Debates of Oct. 8th, 2008

This is page numbers 1593 to 1630 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 capital .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 96-16(2) Community Gardens Initiative And Small Scale Food Program

Minister’s Statement 97-16(2) 2008 Fire Service Merit Award Recipients

Minister’s Statement 98-16(2) Increased Funding To The Arts

Access Road To The Aklavik Gravel Source

Mccrank Report On Resource Development Regulatory Process

Stanton Hospital Master Development Plan

Bison Herd Management In Fort Liard

Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Policy

Diamond Jenness Secondary School

Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

High Cost Of Food In Tu Nedhe Communities

United States Ban On Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Cost Of Living Subsidies For Elders In Small Communities

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Question 452-16(2) Bison Herd Management In Fort Liard

Question 453-16(2) Cost Of Living Subsidies For Elders In Small Communities

Question 454-16(2) Insurance Coverage Of Palliative Care Medication

Bill 15

An Act To Amend The Workers’ Compensation Act

Tabling of Documents

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tabled Document 93-16(2) Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2009–2010

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

The House met at 1:32 p.m.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prayer.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the Day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment , Mr. Bob McLeod .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister’s Statement 96-16(2) Community Gardens Initiative And Small Scale Food Program

Ministers’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time this afternoon I will be tabling two documents detailing this government’s work to promote community gardens and the Small Scale Food Program in the Northwest Territories.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment began this initiative two years ago with financial support from the Canada–Northwest Territories Agriculture Policy Framework Agreement. Under the Canada–Northwest Territories Agriculture Policy Framework Agreement a total of $1.7 million was invested in agricultural projects in the NWT over five years, including programs in science and innovation; renewal, including the Small Scale Foods Initiative Program; environment; and food safety and quality.

While the small scale foods initiative may be relatively new, the concept of growing foods in the North is not. In fact, early settlers to our region had a proven history of growing and harvesting food to meet their dietary needs. For two decades our government has provided support to such efforts as required and as resources have permitted.

Most of our community garden programs begin with a group of very committed local residents who work with us to select small parcels of land for development into a community garden. With assistance and support these gardens are

established, cultivated and maintained throughout the course of our short growing season, and the result is often shared within the community. For example, Mr. Speaker, in the community of Whati vegetables produced in the community garden were used in a community feast this fall. In total, 19 community gardens were planted and harvested in the NWT this summer.

These projects support diversification and healthy living and encompass representation from every age group. They require only basic tools and a little hard work. There are, of course, challenges like wandering bison, burrowing groundhogs, hungry rabbits, not enough water, too much water and variable temperatures. The outcome, however, is always worth the effort. Fresh potatoes, carrots, broccoli, turnips and onions are just a few of the nutritious rewards for the time that is invested.

One producer in Tulita advised that he planted six rows of carrots: two for him and four for the neighbourhood kids. This is a very effective method of attracting new volunteer gardeners.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister’s Statement 96-16(2) Community Gardens Initiative And Small Scale Food Program

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs , Mr. Robert McLeod .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister’s Statement 97-16(2) 2008 Fire Service Merit Award Recipients

Ministers’ Statements

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Robert C. McLeod

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. October 5 to 11 is designated as Fire Prevention Week across Canada. Fire Prevention Week is dedicated to educating the public about the importance of fire safety. This year’s theme is Preventing Home Fires.

Northwest Territories firefighters provide an important service that is not always appreciated until an emergency arises and they are called to duty to protect people and property in our

communities. Many community firefighters in the NWT are volunteers; however, they dedicate a significant amount of their time to assist their communities. We appreciate the risks all NWT firefighters take on our behalf.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of Fire Prevention Week I wish to acknowledge the 2008 recipients of the NWT’s Fire Service Merit Awards. The Fire Service Merit Awards acknowledge the tremendous commitment and dedication of the men and women of the Northwest Territories Fire Service, who strive to keep our families, homes and communities safe. This year the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is pleased to honour three recipients, nominated by the public, for their extra efforts in keeping their communities fire safe.

Mr. Christopher Jack-Carson, an educator in Fort Providence, is receiving this year’s Individual Award for developing an introductory fire issues program for his school. Mr. Jack-Carson recognized the value of providing his students with important information on fire hazards, fire prevention, fire response services in their community and career opportunities in firefighting. The program has been highly successful and has resulted in a reduction of fires in Fort Providence.

Mr. Speaker, the Hamlet of Fort McPherson’s fire department is receiving a community award for their outstanding efforts in expanding their response capabilities. This progressive fire department has added new training modules for their crew, including highway rescue, first responder, urban interface and water rescue, while continuing to maintain and enhance core firefighting skills.

The Tlicho communities’ government of Behchoko fire department is receiving a community award with honours, Mr. Speaker. This fire department has shown tremendous initiative in revitalizing and enhancing their community fire service. The Behchoko fire department has acquired new equipment and uniforms and developed preventative maintenance programs. Under a pilot initiative the Behchoko fire department’s training efforts have been extended to other Tlicho communities, substantially improving fire protection in the North Slave region.

Mr. Speaker, the Fire Service Merit Award program is a tremendous opportunity for the Government of the Northwest Territories to recognize the contributions firefighters make every day and to highlight the importance of a skilled fire service. I invite my colleagues to join me in the Great Hall at 11 a.m. on October 9 to celebrate the achievements of this year’s award recipients.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister’s Statement 97-16(2) 2008 Fire Service Merit Award Recipients

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , Mr. Lafferty .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister’s Statement 98-16(2) Increased Funding To The Arts

Ministers’ Statements

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year the Government of the Northwest Territories increased funding to the arts through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the amount of $500,000.

The $500,000 increase included in the 2008–2009 budget will benefit both existing and new programs, including those offered by the NWT Arts Council, the Support for Northern Performers program and the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. Community heritage centres, cultural organizations and various cultural projects around the territory will also receive increased funding in recognition of the important role they play in supporting and presenting the arts and culture.

Education, Culture and Employment has also introduced a new northern theatre arts funding program with a focus on NWT youth. The budget is $50,000 for this program.

The Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes the many benefits of the arts to our communities and also to our people. These benefits include economic benefits such as employment for technicians, craftspeople and other arts professionals. They also include social and cultural benefits such as allowing people of all ages to come together and celebrate their communities through performances or festivals.

