Debates of November 30, 2007 (day 6)

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where is it on the departmental priority list, the internal priority list, Mr. Speaker, on establishing a treatment centre here in Yellowknife and in Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we had an exchange a couple of days ago, treatment programs, and to have as much as possible in as many areas as possible especially as well as having presence of services available in our small communities. So the coverage of locations is important. Having treatment centres are important. But it’s also important to have enhanced programs in all spectrums dealing with addictions and mental health issues on prevention, on before care, aftercare, and treatment centre program is just part of that. So definitely we have to look at it from a comprehensive point of view, and this is absolutely a very important issue for me as a Minister and the department, and I’m hoping that for the Caucus, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard about almost every priority in the world under that sort of umbrella of priorities. Mr. Speaker, I want to hear clearly where is the priority to build a treatment centre in Yellowknife and Inuvik, and can the Minister commit to bringing something clearly back to this House before February? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the Member is well aware, and everybody here is well aware, that we have just gone through a three-day Caucus planning session. We are to conclude that by the conclusion of next week. Coming out of that we will make priorities, as a Legislature, as to where that sort of project will fit into our overall objectives. So it will be very premature on my part to speak about that specifically because it involves capital planning process, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for ITI. It’s in regards to my Member’s statement and the memorandum of understanding we have with the Gwich’in Tribal Council, and also the meeting that took place a week and a half ago in regards to the commitment that we have within those agreements to have ongoing meetings with the Gwich’in Tribal Council, its leadership, and its business community. Yet, Mr. Speaker, after talking to the president of the tribal council and a couple of the aboriginal leaders, there was very little by way of content at that meeting and information from this government to share in regards to the assessment that we have done over the years.

So, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, knowing that this agreement expires March 31st, 2008, which is four months down the road, and they have to come up with the renewal of a new agreement for April 1st this coming year, so I’d like to ask the Minister, has he received a report back in regards to this meeting and what are we doing to basically look at the evaluation of this agreement?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Return To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was unfortunate that the meeting that the Member is referring to, that we were unable to attend because of a conflict in scheduling with some other commitments that we had here in Yellowknife. But we did rectify that by having the Premier and myself attend the meeting with all of the Gwich’in leadership and the president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council on Monday. We did have an opportunity to discuss the Gwich’in MOU, and I believe at the meeting all parties indicated they were very pleased with the performance of the MOU. There is a requirement for an evaluation of the MOU, which ends on March 31st, 2008. There are provisions for renewal. We have been working with the Gwich’in to finalize the evaluation requirements. We expect to have that evaluation done shortly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the evaluation of the MOU, they’re looking at five general areas. One is looking at meeting the MOU poses obligations. Two was meeting the MOU targets. Three is building Gwich’in business capacity. Four, providing benefits to Gwich’in beneficiaries. Five, meeting stakeholders’ expectations. I’d just like to ask the Minister, is it possible that we also include a sixth item to look at the recommendations by the Auditor General of Canada to see what are we doing as government to meet obligations under those land claims in light of the Auditor General’s report?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to point out that the MOU and contracting wasn’t set up as a requirement of the land claim, but it was set up as a policy decision by this government. Having said that, we are prepared to include those recommendations by the Auditor General and include it in the evaluation.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is there a possibility of this government meeting again with the Gwich’in Tribal Council on the MOU prior to the expiry date, which is March 31st, to look at seeing exactly what the contents of the new agreement is going to look like, but, more importantly, ensuring they also are able to implement the agreements by way of the Auditor General report and other federal reports that have identified problems, especially in the implementation of land claim agreements?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are prepared to meet with the Gwich’in leadership early in the new year to discuss the MOU. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard the Minister mention that we don’t have an obligation under the land claim agreements. I believe we do, as someone who negotiated that agreement. There’s an economic measure which clearly identifies governments as an identity where they have to include aboriginal groups looking at the economic policies and procedures of this government and, more importantly, ensuring that we have access to economic opportunities. So I’d like to ask the Minister, are you open to going to the negotiating table and look at the land claim obligations in light of the Auditor General report?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 73-16(1): Memorandum Of Understanding With Gwich’in Tribal Council

