing amendments to add the money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 179-13(7): Working Together Program
Question 179-13(7): Working Together Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 504

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Supplementary To Question 179-13(7): Working Together Program
Question 179-13(7): Working Together Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 504

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that this kind of program should have been planned out well ahead of time.

--Applause

It seems rather obvious that the students are going to be here by the end of April, early May. We were well aware that we were going to have an interim budget and, to me, I would have thought that it would have been in that interim budget or at least some understanding where there can be movement of money between programs. My question to the Minister is, when did he think we were going to pass this budget because we have control of that here? We do. We may be sitting here until June before we pass this budget. Does that mean we do not have a program? We cannot be dictated by that fact, Mr. Speaker.