Debates of Oct. 20th, 2010

This is page numbers 5159 - 5190 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library.

The word of the day was communities .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 57-16(5): Not Us Campaign

Minister’s Statement 58-16(5): Minister Absent From The House

NWT Students Access To Post-Secondary Education

Convention And Conference Capacity

Family Violence Shelters In The NWT

Improvements To Highway No. 6

Multi-Year Funding For Non-Governmental Organizations

Meetings Of Community Heritage Societies

Anti-Poverty Summit

Meeting Of Northern Leaders

Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Wind Farm In Tuktoyaktuk

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Stimulation For Local Economies

Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

GNWT Succession Planning

Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Wind Project In Tuktoyaktuk

NWTHC Homeownership Programs

Funding And Assistance For NGOs

Appointment Of Two Human Rights Commission Members

Appointment Of Information And Privacy Commissioner

Referral Of Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response Of The Joint Review Panel For The Mackenzie Gas Project On The Federal And Territorial Governments’ Interim Response To “foundation For A Sustainable Northern Future,” Carried

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

The House met at 1:42 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber.

Colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and commend one of our own at the Legislative Assembly.

Security supervisor Ray Jahner was honoured recently by the Yellowknife Association for Community Living for his commitment and support for persons with disabilities in the workplace.

---Applause

Mr. Jahner’s helpful and friendly attitude was noted and much appreciated by the members of the Skills Training and Community Inclusion Program, whose work brings them regularly to the Assembly.

Mr Jahner is taking a two-month leave of absence effective tomorrow, to help care for his grandson. We hope you enjoy that time, Ray, and look forward to your return in December.

On behalf of all Members, please accept our congratulations.

---Applause

Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Justice , Mr. Lafferty .

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Minister’s Statement 57-16(5): Not Us Campaign

Ministers’ Statements

Monfwi

Jackson Lafferty

Minister of Justice

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to provide an update to the Legislative Assembly on Not Us, the Government of the Northwest Territories anti-drug campaign.

Addictions and the crimes they lead to have serious life consequences. This government has a focus on prevention by promoting healthy choices and lifestyles, and the role of personal and family responsibility. The Not Us campaign is unique. It’s community-based, so it’s different everywhere. We don’t tell people how it’s going to be. They tell us how it’s going to be. There’s no right or wrong way to fight addictions in your community. It’s all about

local control and innovation. Residents know what they need.

Mr. Speaker, on September 29th the town of Inuvik

kicked off its Not Us campaign with a community feast in partnership with the schools. Their program focuses on youth and family. They’re having family nights and traditional activities. It’s a community approach through partnerships with local groups and concerned citizens. Nobody can do it all, but together we can make a difference. It evolves through work with the communities, respects local priorities, and promotes local role models.

Inuvik is the newest Not Us community. Over the summer we held a Not Us event at the regional justice conference in Fort McPherson. People from all eight Beaufort-Delta communities were there. We talked about drugs and what communities could do to support their own people. Sports groups in several communities have proudly worn Not Us gear to promote drug-free, healthy lifestyles. And we’re continuing to support Hay River, our launch community. They have evening activities, drug-free-community signs, and partnerships to keep their program strong.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve also had interest from Colville Lake, Behchoko, Tuktoyaktuk, the francophone school board, Fort Smith, Tulita, Fort Providence, Lutselk’e and Yellowknife. We look forward to working with these communities and others who want to develop their own campaigns to deal with drugs. We’re partnering wherever it makes sense to support a consistent message: Not our Territory.

This campaign is part of the Healthy Choices Framework, and partnerships have always been a key to its success. Not Us can only work when local people decide it’s the right thing for them. We help with the issues that are important locally. In some places, that’s alcohol. In others, residents want to talk seriously about hard drugs like crystal meth, crack and ecstasy. Wherever we go, we work with families, communities and schools to improve the physical and mental well-being of our youth. We encourage people to find common sense solutions that will work in the long term. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 57-16(5): Not Us Campaign

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Minister’s Statement 58-16(5): Minister Absent From The House

Ministers’ Statements

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Sandy Lee will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend to a personal family matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 58-16(5): Minister Absent From The House

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland . Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .

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NWT Students Access To Post-Secondary Education

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today focuses on the priority of ensuring that students graduated from Grade 12 but without the course credits they need to pursue their chosen careers are receiving the assistance they require. Too many times I hear the story of students who have worked hard and graduated with high school diplomas, only to find they are lacking the types of course credits necessary to enter specific post-secondary programs.

While our school counselling services work hard to advise students throughout high school, these stories often contain the statement, “If only I’d known.” Students who achieve Grade 12 lacking necessary course credits -- usually it’s the sciences and maths -- are then stalled by the need to do upgrading to enter some programs. Unfortunately, they sometimes give up.

Statistics show the need to deliver course-qualified students to post-secondary education is crucial. Students with a trade or post-secondary education are six times more likely to be working than students without post-secondary.

I am aware that the Minister is working on this through the aboriginal student and community initiatives, including improved counselling. But, meanwhile, we have a legacy of people with Grade 12 diplomas that are insufficient to enable access to post-secondary programs. We cannot leave these people hanging.

I am told there aren’t enough student financial assistance resources for the stranded graduates who face the costs of upgrading their education. The department must recognize this exceptional demand and government’s responsibility for this situation with an identified and larger support fund and outreach program to assist these students in upgrading and going on to post-secondary education. To this end, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister questions on these matters later today. Mahsi.

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NWT Students Access To Post-Secondary Education

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . The honourable Member for Great Slave , Mr. Abernethy .

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Convention And Conference Capacity

Members’ Statements

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From time to time Members on this side of the House don’t feel that we’ve been necessarily heard or listened to by Cabinet. Fortunately, this isn’t always the case. Last year I asked the Minister responsible for ITI some questions and I made a statement on convention support. Today I’m happy to thank the Minister for listening to what I had to say.

During that Member’s statement and those questions, I asked the Minister to provide some awareness or create a greater awareness of convention capacity in the Northwest Territories, but also to provide some financial support.

I’m happy to say that the Minister has come out with, or has facilitated, the creation of a meeting and conference planner for 2011. It’s quite a good document. I’ve gone through it and I’ve read it page by page. I do feel the department has given a bit of a conservative estimate of the conference size capacity that can be facilitated in each community. Hopefully in future editions we’ll expand that a little bit.

I’m also happy to see that we have made specific reference to the capacity in Yellowknife, Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Simpson and Norman Wells, so we’re not focusing just on Yellowknife. I do feel that in future editions we can probably expand that to include some conferences in lodges and some of the other smaller communities in the Northwest Territories.

Over the last couple of years we’ve lost over $20 million in business travel and meetings in the Northwest Territories. There is still significant opportunity to expand on this. In my statement last year, in addition to asking to create some awareness of conference capacity, I asked the Minister to provide some moderate financial rewards to NWT-based associations when they convince their national or international counterparts to come to the NWT for their annual conferences or AGMs. This is still a great opportunity for both local associations and the NWT.

