Debates of October 29, 2004 (day 31)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had a very interesting day yesterday led by the Premier’s report from his meetings, along with our Minister of Finance in Ottawa. I would like to direct a couple of questions to the Premier with regard to the processes underway for putting together long-term strategies for the North.

We all know, Mr. Speaker, in the Throne speech of some weeks ago that the initiative was undertaken by the federal government to look at a new pan-northern strategic plan for Canada’s northern regions. The Premier supplied us with some further information on this. One of the points being that was there could be a launch of this initiative with the Prime Minister by late November. That’s not too far from now. I would like to ask the Premier, Mr. Speaker, what steps or opportunities are there going to be for northerners for designing a framework for this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned yesterday, we had a meeting with the Prime Minister. Following that, our officials and federal officials met. They began the process of framing out what this might look like, Mr. Speaker. I am meeting this afternoon with some of my officials to look at the work they’ve done and also to provide them with some advice on some of the things I would like to see in it. The officials will be meeting in Ottawa again early next week to continue to frame a bit of a framework, a communications plan, a strategy, some of the short-term deliverables that we might be considering and also a consultation strategy about how we would go about consulting with all of the parties who may be interested. The objective here, as I stated, Mr. Speaker, is to try to put together something that might be announced in late November.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an ambitious target. I am glad to hear the Premier talk today, as he did yesterday, about jointly developing the strategy with aboriginal and northern residents. It seems very ambitious. I wanted to explore this a bit further because we are also included in this with our sister territories, the Yukon and Nunavut. Is there a process by which we are expected to or we want to bring together some joint agendas here as the three northern territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Mr. Speaker, yes. Last week we met with representatives from Nunavut and the Yukon, as well as with the federal officials. So there have been some discussions there. Mr. Speaker, our government will most likely be using Melody Morrison, who works in our Ottawa office, as a lead on this at the officials’ level. I am not sure who the other territories will use. We also, Mr. Speaker, want to make sure we understand what we are doing here with the federal government. We also need to begin to talk with some of the other stakeholders in the North, including the aboriginal governments. We haven’t gotten to that stage yet. It is an ambitious schedule. It is a short time frame, but I think we need to push on with this if we are going to have something that we can announce and something we can see quick, short-term deliverables on soon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would certainly like to see a plan that is well designed and that everybody buys into as our goal, instead of speed on this one. I look forward to the developing plan.

Mr. Speaker, it was kind of interesting as well to hear about the progress of the northern strategy, but also the creation of an expert panel which is going to be looking at equalization and territorial formula financing models. These are two very big and far-reaching processes, Mr. Speaker. Is there any potential for conflict between the northern strategy process and this one regarding financing and economics for the NWT? Could there be a potential for conflict? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Mr. Speaker, I don’t see any conflict between the panel that is going to be set up or panels that will be set up. That panel or panels will look at equalization, the formula, and a panel will also be looking at the territorial financing formula. Those are pretty specific guidelines for the panel. There may be some good linkages between the work that they do and what we do in the long-term strategy and one may complement the other, but I don’t think they will be tripping over each other. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. A short supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Aside from assigning some people to this program or to the process of designing the strategy, I wonder if there is any anticipation or are we going to be called on to actually put dollars on the table to help us proceed. Will this cost us anything, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 344-15(3): Development Of The Federal Strategy For The North

Mr. Speaker, I wasn’t really clear if Mr. Braden is referring to the panel or to the development of the strategy? Panel? Mr. Speaker, in terms of the strategy, then the only dollars we’ll be putting out on this that I can foresee will be our own staff working on it and our travel or those sorts of related costs. Mr. Speaker, in saying that, I have to acknowledge that our staff in the Executive and many departments are very busy. People are feeling somewhat overloaded in a lot of cases. I want to be careful to say we will use our staff time, but if we need to speed this up and it’s necessary to engage others, then we will. I don’t intend to go to some big consulting contract to do this. I think we have a lot of expertise right here; it’s a matter of finding the time to do it.

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, I feel that we can’t delay in doing this. If it means extra resources, let’s get the extra resources and get on with it quickly. This is an important exercise. We have a lot of major projects going on in the Northwest Territories and potentially happening. We need to get this strategy in place quickly and I certainly emphasize that with the Prime Minister. We are prepared to roll up our sleeves and get on with it. It’s too critical to our development. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Time for question period has expired. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.