Titus Allooloo

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Titus Allooloo is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

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

Lost his last election, in 1995, with 19% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Committee Report 6-12(7): Report On The Review Of The Legislative Discussion Paper On The Draft Of The New Education Act March 29th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Issue: In reviewing the proposed provisions for the suspension of teachers where there is misconduct or incompetence, it was not clear to the committee whether such a suspension was with pay or without pay. In the interest of clarity, the committee felt that the act should specify whether a suspension is with pay or without pay.

Response: The department has agreed to reword the section that refers to the suspension of a teacher for misconduct or incompetence, to clarify that it is without pay.

Issue: The committee also noted that another section dealing with alleged misconduct or incompetence was worded awkwardly and should be made more clear.

Response: The department will undertake to reword the section that refers to the suspension of a teacher for alleged misconduct or incompetence to eliminate any confusion.

Issue: Committee Members expressed a concern from a community perspective that teachers must be familiar with, and sensitive to, the cultural environment in which they are teaching. It was suggested that teachers' performance evaluations, conducted every year, should include a cultural component to gauge each teachers' sensitivity and adaptability to their cultural environment.

There was also some discussion pertaining to the fact that, in the draft act, principals are responsible for evaluating teachers, giving the appearance at least of "peer evaluation." The committee was not entirely comfortable with the provision.

Response: Department officials explained that, under the new terms of the draft act, district authorities are considered the board of education management and the principal serves as a manager, taking direction from the local authority. Therefore, it would be the local authority that directs the evaluations conducted by the principal and sets the guidelines and standards for these evaluations. In order to address the cultural sensitivity requirements, these guidelines and standards could include knowledge and understanding of the culture of a community, as directed by the district education authority or divisional education council.

Part III: Communities - Cultural Diversity

Language Of Instruction/Program Language

Issue: The wording of a particular section on determining the language of instruction in a district caused the committee some concern. It was interpreted by Members to say that a district authority could choose a language of instruction only if approval of the Minister was secured. This seemed to contradict a basic objective of the draft legislation, which is to move more decision-making authority for education to the community level.

Response: The department agreed with the committee's assessment and responded by committing to create a new section: "which will state that the Minister will, by directive, give guidelines for the implementation of language of instruction programs to ensure that high standards of education are maintained." In addition, the present wording will be changed to eliminate "ministerial determination" as a prerequisite for the district authority's choice of language. These changes will ensure that the decision is in the hands of the local authority, but within prescribed guidelines to maintain standards of education.

Issue: Additional sections caught the attention of the committee with respect to their wording which seemed to give priority to the English language in Northwest Territories schools. The committee requested that changes be made to ensure that there was more of a balance between English and aboriginal languages.

Response: The department made the commitment that the section referred to: "will be reworded so that English and the official languages other than English are referred to in a more parallel manner."

Mr. Speaker, I will now ask the Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark, to continue the report. Qujannamiik.

Question 366-12(7): Legal Opinion On Contracting Summer Students March 29th, 1995

Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate the work that will be done by the Minister to find out whether more students could be employed at lesser rates by way of contracting out the work to the private sector, such as co-ops, housing associations, or hamlets. Mr. Speaker, how long does the Minister think it will take to answer the question about whether they can contract out this work or not? Will it be before the end of session, since the work that is going to be required by the GNWT for these students will be coming through very soon? Thank you.

Question 366-12(7): Legal Opinion On Contracting Summer Students March 29th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the chairman of the Financial Management Board a question. First of all, I would like to thank him for the prompt response he gave me regarding the summer student employment program with regard to the rates paid to students who work for the government in the summer. The rates are considerably higher than the private sector is able to pay and therefore, it is unfair competition. In his response, he suggests that the government has to abide by collective agreement requirements and also requirements for contracting out work. He went on to say employing students for government work through contracts with other agencies may constitute contracting out. I wonder if the Minister will attempt to find out from his legal advisors whether this work is contracting out or not. Thank you.

Bill 21: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95 March 28th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thought the previous Minister's statements in the last few days said that all the firearms programs to get people educated on firearms legislation will be borne by the federal government, because it is the federal government that is changing legislation. Thank you.

Question 338-12(7): Status Of Economic Rents Charged For GNWT Parking March 27th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some time ago, Mr. Speaker, I gave notice to one of the Ministers that I would ask this question. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Public Works and Services, regarding government employees' parking lots. During the last session of this Assembly, I asked the Minister whether the government employees who are parking in the government parking lots would be charged economic rents based on Yellowknife economic rents. I understood at that time, the economic rent was about $150 a month and the government employees were paying in the neighbourhood of $20 to $30 a month. I wonder if the Minister gave direction to his department to charge employees economic rent for government parking lots, as he said he would.

Question 334-12(7): Status Of Credit Unions In Nwt March 27th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Economic Development a question. Some time ago we were talking about credit unions in the Northwest Territories and he told us he would do everything in his power to give them assistance. What is the status of the credit unions in the Northwest Territories?

Question 332-12(7): GNWT's Policy On Out-of-community Medical Leave March 27th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance about his department, which was Personnel. When a government employee's dependant is sick and requires a doctor's attention, if there are no babysitters or any other people to look after them, that employee is able to take special leave, with pay, to go and see the doctor. But I am told that if the dependant has to go outside the community, the same employee requiring a doctor's attention has to take annual leave. Is that true? Is that the government policy? Thank you.

Question 327-12(7): Funding For Official Languages Directives March 27th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The previous fiscal year. Not this fiscal year; the previous one, 1993-94.

Question 327-12(7): Funding For Official Languages Directives March 27th, 1995

Mr. Speaker, I'm specifically referring to the financial statement that is under the agreement as an activity report signed by both governments. I can see the Premier's aide was one of the signatories to the statement stating that there was a sum of $80,000 that was returned to the federal government as unspent money in the previous year. Thank you.

Question 327-12(7): Funding For Official Languages Directives March 27th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In looking at the Canada/NWT cooperation agreements and the financial statement that both governments have to sign for the years 1994 and 1995, the Executive department, specifically the official languages unit, lapsed money to the tune of $80,000 for contracting services that could have been used to contract someone to come up with a recommendation to the territorial government on the directives. I wonder, Mr. Speaker, why that money was not used for contracting services so they would at

least have recommendations in front of them to guide them as they are developing guidelines. Thank you.