Transcript of meeting #1 for Territorial Leadership Committee in the 17th Assembly.
The winning word was work.
Call to Order
Call to Order
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
Good morning, Members. You can be seated for now. As Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, it is my duty to call the meeting of the Territorial Leadership Committee to order and to preside over the election of a Speaker this morning.
Prayer
Prayer
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
I would like you first to rise and I will ask Mr. Moses, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, to lead us in an opening prayer.
---Prayer
Prayer
Prayer
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Before we begin today, I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize some important guests in the gallery today.
I’d like to recognize the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the former Member for Hay River North, the Honourable Paul Delorey.
---Applause
I’d also like to recognize the Premier of the Northwest Territories and the former Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Honourable Floyd Roland.
---Applause
I’d also like to recognize the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Public Works and Services and the former Member for Deh Cho, the Honourable Michael McLeod.
---Applause
Welcome, gentlemen. It’s good to see you in the gallery this morning.
Review and Adoption of Agenda
Review and Adoption of Agenda
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
All Members have a copy of the agenda in front of them. The next item on the agenda is the review and adoption of the agenda. Are there any additions or deletions to the agenda? Seeing none, is the agenda for the Territorial Leadership Committee meeting agreed?
Review and Adoption of Agenda
Review and Adoption of Agenda
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
Thank you, Members. This is the first meeting of the Territorial Leadership Committee for the Members of the 17th Legislative Assembly. In front of you, in
addition to the agenda, is a package of information and various forms including the guidelines and procedures for the selection of your Speaker, Premier and members of the Executive Council. There are several items that will assist Members in addressing how they are to conduct their proceedings in this committee today.
The process for the election of the Speaker will begin with self-nominations from the floor. In accordance with your agreed upon procedures, I will ask Members to indicate whether they wish to allow their names to stand for the Speaker’s position. Once Members indicate their interest, each candidate will be permitted to make a five- minute speech. The speeches will be made in alphabetical order by surname. Questions to the candidates will not be permitted. Voting will then commence by secret ballot. If only one nomination is received, the Member shall be acclaimed. Are all members of the committee in agreement with this process for the selection of the Speaker?
Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Opening Remarks by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
Thank you, Members. Once you have chosen your Speaker-elect, that individual will assume the chair of the Territorial Leadership Committee and will preside over your proceedings for the balance of the day.
With regard to some technical matters, Members should be aware that you are not required to turn on your microphones, to turn them on or off. That will be done automatically for you by our sound technicians.
Also in front of Members and built into your desks are the timing mechanisms. When speeches are being made, the clocks will count down the time available to you, and you are asked to be mindful of
the time limits that have been set and agreed to by all Members.
I wish to make Members aware of the fact that portions of your proceedings today are being broadcast live on the Legislative Assembly Television Network throughout the Northwest Territories. They will be rebroadcast this evening. Our proceedings today are being simultaneously translated into the Tlicho and South Slavey languages. Tlicho is on Channel 2 and South Slavey is on Channel 3. The language of the floor is on Channel 1.
I would also like to remind Members that this is a less formal committee meeting than the House itself. When Members do wish to speak, they have the option of remaining seated or standing.
Election of Speaker
Election of Speaker
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
The next item on the agenda, Members, is item 5, the election of a Speaker. You have the Speaker selection guidelines in your packages. As per the guidelines, my first duty is to ask all Members that wish to allow their names to stand for the position of Speaker to rise in their places.
I have Mr. Jacobson, who has risen to allow his name to stand for the position of Speaker. I have no other names. As such, I now declare the nomination process to be closed and it is my duty to advise you that you have elected by acclamation Mr. Jackie Jacobson, the Member for Nunakput, as your Speaker-elect. Congratulations, Mr. Jacobson.
---Applause
Results
Election of Speaker
Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House
The appointment will be confirmed by motion in the House tomorrow, and at this time I would like to ask Mr. Jacobson to assume the chair of the Territorial Leadership Committee.
Speaker-elect Assumes Chair of Territorial Leadership Committee
Speaker-elect Assumes Chair of Territorial Leadership Committee
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, everyone. I’d like to thank you all for the trust you have placed in me. As your Speaker-elect, I’ll have something more to say tomorrow when the 17th Legislative Assembly officially opens.
Election of the Premier
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
The next item on the agenda is the election of the Premier. Our agreed upon procedures will see us call for self-nominations for the Premier position. I will ask Members to indicate whether they wish to allow their names to stand for the Premier’s position. This will be followed by speeches from the
candidates and a series of questions to the candidates. I’ll ask Members who wish to allow their names to stand for position of Premier to please rise in their place.
Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Bob McLeod, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Bob McLeod, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. McLeod, you have 20 minutes on the clock.
Mr. Bob McLeod’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Colleagues, first allow me to congratulate each and every one of you on your election to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.
I stand before you today to seek your support as the 12th Premier of the Northwest Territories. The
road here is not always an easy one and I will look forward to working with all of you in the years to come. The people of the Northwest Territories are relying on us to work together and we will not disappoint them.
There are many important issues we need to discuss immediately to ensure each one of us has the opportunity to set the priorities of the 17th Assembly. We must seek to understand one another to achieve a strategic vision for the Northwest Territories. Many of us have heard the same issues from our constituents: the need for infrastructure investment, a strong economy, employment opportunities for Northerners, a balanced approach to development, environmental stewardship, the need to address the cost of living in all communities, to address issues of poverty, housing and, our most critical governance issue, devolution.
As Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Human Resources, and Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board in the 16th Assembly, I’ve had
the privilege of working with many of you directly to complete a number of significant initiatives for our territory. Some of these initiatives include establishing a customer service focus for the delivery of human resource programs and services, focusing on energy initiatives through the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to renewable and alternative energy, and perhaps the one initiative that best embodies our ability to work together is the electricity rate reforms that have lowered the cost of electricity and lowered the cost of living throughout the Northwest Territories. We should all be very proud of our ability to work together on that strategy and fulfill our promise to reduce the cost of living in the small communities.
If elected Premier, I will continue to collaborate with you to fulfill the strategic goals of the 17th Assembly. We should acknowledge the continuous improvements we have made in education and opportunities for our youth. Over the past five years we’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars in new schools and school-based community infrastructure like gymnasiums that double as community facilities. We’ve made these investments to ensure that all youth have an opportunity to get an education close to home.
The next step for our young people is jobs. The Northwest Territories Mine Training Society has successfully trained and placed more than 800 Northerners in our mining sector. Over the next five years the Northwest Territories mining industry will need 1,400 more employees. Once the Devolution Agreement is successfully negotiated, many professional positions will be transferred from the federal government. We’ll be in a position to offer some of these jobs to young Northwest Territories graduates. Many workers will be in demand and we must continue to prepare our young people for employment opportunities. Working together, the 17th Legislative Assembly can continue to support
our youth and help develop the next generation of Northwest Territories leaders.
The most critical governance issue facing the 17th Assembly is devolution. In my view, we should start thinking about this initiative as evolution, not devolution. It’s the next logical step in the evolution of our territory and the evolution of our place in Confederation. Our task will be to gain control of subsurface rights for the people of the North so that we can better manage the pace and conditions of development and, to the extent we do so wisely, enjoy the benefits of that development. For too long as a government we have borne the responsibilities of government without its full benefits, without the revenues needed to maintain our territory and support our people.
