This is page numbers 6469 - 6510 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 6th 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 territories.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Mr. Bromley, your time for your Member’s statement has expired. Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last October I made a statement in this House and asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment a number of questions regarding the possibility of facilitating curated art and/or craft shows and exhibits here in the Northwest Territories. A curated show is usually one where a collection of items, such as paintings, are pulled together by a professional body who has an interest in displaying this certain body of work in order to highlight the cultural and historic value. The body of work is usually researched and its significance is

outlined as part of the presentation of the collection as a whole. This is not something done by a retail outfit but, rather, a museum or fine art gallery.

The Minister at the time indicated that he would be willing to meet with representatives of the NWT arts community to discuss the option of curated shows and how they could benefit both territorial artists as well as the population as a whole. I put together a meeting between the past-president of the Aurora Arts Society on behalf of the territorial artists and the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, his staff, as well as the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and his staff, which took place in December. It was a very informative meeting with a lot of shared information and opinions.

Since that, I have had some follow-up conversations with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and have received correspondence from the Minister indicating that they would be working towards the delivery of curated shows highlighting the work of northern artists over the coming fiscal year and ongoing. This is great news for both the NWT artists as well as the population of the Northwest Territories. Highlighting our northern artists will both promote the artist as well as the North. In addition, once our artists have been presented officially in curated shows, great opportunities for Canadian Council funding will open up to them.

I understand that this may not happen immediately, that the department has to figure out the best ways to do it, the most cost-effective method to facilitate these shows and conduct research into the extent that they can be done and shared both in the North and the South. Regardless, I appreciate the Minister’s consideration on this topic and commitment to working with northern artists. I look forward to curated shows highlighting our northern artists and their great works.

I will be asking the Minister a couple of questions on this topic at the appropriate time.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about Bill C-530.The bill and our MP, Mr. Bevington, were in front of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on Tuesday, March the 8

th

, in Ottawa.

I found that most of what our MP had to say about consultation with people here in the Northwest Territories and our government to lack, quite frankly, any semblance in reality.

In his opening comments to the committee Mr. Bevington used the word “legitimate” spending

without actually defining what he meant by “legitimate.” Does our MP actually believe that sending a letter then selecting parts of the response you like is consultation with our government? He states quite clearly that, in his opinion, consultation has taken place. He said he discussed it directly with our Finance Minister, who happens to be his next door neighbour, but he does not say if this just happened over the fence over a glass of lemonade or in a formal meeting. The fact is, this consultation has not taken place in a meaningful way.

As Member’s well know, we have had numerous discussions with the Premier and our Finance Minister about our borrowing ability. What is most important to me is letting the review currently underway to look at the borrowing limits of the three territories continue to conclusion. What good would our MP’s solution do us if we continue to be required to treat all debt the same? We need to take the self-liquidating debt out of the equation. This is the way forward.

The review that’s currently under review, yes, needs flexibility; this is just not the right approach by our MP. I appreciate that our MP means well, but on this effort he is completely off base and we should let the federal government know that he has not consulted us nor does he have the blessing of all Members of this Legislature.

I would like to concur with committee member of that Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Greg Rickford’s, MP for Kenora, take that with the review of borrowing limits underway for the three territories, Bill C-530 is a redundant exercise.

I was glad to hear the Premier set the record straight and later on today I’d like to follow up with some questions to the Premier.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Spring Carnival Season
Members’ Statements

March 9th, 2011

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Spring is just around the corner, though you’d never know it by looking outside. I’m sure if the groundhog came out today he’d probably freeze. With spring -- and my colleague for Nunakput mentioned it before -- the carnival seasons are starting up and it’s always an excellent time of year for folks in the Beaufort-Delta to gather and check out their new racing machines and check out their new dog teams and go up against each other. It’s always an excellent time for folks to get together. They have their old-time dances. It’s just a great time to celebrate.

Inuvik has their Muskrat Jamboree they’ll be starting in a couple of weeks. Beluga Jamboree is

always a big success up in Tuk, and they have the Peel River Jamboree in Fort McPherson, and Tsiigehtchic has their spring carnival. They try staggering them every weekend so you can pretty well make the loop and be going for five weekends in a row and after that you’re played out and you gotta rest up until next year.