Increasingly it is recognized that the arts also provide health, cognitive and attitudinal benefits to Northerners of all ages. Education, Culture and Employment will continue to work with Industry, Tourism and Investment to support the arts and ensure Northerners have access to these benefits through activities set out in the NWT Arts Strategy.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Minister’s Statement 98-16(2) Increased Funding To The Arts

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Krutko .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Access Road To The Aklavik Gravel Source

Members’ Statements

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise once again begging for an access road to the Aklavik gravel source. I believe that’s what it’s going to take to get this done.

A motion was passed unanimously in this House. Yet, Mr. Speaker, after meetings with the community and the Minister of MACA , along with the Minister of Finance , in the community of Aklavik where they discussed this issue last spring…. The

community has done everything that we were asked to do: formulate a planning committee with people representing the hamlet, the band and the community; work with the departments of MACA, Transportation, and the Inuvik region. I notice nowhere is there any mention in any documents I have seen lately with regard to those expenditures.

I was promised in this House by the previous Minister of Transportation that there was some $500,000 in federal infrastructure funding that was announced for research and development. Those dollars were going to be forwarded to the community of Aklavik to look at developing a proposal so that they can have a similar arrangement to what they were able to accomplish in Tuk.

Again, I beg the Ministers across the hall. I can see some action on this matter. What is it going to take by way of a motion, a petition, or do I have to jump up and down? I’m not too sure.

I believe this issue is long outstanding. There are capital projects in the future budgets for the community of Aklavik by way of hiring for the extension of their airports. We’re talking about replacing the Moose Kerr School in the future. We are going to need gravel sources to do these projects. We’re looking at 2012–2014, which isn’t that far off.

I’d like to ask the Premier if he can possibly see some movement on this matter in regard to this item. I am again standing up here for the second time raising this issue from previous Assemblies.

With that, I will be asking the Premier questions on this matter in regard to what we can do.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Access Road To The Aklavik Gravel Source

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Mccrank Report On Resource Development Regulatory Process

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

After reading the report and several responses to it, I am perplexed about why it was even done. In its essence the McCrank report simply duplicates the 2005 environmental audit — a much, much more thorough assessment conducted by Northerners and more solution oriented. Incidentally, the audit was also the legally required process for improving the integrated resource management system in the NWT.

The McCrank report repeats conclusions of the environmental audit and the MVEIRB and board forum self-assessments and states the obvious: we need comprehensive land use planning throughout the NWT, and we need to implement the Cumulative Impact Monitoring Program. However, the report is essentially silent in grappling with the real issues of how to actually get this done.

McCrank’s call for a complete restructuring ignores the fact that the governance and regulatory system has evolved in the NWT as a result of constitutionally entrenched land claim agreements developed in response to Northerners’ concerns and desire for input on these processes. Restructuring this is not on.

Mr. Speaker, we understand the need for evaluation of new processes and procedures in order to learn from our experience. The MVEIRB and others have often highlighted the consequences of inadequate funding; for example, lack of opportunity to evaluate the implementation of measures arising from approved environmental assessment. Lack of funding for the participant process is also a significant capacity issue for aboriginal and community organizations and NGOs — one acknowledged by most reviews but again not noted in the McCrank report despite submissions on this.

Our Premier has called this report thorough, honest and accurate, but I cannot subscribe to this assessment, especially the thorough part. I understand a more critical review may be in the making. Along with many Northerners I await this assessment with interest. Let’s ensure that the GNWT supports an approach focused on consultation and community involvement — the uniquely northern approach outlined in the 2005 audit — rather than putting a rubber stamp of approval on a report that seems out of touch with northern values and institutions of governance.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Mccrank Report On Resource Development Regulatory Process

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Stanton Hospital Master Development Plan

Members’ Statements

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the Minister of Finance tabled the Capital Estimates for the 2009–2010 fiscal year. I read through the document last night, and I’m looking forward to discussing and debating the document later this afternoon. However, during our review of the tabled document I came across something that I found disturbing; specifically, the disappearance of the Stanton Master Development Plan.

In the 2008–2009 Main Estimates the Stanton Master Development Plan was identified as the $17.5 million project commencing during the 2009–10 fiscal year with an initial investment of $500,000 in that fiscal year. In today’s Capital Estimates for 2009–10 there is zero reference to the Stanton Master Development Plan.

The main reason I’m disturbed by the exclusion of this is that during the May–June session there were significant amounts of dialogue between the Minister of Health and Social Services and Members on this side of the House concerning the Stanton Master Development Plan. At that time the Minister committed to following through on the development and finalization of the Stanton Master Development Plan and made it one of the priorities of the newly appointed public administrator for Stanton. The master development plan has been in the works for a very long time, and this Minister put a lot of weight on its importance.

With no plan what is the Minister planning now? Without a master development plan how does the Minister intend to address the ongoing physical challenges of that authority? Where will the solutions come from? Who will be making the decisions, decisions based on what research? During the last session the Regular Members made it very clear that we will have great difficulty in recommending future approvals of capital projects for Stanton in the absence of a master development plan, a plan that was promised.

It’s been less than four months since we last talked about this master development plan at Stanton in this House. Four months ago it was an important part of the solution for Stanton. Today it doesn’t exist at all. I find that incredibly interesting and incredibly frustrating.

Later this afternoon I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions on this deleted master development plan and the future of the Stanton Territorial Health Authority.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Stanton Hospital Master Development Plan

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Bison Herd Management In Fort Liard

Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to raise my continued displeasure with the free-roaming herd in the community of Fort Liard and also to extend a welcome to the Minister of ENR to come to Fort Liard to continue his tour. I have raised this issue before on the promises of a bison management plan. My main concern is the safety of children, as the herd does freely roam through the town.

I would like to reiterate the concerns. A huge concern for the residents is damage that occurs to personal property such as fencing, gardens, automobiles and all terrain vehicles. As well, there’s the issue of reimbursement for damages; because government brought these buffalos there, they should be responsible for paying for the damages to private property. I support this. Yes, the government is responsible.

I think our government has to work with the community of Fort Liard to come up and work with them on this bison management plan that can address these concerns. I know some solutions may be expensive, but some solutions may also be very affordable, and they must be explored. This is what the community wants: dialogue and action.