I believe that the agreement-in-principle offers many benefits: $85 million annually for 350 jobs transferred from the federal to the territorial government. The AIP also grandfathers environmental liabilities that will be borne by the federal government. We will not be liable for the hundreds of millions of dollars of mitigation that must take place. Fifty to sixty million dollars annually in additional financial transfers. These transfers represent new employment opportunities in the Northwest Territories and will relieve pressure on the debt cap that may limit our ability to forge ahead with new capital projects.
We will seek to share this new revenue with Aboriginal governments throughout the Northwest Territories and we must work with them. Together we will find a way to make this happen. I have a track record of successful collaboration and I will seek to work with Aboriginal governments to determine how best to share the revenues and the
new responsibilities we gain back from Ottawa in a way that builds on our individual strengths while not further splintering our already limited capacity. I ask all Aboriginal leaders to enter into these discussions with a clear understanding that we are all stronger together than we are apart.
At this time, perhaps more than any other in the history of the Northwest Territories, we have the opportunity to guarantee the future health and prosperity of Northerners. With devolution we will see the control of our land and water in the hands of Northerners where it belongs. We need the opportunity to invest in our people, to put funding in community programs that will best support residents, and to allow us the opportunity to invest in the long-term needs of this territory.
Devolution is evolution. It is the natural change and growth that this territory needs. To critics on the sidelines who say it can’t be done I say it must be done. We must acquire full decision-making rights for our future or be subject to a distant master with other priorities. Working together, the 17th Legislative Assembly can secure the future of the Northwest Territories.
While the discussions about devolution will take our time and energy, we must also consider how we will bring a renewed focus to the economy. We often talk about the vast potential of resources in the Northwest Territories. There is probably no disagreement amongst Members of this House that there is indeed vast potential. The question we must ask ourselves is: what do we believe must happen with those resources? Let’s find an answer to that question, an answer that considers that we must create employment, we must seek to control the cost of living, we must invest in cleaner energy solutions, and we must remain vigilant in the sustainable use of our land and water.
There is a need for an economic strategy, responsive to changing economic conditions which will be critical to our ability to invest in and stabilize the northern economy. I have heard calls for a resource development strategy. I have heard concerns about exploration investment declining in the Northwest Territories. I have heard calls for increased environmental stewardship. My response is simple: we must take a balanced approach; not a high-wire balancing act where the impacts of a development could be catastrophic, but a solid, balanced approach that allows economic growth, employment for Northerners and conservation of our land.
As many of you know, we have opportunities in other sectors including manufacturing, agriculture and tourism. I am particularly excited by the vast potential for diversifying community economies, providing employment and highlighting aspects of
Aboriginal culture and languages that the tourism sector offers.
The Northwest Territories is not immune from the volatility of the global economy, and now, more than ever, our fiscal situation requires that we quickly agree how this government will continue to provide the level of service that our constituents have come to expect. I won’t sugar coat this: we are in a tough situation.
Without increased revenue we will have to decrease our spending. However, if we are able to act quickly and come together on the devolution file, I believe we may be able to stabilize our fiscal situation and minimize impacts on residents of the Northwest Territories. There will be some short- term fiscal challenges we must address, but I believe we can do that in the responsible and considered way.
We also need to undertake a focused initiative to convince the Government of Canada to increase the federal northern resident income tax deduction. As Northerners, we are entitled to a standard of living similar to southern Canadians and we should not be unfairly penalized for choosing to live in the Northwest Territories. We need discussion about the impact of taxes on the cost of living. Our economy is a small one but one that directly impacts the lives of Northerners. It is an economy that, I believe, as Premier I could help lead to better times for all of us by working to expand each of its many elements.
During my four years as Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment I have made valuable inroads with industry leaders and decision-makers. I would, as Premier, get to know them even better and work with their representatives to build a strong northern economy. As we were told by the National Energy Board in its written decision into the Mackenzie Gas Project, it takes a good economy to take care of the land and the people.
In addition to growing our economy, we must strive to keep more of its benefits here in the North. Resource revenues do us no good when they flow to Ottawa while we bear the costs of the development activity. Our people want and need to know that prosperity, jobs and property values are secure for the long term. I want that too.
Our diamond mines have been the engines of prosperity for a decade. They will begin to wind down over the next eight to 10 years. We must work together to ensure other environmentally sustainable resource projects have the ability to fill the economic void. The Conference Board of Canada has identified eight new mine projects that will come on stream over the next 10 years. To make them a reality, a secure and prosperous future, we must clear a path for them to succeed.
I say that if our neighbours to the east and west of us are able to streamline regulatory processes without giving up control, then we can too. Devolution will put more of that oversight in our hands and enable us to move regulatory reform forward so that investors can return to the Northwest Territories with certainty, and our people can look ahead with confidence. Working together, the 17th Legislative Assembly can ensure future
prosperity for the Northwest Territories.
We cannot talk about the economy without talking about critical infrastructure. Over the past several years we have invested heavily in education, community facilities and airports. These are investments in the future of our people. Over the next several years we need to invest in projects like the Tuktoyaktuk-Inuvik highway and the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline. These projects have the support of the federal government and we need to work together to push both of these projects to the finish line.
In my view, other projects like the Mackenzie fibre optic corridor and the Mackenzie Highway need to get off the drawing board. We can’t afford to do everything at once, but if we work together, we can build critical infrastructure that binds our territory and our people together in a way that’s never before happened in our history. Greater infrastructure will be the key to reducing our costs of living. It’s time to get down to work on the critical infrastructure that will support our long-term prosperity.
As Northerners, we have a deep and unique connection with the land. The land and environment is a constant presence in our lives. I believe that to protect the land, water and wildlife is to respect land, water and wildlife. By respecting our vast and spectacular wilderness, we are able to ensure that we use the resources wisely that have been provided to us.
As I said earlier, there is no room for an uninformed approach to development. We must consider all factors and ensure we take the balanced, sustainable approach. We can do that through many initiatives including ongoing investment and increased focus on developing alternative energy sources. If we are to protect and respect this land, we must move away from our dependence on fossil fuels. The costs of not investing in alternative energy sources are just too high for future generations to bear. Working together, the 17th Assembly can ensure a balanced and sustainable approach that secures a healthy environment for future generations.
As Northerners, we enjoy the lifestyle and much of our current prosperity because those before us paved the way. I’m talking about our elders and our senior citizens. They represent the segment of our
society that has earned our support. I know that many of them are concerned with the continuum of care, supplemental health benefits and future availability of seniors housing. As we age, our care needs become more complex. We don’t have the resources to fully implement an end-to-end continuum of care immediately, but we can continue to bridge the gaps one step at a time. Supplemental health benefits shouldn’t be an issue for our seniors and elders. Working together, the 17th Assembly can help ensure our seniors and
elders are taken care of.