With an incentive like this in place, I believe that many local associations would be happy and willing to begin campaigning their national and international bodies to come to the Northwest Territories for their annual meetings and conferences.

Later this afternoon I will be asking the Minister responsible for ITI some questions on this topic and seeking his commitment on this next step, which is to provide some financial incentive.

Once again, I would like to thank the Minister for putting together this conference planner. It’s great that we’re actually being heard from time to time.

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Convention And Conference Capacity

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy . The honourable Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Family Violence Shelters In The NWT

Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a statement today about family violence shelters in the NWT. The five NWT shelters provide safety and support for women and children fleeing family violence. In some cases the shelters provide outreach programs for women and the children who have witnessed abuse programs in the communities. The five shelters are: Aimayunga Women and Emergency Foster Care Shelter in Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik Transition House, Alison McAteer House in Yellowknife, Hay River Family Support Centre, and Sutherland House in Fort Smith.

These shelters have been assisted for the past four years with capacity building funding provided by the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services. For a relatively small amount of money -- $100,000 per year -- the directors of family violence shelters in the NWT have been able to meet regularly to look at and develop policies and procedures, share information, best practices, coordinate approaches for high-risk cases and situations. These meetings are scheduled when possible to take advantage of training opportunities or allow shelters outside of Yellowknife to participate in the Coalition Against Family Violence.

This funding has supported a variety of training efforts for staff. For instance, two shelter workers, one from Fort Smith and one from Yellowknife, are well on their way to achieving certificates in the Women’s Shelter Crisis Worker Program through Portage College’s distance education program.

This week, for the first time ever, the directors of family violence shelters from north of 60, from the Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut, are meeting in Yellowknife. This meeting was made possible through a grant from the Canadian Women’s Foundation.

I want to acknowledge the important work that staff of our family violence shelters performs for women and children in the NWT, as well as the board members of each of those organizations. I want to also acknowledge the support of this government, which is aiding shelters to maximize the collected resources and increase the quality of services for women and children in the NWT.

The capacity building funding enables our shelters to try to do more than just apply band-aids to the issue of family violence. Family violence shelters are a critical pillar in the broad range of services

that are required to prevent and address family violence. I certainly support any expansion into smaller communities and, once again, I applaud the efforts of all these organizations throughout the NWT.

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Family Violence Shelters In The NWT

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe , Mr. Beaulieu .

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Improvements To Highway No. 6

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I’m speaking on behalf of Deninu K’ue [Translation ends]

...the highway into Fort Resolution. Since being elected, the community has let me know time and time again that the gravel

section of this highway is in need of major repair.

As you may know, Highway No. 6 is the only way in and out of Fort Resolution. There is no air service and there are only two small stores. Many residents travel over 300 kilometres to and from Hay River on a regular basis to buy various items that cannot be purchased in Fort Resolution, and groceries.

And so, Mr. Speaker, time and time again I have made numerous statements and asked many questions about the highway. Mr. Speaker, it’s been three years since I first raised the issue. I am happy to say that the Department of Transportation has responded. Much has taken place with respect to Highway No. 6 work, including complete reconstruction and resurfacing of 22 kilometres into the community from Little Buffalo River.

Mr. Speaker, this is a huge benefit to the community. Many of the residents have cabins in the community and the community often holds little events at Buffalo River. Also, with the quarry work proposed on kilometre 72, more work will be created for the residents and businesses of Fort Resolution and this helps alleviate some of the pressures created by low employment rates in the community.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to say that we are finally headed down the right road. With that, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the residents of Fort Resolution, I would like to thank the Department of Transportation for listening to the people of Resolution, by committing to and making improvements to Highway No. 6. However, Mr. Speaker, this is only the beginning. We need to make sure that we continue the work until all of Highway No. 6 is completed to a chipseal state.

Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation . Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Improvements To Highway No. 6

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The honourable Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .

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Multi-Year Funding For Non-Governmental Organizations

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope it’s not news to the Members of this House that our NWT non-governmental organizations are invaluable to us. Since starting my job here three years ago, Mr. Speaker, I’ve advocated for the better treatment of NGOs, organizations who very capably provide services to our residents on behalf of this government.

Today I want to highlight a recent but alarming change in the practice of our government in regard to the relationship to NGOs.

Since the start of this fiscal year there’s been a move by the GNWT away from multi-year contracts with NGOs to one-year contracts. The strain that those single-year contracts put on the administrative staff of our NGOs is enormous. Yet, year after year it seems we require them to apply for the program funding on an annual basis, and when contracts are not signed on time, we ask them to continue to provide services without any guarantee of payment because there’s no contract in place. It creates cash flow problems for the organization and it creates uncertainty for NGO staff and the organization’s staffing requirements.

About a year ago I sensed some willingness on the part of the government to change this situation. I sensed some improvement in the relationships with NGOs: better communications, faster executing of contracts, and an emerging standard of multi-year contracts. But we seem to have gone backwards since then, since April, to have reverted to older, poorer practices. Why can’t we realize and act on the need to be efficient with our partners to make life easier for our NGOs, not harder? Does the signing of GNWT NGO contracts get bogged down because our departments lack the expertise, or are bureaucrats just too busy with other work and this part of their job is not as important to them?

This situation must change, Mr. Speaker, and for the better. We cannot continually put these organizations and their staff in jeopardy.

I applauded the creation last year of a manual for GNWT program managers who deal with NGOs. I was optimistic we’d see some progress towards fairness in financing and towards stabilization of our NGOs. Now I’m not so sure how much progress there’s been. We need to put the elements of that manual into practice, Mr. Speaker, and we need to create financial efficiencies around our contracts with NGOs.

I will have some questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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Multi-Year Funding For Non-Governmental Organizations

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Meetings Of Community Heritage Societies

Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague Mr. Abernethy talked about gatherings, conventions, the capacity of communities to accommodate people, and the appropriateness of some communities to accommodate certain discussions and dialogues. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to the House that on October 16th and 17th , last weekend in Hay

River, a group of representatives of community organizations interested in preserving the cultural and historic heritage history of their communities gathered together in Hay River. They held their meetings at our little Hay River Heritage Centre, which is a very down to earth kind of a grassroots... It doesn’t seem like that discussion would have been quite the same if it had been held at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre here in Yellowknife, because these are people from communities where grassroots individuals in the community are trying to volunteer their efforts to preserve the history and importance of some of their cultural distinctiveness in their communities.

