Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2013

This is page numbers 3067 – 3106 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 82-17(4): Safe Schools

Minister’s Statement 83-17(4): Regional Recruitment Program

Bakken Tour

“buckle Up NWT” Road Safety Campaign

Aklavik Willow River Road Project

Student Achievement In Small Communities

Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Mental Health And Addictions

Lessons From Hydraulic Fracturing Tour

School-Based Driver Education And Licensing

Tenant Security Provisions In The Residential Tenancies Act

Partnerships To Address Homelessness And Addictions

United Nations Rapporteur On Indigenous Rights

Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Student Achievement In Small Communities

Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Collaboration Between Social Workers And RCMP

School-Based Driver Education And Licensing

Regulatory Responsibility Post-Devolution

Tabled Document 133-17(4): Public Accounts Of The Government Of The Northwest Territories Interim Report For The Year Ended March 31, 2013 Tabled Document 134-17(4): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2013-2014 Tabled Document 135-17(4): Supplementary Estimates (Operations

Tabled Document 136-17(4): 2012-2013 Status Of Women Council Of The NWT Annual Report

Tabled Document 137-17(4): Status Of Women Council Of The NWT – Three Questions To NWT Candidates And Responses

Tabled Document 138-17(4): Auxiliary Report Of The Chief Electoral Officer On Issues Arising From The 2011 General Election - October 2013

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

The House met at 1:31 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Good afternoon, colleagues. Today, before we get started, I’d like to pay tribute to my wife’s grandmother, who passed away this past summer. I’m reading her eulogy.

Delia Bourke, nee Cardinal, was born outside Fort Chipewyan in the area known as Ambarass Portage in the winter of 1926. Her parents, Jean-Baptiste and Mary Adelle Cardinal, resided in Ambarass Portage in the spring and winter months while working on their trapline. The remainder of the time was spent living in Fort Chipewyan, where they raised 14 kids while they fished and lived a traditional way of life on the land.

Delia was the second child born out of all of her siblings and left home at a very young age. In 1945 she met her late husband, Victor, and they were married shortly after on September 12th the

following year in Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta. Soon after, they welcomed their eldest son Fred and daughter Doris.

In 1961 the small family moved to Fort Smith where they resided there for their remaining years. While living there, Victor and Delia had a total of 16 children: eight boys – Fred, Albert, Allan, Donald, Lloyd, Raymond, Tommy, Edward and Curtis – and five girls – Doris, Dorothy, Nancy, Rita and Judy.

Victor worked at Northern Transportation Company while Delia stayed at home and raised her children. Having 16 children back in those days was a tough feat as the town was still developing and not able to provide the necessities; hence, the family would resort to hunting and picking berries just as their parents had done in the past.

Delia did not live a fancy, expensive or flashy lifestyle, but she knew what was important to her and that was her family. As her family grew, she remained the very core of the family, a focus of love and affection to everyone she knew.

Delia’s mother, Mary Adelle, always taught her girls to take care of all the family responsibilities and have a traditional woman’s role in the household. You can truly see how that tradition carried on

through Delia’s life, as she always lived her life fulfilling those roles that her mother taught her so well. Delia’s hobbies are also a reflection of her mother’s teaching, as she loved to cook, pick berries and sew. She was very resourceful when it came to their day-to-day lives raising all the children. Delia would sew most, if not all, of her own and her children’s clothes and also made her own animal hides to sew moccasins and mittens. Beading was also one of her favorite pastimes.

Delia’s life seems to have been simple and uncomplicated as a stay-at-home mother, but raising her own 16 children and many grandchildren is what she believed she was destined to do. Delia truly loved children and you could see that love whenever she would meet a new addition to the family. With numerous amounts of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and even great-great-grandchildren, you can see how Delia was surrounded with love each and every day. Even in her sick condition, she always kept a high spirit and greeted everyone she met with a smile.

One story that a family member shared was how New Year’s was always a time of celebration to enjoy with family. I thought I would share this because of the amount of people who have a memory about that time. Passed-down traditions still remain very dear to the entire Bourke family, as family functions surrounded by loved ones are commonplace. From the food to the conversation and laughter, the family all had numerous amounts of stories that would be too much to mention today, but those traditions stem from Delia’s side of the family and friends.

Delia’s family and friends have shared countless stories and memories in helping to write these words. A recurring theme that arises from all the shared stories is perseverance, humility and humour. Living 86 years, with many of those years as a widow and losing loved ones, Delia persevered and lived with humility. Having a sense of humour is quite an understatement to those who knew her. She always made everyone laugh, and loved to talk and tell stories, most of which ended in laughter.

Although we spoke today a lot about her very early past, the recent past is more a reflection of how Delia’s demeanor and character touched the lives of many people that had the chance of meeting her.

She made a big impression on all staff at the care home and even those who hadn’t known much about her shared just how sweet of a lady she was. Delia’s husband passed away in 1991 and throughout all these 22 years that he’s been gone, she still would say that Victor was the love of her life. With her endless stories she told about him and her family, you could see just how much love they had for each other. Now Delia is reunited with her husband and children in the Kingdom of Heaven.

We all have fond memories of Delia and these we must hold dear in our hearts and cherish them, as she cherished us. Just before closing, I wanted to mention a small story that sums up just how Delia lived her life and how her spirit was still high and strong. In the days before Delia had passed, she asked her daughter Doris, “How old am I again?” Doris replied, “You are 86, mom.” Delia then replied, “Really? I don’t feel that old. I still feel like I’m 16.”

I would like to convey my sincere appreciation for their support and generosity to: Honourable Michael Miltenberger , Dennis Bevington for attending the funeral of Delia; and Mr. Ken Hudson, president of the Fort Smith Metis Council; and the Kaeser family and Kaeser’s Store, for all the hard work they do when you pass through that community. They really do a good job. Thank you so much.

Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , Mr. Lafferty .

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Minister’s Statement 82-17(4): Safe Schools

Ministers’ Statements

Monfwi

Jackson Lafferty

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment

Mr. Speaker, bullying is a complex social issue and has potentially devastating effects on student achievement, attendance and mental health. Unfortunately, we have all seen the most shattering results of bullying across Canada, and we are focused on ensuring this does not happen in the NWT. Everyone has a role to play in making sure our residents are safe and feel safe in their communities, at home, and at school.

We responded to a motion for anti-bullying legislation by proposing amendments to the Education Act in the spring session. This includes a definition of bullying and cyber-bullying, a Territorial School Code of Conduct and requirements for district education authorities and district education councils to implement safe schools plans. We are very pleased at standing committee’s approach to include the students across the NWT in their public consultations on Bill 12 .

Further, we have developed a Territorial Safe Schools Plan, which includes policies and

procedures that we have shared with the education councils and authorities. We are finalizing a workbook that includes guidelines, intervention and procedure reporting.

Mr. Speaker, this is a multi-year investment with many partners, including Aboriginal governments, the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, school administrators, other government departments, families, communities and students.