Many people in communities across the Northwest Territories continue to struggle with maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Substance abuse, mental health and addictions are eroding the fabric of families and communities. We need to address issues of wellness, poverty and addictions. This is not something this government can do alone, and I am calling on the Members of this House to seek alternative solutions to address issues of poverty and wellness in our territory. As Premier, I would want to see this government seek the counsel of elders, youth, Aboriginal governments and social agencies to develop a strategy that will help us address root causes of poverty. This includes homelessness, a review of income support and identifying ways to provide individual support closer to home.
I believe strongly that a poverty reduction strategy needs to link closely to the economic development and resource development strategy I spoke about earlier. I believe we must address issues of addictions at the same time as we are seeking to keep our homes and communities safe. The police play a significant role in ensuring public safety, and I will continue to advocate for resources and support that allows the RCMP to focus on community-based policing.
Our health care system is one of the best in Canada, but the system is under pressure. That is why I believe we must continue with the vision laid out in the Building on our Foundation strategic plan that includes the high level reform initiatives we must address to ensure the long-term health and well-being of our residents. This, along with renegotiations of critical health care funding agreements with the federal government, will ensure the 17th Assembly maintains a strong
commitment to a high quality and responsive health care system for our residents.
There is important work to do in the 17th Legislative
Assembly. We must seize opportunities, resolve issues and get the job done. There is only one way we will succeed, and that way is through collaboration built on a foundation of trust that’s been forged in a long-term relationship.
I was raised in the small Northwest Territories community of Fort Providence and have stayed in touch with my roots. As a civil servant, I worked through many important processes with our Aboriginal leaders past and present. The greatest attribute I can bring to negotiations with our Aboriginal leaders is trust that is built on many years of working together. Federal relationships are no less complex. I have the ability to communicate effectively and develop relationships with all levels of government. These relationships and my understanding of the federal arena are assets that I will put to work if given the honour of becoming your Premier.
My personal style is to be inclusive, to be open to new ideas – your ideas – and to work in a transparent way to bring your energy, commitment and ideas into real benefits for the people we represent. We have real challenges ahead of us. We also have opportunities. We need strong- minded leaders to address those challenges and aspire to great achievements.
To Members of this House, I ask for your vote, not as the Premier of the Northwest Territories but as Premier for the Northwest Territories. We are all in this together and together we will always find a way. Thank you.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of the Premier
Mr. Menicoche’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. MLA colleagues and NWT residents listening, I am grateful and humble to be re-elected for a third term and the opportunity to stand my name for premiership of the Northwest Territories.
As the MLA for Nahendeh, I have represented six communities for eight years, with commitment, dedication and energy. I would do the same for all 33 communities and Members of this Assembly.
Earlier this week I put an ad in the newspaper, calling on all people of the NWT to get involved in this Premier’s race. This is the kind of creativity that I will bring to this office. I am not afraid to think outside the box. I am not afraid of change. I don’t think you are either. I believe in a new, vibrant, forward-looking Premier and Cabinet that can engage all residents and stakeholders in our North. I am committed to this change.
I believe that I can bring change to this Assembly and my vision is a strong, united North that everyone wants: a North for this Legislature, Aboriginal and community governments and the people of the NWT working in partnership to create a place where we respect each other, the environment and the land; a North where large and small communities can prosper; a North that values
individuals, their uniqueness; a North that meets the needs of its residents by providing quality health care, good housing, transportation infrastructure and excellent education.
To accomplish this vision, we need to have a strong Legislature with a strong leader, one that works together in a positive way to build consensus and move forward within this Assembly. I believe I can be that next Premier of the NWT. I have proven myself to be a team player and a consensus builder during my term as MLA.
For the past eight years Premiers have come from the larger centres in this Northwest Territories. I believe that a Premier from the region will bring the small communities’ perspective into the governing affairs of the Northwest Territories and it is healthy to do so. I also believe that our consensus style of government demands that we do have alternate premierships from the regions and small communities and balance it off for the larger communities.
Consensus government is a unique system, one that is our own, and as MLAs, we all need to believe and work together to make this style of government work for us and the Northwest Territories. My approach as Premier will be to bring the issues to you – the Members of this Assembly – whether it is health care reform, the requirement for legislative change, or the need for new programming or fiscal restraint. You all have to be part of this solution. I will listen to your recommendations and implement decisions based on the agreed to approach. Communication is a two-way channel. The Premier and Cabinet need to properly listen to your concerns and those of your constituents, and in turn Cabinet and Ministers and the Premier must provide you with timely and proper information.
My vision: my team includes all 19 MLAs working together for the common good. I look forward to that.
During the 16th Assembly I raised an issue about
the lack of consultation on the Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, and now it is one of our main issues as we move forward. I do believe that devolution is good for the Northwest Territories and our residents. However, an agreement-in-principle that does not involve our Aboriginal governments is destined for failure. We have to build on the meeting of last week wherein our Caucus and the Aboriginal governments met. I am committed to work with Aboriginal governments and to recognize them as governments. However, an agreement-in- principle without the input of all our Aboriginal governments will further erode the relationships between this government, the communities and the people of the Northwest Territories. We all need to work together, this Assembly, Aboriginal
governments and people of the NWT. Only then we will see success and reap the benefits of our lands and resources.
To facilitate this process, I am proposing an Aboriginal devolution commission established within 120 days of the new government. The purpose of this commission would be to bring Aboriginal governments together to review the agreement-in-principle, propose recommendations, provide input, and I believe that this process will allow our Aboriginal governments to know that they have our respect that we can work with them. Having them at this table would allow us to move forward on this important initiative of devolution. I am also further proposing an Aboriginal liaison officer working directly with Cabinet to achieve this goal.
Our fiscal reality will mean that we need to look at costs, effective and efficient programs and services to meet the needs of our residents. This is a significant challenge for us. As a government and for the people of the NWT, we will need to ensure that the funding we approve for programs and services will accomplish our goals set out. We need to maximize the benefit of every dollar spent. I am committed to working with you and the public service to ensure that investments are making and are paying off, and that we are getting the expected results from each of these programs and services. We simply must instill a mindset of continuous improvement in all of our affairs in government.
Poverty is one of the big issues facing our residents. Questions around what Members would do to reduce poverty in the NWT were prevalent throughout the NWT elections. We know that this single issue is foremost in many MLAs’ minds. I believe a new government needs to make a commitment to action on this issue. I believe solutions to poverty in all of our communities must involve everyone: businesses, industry, non- government organizations, Aboriginal and community governments, the Government of Canada and the people themselves. I am committed to working with each of you to come up with solutions. I am further committed to resourcing these solutions and to working with other organizations to find ways to reduce the cost of living and increase the quality of life for the people of the NWT. Together we can find sustainable solutions.
In the 16th Assembly a lot of NWT residents were
upset on how government managed the review and creation of the new and revised Wildlife Act. We all agree that this act needs to be reviewed and revisited in this 17th Assembly. However, I want this
act to go through an extensive and open consultation so that all residents and stakeholders are involved from the start and ensure a transparent process.
