Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister spoken with the Premier and his Cabinet colleagues about releasing this legal opinion, so he can share the information with the Members of this House in the style of consensus government, where we are here to represent all of the people and we should work cooperatively on this?
Debates of Feb. 25th, 2002
This is page numbers 121 - 155 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th 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
Supplementary To Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Supplementary To Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.
Further Return To Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier has been away for the past week, as you know, on the Team Canada tour. I did reference this in a Cabinet strategy meeting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Question 55-14(5): Release Of Cabinet Legal Opinions
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if he would move up the Wha Ti community hall on capital projects so we can use the winter road season this year to bring in all the materials to build it by fall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.
Return To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet with the Member this morning on this unfortunate situation in Wha Ti. I made him aware that we already had this project moved up for this year. However, it is before the Financial Management Board and I believe it is approved by the Financial Management Board, but all we can accomplish, according to Public Works and Services, for this year is the planning and have the materials on the road for next year. It is just not possible to have all the equipment and materials on the road for this year. Thank you.
Return To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Supplementary To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister how long does it take to pull out a blueprint and look at ordering the materials? We do have about a month and a half winter road season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.
Further Return To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Public Works has been working on this. If it is at all possible, we will do it this year. We will move the materials in this year. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Supplementary To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Leon Lafferty North Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he can keep me updated on the progress of this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Supplementary To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.
Further Return To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we will be working with the Member and with the community on how we can assist them in the meantime, as to how to get the community hall as quickly as possible. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Question 56-14(5): Wha Ti Community Hall
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
The Speaker Tony Whitford
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for the Premier in his capacity as the Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs with respect to the Kyoto agreement. Mr. Speaker, within the last couple of weeks at the First Ministers' Conference, there was some confusion about the difference between Canada's position on the Kyoto accord for the environment and that of the provinces. Would the Premier advise whether the position of Canada is different from the position of the Government of the Northwest Territories on the Kyoto accord? Thank you.
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Return To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 128
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories has been fairly consistent in the last few years in supporting the proposed Kyoto agreement, the protocol that has been on the table for the last number of years. We continue to support the ratification of the agreement. However, the negotiations are still ongoing. Canada is still seeking to gain some concessions and amendments to the proposed agreement.
We have Minister Antoine today meeting with Ministers Anderson and Dhaliwal to carry on those discussions and to make clear the position of the Government of the Northwest Territories. We would expect that later this spring there will be some meetings held between our government and the federal Ministers to look at the steps that we would want taken before there is ratification, should negotiations be successful by Canada. That is, we would want stakeholders here in the Northwest Territories to be involved in a consultation process before ratification is achieved. Thank you.
Return To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 129
Supplementary To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 129
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to inquire into the communication on this kind of issue. Mr. Klein, in a rather famous little piece of television, kind of hijacked some of the agenda from the Prime Minister. I will get to my question, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier make the government's position regarding Kyoto clearly known to the Prime Minister and to the other provinces of Canada? Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 129
Further Return To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 129
Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had indicated two things to the staff of the Prime Minister's office in the travels in Russia and Germany. Contrary to what was indicated by the letter that was read by Premier Klein, the Government of the Northwest Territories has consistently taken the position that we will support the Kyoto agreement and support Canada in seeking further changes that would make the agreement even more attractive and supportable. There were two points made with the PMO and we are prepared to send a letter to that effect once we have concluded the meetings in Victoria. Once I have had a chance to meet with Minister Antoine, we will indicate our support for the Kyoto Protocol, the agreement.
Secondly, we will state our views regarding the manner in which the letter was brought to the attention of the Prime Minister, which we took some exception to. It was all a surprise to us and we felt, given that we were on a foreign trade mission and we were in another country, that this was not the way to do business. Certainly not the way to lend dignity and respect to the office of the Prime Minister of Canada. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 129
Supplementary To Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Question 57-14(5): Position On Kyoto Protocol
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 129
Bill Braden Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear that the Premier has made that position known. I too was not impressed as a Canadian watching that kind of shenanigan going on overseas, so I support that position. I would like to further ask, the concern has been expressed from industry that Kyoto is going to impair or deteriorate Canada's industrial position. Does the Premier have any information or evidence that may indeed be the case in the Northwest Territories, especially with the significant scale of development we are anticipating? Thank you.