This is page numbers 605 - 630 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 communities.

Topics

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Henry on April 27, 1999. It is in regard to rental of restricted and adult movies to youth.

The Northwest Territories' current legislation is the Film Classification Act with accompanying film classification regulations. This legislation imposes restrictions and regulations on movie theatre operators in the Northwest Territories and adopts the Alberta movie classification system.

Recent changes to the Film Classification Act which were included as part of our government's regulatory reform initiative were intended to streamline the film classification regulations as well as clarify the act. No additional restrictions were considered when changing the act.

Video distributors and rental outlets in the NWT do not require a special licence other than their business licence to operate. Restricted or adult videos are available through various retail outlets and sources. Established businesses from large chain stores to the corner convenience stores can sell and rent videos. They are also available through mail order or Internet. A significant enforcement effort would be required on the part of this government to ensure effective legislative controls on the sale or rental of videos.

The Criminal Code of Canada does control obscene materials in Canada and the RCMP enforce these laws. Municipalities are also delegated authority under GNWT legislation in which they can regulate the display and distribution of adult materials within their community. Enforcement by communities presents the same challenges to them as it does to the territorial government. Presently, only the City of Yellowknife has a by-law controlling adult publications.

Perhaps there are more effective solutions such as promoting voluntary compliance with guidelines for the display and sale or rental of restricted and adult videos. As Members can appreciate, the regulation and setting of moral standards for the community is a matter that requires serious consideration. The department will continue to look into this important issue.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Henry on April 30, 1999, in regard to the appeal of the British Columbia Supreme Court decision on possession of child pornography.

On April 30, 1999, Mr. Henry asked if the Government of the Northwest Territories has written the federal government to encourage them to appeal a decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court with respect to possession of child pornography. No, Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories did not write the federal government to encourage them to appeal the decision. In the BC case, Mr. Justice Shaw of the British Columbia Supreme Court found that the child pornography provisions set out in Section 163.1 of the Criminal Code, which deal with the possession of child pornography, were in violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The decision to appeal this case rests with the British Columbia Attorney General, not the federal government, and the BC Attorney General is proceeding with the appeal. Mahsi.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Return to oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Krutko, a motion of support for a Ms. Roberta Vaneltsi.

On April 26, 1999, Mr. Krutko asked about the progress made regarding the motion of support for Ms. Vaneltsi in her attempts to have her children returned to Canada from the Czech Republic.

The legal steps available to the Government of the Northwest Territories are limited. On July 5, 1999, the Honourable Floyd Roland, Minister of Health and Social Services, wrote to Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy to take action under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction to assist Ms. Vaneltsi. To date, there has been no reply.

The Honourable Floyd Roland and the Premier have made a commitment to keep Mr. Krutko informed of Mr. Axworthy's response and actions. The Government of the Northwest Territories also offered to assist Ms. Vaneltsi with accommodation costs for her most recent trip to Brno, Czech Republic. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Krutko.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

July 25th, 1999

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Ron English from Inuvik. Welcome, Mr. English.

--Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. I would like to inform the Members that maybe some of your lights are not working, but they are on. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Dent.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to my Minister's statement, I would like to take this occasion to recognize some of the members of the joint occupational health and safety committee from the NWT Power Corporation and I will recognize them from my right to left across the top. Mr. Reg Crozier, plant operator, Valerie McPhee, office manager, Mr. Dan Roberts, the regional director of central operations, Chris Chatwood, the area maintenance superintendent. Along with the members of the occupational health and safety committee are Brian Willows, the safety manager for the NWT Region, and Mr. Bill Braden, who is the director of corporate development.

--Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Morin.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Honourable Kelvin Ng, Minister of Finance for the Nunavut Government and our past colleague. Thank you.

--Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. For those that have not been recognized, I would like to welcome the audience in the gallery. Welcome to the Assembly. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Honourable Vince Steen, Minister of Public Works and Transportation. Mr. Minister, it has been a long standing practice of this government to negotiate contracts with local development corporations in the smaller communities. The reason previous governments, as well as this government, today developed this policy and the reason they implemented negotiated contracts to start with, is to ensure that the limited dollars, the limited capital dollars that we do have within our budgets stay within the communities they are allocated to. Also, the reason for this is to ensure that our development corporations and our communities get training on the job, they benefit from the ability to run the jobs and they do not only sweep up the floors after outside contractors. I ask the Minister today, Mr. Speaker, through you, has there been any change in the negotiating policy on negotiating contracts with this government? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question the Member has as to whether or not this department or this government still has a negotiated contract policy. The answer to that is yes. We still have a negotiated contract policy and under my other portfolio as Minister of Transportation, there is a negotiated contract policy in regard to the Department of Transportation. However, there is no negotiated contract policy per se that would apply to Public Works, but the Cabinet and the Executive Council did adopt negotiated policy guidelines very recently in May, which more clearly gives direction to the department as to what would be taken into consideration when dealing with the negotiated contract requests.

There are also quite clear directions from Cabinet that we were all expected to comply with and do our best to follow these guidelines. Now, after saying that, Mr. Speaker, I think it is fair to say that the department has been following the guidelines as close to the letter as possible. In those guidelines it outlines specifically that we have to identify benefits as far as economic benefits overall for the community, but also benefits in regards to employment opportunities within the community. Now, it is suggested in the guidelines that not only is it the responsibility of the Department of Public Works or the department involved to identify these benefits, but it is some responsibility on the applicant as well.

What the department is doing is trying our best to work with the applicant to come forward and identify these benefits that would not be obtained through the normal tender process. So far we are doing our best to abide by those and we are still awarding contracts or we are still considering requests from negotiated contracts, I should say, and we are awarding negotiated contracts based on that policy. Unfortunately, we have not been able to award all the requests from negotiated contracts because in our responses to communities, Mr. Speaker, we stated clearly that we believe the communities have, in the past, through their records of operation, indicated that they are capable of competing in a normal tender process. Based on that, we have been turning some of them down. That is my response to the Member at this point in time. The department still has, Cabinet still has, a negotiated contract policy, although it is not in writing per se, but I know that Cabinet did forward copies to all the MLAs of the guidelines that we have adopted and that we are planning follow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the government for also forwarding the negotiated contracts and new rules and procedures basic outline to the MLAs. I also thank the Minister for the commitment that he just made of his people working and his staff working with the communities and the development corporations to put forward the information to justify the negotiated contract. That should be all civil servants jobs, Mr. Speaker, to work with the people to develop their proposal to present to the government. I would also like to ask the Minister, at this time, Mr. Speaker, if he will commit, through this Legislative Assembly, to immediately meet with myself, with his deputy minister of MACA and his deputy minister of DPW in

order to finalize the talks on the negotiated contracts in my riding which he put out to tender and is closing in three days' time. I would like to know if he is interested in meeting to talk about that issue. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department and myself were available to discuss with the Member the negotiated contract request that we have at this point in time, as well as those that have been tendered. At this point in time, the department is open to discussions with the Member. I would suggest that the Member come forward with a suggested time and where to meet. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin, supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A good time for me would be 7:30 breakfast tomorrow morning, if the Member is available.

Supplementary To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this morning breakfast was on me. Tomorrow, breakfast is on the Member, but I am available.

Further Return To Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Question 214-13(7): Negotiated Contracts Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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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 Municipal and Community Affairs. It is regarding my opening comments about the property values that have increased drastically in my riding. But first, Mr. Speaker, the whole history of lands and municipalities have drastically changed through land claims negotiations in the Mackenzie Valley. There was a land freeze on for the last 20 years in which a lot of people required property in which they developed those properties with the understanding they will eventually own them and they lease that property knowing that once the land claims were settled, they were going to be able to acquire these properties by outright ownership. But I think the changes that we have seen, they did not expect that there would be such a drastic price increase from the original $3,000 they thought they were going to purchase this property for to where it has gone up to $13,000. The increased appraisal values have inflated the land prices in the Mackenzie Delta and possibly in other regions. As a result, people are having trouble paying the property taxes and even having the ability to purchase land at a fair price in the Mackenzie Delta. Will the government consider adopting a more reasonable appraisal system that reflects the realities of the role the communities in the Mackenzie Delta so that we can understand the sensitivity of the northern cultures and also the people in the Mackenzie Delta? I would like to ask the Minister, is his department considering looking at such an option?