This is page numbers 2893 - 2920 of the Hansard for the 16th 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 communities.

Topics

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, certainly the Minister is correct in terms of the funding arrangements. However, because the Aboriginal Sport Circle does work very closely with the small communities, it actually has been quite successful in the small communities. Could he look at seeing if the funding arrangements, if he can work with the regions in terms of collaborating on some of the issues that the Sport Circle is running in terms of their request to see if there is more funding that could be allocated to this council here? Could I ask the Minister if he would allow his staff there to work

closely in terms of collaborating with the smaller communities in terms of the aboriginal portion of their activities?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of all the good work that the Aboriginal Sport Circle does in the communities. They deliver a lot of good programs and they are out in each community. I will commit to the Member that we will sit down and we will have a look at how all of the funding formula works, but then again I say that it is the Sport and Recreation Council’s decision. The Aboriginal Sport Circle would have to make their case to the Sport and Recreation Council and then a decision could be made from there. I am sure, if they make a very good case, which we see all the good work that they are doing, I don’t think it is very hard to do. Thank you.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, certainly the Minister is correct in terms of the good work that is going on in smaller communities, especially involving the smaller communities. Sometimes they need extra help in terms of getting some of these activities off the ground here. I certainly heard over the radio and the news that some of these activities have been happening. If there is a good case being made, would the Minister look very closely in terms of the NWT Recreation Council? If the case is made that the Aboriginal Sport Circle requires the additional dollars to continue in some of these programs in these small communities, would the Minister sit down with the Sport Council to look at how they can receive extra dollars?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department does allocate a lot of funds as far as sport goes to the smaller communities. I have had meetings with the Aboriginal Sport Circle. I have had meetings with the Sport and Recreation Council and this was actually one of the things that we discussed. So it is something that we are all very aware of, so we will continue to meet along those lines and see if there is some common ground we can come to. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my colleague Ms. Bisaro’s comments or questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Specifically, I want to mention that the annual budgets of our sports partners, the Sport and Recreation Council, Aboriginal Sport Circle, Sport North, are very specific and laid out. They don’t have the luxury of

not budgeting for their responsibilities as this department does. They said last year they would not be able to fund games from their internal budget, so I am wondering in this negotiated agreement that the Minister mentioned, will he be protecting their already designated budgets and funding the games from his own internal funds? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are aware that all the funding is pretty well spoken for. I have mentioned in my response to Ms. Bisaro’s questions that we have to identify the funds that were needed and then we have to find a way to get those funds without affecting the Sport and Recreation Council’s internal funding. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I appreciate that clarification. I know the Minister is aware of the time element there for ordering uniforms that fit and so on. Will the agreement that’s being negotiated be signed by all parties involved? Thank you.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, MACA is working, as I have said before, with the NWT Sport and Recreation Council and Sport North in coming up with an arrangement, a written arrangement. My understanding is it will be signed by all parties involved. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thanks again to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned last time I discussed this with the Minister in the House here the important review project that has delayed an internal look by our sports partners about the Arctic Winter Games and how they can improve things. The review report was to try to address some of the kerfuffles that came up over selections and so on with the Arctic Winter Games. Now that report is overdue, apparently, constituents are telling me they have seen a copy or a copy exists dated December 19th entitled “final report.” Apparently it wasn’t quite finalized within the department. Given that there are three days left and the Minister was going to do best efforts to get that out before the end of session here, is the Minister on top of this? Could the Minister assure me that it’s going to be out very quickly now, perhaps this afternoon or it went out this morning? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have got that report out yesterday if I could. I am not sure where the rumour was that there was a final draft available in December. I have not heard of it or I have not seen it yet. So if somebody is in possession of a final

draft, then we would have to look into it. I will assure the Member that we are all over it. I actually had a discussion this morning and the topic of the report came out again, and I am advising them that I would like to see this report as quick as possible so we can get it out there and get input from Members and all those involved. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again to the Minister. If the Minister is on top of this, perhaps he could tell us where it is, when we will see it and why it hasn’t come out, and recognize that the two meetings called for to discuss the report that were cancelled at the last minute is a concern. People are wondering what the department is doing behind closed doors. So I am looking for some assurance there and some explicit information to give my constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. There are probably three or four questions there.

---Laughter

The Minister may choose to answer one of them or all of them.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I will say no to all of them. No. I have advised the Member that we are following up on their request for the report and I can assure the Member that once we get the final draft, it will be distributed to the Members and as far as when I told the Member and I have told Members of this Assembly that I have been asking for the report. I am hoping to get more information. Once I get that information, even as to getting a timeline of getting the report into my possession, I will advise the Members electronically that I do have a copy and I am looking over it. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document titled Northwest Territories

Communities Futures Program Annual Report to March 31, 2008. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories undertake the necessary research and cost-benefit analysis and consider implementing a low carbon fuel standard that decreases the Government of the Northwest Territories’ reliance on, or eliminates, the use of unconventional higher-carbon oil by the end of the term of this Assembly;

And further that this Legislative Assembly supports the establishment of guidelines for the use of lifecycle analyses that evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions from the production, including the extraction, refining and transportation, of any fuels that are imported into the Northwest Territories by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, first reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Boot Lake, that Bill 10, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2009-2010, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Bill 10 has had first reading.

---Carried

The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2009-2010, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2009-2010, has had first reading.

---Carried

The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.