In all of our research, and working with our partners across Canada, we have found that youth must be the voice of bullying prevention awareness. Through blogging, videos, mentoring, poster campaigns, and standing up against these issues, individually and in groups, youth across Canada are emerging as ambassadors. They will be key to the awareness campaign beginning in the next month. It will include multimedia tactics such as radio, web, and videos to target student participation, as well as resources for parents and communities.

A strong, prosperous territory begins with a strong society sustained by a healthy environment. Safe schools are an investment in a future where all of our children grow up to become healthy, educated members of society and can participate in creating safe, sustainable and vibrant communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 82-17(4): Safe Schools

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . The honourable Minister of Human Resources , Mr. Abernethy .

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Minister’s Statement 83-17(4): Regional Recruitment Program

Ministers’ Statements

Great Slave

Glen Abernethy

Minister of Human Resources

Mr. Speaker, increasing employment opportunities where they are most needed is a key priority of this Assembly. We need to connect our labour force with the available public service jobs across the NWT. As part of our Workforce Planning Strategy, the Department of Human Resources is developing a Regional Recruitment Program. It will incorporate unique approaches to recruitment with on-the-job training so that people across the North have opportunities to be supported in their development as public servants.

The GNWT actively recruits Northerners to fill vacant positions, especially in the regions. At any given time, there are approximately 150 to 200 vacant regional positions available within all departments, boards and agencies in communities. The Regional Recruitment Program will assist to place Northerners into these vacancies. This program is a tool that will help with the decentralization efforts.

Mr. Speaker, up to a maximum of $15,000 per trainee is available to fill vacant regional positions with a candidate who can train on the job to be able to perform 100 percent of the job duties. Funding

support can be used in a variety of ways, including sending the trainee to another community to learn on the job from co-workers, paying for training courses, or other creative approaches that position the candidate for success in the position.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Human Resources will provide support to managers through a new decentralized regional recruitment officer position. This position works with hiring managers, trainees, regional training committees and regional employees of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Together, they will develop specific plans that set out the training and development needed for the individual to ultimately be successful in the position.

Work is underway to implement this program before the end of this calendar year, and trainees are anticipated to start to be on the job early in 2014.

Mr. Speaker, having the staff in place to deliver programs and services to all residents is a key priority. Filling vacant regional positions with Northerners is a great way to develop our labour force and provide opportunities where they are most needed. I am very excited about the potential of this program to help reduce barriers to entering the workforce and support employment and training across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister’s Statement 83-17(4): Regional Recruitment Program

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

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

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Minister's Statement 84-17(4): Bakken Tour

Ministers’ Statements

Kam Lake

David Ramsay

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment

Mr. Speaker, responsible oil and gas development has the potential to grow and diversify the Northwest Territories economy, and help create a sustainable, prosperous territory. Nowhere has this reality been more apparent than in the Sahtu region. There is a lot to learn when it comes to ensuring our residents are prepared for rapid development, and any development continues to minimize environmental and social impacts. Today I would like to share the lessons learned during a recent trip to the Bakken oil formation in Saskatchewan and North Dakota.

I recently led a tour of the Bakken oil formation, to learn more about challenges and opportunities of rapid development, drilling operations and community engagement. This group included members of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure, MLAs, Aboriginal and business leaders from the Sahtu region, National Energy Board staff and GNWT representatives.

I would specifically like to extend my appreciation to Mr. Norman Yakeleya , MLA for Sahtu, as well as Mr. Bob Bromley and Mr. Robert Hawkins , representing the Standing Committee on Economic

Development and Infrastructure, who assisted on the tour to represent the NWT Legislature.

We met with government officials in Saskatchewan, to hear how they regulate tight oil resource developments. We also visited various drilling operations and saw how they create unprecedented job growth and opportunities while protecting the environment.

North Dakota’s unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the United States due to this development. In fact, we were told that the Aboriginal groups who are located at the centre of these developments have a zero percent unemployment rate.

Mr. Speaker, we spoke with members of the Three Affiliated Tribes on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, to hear how they are dealing with and benefitting from the booming development, and heard about how the tribes are taking advantage of the opportunities this development presents. We also had an opportunity to discuss their views on best practices and issues of environmental sustainability.

The general consensus was that drilling has been operated safely and sustainably, and has been the key to unlocking significant riches for the tribes. Some of the Native American contractors offered to help people in the NWT prepare for development and production in our area.

The one thing we heard time and time again was how important it is to prepare residents to seize the opportunities from this development.

That is a priority of this government: to ensure development continues in a timely yet environmentally sustainable way, and that local residents and businesses benefit to the fullest extent.

We committed to present the facts to the public about hydraulic fracturing and to hear any concerns. To this end, we have been working with the communities of Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope, to support workshops to ensure residents are informed and can ask any questions they have. Participants from Colville Lake, Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells, Deline and Tulita have attended or will attend upcoming workshops. Each workshop is being delivered by the Indian Resources Council, a neutral third party that was suggested by community leadership.

Mr. Speaker, these are the lessons we have learned: We need to work with industry to ensure we know where they need assistance. We need to continue to push for infrastructure such as roads and additional housing so we are ready for this development boom.

We learned that these areas experienced the same issues with lack of infrastructure as any area that

experiences rapid and significant development, and how they are overcoming these challenges. We learned that drilling can be done responsibly and in an environmentally safe way and that it has been the key to prosperity in these areas. Most importantly, we realized how imperative it is to continue to work with community leadership and residents, to ensure they are fully prepared for the effects of development.

The departments of Environment and Natural Resources and Industry, Tourism and Investment have been working jointly on the development of hydraulic fracturing guidance documents. Work on this initiative continues and these guidance documents will be shared with the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure and we look forward to receiving your input.

Ensuring NWT residents benefit to the greatest degree possible from any development is a major priority of this government. We will continue to benefit from this exploration growth, and our residents will be well-positioned to seize training and job opportunities. We need to get our people working, so they can be free of poverty and make the choices that are right for their families.

By taking the time now to learn more about development and maintain our consistent dialogue between industry, NWT residents, and Aboriginal organizations, we will ensure the petroleum resource sector continues to be part of our diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 84-17(4): Bakken Tour

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .

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“buckle Up NWT” Road Safety Campaign

Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to make my Member’s statement to commend the Department of Transportation on a program that just keeps growing within their mandate. That’s the Drive Alive! program, Mr. Speaker.

These programs do change communities and society’s views towards public safety. So far, from what I can see, they’ve been very effective. The recent one, called Buckle Up NWT, is one that had a very creative and innovative idea of having a contest to promote seatbelt use. I’m happy to say that Hay River was the community that won that contest and I also congratulate the other communities who also participated in that program.

Certainly I don’t think Hay River would have won this contest without the support of our local volunteer fire department, our local police detachment, our fire chief, Ross Potter, and his volunteer firefighters, who are very, very active in our community in promoting safety at all times and they seized upon the opportunity to be involved in this Buckle Up NWT Program.

As a result, we had the good fortune to have Ms. Leela Gilday and Godson also accompany her and come down to Hay River with department officials and put on a concert at the Hay River Golf Course. It was amazing. I’d like to have them back again. I don’t know if we could afford it, but in this case the Department of Transportation sponsored this and it was amazing to see them in action.

