This is page numbers 271 - 300 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 5th 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 federal.

Topics

Further Return To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, yes, in the last year and a half we have had regular meetings with myself and the regional leaders, the grand chiefs, the presidents and so on. Mr. Speaker, the last meeting we had was, I believe, in about June or so. At that meeting, the leaders agreed that they wanted to meet to decide who their membership was before we would get together again, and that meeting has been postponed a couple of times and I understand it's now going to be held in November. So following that, I will have another meeting with the regional leaders as a team if they choose to do that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Premier for that. I would encourage him to continue to

meet with the regional leaders because they are the leaders of all the regions of the NWT. I think it's the only way we are going to be able to get some progress done on this.

With the naming of the new negotiator for Canada, are we starting...How far back are we starting? Are we starting from scratch, or has some of the work been carried forward from the negotiations with the previous government? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of work done over the last 20 years. I think until a year ago, we had made a considerable amount of progress up to July 2005, in fact to the point where the aboriginal leaders were going to recommend or the negotiators were going to recommend to their leaders acceptance of an agreement-in-principle on devolution. That took us to the six issues. Mr. Speaker, I don't think the federal government should start from a clean slate. I think there is a lot of work out there that's been done and I think they should start with that. My recommendation to both Minister Prentice and to Mr. Andre is let's start with those six outstanding issues and get them resolved and that will bring us very close to an agreement-in-principle. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a subject that we are starting to find quite frustrating and just keeps being put on the back burner. In response to another question from one of my colleagues, the Premier spoke about options. We may have other options. I would like to know what those options are. Do we have some drastic options for them to finally start paying attention to our demands? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, certainly lowering the flag would be an option. I think that one has been used already.

Mr. Speaker, I think the main option is we have to stay the course. There is a federal election coming soon, probably within the life of our government, and I think we get a very clear message that this is the main issue for us that the current situation is not sustainable. Mr. Speaker, I certainly welcome any advice from any Members if there are other things we can do, whether it's turn the flag upside down or whatever it may be. My approach is that the federal government made a commitment to us. We give them time to deliver on that commitment. If they don't within the next few months here, then we have to begin to take other actions. Mr. Speaker, we are coming up to an election. I think we have a window. Let's use it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Question 110-15(5): Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on a somewhat lighter note today, I have a question for the Minister of Transportation. I recently had occasion to be at the Yellowknife Airport waiting for someone to arrive and couldn't help but notice these tall, bright, shiny signs that had "Minister" written on one and "Premier" on the other. I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation, in his very expensive expansion of $12 million at the Yellowknife Airport, did he take it upon himself to ensure that he and the Premier would secure free parking at the airport? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Some Hon. Members

Boo!

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure which bright, shiny sign the Member is referring to. We have small, little signs...

---Laughter

...on a couple of parking stalls and one is for the Minister of Transportation and the other one is for the RCMP. We don't have one for the Premier. We have two parking stalls that are dedicated, one for the government and one for the RCMP.

Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unless the head of the RCMP has been renamed the Premier, the sign on the parking stall says "Premier." I know how to read, and right beside it says "Minister." As I was searching for a parking place in the overcrowded parking lot at the airport, I saw those two empty spots and it was very tempting to take one of those, but, being as I am not the Premier or the Minister, I thought I had better not. But there is designated parking and we pay for our parking here, we come to work every month, it comes off our paycheque if we want a parking spot and I want to know if the Premier and the Minister have free parking at the airport. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

The Member is correct; the Minister does have a parking stall there. We do a lot of business in the airport. We are responsible for the airport. The Premier does not have a parking stall, unless he's taken a nameplate and put it over the RCMP.

---Laughter

As far as I know, we'll have to go back and take a look, but as far as I know it's only the Minister of Transportation and the RCMP that have nameplates, along with rental vehicles and companies of that nature. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for question period has expired, however, I will allow the Member a supplementary. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you. Now finding out the Premier doesn't know he had a parking stall, I won't have any guilt or hesitation to take that stall now when I go there. We could go for a drive, but it's there.

---Laughter

It says "Premier," it says "Minister," and if the travelling public is required to pay for parking at the airport and go through the parking booth, I would suggest it would be appropriate for the Minister and the Premier to do the same. So I would certainly encourage anybody that wants to go out. I could go take a picture for you, but we could just go for a drive. Will the Minister undertake to look into this and to clarify for this House what the provisions are for the Minister and the Premier at the airport? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, we'll have somebody go see if the signs have been changed, or, if I'm not correct, we will ensure that parking nameplates are in the proper places. The stall for the Minister is there because we do a lot of work and do a lot of business at the airport. If the travelling public spends as much time as I do there, maybe we'd have to take a look at that, but that's why we have a stall reserved for the Minister. We don't have one for the Premier; however, we do have one for the RCMP. We will go there and check to see if all the nameplates are in the proper places. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Time for oral questions has expired. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5 on the orders of the day.

Further Return To Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Question 111-15(5): Designated Parking Stalls At Yellowknife Airport
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We shall return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Yakeleya.