Debates of Feb. 10th, 2010

This is page numbers 4061 - 4100 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 4th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library.

The word of the day was communities .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 64-16(4): 2009 NWT Community Survey – Housing Results

Minister’s Statement 65-16(4): Support For Mining

Ministers Statement 66-16(4): Not Us! Campaign

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Wealth Of Resources In The NWT

Upgrading NWTHC Programs

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Upgrading Of Nahendeh Highways

Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Organ Donation In The NWT

High Cost Of Power In The NWT

GNWT Hiring Practices

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

GNWT Hiring Practices

Resource Revenue Sharing

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

NWTHC Programs

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Upgrading Of Nahendeh Highways

High Cost Of Power In The NWT

Written Question 19-16(4): Details On NWTHC Program Applications

Caribou Conservation Measures

Appeals Process For NWTHC Programs

Chipsealing And Dust Control In Small Communities

Power Generation Across The NWT

Structure Of NWT Power Corporation

Structure Of NWT Power Corporation

Increasing Income Support Thresholds

Tabled Document 70-16(4): 2009 NWT Community Survey – Housing Component

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Identify Additional Funding For Community Broadcasting Grants That Provide Financial Assistance For Community-Based Radio And Television Stations

Development And Introduction Of An Aurora College Diploma Program For Sustainable Community Administration And Renewable Energy Technology

Inclusion Of New School And Gymnasium In The Multi-Year Capital Plan For The Community Of Trout Lake

Deletion Of $400,000 For The Nutritious Foods Steering Committee And Its Associated Activities

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

The House met at 1:36 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation , Mr. Bob McLeod .

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Minister’s Statement 64-16(4): 2009 NWT Community Survey – Housing Results

Ministers’ Statements

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide Members with information on the housing needs data that has been collected through the 2009 NWT Community Survey.

According to this new data, core housing need in the Northwest Territories has risen from 16 percent in 2004 to 19 percent in 2009. Household need varied across our Territory from a high of 36 percent in the Nahendeh to a low of 14 percent in the North Slave. Approximately 27 percent of households in the Beaufort-Delta were in core need compared with 36 percent in the Sahtu and 17 percent in the South Slave.

The increase in core housing need is the result of increases in the number of dwellings that do not meet our adequacy standards, meaning that a unit is either in poor physical condition or lacking the basic facilities for a healthy living environment. This problem continues to be more prevalent in our smaller communities than in regional centres. Between 2004 and 2009, adequacy problems in smaller communities increased from 27 percent in 2004 to 37 in 2009.

Mr. Speaker, the increase in core housing need between 2004 and 2009 was anticipated by the NWT Housing Corporation. Though this period saw the Housing Corporation spend over $155 million in federal and territorial housing funding to build or repair approximately 1,750 units replacing or repairing older public and private housing units.

As well, Mr. Speaker, it should be noted that the downturn in the economy in the months prior to the

collection of this data also has an impact on this data, as a household is considered to be in core housing need only when household income is not sufficient for the residents to deal with on their own. The increasing cost of living in our communities has made housing in general less affordable. As affordability problems continue to grow, the ability of the corporation’s homeownership programs to meet the needs of some residents is impacted, leading to gaps in programming and services. As Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation , I have asked my officials to closely examine the gaps that exist between our housing programs and to come up with solutions to fill those gaps.

Mr. Speaker, it is also important to note that eight communities in the NWT saw their overall core need decline from 2004 to 2009. Those communities are Fort McPherson, Sachs Harbour, Tsiigehtchic, Norman Wells, Hay River, Hay River Reserve, Lutselk’e and Kakisa. Four of these communities -- Fort McPherson, Sachs Harbour, Tsiigehtchic and Kakisa -- have seen the number of households in core need drop below 30 percent. These are positive developments for these communities and we will continue to invest in all of our communities in an effort to improve housing conditions.

Mr Speaker, the increase in core housing need reaffirms the message we have been sending to the federal government as recently as this past December during the federal/provincial/territorial Housing Ministers meetings. While the investments made in northern housing by Canada in recent years are welcomed, they are not enough even to maintain housing need as it currently stands, let alone to make progress in improving conditions.

We will need new federal housing programs for the North that deliver based on need rather than on a per capita basis. I have joined with my territorial colleagues in calling for a new approach to northern housing as the only way that we will improve housing conditions north of the 60th parallel. This

new approach would include investments in new capital construction as well as the reinstatement of funding for the operation and maintenance of new and existing units.

As Members are aware, I have expressed my concern with the continuing and escalating decline of federal funding through CMHC for the operation

and maintenance of public housing units. It should also be noted that while we appreciate the funding provided for housing through the Northern Housing Trust and Canada’s Economic Action Plan, at the end of this coming fiscal year, this funding, which provided our Territory with $100 million between 2006 and 2011, will end. There is no indication that funding for new construction will be extended beyond this date and the only federal assistance for new construction will come in the form of much smaller programs that are allocated on a per capita basis. This will greatly impact the ability of the NWTHC to address housing need in our Territory.

However, Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to sit back and wait for the federal government to make investments, or to simply continue to cost-match these investments and hope that our housing conditions will improve. This government must continue to forge partnerships with all levels of government, with individual households and with all relevant stakeholders, in an effort to aggressively tackle the housing needs facing our communities. Our approach must include programs and housing designs that are created by Northerners for Northerners.

It must find ways to address the unique needs of our smallest communities as well as our largest centres and it must ensure that where gaps exist in the ability of residents to house their families, that this government is there to provide meaningful solutions to housing problems.

Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the first report from 2009 NWT Community Survey which provides information on housing needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 64-16(4): 2009 NWT Community Survey – Housing Results

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Minister’s Statement 65-16(4): Support For Mining

Ministers’ Statements

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, 2009 was a challenging year for the Northwest Territories mining industry. The economic downturn saw spending on exploration and deposit appraisals go down significantly in our Territory.

But it’s during tough times that we must not lose our focus. We must not waver in our efforts to ensure our economy remains strong, and we must not waver in our attention to one of the largest sectors of that economy: mining.

That is why I will talk today about some of the work this government is doing to support the mining industry and ensure we have a sector where development occurs, where that development is done responsibly and where Northwest Territories residents benefit from it.

One way we are working to keep our mining sector strong is through constant dialogue with industry

stakeholders such as the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Chamber of Mines. Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to see the chamber’s new president, John Kearney, who is also president of Canadian Zinc, join us today in the House along with some of their chamber directors.

---Applause

I have met with Mr. Kearney and we have agreed that the chamber and the government will work together to raise awareness of the importance of mining in the Northwest Territories with the federal government.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased with some of the good work the chamber is doing on a number of fronts, such as this work to improve relations between the mining industry and our aboriginal communities and its promotion of infrastructure development in the North.