I am pleased to tell you that there were about 20 people in attendance at this gathering. They came from the Aklavik Interpretive Display Project, the Fort Simpson Historical Society, the Fort Simpson Heritage Centre Society, the Inuvialuit Cultural Liaison Centre, the Northern Lights Museum and Cultural Centre in Fort Smith, NWT Mining Heritage Society, NWT Arctic Ambassadors Program, the Hay River Museum Society and the Hay River Visitors Centre. Also in attendance at this gathering were representatives of the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre and also a representative from the Canadian Heritage department in Regina. These folks served as facilitators and resource people for this gathering.

Mr. Speaker, this summer we had the pleasure of attending the 10th anniversary of the Hay River

Heritage Centre. I would like to publicly thank our Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , the Honourable Jackson Lafferty , for attending that relatively small grassroots event. It was a very small town, but very nice. Mr. Lafferty showed up with his entire family, which meant a lot to the people who have put their heart and soul into collecting the artefacts and creating our little heritage centre in Hay River, not on a big budget, mostly with volunteerism.

I would particularly like to thank Vicky Latour and Peter Osted in Hay River for being the backbone of a strong volunteer board in Hay River for doing that. I think the conference will encourage people from smaller communities to realize they can play a

part in preserving a culture and a heritage. Thank you.

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Meetings Of Community Heritage Societies

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Krutko .

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Anti-Poverty Summit

Members’ Statements

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had an opportunity to take

part in the power rate conference here in Yellowknife a couple of weeks ago. It was a real eye opener in regards to the number of people in the Northwest Territories that are living in poverty, regardless if it is economic, social or simply reacting to the cost of living.

Surprisingly, Mr. Speaker, almost 45 percent in my communities of Aklavik and Fort McPherson live with an income of under $30,000 a year. That is the majority. Forty-five percent of households in my riding have to maintain themselves with $30,000 or less. But yet, Mr. Speaker, in the larger centre, 50 percent of the households make over $100,000 a year in regards to take home income. I think, Mr.

Speaker, that clearly shows us that we have to make more economic investments in communities to bring the cost of living up to a level with the other communities, but, more importantly, stimulate those communities, make them communities that are self-reliant. More importantly, give the people in our communities an opportunity to work.

Mr. Speaker, in Fort McPherson I have some 45 percent of people at the present time who are unemployed in the community of almost 800 people. There are a lot of people in the community that are capable of working, but because of the economics in the region, they are not able to find work.

I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that we, as government, take a close look at these statistics, realizing the problem is not getting better, it’s getting worse. We see it happen in our communities. We are seeing the homeless people here in our streets in Yellowknife. We are seeing them show up in our regional centres, and also the people that we do have homeless in our communities were basically going from household to household every other night trying to find a place to sleep, either on someone’s couch or in someone’s tent frame.

Mr. Speaker, this problem is a very critical point on how government deals with the most vulnerable in our society: the poor. When people are trying to maintain themselves and show that basically they do have dignity, they do have respect, again, Mr. Speaker, what they want is a job, put food on their table, take care of their families, and that is all residents of the Northwest Territories are asking from this government.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of ECE questions on what are we doing

to increase our unemployment rates in our communities. Mahsi.

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Anti-Poverty Summit

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko . The honourable Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

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Meeting Of Northern Leaders

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In September, late September, a group of veteran leaders in the Northwest Territories, aboriginal leaders, met in Yellowknife and talked about the state of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, they came out with a report, and in that report it stated that in 1992 the NWT commission, the constitutional development report published a phase I of this report, it’s known as the Jim Bourque Report.

Mr. Speaker, this report had extensive consultation across the Northwest Territories to all people in terms of constitutional reform in the Northwest Territories. A lot of good work had been done on the consultation and the report. A lot of good work, as I said, was put into it.

Now you can look at phase II of the report, Mr. Speaker, and the significance of phase II at this time, in this day and age, of our political development. Our land claim, Mr. Speaker, was the first land claim, in 1984. Four were signed by the IRC and in 2003 the Tli Cho signed the self-government land claim, also, which has a lot of significance in going forward.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated before, the aboriginal governments have experienced breaches of their treaties through the past and today, and the government has failed to honour the intent of these agreements in the implementation of their commitments.

Mr. Speaker, today we have mines, we have discussion about the pipeline, and now we’re having discussions on a draft AIP over lands and water. Mr. Speaker, now is the time to begin phase II of this report that can address some of these issues that are facing us today. We need to look at the public and aboriginal governments. That will truly address the fundamental outstanding issues that block the evolution of a unifying approach to northern governments. This report identifies how the issues critical to northern people will...(inaudible)...the challenge of the aboriginal governments, the aboriginal governments and this territorial government, and also re-establish a public government.

This report sets out the path to examine major principles to guide us all in the Northwest Territories. It also sets out a road so that we can work together. Truly, a feat that is capable of all leaders to make this a worthwhile deal. It’s time

again to look at the Bourque Report, look at phase II and let’s get on with it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Meeting Of Northern Leaders

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . The honourable Member for Kam Lake , Mr. Ramsay .

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Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to speak today about an agreement that’s posted on the Department of Transportation’s website. It’s entitled Community Opportunities and Involvement Agreement. It’s an agreement between the community of Fort Providence, represented by the Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation and the Fort Providence Metis Council.

Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation was, for all intents and purposes, the best laid efforts of the community of Fort Providence to construct and manage the Deh Cho Bridge. Events of the past year have led to the dismissal of the original general contractor and the removal of the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. For most people across the Northwest Territories, the belief is that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation was out and the Government of the Northwest Territories was stepping in to manage the construction costs and the project through to conclusion.

The wrinkle was the concession agreement had to be terminated and an agreement reached with the community on benefits. The letter agreement provided for an orderly termination of the concession agreement. It also provided for the Government of the Northwest Territories to manage the legal defence to claims against the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation.

The former government and Premier kept repeating that the project would benefit the community of Fort Providence through a return on investment via their equity position in the project. The equity was supposed to be $5 million. It never ever did materialize and this did not stop the previous government from still signing the concession agreement. When asked, the former Premier used the term “deemed equity.” The truth is, Mr. Speaker, without the equity, the benefits were never ever going to materialize.

Once the concession agreement needed to be terminated, the government and Minister felt it necessary to negotiate a deal with the community of Fort Providence. The deal is, Mr. Speaker, $8,000 a month until March of 2012 and from there on an annual grant of $200,000 to the community for 35 years beginning April 1, 2012. That’s $7 million with no less than four opportunities to address adequacy over that time.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve always supported opportunities for the community, but I remain sceptical of this

very one-sided deal which will be the envy of all communities across the Territory. The way I see it, the deal was always a partnership. If revenue does not materialize to pay for the bridge, are taxpayers in this Territory going to be forced to pay for this agreement and make up any shortfall in the operation of this bridge? Most definitely. I’ll have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time.

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Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . The honourable Member for Nunakput , Mr. Jacobson .

