This is page numbers 1057 - 1078 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 communities.

Topics

Supplementary To Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand in the fall directions were given to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to try to achieve a one-rate zone and then later on directions were given to pull it. The direction was so drastic that the whole board was fired. I would like to ask the Minister, if they have the power to fire a board that does not do their wishes, why can they not make applications on behalf of the people of the Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Minister Handley.

Further Return To Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true that boards that are created by the legislation of the Government of the Northwest Territories and whose membership are appointed by the government provide the services at the pleasure of the government. So we have the authority to appoint and by that to also un-appoint people to those boards. In terms of providing them with direction, we certainly have a responsibility to do that as well. In this case, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation intended to file for a one-rate application. It was a decision by Cabinet that they should not do that and that is the course that they followed as they put in their phase two application last year. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Question 327-14(6): One-rate Power Zone
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier and it is in regard to the specialist negotiations. Mr. Speaker, further to the Minister of Health and Social Services' commitment yesterday, I would like to ask the Premier to confirm Cabinet's willingness to look at all aspects of a proposal that I understand is coming from the doctors and give it the best consideration of the Cabinet in order to resolve this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had the pleasure of seeing many of our medical staff, doctors and specialists and nurses, visit this House, this legislature, and I took that as an indication of their desire to find some way to resolve the present impasse that we find ourselves in. The Minister spoke on behalf of the government and indicated that he is open to receiving a proposal or offer from the specialists and he spoke on behalf of the Cabinet. I indicated to the medical staff that I talked to personally that we would be open to that as indicated by the Minister. So we will proceed to look at whatever it is that they communicate with us. Thank you.

Return To Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Supplementary To Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that answer and I am not going to belabour the point. Mr. Speaker, I just want to point out that there were lots of people in the gallery who I represent, the regular citizens as well. I just want to ask the Cabinet, Premier, sorry. Lack of sleep is really getting on my ability to speak. Mr. Speaker, what I would like to hear from the Premier is his commitment and the Cabinet's commitment that the resources and hours will be spent to increase the chance of reaching a settlement because if you are not at the table talking you are not going to get a deal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Further Return To Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Minister Miltenberger indicated, the government is open to resuming discussions once we receive a proposal offer from the specialists. We are sincerely trying to do our best to try to resolve this in a fair and reasonable way. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Question 328-14(6): Specialist Physician Negotiations
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to direct my questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, regarding some of the comments he has made publicly and in the media about government employees or teachers, suggesting that they should be willing to share housing and pay fair market rent. I have been contacted by many people in the communities who took offence to these comments and they were asking for some explanation. Of course, Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information. We are assuming that the Minister is quite familiar with the housing needs in the communities and he must have taken an analysis of the situation to make those types of comments. So I would like to ask him if he could explain to this House and to the people of the Northwest Territories, more specifically to the teachers, what he has based his comments on? Has he done studies? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

The chair had difficulty in trying to focus on the question. Many comments may have been made, I am sure. Can you specify a little bit closer so the chair can understand? Mr. McLeod.

Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1066

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, my question was to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment regarding his suggestion that teachers share houses and also be willing to pay fair market rent. We are asking what he based those comments on.

Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister Ootes.

Return To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, the comments may be in relation to a question asked about housing in Tuktoyaktuk and I indicated that, in that particular case, I was informed that there were two houses available in Tuktoyaktuk, but they would have to be provided at fair market rent. It could be possible that individuals could share. I believe that is what the Member is referring to.

Return To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Supplementary To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the situation with teachers and government housing in all the smaller communities, I believe, is a real problem. We have it in Lutselk'e, we have it in Tuktoyaktuk, we have it in all the communities that I am aware of, including Fort Providence. I would like to ask the Minister if, in his analysis of this situation, he has come up with any solutions? Are there any options that he can suggest? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister Ootes.

Further Return To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This has been an issue that I have discussed with my own department extensively, as well as with other Cabinet Members because it is an issue of concern to all of us. It is ongoing and it does shift from community to community. We seem to get the problem solved and then it arises perhaps in other communities. So it is definitely an issue that we are very concerned about. We do have a deputy ministers' task force on housing that we have suggested come forward with possible options that could be looked at by us as a Cabinet. It is not only in the teacher area, but in the whole area of housing. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Supplementary To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, in every community, at least in every community in my riding, we have development corporations and a lot of the corporations are involved with building construction and with housing, with lease-backs. I have not heard this government ever sit down to discuss the possibility of partnering up with the development corporations for long-term commitments. It is difficult, I know. Some committees have looked at the situation, however, the houses are going to be vacant during the summer months and nobody is willing to sit and keep houses that nobody is going to pay rent on. So I would like to ask the Minister if he would be willing to go to the communities when there are problems, especially some of the communities that have major problems, and discuss with the development corporations the possibility of going on a joint initiative to construct housing specifically for teachers? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Minister Ootes.

Further Return To Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Question 329-14(6): Housing For Teachers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 1067

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we know, a number of years ago the government got out of the ownership of housing. At the time there were several initiatives that were undertaken by the government to involve the Housing Corporation. I do not have the mandate, Mr. Speaker, to resolve this issue. It is not within my power to resolve the issue of housing for teachers although I am, on an ongoing basis, dealing with this to ensure that we can move forward and find some resolution for this particularly difficult problem that is facing people. Thank you.