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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier and is in regard to the memorandum of understanding in regard to the contracts in the Gwich’in settlement region which was signed between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Gwich’in Tribal Council, and then-Premier Kakfwi and the president Fred Carmichael, in January 2003. The term of the contract is until March 31 of this fiscal year.

I’d like to ask the Premier, the objective of the memorandum of understanding is basically to establish a process towards improving the participation of Gwich’in businesses and GNWT contracts within the Gwich’in settlement area. Mr. Speaker, there have been a lot of changes taking place in regard to the contracting process even here in this House. Going into a fall budget cycle for capital and with that it also has an effect on the agreement. Yet, Mr. Speaker, there are still people out there, especially in the public service, who do not seem to understand there is this agreement in place. Yet, Mr. Speaker, a lot of contractors are being undermined by way of allowing them the opportunity to participate in these government contracts, as we can see by the situation we have in Inuvik.

I’d like to ask the Premier, exactly how stringent does the government take the Gwich’in MOU when it comes to contracts in Gwich’in settlement areas in regard to what is being told to the departments when it comes to this agreement?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The MOU is one that is under the responsibility of the Minister of ITI. He’s been working on that with the department in this area. It is under renewable. The negotiation process is ongoing, but the existing one remains in place and is working through its system. With the change in our infrastructure program, that list of projects goes out in the fall now and work with the department again on looking at some of that selection of potential projects. Now those projects, again, could be selected requests for negotiated contracts or if they win it through a tender or RFP process, that falls under the accounting of that program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The agreement also calls for at least two meetings a year in which there is supposed to be a meeting held at least 90 days prior to the end of the GNWT

fiscal year. I’d like to ask the Premier, why has there not been a meeting as it’s spelled out in the memorandum of understanding?

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, when we were looking at setting up our meetings in the Beaufort-Delta, both with the Inuvialuit and then with the Gwich’in leaders, the request came down to postpone the meeting on the MOU and Minister Bob McLeod did not make those meetings on that basis. Thank you.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I as an MLA and also leaders in my communities have signed agreements supporting contracts in my settlement region in regard to the Gwich’in settlement region in my communities, but yet contractors have nothing back from this government. And yet, we approved the budget. We are basically moving forward. Most of the capital items were approved last fall. Exactly why is it that there is no movement in regards to these negotiated contracts which have received the support letters they need from the public bodies in the communities from the band, the hamlet council and myself? Why is it that we are not getting a response back from Cabinet on these letters?

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware that there are outstanding issues. Many could be in the process now. I can sit down with the Member and go through some specifics and work with the Minister of ITI to see where those are in the system. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, in the MOU it says that the government has to give annual reports to the Gwich’in in regards to capital projects that are going to be in the settlement area. Has the government given the Gwich’in the annual reports that are called for under the MOU regardless if he had a meeting or not? It calls for it in the agreement. Have you given that documentation to the Gwich’in Tribal Council?

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Mr. Speaker, again, the meeting that they would have held in January would have had that opportunity and put that report there. My understanding is that they will be mailing it out to the Gwich’in. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the importance

of on-the-land programming for the youth of Tu Nedhe. My questions are for the Minister of MACA. Has the Department of MACA earmarked a portion of the youth budget for on-the-land programs for youth? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MACA has identified what we have requested -- $100,000 -- in the budget that has yet to be approved for earmarking towards on-the-land Take a Kid Trapping Program. Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Minister, for the answer. The schools in both of the communities are working on-the-land programs also while recognizing that decisions are made by the local and regional education authorities. However, they have limited resources. Will the Minister agree to work with the Minister of Education on a comprehensive land program which would be more than the smaller program that is now being run through the schools? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, the department does work with ECE. It also works with ITI to come up with a program for the disbursements of the funds for the communities. Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, when school is out in the summertime, a lot of the programs come to an end until the fall time. Will the Minister look at working with those two Ministers in developing a summer cultural on-the-land program for the communities in Tu Nedhe? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I will commit to working with the other Ministers to see what we can come up with in regards to having a summer on-the-land program. I can advise the Member that ENR does have a bit of a program that they have going in the summer. Also, in some of the communities, the community aboriginal governments, the Gwich’in, Inuvialuit, usually have some programs running for their kids during the summer. I am sure that goes on all down the valley so they keep the kids going out on the land during the summer too. That usually goes through a lot of their aboriginal organizations. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response. Can the Minister work with me to arrange a youth meeting in Lutselk’e or Fort Resolution or here in Yellowknife, wherever, to start to do some of the planning so

that the youth in Tu Nedhe are in at the outset before many of the programs are completely structured? If the Minister could commit to arranging some sort of meeting with myself and the youth of Tu Nedhe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, it is my intent to try and get out to the communities. If I go to the community of Tu Nedhe, I will work with the Member there to meet with the youth there because, who best to advise us as to what is best for the youth than the youth in the communities themselves. I would commit to the Member that I will sit down with him and meet with his youth in Tu Nedhe. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A portion of the overall operating budget for the Aboriginal Sport Circle of the Western Arctic is delivered by the NWT Council of Sport and Recreation Partners. Mr. Speaker, there has been no change in the formula funding arrangement over the past four years. Since the program delivery has increased substantially, with the focus on NWT small communities, I would like to ask the Minister what can be done to increase the budget for the Aboriginal Sport Circle of the Western Arctic.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The money given to the Aboriginal Sport Circle comes from the Sport and Recreation Council. They are the governing body for sport. So any increase in the funding to the Aboriginal Sport Circle would have to first, I think, be brought to the Sport and Recreation Council. They do have some representatives on there. As a Minister, I try not to get in and micromanage them, and leave the governance of the sport to these bodies and become involved only if we have to. Thank you.