Through this dialogue, we can find ways to work together to ensure we have win/win scenarios for both the Territory and the mining industry. Both Mr. Kim Truter, president of Diavik Diamond Mines, and Mr. Paul Harvey, president and chief operating officer of Ekati Diamond Mine, who are with us today, can attest that a good example of this kind of cooperation is the Northern Mining Workforce Initiative Memorandum of Understanding between our government and three diamond mines. The goal of the memorandum of understanding is to improve the skills of our Northwest Territories workforce and attract and retain our residents to work at the mines.

Other government initiatives that support the mining industry include our partnership with the federal government on gathering new geoscience data through the Strategic Investment in Northern Economic Development program. This work is critical to the success of exploration projects and I’m pleased the funding for this program has been renewed.

We are also supporting the mining industry through our involvement in the Northwest Territories Mine Training Society as we work towards training more aboriginal people and Northerners for jobs in the mining industry.

We also continue to lobby the federal government to build much needed infrastructure in our Territory, like the Taltson Hydro Expansion Project. It is projects like this that will contribute to sustainable and responsible development.

Finally, we continue to push the federal government to address the issues that are impacting the effectiveness of our regulatory regime. In fact, the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, Mr. Chuck Strahl, recently announced in Yellowknife that the federal government will be releasing a series of responses to the McCrank report on regulatory improvement in the North this spring.

Our government, industry and all Northerners await the federal government’s response to this report.

Mr. Speaker, the mining sector is a source of significant employment in the Northwest Territories, creating over 2,000 direct jobs each year. And aside from the direct benefits, the industry generates significant employment in the transportation, services, trades and construction sectors.

We also have a wealth of mineral potential with world-class deposits in everything including gold, diamonds and tungsten.

Some of that potential, like the rare earths deposit that is being pursued by Avalon Ventures, could lead to mines that will be open for decades and employ hundreds of Northwest Territories residents.

Mr. Speaker, a prosperous mining industry, one where mining companies and Northwest Territories residents benefit, will go a long way towards providing our Territory with a diversified and healthy economy that provides all regions and communities with choices as envisioned by the 16th Legislative

Assembly through Northerners Working Together. That is why we must continue to do what we can to support a strong mining sector here in the Northwest Territories.

In closing, I would like to congratulate Mr. Kearney on his new role as president of the chamber and I look forward to working with him and his board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 65-16(4): Support For Mining

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Ministers Statement 66-16(4): Not Us! Campaign

Ministers’ Statements

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, this Assembly is well aware of the damaging effects of drugs on our communities. Drug dealers prey on the most vulnerable among us. They target young people who think bad things will never happen to them. They go after people with mental illnesses who are struggling just to get through a day. They knowingly sell drugs that are laced with other drugs to people who already have addictions. They do this on purpose, so they have more people to sell to. And if this weren’t troubling enough, we know more deadly drugs such as crystal meth is already here.

The substance abuse problem is not the same in every community. In some regions, bootleggers are causing trouble for communities. In other regions, people with gang affiliations sell crack and ecstasy on the streets and in drug houses.

What is the same is this: Wherever I go in the North, people tell me they want to take action. They want support for community-based responses. And

they want information about what works in other places. That’s why this government has developed a unique campaign to meet those needs. The campaign is funded as a strategic initiative under Building our Future and it has ties to the Healthy Choices Framework, another strategic priority of this government. Its development has involved the departments of Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment and Municipal and Community Affairs, as well as the RCMP.

The theme of our campaign is “Not Us!,” not our families, not our schools, not our communities, not our Territory. Not us! We are tired of watching drug dealers hurt our friends. It’s time to come together and say that we won’t let it happen anymore. Not us! is the campaign that will help people make commitments to themselves and their families and with others in their community so that drugs don’t take over. We’re focusing on prevention by promoting healthy choices and lifestyles and the role of personal and family responsibility.

Although this campaign will have some common features throughout the Northwest Territories, it is designed to help communities take a stand against drugs in a way that recognizes their unique needs and strengths. We knew this had to be different, so the focus is on providing support and resources that will help one community at a time. It’s a community first, community-driven campaign.

Here’s how it works. Our community justice division will help interested community groups, including community justice committees, to develop a plan for fighting drugs. It will be different in each place. Some communities want to work with kids. Other communities want help to get their local social agencies working together more efficiently. There’s no right or wrong plan to deal with drugs. Local people know what local needs are.

To support the community work, we’re developing a website, public service announcements, and promotional items communities can use. We’re also developing kits that can be used to create community-level campaigns. Schools can make their own posters using Not Us! themes. Youth groups can make their own Not Us! T-shirts. Even individuals can create their own items. Our website will have community sections, run by communities. They decide what they want their sections to be. Some will want to post their customized resources there. Others will want to link back to their own websites.

All of these actions, whether they be community-wide or by an individual, are great. This campaign is all about supporting these actions. It strengthens local programs that address addictions and mental health.

As Minister of Justice and Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , I am pleased to see the partnerships on the campaign in tackling drug problems. As well, the involvement of the

Department of Health and Social Services, Municipal and Community Affairs and the RCMP is essential to this work. We have very talented staff in our communities who work on addictions issues every day. We want to support them.

We are working with a group of Hay River residents to launch the territorial Not Us! campaign there on March 29th , while also profiling the work the

community has done. I’ll be there and I invite the Members to attend too. After that, we’ll start visiting communities all over the NWT and help those who are interested in launching their own campaigns. In some places, people will want to talk about alcohol. In others, we’ll talk seriously about hard drugs like crystal meth, crack and ecstasy. Wherever we go, we’ll work with families, communities and schools to improve the physical and mental well-being of our youth. We’ll encourage people to find common-sense solutions that will work in the long term.

Reaching every community in the Northwest Territories will take time. But it will be worth it to give communities new ways to protect their families from dangerous drugs. I am looking forward to working with Members of the Legislative Assembly and every community in the Northwest Territories on this important initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Ministers Statement 66-16(4): Not Us! Campaign

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Anti-Poverty Strategy

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my thoughts today on why combating poverty requires a strategy for coordinated action across all government departments. The face of poverty tends to be seen as a crowd of statistics and social indicators, percentages and rates. We deal with the aspect of poverty through some very good and necessary programs, but unless all these programs are locked together in a united approach, the chances of success are poor.

Poverty happens on a person or family at a time. Let’s consider an example of the challenges out there. Take the case of a single mom or dad who’s finally had the courage to overcome substance abuse through a territorial treatment program. That person goes home sober, but finds her problems have just begun. Through repeat applications with assistance from an educated cousin, arguing with government people, and downright desperate persistence, she manages to get housing and some income support for food. No child care spaces are available, though, and with poor literacy, good work is hard to get. With no local transportation, medical

appointments and an important job interview are missed, but she didn’t have the clothing or confidence anyway.

Having no money for her kids’ sports equipment or activities to build health and with a lack of good parenting skills, her level of stress as a mother increases. How long will she be able to stay sober and how the heck can she get ahead?