So in closing, I just want to encourage the Department of Transportation to continue with these creative initiatives that they undertake to promote safety. I understand there’s another one that has been announced today by press release, which is to encourage the safe driving of young people. These are seemingly maybe small steps, but every bit helps and it’s good to see this kind of initiative coming from our government and the Department of Transportation. I just want to thank them today. Thank you.

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“buckle Up NWT” Road Safety Campaign

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Blake .

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Aklavik Willow River Road Project

Members’ Statements

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about my community of Aklavik and the Willow River road project. We’ve discussed this project numerous times and I feel that I need to remind the Minister that funding needs to be secured in order for this project to take place.

There is a Mountain Road Committee set up consisting of leadership from Aklavik, which also includes a few elders. This committee has been pleading for the Willow River road project to be included in our budget, an allocation of sufficient funds to be committed to this project. At this time I might add that my constituents in Aklavik were very happy for the funding received in last year’s fiscal budget to assist with Willow River road. However, to keep the momentum going, we’d like to have a steady flow of funds going to Aklavik for that road to be all-weather and community accessible.

Would the Minister take a look at our budget and continue with a training program that Aklavik residents can take advantage of? We also have local businesses and contractors in Aklavik that are willing to train local residents if funding allows.

The Mountain Road Committee also completed a feasibility study. This study has yet to be implemented, due to lack of funding. I urge this

Assembly, again, to take a serious look at the project that Aklavik has been requesting for so many years. Results of the road would only have positive impacts on the community of Aklavik: access to gravel year-round for the community’s use; family outings such as picnics and scenic drives; multi-use for the school in terms of educational purposes; and lastly, to attract tourists to Aklavik and also big game outfitting. Thank you.

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Aklavik Willow River Road Project

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Blake . Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Student Achievement In Small Communities

Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. There has been discussion lately about the educational renewal in the Northwest Territories. In theory, the renewal is supposed to strengthen student success and enhance the quality of education in small community schools. It’s also supposed to improve the way we measure student achievement.

I’m pleased the Department of Education recognizes the need for a renewal. However, along with many of my constituents, I’m not confident they’re headed in the right direction.

The thing is, parents in my constituency are terribly concerned about the poor quality of education in our small community schools. They’re afraid of the future of their children. Why is that? A big reason is that their children aren’t learning the right material. As a result, they just aren’t passing the Alberta achievement tests.

Let me tell a couple of stories to illustrate the point. Two Grade 11 students in my riding are at the top of their class. They’re bright kids. They’re really into physics. But they both scored around 30 percent on the departmental exams. Two Grade 3 students were at the top of their math class, but in Grade 4 when they took the Alberta achievement test, they scored in the bottom 25th percentile, which is a

virtual fail.

These students are not being taught what they’re expected to learn. They aren’t learning the NWT curriculum in a way that prepares them for standardized tests. It’s a sorry situation when our best and brightest can’t even pass departmental exams.

What is even worse is the department’s response to the dismal results on the Alberta achievement tests. You might expect to see them redouble their efforts in order to fix this problem. Instead, they want to eliminate the test altogether. That’s not a viable option. It only sweeps the problem under the rug, leaving us without a standardized measurement of student achievement.

Education renewal is being advertised as an open process guided by input from the public. For the record, my constituents want quality higher education, not another way of justifying poor results.

I will have questions for the Minister of Education at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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Student Achievement In Small Communities

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . The Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

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Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We came, we saw, we can frack. With the recent tour down to North Dakota and eastern Saskatchewan, I want to thank the Minister for taking us, the leaders, members of the committee, on the exploration of hydraulic fracking in that region.

Hydraulic fracking in the Sahtu promises to secure our energy future if we do it right and responsibly. We are looking at hydraulic fracking as our path to greatness, and anything to do with greatness is a risk. For example, people put men on the moon, and that’s a great risk.

I want to say that our land is rich. For example, just look at the recent approval of another giant mine in the Yellowknife area, and we’re hearing about producing our potential on the hydro development by examining transmission lines to the South.

The Sahtu Dene Council clearly stated their support for economic development opportunities within the Sahtu region. This opportunity will create employment for its members. The GNWT statistics profile reported in 2010-2011 that the majority of the Sahtu members were on income support. Tulita, population of 552, had 286 clients. Fort Good Hope, population 585, income support clients 254. As you can see, the results from these stats, a lot of my people, the majority of my people were on income support for that year. That tells us that our people are dependent on this government and income support, and that is their main source of income.

The Sahtu chiefs are in favour of development; however, they want to be sure that their concerns about ecological integrity of our lands, waters and animals are protected.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Our land is powerful and has many promises. What we do as keepers of the land will determine the quality of the life we live.

I call upon this government and our people to take the time to learn about hydraulic fracking and about the balance that we need to consider, and also about having the EDI committee play a role in the

upcoming guidelines and public education involving hydraulic fracking in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . Member for Inuvik Boot Lake , Mr. Moses .

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Mental Health And Addictions

Members’ Statements

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to speak on something that has always been near and dear to my heart and that is the mental health and addictions. I know we have been almost beating this to death, I guess you could say, and we do that for a reason, because we want to protect the people of the NWT.

It was great to have the Minister of Justice table in the House yesterday the 2012 coroner’s report. It just so happened that it happened at the same time I decided to do my Member’s statement. However, what I did last night and this morning was I reviewed that report. I just want to share some stats with Members and people of the Northwest Territories today.

In 2012 there was a total of 99 deaths in the NWT, 19 which were accidental, eight were suicide, five homicides, five that were classified as undetermined or unclassified at all, and 62 were natural deaths.

I would like to speak to the suicide portion of that. Unfortunately, of the eight suicides, five had confirmed the presence of alcohol. I look at these stats in 2011 and 2010 as well. In both years, of the seven suicides in each year, four of them also confirmed presence of alcohol. Suicide is very big to me because in 2012 six of these eight suicides happened in the Inuvik region. That needs to be addressed.

Before I go on, I will talk a little bit about the accidental deaths, which were also very alarming. Of the 19 accidental deaths, 12 were alcohol or drug related. All the cold exposure of motor vehicle accidents and any blunt head trauma incidents all involved alcohol.

This goes to show that all the work that we’ve been doing over the past two years that we’ve been in session here, plus all the work and all the questions Members have on this side of the House do need to be addressed and do need to be answered too. We do need to revise the Mental Health Act. In fact, the last time the Mental Health Act had any significant amendments was actually assented in 1985 and there hasn’t been any significant amendments since then. We do need detox beds or detox centres and not beds, and more seriously, we do need treatment centres to combat these issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mental Health And Addictions

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses . Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .

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Lessons From Hydraulic Fracturing Tour

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I continue with lessons learned from our fracking tour and applying those lessons to the North. Too much of anything can be a bad thing. Fracking is about too much of many things, too much of so much that I made a list:

• too many trucks on too many roads;

• too many wells flaring too much gas;

• too much fresh water going down a well and too

much dirty water coming back up;

• too many pipelines, oil pipelines, gas pipelines,

freshwater pipelines and produced water pipelines,

• too many workers coming in from faraway

places; and driving it all,

• too much money.