I also agree and see that the GNWT must do more to reduce its carbon footprint. I would like to see an implementation plan and the creation of a taskforce recommend to this Legislature actions stemming from our greenhouse gas reduction target strategy. Not all can be achieved, but we simply must keep up with the rest of the world in this regard. In order for our residents to reap the benefits of our economy, we need an educated and trained workforce; a workforce that is best in the world when it comes to knowledge, skills and abilities. This means that this Assembly will need to examine the programs currently being offered to our children, youth and adults to ensure that they are meeting the needs of the people and employers of the NWT and beyond.
I propose that increasing our graduation rates in our schools is a first big step, and it is a measurable and attainable goal, colleagues.
I believe in better development. I further believe that we need to ensure that our environment is inspected and the people of the North benefit from the non-renewable resource extraction. Sustainable, planned and manageable development is the key to development of the Northwest Territories.
I have been a strong advocate for the Mackenzie Valley Highway extension including a fibre optic link as necessary, and supportive of the Mackenzie Valley Gas Pipeline Project. I also strongly support the federal initiative of the Inuvik-Tuk highway, which will make northern communities less isolated, create jobs and be open for more positive development. We need to come up with a balanced approach to sustainable development, one that protects the lands and the people but also encourages continued participation of industry in our territory.
Every Assembly has struggled with roads, schools and housing for our residents; this Assembly will be no different. We will be asked to find solutions to our infrastructure in our territory. This is a sizable issue, but with your input and your collaboration, we can find solutions. For example, in our biggest community, Yellowknife, we have Northland. It’s not really part of government, but government can play a part in that, as well as in Norman Wells where we’ve got gas issues and have to change everything over. I believe we can look at solutions. Together we can identify and meet the needs of our residents. We can do it.
The Government of the Northwest Territories needs to promote a healthy lifestyle for all our residents. We need to educate our residents about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and the benefit it will also have to our health care system. To do that, we must have our government strategy for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
We do have the current Foundation for Change strategy, but we must continue to believe in it and continue to implement its goals and objectives, and I ask you all, we must make this decision.
In addition, I know and see the need to improve the delivery of health care to smaller remote communities, and return central programs and services so that it can properly serve all the residents.
As Premier, I would expect all my Cabinet Ministers to conduct tours to each constituency within the first two years of their mandate, to listen and understand the reality of the Northwest Territories communities and regions. As Premier, I intend to lead by example and commit to do that as well. In addition, I will commit to visit and meet with all Aboriginal governments within the first six months of office. This will contribute to creating strong partnerships between the Government of the Northwest Territories and Aboriginal governments.
On the same token, we also need to improve our lobbying effort and relationship with the federal government. I will properly staff our NWT bureau in Ottawa and make this part of an intergovernmental engagement strategy, which will include all Members of this Assembly, to raise the presence of the Northwest Territories in Ottawa and influence positively legislation and policies to reflect the Northwest Territories needs.
Together we are a strong team, a team that can move forward towards a strong and united North. However, in order to do this effectively, we will need a strong and focussed Premier who will be able to rally support, seek consensus and effectively communicate the government vision to our fellow Northerners, to our partners, Aboriginal governments.
With my dedication, commitment, leadership and energy, I strongly believe I can be the leader of change in the 17th Assembly.
The people of the NWT are unique. NWT is a unique territory, one that is rich in culture and heritage. As a government, we need to sustain its uniqueness by protecting and encouraging the people of the NWT to revitalize the languages and cultural practices that make us unique.
We need to support the revitalization of the Aboriginal languages. We need to improve our youth’s understanding of our traditional ways. We need to support artists, our writers, filmmakers, song writers. It is through these endeavours that we will showcase the NWT as a strong and united North that is rich in culture and diversity, a North we all can be proud to call home.
More so than many of the Assemblies that have come before us, we need to be strong and
focussed, and consider all the impacts of any decisions we make. As the old sports proverb goes: “There is no ‘I’ in team.”
Individually we cannot do this, but as a team we can be change agents for the Northwest Territories. I’m committed to working as a team to bring the Northwest Territories – your home, my home – forward towards a strong, united North. As your leader, I know I cannot do this alone. We all need to work together effectively and cohesively to accomplish what lies before us.
I am a team player. I listen, I work well with others and I am a consensus builder. I also strongly believe that communication is a two-way process in which we must be genuine and respectful. By doing so, we will build a strong Northwest Territories and this team will be ready to face any challenges put in front of this Assembly. This Assembly and the people of the NWT want a change in the NWT, because if nothing changes, nothing changes.
I am glad for your open minds and hearts as I made my speech to you today. When you vote later today for your Premier, vote for commitment, dedication, leadership, energy. Vote for a Premier who will commit to you to make the NWT strong and united. Vote for a Premier who believes in change and is not afraid to think outside the box. Vote for Kevin Menicoche. Mahsi cho.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of the Premier
Mr. Miltenberger’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Congratulations. Colleagues, welcome to the Assembly. People of the Northwest Territories, thank you for joining in, listening and watching.
The Northwest Territories, our collective home, is a place of tremendous natural beauty. It’s a place of great wealth in natural resources. The diversity of our people is one of our greatest assets. We have a relationship as a public government with Aboriginal governments that does not exist in any other jurisdiction in this country. Our capital city, Yellowknife, is one of the most recognized progressive cities in the country. This is a land of great opportunity. It is a land where we have unique northern lifestyles in our communities.
We do, as well, have a very high level of services, but it is not without challenges. We have cost of living issues; we have a disparity between large and small, north and south. How do we deal with that? We have housing issues, as every Member knows. We have issues with health. We have issues with education, employment, infrastructure. We have issues in terms of the balance between land, water and animals, and resource development. We have this issue because we do
not have control over the decision-making that would allow us to control those very critical processes.
We face the challenge of time. We started this Assembly with 1,460 days. We are now at 1,434 days; the clock never stops ticking. We have challenges with money. What is the way forward?
People need and ask for control. They ask for decision-making in the North. Since 1967 – 44 years – we have been on a path to political evolution, to greater responsibility. Not only the public government but the Aboriginal governments. Land claims have been settled: Inuvialuit, Gwich’in, Sahtu, Tlicho. At the same time we have taken over education, forestry, health. We managed our way through the division of the Northwest Territories; the last partitioning of Canada that will ever occur in our lifetime. Now we are at the next step, the final piece of the devolution process: taking over the decision- making for land, water and resource development.
People tell us we don’t have enough money. We need infrastructure. We need programs. We need resources. People tell us we want to be able to have the final say in what our regulatory regime is going to look like. They tell us they want to have a say in how our water is going to be protected and what we’re going to do with the animals. Then the way is clear. As my colleague Mr. McLeod pointed out, devolution is the single biggest political priority in the life of this Assembly. It will bring money to the North. In the last five years we’ve left over $300 million on the table just on the resource sharing part, $65 million a year to our A-base for operations, 175 jobs to come north that we will commit to move out to the regions and to the communities in discreet operational pieces that make sense but that will spread the wealth of devolution around.
We need the political control. We’re the last two jurisdictions in the country that do not have the right to say how the land, water and resource development will happen. We have to wait for the distant master in Ottawa.
To do this we need to conclude this process. We need to look at our land use framework that was to be done in the 16th Assembly that was not done.