I will ask the question to the Minister of Natural Resources for an update and actions to date. Mahsi cho.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Bison Herd Management In Fort Liard

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Policy

Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to address the Minister of ITI ’s statement from yesterday when he announced the arrival of the new Support to Entrepreneurs and Economic Development Policy, or SEED, which officially came into effect on September 2 of this year. He stated that it was in response to a major review of the department’s business programs, which was completed in 2006.

I would like to thank the Minister for acknowledging the work of the EDI committee. We were consulted and have allowed the policy to move forward. But what I want to tell you today is what the Minister didn’t say he heard during those consultations. There were concerns raised over the new policy, simply being that the old BDF was given a new paint job, topped up with some more money and called SEED.

At the end of the day will this new SEED policy take root? I highly doubt it, Mr. Speaker. There are no targets. There is no delivery mechanism, even though the last two governments have both tried to achieve the one delivery model for economic and business development in our territory. The fact is that this $2.5 million will start up some businesses, but how many will survive is the bigger question. Until the government comes up with a plan to address the high cost of operating a business in the small communities, especially utility and personnel costs, we might as well take the $2.5 million and throw it out of a plane.

Where is BDIC in all of this? What are the government’s intentions in dealing with BDIC? What is the ministerial direction today for BDIC? I was surprised to recently hear about the proposed ministerial advisory panel on economic development. At first glance it sounds like it would be nice, like it would work, but has the Minister forgotten about a duly formed and knowledgeable BDIC board and chairman, which to me would serve this purpose?

Today BDIC is losing staff. It lacks focus. It has no direction from ITI or this government. To me they’re simply propping up subsidiaries and managing bad accounts. Is this what the government really wants for its business development corporation?

The territory needs a meaningful, comprehensive and coordinated suite of services for economic and business development in our territory. Mr. Speaker, I’ll have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Policy

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Diamond Jenness Secondary School

Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Krutko I stand again in this House today begging. Mr. Krutko is begging for his gravel source; I’m begging for the renovation of our high school.

Anyone who has visited Hay River has seen our famous high school. The Diamond Jenness school was designed by Douglas Cardinal and constructed in 1972. That makes the school 36 years old, older than some Members of this Legislature. That makes it time for major renovations.

Students and teachers complain about the air quality. They are unable to control the extreme temperatures in the school. The heating system does not work well in the cold weather. The ventilation system does not circulate air in warm weather. The windows do not open at any time. The water pipes were soldered partly with lead. For safety reasons, water quality has to be checked on a regular basis. Most people refuse to use the school water fountains, because the water doesn’t get cold enough to drink, and when it first comes out, it’s a lovely orange colour.

The hot water pipes are thin from corrosion and are constantly being repaired. The roof leaks, and there is likely mould growing in the walls. The administrative offices are in the wrong location and cannot control access. Classrooms are too small and don’t meet modern standards. Last year we had problems with the old asbestos insulation. These are just a few of the problems at this school. I could carry on listing the

problems for a long time. There is a very thick document of a technical review, which I have waved around this House before.

Major renovations to the school are very overdue. The renovation project first appeared in the capital plan in 2001. The capital plan indicated the renovation project would start in ’07–08 and finish in ’09–10. However, whenever this project gets within two years of its start date, the project slip-slides away. Last year the project was red flagged. We thought that was a good thing, but actually red flagging meant it showed up on the reduction list and disappeared again. This year the project shows up in the capital plan starting in 2010–11 with a small investment and really getting underway in ’11–12.

The government is proposing a very large capital budget this year. Hay River residents cannot understand why many other projects have been funded and this one gets delayed year after year. Tourism and parks projects get funded; huge numbers of transportation projects, highways and airports get funded. I do not understand why year after year the government rates these projects more important than renovating the Diamond Jenness Secondary School in my constituency.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Diamond Jenness Secondary School

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre , Mr. Hawkins .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue I wanted to raise today on behalf of my riding is the concern about the lack of public washrooms. People need to be people, and people need personal dignity, and they need to be normal just like you and I.

In the morning when the homeless are nudged out of the door — that is, if they’re the lucky ones — they are faced with the same issue, just like everyone here. Businesses have locked their doors and refused to give out keys for various reasons, some justified and some less justified. Having someone deal with bodily functions behind cars in the downtown parking lots, behind buildings, behind dumpsters, and even sometimes in dumpsters is not a symbol of our finer society achieving its better moments in history. Has all been lost, I wonder. Has society given up on them? I start to wonder about that too.

Mr. Speaker, the issue really is: has this become normalized? I certainly hope it hasn’t. We have to ask ourselves what we are elevating this issue with. Are we dealing with this, or are we ignoring it? The homeless, as well as some of the other street

people who spend time at the Salvation Army and other places, need a place to be able to turn to. Businesses are not sharing this opportunity.

Our government needs to stand up to the pressure and all the silly little jokes of not realizing that this is a real issue. Those people should be ashamed of themselves. I believe this public government has a responsibility to develop an approach that will help people. Mr. Speaker, if we are truly the society we promise to be, we should start showing it.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

High Cost Of Food In Tu Nedhe Communities

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, on numerous occasions I’ve talked about the impact of the high cost of living for residents of Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. Today I would like to focus on the high cost of food in the packets, supplements, store bought foods or traditional foods for Tu Nedhe communities.

Mr. Speaker, in small communities like Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e little or no competition in the local economy results in higher food costs. Couple this with transportation costs and Tu Nedhe families are hit with a double whammy. In addition to this, over the last year gasoline prices have gone up. This has had a huge impact on the traditional harvesting practices of many of my constituents. Residents are now forced to think twice about making a trip out on the land to go hunting.

Mr. Speaker, with the high price of gas and limited household incomes families must now make a decision to buy meat from the store or to go for a hunt. For many families doing both is no longer an option. Add to this the high costs of fuel for heating their homes and higher power rates and people are in a real catch-22 when they are trying to put food on their tables.

