This is page numbers 269 - 296 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.

Topics

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving to page 7 under capital, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, total Municipal and Community Affairs, capital, $7,627,000.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

That concludes the department. I would like to thank the Minister and his witnesses.

We will now move to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs on page 4 under the Executive.

At this time, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the department, the Honourable Jim Antoine, if he has any opening comments.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am here as the Minister responsible for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs over Bill 6, Interim Appropriation, 2000-2001.

The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs requires $1,480,000 reflecting the Ministry's operating requirements for the four-month interim period. This translates into 32 percent of the 2000-2001 preliminary target. Additionally, the Ministry requires $75,000 capital on a one-time basis during the interim period. I welcome questions you may have on the details of the Ministry's interim financial requirements. Mahsi, Mr. Chairman.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Would the committee responsible like to make any comments? Mr. Delorey.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

The committee met with the Minister and his staff on March 17, 2000, to review the proposed 2000-2001 interim appropriation for the department. The committee made note of the following issues.

Request For Additional Staff
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs requested an additional five positions to assist with negotiations. Two teams, each consisting of a chief negotiator and an assistant negotiator, will be hired to participate in the Deh Cho and Akaitcho self-government negotiations on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Ministry will be further supported by the proposed addition of a policy analyst. (see p. 3, Aboriginal Affairs, 2000-2001 Interim Appropriation)

Committee members suggested that the Ministry may wish to better utilize its current staff given fiscal realities. All departments should be looking from within for additional resources.

Role Of Government
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Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

The committee asked the Minister responsible for a definition of the role of the Government of the Northwest Territories at the negotiating tables.

The department replied that the role of the territorial government is to ensure the overall interests of the people of the Northwest Territories are represented and protected at the negotiating table.

Quarterly Progress Report
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 23rd, 2000

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Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Committee members were concerned with the lack of progress at the negotiating tables. The committee recognizes the importance of the negotiations, but are of the perception that government may not be concurrent with the pace of progress.

The committee recommends that the Ministry provide a quarterly progress report on negotiations for review by committee members.

Office Space Renovations
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Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

The Ministry proposed the additional office renovations additional staff. See page 3, Aboriginal Affairs, 2000-2001 Interim Appropriation. See also page 1, capital, departmental submissions, Aboriginal Affairs, 2000-2001 Interim Appropriation.

Committee members recommended that the Ministry utilize vacant space that is leased by the Government of the Northwest Territories before renovating existing space. This will represent significant cost savings for the Ministry and the government.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. At this time I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in witnesses?

Office Space Renovations
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Yes.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Does the committee concur?

Office Space Renovations
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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Would the Sergeant-at-Arms please escort the witnesses in. Mr. Minister, could you please introduce your witnesses for the record.

Office Space Renovations
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here today as the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. I have with me Mr. Charles Overvold, who is the deputy Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs on my left, and Veronica Puskas, the manager of finance and administration.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Welcome. General comments for the Minister? Mr. Miltenberger.

Office Space Renovations
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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have read the committee report and gone through the interim appropriation. I would like to ask the Minister if he would speak to the specific suggestions and recommendations put forward by the committee.

The issues relate to more staff. I would like to know have they looked within where these staff are supposed to be located, if they do get approval and hire? The issue is of more timely information and reports on negotiations. As well, I see there is a chunk of money here for further renovations to offices. I would assume the intention is to hire more staff in Yellowknife. Considering they are here for the Deh Cho and Akaitcho tables causes me some concern, given what I believe to be are the relatively accurate numbers of the erosion of government in the regions and in the communities. Here we have another department wanting to add more staff to Yellowknife. This is a cause of concern for me, living outside of Yellowknife. If the Minister could speak to those issues, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Antoine.

Office Space Renovations
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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs does utilize the existing internal resources first. We have looked at the Ministry. It is a relatively small central agency. It mainly functions out of Yellowknife. It provides our representation at the different negotiating tables. The implementation of claims that were finalized.

The request for additional staff is to try to get ready for two other areas, two other First Nations that are on the verge of formal negotiations. The first is the Akaitcho Treaty 8. They have agreed to a framework agreement. They have not finalized it. It has taken them two and a half years to get to that stage. They are poised to begin formal negotiations.

We have existing staff in the Ministry that are negotiators and assistant negotiators, but they are occupied in dealing with existing negotiations that are there. It is not possible to re-assign existing staff to carry out duties that are going to be starting once the Akaitcho Treaty 8 negotiations get into full swing. We need a full, dedicated representative of all of us to represent us at these tables.

