This is page numbers 1591 - 1630 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 3rd 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 chairman.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1620

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. McLeod.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1620

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The amount for the Tuk winter ice road is roughly half-a-million dollars a year.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Hawkins.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. At this time, that will be fine. I did mean to say Tuk-Inuvik winter road. Although, if I keep saying highway maybe the government will change their mind eventually. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1620

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Back to page 10-24, committee.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Pages 10-26 and 10-27, highways, active positions. Mr. Zoe.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

As I indicated earlier in my general comments, Mr. Chairman, with regard to positions, particularly in the Tlicho section under page 10-26, we have only five full-time and two casuals that are budgeted, for a total of seven. I guess my question to the Minister is, a number of years ago, I don't know the exact year, but the highway camp at Edzo had a mechanic position and a clerk position. For some reason the department had wiped that off the org chart for that particular camp. I recall those mechanics being there and I knew them years ago, but they haven't been filled and all of a sudden I'm looking for them and they're not even on the org chart. They had a clerk position to do paperwork, to answer the phones, to pick up mail for the camp office there and to do errands and so forth. These two positions were never filled and I'm wondering why they all of a sudden disappeared from the Tlicho camp.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1620

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. McLeod.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1620

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, we'd need to get more information on the actual positions that he's referring to. It must have been some time ago. We don't

have those positions listed for this coming year; we didn't have them for the last year or last couple of years. So I'm assuming it's possibly further than seven or eight years ago. Right now we do not have those positions on our books. We're not reducing the Tlicho positions or the North Slave positions for highways.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Follow-up, Mr. Zoe.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Well, maybe I'll get our research department to look into it so I can maybe assist the Minister and show it on the org chart and what year the changes occurred. I'm sure his department can find that out, too. But it is those two positions and I'd like to ask the Minister if he would consider reinstating those two particular positions. The reason I'm saying this, Mr. Chairman, is that these two positions were very fundamental to the operation of the camp and the five people we have there in permanent positions, a lot of them usually go on holidays and we have to hire more casuals. Especially now, Mr. Chairman, with the mining industry and tourism industry, they're taking up all kinds of people and it's hard for our camp to maintain the operators. I think right now is a critical time to reinstate those two positions for that particular camp.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. McLeod.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, we certainly can commit to looking back in our records to see what year the Member is referring to. At this point, we've been operating without those positions for, by my estimation, about six or seven years. In order for us to reinstate those positions, we'd have to be able to identify those dollars. However, the Member has raised concerns about the camp and the impact that resource development may be having. We will commit to reviewing the situation and take a look at what our staff positions are. As part of this exercise, Mr. Chairman, we have looked at all our positions. We have, of course, had to undergo reduction exercises, also. But I will certainly commit that we will take another look at it and focus on the Rae-Edzo base camp and have those discussions with the Member.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Zoe.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My understanding was because of our fiscal restraint, that all of a sudden it disappeared. But we're in a different situation now. For the last few years your camp over there in my area has been crying, but nobody's been listening to them because the top-down people weren't talking to them and listening to them, even though they were crying. Now they're starting to cry. I see them day to day over here. So hopefully the Minister will seriously consider reinstating the need for that particular camp. If he could do it in this 2005-06 fiscal year, good; but, if not, then the next business cycle. Thank you.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. McLeod.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, I can't commit to anything further than having the discussions and taking a look at the base camp in Rae-Edzo. We just went through a real exercise of reducing a number of positions. I'm certainly not in a position to commit to increasing any of the highway camps at this point, unless there's a real justification for it. I would have to take that to my Cabinet colleagues and FMBS for that. So I certainly will, as I indicated before, commit to the Member that we will take a look and see why the positions were cut historically and have a discussion amongst ourselves to see if there is a need for an additional position or two, as the Member has indicated. That's as far as I can commit at this point.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Zoe.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Now you're going to hear from me speaking on this issue. Mr. Chairman, you know, I've asked the Minister to make a certain commitment and he's reluctant to right now. Other Ministers in this House have made commitments; for instance, Hay River. It's always the small communities that are getting hit, especially with PYs being cut. Here we are, asking this particular Minister if he can do that. If the other government Ministers are doing that for the city of Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik, why not for the smaller communities? The smaller communities have been asking you to do this kind of stuff and now I would like to ask the Minister if he would make that kind of commitment right now. Thank you.

---Applause

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. McLeod.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, this is the first time we've heard this request to increase the staffing at the Rae-Edzo base camp because there is a shortage of staff in that camp. I'm certainly not in a position to say yes we're going to increase it, when we have to justify the need, we have to be able to identify the resources in terms of the finances. I can't commit to that. I did commit that we'd look at the situation and we'd share that information. If there is a need, we will look at how we can accommodate it. If there isn't, then we will demonstrate why there isn't a requirement for additional staff. That's as far as I can go, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Zoe.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

February 27th, 2005

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Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Mr. Chairman, you know, if the Minister takes a review of those two positions I'm talking about, it could be easily justified. I can tell you that. It's needed. I know it's needed because those positions were there before and now, all of a sudden, it's been taken out. I'm asking again if the Minister would, after you do your research, reconsider reinstating those two PYs. Every other department does. RWED did it. They got a brand-new split department with how many positions coming to Yellowknife? It is the same with the Housing Corporation and the same with Education, Justice; particularly in Justice. It's only two little PYs I'm talking about. If you can't do that, why can't you stand up to the other Ministers who are doing that for their own departments? Thank you.

Committee Motion 24-15(3): Recommendation To Divert Funds From Chipseal Projects To Highway Reconstruction, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 1621

The Chair

The Chair David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. McLeod.