A lot of work goes into these carnivals. There are a lot of folks who started fundraising this year and a lot of good corporate support. We’re really pleased to see that. Aklavik has their Mad Trapper Rendezvous. They always have it Easter weekend. It’s a bit of a tradition. We look forward to the carnival season. We always look forward to the carnival season.

With spring also comes an age-old tradition up in the Beaufort-Delta, the muskrat trapping season. Folks have been doing this for years and it’s always a good opportunity for them to go out and take part in something that they’ve done for many years. I hear the prices this year are fairly good, so people will be getting out there and setting their traps.

I just want to ask all those that go out there to be safe. Those that take part in the carnivals, be sober, be safe, enjoy your time and don’t waste it going out and getting smashed or anything like that.

With that, I’m going to ask all those folks out there to enjoy all the festivities and if you’re out enjoying being on the land, I just ask that you respect the gift that was given to us.

Spring Carnival Season
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a pleasure to recognize in our gallery, as Mrs. Groenewegen has stated, the 2011 National Debating Seminar. We’ve got a group of them, not the full group but we’ve got a group of them that have travelled here to Yellowknife and taken a little bit of our consensus style government at this point. I wish them much success in their debates and enjoy the Northwest Territories as the true beauty and emerald in Canada.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a constituent, Sophie Call, who is accompanying our group of young debaters today.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize a Page from Range Lake. Her name is Kathleen Gordon and she’s been here for a number of days and I’d like to thank her for her wonderful work.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a constituent of the Great Slave riding, Ms. Margaret Peterson.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two Pages from Yellowknife South: Monique Chapman and Stephanie Thibault, and also all the Pages who have worked here through this session. Also a constituent of Yellowknife South, Mr. Barry Taylor.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize two Pages who have been working on and off with us for the last six weeks. They are members of the Frame Lake riding: Martha Hamre and Kevin Huynh, and I’d like to thank them for their service and again thank all the Pages for the work they’ve done. They’ve all done a great job.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here.

Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and one of the options we can look at to get feedback from the public through a plebiscite in regard to the devolution agreement that was signed by the Government of the Northwest Territories and federal government, also to try to get input from the general public. I know we’re putting a lot of advertisements out there, there are radio announcements and whatnot, but again it’s how do you measure the public insight into this issue. I’d like to ask the Premier if he has considered the possibility of having a plebiscite on this issue at this fall’s general election.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We haven’t considered a plebiscite as part of the general election. I’m not too familiar with the territorial plebiscite process. I know we do have them for different parts of our legislation. For example, under the Liquor Act in our communities, that type of thing. I’m not sure on the territorial side, but we haven’t given it consideration as our signing of the agreement-in-principle begins the negotiation process towards a final agreement.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Again, we do have a Plebiscite Act in the Northwest Territories and it is being administered by the Chief Electoral Officer who is in charge of the election which will take place this fall. By having these two events taking place simultaneously, I think it’s important that we do get feedback from the general public on this important policy and political issue in the Northwest Territories. I think it’s important that we do allow the public to give us a sense of exactly where they stand on this issue. I know as politicians sometimes the only time we seem to get direction is during an election. I think this also gives the public an opportunity to have a say on this important issue. Again I’d just like to ask the Premier and his Cabinet colleagues if they will consider that as one of the options to get feedback in regard to the announcements and the important issue of devolution in the Northwest Territories.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

It’s difficult to come up with a response or an answer that would be clear on this, because the fact is, as we’ve signed the devolution agreement to begin the process of negotiations towards a final agreement, I guess looking at the future as towards a final agreement is that something that can be considered at the time, I think the government-of-the-day would have to have a look at that. Our process in this fall election... What would a question be? The fact is we have signed an agreement and we’re beginning the process towards negotiation.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, just on the issue of what the question should be, I just sort of wordsmithed a little bit of that in regard to: Do you agree the Government of the Northwest Territories have signed the Northwest Territories lands and resources devolution agreement in January 2007? Do you agree or disagree? Yes or no?