This is what scientists call cumulative effects. One well, fracked under perfect conditions, can appear to be a manageable risk, so when big money is involved, things can get out of control, and that is what we saw in North Dakota and rolling across the globe today.

We learned that a loaded truck of gravel kicks up 100 pounds of dust per mile. Massive North Dakota traffic creates 10-inch-deep ruts in paved highways. Imagine what they will do to our winter roads, and we thought last year was a bad winter.

We learned that oil wells produce gas that must be flared if there are no gas pipelines. In North Dakota they flare so much gas, you can see from outer space a frack field lit up like New York City. Again, imagine what the Sahtu will look like here.

We learned that each pad with four wells requires 600 truckloads of water, 2,500 tons of sand and 1,200 barrels of chemicals. We learned that you need a multi-well pad every four miles in every direction.

We learned that each well goes deep into the Earth through layers of water and oil that should not be connected. When sealed, their integrity is meant to last forever. Go figure.

In Saskatchewan, abandoned wells are considered one of that government’s biggest liabilities. We learned that what is sent down the well is bad, but what goes back, so-called produced water, is much dirtier. We may feel like we have unlimited fresh water, but only 6 percent of our water is refreshed through rain and snow each year.

We learned that fracking does not just fracture the earth deep underground. Fracking development also fractures the landscape with a network of roads, well pads and pipelines. We know that this

completely changes the way our northern land and animals function. And we learned that once you start, you have a hard time stopping.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

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Lessons From Hydraulic Fracturing Tour

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

We learned that once you start, you have a hard time stopping. Workers and companies come from all over, and local people get priced out of their own communities.

We do need development, but it must be sustainable. Tomorrow I will explore what is the sustainability question here, and suggest an alternative economic development that benefits local economies and every single resident.

I will have questions today for the Minister of Environment . Mahsi.

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Lessons From Hydraulic Fracturing Tour

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . Member for Range Lake , Mr. Dolynny .

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School-Based Driver Education And Licensing

Members’ Statements

Daryl Dolynny

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. October 18th to the 26th is designated Teen Driver Safety

Week across Canada, and it’s a great time to raise awareness and talk about the reticence that teen drivers might have and hopefully they can improve their skills and awareness and hopefully prevent injury. More importantly, this awareness talks about some of the extra risk-taking behaviour of some of our teens, and hopefully deal with some of the lack of experience they may have as drivers.

For the record, our Graduated Drivers Licence Program in the NWT, administered by the Department of Transportation, is a great program and I believe a lot of these are encompassed within that program. But we should never go too far. We should always look outside the box and look for opportunities for our young people to not only become better drivers but to actually get drivers’ licences themselves.

So keeping this theme in mind, in recent travels to the Sahtu I was able to speak to a number of business community leaders and business leaders, and talked about some of the opportunities our teens, our young people, are having to achieve. One of the comments that came up time and time again is that our teens do not have drivers’ licences. Once they graduate, it’s very difficult for them to find work, because a lot of them show up for jobs without a driver’s licence and they’re turned away.

So we started talking about some solutions here, amongst some of these business leaders as well as community leaders, and I talked to some of my colleagues all over the Mackenzie Delta and all the way down to the South Slave. One opportunity

showed itself here, and that opportunity would obviously involve the Department of ECE and the Department of Transportation. That is talking about the sponsored driver education training and licensing that we can put in the schools.

These young people are our future and we keep talking about economic opportunities that await them and we talk about all the mineral development infrastructure and everything that we’re doing, but these jobs require, a lot of times, prerequisites such as a driver’s licence. I know many of you out there are thinking well, geez, Daryl, what about the liabilities, the costs, administration. I agree; these are things we need to iron out. But we need to invest in our future; we need to invest in our youth. We have to give them purpose and we have to provide these ladders of opportunity.

Need I remind our Members here, their 17th Assembly Caucus priority is Believing in People and Building on the Strength of Northerners. Teen driver training education and licensing in schools is a very simple step that will have huge benefits. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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School-Based Driver Education And Licensing

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny . Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .

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Tenant Security Provisions In The Residential Tenancies Act

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to carry on from my statement yesterday and address another provision that I feel is lacking in the Residential Tenancies Act. Sections 30(1)(b), 37, 38 and 40 of the act reference the landlord’s responsibility for tenant safety. I agree with my constituents, who believe that the act does not go far enough towards ensuring tenant protection.

Landlords should have to make sure their buildings are safe and secure from crime. This will mean patrolling their parking lots, laundry rooms and hallways on a regular basis. This means educating their tenants about security threats and taking them to task if they allow unsafe practices in their buildings, things such as not escorting guests out of the building or allowing strangers entry into the building. Yellowknife, unfortunately, has a number of examples of lack of safety in this area on which we can draw.

Even if the rental property is a stand-alone dwelling with one tenant, landlords must be held accountable to provide adequate outdoor lighting, motion sensor lighting and working alarm systems. The RCMP should be enlisted to perform security audits and the reports should be shared with tenants. Landlords, in my view, should be held to a higher standard than individual homeowners in regard to safety and security. The act requires a landlord to make premises reasonably secure. I

believe this determinant is in the act, but it does not specify how to do that.

Yellowknife has a number of multi-use buildings, particularly in our downtown, and the city is moving towards developing more. We have buildings with commercial space and residential space beside or above that commercial space. Occupied space of commercial spaces do not generally represent a problem, but if the commercial part of the multi-use space is unoccupied, the landlord must do a lot more so that the space and the whole building is adequately secured at all times in order to ensure the safety and the protection of the tenant or tenants. This is a difficult issue to correct.

The Residential Tenancies Act already has clauses which reference landlord responsibility. How much more should be required? Of that I’m not sure, but I do believe some sections or some regulations should be made stronger. So I ask the Minister of Justice to consider this problem, this concern, as he and the department consider amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act. Thank you.

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Tenant Security Provisions In The Residential Tenancies Act

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . Member for Yellowknife Centre , Mr. Hawkins .

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Partnerships To Address Homelessness And Addictions

Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve all been hearing loud and clear about the problems in the city over this past summer. These are problems, destructive problems of violent behaviour that has been reaching and affecting all people from across the city from tip to tip.

When in a civil society did we call this normal? When do we consider this acceptable? I assert to you it is not normal, but the calls of action I think have been over shone by the calls of status quo.

Politicians have been called to lead, but in my view, they seem to rather be led. Politicians are expected to act, but all I hear from our politicians across the way is you’re asking what would others do.

It’s time this government wakes from its deep slumber. There is more going on in this city and there is more going on in this territory with the hopes and dreams of the sugar plums of devolution dancing in their heads.

There are real problems in this territory that are being ignored by the hopes of devolution. A year ago I asked the Health Minister , and he agreed to the idea, about creating a collaborative plan, working with the RCMP and Health. It was an idea I brought to the table. It was an idea about getting social workers to join in partnership with the RCMP on our most active nights down on the streets. It would create a positive relationship, a great contact, sometimes when people need friends most. It would help people to provide guidance of

those who are in trouble and in need of a little help. It gave them the opportunity sometimes to find a friend who had no friends.