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Wind Farm In Tuktoyaktuk

Members’ Statements

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to clear the air about the plan to build the wind farm in Tuktoyaktuk. I don’t want our community and the whole region of Nunakput to miss out on this opportunity because of misunderstandings.

The plan is to put three wind turbines to generate electricity and feed into our local grid. This will reduce the amount of diesel fuel that we burn, because the fuel costs will be going up in the long run. This will save money as well as give us cleaner power.

The Northwind 100 turbines are state of the art. They are designed to work in cold climates like ours. They’re working very well in Alaska.

This project is a $4 million project and is a win-win for our community, with almost no risk. Our government is committed to financing the deal with the Tuktoyaktuk Power Corporation that ensures a positive revenue stream. It might not be the 15 percent profit, but it will make money and will create two new jobs right off the bat.

These turbines were scheduled to be put up next summer and it should happen without delay. Not only is it good for Tuk, but this project will help other Nunakput communities get theirs started. Most of them have stronger winds and higher electricity costs than Tuk, but in the long run this will cut the price of power in the communities and will put money into people’s pockets. It will mean more businesses, more jobs, more training for the people in Tuk as well as other communities that I represent.

I don’t need to remind you how badly we need good-paying jobs in the small communities. I’ve worked hard to advance this project and I’d like to thank my colleagues for all the support they’ve given me.

We do need the best for our people of Nunakput. We need to get this wind farm built and do the right thing for the future. This is an opportunity for all communities. This is a stepping stone that the other three communities will get after this first project is done.

I’d like to thank the Premier for all the help he’s given me in regard to this, and the ENR Minister .

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Wind Farm In Tuktoyaktuk

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson . Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi , Mr. Lafferty .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the students that are here. They are fourth-year nursing students from the Yellowknife Campus of Aurora College Nursing Program. I’ll just name a few of them. Forgive me if I misstate your name. Ashley Crump, Ashley Woytuik, Brittany Marceau-Chenkie, Brittany Jones, Candace Manuel, Frances Sinclair, Gwen Hysert, Hawna Cooper, Leanne Niziol, Malerie Hardisty, Mohamad El Hariri, Natalie Decker, Pearl Martin, Robyn Lavoie, Samantha Digness, Shawn Roper, Soura Munroe-Rosen, Vanessa Vandewater, and Jodi Brennan is the instructor. Thanks for being here. Mahsi.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes , Mr. Robert McLeod .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I believe one of the graduates or nursing students is from Inuvik, so I would like to recognize Candace Manuel.

I’d also like to recognize, while I have the opportunity, our two hardworking Pages from Inuvik Twin Lakes: Ashlyn Hendrick and Tessie Chinna.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

The honourable Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

It gives me great pleasure, as well, to recognize a nursing graduate, and that is Malerie Hardisty, who is from Jean Marie River. As well, I’d like to recognize Ms. Leanne Niziol, who’s got Wrigley roots. Welcome.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

The honourable Member for Great Slave , Mr. Abernethy .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

I’d like to recognize Mr. Mark Bogan, a constituent to the Great Slave riding.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe , Mr. Beaulieu .

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about Highway No. 6 and the work that has

been done and the work that’s planned for the coming years. With that I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation . With respect to future work on Highway No. 6, can the Minister tell me what is planned for 2011-2012 for Highway No. 6?

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation , Mr. Michael McLeod .

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been working in the area of the Member’s riding on Highway No. 6 for a couple of years now and there’s been quite a bit of work done in that area. We’ve really been pleased with the cooperation that we’ve had from the community of Fort Resolution. A lot of the work has been focused on reconstruction and chipsealing. There are more dollars identified through some internal reallocation for the next coming year that will focus on more of the same. We expect that some of the work in 2011-2012 will be in the area of kilometre 62 and kilometre 67 around Little Buffalo River.

We’ll be conducting some engineering activities, some geotechnical assessments. Our plan is to start right away and we should have them completed by March of this next calendar year. Throughout this winter we expect to produce some gravel for this

section of road and other materials that will be required for the base of this highway. We should expect to see a tender coming out in early April.

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Can the Minister give me a brief update of what’s planned for Highway No. 6 for future years beyond 2011-2012?

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

That’s a difficult question as there is a considerable amount of work and investments that are required on Highway No. 6. We only have one year left in our term and that’s basically all I can commit to.

The work should continue. We have a plan. We have the resources identified that will be required. It will be roughly around $15 million to complete all of Highway No. 6 and, of course, that will be proceeding as money is available as the next government comes forward and budgets are identified. There is a lot of work that has been done already that will be used as a basis, the engineering and the testing of the road will guide us. That information will move forward as funding is identified in the new government, as I stated previously.

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

With respect to the work going on and knowing sometimes that projects are bid without a great amount of consideration given to local businesses, can the Minister commit his department to pay closer attention in the area to ensure that as many local businesses and labour can be used as possible?

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

As with all our projects and the contracts that are out there, we work quite hard to ensure that the community leaders are informed and aware of our plans. We try to get out prior to the contracts being let, to ensure that happens. There’s also that information provided to the labour force and also the contractors in the area and surrounding communities.

We want to continue to work with the successful contractors to ensure that process happens, and that the maximum amount of business opportunities and labour opportunities are provided to the community. Our staff will continue to do that. It has worked quite well.

Of course, any time there seems to be any friction or glitch in the system, we’re always made aware of it from MLAs and other community leaders. It keeps us on our toes and we’re happy to keep working with communities.

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Looking at the economies of scale, can the Minister commit to working with the communities so that once the highway from 22 kilometres south, Little Buffalo River to Fort Resolution, has been chipsealed, that the same contractor can continue to chipseal the community?

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

That again is a difficult commitment to make. We do provide the information to communities, and on many occasions the communities have taken the opportunity to piggyback their initiatives along with what is happening on the highway alongside the community. We’ve had good discussions with some of the communities already about chipsealing and other types of road servicing. We have provided the same courtesy to the community of Fort Resolution and they have taken advantage of it and plan to do some chipsealing in their community.

We do provide advice, and technical staff are made available so that the communities can ask questions or help guide and plan what their initiatives are. We’ll continue to support that. As for ensuring the same contractor is going to have the contract next year, I can’t guarantee that.

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Question 229-16(5): Future Improvements On Highway No. 6

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about phase II of the Bourque Report that was commissioned in the early ‘90s on the constitutional issues in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations if he has any indication from a meeting that was held at the

spiritual location, the Trappers Lodge here, on this group going forward with a report to come out asking for a look at phase II of the Bourque Report in the Northwest Territories.

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . The honourable Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations , Mr. Roland .

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work that was done at the Trappers Lodge with prominent past leaders and people involved in aboriginal negotiations and self-government discussions did invite myself and Mr. Miltenberger to drop by for a brief discussion. They pointed out the work they had done together and they were going to submit that report. We haven’t received it. I have put it into our system for review, and one of the things I told them is that we would be prepared to sit down with the regional leaders at the end of November to share their work to see what regional leaders would say about that work.

