This is page numbers 71 - 108 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 2nd 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 students.

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Supplementary To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think such a project will outweigh the nays, when you think of the potential and benefits they will also provide to communities. I think such initiatives will bring things like economic stability to a lot of our communities who may not have the opportunity to host large events like the trials for the Arctic Winter Games, or even community assemblies. We are also looking at regional, territorial, and national events. I think the spin-offs of this little initiative, which would be a small investment by this government, will provide more in benefits, which would outweigh the cost invested. I would like to ask the Minister if he will look at developing a pilot project so these projects can take place within this fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi. The honourable Member is asking if I would seriously look at a pilot project, but before looking at a pilot project, I would like to see what the possibilities with this department and our capabilities, as well as the willingness of the Members of this House to see whether we are going to put our monies into capital infrastructures. Perhaps there will be opportunity in the next year or so for looking at doing things differently. This might be one of the ways to do things differently, to provide recreation facilities in the communities and best utilize the infrastructure we have there.

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think this project is seriously needed. If this government looks at the dollars we have put into income support or social assistance programs, and put that money into make-work projects such as this initiative, we would probably realize a savings to this government for the amount of money we spend on people who are on income support. This is an initiative that can generate jobs in the communities and at the same time improve the facilities. I would like the Minister to seriously consider this.

Supplementary To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will seriously consider the suggestions of the honourable Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 84

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not only speaking for the riding I represent, but for all small communities who want to have this opportunity to be able to get the best return on the facilities they have. I think it would also extend the life of the facilities that are already there. I would like to ensure the Minister work along with not only myself, but other colleagues in this House, to ensure we have the ability to do that.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to extend question period before the clock runs out.

Supplementary To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. There is a request for unanimous consent to extend question period. Are there any nays? There are no nays. The clock will be reset for one hour. The Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I realize there are a lot of small communities in the North that have recreation facilities, and some do not. The honourable Member's line of questioning is to enhance and improve the arenas, so the arenas can be utilized. I think this is a very good idea. I will see what the capabilities of the department are, and what we have to do to move this idea along.

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Before we move along with the next question, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize in the Gallery representing the Federation Francophone Tenoir, a dialogue group travelling in the North, dealing with French language. Mr. Geno Leblanc, Mme. Mariette Carrier-Fraser, Mr. Marc Arnal, Mme. Isabelle Chiasson, Mr. André Légare, Mr. Fernand Denault, Mme. Michelle Doiron, and Mr. Robert Asselin. Bienvenue.

-- Applause

Further Return To Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Question 46-14(2): Infrastructure Investment In Small Communities
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. It is related to an earlier question I had. Can the Minister of Finance answer a question on federal government funding on post-secondary education for aboriginal status Dene? Can the Minister tell me how much funding is provided to the Government of the Northwest Territories for aboriginal post-secondary education?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The grant we receive from the federal government comes from the Department of Finance. It is not broken down into various categories such as student financial assistance, or education, or other areas. It is impossible at this point in time to break it up. The federal government does not work it that way. We do not have a specific amount we receive in the grant that is earmarked specifically for this particular purpose. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Supplementary To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister try to figure out a sum that he thinks might be the amount slated for aboriginal use for post-secondary education? The reason I ask this is I can see, with land claims being settled down in the Mackenzie Valley, the transfer of responsibility for post-secondary education, and for that matter, education as a whole, will be negotiated. There has to be some kind of understanding of a number that First Nations groups can use to start negotiating. Without a number, where do you start? If the Minister could find out how much funding is available for aboriginal post-secondary education and education in the Northwest Territories? Thank you very much.

Supplementary To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, the amount of money allocated for education or health, or any other area of expenditure, is an amount that we determine here. We have the authority in this House to determine how we are going to allocate the money. The best way of providing an estimate would be the amount that we vote for here for education, and the various programs within the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It is not something the federal government does for us. We have that authority. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Supplementary To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me how much of that money is marked for aboriginal post-secondary education? What is the success rate of that funding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. There were two questions there. The Minister can choose which he would like to answer.

Further Return To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, we do not determine how much in education is for aboriginal students and how much is for non-aboriginal students when we allocate our budget. Many of our classrooms and school districts have a mixture of students. Some are non-aboriginal, some aboriginal, some status, and some non-status, and so on.

I suppose theoretically we could work that out, but it would be based on percentages of aboriginal students versus non-aboriginal students. It would be an interesting calculation. I am not sure what it would do, but theoretically it could be done. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Question 47-14(2): Federal Funding For Aboriginal Education
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 85

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.