Mr. Speaker, we can’t deal with our problems in isolation. We may have the basics of a roof over our heads and some food on the table, but just as people have to tie together all the elements of their approach to life, this government has to coordinate all its efforts to effectively reach the one goal: eliminating poverty, one person at a time. I can’t think of a bigger priority for this government nor one with such huge benefits than ending the tragic poverty of so many of our citizens. An informed and well-implemented plan can get us there.

Looking through the lens of poverty we need to identify and fill the gaps, ensure the coordination and target our resources if we are to succeed in eliminating poverty. When we consider modest actions like reducing the cost of living through tax credits or making public transit available, support for small businesses, making land available for local food production, a key consideration must be the elimination of poverty.

Other jurisdictions taking this approach are achieving remarkable success. It’s time we developed an integrated approach in consultation with business, interest groups, the public, and all government. Let’s get it done.

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Anti-Poverty Strategy

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Wealth Of Resources In The NWT

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement is on the wealth of the Northwest Territories, the wealth of enriching culture and resources, non-renewable resources.

When I was looking at the Sahtu atlas the other day, again I was looking at the amount of resources the Sahtu have to offer to the people of Canada and the Northwest Territories. I was thinking about this. How could such a rich country as the Northwest Territories, or even the region of the Sahtu or any other region in the Northwest Territories, how could we be so poor? We fight hard for people. How could we be so poor? We ask for houses that Mr. McLeod has given his ministerial statement on housing issues in the Northwest Territories.

Or when the Minister of Health gives a statement of health in the Northwest Territories. Or even our Education Minister . How is our region here in the Northwest Territories, the Sahtu, so poor?

You know that in the Northwest Territories, the Norman Wells oilfield pumps about $500 million every year in oil down from Norman Wells to Zama. We pump $500 million a year. Yet there are things like health care, education, teachers, paved roads for the communities for dust for the elders. We aren’t able to get that. Now they’re looking at other potential oilfields, natural gas fields. They are in the billions, if we’re to get this pipeline and anchor them into the line. They are in the billions of dollars that this region of the Northwest Territories could have.

Even with the mining, they discovered tungsten up in the Yukon/Northwest Territories border. It’s the world’s largest deposit of tungsten. Even in solvent resources on the Yukon/Northwest Territories border there’s the lead and zinc discovery, the world’s largest. I will be having questions on this issue here on how the Northwest Territories, especially the Sahtu, can start benefiting from these resources in the North.

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Wealth Of Resources In The NWT

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Upgrading NWTHC Programs

Members’ Statements

David Krutko

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation a number of years ago introduced new programs such as CARE, HELP, STEP, to improve the delivery of assistance programs to homeowners in the Northwest Territories. There was a lot of praise, a lot of hope, and a lot of expectations from the residents of the Northwest Territories, especially homeowners, that they were going to see a real improvement in the programs. Yet today I still have a lot of my constituency coming forward and applying year after year and being refused on one excuse after another.

The aging infrastructure in our communities is some 30 or 40 years old, especially when you look at the old HAP units, the SHAG units. This infrastructure needs repairs. I know we put a lot of repairs into public housing infrastructure, but the intent of these programs was to find a way to assist homeowners by doing these important retrofits and making their homes energy efficient, bringing them up to existing regulations by way of health standards, electrical standards and safety standards. Yet we continue to see a gap in those people who have taken the time and own their homes.

A lot of our seniors, who we praise to stay in their own homes, shouldn’t be in an institution. Yet, Mr. Speaker, today we still have elders in our communities, and I’ll use an example in Fort McPherson of an elder who’s 96 years old, his wife is 95 years old. They live independently. They have a wood stove in their house. The old man is 96 and still packs wood into his own home. He requested a

Monitor heater so he’d have a secondary heat system so he doesn’t have to pack wood into his home. He applied for a program about a year ago but he’s still waiting for an answer.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s critical that this government does everything it can and if we have to revamp the program again, maybe do an assessment of what the program is to ensure that it is doing what we intended it to do, but, more importantly, are we reaching the people it was supposed to: the homeowners, the people that have made the investment, the people that remain in their home communities and have taken the risk, raising their families and staying in our communities? But again the affordability is there. So, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Housing questions. Thank you.

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Upgrading NWTHC Programs

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Anti-Poverty Strategy

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I presented the Premier with a belated Christmas present, one that I had been safekeeping for him. In December of last year, in the absence of any Members of the Executive Council, I accepted a present from a group of people, people representing social organizations in Yellowknife and the NWT as a whole. This informal alliance of 14 organizations had come to the Legislative Assembly to give the Legislative Assembly a Christmas present, a gift of past reports which detail the causes and effects of poverty in the NWT, and they asked for only one present in return.

To quote the group: “All we want for Christmas is an end to poverty.” That present for the alliance -- an end to poverty -- is one that this government needs to start work on.

There’s no doubt that poverty is the root of all kinds of social ills. The effects of poverty are evident in our schools, in the overloading of our health care system and so on. If the NWT government turns its mind and its considerable power to a coordinated attack on poverty in our Territory, the results will be positive both from a fiscal point of view and for the well-being of our people.

In trying to determine if we had a poverty strategy or a policy with the GNWT, I discovered an income security report from 2007 titled “Breaking Down the Barriers to Poverty: Promoting Self-Reliance.” From the Minister’s message in that report comes the following quote: “Self-reliance is the key to the success of our Territory.”

This paper outlines a new philosophy in the vision we have for breaking down the barriers to self-reliance and eliminating poverty in the Northwest Territories. The Minister goes on to say poverty is

difficult to escape. As this paper lays out, it’s not just an issue of money. In order to eliminate poverty, our governments, agencies and communities will need to work together to align the supports and services needed by individuals to succeed. This work will take some time, but the philosophy outlined in this paper and the changes to our system that will follow represent an important step for our government, but one that we believe is worth taking.

But now, in 2010, I don’t believe we’re any closer to eradicating poverty than we were three years ago. The changes referred to by Minister Dent have not taken place. I don’t believe that the coordination of departments and agencies and services has taken place. Our people are no more self-reliant than they were in 2007. It’s time for us -- and by that I mean the government, non-government organizations, local governments and NWT residents -- to take a serious look at how poverty impacts our Territory, our government and our people.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

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Anti-Poverty Strategy

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

We need to take a serious look at how poverty impacts our Territory, our government and our people. It’s time for us to take some real action. Minister Dent was correct in one thing in 2007: our governments, agencies and communities need to work together. And as my colleague Mr. Jacobson likes to say, let’s get ‘er done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Anti-Poverty Strategy

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Upgrading Of Nahendeh Highways

Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken many times in the past about the need to improve the roads that link the communities of the Nahendeh riding and I would like to speak about it again. I am pleased with the chipseal work to be done on Highway No. 1 this year and the improvements to the access road to Jean Marie River, the construction of the access road for Nahanni Butte and the Shale Creek Bridge upgrade. I trust that the Department of Transportation will have everything scheduled by now and the work will be completed without a hitch this spring. These improvements will help make part of the Deh Cho safer for driving.