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

I look forward to the end results of the discussions with the regional leaders on the report that’s going to be discussed with the Members of this Assembly here.

I wanted to ask the Minister on the issue of the draft AIP, would that agreement then require this Assembly to change the Northwest Territories Act to make the commitments in the draft AIP?

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

The only changes that would occur in the NWT Act -- and that being under the control of the federal government -- would be following a final agreement signing, that would change things and transfer authorities over. That would amend some of the deliveries. At this point there would be no changes required.

The processes we would undertake following a signing of that agreement, following those discussions and what was agreed to, would potentially change some of our own legislation here in the Northwest Territories as well as those under existing federal control today. Thank you.

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Then, Mr. Speaker, it would be beneficial to the Minister, in terms of looking at the report, specifically the phase II of the Bourque Commission Report, in terms of constitutional development, in terms of that could possibly go hand in hand with the draft AIP. Can the Minister then see the beneficial use of looking at phase II of the Bourque Commission Report to support what this government now is wanting to do and they’re waiting for the aboriginal governments to see if they’re on board or not?

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Early on in our discussions at the regional leaders table, the idea of a constitution was brought up because the Dene Nation has raised it as one of their efforts. The regional leaders felt that we needed to work on

some of our own issues first, and then a constitution would be the overarching piece. As well, when we look at our own history in the Northwest Territories, following the Bourque Report, there was the Constitutional Development Steering Committee that did its work through the 12th and into the 13th Assembly -- I believe those

were the dates -- and then the Constitutional Working Group from the 13th into the 14th Assembly. That work occurred as well; in fact, produced a document that was launched in the Great Hall that talked about how aboriginal governments and public governments will work together. So there was that work that was initiated and it did not proceed beyond that point. Thank you.

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland . Your final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya .

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I raise this important question because of the posted information on CBC’s website in terms of the draft AIP, that it seems that this government here is working towards legitimizing its government through a negotiated draft agreement and it’s a constitutional issue. I’m asking this in terms of the support to be a responsible government.

It’s going to become a very heavy constitutional issue, so I’m asking the Minister, in terms of how do we do this and be open and up front with all people of the Northwest Territories to say this is how we want to become somewhat of a provincial type of government. Would the Minister then look at these types of discussions at the end of November with the regional leaders that are going to be asked to sign onto this draft AIP?

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

The process we are under does not have to legitimize the GNWT. The fact is, we are, in this forum, elected by our constituents in this forum, and we’re receiving a salary to do the job paid by taxpayers from the country as well as the people of the Northwest Territories. So I would say the NWT Act, although held by the federal government, puts us in place and that’s why we have the pleasure of representing the people across this fine land we call the Northwest Territories and our home.

So the work that we’re doing is one that takes the next stage of development of the Northwest Territories and control from Ottawa to the Northwest Territories, which many leaders for decades have been talking about. The process we’re involved with would lead us to the one extra step. The next phase that I would see being potential if we all were able to move ahead these building blocks, would be an overall constitution of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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Question 230-16(5): Discussions On Constitutional Reform

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland . The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Krutko .

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think my question is better presented to the Premier , so I will ask the Premier the question in regard to my Member’s statement.

Mr. Speaker, in regard to statistics that I received at the conference that we held on poverty, it clearly states that the communities I represent, such as Aklavik, where we have 45 percent of the income levels per household is under $30,000, and in Fort McPherson it’s 43 percent. Also, households under $10,000, it’s 16 percent for Aklavik and 11 percent for Fort McPherson. I’m just looking at the unemployment statistics for Fort McPherson that are 45 percent and for Aklavik it’s 35 percent.

With these large numbers which clearly show that we have a problem in regard to economic diversification or development, does the Government of the Northwest Territories look at these statistics when they make decisions such as capital investment or finding ways to stimulate those communities through community initiatives to increase those numbers so that communities are able to be sustainable and give them the opportunity to take

part in the northern economy? Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The sustainability of our communities is an important initiative. One of the parts of our vision and goals of the 16th Legislative Assembly is to try

to create an environment of sustainability. So there are a number of factors that we have engaged with during the life of this government and one of them is going to be the Electricity Rate Review and the adjustments to our delivery of electricity. The other is in the area of the economic side, under the Minister of ITI , has been, for example, the SEED program, the agricultural program, investments being made in that area, as well as the more traditional areas in our smaller communities when it comes to the hunting and trapping basket as well.

We continue to try to improve on that and improve on those numbers as we look forward to how we try to do our business in government. In fact, one of the things we’ve done during the life of this government is establish the Rural and Remote Communities committee as well. Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I think one of the biggest factors in the Northwest Territories is we haven’t really made the decision to deregulate government and put government positions in the communities and keep them there and fill those positions. Mr. Speaker, there are some 5,000 positions in the Government of the Northwest Territories which could be put to communities

regardless of expanding our programs and services officer positions, wildlife officers, departments such as forestry or looking at areas in regard to the economic development positions in our regions, housing positions at regional centres. We have to reprofile that.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important that we, as government, have to look at those types of shifts in government expenditures and making it that is where the income is going to our communities for jobs, jobs, jobs, and good paying jobs, especially government jobs in our communities. Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

The processes we’ve been involved with as the Government of the Northwest Territories during this government and even previous governments to try to create a level of sustainability in our communities looks at those kinds of jobs. There were community transfer initiatives examples that were used and unsuccessful for a large part partly because of the way things were looked at in those days.

We’ve looked at a number of other initiatives ourselves. One of the areas is our program review to see how we deliver those programs and services in our communities and what impact that can have. So there are a number of factors that play into there.

The issue we come to is affordability, and we can even use the Nunavut example. When they designed initially, their government to be more devolved -- and the past Government of the Northwest Territories, which included Nunavut, they undertook that exercise -- they established and planned to reach out and establish departments in other areas amongst their communities. As they initiated that, they found that the costs were extremely high and they were not able to fully deliver on that. We would have to look at...

Quite simply, if we were to look at redistributing the employment situation in our existing framework, we would have to look at overall how do we use the revenues that we have available and establish these positions in communities that they are not in today’s environment and where would those additional dollars come from. Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, again, I think it’s crucial that this government seriously look at this issue. I will just use a statistic here.

Looking at Yellowknife, for instance, there are some 6,000 households; 6,625. Fifty percent of the households in Yellowknife make over $100,000 in which out of that the average household income is $111,419. Compared to a community of Aklavik which is 220 households, basically it is 9 percent of the households which make over $100,000, which is $44,000.