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have had that issue clarified in the past and have discussed it before. We are quite prepared to discuss it in light of the Auditor General’s recommendations. Certainly I’m not looking at renegotiating the land claims agreement, but certainly we’ll clarify the arrangements. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask my question to the Minister of Transportation. Recently the operations in the marine operations, they hired a marine supervisor, but they had relocated that position from Fort Simpson to Hay River. So I’d just like to ask the Minister what is the timeline of getting this position moved back to Fort Simpson? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 74-16(1): Marine Positions Located In Fort Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been told that the former position of marine, head of marine operation in Fort Simpson had served two functions. He was also the director and also the superintendent at that time. Since today, my understanding is that the position has been moved to Hay River because 90 percent of our marine operations are out of the hub of the waterway transportation in the North and that there’s an assistant director of marine operations in Fort Simpson. Unless I’ve been briefed on this, I haven’t seen any indication as to when this position of director of marine services will be moving back to Fort Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 74-16(1): Marine Positions Located In Fort Simpson

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. No, it’s just that our government has a policy for keeping positions in the regions and the communities, and here’s a classic case where a position was moved and I thought there were indications that it was a temporary move, that until they find accommodations in Fort Simpson. So I’d just like the Minister to follow up on when will that position be relocated back to Fort Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 74-16(1): Marine Positions Located In Fort Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll certainly check my records with the department in terms of what type of decisions were made on this issue here, and certainly look within this government here to see if there’s any plans to move the position back into Fort Simpson. As the Member is well aware, there are other regions also that are looking at present areas in terms of where other regions are making positions and that affects other regions without any type of regional presence by our department.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 74-16(1): Marine Positions Located In Fort Simpson

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, in many of our regions, it takes a long time to fight for the positions that we do have for those, and in some of the regions that’s the only form of economic development, a $140,000 job there, Mr. Speaker. So I’d like to press with the Minister that. I’d like see this position returned to Fort Simpson and I’d like the Minister to start working on that and give me some assurance that he will look at it, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 74-16(1): Marine Positions Located In Fort Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are marine positions in Fort Simpson right now, and Inuvik. I’d like to state clearly to this House here that when we have these type of requests, that we’ll certainly look very closely with our department in terms of what makes good business sense in terms of having positions being moved to other regions in terms of serving the interests of people in the North. Again, to state clearly also that, Mr. Speaker, there are some regions right now in our department that are serving other regions without any type of presence in the North here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question concerning the identification of the transportation priorities. Previous governments and Assemblies have established the access road the priority transportation project. Can the Premier advise me whether the government remains committed to establishing access road 177 for the community of Tuktoyaktuk? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 75-16(1): Transportation Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the area of the access road 177 in Tuktoyaktuk is something that has been discussed by a number of Assemblies. As we’ve heard -- Members are probably starting to get tired of hearing this -- as we set out our direction, as we look at our business planning process, we’ll have to look at how we incorporate a number of these initiatives. This project would fall into that category of having to have a look at it and how it would fit within the overall plan of the 16th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Supplementary To Question 75-16(1): Transportation Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier make it a priority for this 16th Legislative Assembly to get this access road done within the next four years? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 75-16(1): Transportation Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it would, as an Assembly of the Northwest Territories to have our infrastructure built, a Mackenzie Valley highway, a highway right from coast to coast to coast, as we’ve said in a number of our plans, previous governments, like the number of documents put out there, that would be a goal of ours to try to continue. We need to sit down as the 16th Assembly and reaffirm that, and that’s the process I think we should be using in this case. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Supplementary To Question 75-16(1): Transportation Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to make this a priority, to work with me to make this a priority? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 75-16(1): Transportation Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I definitely will work with the Member and try to move this project along and how we work together with ourselves as a government with the Inuvialuit, with companies. We’ve got to come up with some potential solutions of how we can proceed forward with this project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Supplementary To Question 75-16(1): Transportation Infrastructure Priorities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Premier commit to meeting with me and the people, the councils in the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk and the community corp, as well? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.