These roads also link our communities to our neighbouring provinces and territories and to the Mackenzie Valley.

You might understand better why my constituents are impatient about road construction if you recall that in 1972 the federal government announced that

they were going to build a highway from Fort Simpson to the Dempster in four years. The construction of the Mackenzie Highway began but was stopped in 1977, with the completion of only 210 kilometres. It didn’t get quite as far as Wrigley. However, this year the federal government and the GNWT are funding the preparation of a project description report for the construction of an all-weather road all the way down the Mackenzie Valley to Inuvik and from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk.

This is a very important step and when this road is built, and also if and when a pipeline is built, it will certainly be important to have good roads for access by the workforce and transportation of equipment. There should also be consideration and support of upgrading our highways leading to both Alberta and British Columbia, especially the needs of Fort Liard to have the final 18 kilometres of Highway No. 7 reconstructed towards the B.C. border.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize the work completed by the Department of Transportation to date. I urge early completion of our projects in the Nahendeh riding this spring. There will be many benefits to the region, our NWT economy, tourism, and to the safety of the travelers this summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Upgrading Of Nahendeh Highways

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Members’ Statements

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, Cabinet announced the transfer of public housing and rental subsidy from Education, Culture and Employment back to the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with the decision.

I know many of my colleagues support this transfer. Since public rental subsidy moved to Income Support, there has been a disconnect between the rental subsidy and the local housing organizations. A gap was caused when subsidized rent changed to market rent. The market rent and the gap wasn’t something the client did, but was caused by the lack of communication between ECE and the LHO. There were serious delays in getting rental subsidies to the people who rely on the program.

These people had to contact two offices to accomplish one thing -- pay rent -- and the result was that many clients and LHOs developed arrears. Some people even got evicted because of this, Mr. Speaker, and the rigid policies that surrounded the record of assessment.

Mr. Speaker, the arrears that people developed since the transfer of the program in 2007 should be forgiven. Seventy-five percent of housing tenants do not receive income support. These tenants are

now called income support clients, and a lot of people feel their dignity has been compromised. They fell into arrears that developed because of the administration problems created by the Government of the Northwest Territories. We should own up to this mistake, Mr. Speaker, and forgive the debt.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister told us he wants us to keep some of the improvements ECE tried to make when the program returns to the Housing Corporation. That might be a good idea, but when they sit down to review the policy, they should consider the people first, Mr. Speaker. The Cabinet should bring forward a bill to forgive all the arrears that are a result of the transfer in the 15th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, our people deserve a fresh start. Thank you.

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Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to again discuss the high cost of living here in the Northwest Territories today, and especially the community I am most familiar with, and that is Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear; as a government with shrinking revenues, we cannot afford to lose one person from our Territory. It costs us $22,500 every time someone packs up and leaves, usually broke, because they are sick and tired of all their money going to pay bills. If a family of four leaves, it’s over $90,000 that leaves with them. This is happening. People are leaving and our government has got to pay attention to the main reason why, and that is the high cost of living.

We seem to have our heads buried firmly in the snow when it comes to finding any meaningful or tangible ways we can help people reduce the cost of living. “Working poor” is a term that accurately reflects many people in this city. They work hard every day, some of them with two or three jobs in the service industry. Others are our own government workers who, after paying rent, mortgage, utility costs, gas, food, taxes, child care and other monthly expenses, are left with nothing to put away for their family’s future.

In fact, even though people are earning more today than 10 or even 20 years ago, there’s little question people today are worse off and we seem like we’re tripping over ourselves to try to make people pay more.

From the smallest items, as if we’re not paying enough for food, charging 25 cents for a plastic bag at the grocery store and for which most people have many other uses for, or spending -- oh, yeah -- we’re not quite sure how much yet on a bridge that will undoubtedly increase the price of

everything that is transported across it. We are creating ways to make people pay more.

This government has not done enough to address the high cost of living. We can’t wait for a Cabinet committee to come forward with ways we can address this.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

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High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Like I said, we can’t afford to wait any longer. I think the time has come. We can’t wait for a Cabinet committee to deliver on this. I think the time has come for this government to form a joint committee with Regular Members of this House, to finally get a cost of living special committee off the ground and try to find a way and means in which we can help people out here in this Territory and this city.

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High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Organ Donation In The NWT

Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to use my Member’s statement to talk about a frustrating experience that a number of Members in this House share. It’s about a bureaucratic approach that continues to drag success down when people are trying to do the right thing.

The issue I would like to discuss in this House is about organ donation in the Northwest Territories. Now, I know that we have a small population and that Stanton cannot provide the highly specialized transplant services that many people do need in the world. But, like most organ harvesting and transplant operations that do have to happen, we send people to Edmonton. Like many of us, we’ve assumed that our health care services would be there, but it’s a sad story when I have to tell they are not.

Organ donation and transplant process we had thought was supported through the medical travel, but a number of Northerners who have tried to donate keep running into a wall when they try to support their loved ones. Some Northerners are transplant recipients. Some Northerners are

transplant donors. The NWT health care system needs to pay particular attention to this system. We need clear policies and procedures that help people who want to do the right thing.

In absence of the policy, I could tell this House endless stories about people trying to get support and hitting a wall of pre-op care, medication for post-care, travel assistance with their loved ones. It’s a frustrating experience when it’s a very emotional time. I could tell you a story about a family who had to have a kidney operation and a child was giving it to their parent. They were upset to the point that they wondered if it would ever happen. In the end, they made the decision of saying they would do it if the government won’t help.

Fortunately enough, the process did kick in as a one-off in that experience. I think that’s part of the problem. It’s turned into a one-off experience without a clear policy.

I think there’s leadership in the department that could help solve this problem. With National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week coming forward this April 18th to 25th , I’d like to hear the

Minister maybe talk about the fact that we’re now going to have a policy in place to make sure that any NWT citizen that wants to go through this process, whether they want to be a living donor or they need a donation of a specialized organ, that the territorial government will be there for them, to help them in that time of need and crisis. I believe we can do better for our citizens and I’m sure we can.

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Organ Donation In The NWT

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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High Cost Of Power In The NWT

Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In keeping with some of my colleagues’ talk about the cost of living today, I want to talk about power. This is something that’s been on the minds of many Northerners and this government in recent months, that’s for sure.

When knowledge of the unsolicited proposal came out, it sent the employees at NTPC into a state of wondering about their future. Mr. Premier came to Hay River and met with staff and management and communicated the GNWT plan as we were moving forward. Work is now proceeding on the electricity rate review as we attempt to wrap our thoughts around the challenges of delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy to our residents and businesses.

Residents and businesses in communities large and small, remote and urban, thermal and hydro, and definitely on a wide spectrum of differences, all of this to the backdrop of our constituents appealing to us, as legislators, about the high cost of living in the North. Our

population decline must be partially related to the high cost of living, which necessarily includes the cost of power.

So the NTPC review is done. But it’s only one piece in a much larger puzzle. No review of NTPC or any search for potential efficiencies within that organization is going to be the entire answer to our high cost of power. We need to look at the whole issue of electricity regulation, generation, distribution and costs.

Power is an essential service. The GNWT, in some schizophrenic role in a bad movie here, actually plays all the main parts in this movie. The GNWT in some way either controls or owns the regulation, the rate levelizing, the generation, the distribution, and, to top it all off, they are the main customer as well. We take great pains to put ourselves at arm’s length from all of these processes. How much does this cost to put all of this at arm’s length? What is the added value of putting all these processes at arm’s length?

Enough studies, enough reviews. Let’s get to the most straightforward way to get affordable power to our residents.

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High Cost Of Power In The NWT

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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GNWT Hiring Practices

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Today I would like to talk about the GNWT’s hiring practices. As mentioned in this House before, the economies and employment opportunities in our smaller communities like Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e can only realize limited potential. Yet, in spite of this, many of the residents continue to live in these communities because it is home and has been their home for many generations. It is true that some migrate to larger centres, but for a good many, they remain committed to their community and will go out and get their education and return to their community.

However, with only limited GNWT positions up for competition every so often, many of these individuals, for some reason or another, are overlooked.

I understand the GNWT’s hiring practices are guided by principles of fairness and equality, but in reality this is not the case. It places greater emphasis on education than it does on experience. Unfortunately, the reality of this is that many aboriginals do not possess a masters or even a degree-level education as compared to non-aboriginal persons that come north. So when these competitions come up, many aboriginal applicants are screened out because they do not have that degree or a masters.

The hiring practices of the GNWT do not reflect the population it serves and, therefore, can be seen as serving only a certain sector of the population and failing others as far as GNWT employment opportunities go.

Mr. Speaker, even though many do not possess a masters or a degree level of education, they possess many years of direct hands-on experience in the area they are applying for. In addition to this, they also possess the ultimate grasp on the dynamics associated with living and/or working in the smaller, isolated communities. Too often the non-aboriginal hires only last a few years before moving. Doing so means added cost to the GNWT and additional expenses related to turnover. The hiring practices of the GNWT are flawed and need to be…

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GNWT Hiring Practices

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Mr. Beaulieu , your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

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GNWT Hiring Practices

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

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GNWT Hiring Practices

Members’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, the hiring practices of the GNWT are flawed and need to be reviewed so it can reduce the high turnover costs and, more importantly, allow equal opportunity for those who do not possess specific education requirements but do possess the related experience to do a good job. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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GNWT Hiring Practices

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South , Mr. Bob McLeod .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob McLeod

Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to recognize members of the Northwest Territories mining industry that are here today: Mr. John Kearney, president of the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines and president of Canadian Zinc; Mr. Lane Dewar, prospector and a director of the Chamber of Mines from Yellowknife; Mr. Chris Hrkac, senior geologist and exploration manager, GGL Resources, Yellowknife, and a director of the Chamber; Mr. Trevor Teed, prospector and a director of the Chamber here from Yellowknife. Also joining us today: Mr.

Paul Harvey, president and chief operating officer, Ekati Diamond Mine; Richard Morland, vice-president, operations, Ekati Diamond Mine; Mr. Dave Nickerson, former MLA, Member of Parliament, also sits on the board of Tyhee and Canadian Zinc; Mr. Mike Vaydik, long-time general manager of the Chamber; and Deborah Archibald, director, minerals, oil and gas, with the Department of ITI. Welcome.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a friend of mine, Trevor Teed.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . The honourable Member for Range Lake , Ms. Lee .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Sandy Lee

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know he’s been recognized already, but I’d like to make a special mention of Mr. Paul Harvey, who’s the president of Ekati. He and his wife worked here two years back, moved to Australia, probably transferred, but they liked it so much they moved back to Yellowknife, to the Territories, in my riding of Range Lake. So I would like to welcome him and his wife back. Thank you.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee . The honourable Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Mr. John Kearney, president of Canadian Zinc and frequent visitor to the community of Fort Simpson. Welcome to the gallery. Mahsi.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize a couple people. First off I’d like to recognize Mr. Mike Vaydik, our executive director of NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines. As well, I’d certainly like to do a special recognition to both Richard Morland and Kim Truter. They’re more than just leaders of their individual mining corporation; they’re also community contributors that make a difference in our Territories. Thank you.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Weledeh resident Trevor Teed and former resident Dave Nickerson. I’d also like to recognize Julie Green, a freelance reporter and worker with the YWCA, I believe.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I talked about the hiring practices of the GNWT and how it places a higher emphasis on education and less on equivalencies and

experience. I have a question for the Minister of Human Resources .

Mr. Speaker, almost all of the GNWT job ads have the “equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.” If you ask an aboriginal applicant who does not have a degree or a masters but has years of related experience, they would say that equivalencies are not taken into account. I’d like to ask the Minister: how does the department assess the value of equivalencies and/or experience when reviewing job applications? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to assure the Member that the Government of the Northwest Territories uses equivalencies in almost all of its competitions except for those competitions where there’s a statutory requirement to have certification; for example, medical positions or legal positions. Usually it’s a combination of related work experience and years of service. It’s something that we review on a regular basis for all of our jobs that we have in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, many applicants do not possess a bachelors or a masters degree but do possess diplomas or certificates and certainly possess the experience, and they live in the smaller communities where they plan to live for years to come. Can the Minister commit to placing a greater emphasis on equivalencies and experience, even some emphasis on the ability to communicate effectively with aboriginal communities? Thank you.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

This is an area that we’ve obtained some funding in for this year, where we’re working much more closely with not only aboriginal governments but also municipal governments. I think that this is something that we want to advance quite a ways in. Under normal practices, we are trying to develop processes, working with our Aboriginal Employment Advisory Committee, to find ways to increase aboriginal employment. But certainly looking at a combination of training and under fills and equivalencies, we are looking to give a much greater focus to hiring aboriginal people at the local level.

