Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Brian Lewis is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 1995, as MLA for Yellowknife Centre

Won his last election, in 1991, with 32% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Question 323-12(7): Transfer Of Sir John Franklin And Akaitcho Hall March 26th, 1995

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. For many years, Sir John Franklin and Akaitcho Hall provided buildings for important government programs. Since there have been major changes, I would like to ask the Minister what's the status of the transfer of those buildings for other uses?

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery March 26th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like you to recognize Mr. Tom Eagle who is in the gallery opposite me. He is a distinguished elder from the city of Yellowknife and the executive director of the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre.

---Applause

Introduction Of Recall Legislation March 26th, 1995

Thank you.

---Applause

Introduction Of Recall Legislation March 26th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The most important work that we do in this House is to really deal with legislation, that is why we're called what we're called and there can be nothing more important than developing laws for the people we represent. Mr. Speaker, during the 11th Assembly, I worked very hard on a bill to do with the environment because the economy and the environment were dominating themes. That bill was passed and has been used and has not been a terrible burden. In fact, it's useful to have such an instrument in place. Also because of our interest in the economy, import replacement and renewable resources, Members supported the idea of a bill which would in fact support some kind of attempt to brew our own product in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the price for private Members to work on such items is very, very dear because, in the first case, all the mining people were mad, all the oil and gas people were mad, all the development-oriented people were mad and that alienated a whole bunch of people because of the particular stance people took. In the case of the brewing bill, you make all the social agencies upset, the people involved with addictions got upset, family-oriented groups got upset and you end up alienating an awful lot of people because of the particular position you take.

The last group, apparently, according to my sources in the community, which I could upset would be politicians. Everybody else has been upset so, therefore, following from Mr. Kakfwi's earlier statement about the need to do things with teeth and not to just have fine words, I will be proceeding with a bill where we can begin at the top and say we are people who are accountable. "Accountability" is the key word in this 12th Assembly and I will be proceeding with a bill on recall that will, in fact, have teeth. We'll be able to do the things in exactly the way that Mr. Kakfwi suggested we do when we have serious problems to deal with. I know I'll get incredible support from all the Members of this House to do that.

Question 299-12(7): Briefing On Prince Of Wales Northern Heritage Centre Library March 8th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to go back to the subject of the northern library of the archives. I didn't use my final supplementary, so I have left it in the air, Mr. Speaker. In light of the fact that what he has within his ministry is considered to be a world-class library by many visitors who come here, would he get a full briefing from his staff to learn what the impact would be if we take away a librarian who is familiar with the collection and can answer questions, so that we can deal with this item when it comes up in the budget with the full understanding of what the implications are? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum March 8th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize that, as a government, we are going to have to make some big decisions before 1999 about division of assets and so on. I would like to ask the Minister, in light of the comment that he just made about the various cultural institutes around the territories, whether in his vision he has plans to decentralize various bits of this collection so that whatever appropriate bits could belong to this particular group of people will be allocated to different regions in the territories. Does he have a vision?

Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum March 8th, 1995

I will let you and my colleagues judge whether I am misleading the House, Mr. Speaker. Since there are no plans to add to the collection by purchasing new books or by acquiring donations which have to be very carefully looked at, catalogued and so on -- for example, the forthcoming very important book on the Dogrib culture -- this collection will in fact remain static. Is it therefore the policy of the government that they want this library to die?

Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum March 8th, 1995

I will leave my detailed questions for later. There are still some policy issues with the Minister, Mr. Speaker. Recently, Mr. William Mills, who is the librarian of the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, England -- this is the library of close to 6,000 northern books, many of them very rare and very valuable. Although he has visited libraries with large collections of northern books in Ottawa, Winnipeg and Calgary, he found ours in Yellowknife to be the best in this country. That is the reputation that our northern library has. Since the library will no longer have a librarian, I would like to ask the Minister if there is no one who is trained to look after it, what are the future plans for this world-class library?

Question 285-12(7): Effect On Librarian Services From Elimination Of Position At Museum March 8th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I walk to work every day I pass by the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. I was involved with this project at it's very beginning. I spent many hours at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre archives. I've learned this week that the librarian position is being eliminated. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment how this will affect the service to myself and many other researchers who come from other parts of the country who have enjoyed this very good service in the past.

Comments Made During Debate On Nursing Profession Act March 8th, 1995

...except to give third reading and to get assent to that bill. Thank you.

---Applause