We need to do the work in a way that allows us to collaborate with our most natural allies, the Aboriginal governments.
The body that we collectively as Northerners face and negotiate with is Ottawa. It should not be with each other with Ottawa watching us. We have to collectively, through the path that we have learned works, through the Water Strategy process, through the Wildlife Act strategy process, through the process we used with the Species at Risk Act where the Aboriginal governments and working
groups with public government collectively got a Water Strategy that is held in high regard across the land, a Wildlife Act that, with all its problems, demonstrated that we can work together and deliver world-class legislation. The Species at Risk Act is another process. Working with the Aboriginal governments, hands on the pen, we can do this.
We cannot turn our back on the political levers; we cannot continue to turn our back on all the money that is not going to be retroactive that we’re never going to get back; not when we will all stand up in this House and we will all say we need more money for housing, for health, for education, for roads, for libraries, for schools, for food programs. We have to be consistent. We have to be collaborative. We have to get this piece done.
Another important piece we have to conclude, tied to devolution, is we have some very, very important transboundary water negotiations that are currently underway with Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. The headwaters of most of our rivers are in other jurisdictions. Water has been identified as one of the biggest single concerns that unify Northerners. Those negotiations are critical to conclude. They have to be legally binding and they have to offer the protection that all our constituents tell us that they want as we look at the concerns of the development that is happening in other jurisdictions and us, the Northwest Territories, being the downstream jurisdiction that is the recipient of the results of a lot of that decision- making.
As we look at all the challenges ahead of us, the most immediate ones are going to be the managing of the budget, the $1.3 billion that we spend yearly on behalf of our constituents. We are now at a time where we have to approve a capital plan where we know infrastructure needs exceed our ability to pay, that there is constant upward pressure on all the services we provide.
We have borrowing limit negotiations underway with the federal government that have to be concluded. We are very confident that we will have a successful conclusion to that, but we have to get that piece done if we are going to give ourselves the fiscal flexibility as a new Assembly to do the very many things that we are collectively going to say need to be done as we finally establish our priorities.
We do have to revitalize our Ottawa office. We have to have a closer working relationship with the federal government on a daily basis. We need feet on the ground in Ottawa with capable resources that know our priorities, that will open doors, that will push our message when we are not there, that will help us arrange meetings for when we go on our very many travels to Ottawa to push our priorities. We have to have, as well, a very good
working relationship with our Member of Parliament, duly elected by the people of the Northwest Territories, who is there to represent us. We have to look at every opportunity and avenue in Ottawa to advance our interests.
As I’ve indicated, we have to sit down with the Aboriginal governments and work out our relationship. We have to remind them of the good work that’s been done with the Water Strategy, the Wildlife Act, the Species at Risk Act, that we can do this. Collectively we can do this. We have done it; we know we can do it. The pressure is on us on this, our single biggest political priority.
Another key area of concern is the maintaining of programs and services. The whole range from those yet to be born, to our seniors. We have to look for government efficiencies to see where we can do the job better. To see where, if necessary, we can re-profile money. We know right now we are in the process of having to negotiate four collective agreements in a time of fiscal restraint, in a time of cost cutting across the land; we have to do that in a fair way that recognizes those realities.
We are spending 65 cents of every dollar on social programs. Health costs are an immediate continuing pressure. There are things we have to do. We have to try to continue to push – and this has been an issue for me in my 16 years in this Assembly – we have to be prepared to continue to push Northerners to start making the right choices when it comes to personal choices: smoking, drinking, diet, exercise; four simple things that would free up for us as a territory resources to put to use that are now going to be consumed addressing those issues. We have talked about prevention over the years but we have only managed to put less than a percent of our health budget towards prevention. I would suggest to you that as an Assembly that we should be targeting that number to increase over the life of this Assembly to 2 percent so that we can do the work that we say needs to be done in health, education, MACA, working at the front end with the children and the youth to help them make the right choices, to create the environment for those right choices to be made.
We spent a lot of the last Assembly talking about an Anti-Poverty Strategy. This is an issue that is work undone. I suggest once again, given all the time that we’ve already had this on the government table, on this legislative table, that we should say within six months we want an Anti-Poverty Strategy on our table that we can move forward with, that we can start to address the very many wide ranges of issues that have to be done.
As we look at our struggles and our challenges, infrastructure is there. The biggest one to me that has the potential to benefit most immediately
Northerners is the fibre optic link from Inuvik down the valley, hooking in all the communities along the way that will make Inuvik one of only two sites in the whole world that has a remote sensing capability that will give Inuvik a non-renewable resource-based economy. It will bring significant resources into the Beaufort-Delta. It will allow every community up and down the valley to have the best communication systems so that telehealth works, so that the children can use the libraries, so that businesses can do their work in the communities knowing that it’s economically viable. There will be no excuse not to move jobs outside of Yellowknife because we don’t have the capability and services outside of Yellowknife. I speak specifically of those jobs from devolution.
Pending a successful conclusion of the borrowing limit, we have to be able to look at the Tuk-Inuvik highway to conclude that. It’s a national priority. We have to find a way to do our part to make this one go ahead.
We have to look at how we do our capital planning. Once again pending a successful conclusion with our borrowing limit discussions. We have about half a billion dollars of health facility work that needs to be done, not to mention all the other capital needs: Stanton, Hay River, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson – our four facilities that either need to be replaced or renewed. That challenge alone is going to require us to look at all the possibilities and options that we have available to meet those needs. At the same time, to continue to address the broader needs in all the other areas where capital infrastructure investment is required.
The Mackenzie Valley Highway remains a very significant piece of work for us as a territory that will help open up the valley, hopefully tied at some point to the pipeline, which will in fact be the biggest game changer of them all. As Mr. McLeod indicated, the signs that we are hearing seem very positive that this in fact may become a reality.
Those capital infrastructure needs and all the other ones that we have before us challenge us, but it is doable. We have to manage our way through this collectively. We have to do the things necessary to try to realize this and look at how we do our capital planning process. Those are some of the key areas that we have to work on that we, I think, all collectively agree are issues of concern. The path today is to pick the person best suited to do the work; do the work with the Assembly, do the work with the communities of the Northwest Territories, do the work with the other levels of government.
You have been taking our measure. Now, for some you’ve taken the measure of myself. For 16 years I’ve been in this House. We’ve spent the last two weeks together in very intimate, close contact, finding out once again the measure of the people
that are putting their names forward both for Premier and for Cabinet. In my case, 16 years in this Assembly, 10 years in Cabinet. I have had portfolios that are challenging: education, health for five and a half years, environment for five years, Finance Minister for three, workers’ compensation. Looking at those, you add up the issues of experience, you want to look at the issues of work ethic, you want to look at the issues of are we and will we be, individually and collectively, the role models that we have to be for the people of the Northwest Territories in terms of how we do work. As we tell people to make the right personal choices, we have to be prepared to do that as well.
