Debates of March 10, 2005 (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier. It goes back to my Member's statement that I made earlier. I know that the Premier and his government have worked very hard on trying to establish a relationship with Ottawa in an effort to try to get a resource revenue and devolution deal, a deal that the last government and many governments before it have failed to do. I felt sorry for the Premier and his government yesterday with the action that Minister Scott took in appointing a non-northerner, non-nominee to the chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. I would like to ask the Premier if he has spoken to Minister Scott and what are the reasons that Minister Scott has given the Premier and the Government of the Northwest Territories as to why he did what he did. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say first of all, that the appointment of the chair for either of the boards under the Mackenzie Valley Management Act is the responsibility of the federal government. So, Mr. Speaker, having said that, as I said yesterday, I have communicated my preferences to Minister Scott in the past, I have written a letter to him, and last week I attempted to contact him -- I believe it was on Thursday -- and waited for his call. Yesterday I tried to contact him. I did not get to speak to him. I was told that he's in Edmonton or in Alberta today for the memorial for the RCMP officers, but that he would get back to me tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can understand that the decision is a federal appointment, but in the spirit of good faith between the federal government and our government, I would expect that they would at least have the courtesy to phone our Premier and find out what the political agenda is here and work with that. I'm wondering if the Premier can let us know how the appointment was made. Was it Minister Scott's call directly, or was the Secretary of State for Northern Development involved, and that happens to be our MP, in this decision? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson

Mr. Speaker, I can say that I was very surprised, taken aback; in fact angry, yesterday, when I found out, when it was on the 5:30 news, that CBC had gotten this information before we did, before I did and before anybody in our government did. Mr. Speaker, I don’t know for sure who was involved in the announcement, if it was an announcement made. CBC certainly had it. But I did, as well as calling Minister Scott, call our MP and Minister for Northern Development, Ethel Blondin-Andrew. She called me back this morning and certainly apologized for not letting us know. She explained that she thought that we had been told and agreed that from here on she was going to be more diligent in making sure the department is letting us know ahead of time before we hear this sort of thing through the media. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That gives us little comfort, I guess. What is done is done. I am wondering, perhaps, as a government, we could look at writing a letter and maybe the Premier’s office can put together a letter and each and every one of us Members in this 15th Legislative Assembly could sign it, outlining our concern over how this appointment was made and the fact that we had to find out on the 5:30 news last evening that the appointment was made before even the Premier knew about it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Further Return To Question 586-15(3): Appointment Of The Mackenzie Valley Land And Water Board Chairperson

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly talk to the Members about that and consider doing a letter which either I would send or could be sent by all Members. This cannot continue to happen, Mr. Speaker. This is why we have to have devolution, because we cannot have these kinds of decisions being made in Ottawa and us finding out after the fact that the decision was made, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, fortunately, Minister Scott is going to be here next week. I think all of us will have an opportunity to speak with him. I certainly will speak with him about the way this was handled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.