This is page numbers 131 - 159 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st 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 work.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand this did go out yesterday. It may be on the Legislative Assembly website. Is the question it didn’t go out through the Messenger which goes to every employee’s e-mail? Is that the question? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, somebody somewhere made the decision not to send out EDI’s press release on government Messenger e-mail system to all employees in the government. Every other press release that gets issued goes out on Messenger. This one got stopped.

Somebody was gate keeping and said this press release was too political in nature and didn’t deserve to go out on Messenger. So, again, I would like to ask the Premier if he would investigate this and find out who this gatekeeper is so that Regular Members know and committees know that we are obviously going to be censored in press releases in the future, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is, within Executive, the whole sending out through the Messenger falls through the Department of Executive. My understanding is when that came across -- and I am just going from the note that was forwarded to me -- the question was asked for more thoughts on this matter. So that discussion I’m not aware has taken place yet. The government, overall, should have a discussion about what appropriate message should be sent. I recall in the past being requested to put some things from other groups on that Messenger service and they’ve been disallowed on a number of areas. So my understanding is that questions were going back and forth; is this the appropriate avenue? It’s not a matter of has it gone or not gone; one day, is that a time to permit some discussion about this? That’s my understanding where it went. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m having trouble understanding what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate and who makes the decision not to send a committee of this Legislative Assembly’s press release out on our government service. Who ultimately makes that decision? Is it the deputy minister? Who makes the decision and who is going to censor, who is there that’s going to censor our press releases? Are they being censored? Judging by yesterday’s events, there was some censorship there and I take great offence to that censorship, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let’s be clear here. The message has gone out, the public’s aware of it. So what censorship happened? The question was asked when this was sent, is this the appropriate avenue to be using this Messenger service that’s available to just GNWT employees? It’s not available to anybody else out there unless you’re a Government of the Northwest Territories employee and you can tap into this. We do have a policy in that area and I’d be prepared to share that with Members and see where that goes. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the Minister responsible for Seniors. Can the Minister assist me in looking into making our elders’ cheques from once a month to twice a month? My elders are running short every third week in the smaller communities due to the high cost of living. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, I guess. Who is it? Oh. The Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Minister of Transportation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll have to work closely with the Member from Nunakput in terms of the types of cheques that he’s referring to and requires other Ministers to be involved or requires the federal government departments to be involved in this issue here. So I would ask if the Member could be more specific in terms of what type of cheques so that I could have some direction.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the cheques I’m referring to, Mr. Yakeleya, are the seniors, the pension cheques every month. Our elders need to be helped and it’s our obligation, as the government, to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Again, I didn’t hear a question there, so I’m going to go on to the next Member. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask a question sort of related to the Wind Energy Conference. As with any discussion, the proof is in the pudding. It depends on the action that comes out of it. I think a number of people here have been very pleased to hear about the Wind Energy Conference. Are the Ministers committed to following up with actions, and programs, and funding to establish wind energy where appropriate in the North after this conference? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I didn’t hear who that was addressed to, so I’ll address it to the Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll use my prerogative in this matter and ask the Minister of ENR, who’s made his statement on wind energy a day or so ago.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 93-16(1): Wind Energy Conference
Item 7: Oral Questions

November 29th, 2007

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re committed to working with the Assembly, as we’ve been saying over the last number of days, sorting out the final priorities for the strategic direction and priorities for the 16th Assembly. Cabinet will

be moving on that. The issue of alternative energy is a key issue. We’re working with communities, and have been, between the energy plans. We know that there have been significant advances in a lot of areas. As oil hits $100 a barrel, the interest levels are continuing to grow, as well as the pressure to reduce our greenhouse gases. So we have to sort this out. But, yes, we’re interested in trying to move ahead in any ways that will make communities more self-sufficient and self-reliant. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d just like to note that my vagueness at the beginning was intentional. It shows that there is a need for cooperation and integration of programs on these important subject matters. ITI would obviously be involved in this, as well. I’m happy to go with the Minister of the Environment, here. The federal subsidy rate for the establishment of wind energy was set according to costs

in southern Canada. Clearly this is not suitable for us, where our energy costs are quite high relative to that. Is the Minister working with the Yukon, Nunavut, and Ottawa to get federal subsidies set in an appropriate level that are suitable to the advancement of technology in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.