Debates of November 30, 2007 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is referencing leveraged areas. Is that debt that we would have on our books through a number of other corporations? We put all of our information together that would impact our fiscal framework. We will put all of the pieces together and be prepared to share that with Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in my Member’s statement, I spoke to the state of transportation in the Beaufort-Delta. Another concern I had was the ice bridge at the Mackenzie River. It is not a $165 million bridge, but it is a bridge that allows goods and services to come into the Beaufort-Delta quickly. The concern I have, Mr. Speaker -- and I am going to direct my questions to the Transportation Minister -- there is an important piece of equipment that is used for making ice at the Mackenzie ice crossing stored 150 kilometres away while we have a storage yard 150 yards from the site. Does the Minister know why we are storing this piece of equipment by the Yukon border? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie ice bridge crossing machinery I think the Member is referring to is right now at what I have been told is the location that the department feels is the only location that it can be stored at. I did check into it and asked about other areas that it can be stored in. It is not being used right now. That is where it can be stored in terms of safety and security reasons.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister why this piece of equipment is not being used. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is due to budget constraints and certainly budget reductions in the department that is unable to use this machine at the Mackenzie ice crossing at Tsiigehtchic.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Well, Mr. Speaker, if it is budget concerns they are worried about, why is the machinery stored 150 kilometres away when it can be stored at the Transportation yard right at the Mackenzie River right at Tsiigehtchic? I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of the cost of hauling this piece of equipment 150 kilometres there and 150 kilometres back? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, even though we did haul the machine to the area the Member is referring to, it is going to sit there. It is not in the budget. It has been reduced in terms of our transportation. We are looking at ways we could bring the machine in and possibly use it in the future. However, again, we are going through the process of planning priorities. We will see if this is something that is really needed. I will continue working with the Members in terms of making this machine available to the people of the Delta area.

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

Supplementary To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister again, how much is it costing the department to transport that machinery back and forth? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Yakeleya.

Further Return To Question 90-16(1): Mackenzie Ice Road Construction Materials

Mr. Speaker, right now it is not moving so it is not costing the department anything.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, the Economic Development and Infrastructure committee put out a press release through normal channels. The press release requested information regarding the Deh Cho Bridge process. It was agreed to by all of the committee members. Mr. Speaker, it was the government’s decision yesterday not to send this out through Messenger, the government’s e-mail service, because of the political nature of that press release.

Mr. Speaker, most press releases are political in nature. I am wondering what would make this press release any more political than any other one we send out. The first question I would have for the Premier is, who made the decision not to send out the committee’s press release yesterday? Thank you.

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

Return To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Member would probably be happy to say it was I that said not to release it, but I have just been made aware of it by a note being sent over to me. So I am unaware who made that decision. It is something that we would have to look at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe any Minister or northern Premier can thwart the free speech and a privilege that we have here as Members of this House. I would like to ask the Premier if he could find out who made that decision and why it was made. If we are going to be censored and there is going to be a gatekeeper on press releases that committees make, we should know about that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand this did go out yesterday. It may be on the Legislative Assembly website. Is the question it didn’t go out through the Messenger which goes to every employee’s e-mail? Is that the question? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, somebody somewhere made the decision not to send out EDI’s press release on government Messenger e-mail system to all employees in the government. Every other press release that gets issued goes out on Messenger. This one got stopped. Somebody was gate keeping and said this press release was too political in nature and didn’t deserve to go out on Messenger. So, again, I would like to ask the Premier if he would investigate this and find out who this gatekeeper is so that Regular Members know and committees know that we are obviously going to be censored in press releases in the future, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is, within Executive, the whole sending out through the Messenger falls through the Department of Executive. My understanding is when that came across -- and I am just going from the note that was forwarded to me -- the question was asked for more thoughts on this matter. So that discussion I’m not aware has taken place yet. The government, overall, should have a discussion about what appropriate message should be sent. I recall in the past being requested to put some things from other groups on that Messenger service and they’ve been disallowed on a number of areas. So my understanding is that questions were going back and forth; is this the appropriate avenue? It’s not a matter of has it gone or not gone; one day, is that a time to permit some discussion about this? That’s my understanding where it went. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m having trouble understanding what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate and who makes the decision not to send a committee of this Legislative Assembly’s press release out on our government service. Who ultimately makes that decision? Is it the deputy minister? Who makes the decision and who is going to censor, who is there that’s going to censor our press releases? Are they being censored? Judging by yesterday’s events, there was some censorship there and I take great offence to that censorship, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 91-16(1): News Release Distribution On GNWT Messenger

