Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement talked about the recognition of International Polar Year about the number of researchers and research institutes that are going to come to the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in regards to the International Polar Year how can the North benefit from the number of scientists coming here? More so, how can the community-based projects be strengthened and supported by these types of projects? Can the Minister please explain to me how can this be so as there’s none right now, I understand, by the researchers coming to the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is responsible for licensing all scientific research that takes place in the Northwest Territories. So through that licensing process, we would expect that we would gain an understanding of the scientific research that’s taking place. Part of the licensing process requires that the scientists who are applying for the licence commit to reporting back on what information they have found. We also expect, as part of the application process, that they will advise us of how they are going to involve the local communities and how they will report to local communities, because we expect the scientists who participate in research in the North will also find a way to bring local communities and traditional knowledge into their work.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 31-15(6): Northern-Based Research Capacities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to this government and this Minister in terms of monitoring how these scientists involve and report back to the communities. I want to ask the Minister in terms of how does the community get its needs met in terms of being involved in the research project? I mean you’re going to meet the needs of the scientists and meet the needs of the institutions. How does it meet the needs of the community in terms of implementing their traditional knowledge into a science that is internationally recognized, not just from the scientist but also from the traditional knowledge that is recognized as just important as the scientist? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 31-15(6): Northern-Based Research Capacities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s a good question. Because we don’t have a university in the North which is sponsoring the researchers who are coming to the North, we don’t have a lot of control, or awareness even, of what is being proposed for International Polar Year. Much of the research is going to be done in cooperation with scientists who work in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. So by working in concert, we’re hoping with them, with ENR and the southern scientists, we’ll be able to ensure that there is a clear understanding that we want traditional knowledge to be incorporated in all the work done in the North.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 31-15(6): Northern-Based Research Capacities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the two Ministers look at supporting the Aurora College in terms of promoting a position to support community-based research on social and cultural areas during the International Polar Year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 31-15(6): Northern-Based Research Capacities

Mr. Speaker, a lot of this is in the communities, but I’ll certainly make sure that Mr. McLeod and I are aware of the issues and look at them together.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 31-15(6): Northern-Based Research Capacities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, would the Minister commit to looking at proposing to have a position at the Aurora College institute that promotes and supports community-based social and cultural research? We need a position; we need a staff person at the research centre of excellence in the Northwest Territories, because the Northwest Territories has a lot to offer to the world. We have to get that message to the scientists. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 31-15(6): Northern-Based Research Capacities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll certainly take that recommendation under advisement. We’ll take a look at where we’ve got the resources and whether or not we can afford to do that. The staff at the ARI has recently been ramped up in order to accommodate the increased numbers of requests for research that we’ve been receiving over the past couple of years. So we’re hoping that we’re going to have the staff on hand to be able to handle the workload that we see coming over the next 18 months as IPY rolls out, but we may have to look at, as the Member suggests, increasing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.