My record is there for observation. It’s there for scrutiny. Can I get things done? I will say yes. If I look just at this Assembly alone, some of the things that have happened that I have been responsible for are the Water Strategy, the Species at Risk Act, the Wildlife Act, the Greenhouse Gas Strategy. We’ve come out with three good budgets in a time that has been labelled the worst economic time. We brought forward a Heritage Fund. I was instrumental in bringing forward the $60 million that we needed for the alternative energy initiatives that I think we all agree have to be brought forward and continued in some way. Wind, biomass, solar, recycling, a balanced budget so that we have enough money to do the work. We’ve avoided program cuts, we’ve avoided layoffs. That’s because collectively we’ve made the choices necessary, and in that case we came forward with a budget that was accepted by this Assembly after all of the discussions.
So today the challenge is in the next few minutes to make a decision which of us is best suited after having taken our measure to represent the people of the Northwest Territories as Premier, to move the priority list of this Assembly and of the people of the Northwest Territories forward to get things done. That will be our challenge, that will be our task collectively in the next few minutes, and I thank you for your time and it’s been an honour to be here. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Members, now we’re permitted to ask a maximum of two questions that are directed to the Premier candidates. The floor is now open for questions. Mr. Abernethy.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Glen Abernethy Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My first question is about an Anti-Poverty Strategy in the Northwest Territories. I know that the three candidates did touch on it, but I was wondering if I could just dig into a little bit more detail.
Without question, it’s going to take everyone to help break the cycle of poverty in the Northwest
Territories: the federal government, the Aboriginal governments, community governments, territorial government, social advocates, NGOs, as well as business. An effective Anti-Poverty Strategy must address housing, health care, education and the economy.
I’m wondering if I can get each of the candidates to tell me what they’re going to do specifically, and with some detail what they’re going to do as Premier to combat anti-poverty in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much for that question, Mr. Abernethy.
I believe that we do have to first get together, and once one’s government is selected and the committee structure set up, we do have to make that commitment and focus on the Anti-Poverty Strategy. I’m further committed to have Cabinet, at the executive level, find the resources to make it work. There are some internal resources now, but I would do more than just create a strategy; I would provide some resources to it. I’m not too sure what it would be, but that would get the strategy right off the ground.
Also, I do really believe, like many of our strategies out there in the past, we don’t have an implementation. So I believe that we should also include that as well. Thank you very much.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is unfinished business from the 16th Legislative
Assembly. It’s work that we can complete I believe in six months. It has been said in this House it’s not necessarily an issue of a lot of new money. It’s an issue of coming out with a plan that links all the different parts of government that have a role to play with poverty; the health, education, housing, MACA, those type of connections. We need to lay that out. Six months is when I think we can have this done.
What I also think we should do from the Anti- Poverty Strategy and those other issues that cross departmental boundaries is we should set up a committee of Cabinet that is going to reflect the structure of the Social Programs committee so that when we sit collectively at the table, we can talk about the same issues and not have to say you can’t talk to me about that because that’s a housing issue and I’m the Health Minister, or I can’t talk about that because I’m not the Education Minister. We have to set up our systems to allow us to be
efficient, and we can do that, and I believe we can do that in six months.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I indicated in my speech, this is something that can’t be done by government alone. We do have information that’s been provided to us by the voluntary sector and I think that very early on we have to make this a priority of this government, we have to bring together other groups, elders, youth, social agencies, industry to all agree on a way to go forward.
Yellowknife has been dealing with the homeless and has become recognized as a leader in how to work together. I think we will develop a coalition. We do have steps to go forward. Also, we need to identify what the government has to do to make it happen. We have to pass legislation for whistleblower legislation so that we can have people that can present us with ideas to go forward, and I think that an Anti-Poverty Strategy is indicated in your question a process of quite a variety of ministries – Housing, Education – and I believe that education is a single key factor that helps people get out of poverty, and of course they need economies where they can get jobs.
When Senator Eggleton was up here to talk about what the Government of Canada has done and outlined steps forward, certainly I agree with most of what he said, and I think that by working together we can have an Anti-Poverty Strategy within six months to a year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Norman Yakeleya Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ve been a chief and a chief negotiator for the Sahtu land claims. I understand how tough it can be to bring different points of views of people and to move ahead with tough positions. I want to ask the candidates what steps are you willing to take to work with the Aboriginal governments to reach a devolution deal.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are some processes that are already in existence with the regional leaders that I think are worthy and should be continued, bringing them together on a regular basis. But I want to come back to the issue of we have demonstrated collectively as a public government with the Aboriginal governments that we can deal with very complex, demanding issues – wildlife, water, species at risk – through a process where we had working groups, collective working groups, hands
on a pen drafting legislation, extensive consultation to do a Water Strategy. That’s the approach I believe we have to use and talk to the Aboriginal governments about to remind them of the good work that we have done. It’s that type of demonstrated successful process that I think we have to look and build off of. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’ve already started a process through Caucus, and I think that everybody was very pleased with the discussion and we will build on that. Once we decide who the Premier and the Cabinet is, I think very early on we’ll talk individually with the Aboriginal leaders. I think that we would need to have a follow-up meeting to the one that we had in Ndilo very quickly. We also have to find a way that involves Members so we can get the support to go forward. I think that there are a number of ways that we can find to show that we are working together, and I think everybody knows that when we work together we can get a lot of things done, and any time we’ve made progress on major difficult issues it’s been by finding a way to work together. I believe that by having a dialogue, by interacting bilaterally and collectively I think that we’ll be able to move forward and work with the Aboriginal governments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I believe that an Aboriginal devolution commission that’s resourced by our government can work towards this goal of Mr. Yakeleya’s question. Firstly what it does is it recognizes Aboriginal governments as governments. Even though it’s resourced by the GNWT, I believe that they can set their own mandate and goals. Establishing this commission does not mean that the Aboriginal governments actually agree with the agreement-in-principle, but all they’ve ever said is they want to understand it, they want to review it and I believe that this is the opportunity to do that. I would support that and I would bring that to the Assembly through a committee system looking for support and how we can best manage this and hopefully get an agreement where we can move forward with this new commission so we can work with our government and look to a solution of getting the agreement-in-principle agreed to by all partners in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. An issue that has generated a lot of interest and anxiety amongst older adults in the NWT over the
past several years is the matter of seniors’ health benefits. What is your position on the seniors’ health benefits program, and if you are considering changes, what modifications are you contemplating for our consideration? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I’d like to thank Mr. Bromley for that question, and it certainly did create lots of debate in our last Assembly. However, with the new approach that I was talking about as Premier, it would not be the old approach where Cabinet would take the issue of seniors’ health and issues and reductions and changes, to say here are the changes we’re about to make, what do you guys think. I think it’s far better to bring the issues to the committee system and say here’s the issue, how can we best manage it. I will certainly commit to that and continue in all the areas as Premier of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The issue of supplementary health benefits was dealt with in the last Assembly. There was an agreement in the House about what steps would be taken. At this juncture I don’t have any indication, I don’t have any particular personal plans, or plans as MLA, or plans as Premier to bring forward any revisions. If there were to be revisions resulting from the work that committees are going to do and that is going to result from the work of this House, I mean, those we would look at. We have learned a lot in terms of the process in the 16th Assembly. But
at this particular juncture that agreement that was reached in this Assembly on supplementary health stands and I don’t see any urge, I don’t see any big push at this juncture to make any changes. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I indicated in my speech, I really believe that we need to support the seniors who have paved the way for us and that we will continue to provide a continuum of care by making sure that the supplemental health benefits are there. I think, in the 16th Assembly, we dealt with it, and in the 17th Assembly I feel that supplemental health benefits provide for healthy seniors and reduce costs when it comes to seniors, and I think that as the 17th Assembly we will continue to provide for the seniors as we go forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the three Members of our Assembly who have put their names forward for Premier today. I thank you for doing that.