As I’m sure is no surprise to this Health Minister and to many people in this room, many of those folks who are in the throes of addictions have nowhere to go. Many people on those destructive tailspins end up making choices that change their lives, but seriously affect the lives of many others. So the unacceptable behaviour continues and the slumber goes on.

I read even this morning in the paper, as recently we see that destructive behaviour once again rearing its ugly head as it preyed upon an innocent family at three in the morning and threatened their safety. The people want more foot patrols by the RCMP and you can see they’re responding, but the RCMP cannot do this alone. They need a collaborative partnership with Health.

So, once again, I call upon this sleepy Cabinet and, more specifically, the tired and restless Minister who is doing nothing on this problem to get social workers on our streets and help our people and take back our city. Thank you.

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Partnerships To Address Homelessness And Addictions

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins . The Member for Deh Cho , Mr. Nadli .

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United Nations Rapporteur On Indigenous Rights

Members’ Statements

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 15th Professor James Anaya with the UN Special

Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples concluded a nine-day visit to Canada. As a Special Rapporteur, Professor Anaya has a mandate from the UN to monitor the human rights condition of Aboriginal peoples worldwide, to address situations in which their rights are being violated, to promote practical solutions to human rights abuses by governments.

In his closing statement, Mr. Anaya said, “From all I have learned, I can only conclude that Canada faces a crisis when it comes to the situation of indigenous people of this country. The well-being gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada has not narrowed over the past several years, treaty and Aboriginal claims remain persistently unresolved, and overall there appear to be high levels of distrust among Aboriginal peoples toward government at both the federal and provincial levels.”

obligation to improve the lives and living conditions of Aboriginal peoples in Canada?

While I’m glad to see rapporteur Anaya shine a light on the truth on the appalling conditions faced by Aboriginal peoples in Canada, it is unfortunate that he did not come to the North. The last visit of a rapporteur to the NWT took place 13 years ago. What has changed since then?

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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United Nations Rapporteur On Indigenous Rights

Members’ Statements

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Here we are 250 years later and still we have unsettled claims in the NWT. Self-government negotiations are underway in almost every part of the NWT but only one Aboriginal group, the Tlicho Government, has achieved the goal of governing its own people. Mahsi.

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United Nations Rapporteur On Indigenous Rights

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli . Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have made my Member’s statement on the hydraulic fracking that potentially is going to happen this year in the Sahtu. The company of ConocoPhillips is going to do two exploration wells. With the recent trip to the Bakken formation and seeing the activity down in North Dakota and southeastern Saskatchewan, it certainly was overwhelming. There you can see the different jurisdictions, the different rules that apply in that area, and so it is like the Wild West, really. Up in the Sahtu we have some provisions and some regulations in place, plus we have some time to do it right and do it responsibly.

I am going to ask the Minister of ITI for getting it right and doing it right and doing it responsibly what are types of things we need to look at between now and when Conoco starts their experimental, exploratory hydraulic fracking this winter, so we know that we’re in control, we’re in the driver’s seat on hydraulic fracking in the Northwest Territories.

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment , Mr. Ramsay .

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My belief is we are on the right track when it comes to getting ready and preparing ourselves. Part of that getting ready has been the fact-finding tour to southeastern Saskatchewan and to North Dakota. Also, last year we had another fact-finding mission to Calgary. I think more of the education component has to be front and centre, especially for community leaders, people in the communities in the Sahtu who are going to be most impacted by development. We also need to continue to work with community governments, leaders in the area. We have to continue to work with industry.

In speaking to industry, the Northwest Territories today has the toughest regulations when it comes to oil and gas, and the development of oil and gas, the exploratory drilling of wells. It’s the most costly and most regulated part of North America, from what I understand. We need to ensure that we continue the dialogue and continue to move forward with the sustainable development of our territory. Thank you.

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, with the technology of hydraulic fracking and understanding that there is a risk to the hydraulic fracking, we saw that in the Bakkens and we’re certainly going to see it in the Northwest Territories.

I want to ask the Minister what types of mechanisms are in place right now to limit, to address some of the risks that potentially could happen. It is no different than the people in NASA when they started out to put a man on the moon. There were risks associated with it. It is no different than what we are doing in the Northwest Territories with hydraulic fracking. How are we going to address these risks that this new technology would bring us prosperity or it could bring us devastation?

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, we have to just continue with developing industry best practices when it comes to developing the resources that we have here in the Northwest Territories. I think that will bode well for us.

There has been a lot of research done on the integrity of wells that have been drilled and fracked. Again, I think it all comes down to putting the facts on the table. I know the United States government has done a great deal of work in that regard in trying to identify any contamination of groundwater

from the drilling and fracturing of wells. I don’t believe in a million wells that were looked at that they found one instance of groundwater contamination.

I think the facts really do have to get out there. We will try to get the facts on the table so that the people of the Sahtu, the people of the Northwest Territories can make these decisions as we move forward. Thank you.

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Certainly when we were in the east part of the east corner of Saskatchewan, we were actually at a frack site. We were actually in the operation and actually we were fracking. There was no earth shattering water spewing out of the hole. It is actually quite safe. I would like to point to the Minister in terms of having the information out there. Clearly, the facts need to be looked at.

I want to ask the Minister in regards to the employment for our people. In 2010-11 $976,000 was paid to income support clients in the Sahtu. We want to reduce that. How is the Minister going to address the needs in our communities in regards to the employment and the exploration activities in the Sahtu so that we can reduce the income support payments to our members in the Sahtu?

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, through education and training programs, and opportunities through industry, through government and working in partnership with land corps in the Sahtu, I think that’s how we are going to realize people taking control of their lives and getting opportunities to get jobs and provide for their families. I mentioned it in my Minister’s statement earlier today.

We need to do something about the fact that people are on income assistance, and this opportunity that we have in front of us in the Sahtu is a great opportunity, something that if we go about it the right way and we plan for it, I think that the Member and Members of this House will be really impressed with how we can turn this into a real positive story and get people to work in the Sahtu, not only people from the Sahtu but also people from other regions of this territory. They will have work available to them in our territory. Thank you.

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya .

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to equality in the Northwest Territories, we see and I’ve read in the newspaper – the Yellowknifer – this morning, that the federal government approved another mine for the Yellowknife area, another diamond mine. So all its benefits, once this mine is approved, this region will see it.

I’m asking the Minister why we don’t have the same type of benefits in the Sahtu region that we know the hydraulic fracking can bring to us. I ask the Minister, would he then seek the guidance of the

EDI, maybe working with the EDI committee members to go into the communities and go and look at some of the guidelines to move on the hydraulic fracking.

We need the same opportunity as down here in the Yellowknife area up in the Sahtu. You don’t see our Members talking about the diamond mines in this area.

I ask the Minister, would he look at working with the EDI committee on how to involve people through the education process, in supporting the issue of hydraulic fracking.

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, fundamental to all this is a diversified economy here in the Northwest Territories. It’s great news that the federal government has approved Gahcho Kue, and that will be very beneficial for the territory and the North Slave region.