Because what we’re finding is unless we can find Northerners to put into jobs, there are other issues that become involved such as housing and so on. Thank you.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to looking at options for increasing GNWT positions in smaller communities, whether it be by creating, replacing or reallocating positions so that these jobs can be filled by aboriginal people and increase aboriginal content in the GNWT? Thank you.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

We’ve looked at this a number of times. Our government has looked at this a number of times over the years through the process of decentralization and I think that working through Refocusing Government this way we can look at the possibility of moving jobs around. The problem with increasing positions or moving positions around is that there are winners and losers in terms of communities, so that is where the problem comes in. I think, when it comes to looking at new positions that are created, this is certainly something we can look at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister agree to, in order to increase the content and allow these positions to be in the smaller communities, customize jobs in smaller communities with the end result of assisting people in smaller communities to work better with government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Minister of Human Resources

Mr. Speaker, over the years, we have done that on a number of occasions where we have found we had the greatest success in training Northerners to fill northern jobs. We identify the important elements that we can work with Aurora College so that we can train people up to take these positions. We find that we have been very successful in doing that. This is an area that we are prepared to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 286-16(4): GNWT Hiring Practices

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The area of resource revenues in the Northwest Territories has been ongoing for over a couple of decades now. At one point, I believe before it became resource revenues, it was called a Northern Accord of one nature. So it is something that we continue to work on. In fact, at the regional leaders’ table, we have addressed it a number of ways. For example, we now had meetings with almost every regional group and government around that, where the old discussions were left at, at the 15th Assembly, with the federal government

wanting to re-engage. We are going to see how we would re-engage the northern group from the Northwest Territories and hopefully be able to look at trying to bring an AIP before the end of our term. Thank you.

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, has the Premier had any discussions with the federal government in terms of, for example, just even the discussion with the Norman Wells oilfield? The Norman Wells oilfield portion of percentage is owned by the federal government in terms of making this issue a priority with the federal government in terms of keeping our resource revenue in the Northwest Territories rather than every year we hand a cheque over to the federal government. Later on they give us another cheque, an income support cheque to keep us busy here. Has the Premier had any type of creative solutions in terms of keeping our resources here in the North?

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, as the Government of the Northwest Territories has quite a number of programs through our Minister’s responsibility under ITI, we do a number of things, whether it is through the Business Incentive Policy, so we have contractors in the North taking advantage of the work that we have available as the Government of the Northwest Territories. Our SEED program, for example, that we put in place to help businesses in our smaller communities. So we have done quite a number of things to enhance businesses in the North. We know we need to do a better job.

The other things we have tried to do, for example, is when we have socio-economic agreements in place, to again give preference to hiring in the North, not only hiring of employees but the contractors as well, as we know that we have tried to help when it comes to groups looking at IBAs, as we call them, or impact benefit agreements as well.

The other thing we have in place, Mr. Speaker, is an approach that I took with the Prime Minister, specifically with Norman Wells and the oilfields. That was to look at trying to recoup some of those dollars that go to the federal government under an equity program, and reinvest those dollars in the

North in infrastructure. That would see us expand on our critical infrastructure needs in the Northwest Territories. We have had a commitment to have discussions on that, but there has been no further movement in that area. Thank you.

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, with the sunsetting of funding with the Department of Health with millions of dollars that are not going to be renewed with the federal government, the federal government is also increasing our funding for social housing in the Northwest Territories. There are other programs that the federal government is going to be cutting back in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Premier in terms of raising the level of this issue, the urgency of this issue in terms of our revenue leaving the Northwest Territories every second of this day here.

How do we get the attention of the federal government with all the people of the Northwest Territories saying that this is a serious issue and it is not acceptable in this day and age? How can the Premier get our leaders to rally behind him to take this strong message to Ottawa?

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, I believe the approach that we have undertaken with regional leaders is to have them work with us presenting a northern package on resource revenue sharing. Right now, Mr. Speaker, the land claims that have been settled have a portion of the resource revenue going back to those claim organizations, but it is very small compared to what the potential is. We see this as an opportunity to get some of those dollars to stay in the North so we can do the reinvestments in projects we believe are necessary for themselves.

I am hoping that through our work with regional leaders, we will be able to pull them together and we will be able to present a common package, a design for Northerners by Northerners and engage the federal government at that level. Thank you.

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The mine industry and the oil and gas industry have a huge potential in the Mackenzie Valley. I ask the Premier in terms of his discussions with the proponents of the Mackenzie Gas Project, proponents who are drilling in the Northwest Territories, mining companies, in terms of them lending him a hand in terms of going to Ottawa and forcing the government to sit down and have a good resource package for the people in the Northwest Territories. Has the Premier approached our partners in those areas?

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, in the early days of project development of the Mackenzie Gas Project, for example, and others, we have talked about devolution and resource revenue sharing is one way to help streamline the regulatory maze that

is out there, as well as streamline the processes we can put in place and capture the benefits of development and keep them in the North. Unfortunately, as the record clearly shows, numerous governments have tried to move this along and we have not been able to get to that last hurdle. One of the issues that I addressed at the last regional leaders’ meeting is we need to have a fundamental discussion. Is the capture in the sense of the dollars that we want to capture and keep in the North or is it the authority? Is that the driver so that we can effect change as the future goes on? Thank you.

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Question 287-16(4): Resource Revenue Sharing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Premier . I mentioned in my Member’s statement that I had been holding a Christmas present for him for some time and that I had given that to him today at noon. I thought it was pretty nice too. Now that the Premier has his Christmas present, or that the Legislative Assembly has the Christmas present -- because it is addressed to all of us -- I would like to ask the Premier if he could advise us, and I mean Members and also the representative of the presenters of the present, what he will do with his or our present now that he has it. Thank you.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The honourable Premier , Mr. Roland .

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for her question and the event that she organized and the hand-off of the Christmas present, which is work by the organizations around the Anti-Poverty Strategy. When this issue first came up prior to Christmas, I became aware of what was being done and at that time asked the folks in the Department of Executive to start to begin to look at how we could try to address this issue. Now, with this package, and as I’ve talked with my Cabinet colleagues, we’re going to officially put it in the system with this information.

As we were at the presentation this afternoon, as it was highlighted, the effort is to be a part of the solution through these organizations and looking at the dollars we have put available as a government over a number of departments. We know that through a number of initiatives through our budget exercise, we’ve put in the area of about $145 million as a government. But through a number of departments and programs, coordination and working together is going to be important as we try to stretch our resources to better serve the people that are in need of these services. I will formally put it in the system, as we say, to the Ministers and start pulling that information together and prepare

to open a dialogue with Members and the organizations in seeing how we can better pool our resources to have a better impact on the lives of the people who are in the most need.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you to the Premier for his answer. He mentioned that the government will start a dialogue with these parties. It’s imperative that we have the involvement of parties outside the GNWT. We’re not going to get anywhere without their participation. I know it’s really early within this process, but I wonder if he could give us some idea of how he’s going to involve NGOs and the other organizations that are part of the group that want to develop an anti-poverty strategy.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

It is early days and I would say that once we start to gather and the initial work has been done and touching base with departments with this package of information we’ll be able to get the departments to pull something together and prepare to come to Members to say how do we engage the collective in the sense of the body of people and organizations with expertise along with our own. We are a ways away. We need to pull the initial pieces together and go to Members and seek their advice and what are sort of the next steps we can look at taking.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thanks to the Premier . I know that he’s mentioned that he would come to Members. I’m not so sure that this requires the approval, so to speak, of Members. I think to reach out to NGOs is something that could be done without letting us know, but I don’t know we need to give you the approval to do that. I will be tabling a list of the anti-poverty supporters later on this afternoon, so that will give the government a list to work from.

A number of years ago the government established a Coalition Against Family Violence. In my estimation, it’s been a very successful coalition and the actions that came out of that. I wonder if the Premier could see that the same process that was used to develop the coalition and the Action Plan Against Family Violence, could that cooperation, that coordination, that kind of a process be used to develop this anti-poverty strategy.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

I thank the Member for the opportunity to make a decision on my own and move forward with a plan of action. But I would prefer, as has been practiced, to go back to the committee to at least inform them of what we have pulled together and ask for suggestions on where we go. Not necessarily approval, but just presenting the work that is starting to be formed and look at those next steps that can be taken. How do we bring in the expertise out there to help formulate an approach or revised approach in best using our resources? You have my commitment.

We will get back to Members with our initial piece of work and looking for the next steps of how we engage the expertise out there. The list that the Member is

talking about would help us in looking at those first pieces of how we would look at next steps.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be short. I want to thank the Premier for his commitment. Again, my tendency is to go towards a definite time. I look forward to the Premier coming to us and then asking for the advice of Members, but when would that be?

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Here would be a great opportunity to use that phrase “in the fullness of time.” But, realistically, the fact is that the work has been started at least initially from Executive touching base with departments. Now, with this package, we’ll be able to put a little bit more to it and ask the departments responsible to start putting some energy into this. I will get back to Members after speaking with my Cabinet colleagues as to some time frames. I’ll be pushing them to have a quicker response than the normal and, hopefully, we can get some response back within a month or two with Members to discuss those next steps.

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Question 288-16(4): Anti-Poverty Strategy

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Housing . Does the report recommending the return to the Public Housing Rental Subsidy to the Housing Corporation identify development of the arrears as a problem?

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson . The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation , Mr. Robert McLeod .

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The report, which I’m tabling this afternoon, makes no specific reference to the arrears that may have been accumulated during the period when the responsibility for assessments was with ECE.

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Does the Minister acknowledge that some of the problems with the arrears were created by the system and not necessarily the tenants themselves?

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I do acknowledge that there is a serious arrears problem, to the tune of about $10 million. A lot of these arrears may have been accumulated before the transfer, so we can’t say that this was a direct response of the transfer. The local housing authorities, when the transfer first went over, realized there were issues with the assessment. This was all new being rolled out. They were very good at recognizing that if you weren’t assessed properly, they would adjust it and

your arrears would automatically go down. So they’ve taken steps to deal with that when the transfer first happened. I admit there is a serious problem with arrears.

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

I don’t think it was Housing’s problem; I think it was ECE’s problem. The gap between market rent and the subsidized rent is too much for some clients. When the Public Housing Rental Subsidy is returned to the Housing Corporation, will the Minister ensure that the rents are not too high so clients could be able to manage?

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

I have discussed previously that we will be looking at the rent scale and some of the issues that are raised by the tenants out there. I can commit to the Member that the process is in place and we’re looking at ways to work with clients to make sure that they are paying the rent that’s due and that the local housing authorities are receiving rents so that they can continue to operate. Because with the declining CMHC funding, the collection of rental arrears becomes even more important now and that gives a lot of the LHOs more funding and ability to deliver the programs and maintenance to the units.

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Jackie Jacobson

Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some families in the communities that I represent, since 2007 they’re telling me they had no arrears prior to that 2007 changeover from the Housing Corporation to ECE. We’ve got people that have been evicted already. You have 20 people in some houses in the communities. That’s not right. Will the Minister consider bringing forward a bill to forgive the arrears that have developed because of this gap that was created in the system since 2007? Thank you.

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, we fully understand that there was an accumulation of arrears during this time. As far as bringing a bill forward, I do know that some LHOs sometimes will write off arrears, but that then goes to the Housing Corporation to collect the arrears. As far as forgiving the bill, we have to be very careful here that if we do this, we set a precedent, and even arrears that were accumulated before the transfer are going to obviously be expected to be forgiven.

If there’s a way that we can work with tenants to try and work on their arrears and, like you said, the LHOs really recognize the fact that some of this happened because of the assessment and the timeliness of it and they made adjustments. So we have to be very careful as to how far we want to go with this. Thank you.

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Question 289-16(4): Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve got some questions today for the Premier and it gets back to my Member’s statement where, again, I’m asking about the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories and issues that have been brought forward to me from constituents. I’d like to start off with asking the Premier , has the lead Minister responsible for the Strategic Initiative Committee on Reducing the Cost of Living or the Premier himself had any discussions with the federal government as it relates to taxation of northern residents? Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the area of the cost of living, as the Minister responsible for this area, strategic initiative, has highlighted, there are a number of workloads or processes we’ve put in place to deal with some of the cost of living issues that we recognize as a government. Transportation is a big one. Electricity generation and the sale of that is another large one. So we’re looking at a number of initiatives.

Specifically in the area of taxation, any initiative that a Minister leads on the strategic initiatives, they would go back to the department responsible and have them then do the legwork, so to speak, on bringing the initiative to fruition. So the area of taxation would fall under the Minister of Finance . In that area, we haven’t had discussions around changes in our tax processes as of yet. Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, it’s been two and a half years since this government was elected and I find it hard to believe that they haven’t had any discussion with the federal government on the area of taxation, specifically on the application of the GST north of 60, on a possible tax credit for interest paid on mortgages and for removal of GST on essential goods and services. I’d like to ask the Premier why is it that these discussions haven’t taken place, when people continue to suffer in all of our communities with the high cost of living? Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, in the area of our Strategic Initiatives committees, we’ve been focusing on areas where we know we can get results sooner, and that is where the programs we’re directly involved with, the way we’ve designed them, the way we implement them and those issues. We’ve also worked with the federal government on a stimulus package to help offset some of those costs so we can get some of those projects in place that would help stabilize or lower the cost of living in our communities. We’ve also put in place the $60 million in alternative energies, again, to put in place, to stabilize our electricity rates around the Northwest Territories. So there are

a number of factors we’re involved with in the area of cost of living, to try to mitigate that specific area.

The Minister of Finance himself had an economic roundtable around taxation initiatives, again, on revenue sources in the Northwest Territories and met with businesses and individuals around that issue, and he presented his work in that area. So there have been quite a number of pieces of work that have been done. But specifically on requesting relief from the federal government on some of the larger tax issues, those would not simply be an issue that we can put and effect change on by making a direct request.

Those are areas where, for example, it would be of general application where we would make an approach to our colleagues, other Premiers or other Finance Ministers across the country and try to implement on that basis. Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

I guess for folks out there paying the bills, it’s hard for them to relate to a lot of what the Premier has said. I mean, for most people, they just relate to what they have to pay every month. In fact, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier today, people are paying more for everything. I think the onus is on the government to come forward with a comprehensive, meaningful consultation with the public on what exactly you are doing to help address the high cost of living.