The other region is the Deh Cho First Nations, who have been working quite hard over the last year to work on a framework agreement. They are not as far along as the Akaitcho Territory. They are working towards a framework agreement. Eventually, they will be in the position in this fiscal year that they will be ready to get into formal negotiations. As a result, we have put in a request and approved through the Financial Management Board to pursue this through the interim appropriation. It is the first time it comes out.

With the existing staff, everybody is very busy with their task right now. To suggest using existing staff to cover these other areas is very difficult. The nature of negotiations is a very difficult process.

Regarding a quarterly progress report, we are prepared to provide quarterly reports on negotiations to the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development. For the information of the Members, we provide monthly reports on each of the negotiations. We also see specific reports following each negotiation session. I anticipate there will be periodic, full verbal briefings and discussions with Ministerial staff. Certainly quarterly reports are going to be provided to the standing committee from now on for each of the claims.

Under office space renovations, the current space the Ministry is in, I am told, accommodates the existing staff. However, if we are going to add additional staff to the Ministry, we need to seek other spaces. I know the suggestion is there to provide accommodations in existing leases. We checked on it. We are told to put an operational unit of the Ministry into existing leases in other buildings is a bit difficult to do. We would have to get this facility ready to accommodate the staff. What the Ministry is requesting here is one level of office space above the existing floor, and renovate it with the amount we are requesting. We would like to keep the Ministry staff closer together. There is a lot of inter-Ministry discussion going on when you are dealing with land claims and self-government and implementation. It is a fairly small unit, but it requires additional space.

As for putting some of these positions in communities outside of Yellowknife, we work closely with negotiators on developing strategy for sessions. Negotiators work closely with other departments in Yellowknife. For example, if negotiations are about municipal lands, we have to include Municipal and Community Affairs. A lot of issues deal with wildlife, so we have to work with Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. We also provide negotiation training to other staff. As a result, the practice has always been to have the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs all in Yellowknife. We do not have field offices. Thank you.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Mr. Miltenberger.

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am concerned. When you look at all of the departments and the government, I see FMBS coming forward with 22 percent forced growth, followed closely on its heels by the Executive, as we discussed in this House, with 18 percent. Of course, third in line is another headquarters operation, Aboriginal Affairs.

At the same time, I know the layoff policy from the 13th Assembly is no longer legally on the books, but it exists in some sort of form. There are about 50 to 60 PYs sitting in government as a result of the layoff policy, but there is no sign of interdepartmental coordination where you come forward as a government for new positions. But at the same time you know you have staff sitting there.

Has there been any kind of human resource survey that would allow you to reallocate positions, rather than keep these positions stacked 50 to 60, five to six million dollars worth of positions and at the same time coming forward to ask for some more?

I see no sense of interdepartmental communication or how you are looking at this as a government. That is the concern I have because there has been nothing but cuts in the regions and communities. Nothing but cuts. There are a thousand good reasons to put more jobs in Yellowknife but there is not one good reason to have this government putting jobs back into the communities yet.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

The Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine.

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs is requesting these positions in Yellowknife for the reasons I stated earlier. This department does not have any other field offices. We do not have offices in the regions because of the nature of the work that is required.

The land claims and self-government have always been the priority of the Legislative Assembly and government. We just want to be well prepared to take on the upcoming two claim areas that are poised and ready to negotiate. These two areas have had a very difficult time accepting this Legislative Assembly and the Government of the Northwest Territories as a legitimate government to see us involved in their process.

With the Akaitcho Territory, we were able to take two and half years to finally come to a framework agreement to get to a type of wording that would allow the Government of the Northwest Territories to sit at the table to begin negotiations. We are being accused of dragging our feet, being stumbling blocks and slowing down the process. We take that very seriously.

In these two new claims areas that are coming forward, we would like to be prepared so once these two negotiations are getting into full swing, we are in a position to move as soon as they start up.

That is the position from which I am coming. I do not know if I responded to the honourable Member's concern that there are increases in the Financial Management Board Secretariat and Executive as well as Aboriginal Affairs.

The reason for the request is very legitimate. I will leave it at that. Thank you.

Office Space Renovations
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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. At this time I would like to recognize two young ladies in the audience, Kayla Chang and also Mickey Marshall up in the gallery. If you are taking all this in, someday you will hopefully be in this House sitting in Ms. Lee's chair.

-- Laughter

-- Applause

General comments. Mr. McLeod.