Many of my constituents rely on traditional foods and have done so for generations. High gas prices are now threatening this important traditional practice. Something needs to be done. Assistance in some form to offset the high price of the gas for these subsistence hunters must be provided. We all know the health benefits to the whole community when families are able to include traditional food as part of their regular diet.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot stress enough the impact that the high cost of living is having on the Tu Nedhe constituents. It is having an immediate and negative impact on the harvesting of traditional foods by subsistence hunters. With an aboriginal population

of almost 90 per cent in Fort Resolution and 95 per cent in Lutselk’e traditional foods and traditional harvesting provide all kinds of benefits for many families. This is being threatened. Help is needed now.

Later today I will have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

High Cost Of Food In Tu Nedhe Communities

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

United States Ban On Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Members’ Statements

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to use my Member’s statement to discuss the decision made by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to ban the importation of polar bear hides into their country.

In May 2008 the United States government listed the polar bear species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This action prevents importation of polar bear hides into their country. Because of this provision under the U.S. Marine Mammal Act, this decision will effectively wipe out the sport hunting industry in the communities in my riding.

U.S. groups are exploiting the polar bears as a symbol for climate change and a lightning rod to globalize lobbying efforts and opposition to the oil and gas industry in the U.S. and Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the public in the South believes that polar bear populations in the NWT are in grave danger. We have over 2,500 polar bears in the Northwest Territories, and they are a healthy population. This is why Canada does not have the polar bear listed on its species of concern.

In the Northwest Territories the management of polar bears is coordinated through the Government of the Northwest Territories with the Inuvialuit co-management boards. This arrangement was established under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. In the NWT hunting seasons, quotas and protection of family groups are enforced by law. Within the total quota, the hunters and trappers organizations decide how many tags will go to the allocated sport hunts and how many will be given to local hunters for subsistence hunting.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot make it any clearer: we manage our polar bear herds very well, because they are important to my people. An average of 37 guided sport hunts are conducted for polar bears in the Arctic region. U.S. hunters contribute about $1.6 million annually to our communities, where up to 40 per cent of families live on less than $25,000 per year. These are large numbers for my constituency of only 3,500 people.

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

Unanimous consent granted.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

United States Ban On Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Members’ Statements

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. This decision made by the United States government will have serious impacts on my people.

I would like to thank Minister Bob McLeod for asking me to join him this summer in Washington with my colleague Mr. Krutko . In Washington we met with various senators and congressmen in order to share my people’s message that the polar bear populations in Canada are healthy.

I know that with the pending U.S. election we are unable to get any changes to the ruling, but I want to let my people know that I will continue to work with the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment to get this decision reversed. Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, my aim is to persuade the U.S. government to introduce an amendment to allow import of polar bear hides into the U.S.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

United States Ban On Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Communities are the backbone of our territory and our economy. With the New Deal that our Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has put in place over the last few years, some of our communities are struggling to manage their new — I hesitate to say it, but must — downloaded responsibilities. Small communities in particular lack the capacity to adequately handle this additional work. There are capacity gaps in human resources, skilled workers — like everywhere else across the country — and specialized knowledge. Dealing with contracts is a perfect example.

I must give credit to MACA, which has provided some assistance to date. But what MACA can offer is not enough to fill the gaps that communities are experiencing. The needs of our communities are great, Mr. Speaker. Not only are they responsible for the basics — roads, water and sewer and garbage — but they are expected to provide many other programs and services for their residents as well.

Municipalities see demands for social issues as well: housing, health, seniors and eldercare and so on. As any municipal councillor will tell you, there is a never ending list of things that could be done if only they had the money. Just like us here at the Legislative Assembly, councils struggle to meet the

needs of their residents on limited funds. There is never enough to do it all.

Mr. Speaker, one way this government can assist our community government is to establish a revolving, repayable low or no interest infrastructure fund which communities can access for assistance in financing their high cost infrastructure needs. Things such as water treatment plants, sewage lagoons or sewage treatment plants, new roads or road replacements, landfill sites, deferredmaintenance: the list can be endless. Yes, there are funds out there already, but these funds often have stringent guidelines, which don’t fit the projects that need doing in the community.

Our own NWT Association of Communities, which has an excellent working relationship with MACA, by the way, can advise the government of the applicable parameters for an NWT infrastructure fund — parameters that will suit our communities and enable, rather than hinder, large municipal projects.

I hope the Finance Minister will contact the NWTAC to discuss this idea. I look forward to seeing this fund identified in the upcoming operations budget.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Cost Of Living Subsidies For Elders In Small Communities

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the weekend I had the opportunity to host three elders from the Sahtu who were in Yellowknife for the Roman Catholic district celebration for the bishop.

In the time I spent with the elders and my family here, I had the opportunity to talk with the elders about living in the small communities. From time to time people come to Yellowknife and go back to the communities. They see the opportunities they have here in Yellowknife. They couldn’t believe the prices they pay at the OK Economy or the Co-op, or the gas, or the opportunities they have here.

They provided my wife and me with some dollars to go the store to buy some groceries for them. We did buy the groceries, and they couldn’t believe the amount of food they bought in terms of dollars. They said: if we had this in Tulita, we would have paid $400, but for the amount we have given you, we have a lot of food.

The elders were talking about that: how lucky we are in the larger centres to have support like this. They thought about this for a while, and I said: how it is back in the community? They said: we’re on fixed incomes or low incomes; we have support from the government, but it is very difficult for us.

In small communities their way of life of growing up on the land is completely different from today. Mr. Krutko talked about this in the recent Hansard, about the people wanting to stay in their communities, in their region, with home care. Their culture and their values are very different — very different — in the Sahtu. No different from the Gwich’in, the Inuvialuit or any other aboriginal community that has these beliefs. We want our people in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, in the Sahtu we have over 200 elders, and we are looking at the things we can do for them. We have to put them at the forefront. It is our obligation as people from the community to put our elders forward and give them respect, as they raised us in the past with their elders’ values.

I am going to be asking a question of the Minister responsible for Seniors on how our elders are taken care of in the Northwest Territories. It’s most important to the Sahtu people. They are paying the high price of living in the region without any roads and modes of transportation that would make it easier for us. In this day and age, Mr. Speaker, it’s a crying shame.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Cost Of Living Subsidies For Elders In Small Communities

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today it is surprising to see one of my constituents, Mr. Ernest Pokiak, and his daughter Violet Noksana. Welcome to the House.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 6, 2008, in my Member’s statement I talked about this government’s limited support for youth in smaller communities. Many of our smaller communities struggle daily with little or no youth budgets. Municipal budgets are already strained with O&M and delivering essential services.

