This is page numbers 2429 – 2482 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 4th 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 going.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks. So I guess what the Minister is telling us is that whatever Ministers say in the House really doesn’t carry any weight. If it contravenes a policy which is already in existence then, oh, don’t listen to the Minister, just make sure that you read the policy and the Minister must be making a mistake. So really, that means that any commitment by a Minister in this House doesn’t mean anything, and I have a serious problem with that. To the Minister of Health and Social Services, knowing what he knows now that there have been two previous commitments to this change in policy, will he incorporate this change into our Medical Travel Policy as it is reviewed?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I’ll remind the Members to show a little bit of respect in this House for other Members in regard to the positions they hold. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We think it’s important to make changes to the Medical Travel Policy. We have many issues with the policy. We actually know of cases where individuals that didn’t speak English were sent to Yellowknife or even Edmonton where they said translation could be provided. Clearly, in the Medical Travel Policy it says that a patient would require an escort if they needed translation. We have some issues with the policy on how it is being applied so we want to centralize back into the department. It is essentially done for the whole territory out of Stanton and I think out of Inuvik also. We would have to look at that again and try to develop something that made sense. I don’t think there should, actually, if you just look at it from a common sense perspective, I don’t think there should be a magic number which is 65, that once you hit 65 you all of a sudden need an escort to go about your medical business, whether it be here or down south. I think we should apply something that is reasonable and I don’t really think it should be tied to age.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this week Mr. Premier had an opportunity to meet with the new federal Minister Bernard Valcourt. I’d just like to ask the Premier a couple of questions. Firstly, I thought it was important to continue the momentum of NWT Days, especially with the new Minister of Northern Affairs and Northern Development Canada. Can I ask the Premier what topics were discussed at his meeting?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had a very good meeting with the new Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, the Honourable Bernard Valcourt. We talked about quite a number of items. First and foremost, we discussed devolution. We discussed mining opportunities in the Northwest Territories. We discussed oil and gas. We talked about the negotiation of self-government and land claims agreements. We talked about trans-boundary water. We talked about the Dehcho First Nations and the bilateral process that we were both working on to advance on land issues. It was a very worthwhile meeting, and I think we’re going to have a very good working relationship with Minister Valcourt and I think he is going to be a very good

Minister who will work with us to advance the priorities of the Northwest Territories.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I’m glad that he raised those issues. I’m just wondering, I think one of the particular files in the Northwest Territories, of course, is working with the Dehcho First Nations. I wonder if the Premier had the opportunity to raise that file as well.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

I found Minister Valcourt to be very well briefed on all of the files and he was very knowledgeable about Dehcho First Nations. We discussed some issues that the grand chief had raised and the Minister indicated that his staff would be getting on the file right away.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I’m glad that he did raise those issues. I’m just wondering if there’s any timing for the Minister paying a visit to the Northwest Territories.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Minister Valcourt indicated that although he’d been a federal Minister in previous governments, he’s never had the opportunity to visit the Northwest Territories and that he was going to visit. At the first opportunity he’d be up here in the Northwest Territories.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement earlier today with questions to the Premier on devolution. I’m wondering, first, if the Premier could explain what process of public consultation and validation we can expect following the eventual signing of the draft final agreement on devolution.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been involved in negotiating devolution in the Northwest Territories for over 40 years. As a matter of fact, every department and program that is now with the Government of the Northwest Territories has been devolved from the Government of Canada. There have been at least 10 programs that have been devolved, that I’m aware of, and I’m pleased to report to the Member that, with this agreement, there will be an unprecedented level of public engagement and consultation.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I’m delighted to hear that and thank the Premier for that. Does the Premier plan to provide an opportunity for this Assembly to debate and vote on the Devolution Agreement and, if not, why not?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

We are all elected by the people of the Northwest Territories to do a job and

represent our constituents to the best of our ability. By all means we will bring it to this Assembly.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I appreciate getting the full range. I have a good series of yesses going here. How about a plebiscite? Our Elections and Plebiscites Act says that, on the recommendation of the Assembly, the Commissioner can order a plebiscite take place, but that recommendation must come from this House. Will the Premier commit to supporting a plebiscite that will allow meaningful public participation and debate, and a sense of ownership in this historic agreement before signing the final Devolution Agreement?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Perhaps I’ll try to describe what overkill means in the dictionary. We have been negotiating this devolution deal for over 12 years. We have been consulting with the public on a regular basis. I have offered to the Members across that we will be rolling out a communications strategy in the next few years and we will be sharing it with committee. If the committee provides us with feedback we will consider it.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks again for the Premier’s commitment there. I think it is very important, indeed, to make sure that our public, as the Premier mentioned, it’s been 40 years and the public has had very little participation. There have been some Aboriginal governments that have been at the table and so on, but I’m talking about the general public. They certainly have not had the participation that we want.

In a democracy, transparency is greatly appreciated. The ability to participate in a decision is greatly appreciated. I think even having this House participate would be great. Does the Premier agree that giving the public a chance to take some ownership in this historic decision by voting through a plebiscite would be a great thing for the public?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

I’ve already indicated that the public will have unprecedented opportunities to have public engagement on this deal. I personally don’t believe in running government by referendum or by plebiscite. I would not support that.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise with question period and my questions will be directed to the Minister of Justice, similarly as my colleague from Inuvik Boot Lake. In my Member’s statement, and again similar to Mr. Moses, our Member’s statements really talked about how we feel disgusted with the national rates of Aboriginal

people. They’re not reflective of what’s considered fair and it certainly is a shocking or glaring reality which must stop. My first question to the Minister of Justice is: In the Northwest Territories we have a number of correctional institutions, would the Minister be able to speak to the percentages of Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal inmate populations?