This is page numbers 169 - 202 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 chairman.

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Further Return To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I attended a meeting on Monday with the Arctic Winter Games International Committee. The two host communities of Greenland and Nunavut raised the issue that they are pretty small and they may not be able to accommodate certain sports. One of them is the biathlon. Their argument is they do not have the facilities or the know how for hosting the biathlon. This meeting was the first time I had heard about it as the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

In the course of the meeting, I understand it will not be until June or July before things get finalized in this area. We may have a chance to try and convince them to include the biathlon in the next games.

I did go to the biathlon site in Whitehorse and I have seen the facility that is required. I do not think it would be that much more to have this type of facility in either Iqaluit or Nuuk. It is really up to the host communities to tell us what they are capable of providing.

The other sports they were looking at was the ice sports. As you know, they had three ice surfaces in Whitehorse, yet they still had to go an hour by bus to Haines Junction for another arena over there. They were able to accommodate all of the ice sports there.

The way the division of the sports is going to be in the next two years from now, from what I understand between Nuuk and Iqaluit, is that the ice sports will be in Iqaluit. They only have one ice surface. They were looking at how we would deal with it. During the meeting, we suggested that perhaps an hour on a bus is about the same as an hour on the plane and that is the way that transportation gets done in the North. Why do they not look at Kimmurut or Pangnirtung or some of the other small communities close to Iqaluit to do the ice sports?

Some of the comments from other participants were that the Arctic Winter Games are there to see how other people live. There are athletes from the bigger centres that will have a good opportunity to go into the smaller communities to see how other people live. I think the ice sports are going to be in if they use the outlying communities around Iqaluit to accommodate them. That was my understanding of the meeting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Antoine. Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 20th, 2000

Page 180

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister partially answered my question, but I think we have to look at who is going to be hosting the games. Splitting the games up the way they are for the next games, it may open up an avenue where smaller communities such as Hay River, Fort Smith and...

Supplementary To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Excuse me. Mr. Delorey, the supplementary should just be a question. Please go right to the question.

Supplementary To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Would the Minister consider looking at that type of proposal for the games?

Supplementary To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Further Return To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 180

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you. I think by splitting up the games two years from now, it does open the avenue for splitting up the games, as the Member was saying in his preamble. We will probably look at it.

Just for your information, there is already a lobby for four years from now for it to be in northern Alberta. That is still some ways down the line, but there is still time to get into that.

Yes to the question that smaller communities may have the opportunity with this precedence in Iqaluit and Nuuk of splitting up the games. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Question 95-14(2): Arctic Winter Games Concerns
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen, regarding the Aklavik trail they have been working on for a number of years to the mountains. His predecessor, Mr. Antoine, made a commitment to the people of Aklavik that they will continue to work on the strategy to someday have a road from Aklavik to the Dempster Highway.

This was one of the methods of getting there. Whether it takes us ten years or 20 years, we are going to get there someday. This project was supposed to be the kick start of a project that would be ongoing. But as I see now, through the interim appropriation and commitments from this government...I would like to ask the Minister how committed is his department to ensuring this project continues?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have two different projects here for Aklavik. One of the projects is an ATV trail to the mountains from Aklavik. I understand there was an original cost of $99,000. The department is still working with the community to put this particular trail in place. There is no change in the plans to my knowledge. Thank you.

Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Steen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is nice to hear the Minister say that he is committed. But I would like to know from the Minister that when he mentions commitment, does he mean dollars? And to what extent will this government commit dollars to this project?

Supplementary To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Minister Steen.

Further Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned there are actually two different projects. One would be within the larger project. The larger project is the road from Aklavik to the Dempster Highway, and the price tag on that is $100 million. The community did discuss it with the department. There has been no thought to take it anywhere from there because of the price tag. The department also has no funding or mandate to build new roads.

It is the understanding of the policy department that the federal government has the responsibility for new roads. However, we have been addressing a portion of that highway with the community, which at the present time we have been funding as an access road program. On an ongoing basis, we have been identifying $50,000 a year to that particular project in Aklavik.

At this point in time, there were no plans to change that. There is still a plan to work for the community on having that portion of the road pummeled on a regular basis.

Further Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Steen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the commitment from the Minister, is he willing to speed up the process or put more funding into it because of the importance of it, especially for the people of Aklavik?

The trail they are looking at also serves as the trail to the only gravel source they have in Aklavik, which is within the Richardson Mountains. I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider looking at advancing the project and putting more money into it now so we could speed up the process, similar to what they are doing on Highway No. 3.

Supplementary To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department could sit down with the community and again come up with an updated plan for that particular road. However, any reference to particular funding at this point in time...you will have to keep in mind that some of these projects are in the interim appropriations bill and it would be through that process that these type of projects would be addressed for highway funding for this year, and future years as well.

I would just like to say that we could sit down with the community and re-evaluate the plan. However, to try and suggest to do more funding would be subject to the approval of this Assembly. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Steen. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 181

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if this was in the interim appropriation, I would not be standing here today. It is not. That is why I am up here. I believe this government has already made a commitment to this specific project. I would like to have some assurances from this government that it will continue on. This government has to realize these socio-economic, small lumps of funds such as $50,000, can go a long way to offset our socio-economic problems in our isolated communities. I would like to ask the Minister, is he committed to ensuring this project will be in the interim appropriation?

Supplementary To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 182

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 182

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I cannot speak towards the interim appropriations bill at this point. However, I would like to ensure the Member that as this was a multi-year project and there was funding identified specifically per year, there is no department plan to change that multi-year project. It is still going to go ahead as far as this department is concerned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Question 96-14(2): Aklavik Atv Trail Construction
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 182

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Steen. Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Finance. We have heard that as the Government of the Northwest Territories takes over the full cost of the superannuation pension plan, it will leave us with a $13 million shortfall.

In committee briefings, the Minister let us know we were certainly covered by the federal government for these additional costs for this year, but we were uncertain about future years. I am wondering if the Minster can give me some clarification as to how long the feds have agreed to pick up the extra cost of us taking over this plan? Thank you.