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister responsible for Youth . I’d like to ask the Minister: can he advise this House what the current level of funding specifically earmarked for youth, not counting education budgets, is for 2008–09?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs , Minister McLeod.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budget for 2008–2009 for Youth was approximately $1.15 million broken out into three different categories: the NWT Youth Core, the Youth Contributions Program and the Youth Centres Initiative.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

During my visit to the communities this past year I heard from the youth in both communities about how they feel and what they need. “There is not much for us to do” is often the comment.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell this House what the plans are, if any, to increase the budget in the Youth portfolio for 2009–2010?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

The 16th Legislative

Assembly has identified youth as a priority. With the upcoming business plans I’m sure there will be an opportunity to look at increasing the Youth budget. I agree with the Member. I remember that the youth are a priority. If there’s an opportunity to increase funding for youth programs, I think it’s something that should be looked at.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to conducting a comprehensive review of how Youth budgets are currently allocated, specifically in the Tu Nedhe communities — if there are any planned budgets going into those two communities of Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

As part of my familiarization with all the monies that are available to Youth, I would commit to conducting a review. It ties in, in part, to familiarizing myself with the Youth department and seeing what else there is that we can do out there. I would commit to having a review of the youth programs and the Youth funding.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to working with me and each of the Tu Nedhe communities of Fort Revolution and Lutselk’e to develop a youth strategy? I feel that a youth strategy is important. I define the youth strategy as a comprehensive, community based approach to investing in Youth budgets, programming, infrastructure and other youth related support.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I would make that commitment to work with the Member for Tu Nedhe and every other Member on the other side of the floor to come up with a good youth strategy. Like I said earlier, it is a priority of the 16th Assembly, and

it is a strong personal belief of mine that we have to

put youth as a priority and see what we as an Assembly can do for them. I would make that commitment to the Member: I will work with the Member for Tu Nedhe plus all Members on that side to come up with a youth strategy.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 443-16(2) Funding For Youth Programs

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement by asking whether — I believe it’s the Minister of ITI or ENR looking after the regulatory process here — the important conclusions of the environmental audit of 2005 are being followed up with some very important and critical recommendations requiring additional resources, the implementation of the cumulative impacts program and so on. Are they actually getting done? We’re in 2008; the next review will be in 2010. What’s our progress on that?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources , Mr. Miltenberger .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Work is being done in that area. As well, work continues to be done to address and analyze and be able to give a thorough response to the McCrank report, about which we want to deal with the new government once the election is over. That work is expected to be done for the McCrank report sometime in November, I believe.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Just for clarification, I want to be sure I got that right. The report that’s coming out at the end of October, soon after the election, will include an assessment of where we’re at with the 2005 audit as well as address the McCrank report. Is that what I’m hearing? In one report?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, very clearly there is a link. We’re going to do the analysis, look at the gaps and address our specific recommendations on going forward, as well as raise some of the concerns that we do have with the McCrank report. We expect and anticipate that it will be thorough.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, the point I certainly agreed with in the McCrank report has already been highlighted by the boards and agencies themselves and by other reviews and the environmental audit. But a big one is the lack of funding to our agencies, especially the Mackenzie Environmental Impact Review Board. Will that be addressed in the report, and is this government lobbying to get that big gap taken care of so we can do a better job there?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, clearly, those are responsibilities of the federal government, but we share the concern that there are things like cumulative impact work that are identified and are not properly funded. There are other concerns that some of the boards aren’t adequately funded, as well. We’ll be looking at all those issues as we come forward.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you again, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for those comments. Probably everybody agrees to the recommendation that we get some land use planning and land use frameworks underway. I want to compliment the Minister and this government for getting that started. Hopefully, we’ll see some results there.

I want to stress that to the extent we are in deficit here, that these regulatory programs are underfunded. While we seek devolution, we will be left with those deficits, because along with devolution and responsibility come all those deficits in funding. We need to get these gaps filled before that transfer happens.

I’d like to hear again what the Minister will do to ensure appropriate levels of funding so they can do their job and participants and communities can participate in the process as required under the legislation and as the federal government has committed in that legislation.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

We will fund the programs we are directly responsible for to the best of our ability. As well, we’ve taken on new initiatives like the water strategy and the proposed land use framework that’s currently under development. Those are all being dealt with under our new strategic initiatives. We, of course, are committed to working with the federal government and all the other stakeholders to make sure we continue to work, once the election is over, for adequate funding for the regulatory regime that’s in place.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 444-16(2) GNWT Response To Mccrank Report

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are in follow up to my Member’s statement and are directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services .

During the May–June session the Minister committed to following through on the development and finalization of the Stanton Master Development Plan and made it one of the priorities of the newly

appointed public administrator for Stanton. Today in the 2009–2010 Capital Estimates there is no master development plan. The Stanton Master Development Plan is completely missing.

I was wondering if the Minister could tell me why the Stanton Master Development Plan was eliminated and how she intends to move forward with finding some of the solutions required for Stanton.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy . The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services , Ms. Lee .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to update the Members on this capital project.

In May, when the new public administrator of Stanton was appointed, one of the tasks he was given by me was to look at the master development plan and report back to me on it. What I found out when he came to me is that they are working on a $200 million plan for Stanton. Obviously, that was not a workable plan. I sent him back to work, and he and the deputy minister and the planners went back to work.

They came back in September with something that’s more manageable at $50 million. It will address all the seven areas we have asked them to address: emergency, ICU, diagnostic imaging, rehab, medical daycare, the aboriginal wellness and spirituality centre, as well as working out the issues surrounding the specialty services. We have a much more workable and affordable plan, and I’d be happy to share that information with the committee and the Members.

Secondly, the Member is aware that at the wishes of all the Members here, we are doing a different capital planning process, where only projects with a very specific plan are making it into the capital plan. That’s what’s reflected in this year’s budget. But with this new plan for Stanton we expect that it will make its way back into next year’s plan as we move forward.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

I thank the Minister for that information. The $210 million sounds a little excessive — almost enough to build a new hospital — so I’m kind of glad we’re not going forward with that.

