Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Nellie Cournoyea is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 1995, as MLA for Nunakput

Won her last election, in 1991, by acclaimation.

Statements in the House

Question O34-12(1): Time Frame For Implementation Of Beatty Report December 10th, 1991

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are working on it presently. I am not quite finished with the plan and the framework, but it is almost complete and this morning I did not have enough time to see where we were. I was hopeful it would be in the next few days. So it is just that we have not got all our paperwork together. There is a plan to have a cabinet meeting on Monday, depending on whether we are sitting or not; we have to work around the schedule. So it is really a matter of a number of days before I can do that. Thank you.

Question O34-12(1): Time Frame For Implementation Of Beatty Report December 10th, 1991

Mr. Speaker. I have not put it through cabinet at this time but as soon as I pass it through cabinet I will be willing to proceed immediately to have all Members have a copy of our strategy and our general implementation plan.

Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions December 10th, 1991

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a reply to an oral question that was asked by Brian Lewis, the MLA for Yellowknife Centre, on December 9, 1991. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, our colleague Don Morin is a person who likes to tackle problems head on. He certainly took that approach as an ordinary MLA, and I do not expect him to do otherwise as a Minister of our government.

When Mr. Morin wrote to the Director General of Indian and Northern Affairs on behalf of the community of Fort Resolution, he signed the letter as the MLA for Tu Nedhe. In speaking with Mr. Morin, he now recognizes the awkward position cabinet Ministers sometimes find themselves in when they are asked to forcefully represent the interests of their constituents. He understands that it is not a government policy or cabinet practice for Ministers to request the resignation of public servants who, as Mr. Lewis stated, were simply doing their job.

As a result, Mr. Morin is now pursuing this issue through the proper channels. He has also assured me that if he has any more problems with the decisions of public servants, that he will discuss them with the appropriate federal Minister. Thank you.

Ministers' Statement 8-12(1): Economic Outlook, Mining And Oil And Gas December 10th, 1991

Mr. Speaker, as Minister responsible for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, I would like to tell Members about some recent developments that give us reason to be encouraged about the future potential of our economy.

Despite the economic downturn that is hurting all regions of Canada, there are a number of positive developments happening in the non-renewable resource sector of the Northwest Territories. There are, for instance, a few very promising mineral properties. Some of them continue to be explored and may be approaching the development stage.

The operators of the George Lake Gold Property, after almost 10 years of regional prospecting, detailed exploration, intensive diamond drilling and $25 million of investment, have been encouraged by the results. The operators expect, in the near future, to decide whether or not to increase their investment in the North by funding a costly underground exploration program, and that program should tell them whether they do or they do not have an economic mineral deposit.

Other gold properties in the Northwest Territories that have warranted continued exploration include the Nicholas Lake deposit north of Yellowknife and the Crown-Ulu deposit north of Lupin Mine. Both are being drilled intensively in hopes of justifying the next stage of evaluation, an underground exploration program. At Meliadine River, north of Rankin Inlet, a more recent and less well advanced gold exploration target is rated very highly.

Mr. Speaker, 75 per cent of the value of mineral shipments from the Northwest Territories are zinc and lead. A series of these base metal deposits have been discovered over the years. The best known is the Izok Lake zinc, lead, copper, silver deposit located 250 kilometres south of the Coronation Gulf. Transportation, or more correctly the lack of transportation facilities, is the critical factor as to why very little work has been done on these particular properties. If the transportation hurdle can be overcome, then the prospects for a new zinc-lead mine will increase significantly.

As most of you probably know, local, national and international press has picked up on the announcement that diamonds have been discovered in the Northwest Territories. The announcement that the first drill hole yielded 81 diamonds, some of them gem quality, must be viewed as very encouraging. Even before the announcement, word of the

diamond discovery had spread, and there has been a tremendous surge in staking of mineral claims.

Recent scientific research on diamonds, how they are formed and how they are found, suggests that the Northwest Territories should be considered a good place to explore for them. We must realize, however, that it will take a lot of time and money to determine the true significance of this diamond discovery.

Mr. Speaker, in the oil and gas sector, I am pleased to inform Members of the results of a recent call for bids for exploration rights in the Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Sea areas. Shell Canada, the successful bidder on three land parcels in the Mackenzie Delta, has promised a work commitment totalling in excess of $53 million on lands in the Delta surrounding their Unipkat discovery. This is very welcome news to a region that has seen a very severe economic downturn over the past several years. The bids are encouraging because they come at a low period for the oil and gas industry. They provide a signal that the major players in the industry recognize the exploration potential of the Delta area.

Mr. Speaker, other planned oil and gas activities include Esso Resources' three million dollars seismic program this winter. Three boreholes will also be drilled this winter in the Delta for research purposes. This work will be done jointly by the Geological Survey of Canada, Shell and Esso. Esso Resources will also be continuing with delineation drilling at Norman Wells this winter.

In the Sahtu Region, the Chevron Fort Good Hope block has, unfortunately, been relinquished. This has resulted in a very significant loss to the region, and to Fort Good Hope in particular. The lack of exploration success does not, however, mean that there is a lack of potential in this region.

