This is page numbers 4731 - 4756 of the Hansard for the 18th 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 support. View the webstream of the day's session.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate one of the Range Lake constituents, Mr. Jeff Seabrook. Jeff Seabrook is the recipient of Canada's Outstanding Principal Award.

Jeff is the principal of William McDonald Middle School, and his hard work in building trust and respect with students and their families has not gone unnoticed. It is an honour to have one of Canada's best principals situated right here in Yellowknife, supporting our students to the best of his abilities.

Please join me, everyone, in celebrating his accomplishments and all of the much-needed assistance he provides for our children in the North. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Finance. Yesterday, his deputy minister sent an email to all GNWT staff that many interpreted as encouraging people to cross the picket line. Given the outrage this message has provoked among union members, will the Minister walk this statement back so that options to cross the picket line are excluded? Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Finance.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I will not. What we were doing was providing information out there. If you read the statement very carefully, it does not encourage people to cross the picket line. It encourages them to speak to their union representative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

I don't agree with the Minister's interpretation. I felt the information was gratuitous and fanned the flames. Did the Minister, in fact, consider the impact of having workers cross the picket line on workplaces and communities when he authorized the message?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

The goal of the communique was to provide employees with information in response to a number of inquiries we had as to what some of their options might be. We thought we would provide them with the best information possible, including that. I have the ability to read, and what I read was that it encourages people to talk to their union representative.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Is the government prepared to enter into binding arbitration if mediation fails?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Let's not presuppose that mediation is going to fail. The ultimate goal at the end of the day is to reach an agreement during mediation. Failing that, we will have a discussion at that time, but let's not presuppose the outcome of mediation before it even happens.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister is no doubt aware, the temperature on this dispute has gone up very considerably in the last 24 hours because of actions on both sides. What is his plan to reduce the temperature around this labour dispute at this time? Thank you.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

My plan is to appeal to people's good judgement and treat both sides with respect, and I think that will go a long way. We talk about respect in the Northwest Territories all the time, and I think that this is one of those situations where we show due respect on both sides of the table, and we would hope that that would bring the temperature down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Question 508-18(3): Arctic Policy Framework
Oral Questions

February 6th, 2019

Page 4737

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, and my questions are for the Honourable Premier. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: how is our government working with Indigenous governments to make sure that Canada's new Arctic and Northern Policy Framework lives up to the promise of its title? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The first thing to note is that this is a federal framework. The Government of the Northwest Territories has been vocal about ensuring that Northwest Territories interests, including those of Indigenous governments, are given priority by the federal government. We continue to stress to Canada the importance of having an equal representation of Dene, Metis, and Inuit voices in the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework.

In the spring of 2018, when there were initial drafts of the federal framework, the Government of the Northwest Territories shared them with officials from the intergovernmental council and sought their comments. This includes the IRC. Since then, we have been sharing with intergovernmental council officials and are actively passing on their comments to the federal government.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to working closely with the members of the intergovernmental council and to continuing this process throughout the development of the framework. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

I appreciate the response from the Premier. It is good to see that the GNWT is working laterally with Indigenous governments. I think that is quite important as we develop policy. Getting back to that, Mr. Speaker, would the Premier describe some of the improvements that are resulting from this collaboration with Indigenous governments in the Northwest Territories?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

One of the pieces that has been added to the current federal framework as a result of this collaboration is a section on the importance of reconciliation and self-determination.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

I appreciate that. Reconciliation is important to a lot of Indigenous people across this territory, considering what has been going on over the last 100 years.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, there is some urgency to complete this new framework. Mr. Speaker, what is the Premier doing to expedite the process with his federal counterparts, not just within the executive, but with Infrastructure and other departments of the Northwest Territories that work with the federal government?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Throughout this federal process, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made every effort to meet the timelines set by Canada, regardless of how they have evolved. That said, as a government, I will not support a document that does not clearly focus on a positive economic future for our territory and one that acknowledges the importance of increasing the power of northern voices.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is good to see that. There is a lot of power in allowing Indigenous governments the right to self-determination. It looks like the Government of the Northwest Territories is working that way. Mr. Speaker, when does the Premier expect that money from Canada will flow to implement the priorities that emerge from the new Arctic and Northern Policy Framework?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

In response to correspondence from the three northern premiers, the Prime Minister has committed in writing to investments in Budget 2019 that reflect the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, and I look forward to seeing those. However, it is the Government of the Northwest Territories' understanding that the overall governance and financial plan for the framework is not yet set, and this does create challenges for us in predicting what money will flow, when, or how. With that said and although the framework is not yet completed, we are seeing some initial movement in priority areas our government has set, for example, with the announcement that Minister LeBlanc made in Yellowknife related to Taltson a few weeks ago. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was asking questions of the Minister of Health about regional wellness councils, and I would like to follow up on some more questions here today. There seems to be some confusion about the NWT Health and Social Services board and regional wellness councils and trying to get information, so can the Minister explain what is the role of both regional councils and NWT Health and Social Services to provide information to MLAs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.