At the same time, Stanton is facing challenges, both physical and practical. To remove Stanton from the capital plan now seems a little short sighted. We need to move forward with Stanton. We need to move forward pretty quickly in order to ensure that we have the best facility. That will lead to things like good morale and whatnot in the facility itself. If not here, when can we expect it?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

I’m happy to advise the Members that the new plans, which are a lot more affordable and workable, are being shared by the public administrator with the employees. It would involve short term measures of moving admin offices out of Stanton, which will create a lot more space. We are doing work in the emergency facility there to deal with confidentiality and privacy issues. Building of the dementia centre will address the crowdedness in extended care. And there’s new work being done in the consolidated clinic that will deal with primary care services.

There’s a lot in the mix that would impact the space needs of Stanton, and all these puzzles are working together to address the basic needs of Stanton in the most economical and efficient way.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Once again, that’s all great news. I’m actually quite happy to hear that. I’m curious as to when these things are going to start to happen. Are these things imminent, or are they in the 2009–2010 plan? When are we actually going to see some movement on some of these space issues? I’m glad to hear they’re happening. I think they need to be done, but can you give us a bit of a timeline?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

As the Member is aware, the dementia building is being built. The consolidated clinic has gone to tender, and I believe the tender has been awarded. The administrative offices, with about 35 staff, are going to be moved out of Stanton into what’s now known as the old Extra Foods building as of December. There is other work being done to maximize the use of the building and to concentrate the renovation of the building on what’s most necessary and what has to be at that hospital, which is supposed to be an acute care facility.

We are looking at lots of other measures, and we are doing that in conjunction with the staff and management of the hospital. They’re on board with that. I’d be happy to give a full briefing on that to the Members if they would like.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee . Final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to the briefing. If we can get some idea of when that briefing would be, that would be great.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Planning is ready, and we have the presentation material. Any time the Members would like to have it, we’ll be happy to provide it.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 445-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Master Development Plan

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it is time we get the renovation on the Diamond Jenness Secondary School done. This school is long past its mid-life crises. We need to make this project happen so that the children of Hay River, the students

and a couple of them are right here in

the Chamber today — our young people, can have a healthy and safe learning environment and our teachers can have a healthy and safe workplace.

Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement I talked about how the capital plan has been pushed back. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment why the renovations for Diamond Jenness Secondary School were deferred, delayed, postponed.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Groenewegen . The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , Mr. Lafferty .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. At this particular school, the Diamond Jenness, there’s been some work on the technical status evaluation report that was worked on in 2003, 2006 and 2008. There’s also an educational plan that is underway.

We do have our consultants going through the community tomorrow to meet with the DEA to go over the materials that need to be discussed on the educational plan. That report will be available to the community DEA and to the Member as well. Those are the works that have been undertaken with the capital projects we will be discussing here. We need to have a plan in place before we proceed with a major project.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

We’ve had many years to study this problem and get a plan in place. The fact is that this government has a large capital budget going forward. A document was tabled yesterday in this House showing what the priorities of that capital budget are. I want to know why Hay River is not being treated as a priority.

I can remember at the candidate forum in Hay River reassuring the people that this was in the capital budget. How can we go back and face our community now? They ask why. Why is Hay River not getting the attention it needs?

To the subject of the volume or size of our capital budget, I have a couple of questions about some of the other educational facilities in here. Has a contract been awarded yet for the Samuel Hearne/Sir Alexander Mackenzie School project in Inuvik? Has the contract been awarded?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Yes, there is a contract that’s been awarded to work on the Inuvik school.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

I’d like to know how much the contract that has been signed and awarded is for.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I can certainly share that with the Member. I don’t have it in front of me today. But it does break down on whether it will be the foundation, the actual structure of the building itself. There are many aspects of the project itself, so we need to have the breakdown of the actual cost of the capital project.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister: isn’t it true that the capital project for the Inuvik school is a negotiated contract in the neighbourhood of $140 million?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I’m not sure where that $140 million is coming from, but I can provide that information to the Member. I need to go back to my department to get the actual figures of the negotiated contract, if that’s a negotiated contract in the community of Inuvik. We need to have that information before us to know if it’s $140 million or if it’s another number.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 446-16(2) Timing And Cost Of School Infrastructure Plan

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today getting back to my Member’s statement from earlier to the Minister of ITI . Earlier I was talking about the new SEED program and how, in my estimation, it’s the old BDF and Grants to Small Business dressed up under a new name called SEED, topped up with some dollars.

The first question I have for the Minister is: has ITI got any targets for the SEED program, and how are we going to measure success from that program and that additional funding?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment , Mr. Bob McLeod .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Using the Member’s example, not only did we give it a new paint job; we added a new fuel efficient engine with some new tires.

The BDF has been one of our best and most successful vehicles to assist small business. The new SEED policy…. We didn’t establish targets, because we needed to provide funding on an

application basis to different regions. We will continue to measure it based on jobs that are created and the number of businesses that are started up.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

As long as we’re not using that new vehicle the Minister talks about by putting a couple of crash test dummies in and smashing it against the wall.

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister why the government continues its reluctance to move toward a one window model to provide support, loans and programming to businesses for economic development in our territory.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

The BDIC was only put into effect approximately four years ago. The SEED policy we just introduced on September 2, 2008. We still feel that a protocol arrangement between ITI and BDIC is the way to go. It gives us the greatest flexibility, the greatest ability to meet the needs of our clients, which are the small businesses of the Northwest Territories.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

I want to ask the Minister if he knows how many businesses have been created or started up in the small communities. I’m speaking specifically of communities outside regional centres. How many of those have received business start-up funding in the past ten years, and how many are still in existence? Can the Minister commit to getting us that level of detail?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

The Support to Entrepreneurs and Economic Development policy program has been established, is geared to the smaller communities and is based on the consultations that we undertook. I’ll be pleased to provide the annual reports to the Member that would indicate how many businesses were started up in these small communities.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My thoughts on this are that with the SEED program, the $2.5 million…. We can take that out and scatter it around the territory, but if we’re not looking at the cost of doing business in the small communities — and I’m speaking specifically about utility costs and personnel costs and the costs of operating a business day to day — then we’re really not supporting economic activity in our territory.