The Mackenzie Great Bear Development Impact Zone Society is working with the Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources on the development of an oil and gas rights issuance proposal in the Sahtu region. Through the issuance of new exploration rights, we hope to replace some of the opportunities that have been lost as a result of the shutdown of the Chevron-Fort Good Hope venture.

Meanwhile, the Norman Wells project is pumping oil at the rate of 30,000 barrels a day and is now earning the federal government revenues in excess of $55 million per year. The fiscal and financial benefits for the Northwest Territories from this project are minimal. With the successful completion of the Northern Accord, however, a portion of these revenues should accrue to the Government of the Northwest Territories.

There will also be other opportunities for the generation of fiscal and economic benefits that we will be able to realize through the sound management of our oil and gas resources once the accord has been signed and implemented.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, we can certainly be encouraged by these developments in the mining, oil and gas sectors, despite low prices, industry lay-offs, and regulatory uncertainties. The challenge now is to seize these opportunities to ensure maximum benefits for Northerners and minimal impact on the environment. Thank you.

Ministers' Statement 2-12(1): And Tabled Document 3-12(1) December 9th, 1991

In that case, we agree that we do not conclude the discussion and it gets left on the order paper to come up as a result of people's requests.

Ministers' Statement 2-12(1): And Tabled Document 3-12(1) December 9th, 1991

When it was asked whether Members agree that this is concluded, everyone said, "Agreed." So this finishes the report, unless you bring it back for further discussion, but once you say "conclude", it is finished.

Ministers' Statement 2-12(1): And Tabled Document 3-12(1) December 9th, 1991

Mr. Chairman, I think that in trying to reach the objectives and the general thrust of the "Strength at Two Levels" report, we have been very much concerned in terms of the problems that would come around with having some people feeling that their jobs will just not be here. We have had several meetings with deputy ministers in terms of putting forth our framework so that they could pass down to their various responsibilities what we are going to do. I think it has to be said that people get treated fairly and with respect, and we have tried to make sure that we send that message down the lines.

I believe that we have quite a vacancy rate as well, so the impact may not be as drastic as some people fear out there. Certainly the turnover rate in a lot of our government institutions is very high, and it has always concerned me that even at a community or regional level sometimes when the community is dealing with, "Where are we going to put our many educated young people; where are they going to go; how are they going to be involved; how are they going to get those jobs?" the impediment is sometimes when people say that it is impossible because these jobs are filled. To a great extent the turnover in those jobs is immense, and what we should be doing instead, while we are going to the community transfer, we should be dealing in the schools as well, telling the schools at a very early stage, "You have four nurses here. You need about 10 financial people in this community. You have so many RCMP officers. You have all this, and the turnover is there."

I do not think that the people who are moving toward taking over those job functions should have a fear that there is going to be somebody in the way and somebody is going to be there forever, because they are not. I think that in the foreseeable future, because of the rollover, there is room for a lot of people; and we are not threatening people about their jobs. Thank you.

Ministers' Statement 2-12(1): And Tabled Document 3-12(1) December 9th, 1991

I think that even the previous Minister responsible for Social Services, as well as the present one, was trying to grapple with being more flexible, to see whether the territorial government or local government uses the money in the best way possible. We would like to see some of those changes as well. We have a standing invitation to meet with Mr. Mulroney in terms of our formula funding and some of the other issues. I would like to say at that time that we would like more flexibility, because I know the communities would want that as much as we do.

I think it gives us no end of concern when we would like to operate programs that reflect the requirements or the needs and aspirations of the people. We are tied to a framework that is determined by the federal funding policy.

I believe this is a good opportunity to address those issues and see what flexibility there can be. If there is no flexibility, the concern would be the same sitting around here as it would be for a community. So I cannot say positively, "Yes, we will get around all the hurdles we have in delivering all the social programs." We are suffering from it right here at the territorial level as much as the communities would. Hopefully, we can work and identify some of those key issues as we go along.

Ministers' Statement 2-12(1): And Tabled Document 3-12(1) December 9th, 1991

Unfortunately, Mr. Chairman, basically they would have to adhere to about the same regulations we do because it is a relationship between the federal and territorial government. There are some aspects in a federal legislated program and we receive funding for that program. We have to adhere to the guidelines. As much as possible we want to give the communities flexibility to move around their priorities, but at this point in time, we cannot move outside of some of the federal guidelines that are set.

Basically, within the territorial legislation, what we have done is incorporated some of that legislation because we have to, because we would not get the money unless we do, until such time as the territorial, Northwest Territories or Nunavut or Denendeh have the resources to raise their own revenues. It is difficult when you are receiving money from any other agency, as we do as a territorial government, not to abide totally by those guidelines because that is the basis that they put those certain programs out.

As much as we would like to say we are totally independent as the Northwest Territories government, we are not. We have to adhere to many of the guidelines that are set to receive the funding.

Ministers' Statement 2-12(1): And Tabled Document 3-12(1) December 9th, 1991

I guess, in answer to the

Member's question, yes.