Again, Mr. Speaker, we talk about the cost of living, trying to find ways to reduce the cost of living. The

only way I see us being able to get out of this trap is we have to develop the economics of the Northwest Territories and, more importantly, the resources, which are the people of the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister, can we look at finding ways to develop economic opportunities in all of our communities, make them self-reliant and offer the people in our communities that opportunity to go to work. Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, I couldn’t agree more with what the Member just stated about creating a sustainable economic environment in our communities and trying to provide the necessary tools to allow that to happen.

Just the other day, Minister Bob McLeod had responded to some of the initiatives that we are undertaking in our smaller communities through his department to establish subsidiaries. For example, that would bring jobs to the community and maintain some of those jobs. The support we give through a number of other departments, for example, on the traditional harvesting side of the equation and the Education department to try and get as many of our youth trained so they can take those high paying jobs as well.

Ultimately, it comes down to trying to have a healthy economy that is driven through that process and not have one that is overly subsidized, and the question then becomes where do we get those subsidies. If we can develop those economies through our resources, we would be able to take better advantage of that and have a more sustainable environment to afford. That is why, for example, we are promoting the changes in the Electricity Rate Review. We are promoting highways that connect our communities and drop the cost of living as well.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully within the remaining year left in this government, we are really able to make a difference in our communities. More importantly, we have to use the tools we have at hand. We have policies in place. We have negotiated contracting guidelines. We have initiatives to stimulate our communities. I believe we have to formulate these partnerships, because the communities are trying to do their part, whether it is the band councils, the hamlet councils, the local government authorities, because they realize the importance of jobs in our communities.

Can we get some flexibility in regards to allowing communities to take advantage of negotiating contracting guidelines, sole-source contracting and those communities that have high unemployment, and be able to use those policies to boost those economies and get those people to work and take advantage of the capital investment this government has available to it? Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, the number of policies the Member just highlighted are policies that will allow us to do just that. That is create, try to help build capacity in the communities so that they can take on more of the contracting that happens in our communities and not have businesses come in from other parts of the Territory or southern Canada. The Negotiated Contracts Policy of sole-sourcing and so on is there to do just that.

We will continue to use those tools where we have capital programs in those communities to try and assist in that building of capacity. Thank you.

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Question 231-16(5): Stimulation For Local Economies

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland . The honourable Member for Kam Lake , Mr. Ramsay .

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions today for the Minister of Transportation . It gets back to my Member’s statement where I talked about the Opportunities and Involvement Agreement negotiated by the government with the community of Fort Providence in regards to the termination of the concession agreement for the Deh Cho Bridge Project.

I would like to begin by asking the Minister if he could explain to this side of the House and to the public why was it was necessary to enter into an agreement with the community for $7 million over the next 35 years because of the termination of that concession agreement, if you could explain that to us. Thank you.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . The honourable Minister of Transportation , Mr. Michael McLeod .

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

Deh Cho

Michael McLeod

Minister of Transportation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a number of reasons that we felt it was necessary to sign off on a couple of agreements. The first was a letter agreement and also the opportunities agreement that the Member is raising. Of course, one of the biggest reasons was to ensure that we could continue to work with the community and also apply resources so that the community can stay involved.

It was quite obvious through our discussions with the community that they wanted to continue to be involved with this project right to the end. They wanted to be able to derive benefits from it. As a government, we had our discussions and agreed that should happen. We also laid it out for the Members that we would be signing off on this agreement. It also helped us to access the equity that they had produced for this project. We didn’t want them to fully subscribe to it, as we wanted to move away from the concession agreement. This allowed us to have legal termination of that agreement.

We also were in a position with the agreements in place to address some of the concerns that were in front of us, some complaints that were coming forward. We also avoided the dispute resolution process that would have tied us up. It would have tied us up in litigation for some time. We probably would have had a very lengthy legal battle that would have cost a lot of money. We also were able to move away from a lot of the financial commitments we had that were part of the concession agreement.

Overall, Mr. Speaker, there are a number of reasons, but basically the reasons were to allow the community to stay part of this project and also to ensure that the project would move forward on a timely basis and we didn’t come to a stop, which would have cost a lot of money. Thank you.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, all along, this project was to be a partnership between the community and the Government of the Northwest Territories. It would seem to me, from what I have seen, the economics on this bridge aren’t good. If it is operating on a deficit basis year to year, I would suggest if the Minister is shopping for new paint, he could find some red paint to paint that bridge because it is going to be mired in red ink for the foreseeable future.

Here we are as a government negotiating a deal with a community to guarantee them $200,000 a year. How is that a fair partnership if the Government of the Northwest Territories, the rest of the taxpayers in the Northwest Territories are expected to pay for that deficit? Meanwhile, the deal negotiated with the community guarantees them a win out of this. Mr. Speaker, how is that fair to the rest of the taxpayers in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

Deh Cho

Michael McLeod

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure there is a deficit the Member is referring to and if this bridge was clouded in red ink, I am sure the Member has reached into his can of paint of doom and gloom and painted this project that colour on his own.

Mr. Speaker, there is no indication right now that there will be a deficit. The traffic volumes are going to allow for us to accommodate all the debt on this bridge. In fact, if the traffic volumes go up and we start to see more projects come on stream, we will probably have some significant surplus on this that will be applied back to some of the costs incurred and into the government coffers, which will make it a very popular project, I assume. Thank you.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister could table the last two financial projections on that bridge I had asked him to put on the Transportation’s website the other day, because those don’t paint a very rosy picture of the financial outlook on that project. Mr. Speaker, it is not all

doom and gloom. I am speaking from facts his department has in fact given me.

I would like to ask the Minister why the Opportunities and Involvement Agreement is scheduled to begin on April 1, 2012, and not November 1, 2011. Thank you.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

Deh Cho

Michael McLeod

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, the intention was to have the agreement to allow for a monthly payment during the construction season where we work with the community. They have an office set up to provide us support and to provide us all kinds of responsibilities that help us move forward, including having a presence in the community. Once the contract is done, we would move forward into the new fiscal year with the agreement kicking in with the Opportunities Fund for the remaining 35 years. Thank you.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay .

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the dates have nothing to do with or don’t coincide with when the construction of that project will finally be finished. My belief is it won’t be in November 2011, it will in fact be closer to April. That’s the point that I was trying to make there. I’d like to ask the Minister in closing, what exactly will the community be doing for this Opportunities and Involvement Fund? How are they going to be involved in this project?

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

Deh Cho

Michael McLeod

Minister of Transportation

Again the Member has demonstrated his attitude to this bridge by his predictions that it’s going to be past the deadlines that we’ve laid out for him. I’m not sure what he’s pointing at and using to measure this with. We still anticipate that this project is on schedule. The steel is en route. There’s a significant amount of steel that’s coming forward for the superstructure. There is the decking that will be following. Also the ‘A’ pylons. We expect the steel for the superstructure will be in place by March of this coming next calendar year. Things are going well, as much as that might upset the Member who has been painting this with his brush of doom and gloom.

