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August 26, 1996 Alberta Hansard 2391 Legislative Assembly of Alberta MR. CHADI: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I feel compelled this evening to speak to the amendment as presented by Title: Monday, August 26, 1996 8:00 p.m. the Member for Fort McMurray. I think it's a great amendment. Date: 96/08/26 I listened to the debate from the Member for Fort McMurray, as head: Government Bills and Orders did the sitting Member for Athabasca-Wabasca, and I feel that this head: Committee of the Whole amendment is in keeping with what's been happening lately with [Mr. Clegg in the Chair] respect to the three names in the constituencies. I think paying tribute to Fort Chipewyan and naming Fort Bill 46 Chipewyan in the constituency name is one of the greatest things Electoral Divisions Act we could do in this Legislative Assembly. It is the oldest community in Alberta. It continues to thrive as a wonderful, THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: We have an amendment by the thriving community. Member for Fort McMurray. In the first amendment that he moved there is a spelling error. Will the House agree that we just MR. MAGNUS: Have you been there, Sine? put a “y” in there in the spelling of Fort Chipewyan? All agreed? MR. CHADI: Many times. I've been there many, many times. HON. MEMBERS: Agreed. I can assure the hon. member who asked me if I've been there that I've spent much time in Fort Chipewyan. THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Okay. We all agreed. There are no roads into Fort Chip, Mr. Chairman, and there The hon. Member for Fort McMurray. are no roads out of Fort Chip with the exception of the winter road. The highways that lead into Fort Chipewyan have led there MR. GERMAIN: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. First of for probably thousands and thousands of years, and they're the all, I want to thank all Members of the Legislative Assembly for waterways that travel through there. So during the summertime agreeing to correct the typographical error so that we could deal you can either travel by boat or by air. with this issue on a substantive basis. I will acknowledge to all Fort Chipewyan is deep-rooted in history in this province, Members of the Legislative Assembly that this is a late develop- somewhat like the community I grew up in, Mr. Chairman, and ment, because it had not been made clear to me that we would be that is Lac La Biche. They have an awful lot in common. I'm creating tripartite names, although I recognize there is one grateful for the fact that Lac La Biche is named in a constituency tripartite name: Spruce Grove-Sturgeon-St. Albert. now. I think it would make eminent sense to name Fort Chipewy- So with that comment, this amendment would change the name an in the constituency as well. Athabasca-Wabasca in schedule 1 of Bill 46 to read Athabasca- I heard the argument by the sitting Member for Athabasca- Wabasca-Fort Chipewyan. There are no territorial, no boundary Wabasca saying that it would cost a lot of money to change the changes, no other changes here. All this amendment does is pay name now. I don't believe that. I don't hear an argument as to proper respect and due deference to Alberta's oldest settlement. where that money would be spent if it were to be changed. Alberta's oldest settlement of Fort Chipewyan will be recognized Here's a perfect opportunity right now to pay tribute and give now publicly and audibly and orally every time the hon. member credence to that community up in northern Alberta that for many from that riding stands up to speak in this Assembly. years was known – as Gretzky is to Alberta or to Canada or to I would move this amendment. Edmonton or West Edmonton Mall is, Fort Chipewyan was to Alberta. MR. CARDINAL: Mr. Chairman, just briefly on the amendment. I can tell you an example. [interjection] This is honest-to- A name change, of course, I guess to some areas is important, but goodness fact. The Minister of Energy is making some comments in this particular case – like I've said earlier this afternoon, I sat now, and I can't hear what's she's saying, but it doesn't matter on the last boundaries review, and at the time, if I remember because I want to say what I have to say here. Years ago when rightly, there was no recommendation to include in fact specifi- I was in New York City dealing with muskrats purchased here in cally Fort Chipewyan in the name of that particular riding. The Alberta and sold at the fur auctions in New York, Mr. Chairman, biggest concern the constituents had of course – and I would hope I recall somebody coming up and saying, “Well, these are New the Member for Fort McMurray would recognize that – is the York rats.” They were selling muskrats, and they called them quality of services that the individuals would receive. What they New York rats. I said to them, “Well, I have a muskrat from recommended at the time was to have a constituency across Alberta that's better than your New York rat.” Then they said, northern Alberta represented by their own MLA. I think that's “Well, what is it?” I said, “It's a Fort Chip rat.” what we should concentrate on as soon as possible, possibly the To this day the muskrats of the Fort Chipewyan delta are next review of the boundaries. labeled Fort Chip muskrats. The Fort Chip muskrats are re- In relation to the name itself there are other things to consider, nowned throughout the world. When the Fort Chip muskrat goes Mr. Chairman. The changes in the signage and all other changes up for auction, I can assure the members of this Assembly that on correspondence could cost into the thousands of dollars at this people around the world know where Fort Chipewyan is. time, which I don't think are really necessary. The other thing of I believe it would be paying respect to that community. With course is that when you talk about forts – I won't expand on the those words, I'll take my seat, and I'll hear more debate. issue of forts and why they were built. You people can figure that out. It may not be the most popular thing to the native THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: The hon. Member for St. Albert. people. MR. BRACKO: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I support the THE DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: The hon. Member for Edmonton- amendment of changing the name Athabasca-Wabasca to Roper. 2392 Alberta Hansard August 26, 1996 Athabasca-Wabasca-Fort Chipewyan. This summer and for the DR. TAYLOR: What's new? You always stretch the truth. last five years I talked to First Nations peoples from up in Fort [interjections] Chipewyan. They feel isolated and left out in Alberta. They feel left out because in the summer there are no roads up there. You MR. GERMAIN: I never stretch the truth. have to fly in, or I think you can take the river up. They want to The hon. members say, “What's new?” Well, what's new, Mr. know that they're on the map, as the Member for Edmonton- Chairman, is this very important amendment concerning the Roper has said. They have been put on the map by this MLA description of the riding boundary of Fort McMurray. Now, what from Edmonton-Roper, and they want to continue. the difficulty is, if all members will look at part 54 of the There is a great tourism trade up there that can be developed. schedule of this particular Bill . They want it to be known around the world. This wants to be continued. It would be an important point. They can hear it over MR. DINNING: Where? and over again. Other Albertans could go up there and engage in tourism, fishing in the summer, hunting in the fall and so on. MR. GERMAIN: Part 54. It's on page 33. The hon. Provincial There's higher unemployment up there amongst the First Nations Treasurer asks for further guidance as to the page, which tells me people. This could really increase the employment if they used that I have his unequivocal attention on this important issue. it right and worked with it. That's important. [interjection] Yes. Describes it. MR. DINNING: I'm not very good with numbers. When you have the whole north – and you can tell almost half of Alberta's in the north. So it's very important that we do this. MR. GERMAIN: He isn't very good at numbers. As a matter of Here we have with Athabasca-Wabasca close, whereas you have fact, Mr. Chairman, he says – and Hansard will record and Fort Chipewyan way in the north on one of the greatest lakes in dutifully preserve for time immemorial or until the pages burn, Alberta up there where there's a lot of fishing and a lot of whichever first occurs – that he's not very good with numbers. tourism. Yes, this is the type of thing we have to recognize, like This is indeed the case. A humorous anecdote is said of the I have said. [interjection] It does. It describes what it's like up Provincial Treasurer. When he was Minister of Education, he there: a fort, still sparsely settled, and where they still are was addressing a group of 6,000 teachers, and he said that to get engaged in one of the earliest trades we had, the fur trade.