This is page numbers 297 - 330 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th 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 know.

Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 301

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have all the details or background of the lack of our participation in this particular program. However, we are looking at revitalizing our discussions with government to see if we can't participate in renewal of this particular program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 301

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the Minister cannot tell us why we haven't participated in it, can I ask the Minister to commit to tabling in this House the reasons for the GNWT not having signed onto the existing agreement?

Supplementary To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 301

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, I understand that part of the reason for not participating in this particular program is that it is per capita based and again it recovered from our particular transfer payments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 301

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 301

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, knowing that, can the Minister outline what approach we are taking to make sure we access these funds without them cutting into our base transfer and not getting them just on a per capita basis? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Further Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The concern has been there on the part of all Ministers and MLAs on the per capita funding that we've used. As we are all aware, the Premier had an opportunity with other Premiers to bring this to the attention of the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister indicated that he also wants something done about the per capita funding issue because it does impact on our government and our funding here dramatically in terms of low funding for our population base. We are bringing this to the table when we are discussing it with the people who are negotiating this particular agreement. Additionally, we are looking at just the issue Mr. Dent has mentioned and the fact that we don't want it taken out of our capital base.

Further Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would hope that the federal government would certainly want to make sure that we were able to get more money into the hands of persons with disabilities. You would think they would be embarrassed to know that it wasn't possible, even if we signed this because of a reduction in our transfer payments. Could the Minister outline what sort of timetable we are looking at for concluding these negotiations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the federal program expires within a month and that we are in negotiations now. I can't tell the Member how quickly we can conclude that. However, there is a meeting of Ministers planned in April of labour market Ministers, in which this particular issue can be taken up in discussion with the Minister of Human Resources Development Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Question 79-14(6): Persons With Disabilities Program Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I spoke about northern games and along those lines, I would like to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs some questions in the area of sport and recreation. We know that the department has been working with sport organizations throughout the territory. There have been some meetings held. I would like to know what state those discussions are in and when we will be able to see some final products on sport and recreation policies in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe the issue right now is related to the ability of all the sports partners to get together in early March or after the Canada Games are over with. At that time, there will be discussions centred around the establishment of an NWT sports board. It would involve all the major sports partners in the Northwest Territories, including Sport North.

Return To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Supplementary To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This has been an ongoing matter for quite some time now. Is it the intention that this meeting in March shall be the final meetings and that we will form some concrete policy out of that? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of MACA, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, that is the intent. I am hoping to have some recommendations from the sports partners. We would then follow up with the establishment of the board through the policy and we are already drafting up some of the policy as to what the abilities of the sports board would be, presuming that everything goes as planned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Supplementary To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform us if this will be the last meeting on this and then move forward from there to find the timelines. Will something be in place by the end of this government? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of MACA, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Question 80-14(6): GNWT Sport And Recreation Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 302

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe I've indicated to the standing committee that we are hoping that we are going to have a draft policy ready for review by the standing committee in April or May at the latest. Then we will put the policy in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.