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.

Topics

Supplementary 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

Thank you. I will rule the question out of order. Again, the Member is asking a personal opinion of the Minister responsible for Finance. Members have to ask questions that are within the knowledge of the Minister responsible for that department. Mr. Ootes, do you have a supplementary?

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

I wonder if the Minister could tell me when planning to include this in the budget was done for the Working Together Program?

Supplementary 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

Mr. Dent.

Further 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. It was not included in the business plans that were presented to committee last fall. It was not included in the detailed budget that was presented to the committees earlier this spring. In fact, the first time inclusion was talked about was after division in early April and was discussed by the Members of the current Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further 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. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will not worry or quibble about what the Minister said last Friday in the press, but what I am interested in are some solutions to the education budget. My question will be for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Minister, I know that you have been a Member of the Legislative Assembly for some time now. Also, in the past there were reports commissioned on behalf of the Legislative Assembly on behalf of the government. One of those reports was written by a gentleman named Beatty. I think it was called Strength at Two Levels. In that report, Mr. Minister, there was mention at that time of approximately 450 boards and agencies throughout the Northwest Territories. I do not know if that number has dropped considerably over the past few years, but this would have been approximately two terms ago when this report was done and recommendations were made to decrease the number of boards and agencies in the Northwest Territories, thus freeing up some dollars for important priorities such as education, health care and economic development. Is the Minister, instead of commissioning a new report willing to have his staff take a look at old reports that were done by previous governments that may still hold some credibility and possibly some solutions for our financial crisis? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Point of order. Member for Hay River.

Point of Order

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my point of order is that Mr. Morin stood up and prefaced his question with he will not be quibbling over what the Finance Minister said on the radio last week. He used the word quibble and I resent that comment because I was the one questioning the Minister of Finance about his comments on CJCD radio last week, and that is not quibbling, that is asking respectful questions in this House and therefore I make objection to Mr. Morin's comments. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. To remind the Member, a point of order can be made if a definition is used that is unparliamentary. I do not see the definition here being unparliamentary. The Member does not have a point of order. We are still in question period here. The more points of order we use the less time we have for question period. The Minister of Finance, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 504

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do believe that the number of board and agencies that are funded by this government have been significantly reduced in

the seven years since the report Strength at Two Levels came out. I can assure the Member that I am quite prepared, and I believe that my colleagues on Cabinet are quite prepared, to re-examine reports that make recommendations for ways in which this government can save money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 505

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 505

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last time I checked I think there was approximately 15 or 16 boards, agencies and committees in one of my communities, for example, Fort Resolution, with a population of approximately 550 people. In that community there is an education society, housing authorities, band councils, Metis locals, band and community council, drug and alcohol, sport committees, all different types of board and agencies that all draw on the peoples' ability to donate their time to work on these committees in the community. But also it takes up the time and effort of many different people in the community. I know that there is legislation on the books and people have to do things in the community to access government dollars. They have to create these committees or organizations to access government dollars. Is the Minister willing to work along with his colleague, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in Fort Resolution, for example, and Lutselk'e to look at the community government structures as to where they could possibly save money in order to put it back into the education system or what their priority is? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 505

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Question period is over. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 505

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is certainly prepared to work with communities to look at innovative ways to deal with community governance. It is important to point out that over the past three or four years, we have worked very closely with the Dogrib communities and helped them develop the Dogrib Community Services Board, which brings together a number of community agencies under one administrative board to cut down on duplication and overlap, and to ensure that administration costs are kept at a minimum and a larger portion of funds can be allocated to programs implementation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Question 180-13(7): Reviewing Past Reports And Recommendations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 505

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Mr. Henry.

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with a matter of employees of the NWT Power Corporation dissatisfaction over their representation by the UNW. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 108 signatures and the petition requests, we the undersigned, would like to express our absolute dissatisfaction with the Union of Northern Workers in the Northwest Territories. We feel that services we pay for have not been provided by this union, therefore, we further express our interest to seek and explore alternative representation within the Canadian Labour of Congress. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Petitions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a petition here to myself as the Sahtu MLA, to table here. My constituents write, we, the undersigned, as taxpayers and property owners and parents of Norman Wells, request the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, to review the funding allocation for the Sahtu region, to include school busing services as an essential service for safe and efficient delivery of school children to and from school. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a letter from the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of DIAND, regarding the appointment and the role of the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and a letter from the Honourable Dan Marion, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, transmitting the document to me. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have three documents that I would like to table. The first one is a report of a focus group on education survey data from the community of Hay River from the spring of 1999.

Tabled Document 41-13(7): Letter from Diamond Jenness Parents Advisory Committee Regarding Funding for Education

I would also like to table a letter with regard to funding for education from the Diamond Jenness Parent Action Committee.

Tabled Document 42-13(7): Letter from Hay River Educator Pat Burnstad Regarding Education System Concerns

I would also like to table a letter from a long-time educator and respected teacher in Hay River, with respect to the challenges facing our education system, and that is from Ms. Pat Burnstad. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Mr. Ootes.

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table a letter I have received from Mr. Martin Palasz of Inuvik. Attached to the letter to me is a letter to the Honourable Mr. Miltenberger, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Palasz makes recommendations where possible spending areas should be looked at in the department and where savings can possibly be made. It asks that we keep the Minister in check for the taxpayers of the NWT. It says, please keep up the good work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Mr. Krutko.