Mr. Chairman, we call this consensus government, and the first thing we do today will be elect a Speaker, a Premier and six Cabinet Ministers. They will go off to a room, called the Cabinet room, on their own. The other Regular Members will go off to a room and they will be called the Priorities and Planning committee.
Each one of us is elected here as 19 Members. Various perspectives, all different backgrounds, different experience. Like Mr. Miltenberger, I’ve been here 16 years. The people out there are calling for reform. If this is truly consensus government, what would the candidates for Premier see as a forum or a mechanism to get the 19 of us more in the room talking about issues so that we do not have initiatives come forward after much money and much effort and preparation and put into them where there was not early buy-in and then ultimately these things are voted down on the floor of the House? That’s the kind of waste that I would like to avoid. How can we work more closely together as 19? How can we bring more consensus to the system? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the 16th Assembly we, I think halfway through the
process, developed a protocol on how we should work together, and I think that really improved the way things operated. We already have a Caucus process. I think that we should review those protocols. I think that we need to have an understanding of how we can best work together, because a lot of times we bring things forward over a period of time and we feel we need responses fairly quickly. Other times there are issues that come up where we have to deal with it right away, and I think we should have an understanding on how we could deal with those kinds of things, where, if we have to deal with something right away, how can we reach out, because we’re not always here together. I think we’re here certain times of the year so… I think we’ve talked about it in the past. How can we deal with issues if the Members are back in their constituencies?
We need an understanding and I think on my part a rule of thumb would be to be very inclusive and to share as much information as we can, taking into account different issues like Cabinet confidentiality and so on, and to seek input from Members wherever possible and to work together to get things done. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don’t think most MLAs will remember this fact, except maybe Mrs. Groenewegen, that when we got here in the 13th Assembly there was a door
between Cabinet and the Regular Members that had an alarm on it. Every time it was opened it would ring so that you would know either that there was a Regular Member on the Ministers’ floor or that there was a Minister in the hall, and be careful.
One of the first things the 13th Assembly did was
take that door down. But sometimes it has seemed over these last four Assemblies that there has been an invisible door, and what we have to do is we have to collectively agree that we are going to work together, that we are really on the same side. This is consensus government. That we structure our committees, both in Cabinet and with the Regular Members, so that they link and are compatible. That we have a commitment by all of us, Ministers and Regular Members, that those hallways go both ways. That we take the time to spend time in the hallways.
We’re a small group of people. We are easy to get a hold of. You have to have that arrangement, that collegial arrangement. I’m a big fan of 6:30, seven o’clock in the morning breakfast meetings with anybody who wants to come to sort out those types of things, and we have to have that link that we are on the same side. We know we have tough decisions and we have to make those structures compatible.
As Minister McLeod indicated, we have the protocols. Those are only as good as the paper that they’re written on and they’re only as good as we make them. So we have to commit, as I am here today to commit that I will continue to do and be as cooperative, inclusive and collaborative as I have been and have tried to be for the last 16 years. That’s the only way forward in consensus government. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Yes, we have mentioned the Protocol Agreement and the 16th Assembly worked hard on
that document. As it is read, it really does establish our consensus-style government here between the executive and our committee system. One of the first things I would do is have Cabinet adopt that strategy, and the other candidates have indicated.
Some of the issues that I’ve seen myself is that we’re not often here when crises arise, so it’s the best way to manage that. But, still, if we adopt that Protocol Agreement and initiate it right off the bat, I think that we can avoid the surprises that Regular
Members feel. I’ve experienced that, as well, that government is trying to pull the wool over our eyes, and that’s not what consensus government is about. It’s about working together. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. With our health budget being the largest budget within our government and most costs going to care and treatment and travel, I would like to ask the candidates running for Premier how do they specifically look at reducing these costs within our government for the 17th Assembly to increase the
quality of life in other areas so that more funding can flow to other programs, like I said, to increase the living of the people of the Northwest Territories and cut down our overall budget so we can benefit as Northerners. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are two key areas in this particular matter and one of them I touched on my speech was looking for efficiencies in how we do things. We all have heard about the cost of missed appointments, the cost of travel arrangements where the patient doesn’t know or doesn’t come with the proper information, flies all the way down to Yellowknife and it has to be rescheduled because they weren’t ready, those types of things.
The other piece is the commitment we have to make as an Assembly and we do the business plans, is to start moving more money into prevention. If we agree that the target should be 2 percent of the budget into prevention, then we should start taking the steps, the word will go out to all the people listening, all the government people and health people, education people, that we want to focus on the prevention piece, and then we have to make sure that the prevention work we are doing is coordinated and it links between departments, with communities, so that the people we want to benefit – the children, the youth, the elders – in fact do receive the maximum value that money is going to be reallocated. But those four key things that are going to cut our costs in the long term – don’t smoke, don’t abuse alcohol, proper diet and exercise – are goals that I think will address the issues raised by Mr. Moses. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. As we saw in our budget deliberations, we are not faced with massive cuts at all, but I am a firm believer of continuous improvement and about shifting budgets around. We can do that, but we actually have to guard against having our smaller communities impacted and hurt. We saw that in the
last Assembly when we went for change. It was easier to do it outside Yellowknife. I would guard against that.
At the same time, the consensus style of government we are talking about is about working with committees, and the last Assembly, if I refer too much there, it was about the best ideas did come from the committee structures; and whether Cabinet listened to them is another matter. But with commitment of working together and everybody working as a team, we can find those efficiencies, changes, and reallocate resources within departments. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The cost of health has been continuing to rise and not only in the Northwest Territories but all across Canada. In a lot of ways, it is unsustainable, but the cost of health is rising at about 67 percent and our formula agreement provides for a 3.5 percent increase.
I think that we have to find ways to change. Our health system is impacted by a number of pressures. We have a lot of medical travel, obviously, because a lot of the services we can’t provide in the Territories. We don’t have economies of scale. Drug use and costs are increasing. We have a shortage of professionals and, of course, we have chronic diseases. In order to find ways to reduce costs, we are talking about the Foundation for Change, which is to allow us to realign our health system so that we can be flexible with what is happening out there. I think it is more than money.
My colleague Minister Miltenberger talked about spending 2 percent on health prevention. I think that there is an old saying: a penny of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I really believe that. We have lifestyle issues. We have an aging population. We need to put more focus in that area. I think that we need to look at using more technology.