I’d like to ask the Minister: whether it’s BDIC or whether it’s his department, has anybody gone out and looked at the cost of actually doing business in a small community so that we can get some real economic activity happening in our small communities?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

I think we should give the SEED policy an opportunity to operate, at least for a short period of time, maybe for a year or so. The whole express purpose for setting up the new SEED policy was what we heard in consultation. What we heard from small businesses in level 2 and level 3 communities indicated that this is what they needed to be successful, and that’s how this whole SEED policy program has been designed and set up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 447-16(2) Support To Entrepreneurs And Economic Development Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Krutko .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that Aklavik is prone to flooding and has had several floods in the last number of years. Also with the challenges in regard to global warming and melting, permafrost, structural challenges in our communities, maintenance of roads, public infrastructure, implementing new capital projects in regard to water treatment plants, airport extensions, shoreline erosion, and dealing with the replacement of the Joe Greenland seniors facility…. These are just some of the capital projects that we are looking at over the next number of years.

But, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, in order to construct anything in communities, you need gravel. In regard to the flood that took place a couple of years ago in Aklavik, we spent $1.4 million to barge gravel from Inuvik, yet the gravel source is 20 kilometres from the community. Also, it is the linkage to get Aklavik connected to the Dempster Highway.

There was a motion passed in this House, unanimously supported by Members on this side of the House, to have this project move forward along with the project for Tuktoyaktuk in regard to access to their gravel source. I’d like to ask the Premier : could he tell me exactly how much weight that motion had in this House, and what is the government doing to ensure that the motions passed in this House send direction to Cabinet so they move on some of these matters?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko . The Hon. Premier , Minister Roland .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The motions of this House do carry weight. We review our options on an annual basis and weigh out, with the funding available, what projects can proceed.

On a specific gravel source to Aklavik, the Member raised this issue with me, as well, in the last session. I sat down with the Ministers on our side and committed them to work with the Member in the

community. I understand the appropriate Ministers went into Aklavik this summer, had a meeting, and there were ongoing discussions there. There was a commitment to look at, as the Member pointed out, through the Building Canada Fund, the research and development portion of that as one of the possible avenues of trying to do some preliminary engineering work.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, in the meeting that the Premier mentioned in Aklavik, there was a commitment for $50,000 for the committee to begin its work to develop a report so that they can look at the alignment of the access road and the gravel source itself. They would develop a proposal and bring it forward so that we can be able to access the federal infrastructure funding with a proposal moving forward to Ottawa.

I’d like to ask the Premier : is he aware if that commitment has been lived up to in regard to the $50,000 for the committee and the departments to develop that report?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

I am aware that the department is working with the community. I understand, in fact, that a meeting will be held in the community next week, I believe on the 15th of

October, to have further discussion in this area. At that point, they’ll have to decide how they can move this further ahead.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, access for our communities, but more importantly access to gravel sources, is fundamental, especially to communities that are prone to flooding. With global warming these challenges are going to get worse before they are going to get better. We are seeing more and more floods every year. Communities are being affected; forest fires…. I think that as a government we do have to be proactive, reactive. So I’d like to ask the Premier : would he commit to ensure that we have something ready to go to the federal government, hopefully no later than December?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, the Building Canada Fund process is in the system with the Minister responsible for the infrastructure department, Minister Michael McLeod . He committed, through the process, to continue to do this work. I can’t say if we’ll have something absolutely in place by December. The next number of meetings that need to occur between the Department of Transportation and the community are going to be the critical ones to look at how they would proceed on the preliminary engineering and scope of project and at that point decide how they would fund that.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to get a commitment from the Premier that at least somewhere in going forward we’re looking at a business planning process, pre-budget estimates, capital estimates. I’d like to see somewhere in that picture that there will be mention of the Aklavik access road in the capital project, in future years or whatever. But at least I want to see a name that shows up in the books. Is that a possibility, that we can look at the $50,000 that’s being expended through that infrastructure funding going forward with future capital amounts being listed?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, the department is going to work with the community. They’re talking about trying to come up with the funds through the research and development portion of the Building Canada Fund, and that work will be ongoing.

As for me committing to taking a project and putting it into the plan, we know that we work with Members of the Assembly through the business plan process, and I wouldn’t say that I personally or as Premier could put a project in there without proper consultation.

I think this work we talked about is going to help us prepare for the next stage, and that is research development to come up with the preliminary work. Through that process we’ll be able to identify how we could move this forward and when, in what year, it would be able to flow and what dollars we could find attached to it. Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 448-16(2) Access Road To Aklavik Gravel Source

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the newly minted Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs . I’d like to congratulate him on his initiation into question period previously.

I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement with regard to options for community governments and assistance that might be available for them. I’d like to ask the Minister what options or what services exist at this time that will provide assistance to communities when they feel that it is needed under their lack of capacity under the New Deal.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs , Mr. Robert McLeod .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Member for that. The communities have always asked for the right to make their own choices, and I think that under this New Deal they have that. But there is an understanding that there

may be some capacity issues. I think MACA has gone a long way in trying to help the communities deal with some of the capacity issues. They’ve provided a lot of support to them in the way of advice and assistance and financial management support. They’ve made themselves readily available for any support to the communities, as much as they possibly can, to help them take advantage of the monies gained in the New Deal.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister for that answer. That’s about what I expected.

Interjections.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

No, no, it was not nothing. It was very much something, but it was something I already knew.

I’d like to follow up and ask the Minister whether or not there is currently a pot of money available to communities that would provide assistance to them for large infrastructure projects.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I’m not sure if the Member’s expecting this answer, but I’m going to give it anyway. Twenty-eight million dollars is available to community governments as part of the capital formula funding, and also there’s additional money, like $7.5 million available under the Gas Tax Agreement. There’s $43 million going to community governments under the Building Canada Fund, which is available over seven years. MACA is in the process of communicating with the communities and asking for their identification of projects by December of this year.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Minister. I’m glad to hear that you’re communicating with the communities. That’s a good thing.

I would like to ask for the Minister’s opinion relative to the suggestion for an infrastructure fund proposal that was mentioned in my statement. Does he see the merit in such a proposal, and will this Minister take on the task of convincing the Finance Minister that we should include such a fund in our 2009–10 operations budget?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I take the Member’s suggestion. We should have to look at any options that are presented to us by Members on the other side of the House and bring them before the departments and amongst our Cabinet colleagues to see if there’s some merit to them. I will commit to having a look into this and seeing what I can do. Like I said earlier, I have a briefing with the department this afternoon. So by tomorrow I’ll be hopefully up to speed.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. You always were up to speed in my books.