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, let’s be clear here. The message has gone out, the public’s aware of it. So what censorship happened? The question was asked when this was sent, is this the appropriate avenue to be using this Messenger service that’s available to just GNWT employees? It’s not available to anybody else out there unless you’re a Government of the Northwest Territories employee and you can tap into this. We do have a policy in that area and I’d be prepared to share that with Members and see where that goes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the Minister responsible for Seniors. Can the Minister assist me in looking into making our elders’ cheques from once a month to twice a month? My elders are running short every third week in the smaller communities due to the high cost of living. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, I guess. Who is it? Oh. The Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Yakeleya.

Return To Question 92-16(1): Seniors' Access To Pension Benefits

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll have to work closely with the Member from Nunakput in terms of the types of cheques that he’s referring to and requires other Ministers to be involved or requires the federal government departments to be involved in this issue here. So I would ask if the Member could be more specific in terms of what type of cheques so that I could have some direction.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Supplementary To Question 92-16(1): Seniors' Access To Pension Benefits

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the cheques I’m referring to, Mr. Yakeleya, are the seniors, the pension cheques every month. Our elders need to be helped and it’s our obligation, as the government, to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask a question sort of related to the Wind Energy Conference. As with any discussion, the proof is in the pudding. It depends on the action that comes out of it. I think a number of people here have been very pleased to hear about the Wind Energy Conference. Are the Ministers committed to following up with actions, and programs, and funding to establish wind energy where appropriate in the North after this conference? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I didn’t hear who that was addressed to, so I’ll address it to the Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ll use my prerogative in this matter and ask the Minister of ENR, who’s made his statement on wind energy a day or so ago.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 93-16(1): Wind Energy Conference

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re committed to working with the Assembly, as we’ve been saying over the last number of days, sorting out the final priorities for the strategic direction and priorities for the 16th Assembly. Cabinet will be moving on that. The issue of alternative energy is a key issue. We’re working with communities, and have been, between the energy plans. We know that there have been significant advances in a lot of areas. As oil hits $100 a barrel, the interest levels are continuing to grow, as well as the pressure to reduce our greenhouse gases. So we have to sort this out. But, yes, we’re interested in trying to move ahead in any ways that will make communities more self-sufficient and self-reliant. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Supplementary To Question 93-16(1): Wind Energy Conference

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d just like to note that my vagueness at the beginning was intentional. It shows that there is a need for cooperation and integration of programs on these important subject matters. ITI would obviously be involved in this, as well. I’m happy to go with the Minister of the Environment, here. The federal subsidy rate for the establishment of wind energy was set according to costs in southern Canada. Clearly this is not suitable for us, where our energy costs are quite high relative to that. Is the Minister working with the Yukon, Nunavut, and Ottawa to get federal subsidies set in an appropriate level that are suitable to the advancement of technology in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 93-16(1): Wind Energy Conference

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is an energy coordinating committee on Cabinet made up of ITI, myself, and Public Works and Services and such, and we’re tasked with overseeing the energy plan, conservation issues, hydro issues. As we get up and running -- in fact, we’re having a meeting Monday to start the business of the committee -- those type of detailed issues will be one of the things that we’re going to be looking at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Supplementary To Question 93-16(1): Wind Energy Conference