Roy Erasmus, "Member's Statement 13-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees" on Sept. 8th, 1999

Member's Statement 10-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you colleagues. The meeting last night surely provoked my fellow MLAs, as it did me, to take whatever action we can to assist the Giant Mine workers whose fate is uncertain at this time. We have agreed to explore other options in their favour and I am confident that this government will support any viable solution to this crisis situation. We cannot afford to lose these people from our community, nor can the community absorb the impact of the Giant Mine closing. Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the time. I certainly will be working toward ensuring that the employees of Giant Mine are as well looked after as this government can possibly do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Member's Statement 10-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Members' statements. Mr. Steen.

Member's Statement 11-13(8): Commissioner's Awards Ceremonies In Nunakput
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents in Nunakput, I take the opportunity to thank the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Dan Marion, for taking the time to tour the riding of Nunakput during the week of September 1, this year.

Mr. Speaker, many elders and members of the public took part in the Commissioner's Award ceremonies in each community. As the Commissioner indicated to this House yesterday, five elders were recognized for their contribution toward the betterment of their respective communities and the Inuvialuit culture as a whole.

I wish to recognize and thank the mayors, councillors and recreation staff in the communities of Sachs Harbour, Holman, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk for organizing these events and for contributing the use of the facilities and supplying the refreshments and food for the feast. Finally, I wish to thank the public who came out in support of the Commissioner's Awards program. Judging by the turnout in each community, the Elders' Awards Program is very popular and I am sure everyone looks forward to future awards of this nature. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Member's Statement 11-13(8): Commissioner's Awards Ceremonies In Nunakput
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Members' statements. Mr. Rabesca.

Member's Statement 12-13(8): Dogrib Land Claim Agreement-in-principle
Item 3: Members' Statements

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James Rabesca North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, on August 9, the Dogrib Nation along with the federal and territorial governments signed the agreement-in-principle. That basically spells out what will be in the final agreement that will be signed in due course. This AIP is very significant for my people. It establishes the perimeters of the final land claims settlement, as well as establishes the framework for continued discussions and the realization of self-government.

To get to this stage in the process all three parties have worked extremely hard to provide the people with an agreement that everyone can live by. For my people it is the realization of many years of work as well as a new hope for the future. This agreement will allow the Dogrib region the ability to govern its own affairs and hopefully provide better services and a better life for the members of my region. It is the first agreement in Canada that combines the stability of the land claim settlement and the idea of self-government into one document. I believe this will be a model for other agreements to come in the future.

Over the next couple of years, while the final agreement is being completed, I hope that all parties will continue to work together and ensure the final agreement is the best possible agreement we could provide for our people.

There will be many important events that take place between now and the signing of the final agreement and through this all, change will happen. However, because we now have four areas of our Territory that have completed the settlement process, it also brings much stability to the NWT as a whole.

To close, I would like to congratulate Treaty 11 Council, the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories in taking this next step in fulfilling our dream of self-governance and control of our destiny. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Member's Statement 12-13(8): Dogrib Land Claim Agreement-in-principle
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Erasmus.

Member's Statement 13-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my fellow colleagues from Yellowknife I wish to comment on our constituency meeting yesterday. As has been indicated, the primary topic was the imminent sale of Giant Mine to Miramar and what the consequences of that sale could be. The employees have been given a reprieve of 15 days to put together some type of a deal whereby there could be an alternative to Miramar buying that mine. The thing that people are primarily concerned about is that if Miramar is successful in their bid, the vast majority of the workers would be laid off since a lot of the work would be consolidated and only some of the workers would be kept on, perhaps as few as fifty. Apparently this is a condition of the sale to the mine, that the employees do not come with the sale. The problem is how do you ensure that employees still get their pensions that they have worked so hard for and how do they get the severance pay that they are entitled to in their contracts?

The other thing that was brought up is the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act under which the federal government can implement a minimum rate for gold. This apparently has been used in other instances, I believe at the mine in Timmins, and we should probably be looking at the federal government to utilize this act.

The other thing we need to do is try to ensure that there is enough time for the union to put together some type of a deal to purchase this mine other than Miramar's purchase. Otherwise we will be looking at a lot of layoffs. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Member's Statement 13-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Member for Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do I have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Erasmus, you have unanimous consent.

Member's Statement 13-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees
Item 3: Members' Statements

September 8th, 1999

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, I believe that it is incumbent on this government to try to assist the workers in getting an extension on the 15 days that they have been given to put together some type of a deal.

The other thing that was clearly, clearly evident, is that the general public is not really aware of how powerless we are in this situation and in most instances when it comes to the federal government. The federal government, as we know, holds the power in most areas and we most often have to ask them for information to do certain things and if they feel like doing it they do, if they do not, they do not. But the general public does not seem to be aware of this. This is one of the main reasons, as Mr. Henry has indicated, why we have to work on getting our natural resources and the power to control them, transferred to the North. With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your indulgence and I thank our Members for allowing me to conclude my statement.

--Applause

Member's Statement 13-13(8): Concerns Of Giant Mine Employees
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr.

Steen.