I appreciate the answer that you gave in terms of numbers and the millions and millions of dollars that is available to communities, but that is not just for infrastructure projects. That funding has to go for them to operate their communities, and when a large infrastructure project such as a water treatment plant needs to be done to keep up with federal regulations, there’s not really extra money available for that.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he would commit to consultation with the NWT Association of Communities in the establishment of an infrastructure fund so that we get a fund that works for the communities and not one that simply creates problems for them in its use.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thanks to the Member for that. First, I’m going to work with the department and, like I said, familiarize myself with all that we can and can’t do and what’s available and what’s not available. I think once I get that done, then I’ll probably be in a better position to make a commitment.

But like I said, I’ve committed a couple of times already today — I should be good for a while — to try and familiarize myself with the department as much as possible so I’m in a better position to give good, solid, concrete answers to many of the Members’ questions. Thank you.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 449-16(2) Creation Of A Community Infrastructure Funding Program

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I almost want to ask the Minister of MACA for some stuff already. But not today. That’s for tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, just following up on my Member’s statement today regarding Industry, Tourism and Investment with a few questions…. We know that the U.S. government has banned importation of polar bear hides into the country. What is the GNWT going to do to get this decision reversed?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson . The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment , Mr. Bob McLeod .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we travelled to Washington and met with the United States Fish and Wildlife and an assorted number of senators and congressmen, we heard that the sports hunting of polar bears was an unintended consequence of the action that was

taken in listing the polar bear as threatened. Basically, we were told that in order to get this changed, we would have to get legislation changed in the Marine Mammal Act. So I guess technically that’s what would have to get done to change it.

There was some suggestion that, in the way they do business in the United States, they could just tack it onto a finance bill or something like that to get it done. So I think there will be lots of those opportunities. We just have to get a champion to work on our behalf, and I think we have to continue to engage our consulate, our embassy office in Washington.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, to the Minister. The outfitting industry is an important sector in Tourism and Industry, and outfitters in my communities are going to be affected by the decisions. What will ITI do to help us?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Outfitting is a very important part of our NWT economy, and through the business planning process we intend to put forward some proposals to help the outfitters.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, just to let the Minister know, I look forward to working with him in the endeavour.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 450-16(2) United States Ban On The Importation Of Polar Bear Hides

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you. I didn’t hear a question there. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Center , Mr. Hawkins .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, the issue I raised today in my Member’s statement has a serious impact on the people who live and work in downtown Yellowknife. It causes many people great concern. The fact of the lack of public washrooms causes people to do natural things in unnatural places, if I may say. You know, that is not supporting dignity and humanity in the nicest of ways.

I know it’s far too easy to make jokes about this, and it is probably not uncommon to want to make jokes about something like this, but this is a serious issue. The people in the downtown riding want to move out of downtown. People don’t want to do business downtown, and it’s because of things like this.

My question will be to the Minister of Health and Social Services . Is she willing to look into this problem and see if it can be addressed by possibly finding some NGO or some service organization that will open up a facility so people who are homeless or who are in need can go to a pubic washroom without having to beg for a key or kick a

door in to try to get into a facility when they need to use one?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins . The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services , Ms. Lee .

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Mr. Speaker, I’m sure this government is willing to work with any partners who may want to address any number of issues, but I think by any standards this is probably a municipal issue. I know they’re having discussions going on about some of the issues that the Member is bringing up, and I would be happy to discuss it with the municipal government and any other parties to see what options are available.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, that answer wasn’t quite what I was looking for, because I don’t believe it is a Municipal Affairs issue. Municipal issues are worries about property taxes, dogs and dumps. It wasn’t really designed to worry about the social issues around homelessness. The problem out of this situation is they’ve been picking up where the government has been failing miserably.

So I ask once again in maybe a slightly different way: would the Minister take leadership on this issue, show some initiative, get out there and say, “Look, maybe let’s see what we can do and contact some of our service organizations that may want to take this on as a task,” some type of joint partnership with the Department of Health and Social Services to attempt to bring back some humanity and dignity to the people who have lost it?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

Sandy Lee

Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, all of the projects that we work on with respect to homelessness or housing issues or municipal downtown issues we do in partnership with the municipal governments. I have great faith in the ability and capacity of the City of Yellowknife to address these issues. I’m aware of lots of community groups that are working on that, so I’m happy to work with them. But I do believe that this is an issue that should be spearheaded by the municipal government and the community groups, and I think the leadership should be left there.

If there are any proposals that the government should look at, I would be happy to entertain that, but to this date I’m not aware of any such proposal. I believe the municipal level government is working on that.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, social issues of this type and nature are the responsibility of the Government of the Northwest Territories, the responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Services. I’m not sure where she finds this in the mandate of the City of Yellowknife. I think what we are finding here is a situation where the City of Yellowknife is desperate because the Department of Health and Social Services has been ignoring these issues for so long. They have no other choice

but to take on other issues that are outside their mandate.

So I ask again: would the Minister show some initiative by looking into contacting some of the social organizations, some of the NGOs that offer programs to people all day long? Would she make some reach out process to find out if they would be willing to take on a task like this? Again, maybe the government will help bring a bit of humanity back to people who are homeless. This is their opportunity, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister do this?

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Mr. Speaker, as the Member pointed out, this is not a new issue. It is a natural phenomenon, as the Member has stated. Municipal governments around the world take care of issues that the Member is raising. So I do believe that it is within the power and responsibility of the municipal government.

I’d be happy to make a commitment to the Member that I will meet with the mayor of Yellowknife and see what they have in their plans and see if there is anything that he would like us to do and work with him. But I do believe that at the end of the day this is a responsibility of the City ofYellowknife and the duly elected councillors there. I trust the ability and capacity of the councillors and mayor to take care of issues in downtown Yellowknife.

Please select the issue you noticed * :

Misattribution

Formatting

Missing Words

Other

If Other, please indicate the problem: (Optional)

Submit

Thanks!

We'll take a look into it.

Sorry!

There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later.

Copy Copied

Question 451-16(2) Lack Of Public Washrooms In Downtown Yellowknife

Oral Questions

The