You can talk about all of the electricity rate reviews you want and everything else that you’re doing, but there are some things that this government is doing, Mr. Speaker, that are detrimental to the cost of living here in the Northwest Territories, and I think the government has to come clean on exactly what they’re doing and lay it out for us. We haven’t heard anything from the Cost of Living Strategic Initiative Committee, and I think it’s high time that they put something on paper and showed us exactly where the results are. Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, as for direct information, we, at the request of Members, set up a process so Members could be involved in those initiative committees, and that started to happen, but they’ve since changed their approach and said no to that. As I stated, the Strategic Initiatives committees start some of the work of what we will look at and what changes we can make, and then it becomes the Ministers responsible for the department.

So, for example, in transportation, where that affects the cost of living in our communities across the Northwest Territories, on the size of planes that can come into communities delivering goods and services, highway reconstruction that leads to a safer, more accessible system, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, for example, we know and there’s proof in that kind of work that over the long term will see a stabilized or reduced cost across the Northwest Territories.

As for day-to-day business that we’ve done, for example, a result of the work the Minister of Finance did there was no tax increases as part of this budget process. So let’s recognize that we’re trying to do what we can and all the initiatives that we work on flow through back to the main estimates set before the House now. Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With all due respect to the Premier and the work of Cabinet, I’d be embarrassed to be associated with a Strategic Initiatives committee that’s done absolutely nothing, Mr. Speaker, in two and a half years. I’d like to ask the Premier if he would even consider, given the high cost of living here and the fact that people are upset, they’re leaving the Territory, I’d like to ask the Premier if he would consider a special committee with Cabinet Ministers and Regular Members to look at the high cost of living. I’m talking about things that are deliverable in the next year and a half, not things that are 10 or 15 years from now, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

Inuvik Boot Lake

Floyd Roland

Premier

Mr. Speaker, that sounds like what we pretty well had in place under strategic initiatives and having Members be a part of that process. That avenue is still open to Members, if they want to get engaged at that level. It’s still open to them now. If you want real action, not another discussion, not another consultation process, that action can come to this House. In fact, a response directly to the energy rate review regulations piece of work. If we’re going to make fundamental change to the Northwest Territories, for the whole Northwest Territories big picture, make a difference as early as next year, if this Assembly wants to take action. Thank you.

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Question 290-16(4): High Cost Of Living In The NWT

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. Today in my Member’s statement I talked about the issue of organ transplant policy or, I should say, the lack thereof, and the difficulties some people have had following through in the process. That is pre-op care and certainly the medical travel process, as well as the follow-up from the post process, whether it’s about getting medication signed off, whether it’s getting the proper travel, about getting them back on time including loved ones. So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t necessarily blame the Minister in any way specific to this problem, but the Minister is well aware of this particular issue.

So I’m asking the Minister of Health and Social Services , would she do a review of the lack of policy in this particular

case and see if we can set something up and perhaps maybe announce a direction by Organ Donor Week that is coming up in April? Thank you.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

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

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government supports organ and tissue donations. We are involved with Canadian Blood Services, who is currently in the process of establishing a national registry so that it would help connect donors with people who need organ transplants.

The Member brought the matters that he is talking about today to my attention a few months back. There was a little bit of a hiccup there, but we did resolve that. The fact is, organ transplants are very rare in the Territories. Our residents do receive organ transplants, but a donator being from the NWT is very rare and I think that is one of the reasons why the process didn’t go as smoothly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t think there is a need for changes in any of the policies, because our Medical Policy is very generous and anybody who needs a service at a hospital or medical facility is entitled to coverage for their medical travel and associated costs. So that will be the case going forward. Thank you.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, as rare as compliments are from this side of the House, I should make sure it is very clear that the Minister was extremely helpful on this particular case straightening out. I think that needs to be acknowledged in this particular case. It can’t be forgotten. But the issue I am trying to raise, without trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill, is the fact that we don’t have a clear policy. Because when this particular family -- and I am aware of another family just starting in the process of the same type of issue -- is the lack of clarity on this.

So we need a clear policy that says if you are either a donor or you require a transplant, it follows this particular process that everyone understands and is clear. That is what I am asking for, if the Minister would engage in that type of initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Mr. Speaker, anyone from the North who is interested in donating an organ, they will have to go through a very complicated medical procedure for any organ donation. That is definitely a medical and hospital care and so they are entitled to all of the coverage and medical travel that they would require. The benefits are there. Programs are there. I will make sure that staff know that that is an eligible service. The policy allows it. We just need to make sure that it is enforced. Thank you.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, the Minister is referring to the Medical Travel Policy as the one-fit

solution to every problem, Mr. Speaker. In this particular case, their loved one who had to be their escort was denied. They had trouble getting down for the pre-op surgery in advance of the actual surgery. They had troubles being booted out of the hospital in Edmonton and being told that if they didn’t get back on a certain date, even though the hospital in Edmonton had said they had to stay for a follow-up, they were told that they were going to be cut off. Now, again, I don’t sort of saddle the Minister with this particular problem, but that is the issue that I am trying to raise. Would the Minister help work and develop an organ transplant policy specific to this issue? Thank you.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Mr. Speaker, the length of stay of a person who needs any medical procedure is determined by the providers and the physicians and health care professionals that oversee that. From time to time we have people who question how that is applied, but that is a normal part of our delivery system. We work to sort that out as they happen. My point is, anyone who is going to be donating an organ that requires, obviously they would require hospital and medical services, they will be covered. They will get the benefit of all services. Whether it be medical travel or any associated services, they will get that.

I will make sure that our staff is aware that anyone else who is good enough to donate an organ, that they will get the assistance they need. Thank you.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins .

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the spirit and the intent of what the Minister is saying, but, Mr. Speaker, the issue really came down to things like the doctor said that this particular person needed an escort. Medical travel denied it. It took the Minister’s intervention to say, wait a minute, this is wrong. Down in Edmonton, the hospital said this person had to stay due to a follow-up because of the tearing of tissue if they moved too much. Medical travel denied that too. That is why I am asking for a clear policy that lays out when even doctors say something is necessary, they follow through that.

Would the Minister see that issue as for what I am trying to lay out and see if we can work out a clear policy that helps people through the system? Thank you.

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Question 291-16(4): Organ Donation And Transplant Policy In The NWT

Oral Questions

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Minister of Health and Social Services

Mr. Speaker, I think the Member is giving me too much credit. I don’t usually intervene and order anybody to approve an escort. I believe we have a program in place where it has a clear guideline as to who is eligible for medical travel and a medical escort. There are occasions, not just in organ donation procedures but in other medical procedures. There is sometimes lack of agreement on what is needed. That is just par for the course that we need to… That is part of health care’s delivery system that is

managed by human beings. There is a difference of opinion as to what constitutes a need for escort. But my point, Mr. Speaker, is that anybody who is going to donate an organ for transplant, that is a medical procedure and they will get all of the services that are available within our health care system. Thank you.

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