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.

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

Item 6, oral questions. Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

February 24th, 2003

Page 302

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services in response to his Minister's statement today, "Taking Action on Tobacco". Mr. Speaker, it would appear the Minister plans to undertake a fair amount of consultation with the public on this matter. Mr. Speaker, I believe about 45,000 people a year die in Canada as a result of direct or indirect issues around tobacco smoke. It would appear to me that this is a bit of a public safety issue. We implement other legislation around public safety issues, seatbelt legislation, legislation about people riding in the back of pick-up trucks. If someone pulls you over and you have your baby in a vehicle and they are not in a car seat, you are going to get a $200 fine. Can this Minister consider smoking in public places to be a safety issue? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member raises a very pertinent and germane point. It's something WCB is looking at as well. In my mind, it is clear that this is a health issue and a public safety issue, especially when it comes to secondhand smoke. Thank you.

Return To Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage the Minister in the work he has undertaken in this area and I would like him to take the approach as we would as a government on any other public safety issue. I think we have been too long, too quiet and too lenient on this hazardous situation which does exist for people who are sometimes not in a position to defend themselves against the effects of secondhand smoke. I would like to ask the Minister if he could see any opportunity for perhaps even curtailing some of the public consultation and taking the responsible and appropriate action of going straight into the preparation of legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I agree that this is a serious health problem that has been too long unaddressed and I am going to try to move as quickly as I can, along with Cabinet, to make sure that the pieces are in place so if we don't have a chance to complete anything in the months remaining of the 14th Assembly, then the 15th Assembly will be ready to go in the very early days to deal with the issue of legislation, should it be moved forward. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Question 81-14(6): Tobacco Use As A Public Safety Issue
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. McLeod.

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a follow-up to my Member's statement, I am hoping the Minister of RWED can hear me. I have a bad cold. I would like to ask, in light of the fact that we have had a lot of development in the different sectors and mega projects over the horizon, I would like to know what his department is doing to assist our northern entrepreneurs to prepare for this development.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, we have an existing program in the Business Development Fund. We also have the agency, the Business Credit Corporation. We, as a government, approach the different initiatives project by project. We utilize different programs and have followed these policies. We don't have any new initiatives. We try to deal with this Mackenzie Valley resource development. There was a joint department of the Mackenzie Valley development...There is a committee set up to look at that whole initiative. We haven't yet seen any recommendations or directions coming from that. Right now, in answer to the Member, we have existing programs that we are currently using. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if he could expand on the fact that he stated there will be no new programs, so we will have to rely on existing ones. However, the existing programs are severely under funded. Can we count on, at some point, seeing new money being put into existing programs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you know, the budget we are going through, the departments don't have very many new initiatives. Early in the planning of the budget, we also identified that it may be necessary for us to have expanded our budget. However, because of the deficit, we kept on the line. I am prepared to work with the honourable Member to see if there is anything specific we can do in the areas of identifying where there is going to be a need for additional resources. I think we all realize that with the impending development that's happening and it's unfolding practically as we speak with regard to a Mackenzie Valley pipeline and all the development that's going to be associated with it in the future. There is probably a need to have a closer look at what is really needed. Until the development of our budget, the pipeline is a proposal, and not definite. As it becomes more definite, we have to look closer at it and see if we can get additional resources once we identify that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 303

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

04

Supplementary To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister has indicated, they have to live with the existing programs that they have currently and we will have to live with the money that's also budgeted. We are not looking at any new dollars. Would the Minister look and consider changing and expanding the criteria that these programs operate under? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are looking at combining the NWT Development Corporation with the Business Credit Corporation and looking at the development of new legislation and also it would incorporate the Business Loan Fund and Community Futures, as well as looking at the Bankers' Commission report that has just recently been released. There are recommendations in the Bankers' Commission report that alludes to doing things differently, having more control put into more of a regional decision-making scenario rather than headquarters. So there is opportunity there to reshape and redo the way we give our grants and contributions. So we will be more prepared to look at expanding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, my first question was to the Minister regarding new initiatives and in his last answer he has indicated he is going to consolidate all the programs under one roof. I would certainly interpret that to be a new initiative. So when the Minister states he is going to consolidate all the existing programs and pool all the dollars, can he tell us if that would result in new dollars being available to the regions?

Supplementary To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in consolidating the different sources of grants and contributions that we have out there under one entity, that still hasn't happened yet. We are working on it through the development of legislation. In the meantime, we are holding the line on the existing programs and services we currently have. So, yes, there will be some ideas on how to do that coming through the legislative proposal that is going to be coming forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Question 82-14(6): Northern Development Preparedness Funding
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 304

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Bell.