There are opportunities elsewhere in this territory. The government has done a lot of work in advancing the Economic Opportunities Strategy where we’re going to talk about how we’re going to diversify the economy with agriculture, forestry, fishing and also tourism. This is an opportunity that’s before us, it’s something we can plan for, it’s something we can work toward, and it’s a very exciting opportunity.

It’s been a good last week here. We also have talk by Imperial about revamping the Mackenzie Gas Project. The prospect of that would have a profound impact on this territory, and certainly the development happening in the Sahtu, the exploration and development, because they’re after the oil that’s in the ground in the Sahtu, but a big by-product of the extraction of that oil is gas. So I think if this gets some legs, the talk again about the Mackenzie Gas Project, it could be very, very big news for this territory. Thank you.

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Question 358-17(4): Hydraulic Fracturing Readiness

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . Mr. Menicoche .

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke about the Alberta achievement tests and some of the failings in our teaching in our small schools, in achievements, and concern of parents. When the Minister talks about education renewal, what exactly is he renewing and is he aware that what’s being taught is not what’s expected to be learned with that type of approach? Concerned parents have come to me time and time again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . Minister of Education , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Part of the education renewal is to look further into our educational system, how we can improve the programming and the courses that are being delivered, especially in the small, isolated communities. It has been brought to our attention in this House and by Assembly Members, as well, that we need to improve our education system. That’s where we’re at.

We have reached out and gauged the general public, the parents and educators, to hear their views about where we should improve.

Some of the highlights that they’ve come across are: system accountability; professional capacity, with respect to teachers and also the support staff; assessment practices in the small community schools, which has been a priority topic within the small community schools; and also the Early Childhood Development Framework that’s before us in this House, and now we’re going to be developing action plans towards that inter-departmentally between Health and Social Services and my department. There is also an inter-departmental approach with respect to all the different departments that need to work together.

These are some of the areas of focus within the Education Renewal Initiative that we are moving forward on. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

The Minister said something interesting about getting out to the communities and that’s what I’ve also heard is that parents want to be engaged. So I look forward to the rollout of that plan, but more specifically to my issue, what alternatives are Education, Culture and Employment considering to the Alberta achievement test and why is the department thinking about changing the way it measures student performance? Thank you.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi. We are closely monitoring Alberta education changes. There are changes that are coming and we’re monitoring very closely. The Alberta achievement test, it’s also changing in their jurisdiction. So how it’s going to look, we’re not sure at this point, but we are working closely with them and there are various assessment tools that we use within the schools within the Northwest Territories as well. Assessing students will continue to be a priority of this government, this department. The education system will not change as a result of the Education Renewal and Innovation Initiative that’s before us.

So assessment is part of the whole Education Renewal Initiative and again, Alberta is changing their overall educational system. They’re changing their Education Act and we are following their curriculum, as well, the Grade 12 examination and so forth. So if there are any changes that are coming then we need to be prepared for it.

So within our Education Renewal Initiative within the Northwest Territories, we are making changes

that will benefit the students, benefit the communities of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

In my research from the past six years, our students have not improved when they’re taking the Alberta achievement test. So do we actually understand why our students are failing the Alberta achievement test and can the Minister explain this phenomenon? What factors are involved here and why are we consistently failing these Alberta achievement tests in our grades? Thank you.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi. We’ve also done our research, as well, throughout Canada, national and also international research. We also sought out some information and ideas from positions from the northern people and provided direction for the changes that we need.

The Education Renewal Initiative is based on the fact that we need to change our educational system and share in the feedback of the general public, the parents, the grandparents, our educators, who feel that we need to change our educational system. We’ve heard over and over from Regular Members on can we improve in those areas so our Grade 12 students can go directly to post-secondary. We are working on that with the Education Renewal Initiative.

The Early Childhood Development Framework is another area where we’re focusing on the early ages so they can be prepared when they graduate from Grade 12 and go directly to post-secondary, university.

The Education Renewal Initiative will also address these issues through the development of a comprehensive K to 12 Literacy Strategy that’s based on the input of the general public as well. So these are just some of the key initiatives we are pursuing as a department and we’ll continue to push that further. Mahsi.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche .

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad the department wants to see improvements. My constituents and my parents want to see improvements, too, but dropping the Alberta achievement test, I’m just not convinced that’s the right thing to do right now. You’ve got to have some other baseline to measure student performance if we are going to improve it.

So will there be an overlapping time period and how will we ensure that we’ve got quality baseline that we can measure improvements in our students in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

As I indicated, Alberta is changing their Education Act as well. The Alberta achievement test may be in a different format, some sort of an assessment that we need

to follow as a guideline. We’ve done that for the past how many years now and with this whole Education Renewal Initiative and the Early Childhood Development Framework, that will definitely improve our education system throughout the Northwest Territories, K to 12, even at that early age. At that point in time, those individuals that are doing their 3, 6 and 9 assessment tests, we’re hoping that it will improve over the years.

So those are our goals and objectives and we are reaching out to the general public to seek their input and we’ve sought that and we’ve got that already. So we are moving forward on this on the right path. Mahsi.

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Question 359-17(4): Student Achievement In Small Communities

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Member for Mackenzie Delta , Mr. Blake .

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up on my Member’s statement earlier, I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation what training opportunities are available for residents of Aklavik in connection with the Willow River access road and other roadwork going on in the region? Thank you.

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Blake . The Minister of Transportation , Mr. Ramsay .

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In respect to training opportunities for communities in the Mackenzie Delta, I would expect there would be training opportunities as a result of the Inuvik-Tuk highway.

In regard to the Willow River access road, we still haven’t got the funds earmarked for the Willow River access road. So without any funding for the construction of that road or advancing that road project, there would be no training opportunities. Thank you.

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

Is the Minister willing to work with the leadership in Aklavik on next steps in the implementation of their feasibility and planning studies? Thank you.

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Yes, I would like to, at the earliest opportunity, get a chance to meet with community leaders in regard to the Willow River access road in Aklavik, and going forward we do have to find a way to get some further funding into Willow River access road program. The community can avail itself of accessing the Community Access Road Program that they have in the past. So that opportunity is still available to the community. We’re also hoping with the new Building Canada Plan that communities across the Northwest Territories will have opportunities for additional funding programs to look at programs like the Willow River access road, also communities have access to gas tax

funding as well that they could earmark for projects like the access to the Willow River. Thank you.

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

I’d just like to ask the Minister, will he accept my invitation to visit my riding? Thank you.

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

David Ramsay

Kam Lake

Yes, at the earliest opportunity in the schedule, we can work out the schedule, but as soon as my

schedule permits, I’d be more than happy to visit the communities in the Mackenzie Delta. Thank you.

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Question 360-17(4): Aklavik Willow River Access Road Project

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay . Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources . I would like to ask the Minister some questions as a bit of a follow-up to the motion that this House passed the other day with regard to the Giant Mine Remediation Project. I think the Minister is well aware that Members on this side of the House, particularly Yellowknife Members, are very interested in the recommendations from that report and are very interested in knowing what the GNWT is going to say about that report.

