John Ningark

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information John Ningark is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly March 1999, as MLA for Natilikmiot

Won his last election, in 1995, with 52% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Ministers' Statement 2-12(2): Fish Samples From The Slave River February 12th, 1992

Mr. Speaker, country foods are essential to traditional and subsistence lifestyles of many NWT residents. The removal of, or lack of confidence in, any part of this valuable resource has serious implications to northern people. The federal-territorial Slave River monitoring program, now into its second year, was established to determine the level of certain contaminants in the fish and water at the NWT-Alberta border.

Data from the analyses of burbot -- sometimes called loche -- livers and walleye, or pickerel, flesh indicate low levels of dioxins, furans and toxaphene in some of the samples. These compounds were also found in fish samples taken from Chitty and Leland Lakes, which are not connected to the Slave River. No contaminants were found in the water, and Health and Welfare Canada concluded that, based on the small amount of contamination found, there is no health risk. The fish are safe to eat at this time.

Mr. Speaker, the specific source of any of these contaminants is not known. They could be originating from many sources, including pulp mills, forest fires, and pesticide applications, and they are transmitted by air and water.

It is essential that we continue to closely monitor the fish and water to determine if contaminant levels are increasing or decreasing. Additional fish were collected over the past two months and have been sent to the lab for analysis. As well, the Slave River program has been expanded to collect even more fish samples over the next few years.

We expect the northern rivers study program, which looks at the cumulative impact of development on the Peace, Athabasca and Slave Rivers, to also collect and sample fish for similar contaminants. Both studies should give Northerners a better idea of the environmental quality throughout the whole basin. Thank you.

Question O1-12(2): Pollution From Pulp And Paper Mills February 11th, 1992

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take the question as notice.

Revert To Item 17: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters December 17th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As an ordinary MLA for the past two years, some of the issues that are being discussed here are the ones that I have discussed in the House with the other Members as an MLA representing three small communities which have their fair share of social problems. Some of my constituents are victims of injustice in the system, therefore I will be supporting the motion.

---Applause.

Motion 40-12(1): Establishment Of The Special Committee On Health And Social Services December 17th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This has been a problem in the large communities and it clearly shows. For a long time, a fairly long time, as we know it has been like that. When we started going to the different communities, when we started gathering in each of the communities from the camps, it was not much of a problem when we are gathered around in the camps, but we had talked about it and thought about how we could further improve it, but it does not seem to be improving at all. It has been talked about by a lot of people about how they could improve it. It feels like it is going to improve slowly but those social workers in the smaller communities especially, I think that if they had better or further education it would help more to resolve these problems and these social workers who have not had enough education to do their jobs, although they are literate in English. When they have husbands and wives they know how to counsel children. I do not think that they have formal education with counselling with these sorts of problems. Without the formal education, I think that this is why social workers in the different regional offices, if these programs of training are delivered to these regions, it would be better.

In Pelly Bay there is a special committee from the territorial government, Mr. Chairman, one person came into the community only once from the housing association committee. I know that in the other communities, in the other hamlets there are committees, as we are called committees in these communities. As a committee in a community we do not have much power to try and fix these kinds of things.

I have worked for the municipality of Pelly Bay for some 16 or 17 years, and prior to working for the municipality of Pelly Bay I was one of those people that goes out camping, spring, summer and in the fall, Having been out on the land for a number of years, I find that there were almost no social problems in the small communities.

In and around 1950 people from the outlying camps were told that there would be social programs available within a prescribed community, social programs such as housing, roads, government offices and social welfare. After five or six years, we realized that putting people together or cramping people together into one small community was not a good solution. But this is something that we all know we will have to live with.

Forming different committees is not a solution to our problem. We have tried that at the community level in Pelly Bay. I think we have about seven or eight committees within this community which has a population of 400 people. I agree with the mover. We should do something about decreasing the social problems we are faced with within the Territories. I agree with the Member that we have to do something about this problem. Knowing that we are going through extreme restraint within the system, I think this would put more financial burden on this government. I am not against the Member's motion, but since we have a new Minister of Social Services, maybe we should give him a little more time to see if he can deal with the problem. I think there are other alternatives to solving the problem. I do not know what the alternatives are, but I think we should give the Minister a little more time to see if he can turn things around for the better. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 9: Petitions December 17th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a Petition 3-12(1) from Pelly Bay, pertaining to the access road to the area which is about 12 miles out of Pelly Bay to facilitate hunting, tourism and recreation. Mr. Speaker, it has 60 signatures.

Question O159-12(1): Re-evaluation Of Petroleum, Oil And Lubricants Program Contracts December 17th, 1991

There are still 23 contracts to be awarded for 1992-93 and this will go ahead once the Anderson report has been put through the process. In mid-January the follow-up report will be presented to the cabinet, then I will be in the position to respond to the Member positively.

Question O155-12(1): Moneys Wasted Because Of Petroleum, Oil And Lubricants Program Tendering Process December 17th, 1991

My department is as concerned as the honourable Member. Only yesterday we had a briefing with Mr. Anderson. There is a review going on within the department. The amount of money spent was not given to me, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take the question as notice.

"living Kindness" December 17th, 1991

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the holidays are approaching, we received a book called "Living Kindness" from Jeannie Marie-Jewell. She gave that book to us written by Madeleine Bird and Agnes Sutherland. I would like to say in this House that I am very thankful and also I am pretty sure the people in Nunavut are also thankful about this book. Even though I did not read all of it, I managed to read some of it, and it is very meaningful. To this date any books or magazines that I have read, I find it the best so far. I encourage the other MLAs and the residents of the Northwest Territories to be aware of this book about their lives. This was dedicated to her grandson or grand-daughter, and through this book I am sure she means us well. I wish to take this opportunity to thank honourable Jeannie Marie-Jewell on behalf of this House. Can you say thank you to them from us?

Bill 1: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1991-92 December 16th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a little information here that I will read out for the Member's benefit. The issue is to provide one-time funding to enhance the outpost camp program and the community harvester's assistance program. The substantiation is government support to harvesters, and the harvesting economy has been based on recognition that harvesting is an essential social and economic activity in the NWT. By enabling people to continue harvesting, traditional values and practices are reinforced. The government has not yet completed its study on the hunter income support program. The additional $600,000 demonstrates this government's commitment to the economic and social importance of harvesting in the NWT.

The department proposes to allocate the funding among harvesters through the outpost camp program. The current guidelines for these programs are a bit restrictive. For example, the funds cannot be used at this time to buy snowmobiles or outboard motors or replacement parts. The department intends to revise the guidelines for this program to provide more flexibility to community organizations in determining what activities will be supported and what expenses will be eligible.

Field Operations, Total O And M, Agreed

Item 11: Tabling Of Documents December 16th, 1991

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 34-12(1), Annual Report 1990-91, Status of Women Council of the NWT, for the year ending March 31, 1991.