We still feel it’s necessary to continue to have the community on side. There is a lot of support being provided. There are issues which probably would have put this project to a standstill if we didn’t resolve them, and we feel we’ve done that. We want to continue that partnership. We want the community to have opportunities to benefit from this project in terms of economics and having some resources to invest in that area.

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Question 232-16(5): Community Opportunities And Involvement Agreement

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment . I want to follow up on my statement today.

I think the Minister recognizes that we’ve failed many of our Grade 12 graduates in the counselling we’ve provided. When I went to school -- some time ago, I acknowledge -- it was clear there was a matriculation Grade 12 diploma and a vocational and that led to a lot of clarity. Today that’s not true. We have a bolus of students, a bunch of students who are lost in Never-Never Land, needing to upgrade to 6actually pursue the post-secondary requirements they want.

I’m wondering if the Minister can tell me if there is a separate fund under the Student Financial Assistance Program for students in post high school upgrading programs or the need to get into those programs. And if separate, can he tell me the amount of those funds?

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . A couple of questions there. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As you know, the Student Financial Assistance Program is one of the greatest benefits of all throughout Canada. There is other funding available through DIAND throughout Canada for First Nations students. Dene and Inuit students can apply for USEP funding through that department. That is additional funding on top of the SFA that’s out there.

The Member is referring to upgrading. We currently don’t provide funding for upgrading, but we provide funding for access programs through Aurora College and other institutions, as long as there’s an access program, such as access to nursing, social work, teaching, those types of professions. There’s also ARDA and Income Assistance. That’s another resource that we can provide additional funding from on top of the SFA to meet the standards the students need.

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very disappointed in this information. USEP, of course, is a very small fund and it runs out in no time at all. Ask any of these students who are looking for upgrading opportunities. The Minister knows full well that due to our lack of an adequate system... And albeit we may have one of the best Student Financial Assistance Programs in the country, we also have one of the worst records in graduating students who are unqualified for their post-secondary education. I’m looking to meet this need.

USEP clearly doesn’t cover it and we don’t provide upgrading opportunities ourselves. This is a crime.

I’d like to ask if the Minister will commit to providing that funding, a fund specifically dedicated for that. It’s impossible to guess how many students have given up and don’t even apply for the funding now, because of the sort of negative feedback that I’m hearing from through my constituents. Will the department commit to putting those funds in place?

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I must say that we’re very proud of the highest aboriginal graduates in the country in the Northwest Territories. We should be proud of that. The school system, we are currently developing an action plan to deal with that through the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative. We’ve highlighted the core needs of the community. We’ve visited a Sahtu community already. We’re visiting all regions. They’re providing us solutions that are coming from the communities. This is an area we are very serious about.

Also, at the same time, we are going through a review of the Student Financial Assistance Program. Those are the key areas we are currently undergoing. There is also a labour market agreement that provides funding, whether it be training for students that fall through the cracks. This is federal funding that we’ve taken advantage of.

These are just some of the key areas that we are currently covering for funding. SFA is under review. The Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative is on the way. We are making great progress in that area. The action plan will be produced out of that discussion.

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you to the Minister for those comments. I’m very pleased to hear that that review is underway.

I want to comment on the Minister noting that we have the highest number of aboriginal student graduates. I’m very happy to hear that and I support that, and I think that does say some good things about our system. However, if we’re graduating students who clearly don’t have the qualifications to go on to post-secondary education, what does that say about that statistic? We can’t hide in statistics and we can’t afford to do that. I would ask this Minister to please commit to lobbying the federal Minister to bump up that USEP program to meaningful dollars, especially recognizing that we have failed in graduating qualified students.

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I want to reassure that we are not hiding anything within our system. We provide any data that’s available on the Northwest Territories education system, because we want to be transparent and we want to be accountable to what’s before us. That’s the very reason why we’re going throughout the Northwest

Territories in all regions to deal with the education matters. We are very concerned about that. We want to come to a solution. There is a solution at the grassroots, communities, who we are seeking advice from. It is happening. The federal, yes, we continuously lobby them through Education, Justice, federal/provincial/territorial Justice Ministers meetings constantly. The First Nations students are being represented at that level and we continually lobby the federal government for additional funding.

With limited and also the small jurisdictions, we seem to be always left out, compared to other reservations that receive funding. Those are the areas we continue to have our discussion and possibly have a separate agreement, our uniqueness of the Northwest Territories. I will continue to support that.

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley .

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s commitments there. I acknowledge that in fact we do, we are very open about these things. Who I’m hearing from, of course, are my constituents who are trying to upgrade. I want to make the point that these are young people who are often starting families, or perhaps are single parents who have extra needs perhaps beyond the norm. They are facing these challenges. I hope and, I guess, I would ask the Minister to commit and consider these aspects of these students without appropriate certificates for pursuing post-secondary, that they be considered in this review and be addressed in the solutions offered in that review.

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I’m sure that will be part of the discussion, because there will be a wide range of discussions with the public as well. Any input from the Members will be greatly appreciated, and also the Northwest Territories. If we make changes, it has to benefit the Northwest Territories as well. Definitely this is an area that I’m excited about and I’m looking forward to those changes as well.

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Question 233-16(5): Student Financial Assistance For Students In Post-High School Upgrading Programs

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . The honourable Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for Human Resources some questions about this government’s succession planning.

Our public service workforce is always aging. I guess we’re always all aging.

---Interjection

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

I don’t know, I got an e-mail from somebody the other day who told me they

saw me on TV and said I should go see a hairdresser. Seriously.

---Laughter

Oh, the feedback we get.

Anyway. Our public service is aging. It is prudent for us as a government to do succession planning to find out how we can take people who are interested in careers in the public service and provide them with the professional development, the training, and the opportunities they need to advance in the public service. I have had an inquiry from a constituent who was concerned about an individual who was direct appointed to an associate deputy position, but I believe this person may have been a part of some kind of a program to make sure we have adequate senior level bureaucrats in place for these positions.

I thought it might be helpful if the Minister of HR could describe for us what programs the government has in place to create opportunity for people to advance themselves in our public service.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources , Mr. Bob McLeod .

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, our greatest resource, our greatest asset is our human resources and it’s very important for us to make sure that we have a qualified public service in order to do all the work that we need them to do.

The Member is correct that our public service is aging. The average age is 44 years old. That’s the average age of our public service. Sixty-three percent of our employees are over 40 years old. Obviously we need to pay a lot of attention to succession planning. Specifically in the senior management category, over the next five years 40 percent of our senior management cohort is eligible to retire, and over 10 years 54 percent of our senior managers are eligible to retire as well. Obviously, we have a big job ahead of us.