So my first question to the Minister is to know from him how Regular Members, particularly Yellowknife Members, can have input into the GNWT response into the Giant Mine Environmental Assessment Report. Thank you.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources , Mr. Miltenberger .

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the federal process that we’re engaged in as one of the responsible Ministers, there is no real opportunity for input into a separate government, into our position as we work at the table with the other responsible Ministers from AANDC, NRCan and Environment Canada. Thank you.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. That’s unfortunately what I was expecting. I appreciate this is a federal response, but I also know that we as a government are sitting at a table and we are presenting a position. I think it is a responsibility of this government to allow Members to have some input into that position.

So I would like to know from the Minister, my question is whether or not I, as a Yellowknife Member, other Yellowknife Members, other Regular Members who want to, why can we not, or can we not have an opportunity to sit down with yourself, as Minister, or with other Members or staff of the government to know what the GNWT position is

and to have some input on to the GNWT position, not the federal position, but what we’re saying at the table with the feds. Thank you.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

There are officials from all the responsible Ministers’ departments working collaboratively on a response to the recommendations of the review panel, and that process precludes the ability to sit down with us specifically to lay out what the Members would like to see. If the Member wants to have a discussion with myself and with officials from ENR about the report, we’d be happy to do that, but there is no door or no table where the MLAs can come to the seat, come to the table with all the other officials as we collectively work on the response. Thank you.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

That is what I’m asking. I’m asking for an opportunity for Members who want to hear from you as Minister and from staff, what we are putting forward in this joint group that is developing a response, a federal response. We get briefings all the time, and what I’m asking is for a briefing on what the GNWT is saying at the table where this federal response is being developed.

Will the Minister commit to a briefing to myself, in particular, but to any other Members who wish to attend to know what we are saying at the table with the feds?

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

I will make a commitment to sit down and provide a briefing of what is possible, given the constraints that we function under, and it may not be the full detail that the Member is requesting. This is a process that is defined under the federal process and it’s not one where there’s an opportunity for that type of debate, but I will commit to check to see what is possible, given the Member’s request.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger . Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro .

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for the commitment to look into it. I would certainly hope that there would not be anything except perhaps a legal requirement that stands in the way of this kind of consultation. We are a consensus government. We share the responsibility with the federal government and we as Members share the responsibility with our Minister on this particular response. I think it is imperative that the Minister do everything he can to allow Members on this side of the House to have some input into what we’re saying to the feds. I’d like to know from the Minister when I might expect a response on his commitment.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Before we prorogue at the end of next week.

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Question 361-17(4): Response To The Giant Mine Remediation Report

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Michael Miltenberger . The Member for Deh Cho , Mr. Nadli .

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier , Mr. McLeod. I just wanted to highlight I reference several elders and I just wanted to mention the elders like Leo Norwegian, the late Leo Norwegian, Gabe and Mary Cazon, George Boots, the late Paul Wright. Just a few elders that were at the meeting with Mr. Martinez back in 1999, and a lot of them have passed on. It’s unfortunate that a lot of the promises that were made in the treaties remain unfulfilled.

What recourse do First Nations have at this point to address especially the unsettled land claim areas? Now, we take the view that those regions that don’t have settled land claims are basically called historical treaties and First Nations are encouraged to negotiate at the table. Sometimes there are conflicts and what recourse do First Nations have? My question is to the Premier . What recourse do First Nations have when governments ignore and do not address their concerns?

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli . The honourable Premier .

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Premier

Governments have a historical and special relationship with Aboriginal, specifically treaty, people. Here in the Northwest Territories, we have an opportunity to show the rest of Canada and the world how to improve and do things better in the area of negotiations, settling land claims and working together, having a good relationship with Aboriginal governments, and I think we’re making a lot of progress in that area.

I’ve said many times that in the historical treaty areas that the Member is talking about, the difference is that those Aboriginal governments believe in the oral version of the treaties. They don’t believe in the written version of the treaties. The Constitution of Canada refers to the written versions and modern land claims and self-government, so I think that’s a decision that Aboriginal governments have to make.

We as a government are working. We have the process with the Dehcho First Nation to try to find a way to move forward, and I think we’ve been having some good discussions. We’re hoping to establish a similar arrangement with the Akaitcho at some point and I think that’s been happening. As everybody knows, it started out as a Dene and Metis comprehensive land claim, but because of their differences and development, it split out into a number of regional land claims and even to community land claims and self-government, so for those that feel they want to make progress, they’ve looked at those other options as well.

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

I think the NWT prides itself in providing leadership in terms of First Nation issues and leading the way in terms of coming up with key agreements. The unfortunate reality is that if you negotiate and if you don’t agree with governments, governments have the power of withdrawing funding and basically walking away from the table, which leaves the option of First Nations to seek perhaps a remedy through the courts. Other parts of Canada do have systems in place, and I’m encouraged that the Minister has indicated that we want to show the other parts of Canada how to improve the system of working with First Nations.

Would the Premier agree in principle to the idea of having a commission that could be struck up between the First Nations and governments to oversee disputes that go unabated, that are not addressed, and to try to perhaps speed up the unresolved land claims process?

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Premier

I think we have taken the lead in that area once again. Once devolution is implemented, we will have an intergovernmental council; we will be working with all of the Aboriginal governments that sign on to devolution, working together, and I think that in that way that’s the best way to resolve disputes. For those that haven’t signed on yet, we’re still very optimistic that we’ll hopefully see that happen within the next year or so.

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Does the GNWT support the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission extending beyond July 1, 2014? If so, how has that support been expressed to the federal government?

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Nadli , I’ll allow the question if the Premier will take it, but it’s two different topics. If you want to redo your question, Mr. Nadli .

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Michael Nadli

Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Premier update us in terms of how it is that this government is working with the federal government in terms of ensuring that work with truth and reconciliation continues? Mahsi.

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Same question. Mr. Premier .

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been a very big supporter of the truth and reconciliation process. We think they have been doing an excellent job. If we are asked and if we are prepared to continue to work with them, we will work with them to include the history of residential school in our curriculum, working with Aboriginal governments, and I think that we would be prepared to work with them if we are asked to do so and try to extend the process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 362-17(4): Dispute Resolution Mechanisms In Dealings With Aboriginal Governments

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake , Mr. Moses .

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions I have today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services in regards to some campaigns. I want to know what is out there for people who are suffering from mental health and addiction disorders that might eventually find where the outcome is suicide.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what partnerships does the government have right now in terms of any kind of helplines that residents of the Northwest Territories can access. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses . Minister of Health and Social Services , Mr. Beaulieu .

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has three helplines for an individual. One is specifically kids help line and then two general helplines. Two of them are 1-800 numbers and one is a helpline for the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, how about in the communities? I know, looking through the department’s website, I was looking for phone numbers, if somebody needs to contact somebody in the community or an isolated community. That’s where we need to get the services into these small communities that are isolated.

