This is page numbers 701 - 746 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 community.

Topics

Further Return To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know what it is going to take, someone going to court on this issue or somebody being charged under this issue. Mr. Speaker, there have been petitions raised in the House about looking at the Wildlife Act because of the effect on harvesters of the rules and regulations we have in place. The only way that those will be dealt with is through amendments to the existing Wildlife Act. So again I would like to ask the Minister... There have been petitions in this House filed by my constituents asking him to review and amend the Wildlife Act and bring in changes so that our harvesters are not being impacted by bad regulations of this government. I would like to ask the Minister, what have you done about that matter and knowing it is a direct change is needed for the Wildlife Act.

Supplementary To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, what we've been doing is working with the Gwich'in and the Sahtu Dene-Metis and the Inuvialuit that have land claims and we have a very good working relationship. We have accommodated the different requests that they've made in trying to live within the existing Wildlife Act and, in the meantime, we are also going through the whole process of writing a whole new Wildlife Act that would incorporate the different provisions to the claims that the Member is very concerned about. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 716

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Supplementary To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 716

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I don't believe the Gwich'in or anyone else can wait for another 10 years to see anything happen in this government. So I would like to ask the Minister, knowing that there are two Members on this side of the House who are willing to come forth with a private Member's bill, will his department work in conjunction with us to make the minor amendments needed to really put some teeth in the wildlife legislation that is there today? Will the Minister commit his staff and his resources to work with my colleague and me to come forth in the next sitting with a private Member's bill to make amendments to this Wildlife Act?

Supplementary To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 716

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, we are all engaged in trying to develop a comprehensive new Wildlife Act and the direction from Cabinet is for me to pursue this initiative. Whatever the Member has in mind, in terms of making minor amendments that have teeth, I would like to see what it is and we will certainly take a very close look at it and make our comments known. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Question 227-14(6): Gwich'in Amendments To The Wildlife Act
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Time for question period has ended. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question to the Honourable Jim Antoine, Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, and it concerns the Wildlife Act and the Species as Risk Act.

  1. How much money has been spent on the drafting of and consultation on the new Wildlife Act and Species at Risk Act legislation over the last 10 fiscal years, beginning with fiscal year 1992-93?
  2. Please provide the breakdown of the above for each department and agency involved in the process, e.g. Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development; Justice; Aboriginal Affairs or any other.
  3. Please provide the breakdown, by groups, organizations and individuals of those who received grants or contributions under Question 1 above, for the same time period.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, return to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of affordable rental housing. Mr. Speaker, this petition contains 40 signatures from Yellowknife residents and Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories take realistic steps to protect tenants from excess rent increases and further that the Government of the Northwest Territories work with developers to enable the construction of affordable rental housing units for the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, as required by section 32.1, subsection 2 of the Financial Administration Act, I wish to table the following document entitled List of Interactivity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 for the period April 1, 2002, to January 31, 2003. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for the first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 16, first reading of bills. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Workers Compensation Act be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We have a motion and the motion is in order. To the motion.

An Hon. Member

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 15 has had first reading. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act, Carried
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre that Bill 14, an Act to Amend the Public Service Act be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Public Service Act to provide that employees with an establishment in the public service must not, on the basis of sex, be paid at a less rate than other employees who perform work of equal value. An equal pay commissioner shall be appointed to investigate and assist in the resolution of all complaints. The equal pay commissioner will prepare an investigation report including recommendations with respect to the resolution of the complaint. Any party to the complaint may submit the complaint together with the investigation report to an arbitrator. The arbitrator may order the imposition of a number of remedies, including an order for cost. Any party may appeal a decision of an arbitrator to the Supreme Court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act, Carried
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act, Carried
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to vote against this bill on the basis that the original bill that was presented had the context of aboriginality in it and I think that there is also discrimination, not only based on gender but also on the aboriginal content, where we know that there are aboriginal employees in this government who are making less...

Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act, Carried
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mr. Krutko, I have to rule you out of order on that. Speak to the principle of the bill; that is not in the bill. Aboriginality is not in the bill. To the principle of the bill. To the principle of the bill, Mr. Krutko.

Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act, Carried
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

I thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the way the bill is drafted, I believe that we have to look at more than gender. We have to expand it to include other concepts in the bill. If we are going to do something, let's do it right here but don't piecemeal something for the sake of piecemealing. I think that we have other inequities in the North that we have to consider. We've had an Affirmative Action Policy in place for years and what we are seeing is that it's not working and we also have policies ensuring that we have pay equity. Pay equity is one step in many steps we still have to take. There are still inequities in this government, especially when it comes to the way the people are paid to work for the government. We can't just look at gender.

We have pay equity. Pay equity is one step in many steps we still have to take. There are still inequities in this government, especially when it comes to the way people are paid to work for government. The problem also includes race and other aspects of this government. I feel that I have been pounding myself against the wall for almost eight years in this House because of policies we have.

We have the Affirmative Action Policy. It has not done anything looking at the statistics of this government. How many people are we really seeing moving up the ranks in this government? A lot of people in this government, especially when you look at aboriginal people, their wages, because of their education levels and other levels that are there, are lower than those of people doing a similar job because of that component.

If we are going to look at gender, I suggest we also look at other aspects such as aboriginal contracts in this government. For the sake of timelines and trying to beat the clock because something might happen in Ottawa, as an aboriginal person, you are probably better off being protected under your rights in Ottawa than you are with this government. If this government is going to ram this legislation through for the sake of one aspect, I would suggest we take our time, do it right and look at how this change to the Public Service Act will include all aspects of the rights of employees of this government.

So, for the record, I will not be supporting this motion on the basis that there was an original motion that had an aboriginality clause which was presented by this government and is no longer there. I feel that this government is letting the aboriginal people down for the 99th time in the 99th year.

Bill 14: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act, Carried
Item 18: Second Reading Of Bills

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah. I caution you to restrict your comments to the principle of the bill.