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Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Calvin Pokiak is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2007, as MLA for Nunakput

Lost his last election, in 2007, with 12% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Question 137-15(3): Community Freezers In Paulatuk And Holman May 25th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement I indicated the importance of the community freezers in the communities, as voiced by the residents of Paulatuk and Holman. They are concerned about the storage of their wild meat and their wild game this spring and summer if funding is not made available. My question is to the honourable Minister Brendan Bell, Minister of RWED, on whether he will direct his department to dig half way into their pockets to find the necessary funds for the continued maintenance and operation for the 2004-2005 season? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Constituents' Concerns About Community Freezers May 25th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the perfect time I will have questions for the honourable Minister of RWED. Thank you.

Constituents' Concerns About Community Freezers May 25th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is with regard to the community freezers in Paulatuk and Holman. At my recent constituency meeting in Paulatuk and Holman on April 29, 2004, the residents of these two communities raised, once again, the importance of community freezers. They indicated that community freezers are a vital component for the safe storage of their annual harvest. Mr. Speaker, the high cost of diesel-generated electricity running these freezers is expensive, there is no doubt about it. Small communities are struggling to meet the needs of their residents as it is, and they just do not have the cash laying around to cover thousands of dollars in utility costs. My constituents are concerned that if RWED cannot provide the necessary funds for the maintenance and operation of these freezers, their annual spring harvest will spoil and they will be left without traditional food. Traditional food plays a very significant role in their daily diet and offsets the high cost of buying southern foods in local stores. This government promotes traditional food as a healthier nutrition choice than a lot of what you can buy in the stores.

There is another factor that may come into play, which is one concern of the residents of Paulatuk and Homan, and that is the wastage of wild meat, which, in their culture, is forbidden. Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to discuss this issue with the honourable Minister on a couple of occasions. Today, as I speak, there is still no commitment from his department to address this important concern from the residents of Paulatuk and Holman by providing sufficient funds to maintain their freezers for the 2004-2005 season, and suffice it to say that government is looking for more energy efficient solutions, and in the long term I think that I will see that as the outcome. But, in the meantime, what are the people supposed to do?

Mr. Speaker, the weather is particularly warm and it is a concern for residents of Paulatuk and Holman and they cannot be without a safe storage for their annual spring and summer harvest. If resolution is not found today, my constituents will suffer in particular with regard to their traditional hunt and summer holidays.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Motion 4-15(3): Appointment Of The Human Rights Commission Members, Carried March 30th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the Northwest Territories Human Rights Act received assent on October 30, 2002;

AND WHEREAS section 16.(2) of the Human Rights Act provides that the commission is composed of such members, between three and five in number, as may be appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management was tasked with implementing the Human Rights Act and has recommended individuals to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is prepared to make a recommendation to the Commissioner;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Member for Kam Lake, that the following individuals be appointed by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories to the first Human Rights Commission for the Northwest Territories: Ms. Mary Pat Short of the town of Fort Smith, for a term of four years; Mr. Colin Baile of the city of Yellowknife, for a term of four years; Ms. Joletta Larocque of the town of Hay River, for a term of four years; Mr. Lorne Gushue of the city of Yellowknife, for a term of two years; and, Ms. Rose Marie Kirby of the town of Inuvik, for a term of two years;

AND FURTHER that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of appointment to the Commissioner.

Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers March 30th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. Once you find out that information can you relay that information back to me, and also relay it to our income support worker? Thank you.

Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers March 30th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Inuvialuit and also the Gwich'in in the Sahtu, in their land claim agreements, I know it doesn't exempt them from certain income. I would like to ask the Minister if he's aware of that and what will he do to relay this to the income support workers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers March 30th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Honourable Charles Dent, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in regard to income support. Although RWED is mentioned in my opening remarks, it

will relate to income support. RWED has a harvesters' assistance program in the Beaufort-Delta region. My understanding of this program is to assist hunters and trappers to purchase equipment, et cetera, for their harvesting and wild game and subsistence use. The local HTAs administer the funds and decide who is eligible for assistance. This program has proven to be successful in that hunters and trappers are able to purchase equipment and to maintain their traditional pursuits, especially for those who cannot afford to purchase equipment, et cetera.

Mr. Speaker, recently I heard that income support workers in the Beaufort-Delta are including this as part of their calculation in income support when harvesters apply for income support. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if he's aware that his department is penalizing some harvesters in receiving their income support payments because of the harvesters' assistance program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Beaufort-delta Oil And Gas Education Program Of Conocophillips March 30th, 2004

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Beaufort-Delta Divisional Education Council youth entry level skills program, known as YELS, was established a number of years ago. YELS and the oil and gas companies sponsor a six-week program in the NWT and Alberta. This program offers an opportunity for high school students to learn about the oil and gas industry.

Mr. Speaker, YELS and ConocoPhillips sponsored five students from the Beaufort-Delta to tour the ConocoPhillips Wembley Gas Plant in Grande Prairie, Alberta, this year. I am proud to say that two students from our home community of Tuktoyaktuk were chosen to attend the program. They are Margaret Noksana, and Paul Steen. Some of the Members in this Chamber today may remember Paul Steen as he was a Page in the 14th Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, Margaret Noksana was kind enough to provide my constituency assistant with the following information on the recent trip to Grande Prairie. They departed for Grande Prairie on March 7th and returned on March 12, 2004. Day one, tour of the Wembley Gas Plant, safety orientation, engineer orientation; day two,...(inaudible)...production, safety meetings, went to see some small pumps, saw how oil and water are separated; day three, further tour of gas plant, watched oil and gas movies; day four, tour of the regional college in Grande Prairie.

Mr. Speaker, during this tour Ms. Noksana indicated that she met a lot of nice people. Ms. Noksana and Mr. Steen enjoyed their trip very much. Without the assistance of YELS and ConocoPhillips, these students would not have

been able to travel south to get a firsthand experience of the oil and gas industry.

Mr. Speaker, oil and gas exploration plays an important part for employment and business opportunities in the Beaufort-Delta. Students involved in the YELS program see firsthand the importance of education and may decide to find a trade in the oil and gas field as engineers and gas plant operators et cetera. Therefore, I would encourage Ms. Noksana and Mr. Steen to complete their education, and take advantage of whatever opportunities are available to them.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank YELS and ConocoPhillips on providing students such as Ms. Noksana and Mr. Steen with an opportunity to explore the oil and gas industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

----Applause

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole March 30th, 2004

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2; and, Bill 4, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2003-2004, and would like to report that Bills 2, 3 and 4 are ready for third reading. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 29th, 2004

Thank you, Madam Chair. I, like some of my colleagues here, being new to the process, it's been a struggle for us, I guess, in terms of how the process works. I've never dealt with the budgets before or with tax increases before. It's something new to me. But keeping in mind every time there's a proposal for tax increases, a lot of people raise their eyebrows and look around and say what's going on? In this instance, Madam Chair, we did have people come up to the public review and bring forward some of their concerns, especially the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines and the NWT Construction Association. One comment that was made during the public review is that they may rearrange their affairs to find some of their income in other jurisdictions, which gives me concerns right now. Again, I think with regard to the proposal for the proposed change from 12 to 14 percent on the corporate income tax, I will be in support of that, Madam Chair, unless the Minister and his colleagues can find other alternatives for it. At this point in time I haven't had a chance to consider it. All I can say right now, at this time, Madam Chair, is that I am in support of the increase from 12 to 14 percent. Thank you.