This is page numbers 157 - 202 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 communities.

Topics

Further Return To Question 69-14(5): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Resources
Question 69-14(5): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Resources
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is clear in how she answered the question she posed. The money is in the health boards' budget and we tend to look at the bottom line figures over the course of the year and try to make sure they do not have deficits. In this particular case, once again an issue has been raised about funds and how they were allocated and possibly not spent. We will be checking on that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 69-14(5): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Resources
Question 69-14(5): Alcohol And Drug Treatment Resources
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. I would like to ask the Minister of RWED to explain why the Government of the Northwest Territories does not have any resource harvesting compensation policies and regulations in place that resource developers can refer to when they are developing benefit plans as required by INAC? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government used to have such a policy when we used to have Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The decision was made back when this department was no longer functioning not to proceed with that policy anymore. The main reason for not having such a policy is that it is not enforceable. It could be there but it did not have any enforceable mechanism to be effective. As a result, the decision was made back about a government ago, that this policy cannot be used, so it was no use having it anymore. That is the reason why we do not have a policy at this point. Thank you.

Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board recommended that the Government of the Northwest Territories devote more resources to the collection of analysis of data related to the economic value of traditional economy in communities affected by development activities. Can the Minister of RWED explain what his department is doing in regard to this need? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department is fully aware of the impending resource development that is starting to happen around us, especially in the oil and gas sector, so we need to take these recommendations from the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board and other suggestions to start looking at what we as a government can do to protect the people who are traditional harvesters out on the land. We are taking these recommendations very seriously. There is work being done, I am told, and we will look at the work that has been going on for some time. I understand that some time in March we will have a report to look at the beginning of how we could deal with this type of impending resource development. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 165

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, item 16 of the measures recommended by the review board in its December 3rd decision on the Cameron Hills gathering system and pipeline development, as proposed by Paramount Resources Limited, recommended that an amended benefits plan different than the one by INAC on September 15th be provided to a number of agencies, including the Government of the Northwest Territories. Item 13 recommends that INAC discuss this amended plan with the Government of the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister confirm whether or not his department has received a copy of the amended benefits plan? Can he indicate whether or not the community rules approve of the amended benefits plan are attached?

Supplementary To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine, two questions there.

Further Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a very good question. It is kind of detailed for me to respond at this point in time. I am not going to take it as notice, but I will tell the Member that I will look into this matter and get back to him. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is difficult to ask my supplementary because my next question was based on his answer. However, I would like to ask if the Minister is aware if the company and INAC have been meeting with the communities and consulting with them in a proper sense in terms of traditional knowledge gathering and the community benefits plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the consultation that is going on. I have had some discussion with people from Kakisa not too long ago and they were not satisfied with the level and nature of the consultation that has occurred by Paramount in their community with their elders. As the Member indicated, is it proper consultation? From what I have heard in discussion with the community, it is not proper the way the consultation had taken place. We will have to look further into it. There are some conditions according to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board recommendations that we have to take into consideration with regard to the impact benefits agreement, and with respect to using traditional knowledge and gathering information on the traditional harvesting economy. We need to do that and we will get back to the Member on that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Question 70-14(5): Harvesting Compensation Policies
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Item 6: Oral Questions

February 25th, 2002

Page 166

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today goes to the Minister responsible for the Liquor Licensing Commission. I would like to follow up on the statement I made yesterday about special licensing for special events to have liquor available. As I stated yesterday, Mr. Speaker, I am not advocating making liquor available at all occasions at all times, but the more I think about it, this policy the board follows does not make any sense to me. It says that they would grant special licences for only two occasions, one is the Grey Cup and one is the Super Bowl.

I do not play football and I do not play hockey or anything like that, but I think there are more people up North who play hockey than football. What about the Masters golf game or curling? Why only the two sports and why only two occasions? Has the Minister had a chance to look at that?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The responsibility for issuing licences and permits for special occasions is clearly within the authority of the liquor board. My responsibility is to appoint the board. I cannot interfere in their responsibilities as long as they perform their duties within the act.

With regard to why not more special occasions or more flexibility in there, I have not yet had a chance to write to the board, but I have spoken to the board chairman on this issue and certainly intend to follow it up further, and would suggest to the board that they review the situation and maybe have more flexibility in their policy for their staff to follow. Thank you.

Return To Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. I appreciate that politicians are not supposed to interfere in the work of boards, but at the same time we are accountable to the public on the judgments they make. We appoint them and we have the right to tell them of some of our concerns. When the Minister communicates with the board about this matter, would the Minister also be able to talk to them about giving the reply with sufficient time so there might be some time for responses? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Question 71-14(5): Liquor Licensing For Special Occasions
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 166

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, yes, I will raise that issue with the board as well. I think often these special occasions happen with very little notice and I know for the establishment operators and the board itself, there is sometimes very little time to deal with the issue.

In this particular occasion that came up, it was a case of our Canadian men's Olympic hockey team playing for a gold medal. There was little notice, little time, so things were happening very fast. I will ask them to do everything they can to ensure good time frames. Thank you.