Does the Minister have any campaigns or any future work going into the small communities for implementing either an intervention team or a helpline? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services works with the various health and social services authorities across the North. Specifically, right now we are in touch with the Sahtu, Beaufort-Delta and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services in delivering some programs. One is the applied suicide intervention skill training, which we are running in the various programs in the various communities within those regions. We deliver those and we have some funding targeted to that right now. We are spending about $260,000 in that specific program to deliver those programs to help people identify where potential suicide could be a possibility. Thank you.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, that kind of goes into one of my other questions in terms of funding. This $260,000 for this specific funding, how many communities are going to be able to access that funding for the training specifically for their needs? Can the Minister let me know how many communities this will be applied to or that will be able to utilize that funding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, in addition to the applied suicide program workshop which has that budget, our plan is to go into three communities in the Beaufort-Delta, hold a couple of workshops here in the city, Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope. But in addition to that, we are going to be delivering the Mental Health First Aid Program, which also works in conjunction with this. We want to deliver that program with about $125,000 to deliver that program in Inuvik, McPherson, Norman Wells, Tulita, and then throughout the year we will also be delivering three more of those programs here in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses .

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Mental Health Act was first assented in this House in 1985 and there haven’t been any significant amendments to reflect the need that we have in our communities. I know, with the money that the Minister has mentioned, we can’t get into all the communities, so we have to find another way and that is through campaign and awareness.

Can the Minister give me any answers if there are any big suicide-specific campaigns that the department might be coming up with within the next year or in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, in January of this coming year, 2014, we are planning to have a train the trainer workshop targeted at suicide intervention and mental health first aid to try to train up some individuals that can go into all of the regions and work with people. Then the trainers will then train individuals in the community, trying to identify the potential suicides in the communities and also work on developing some forms of protocol when there are alarm bells going off on potential for individuals that may be contemplating, or ideology of suicide. Thank you.

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Question 363-17(4): Promotion Of Mental Health And Addictions Services

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources . I would like to chat about fracking in the Sahtu. This week the Minister of ITI explained that it was the responsibility of ENR to look at the social and environmental impacts of fracking.

I am wondering: How is our ENR Minister working to ensure that fracking projects such as those being promoted by ITI are sustainable? By sustainable, I mean that we are looking at the three pillars of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. Mahsi.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

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

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, we are looking at the whole issue of fracking. We are looking at how we manage the balance between environment and resource development in the Sahtu. In this case, the issue of fracking is a major piece of technology that’s being used where there are risks, but we are of the opinion that we can manage those risks.

One of the things that we are doing and have been working on for some time at the behest of and encouragement of Members is the guidance document that is going to be on its way to committee this week about this government’s position and guidance to industry and to regulators as what we see as critical key best practices that will provide the assurance that, in fact, we are taking the steps to manage the risks involved with fracking. Thank you.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thanks to the Minister. I’m pleased to hear this government understands sustainable development is not something you just say without meaning anything. I think that people in our communities understand that too. I am surprised that the Minister has already made conclusions about what is sustainable here. I didn’t think we were that far along in our studying up on this subject.

Could the Minister explain the role that ENR has played in making sure that the fracking education workshops – I believe that was the ITI Minister ’s term – that are being held in the Sahtu this week provide information on the potential environmental and social impacts of fracking? That is how we ensure that there are third party environmental and social experts presenting to the residents so that they can learn about the issue as they would like to. Mahsi.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

That issue has been raised by the Member already. I believe the Minister of ITI indicated we are prepared to make sure we have the type of workshops that are balanced and reflect not only the possibilities in terms of economic development but the risks we have to manage and the challenges that are associated with that and the obligations we have. As the Minister of ITI said repeatedly, we have to work together to balance. So that work is underway. Thank you.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

I guess that is recognition that the fracking education workshops are a partial education indeed. As we learned in North Dakota, the cumulative environmental and social impacts of fracking are very much related to how many wells were fracked and the rate at which we permit this development. So under devolution, could the Minister explain how much authority the GNWT will

have to control the scale and pace of that development; that is, who will say this is too much and how will we decide that. Mahsi.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

There’s going to be a number of things that are going to happen after April 1st and the MVRMA will continue having

a role to play. We will be defining our role as it pertains to being the regulator.

In terms of development, we will work with the land and water boards that are there, we will work with industry and all the other processes that are there to look at cumulative impacts. We are going to focus initially as well – and we’ve already indicated this publicly and to committee – that we are at work through the Environmental Research Fund that is partially funded by industry to look at the groundwater mapping, wildlife baseline gathering information so that we collectively have the information, that critical baseline information, to help us make the assessment and determination about cumulative impact.

There’s going to be, clearly, a political component about the pace of development. Member Yakeleya mentioned that as well. We all want to do this the right way. We want to do it in a balanced way and we want to make sure we maintain the balance between the environment and resource development. So we are very cognizant of our responsibilities and our role collectively to be good stewards both in this Legislature and all Northerners, I would suggest. Thank you.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

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

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This type of development, fracking well pads every four miles with up to 40 wells per pad now, roads and pipelines criss-crossing the land has never taken place in an area this far north and with the challenges the Sahtu poses. I know the Minister is aware there’s a world of difference between what we saw, for example, in North Dakota/Saskatchewan where you can put in a road in an afternoon and reclaim it in a couple of days.

Could the Minister explain how ENR will decide how much fracking or development associated with fracking is too much, given that we don’t have these sorts of baselines on which to base this information? Mahsi.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

One of the things that is happening with devolution is we are setting up a lands department, and one of the ideas and plans with the lands department is between the lands department, ITI and ENR we will be able to form a development assessment component or process that will allow us to provide the oversight and proper input in all those areas. Of course, in this case we’re working with exploration. As exploration is done and if it proves out, clearly we

will be moving ahead with that process, with tour discussion with the Sahtu members, the people in the Sahtu, the various environmental assessment process to determine the rate and intensity, the issue of cumulative impact, that we’re not going to be dealing on a project-by-project basis. While there will be a project-by-project approval process, clearly we have a broader obligation to manage the issues that the Member has raised. We’re designing our systems to do that. Thank you.

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Question 364-17(4): Environmental Assessment Of Hydraulic Fracturing

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

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

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Question 365-17(4): Collaboration Between Social Workers And RCMP

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Canadians were shocked yesterday when they heard Mike Duffy reveal that it’s the kids in short pants that are pulling the levers in that government, Mr. Speaker. Time and time again I’ve asked the Health Minister about doing things. I’ve asked for support for addictions; he closes the Nats’ejee K’eh Centre. I ask him to put social workers on the street, he quietly behind the scenes ignores it although he publicly, a year and a day, he says he’d be happy to do it and help people on the street.

The question that remains is: Is the Health file too big for him and who’s making the decisions over in the Department of Health, because it clearly isn’t the Health Minister . Who is pulling the levers in the Department of Health and if this file is too big, there’s lots of room over here. Mr. Speaker, will he clear this up for the people of this House?

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Question 365-17(4): Collaboration Between Social Workers And RCMP

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

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

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Question 365-17(4): Collaboration Between Social Workers And RCMP

Oral Questions

Tu Nedhe

Tom Beaulieu

Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, the Health file is not too big for me.

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Question 365-17(4): Collaboration Between Social Workers And RCMP

Oral Questions

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknif