Debates of Feb. 13th, 2008

This is page numbers 273 to 310 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 2nd 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 11-16(2) Tourism Product Diversification And Market Program

Minister’s Statement 12-16(2) Human Resource Update

G.W.N.T. Client Service Policy And Customer Relations

Impact Of G.N.W.T. Affirmative Action Policy On Persons With Disabilities

Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Peel River Bridge

Infrastructure Requirements In Constituency

G.N.W.T. Support For Northern Youth Abroad

Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Appointments To N.W.T. Boards And Agencies

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement With G.N.W.T.

Mackenzie Valley Highway

Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Acknowledgement 4-16(2) Amber Mandeville — Fort Resolution

Question 60-16(2) Procedure For Acquiring Government Identification

Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Tabling of Documents

Bill 2 Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2007-2008

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bill 2 Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2007-2008

Report of Committee of the Whole

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

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Prayer.

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Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Item 2, Ministers’ statement., Hon. Bob McLeod .

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Minister’s Statement 11-16(2) Tourism Product Diversification And Market Program

Ministers’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, the new Tourism Product Diversification and Marketing Program was officially launched by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment on January 7, 2008.

This program will provide N.W.T. operators with the knowledge and means to reinvent or expand their tourism products and operations, to capitalize on changing markets, and to better meet the trends and demands that we anticipate will provide growth for our tourism industry in the future.

As part of the investment outlined in the Tourism 2010 strategy, Industry, Tourism and Investment and Northwest Territories Tourism have been engaged for two years in gathering research and analysis on tourism trends, product development, potential markets, and the capacity of our own tourism industry.

We have learned there is a large and growing market among high-income baby boomers in Canada and around the world for authentic travel experiences that will put them in touch with nature. The rugged, pristine and isolated nature of the Northwest Territories is a perfect fit for these travellers — our wilderness, wildlife, aboriginal culture, fresh air and country food all appeal to this targeted audience.

The new Tourism Product Diversification and Marketing Program will provide N.W.T. tourism operators with funding for business planning, product and product package development as well

as marketing support, to position their businesses to meet this future market.

This program has been developed in close consultation with the entire N.W.T. tourism industry and reflects our Assembly’s commitment to a diversified economy and to the development of sustainable local economies through the development of small businesses.

More importantly, Mr. Speaker, it is a real take-it-to-the-bank example of our government’s ongoing commitment to the men and women who make up the tourism sector in the N.W.T. and who are the face of N.W.T. tourism to the world.

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Minister’s Statement 12-16(2) Human Resource Update

Ministers’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, in keeping with my commitment to provide regular updates to Members of the House on Human Resources matters, I’m pleased to speak today about a couple of areas where we have made progress in and about services in place as we move forward.

Since the summer of 2006, we have been implementing e-tools to improve the quality and accuracy of pay and information for employees and managers. In December 2007 Aurora College and the divisional education employees started using the self-service Human Resources information system. All government employees of the Northwest Territories are now on self-service, with the exception of fieldworker employees in areas such as firefighters. Employees can now enter their time and leave as they earn or use it and can keep their own personal information up to date.

This program also includes a feature which allows pay to be divided between more than one bank account. Approved overtime is now paid in the period it is earned rather than being weeks behind. This provides both quicker payment for employees and more accurate expenditure information for managers.

Through the Employee and Family Assistance Program, the Government of the Northwest Territories offers employees and their immediate family members access to a confidential

counselling and support service to assist with a number of issues in people’s lives.

Over the past year one of the priorities was to increase active services for G.N.W.T. employees in all communities. The most recent quarterly report from the Employee and Family Assistance Program provider shows a marked increase in the number of employees accessing services from outside Yellowknife. Employees are also taking full advantage of the variety of service options, from personal counselling to online assistance.

Over the past five years the Northern Student and Graduate programs have proven to be very successful in bringing Northern post-secondary students and graduates into the G.N.W.T. workforce. The programs for 2008 and 2009 are already in the application and review stages, with applications being received from many students interested in summer work. In the Intern Program, departments are now interviewing potential graduates for placement beginning in the summer, and work is currently underway with planning for placements of nursing graduates.

This week all G.N.W.T. employees will be invited to once again participate in an employee engagement and satisfaction survey. This survey is part of a national initiative by all territorial and provincial jurisdictions which began three years ago. The G.N.W.T. is committed to doing this survey every two years. The survey results are then compared to the results from all other jurisdictions, allowing us to determine what areas we are stronger in and which areas need additional work. Survey results will be available and shared with Members in June 2008.

As we look forward to the weeks ahead and the difficult decisions that will take place around priorities, the Department of Human Resources is prepared to help mitigate the impact on G.N.W.T. employees. This government has made a clear commitment to the retention of staff through the Staff Retention policy, where the emphasis is on keeping the knowledge, skills and abilities that employees have gained during their time with the G.N.W.T.

We will work with deputy ministers to ensure we maximize opportunities for affected employees to find alternative work within the G.N.W.T. As well, individuals have been designated within Human Resources to support employees through changes that are affecting them or their workplace. As I’ve previously noted, employees have access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program, which offers a range of services related to personal and professional change.

Mr. Speaker, we are constantly working to improve human resource management programs and services. My door is always open to Members

about issues and ideas so we can improve services, address concerns and develop programs that support the recruitment and retention of a strong public service.

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Minister’s Statement 12-16(2) Human Resource Update

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Item 3, Members’ statements. Mr. Abernethy .

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G.W.N.T. Client Service Policy And Customer Relations

Members’ Statements

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

I continually hear departments in this government talking about providing quality customer service to clients of the G.N.W.T. This includes both internal and external clients. I believe that the vast majority of employees within the G.N.W.T. strive to deliver high quality and timely services to their respective clients. Unfortunately, sometimes this doesn’t happen.

Often when an employee fails to provide high quality and timely service to a client, it has less to do with the employee’s willingness or desire to help; rather, it is due to strict or rigid guidelines or operational procedures put in place by the bureaucracy and a fear of retribution if the employee were to take some additional steps outside the policy or procedure to assist their clients.

Recently an example of this came to my attention. The specifics deal with the Department of Transportation, but it could easily relate to any department within the G.N.W.T.

A constituent of mine needed to obtain picture ID for her grandson. She went to Motor Vehicles. It was minus 37 degrees Celsius outside. She arrived ten minutes before the opening hour of 9 a.m. and found a lineup in place outside the door of people waiting to get in.

Now, although the office doesn’t open until nine, it would have been reasonable to make an exception on that day when the temperatures were so extreme. I’m not suggesting that staff should have opened their desks and begun serving those clients until 9 a.m., but they could have let them into the lobby so they weren’t outside freezing. When questioned by the constituent, they were informed the policy does not permit staff to open the office early. Where’s the logic? In extreme weather situations, opening the door would have made good sense.

Once inside, my constituent was asked to provide identification confirming her identity to prove who she was in order to support her grandson getting his picture ID. She produced her fancy new driver’s licence, which she had obtained from the Department of Transportation a few months prior — the one with a nice new hologram. She was

informed that due to policy, they were not able to accept it as a valid piece of ID and that she would need to provide another form of ID and a copy of her power bill to prove that she was a resident of Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories — exactly the same items she had produced when she got her fancy new driver’s licence just a couple of months prior.

I’m sure the employee would have liked to accept the driver’s licence. The employee was probably as frustrated as the client. However, policy would not allow her to use her own judgment and accept the current driver’s licence. This is ridiculous.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

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G.W.N.T. Client Service Policy And Customer Relations

Members’ Statements

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

As a government we need policies and procedures to ensure the consistent delivery of services. However, we need to remember the human element and allow for flexibility. We need to empower employees and allow them some level of latitude so they can use common sense in providing services to clients. We need to be less bureaucratic and more human.

At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister Responsible for the Department of Transportation questions concerning customer relations within DOT.

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Impact Of G.N.W.T. Affirmative Action Policy On Persons With Disabilities

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

I would like to bring to the attention of this House an inequality that exists in the N.W.T. public service. For quite a few years now, we’ve had an Affirmative Action Policy in place to enable the hiring of certain target groups of Northerners as G.N.W.T. employees. This policy is not working for a specific, disadvantaged group of N.W.T. residents who need to be recognized.

Persons with disabilities in the G.N.W.T. public service make up a paltry 0.4 per cent of the total number of employees. The percentage of persons with disabilities in the general population of the N.W.T., however, is 13 per cent — hardly an equal representation.

Statistics from October 31, 2007, show a total of 4,688 employees in the G.N.W.T. and only 19 persons with disabilities employed by the G.N.W.T. By comparison, the civil service in several other provinces have per cent employment for persons with disabilities at rates seven to ten times higher than ours. In this instance, the G.N.W.T. is at the bottom of barrel.

“But you can’t compare provinces to the N.W.T.,” they say. “We’re not like them.” How about the statistics for the federal public service in the N.W.T. then? That’s a fair comparison. Persons with disabilities working for the federal public service in the N.W.T. are 4.3 per cent of the workforce. That’s 11 times our rate.

The argument is often made that persons with disabilities must self-identify, so we really don’t know the true numbers. All the jurisdictions I used for comparison also use self-identification, so I think it’s fair.

The G.N.W.T. Affirmative Action Policy states, in part: “…committed to a public service that is representative of the population that it serves.” We can’t be that committed to equal representation when persons with disabilities are only 0.4 per cent of our public service.

The policy also references target groups and identifies persons with disabilities as one of those groups who should receive preferential hiring, but persons with disabilities are listed as P2, second on the priority list of three groups and in the same category as indigenous non-aboriginals, a rather large group.

Persons with disabilities are the most disadvantaged affirmative action group in Canada in terms of education, employment, income and so on. We need to remedy this situation as soon as possible.

I seek unanimous approval to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

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Impact Of G.N.W.T. Affirmative Action Policy On Persons With Disabilities

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

We need to remedy this situation as soon as possible and can do that by removing barriers to hiring persons with disabilities. We must: (1) change the Affirmative Action Policy to show persons with disabilities as P1 priority — a no-cost budget item, and (2) establish a career assistance program for persons with disabilities. I can provide information on that to the Minister of Human Resources for whom I will have questions later on.

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Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

[The Member spoke in another language.]

I just wanted to translate what I just said. It doesn’t reflect here in the Member’s statement, but just the fact that people are coming here and exploiting our

available lands and resources and gas and oil, yet our government is in trouble financially.

As well, for the most part, for our population, our unemployment rate is not that high, especially in the regions and communities. Why are we in this situation?

People expect all of us as MLAs and our government to put us in power to act and govern our Territory, yet we don’t seem to have the strength or the political will to continue with our resource-revenue sharing discussions. Today I’d like to let the government know. I know that Mr. Premier was down in Ottawa early in our term, and he says he was stonewalled by our federal government when he requested royalty resource revenue discussions as well as devolution discussions.

I think it’s still up to us to provide the willpower to begin those discussions, to have an office here in the North, to talk with our other political organizations. We’ve got other aboriginal jurisdictions that we need support from, and I would urge our government to continue those discussions.

One of the ways, too, that I believe we can make headway is if we do pursue this heritage fund idea. Stop the flow from going to Ottawa. Put it in a trust fund until we as political organizations can agree how to spend those resource revenues that are leaving the North. I believe that’s another priority that our government should concentrate on and pursue. Mahsi cho.

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Peel River Bridge

Members’ Statements

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, we’ve been hearing a lot about the Deh Cho Bridge. But today I want to talk about the Peel River Bridge.

It’s a bridge that’s been around for some time. The Inuvik Chamber of Commerce was looking at the Peel River Bridge back in 1981. They contacted an engineering firm to look at the viability of building a bridge across the Peel River. They were looking in regard to finding ways to improve the transportation to the oil and gas industry in the Beaufort Sea, which was booming back in the early ‘80s and into the middle of the ‘80s.

Yet very little has been done by way of work from this government in regard to looking at other bridges, other potential transportation that links us across the Northwest Territories such as the Peel River, the Liard River, the Mackenzie River up around Tsiigehtchic. I think that as a government we’re spending a lot of money on one bridge. But I’m wondering what are we doing to other bridges throughout the Northwest Territories. We had to cancel the bridge in regard to the Bear River because of cost overruns.

I’m wondering, as a government, what are we doing universally to ensure that we’re looking at all our infrastructure throughout the Northwest Territories to see exactly what the real cost at the end of the day is going to be to improve our infrastructure, to put permanent bridges in all across where the ferry operations are? That’s an issue where we’re basically having to look at alternative ways of crossing our river systems.

Again, going back to my point about the Peel River, which has been in the works for some 26 years, the Chamber of Commerce in Inuvik was looking at this item along with the community of Fort McPherson. For some time we’ve been talking about it, talking about it and talking about it. Yet as a government I’d just like to know how much resources have been spent on the Peel River Bridge, considering that we’ve spent in excess of $9 million on the Deh Cho Bridge.

I think it’s important as a government that if we’re making these types of investments, we look at the total picture of the Northwest Territories, see what exactly the total infrastructure costs are in regard to our infrastructure from highways, bridges, roads, airports and whatnot. In that way we know what the long-term financial implications are going to be to this government.

I think it’s important in this government that we do have this debate and that we do look at the possibility of the implications in regard to financial implications and how we’re going to get the work done.

I will have some questions to the Minister of Transportation on this matter. Thank you.

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Infrastructure Requirements In Constituency

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, back on November 28 I spoke about infrastructure needs for the youth in Tu Nedhe, the Tu Nedhe riding. On Monday I talked about providing support to communities to allow them to hire qualified recreation staff. Today I would like to talk about input that I have received to date on the issues from the communities.

In Lutselk’e they have a new arena, but they do not have the staff to properly maintain the facility. As well, the community is not fully prepared for the high O&M costs of running a community arena. And they still have no Zamboni.

Keep in mind that Lutselk’e is an isolated community of under 400 people. You can put the entire community population in the multiplex arena here and still have room to spare. It’s clear that a

community of this size will have a lot of difficulty to operate such an essential piece of infrastructure. They simply do not have the human or financial resources to do so. They need help from our government.

If run and maintained by properly trained staff, sport, recreation and youth facilities can have a positive impact on the community. In Fort Resolution an example of this is from April to December ’06. When the arena was closed, the local RCMP reported a total of 26 youths that had been charged with various crimes. When the arena was opened from December to April’07, a total of only four youth were charged. Unfortunately, the arena was closed again from April to December the following year, and 18 more youth were charged with various crimes.

The difference is significant, and it sends a message that is loud and clear. Adequate recreation for youth facilities run by properly trained staff can produce immediate results. In my October 19 Member’s statement I briefly talked about resources, tools, expertise needed for communities to effectively address and deliver youth and recreation programs and services. Today I would once again reiterate the urgency to provide these supports.

Mr. Speaker, on the MACA website it states that MACA recognizes that sport, recreation and physical activity are essential to the health and well-being of citizens and the community. The department provides support by assisting the community to provide local support, recreation, physical activities and programs and services.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

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Infrastructure Requirements In Constituency

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, the department’s mandate is clear: to provide support to communities, to provide local sport and recreation programs. According to my communities the support being provided is insufficient. The department needs to re-examine its priorities and provide efforts where the communities can see immediate, positive results.

Later on I will follow up my statement with questions to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs .

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G.N.W.T. Support For Northern Youth Abroad

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, youth are our future and a clear priority of this Assembly. I rise to report

on a highly successful program, that of the Northern Youth Abroad charitable organization. Through the considerable hard work of many, many volunteers, this dedicated group promotes leadership, cross-cultural awareness, individual career goals and international citizenship to our youth across the Northwest Territories.

Northern Youth Abroad helps youth aged 15 to 21 to understand themselves and their personal cultural strengths and context within the Canadian and global societies. It provides a life-changing experience that’s designed specifically to address the needs and aspirations of Northern youth.

NYA’s unique model of education through work and travel is highly effective, stimulates increased education and contributes to a new generation of leaders for northern communities. Over 90 per cent of Northern Youth Abroad alumni have graduated from high school, with many in post-secondary education and some already leaders in their home community.

In 2005, its first year in the N.W.T., Northern Youth Abroad was 100 per cent funded by this government. However, it is on track to reducing the need for government support up to 25 per cent by 2009. This year they are counting on only 33 per cent funding from the G.N.W.T., this while increasing the number of youth participants.

I commend the Ministers of Education, Culture and Employment and Municipal and Community Affairs for their wise investment in the Northern Youth Abroad program. The organization has proven worthy, attracting support from industry, the non-profit sector, local businesses and aboriginal governments. Our key support provides the leverage needed for ongoing support from these partners. This year over 50 youths from throughout the N.W.T. applied for 16 spaces in the Northern Youth Abroad program, reflecting both the need for and response to their innovative and relevant work.

So let’s ensure that this government continues to support the participation of our youth in this highly successful and territorial-wide program. The need is clear, and the return to our communities is huge. Mahsi.

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Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to continue with the topic I raised yesterday in the House when I spoke about the need to address the 3,300 migrant workers and the $350 million they take with them every year. I’ve recently been advised that De Beers Canada is, as of January 1, 2008, providing a $600 per month allowance to employees living

more than 500 kilometres from Edmonton, which they consider as the point of pickup.

I can appreciate that De Beers does have a business to run and does need to have some flexibility. However, when they are making things that much easier for employees to reside in southern Canada, then we as a government have to say something.

Ten years ago when I would travel home from the south and board a plane in Edmonton, I would know close to half the people on that plane. Today I’d be lucky to know three or four people, and I am in the business of knowing people. The planes flying into Yellowknife today are filled with migrant workers.

I’d like to say again today that something needs to happen to mitigate this practice. How closely are the socio-economic agreements being monitored? We still have high pockets of unemployment in our small communities, and opportunities need to be given to those who need them. I receive calls and e-mails from people, even here in Yellowknife, who can’t get a foot in the door of the big three diamond mines.

We need to look at speaking to the mining companies to look outside the current catchment areas. Contracts with companies doing work for them should include workers from the Northwest Territories, whether they’re from Inuvik, Fort Smith or Fort Simpson. If we need to look at community registries, let’s do that. Training and opportunities are passing Northerners by in favour of relatives and friends from southern Canada. It is imperative that we identify those workers in our communities who require opportunities.

As a government we should also be trying to help communities like Hay River, Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Inuvik and Yellowknife get a coordinated campaign together to attract workers to live in our Territory. We need to find ways to roll out the welcome mat to migrant workers. Our communities have lots to offer, Mr. Speaker. Let’s help them get that message into the hands of the migrant workers.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll have questions for the Minister of ITI at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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Appointments To N.W.T. Boards And Agencies

Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, as we all are aware, there are many appointments to boards, agencies and commission positions that are either the responsibility of the G.N.W.T. or are done through statutory appointments by this Assembly. I believe that, except for cases where either specialized knowledge, circumstances or skills are required,

every effort should be made to appoint Northern residents to these positions and that a condition of such an appointment require ongoing residency in the N.W.T. If a person moves outside of the Northwest Territories, as we’ve recently seen using the example of one of our legislative commission appointments, he or she should be deemed to have resigned their appointment immediately.

Furthermore, there are no real mechanisms to review a person in these positions until the term expires. If there are concerns with their effectiveness, ability or quality of work, we should be able to re-evaluate the position with justifiable reasons to overlook that concern.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that every year an increasing number of Northerners are furthering their education and developing skill sets that enhance their ability to serve the N.W.T. residents.

I strongly encourage this government and this Assembly to develop and adopt protocols to ensure that persons appointed to statutory positions or boards are residents of the N.W.T. for the term of their appointment. The boards and agencies review gives us a great opportunity to look at this and deal with this problem.

The residency issue has become an increasingly important element to the N.W.T. and has even been applied to MLAs, with the recent adjustment to the eligibility to be a representative. It isn’t a stretch to require two more conditions to persons appointed by this House.

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Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement With G.N.W.T.

Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, today I want to tell you how completely disappointed — and disappointed is not a strong enough word — I am with the leadership of our past and present government that would have allowed a process such as that associated with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation to be entered into. As the details, which were so often withheld, now slowly come to light, the financial harm that our government has been exposed to is unbelievable.

The Deh Cho Bridge will be the most costly piece of capital infrastructure ever embarked upon by our government. And lest you doubt that it is our government — and our government alone — that will underwrite all costs and liabilities associated with this project, let me assure you that the walls between this project and full transparency and accountability under the guise of a private corporation is a farce.

The confidentiality of the details around this project for everything from the concession agreement to the expenditure of the $9 million to date that the

government guaranteed has been nothing short of a licence for representatives of our government to enter into a deal that has ramifications for immeasurable financial harm to our government. But I’m sure the Finance Minister is already aware of all that.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to assure the public that I have become privy to agreements entered into by your government that will be exposed to the full light of public scrutiny. Some people may think this is a laughing matter. In view of the real, serious, basic needs of the people we represent and the fiscal pressures our Premier talks about, this is a matter of very serious concern.

Today I’ll have questions for the Premier . Tomorrow morning, Mr. Speaker, I will be on a panel on the CBC radio phone-in show from 7:15 ’til 8 a.m., when members of our constituencies can phone in and ask questions about this project. I’m sorry to report CBC has told me that our government has declined to have anyone on that panel to answer any of these questions. I would suggest they probably don’t want to answer to the public for this.

Mr. Speaker, I want a full disclosure of everything that has transpired around this deal, and that is what I will pursue.

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Mackenzie Valley Highway

Members’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I listened to the Premier ’s Sessional Statement with some interest. I’d like to propose today my partial solution as to how we can realize these five initiatives that the Premier mentioned with one project Andthat project, Mr. Speaker, is the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway.

We could build our future by giving our residents training opportunities. We may end up with a trained workforce that could go to work in Fort McMurray because the mines don’t seem to want them. We could reduce the cost of living, Mr. Speaker — and that’s a given — by allowing products to be trucked in to all the communities.

By being part of the decision-making process and lending our support to this project, we could manage our land. We could maximize opportunities by giving businesses and individuals an opportunity to benefit from the construction of the highway with equipment and services and all the other related work that would come.

Ottawa speaks about Arctic sovereignty all the time, Mr. Speaker. This would give them an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is and have a road from right up to Tuktoyaktuk because residents of the Northwest Territories are a little tired of lip service.

Mr. Speaker, the Premier mentioned in his Sessional Statement that these five initiatives would provide a road map for our future. I’m saying, let’s give them a road that they can use the map on.

This project makes sense, Mr. Speaker. It makes more sense than a proposed Deh Cho Bridge. Let’s do a project that would benefit all the Northwest Territories, instead of one project that would benefit just a few.

Mr. Speaker, give me the opportunity, and I will vote no to the Deh Cho Bridge, and I will vote yes to the Mackenzie Valley Highway.

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Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Members’ Statements

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Today I would like to talk about the lack of adequate housing for teachers in Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour.

As you know, attracting and keeping good teachers is a challenge in many of our smaller isolated communities. Housing for teachers is a major factor in the communities’ ability to attract and keep good teachers. Some have been fortunate enough to effectively address this problem, and Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok are two such communities. Unfortunately, Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk are on the other side of the issue and in desperate need of adequate housing for teachers.

In both communities, at one time or another, teachers have been forced to look for housing in local housing organizations. In Paulatuk some teachers have rented privately, and the rent levels in the community contributed to short tenures in the community.

In Sachs Harbour some of the teachers found accommodations by renting spare rooms from the local Co-op. And when the situation was no longer viable, the teachers moved into the health centre with the nursing staff.

There are a number of units in the community that could be made available for teachers’ housing. However, this could negatively impact the local housing market and then that organization would be facing similar problems.

The most viable option would be to have a teachers-only housing unit, such as a fourplex, in each of those communities facing teacher housing

issues, such as Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour. As we all know, teachers are a valuable resource for our communities, and they should not have to worry about housing issues.

Later today I'll be asking questions to the appropriate minister.

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Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery, Hon. Norman Yakeleya .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

It gives me great pleasure to recognize four elders from Sahtu, specifically Deline Elder Andrew-John Kenny, Mr. Baton, Mr. Modeste, Mr. Alfred Taniton — four of the wise men of the Sahtu Dene.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Item 7, acknowledgements, Mr. Beaulieu .

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Acknowledgement 4-16(2) Amber Mandeville — Fort Resolution

Acknowledgements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Today I wish to acknowledge a young athlete and role model, 16-year-old Amber Mandeville of Fort Resolution.

Amber enjoys being out on the land, helping others, giving meat to elders, and taking visitors up the Talston River and Jean River. Last year, Amber was chosen as top junior ranger and was also a recipient of the Youth Award for Akaitcho Territory Government. She volunteers as a gym supervisor, coaching younger children in badminton and soccer. Amber is the only youth from Fort Resolution in this year’s Arctic Winter Games.

Please join me in acknowledging and congratulating this young role model and dedicated athlete, Amber Mandeville of Fort Resolution. Good luck, Amber.

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Acknowledgement 4-16(2) Amber Mandeville — Fort Resolution

Acknowledgements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Item 8, oral questions. Mr. Abernethy .

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Question 60-16(2) Procedure For Acquiring Government Identification

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

My question could be directed to any of the ministers with services directly to the public, but I'm going to focus them on the Minister of Transportation , given that my Member’s statement made specific reference to them.

I understand the value of policies and procedures. I understand why we have certain opening times such as 9 a.m. But I would suggest, in situations where weather is extreme, that it might be reasonable to open the doors and allow the people into the lobby. Policies are not written that way, and they do not allow that.

I'd like to encourage the Minister of Transportation to review the policies on when doors are opened, to ensure that people aren't standing outside in the bitter cold.

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Question 60-16(2) Procedure For Acquiring Government Identification

Oral Questions

Some Honourable Members

Have a heart

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Question 60-16(2) Procedure For Acquiring Government Identification

Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure Members of this House, specifically Mr. Abernethy , that the department does have a heart. The department is working on the schedule.

I want to thank the Member for bringing this issue to my attention. I will be reviewing this issue with my staff and ensuring that when there’s specific issues such as cold weather, we have a provision there to allow people to come into our office a little earlier than the scheduled time we had posted for the public.

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Question 60-16(2) Procedure For Acquiring Government Identification

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

In my Member’s statement I also talked about our lovely drivers’ licences, the ones with the nice little holograms on them. To get those, you need to go in with a picture ID as well as proof that you live in the Northwest Territories, often a power bill. Once you get that card, you would think that would be a valid piece of ID, which suggests you wouldn’t need to necessarily bring in a different form of valid ID when you come back again.

In the situation I described, the person went forward with that nice piece of ID, took it forward. They were told, by policy: “Not acceptable. We need you to bring in another form of picture ID and the same power bill that you brought in three months prior when you got your driver’s licence the first time.”

Once again, I’d like the Minister to commit to reviewing their policies to ensure that those lovely IDs that we spent so much money on creating, buying and delivering to our public would be useful as official ID within the government when people return with those same drivers’ licences.

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Question 60-16(2) Procedure For Acquiring Government Identification

Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, again I thank the Member for bringing the constituent’s concerns to my attention. I would look at the policies and reasons and be willing to work with the Member on this specific issue in terms of the new general identification cards and the policy that we have in place. I would be happy to work with the Member on this issue.

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Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Today I talked about the importance of providing adequate support to deliver sport recreation youth programs to my communities and to another riding. My questions are for Minister of MACA .

Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister going to do to assist the community of Lutselk’e regarding problems associated with the operation costs of a new arena?

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Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

We have been working with the community of Lutselk’e for some time, since the beginning of this project, when we came forward with a partnership arrangement to build and construct the arena. That has been done. The arena’s been opened for operation since January of last year.

Since then, we’ve continued to work with them on a number of different areas, including some of the deficiencies that had to be rectified. We also worked with them to identify, through their O&M dollars, priorities of investment for this facility. We’ve also provided, through the new deal, additional dollars for capital that they can utilize for enhancements such as a Zamboni or other things in the area of capital for the facility. We’ve also worked with them to identify an adequate source of utility funding for this facility.

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Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

On a previous occasion the Minister replied to one of my questions about working for sport and youth infrastructure from different sources. Can the Minister tell me if he has worked directly with the communities of Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution in regard to leveraging dollars from other sources?

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Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, as indicated earlier, we had an excellent partnership arrangement with Lutselk’e on this facility. The community had wanted to see this facility a lot bigger than what we had initially targeted to build in the community. They came up with some of their own funding from their own sources to increase the size, increase the footprint of this facility.

We haven’t worked directly with them to attract new dollars. We have worked with other communities such as Nahanni Butte to spend money on their gym, but in the community of Lutselk’e we haven’t. Not as a specific community but through the gas tax program, we are working to try to expand the criteria so that the smaller communities and the larger ones in the Territories can utilize some of their funding towards recreational facilities. Thank you.

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Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

In one of the previous replies from the Minister pertaining to the new deal, the Minister indicated there would be evaluations on the new deal. Can the Minister tell me if the evaluation of the new deal has been planned for Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution?

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Question 61-16(2) Operational Support For Sport, Youth And Recreational Facilities

Oral Questions

Michael McLeod

Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, the quick answer to that is no. The evaluation is something we plan to do. At this stage it’s too early to go down and do the evaluations in the communities. We’d wait a little while longer before we start that.

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Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, today I spoke about the shortage of teachers’ housing in the communities of Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour and its impact on the communities’ local housing market. I would like to ask the question of the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment . Is the Minister aware of the shortage of teachers’ housing in the communities of Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour?

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Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Member for asking that particular question. Yes, we are aware as a department. As the Members will know, it is a Territorial-wide issue. Housing is a real challenge for professionals living in the community, whether it be nursing, health workers, social workers and most recently the teachers as well. So we are aware of it, and we are working with the communities and the N.W.T. Housing Corporation to find some solutions to this whole ordeal of housing shortages for the professionals in the communities.

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Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister: will the department look at putting four-plex units into Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour to address the shortage of teacher housing?

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Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, we are working with different parties. We’re doing a pilot project in one of the regions. We’re doing design work and having the Housing Corporation guarantee financing as a third party because the G.N.W.T. does not get involved with housing. We are looking at options of how we as a department can get involved to find a solution to finding or building these units in the communities. We are looking for partners in the communities.

Just to let the Member know, my department staff has met with the Beau-Del board of education as well and also various parties from the Beau-Del area, and they did indeed stress this as well. So we are doing what we can as a department to work with that.

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Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Minister, for your comments.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister commit to immediately look at this urgent issue and meet with the communities and myself to discuss options for addressing this important issue?

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Question 62-16(2) Shortage Of Adequate Housing For Teachers In Sachs Harbour And Paulatuk

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, yes, it would be an honour to go visit Nunakput. We did arrange to visit the community, but due to circumstances, we couldn’t visit. We are planning to make arrangements to visit the community. Probably after session sometime we’ll make some arrangements to go visit the community. Mahsi.

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, in regard to my Member’s statement, I touched on the proposal that was recommended by the Inuvik Chamber of Commerce to look at a bridge across the Peel River in 1981. Back then the estimated cost was $2 million for a one-lane bridge and $4 million for a two-lane bridge. They wanted $20,000 to do the survey, the report and the assessment. Yet some 26 years later we’re still talking about it.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation exactly what are we doing as a government to look at all our bridge crossings in the Northwest Territories and remove our ice bridges and replace them with permanent bridges?

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, the Member for Mackenzie Delta is correct in terms of the needed infrastructure across the Northwest Territories, especially the issue that he’s brought up. In the future I do see bridges across the Mackenzie, across the Liard, across the Peel, across the Great Bear. In terms of these needs, of course, we rely heavily on the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, I’m looking forward to the day when we can announce some of these bridges that are desperately needed to get across the rivers and to deal with climate change and the amount of traffic that’s coming into our communities.

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, there are some major landfills in the Beaufort Sea in regard to oil and gas leases being let go. We start looking at the possibility of another boom again in the Beaufort. But in order to serve that industry, we have to ensure that we have the capacity by way of infrastructure to basically supply that industry, like we are with the mines.

I’d like to ask the Minister: has your department looked at any surveys for the Peel River in regard to a possible bridge?

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to the House and to the Member, we are looking at bridges in certain areas for communities and regions in terms of economic development, such as he mentioned. We are certainly looking at the area of Tsiigehtchic in terms of improving that crossing, in terms of having a plan, an initiative to increase the winter crossing there.

Certainly, the Peel River is high on our list in terms of looking at infrastructure to increase development into the communities such as the Bear River and other bridges that we see desperately need to be in place to support the economic development that’s happening in the North.

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I believe I heard a yes somewhere in that answer.

This issue has been around for some time. I know the Gwich’in Development Corporation is looking at the possibility of a P3. Since we already have a patent down with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, if we get $9 million to do this, we’ll go ahead and do it.

I’d like to ask the Minister: is he open to looking at the possibility of a P3 initiative using the patented Deh Cho Bridge Corporation model so that we can go ahead and build a bridge for $6 million, which is a lot less than $165 million? I’d like to ask the Minister: would he consider a P3 for the Peel River Bridge with the Gwich’in Development Corporation?

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, the Member brings up a very interesting proposal. With all the infrastructure in the Northwest Territories in terms of the Peel River crossing, the Mackenzie crossing, the Bear crossing, we have some models out there. We have industry wanting to come in.

This department is looking for partnerships in terms of improving our infrastructure down the Mackenzie Valley, the Beaufort, in through the South Slave. We’re looking for partnerships. I’m interested in looking at partnerships. I’m interested in sitting down with the Member for Mackenzie Delta , with cabinet here, and looking at all the possibilities where we can see infrastructure being built in the Northwest Territories.

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I believe that pitch has already been made. There has been a request to look at this.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he can go back to his department and reopen those negotiations, since the proposal has already been issued and the request has been made. I’d like to have the Minister, along with myself, meet with the appropriate parties regardless — the bridge development corporation, the MACA group, whoever — and get on with this project, and we’ll use the Deh Cho model.

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Question 63-16(2) Construction Of The Peel River Bridge

Oral Questions

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Minister of Transportation

Mr. Speaker, is the Member saying that we use the Deh Cho model? I’m not going to make the presumption that the Deh Cho model is a good model to use.

I’ll commit to look at this request by the Member in terms of what’s been done so far to initiate the Peel River Bridge project. I’ll look at it, and I’ll be happy to sit down with the Member. I’d like to have my colleague see if we want to proceed further. I’ll ask the department to dust the information off and bring it to my attention. I’ll be happy to sit down with the Member and talk about it.

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the issue of aftercare to persons who have undergone addictions treatment, I quote from her letter to me dated February 5, 2008, which I tabled yesterday. The Minister says:

“Following discharge, as part of the post-treatment plan, the client is expected to take responsibility for contacting the referral service to ensure that ongoing treatment and support will be provided at the community level through the Mental Health and Addictions counsellors….”

I would like to ask the Minister what the letter means by “referral service”?

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, the Member may be able to understand the meaning of that if he just reads the previous paragraph, which reads:

“Part of the treatment process is discharge planning where the client is actively involved in and takes responsibility for decisions and planning focused on maintaining sobriety post-treatment. This involves identifying community supports and making pre-discharge contacts to prepare for return to the community. Counselling services, AA groups, supportive family and friends, etc., are identified and contacted, if that is the wish of the client.”

The point is, Mr. Speaker, that post-treatment and aftercare programs are available, and the staff of the Department of Health and Social Services are actively involved. You know, we take the addiction issues and helping the people who want to address that very seriously.

I am very serious when I say that a huge part of recovery and healing is individual responsibility. I think the Member should give the people more credit in terms of controlling their own conduct and their own recovery process.

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Well, I guess that if the Minister didn’t want to answer the question, she could have just said no.

Mr. Speaker, my next question — and I’m hoping to get a better answer out of this. I would also infer from the response in that letter that, if the client does not contact the referral service, there is no follow-up at the local level by the Mental Health Addictions counsellors. So the problem is, what is the Minister’s difficulty with the issue of the additions treatment folks contacting the client to ensure that there’s some follow-up? She seems to have some apprehension about it. What’s the problem?

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Range Lake

There is absolutely no program — I mean, there is absolutely no problem. There is no problem. I’m happy to give answers to the Members, and I think that should be considered. The answer that I’m saying is that it’s a partnership effort, it’s a group effort. And our staff is ready and available and provides support as clients need them, the bottom line always being that it is always client focused.

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate an honest answer from the Minister. There is no program, unfortunately. It’s great that she corrected herself because probably she wasn’t allowed to reveal that fact.

The fact is: what is the problem here with this situation? Do we hog-tie these mental counsellors and addictions folks to not contact their clients? Is there anything that stops them from contacting their clients? If there is nothing, then why don’t we follow through on this and create a program that allows them to phone these clients? I am sure they are not that busy.

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, the issue of addictions and pre- and post-care treatment and the need for the Assembly to work really hard to address this issue in the whole spectrum is really serious. I would like to ask the Member to take that issue very seriously. This is not a game.

I am telling the Members that I sent in a two-page letter that explains the pre- and post-care program dealing with the addictions issue. It states very clearly what it says.

I am telling the Member again that clients are involved in all aspects of dealing with the addiction issue. They will have to take a driver’s seat. Our staff are available to work with them in any way they want to have it done. I don’t know what else I can say to that.

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

A final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins .

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

I wish to assure everyone that this is not a game by any standard. The fact is that this department seems to stonewall the approach of building up any relationship with these clients of aftercare. Mr. Speaker, I am sure we do better care

with follow-up of our capital assets and taking care of them than we do with these clients after they receive treatment.

Do we have a process that we can engage today that would allow, and set it up in such a way, that these addiction treatment counsellors, once they are done a program with these clients, we can continue to follow up with them from time to time?

Treatment is a two-way process. We don’t have to wait for them to call. We should reach out and take their problems very seriously through aftercare. Like I said, we take care of capital assets a heck of a lot better than we do people who struggle with difficulties in their lives.

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Question 64-16(2) Aftercare Programs For Alcohol And Drug Treatment

Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Range Lake

I am glad to hear that the Member acknowledges that treatment programs are a two-way process. That is precisely my point, Mr. Speaker. That’s what my letter says.

I say it again: there are lots of programs and services available to those who want to take advantage of them. The success of dealing with addiction depends on the individual’s motivation and their facility to deal with that. The 1-800 number the Member was referring to has to do specifically with messages to Nats’ eeje K’eh, where those clients who had been there could use that number if they wanted to.

But it is expected that all of those who are in recovery programs develop their own personal contact and their own way of dealing with that. We have to respect them to do that. And when they want assistance, it is available.

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

The questions are for the Premier with respect to my Member’s statement earlier.

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, this gives me an opportunity, from the Member’s question, to set the record straight and clear up some of the comments that have been put out there through the media about the fact that my discussions with the Prime Minister went badly and, as a result, I’ve come back home to say no devolution talks are occurring.

The fact is, early after the election, I had an opportunity to meet with the regional aboriginal leadership across the Territories. We had an

opportunity to sit down and give an indication of the fiscal environment we were in, as well as ask if there was support for moving ahead with the continued talks on devolution and resource revenue sharing. It has remained about the same as it had in the previous government, with some groups agreeing and other groups saying they had other interests at this time.

It was after that meeting that I said — and I stated at that point and, as well, informed Members — that reviewing our fiscal situation and where we are at with these discussions, we would be prepared, or at least from my end, to put that on the back burner. So it’s not a result of our discussions with Ottawa. Ottawa, in fact, is favourable to continuing the discussion. But we have to make sure the deal we get is one that will actually benefit Northerners.

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Indeed, that is the focus I was looking at. How do we best work together with all the partners here in the North? One of the ways of doing it, I would suggest, is we still have to have some kind of office or some lead personnel to address this issue, to work the North and garner support from all our partners.

I don’t have to remind the House how many millions of dollars continue to leave the North, how many millions of dollars worth of carats, of oil and gas, et cetera. If I can get Mr. Premier to state what kind of plan does he have in place to address this very important issue of ours?

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, one of the areas of building on the relationship we have in the Northwest Territories between the Government of the Northwest Territories itself and the aboriginal leadership is a commitment to sit down on a quarterly basis to discuss issues of common interest where we can move forward together and build on that. That process we started in November and are following up, potentially having a meeting at the end of this month or early March, if we can hold the parties together.

We are committed to a process that we will formalize, and work with our regional aboriginal leadership and this government, and commonly discuss issues that are of interest to all parties where we can build on the strength we have already.

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

To have common ground, Mr. Speaker — and I’ve always said that our common enemy has to be greater than our common differences here in the North. How is Mr. Premier going to…? What strategies does he have in place to speak with other aboriginal groups?

I know in the past we have talked about the heritage fund idea, and it’s a really good idea. Has the Premier addressed this with other aboriginal groups?

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, let me restate the fact that we have established a working relationship on a quarterly basis with our regional aboriginal leadership and the Government of the Northwest Territories. We’re formalizing the process where both parties would put agendas on the items and build on those. I have initially addressed the issue of devolution of resource revenue sharing to see if there is continued support or if we can grow that support. And we’ll build on that situation.

I think, first and foremost, Mr. Speaker, when we talk of ourselves in the North, we must also present a business case to the rest of Canada about the benefits of getting a deal in the Northwest Territories as well. We can’t just get a deal for the sake of a deal. We have to ensure we get the proper deal, where we see lasting benefits. If that means we come up with the solution of a heritage fund, I would say that is something we should seriously look at.

But first and foremost, before we can even invest in that or put money into it, we have to ensure that any dollars that do come North don’t get swallowed up by the existing system we operate in.

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche .

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

I guess one of the biggest things, Mr. Speaker, is that outsiders continue to make money from our land and our resources. And our people are tired of that.

I’d like to ask the Premier : what kind of hammer can he discuss with the other aboriginal groups so that we can stop this flow and start keeping some of the resources that rightfully belong to us and our land? Mahsi.

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Question 65-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, the position that already exists is through land claims that have been settled. Through those claims, as a number of Members around the table here are aware — and they are aware that these agreements are negotiated with the federal government — there is a category. They do get resource revenue sharing as part of the package through the claims. It is not as large as we would like in the North.

But if you take part of the Dene/Métis Comprehensive Claim process and the resource revenue sharing piece of that, the federal government has gone through and given a percentage to each organization as they settled. My understanding is that it is equal to the amount they discussed in those early days of the Dene/Métis Comprehensive Claim. That is the process they're using now.

Our process is one where we see the rest of the revenue, and we need to get that addressed. Part of it was addressed, for example, during the

discussions around equalization formula financing and the inclusion or exclusion of resource revenues. That has been set at a 50-50 set-off.

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

My questions today are for the Premier .

We elect people to our cabinet to serve and protect the public interest. The Premier , as the former and current Finance Minister , must be fully aware of the demands on our limited resources. Today, as I speak, our high school in Hay River is closed because we have not had the capital required to do a mid-life retrofit on it, as one example. And there are so many more.

Our financial exposure on the Deh Cho Bridge could impact the financial capacity of our government for many years to come and our available capital dollars. Although it would cost us money to get out of this agreement for the Deh Cho Bridge, would the Premier please commit to seeking a way to determine that cost for us?

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Cost overruns on a project — on any project in the Northwest Territories — are a real factor that we have to look at, in terms of the potential impact it may have on us as the Government of the Northwest Territories and our future ability. That's why, as part of the agreement signed during the previous government, a guaranteed maximum price was put in place, as were a pre-funded contingency, insurance, bonding, an independent engineer auditing the construction, and a project management board made up of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and the lending agency that's involved in this. So those factors have been put in place.

As for the request to look at what that impact may be — if I understood the question correctly — of us withdrawing from the process, we shall endeavour to get that information.

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

I appreciate that response from the Premier because in order for us to really have an effective discussion and dialogue with the people of the North about this, that is a very key piece of information that we need.

The Premier outlined some of the precautions and undertakings the government has put in place with respect to this contract. But we've been told — and I need to understand this — that there is a fixed price on the construction of the bridge. I'd like to know what measures have been put in place in the agreement to protect this government in terms of cost overruns.

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

In terms of potential cost overruns, I've gone over some of those areas where, as we've been at the table, we have been looking at the potential impact around that guaranteed price, the fixed-price contract. The pre-funded contingency is in place. The bonding, the independent engineer auditing the construction, and the project management board are also going to be put in place as this project proceeds.

Those are the general areas that are being looked at. As we deal with those, as well there are the eligible and ineligible costs that could affect the different firms involved in this. And that has also been put in place.

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

I am obviously worried about the eligible cost overruns because those are the ones that could very much affect the total price of this project.

To the total price…. We understand we have a business plan in place through a toll charge to recover much of the capital cost of this project. But to the integrity of that business plan and the business case and the projected volumes of traffic that are contained in the business plan, I’d like to know how our government has protected our interests by contemplating the effect of a private operator setting up a ferry on the Mackenzie River to haul traffic and also the possibility of a private contractor actually constructing an ice bridge over the Mackenzie to haul freight over.

What has been put in place in the agreement to protect us from seriously impacting our business case by that happening? I don’t know why they couldn’t do it. It seems cheap enough to build an ice bridge.

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

We have to look at those scenarios. They have been brought up from time to time in discussions. But anybody accessing those areas would have to get proper permits to proceed with, for example, building an ice road or a ferry for construction. They’d need to work on landings and so on. We’d have to look at that piece to see what could be put in place, if anything.

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

It seems, in other words, there has been no contemplation of such a thing happening. There’s probably nothing stopping it from happening. The government’s been able to do it for years and years. I don’t see what would stop a private operator from doing that.

Mr. Speaker, we were promised many, many times during briefings that we would get a chance to have a look at the concession agreement that was signed in the last government. This concession agreement has been now made available.

But I would like the Premier today to remind me why that was not available previously, and why now it’s only available to Members on a confidential basis?

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Question 66-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

I can’t speak for what the previous government had decided on. I know the discussions at times were a negotiation back and forth, and the agreements had to be concluded. From our point, as I requested to sit before committee and deal with the issue of Deh Cho Bridge, requests were made. I made commitments, and I followed up on them.

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

My question today is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment . It gets back again to my statement from earlier today, where I talked again about the migrant worker issue here in the Northwest Territories, with the 3,300 migrant workers and the $350 million every year that leaves the Territory.

In my statement I talked about De Beers Canada. I don’t by any means intend to single out De Beers, but it’s a real-life example. They currently have Edmonton as a point of pickup for employees working at their Snap Lake and Gahcho Kué

operations. They not only fly them in from Edmonton, but as of January 1, 2008, they’re supplying workers travelling a greater distance than 500 kilometres away from Edmonton $600 a month to get to Edmonton.

This just doesn’t seem right to me, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister if this is in keeping with the spirit and intent of the socio-economic agreement which they signed?

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

As the Member knows, we have a socio-economic agreement that we negotiated with De Beers. As part of the agreement, there’s an implementation provision that allows, for a certain period of time, for De Beers to provide these employees. Over the longer term, it is our expectation that De Beers and the diamond company as well will hire Northern workers to work in the mines in accordance with the socio-economic agreements that have been negotiated.

I should also point out that in each of the cases, the other diamond companies are also providing — I guess the Member called them migrant workers — out-of-Territory workers from the south and have advised us of that fact. It is our intent to, and we have already, communicate our concern with that.

We will be working with the mining companies to find a way to improve this situation to the benefit of the Northwest Territories.

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, I’m glad to hear that the Minister is going to be communicating with the mining companies to try to combat this situation that’s playing itself out right now.

Meanwhile, residents in our smaller communities and, as I mentioned, pockets of high unemployment in smaller communities are going without work. I think every opportunity should be afforded to residents here in the Northwest Territories first.

I’d like to ask the Minister: what assistance has this government given to communities like Hay River, Fort Smith, Yellowknife and Inuvik to market themselves to these mining companies and to the migrant workers that are frequenting our Territory?

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

We are trying to work closely with those communities the Member referred to. As some of you may recall, in an effort to increase the attractiveness of communities like Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, in the past we have made the Down Payment Assistance Program available, whereby we assisted first-time home buyers to buy houses. That was with the intention of attracting mine workers.

We’ve also been involved with marketing programs. I think we’ve helped the communities put information advertising their communities at the various mine sites.

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, again I thank the Minister for that. But some of that work was done over ten years ago.

I think what we need is an updated, coordinated approach by the government to the communities that I mentioned earlier, so that they could have a coordinated approach, a package to work with industry, to work with the migrant workers to attract them here to live in the Northwest Territories.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he could commit today to looking at ways and means to work with the community to get this type of package, as I mentioned, and type of marketing campaign off the ground so that we can attract some workers here.

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

We certainly can commit to do that. Also, I’d like to point out that we’re working very closely with the diamond companies. We think this is a problem for all of us to work together on to try to resolve this situation.

We met with diamond companies in early December. We will continue to work with them. We can also work with the communities to make them more attractive for workers who live in the south to relocate to the Northwest Territories.

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay .

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we talked a little bit, too, about setting up community registries

where we could identify communities and the individuals in those communities who are looking for opportunities for employment.

I’d like to ask the Minister today to commit to having a look at setting up a registry system in our communities so that we don’t miss a single person who wants to work in the resource sector in our Territory, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 67-16(2) Economic Losses From Migrant Workers

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

I understood that we had a registry at one time. I’d have to go back and check to see whether it’s still in existence. I’ll be working very closely with my colleague the Minister of Education on this.

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, my question is on the Deh Cho Bridge, for the Premier .

I’m wondering, in the list of liabilities that we want to protect ourselves from — hopefully, we’ve had some work done on ensuring that — has there been an assessment of the workforce that would be required for the bridge and some assurance that the workforce would come from the North?

I’m concerned at this time with the shortage of labour. Would we be pulling our workers from the mines to work on the bridge? What would that do to the mines and so on? What sort of assessment and assurances have been made that the workforce is here and will benefit our Northern workers?

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Maybe I haven’t kept the Transportation portfolio, but specifically on that request, my information is that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation has done that work in an evaluation of the type of skill sets they will need and are looking at what the people will need to help build this bridge.

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Yeah, I understand that Transportation would have done some work there. I’m looking for some assurance that the benefits will accrue to us. I think that issue of migrant workers has been raised. We already know that we are shipping out $350 million a year because of that. We know that there’s a shortage of workers. I’m looking for some assurance that we’re not just, again, piling on these projects that benefit the rest of Canada while robbing resources from the North.

So what are we doing to ensure that we’re not exacerbating the migrant workforce problem? What assurances have we got?

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, again, my understanding is that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation has done work on the area of the amount of people they would need. From what I

understand, approximately 100 people would be required at any given time.

They’ve looked at that skill set and where they could draw on that. As well, they’ve surveyed the communities in the region to look at the contractors that would be available to take up the work that will be required. So in the southern part of the Territory, Yellowknife as well, the contractors would be made to look at what is available for that construction period.

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Yeah, I appreciate that. I guess the concern is liabilities, in particular, if the bridge is delayed. I think if you talk to many businesses in the North, their businesses have experienced a lot of delays. We are experiencing a lot of delays in our capital projects and infrastructure and so on. My constituents are raising their concern. They are seeing a bridge that is half-completed and sits there and takes twice as a long to build and so on.

Mr. Speaker, do we have liabilities, or do our costs increase if the period of construction extends significantly beyond the three years currently planned?

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, as laid out in an earlier question, there is a number of factors that come into play when we look at trying to limit the liabilities that we could be party to. Some of the shared risk here is between the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, the construction company as well as the Government of the Northwest Territories because we’re seen as the backstop to this project, as Members have correctly pointed out.

So those liabilities, again, include, for example, an independent engineer to audit the construction parameters of this as well as some of the eligible costs that may be covered, or ineligible, that would put some of the risk back on the construction company as well as the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation to limit the risk of the G.N.W.T.

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley .

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you for that response. I am concerned and will be interested in getting some more details on that.

I think I heard the Premier indicate earlier to Mrs. Groenewegen that he will be looking into what the costs would be for the G.N.W.T. to get out of this project or terminate the work. I’ll be interested in that. Is there a date when we can expect the estimate on that cost?

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Question 68-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, one thing we have to realize is, as I discussed with Members, as the lawyers are doing their work, there is a time frame that they have to meet as well. That is coming up before the end of this month.

We can pull the work together as quick as we can and try to get a quick view of it from FMBS on what the potentials are there and try to come back within a couple of days to see what we’re able to provide.

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Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I’m very pleased to hear the Minister of Human Resources indicate in his statement that his department is currently determining areas of its mandate that “need additional work.” I look forward to those survey results in June.

As I mentioned in my statement, I feel that there’s a group of residents in the Territory that are currently disadvantaged in terms of employment. Where other jurisdictions can have far more persons with disabilities employed than can the G.N.W.T., can the Minister advise why we have so few people employed and why we have such a poor record of employing persons with disabilities?

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Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I guess there’s a number of reasons for that. I certainly concur with the Member that we need to do a better job to improve our employment of persons with disabilities. I guess the large part of the problem — and she’s already alluded to it — is self-identification. I do know that we have employees who are not self-identified, but that doesn’t make the situation any better, as the Member says.

I think that what we need to do is to work very closely with the groups that work with persons with disabilities and work with individuals to improve the situation. I think the Affirmative Action Policy that we have doesn’t lend itself to improving the representation of persons with disabilities in the workforce.

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Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I’m glad to hear that the Minister is open to working with the Council of Persons with Disabilities. I’d be most pleased to help him facilitate that.

I mentioned in my statement that I believe that persons with disabilities priority ought to be changed. I would like to know whether or not the Minister would consider that for revision, changing the priority for persons with disabilities from P2 to P1?

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Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I guess I would like to point out to the Members that we have been a bit proactive in this area. We have identified a special liaison person to deal with persons with disabilities.

I would have to look at the Affirmative Action Policy. I don’t know whether that’s the best way to improve the representation of persons with disabilities in the

government workforce. We’re still working on our strategic plan.

In the past, governments have been presented with a draft employment equity strategy, which I think is more suited to dealing with these types of situations. As we go forward, I think I would like to present that again to see if we could get the support of the Members to go forward with it — I guess, specifically, to deal with persons with disabilities.

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Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister’s reluctance to state an answer right here. But I would urge that we move forward on changing the priority.

For me, it’s a no-cost item. We’re simply encouraging. We are giving people employment who deserve it, and we’re not actually spending any extra money.

One of the things I discovered in looking at this issue is there’s an interesting item on the Human Resources department’s online manual, which shows that, for management positions, persons with disabilities are not listed as P2; they’re listed as P3. They come after indigenous aboriginals and women.

I wonder if the Minister can explain to me why we have a discrepancy between the priority for non-management positions and management positions for persons with disabilities.

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Question 69-16(2) Barriers To Hiring Persons With Disabilities

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

I would have to look at that. I think it is an issue of reporting. I don’t think I said I ruled out the question of looking at having persons with disabilities listed as P1s or something. That is something we’d be prepared to look at.

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway has the potential to be a very important project for the Northwest Territories and, I think, would go a long way into some of the Premier ’s initiatives that he spoke about.

I would like to direct my question today to the Premier . I’d like to ask him if, in his meeting with Prime Minister Harper, there was any discussion of a Mackenzie Valley Highway.

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, with what we’ve proposed and previous governments have proposed — for example, in the document called Corridors for Canada — a number of infrastructure pieces were included in that.

My discussion with the Prime Minister did highlight the fact that if we are to take advantage of the economic opportunities available in the Northwest

Territories, we need to get key pieces of infrastructure like the Mackenzie Valley Highway. We need to work around that. We need to build on the partnerships through industry and the federal government. We know ourselves that there is no way that we would be able to afford to build this unless we put a 70-year time span on this, to try to do something — or even longer.

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

I would like to ask the Premier if that document he mentioned and provided to Ottawa, was that our formal request to Ottawa for funding to construct the highway.

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

If I understand that question correctly, the Corridors for Canada was part of our work in establishing projects with partnerships, in the sense of putting all this together with all jurisdictions. That was our contribution to that piece. The request was put on the table, and the formal response…. They have dealt with pieces of it from time to time.

I believe there is renewed interest in this area. Looking at the resources being taken out of the North, they should be reinvested in key infrastructure projects in the Northwest Territories.

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

That kind of leads to my next question. Who at the end of the day would be responsible for the funding of the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway?

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

Floyd Roland

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, as we are aware, any new highway construction outside of the existing infrastructure that we have right now falls into the area of the federal government. They have kept up that area of authority, so we would say that has to be looked at. That’s why we are talking about a partnership and having the federal government come to the table.

We believe this should also deal with the issue of Arctic sovereignty by having key infrastructure in place, by building on the economic development opportunities in the North and by keeping communities sustainable. This is how we can help the federal government in its challenge of Arctic sovereignty and its people.

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Question 70-16(2) Construction Of The Mackenzie Valley Highway

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Please sel