Our Human Resource Strategic Plan identified the need for our government to develop a Succession Planning Strategy, and we're working very hard on that right now.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

In years gone past there were programs that were well known to people in the public service. My colleague Mr. Beaulieu , for example, entered the public service under a trainee program, where a trainee for a position was paired up, so to speak, with somebody in senior management and was sent out also for professional development to enhance their skills to become managers in various aspects of government service. What programs exist today? That was called a trainee program. I understand there’s been a MAP program in more recent years. What other opportunities are there that public servants can

access now if they want to advance their career with the public service?

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

Several years ago, when the Department of Personnel was decentralized, the training money was allocated to the departments. There are a number of programs. Right now we have a leadership program with the government. People can apply to be part of this program. Generally they need some support from the department and we have regular training modules that have been established through the University of Alberta. We also have an Associate Director Superintendent Program for aboriginal people whereby we’re trying to increase the number of aboriginal people in senior management positions.

We have been working through utilization of transfer assignments whereby we can allow people to obtain experience in different levels of management so that they can move on to higher levels as they progress.

Our Human Resource Strategic Plan 20/20 recognizes that we want to encourage government employees to take advantage of lifelong learning so that they can advance their careers within the government. We are developing a draft succession planning discussion paper. We will be introducing a pilot program and we will be developing a succession planning framework for the government to follow, and we expect that next year. Thank you.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Before I go on, Members, I would just like to draw your attention to the rules that we have. Half of the Members haven’t asked a question yet and we only have 15 minutes left in question period, so both questions and answers, try to maybe shorten them up. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The concern I had raised to me by a constituent was someone who had entered into a certain government department at an associate deputy position. Is it the position of this government that skills at the deputy minister/associate deputy minister level are transferable between departments without any really specific experience or having worked their way up in the ranks in that particular discipline or area of program delivery? Thank you.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

Our government operates on the basis of merit, so employees that progress through different promotions and different employment opportunities either compete for the jobs and get them on their own merit or if they are direct appointed or on a transfer assignment. It’s based on merit. Senior level positions like deputies and associate deputy ministers, my experience is that the senior management skills are transferrable; that if you’re working with one department, generally you should be able to manage different levels of departments, and we recognize that in our

deputy minister cohort where we have different levels of deputy ministers. Thank you.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How are people in the ranks of the public service made aware of these types of opportunities that the Minister has outlined? How do they access information to that if they want to get the candidate that’s going to advance into some of these programs? Thank you.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

As I’ve indicated many times, the authority for staffing has been delegated down to individual departments, and the majority of competitions are filled through the staffing process and they’re posted on our websites. We are moving to e-Recruit and all of the jobs that we advertise will be on e-Recruit.

With regard to the deputy minister level positions, that is under the authority of the Premier . The Premier decides if he wants to put it out to competition or if he feels that we have sufficient people who are qualified to do it within the public service. Thank you.

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Question 234-16(5): GNWT Succession Planning

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Great Slave , Mr. Abernethy .

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to once again thank the Minister responsible for ITI for working with NWT Tourism and developing a meeting and conference planner for 2011. It’s a great first step. It’s a great document. I’m wondering if the Minister will commit to taking that second step, which is to find some finances to provide some financial benefit or incentive to local businesses, organizations or associations who convince southern institutions, southern businesses to come up north for conferences and meetings. It’s a great place to have a meeting. What are we going to do to help our businesses bring them up? Thank you.

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for raising this issue, because it’s very important for us to continue to find ways to attract visitors to the Northwest Territories. As the Member indicated, there has been a significant decline in the business traveller sector of visitors to the Northwest Territories. With the reduced airfares, especially to Yellowknife, we have a significant increase in the number of visitors to the Northwest Territories; but in the business traveller category,

the numbers have decreased by 22 percent, which is a significant number. The dollars that represents is $16.5 million, so anything we can do to increase the number of visitors to the Northwest Territories, we will certainly look seriously at. Thank you.

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

That’s good news. What I’m looking for is something similar to what’s happening in the Yukon. They have an incentive program that’s available to associations when those associations bring their national and international counterparts to come to the Yukon for conferences. I’m not suggesting by any stretch of the imagination would we spend the kind of money they are, but there are still advantages. A little bit of money can go a long way.

Has the Minister had his department explore the possibility of providing some sort of small financial benefit or incentive to our local associations when they go out and encourage their national and international counterparts to come north, anywhere in the North, for conferences and/or business meetings? Let’s get some of that $16.5 million back. Thank you

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

In follow-up to the questioning by the Member, I did ask my Tourism Marketing Advisory Committee to look at ways to provide financial incentives, and in their view they feel that with the discounts that are offered by hotels and airlines and the promotional items that can be provided by local businesses, that that might be sufficient. I like the idea of looking at what the Yukon is doing. We do already provide a certain level of financial incentives through our SEED program. Thank you.

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

I’m happy the Minister is going to be looking into that. I would say what his advisors are telling him may not exactly be working, because we have experienced a $16.5 million drop in business travel. So once again, I think there’s an advantage to provide small incentives, small financial incentives. We could also go with a base payment with maybe another small fund or amount based on the number it brings, because the more people you bring, the more money you can get. Will the Minister explore the possibility of actually creating an incentive based on the number of people that people can bring up for conferences and business meetings? Thank you.

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

We are committed to increase the number of business travellers to the North, so we’ll certainly be prepared to look at this area of financial incentives, and we’ll look at what the Yukon is doing, and we’ll also look at how the money that we’re spending through the SEED funding, how that’s working with regard to increasing the number of business travellers. Thank you.

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Question 235-16(5): Funding To Encourage Conference And Business Travellers

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nunakput , Mr. Jacobson .

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Question 236-16(5): Wind Project In Tuktoyaktuk

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member’s statement today regarding the Tuk wind project in the community of Tuk, Mr. Speaker, it appears there’s a misunderstanding between the government and the community corporation on the deal to build the wind project in Tuktoyaktuk. Mr. Speaker, I’m wondering what is the Premier and the Minister doing to clear this up and can he help me to get clarity so this project can go forward. Thank you.

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Question 236-16(5): Wind Project In Tuktoyaktuk

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson . The honourable Minister responsible for the Power Corporation , Mr. Roland .

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Question 236-16(5): Wind Project In Tuktoyaktuk

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of the wind turbines is one that we’ve been watching as the discussions have been ongoing about purchasing power back through to the Power Corporation. We will continue to monitor that. If the requirement is if there’s call about providing additional information, we will commit to doing that and see what we can do to help have all the appropriate information so that the community can make the right decision. Thank you.

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Question 236-16(5): Wind Project In Tuktoyaktuk

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, other communities in Nunakput have consistent winds for this project. If it does not go ahead in Tuk, can we make sure that communities like Sachs Harbour, Paulatuk and Ulukhaktok can go ahead with this wind program on their own under the same project?

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Question 236-16(5): Wind Project In Tuktoyaktuk

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, of course we are hopeful that