This is page numbers 1945 - 1984 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 program.

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Supplementary To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can understand that the decision is a federal appointment, but in the spirit of good faith between the federal government and our government, I would expect that they would at least have the courtesy to phone our Premier and find out what the political agenda is here and work with that. I'm wondering if the Premier can let us know how the appointment was made. Was it Minister Scott's call directly, or was the Secretary of State for Northern Development involved, and that happens to be our MP, in this decision? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I can say that I was very surprised, taken aback; in fact angry, yesterday, when I found out, when it was on the 5:30 news, that CBC had gotten this information before we did, before I did and before anybody in our government did. Mr. Speaker, I don't know for sure who was involved in the announcement, if it was an announcement made. CBC certainly had it. But I did, as well as calling Minister Scott, call our MP and Minister for Northern Development, Ethel Blondin-Andrew. She called me back this morning and certainly apologized for not letting us know. She explained that she thought that we had been told and agreed that from here on she was going to be more diligent in making sure the department is letting us know ahead of time before we hear this sort of thing through the media. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That gives us little comfort, I guess. What is done is done. I am wondering, perhaps, as a government, we could look at writing a letter and maybe the Premier's office can put together a letter and each and every one of us Members in this 15th Legislative Assembly could sign it, outlining our concern over how this appointment was made and the fact that we had to find out on the 5:30 news last evening that the appointment was made before even the Premier knew about it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly talk to the Members about that and consider doing a letter which either I would send or could be sent by all Members. This cannot continue to happen, Mr. Speaker. This is why we have to have devolution, because we cannot have these kinds of decisions being made in Ottawa and us finding out after the fact that the decision was made, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, fortunately, Minister Scott is going to be here next week. I think all of us will have an opportunity to speak with him. I certainly will speak with him about the way this was handled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1959

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday when I asked the Minister responsible for the FMBS if he would consider striking the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, he advised me that he was not willing to do this because, in his opinion, he did not want to interrupt the healthy and positive process that is currently underway and that he had an agreement with his colleagues at FMBS. Is the Minister suggesting that a plan put together by a few people in FMBS, who we still don't know who they are, that has been approved by FMBS, should not be the subject of scrutiny by what I feel would be an unbiased objective and independent panel of qualified individuals? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, scrutiny of what Members of FMB decide should not happen on this floor, as Members have been questioning us to the integrity of what has been happening. As I informed the Member and other Members on this issue, that once we have got a plan together to move forward, we would be bringing it to committee. In fact, a document will be going to committee in the very near future about where things are going right now and what our plans are for trying to improve our system. Thank you.

Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to the plan when it does come to committee. Just on the affirmative action policy, Mr. Speaker, the honourable Minister Roland did mention that the MAP program and the applicants that the MAP program does accept undergo a rigorous assessment process. Mr. Speaker, I understand part of the process is a series of tests. Will the Minister confirm that these tests that are there for the northern applicants were actually designed by a highly-paid consultant from the South who doesn't even live in the North, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will go back and see where the assessment was put together; if it was, in fact, from a consultant whether northern or southern. I think it is important to remember, whether you are north or south, your ability to get the job should be one of the most important measurements taken. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the assessment process also involves gathering of information from up to 15 peers. These 15 peers are allowed to provide some comments anonymously on a person's application. To me, Mr. Speaker, this sounds like a very subjective process with no accountability. We have talked about transparency in the human resources department. Can the Minister explain that this is obviously a non-transparent process and what will he do to address the process of screening applicants to make it more transparent? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, once again, the area of the MAP program is being looked at to see how we can open it up and ensure that northern residents are having a fair opportunity to advance within the government. As we go through this first issue we have to deal with around human resources, we will be able then to take on these other areas with more horsepower, I guess you can say, to begin to look at this and hopefully bring solutions to Members of this House and to our workforce. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the final supplementary of Minister Roland that the information that was gathered from the 140 people that were interviewed and applied for the MAP program, if that information is available to Members. If not, why not? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on many occasions when we are looking at gathering information, whether it is about a program or survey affecting employees, we tend to try and have one section of that being open for anybody to make comment. Some people are very concerned that they may say something that would be brought back to bear on them as they are in the workforce. So there are some sections of our internal surveys that employees are told right off at the start that there is a confidentiality portion. We will have to look at that as we go through this. So with the information of what the Member is raising here, I will take that information, go back and see, in fact, what the process is and what happens with that information. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Question 587-15(3): Management Assignment Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1960

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Question 588-15(3): Shared Affiliations With The United States
Item 7: Oral Questions

March 9th, 2005

Page 1960

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this afternoon are for the Premier in his capacity as the Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the visit to the Northwest Territories over the last couple of days of Naim Ahmed, the consulate general from the American consulate in Calgary to the Northwest Territories, and the initiative that the American government has taken to create virtual consulates on the web site for the Northwest Territories as well as Nunavut and the Yukon. As we have heard this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, sometimes we wonder whether we are on Ottawa's radar screen. At least we know that we are on Washington's through this move.

Mr. Speaker, our site is among, I understand, 30 of these virtual sites that the American government has set up. I would like to ask the Premier about a reference to significant associations in educational, trade and military areas that the American consulate has proposed we share. I would also suggest, Mr. Speaker, that we share

significant associations in the areas of energy, missile defence, caribou and their migration into the ANWR range and freshwater. Mr. Speaker, does this mean that the NWT is now part of American foreign policy? Thank you.