I think the fibre optics we talked about earlier will allow us to use more technology to be able to deal with the smaller communities. There is still a question of health professionals. Somebody mentioned yesterday that our people are dying out there, so we need to find a way to make sure that we get health care to the communities on a regular basis so that people can receive the services that are required. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Daryl Dolynny Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Fellow colleagues and brave Members applying for premiership: the cost of living. There is no doubt it
affects each and every one of us, north, south, small community, large community. It is something we have heard during the election. It is something we have heard for many years. We have heard today from many of you the decreased use of fossil fuel to decrease our electricity cost. We have heard of alternative energy sources to reduce these costs as well. We have heard about northern income tax changes that could be proposed. We have even heard about increasing our critical infrastructure. All of these could take years or decades to achieve.
I am asking you the question: what will you do in the next six months to see real change for our cost of living for all Northerners? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The cost of living is very prevalent in all of my communities. I believe that some of the initiatives that were undertaken – the Anti-Poverty Strategy, the review of the housing scales, and as well as some of the programming in Education, Culture and Employment – must be completed within six months. I believe that some of the ways that we can immediately help reduce the cost of living in all small communities and all the people that we have. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In point of fact, a lot of this work is already underway. I refer to the $60 million that we put forward as an Assembly to deal with the alternative energy piece of loan. As Minister McLeod indicated to the Energy Coordinating Committee that he is chair of, the things that were done, we have been converting government buildings to biomass. There has been a payback in some cases of just a few years. We have a wind project underway in Tuk. We have a Solar Strategy that has been developed. We have a very live geothermal pilot project in Fort Liard. We have a Greenhouse Gas Strategy that is going to look at how we can reduce our carbon footprint of things we have to do. We have changed our building standards. We are going to continue to look at the Ener-80 Guide and how that would be improved over time. We have also, as was pointed out, come up with an electrical rate review that significantly dropped the rate of power in the communities. We have to continue to focus on infrastructure, the roads, to make sure what we build is cost effective in terms of energy and continue to find or try to make sure we find money to continue those alternative energy initiatives that will allow us to keep that cost down, energy being one of the biggest costs. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There are quite a number of initiatives that this government is undertaking and could be undertaking over the next year.
I will talk about some of the initiatives that have already been started. We are talking about the rental scales. There is a Shelter Policy review being undertaken. There have been initiatives in the past where, no matter how we look at it, you are always better off if you work, so the rental scales have been set up so that if you work you are not penalized because you are living in public housing. That program was in place.
I think that a program of conservation is in place so that people that convert to products that use less energy, they get payback quickly and there are programs that provide assistance by the government.
I think the local economy, people growing their own food and vegetables helps reduce costs. This is something that as a government we are encouraging. In the last government, in the 16th Assembly, largely through the recommendation of the Small and Rural Communities committee, we doubled the contribution for harvesters, so harvesters can go out and harvest the country food. If you had to go and buy all your food at the local grocery store, we estimate that it would cost the government about $30 million. So that is something that we are encouraging.
The electricity review reduced cost in most of the small communities across the Northwest Territories, and also food mail. It is something that helps reduce costs. We want to make sure that it works properly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to say congratulations to all my colleagues here on your election and re-election, and congratulations to the three candidates for putting yourselves forward for the position of Premier.
I recognize and I hope that all my colleagues and the Members of this House recognize that this government, this Assembly, is representative of all people in the NWT, and that this government, we are here to help everybody in the NWT.
A search of history will show over time that this government has assisted many of our communities in the past, and I know most people are aware that I have a significant infrastructure problem in my community and particularly in my riding. I know and I’d like to advise Members that there has been a proposal that has gone from the City of Yellowknife
to this government, and the proposal is that a no- interest loan be given to the City of Yellowknife so they can complete the infrastructure renewal in the Northland Trailer Park.
I’d like to ask the three candidates how you would respond to that proposal were it from the City of Yellowknife or were it from another community such as Norman Wells.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I’m glad that Ms. Bisaro asked that question. There is some solution to their need. First of all I would have Cabinet review it and see how it can be supported. There are many different programs out there that can support our communities. Should there be room in our budget, I’m not too sure of the amount of loan that they’re talking about there, but should it be doable or even feasible I would then work within the committee systems to say, look, here’s one solution. There may be another one, but here’s one solution that we should consider and support and get support for the Executive Council to proceed with it.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the current Finance Minister, of course I would be looking at that request very carefully. I would suggest to the Member that if there weren’t existing funds available to deal with that issue, we would collectively have to look at if the government has the capacity and flexibility and is going to get into the business of low-interest loans to communities how do we do that. How much would there be? Would it be affordable? Then we wouldn’t be able to approach this issue just on a one-off basis. We’d have to be very mindful of that. We’d have to work, of course the new Cabinet would look at that, then we would of course be coming back to all the Members to find out the best way forward, if that capacity was there. Given our tight financial circumstances, as I indicated, I’d be looking very carefully to see what we could do, if anything, in that regard.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I’d like to welcome the former MLA for Range Lake in the House for the 14th , 15th and 16th Assemblies, former Minister Sandy Lee. Welcome, Sandy.
---Applause
I’d also like to welcome the mayor of my home community of Tuktoyaktuk, Mr. Mervin Gruben. Welcome to the Chamber.
---Applause
Moving on, Mr. McLeod.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to think that we would deal with every community on the same basis. With the issue of Northland, this is a complicated issue because of the fact that it is a condominium association and is within the purview of the municipal government. Having said that, I think there is a recognition that if all of the water and sewage pipes all disappeared, then we would have a real problem on the hands of this government.
I think that there’s a number of avenues that we can proceed on. We’ve already supported the letter that was sent to the Government of Canada to try to access some federal funding to deal with the problem. Personally I’m supportive of the government looking at providing a loan guarantee. I think the condominium association has put together a proposal that the government can deal with. They’ve reduced the cost from, I forget what it was, I think it was $8 million, so now they’ve reduced it significantly. They’re looking for a loan guarantee of approximately $1 million. I think that’s something that Cabinet can look at.
I believe that the current process for loan guarantees is we have to come and get the support of the whole Legislative Assembly. Certainly that would be something that I would look to having dealt with very quickly in this new Assembly to bring it forward and get the support to make it happen.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Addictions have been a significant problem here in the North. I could speak at length about the problems and impacts it’s had in Yellowknife, but the truth is it really is a northern problem in all 33 of our communities. It’s a crying shame when you hear about this in our small communities like Tulita, Tuk, Wrigley, or even in Whati. Addictions, whether it’s drugs, gambling, alcohol, it steals the souls of good people whether they be young, families, communities – it destroys them.
My question to the Premier candidates is: What will you do as the Premier to commit to establishing an addictions treatment centre here in the North? Will you commit to a plan that sees action that an addictions treatment centre gets built within the mandate of this Assembly?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My understanding is there’s presently a treatment centre in Hay River Reserve that deals with alcohol treatment and addictions. As far as an addictions treatment centre here in Yellowknife, this would be
something that we would look at, and we would determine the extent of the problem and whether it is better to provide for treatment outside of the communities.
I believe a better approach would be to deal with it closer to the communities. I believe that every community has mental health workers and I would look at that approach first to see why it’s not working. If it’s not working, is it better to deal with it on a regional basis or at a territory-wide basis, recognizing that there are addictions out there and we’re hearing that it’s becoming more and more of a problem not only in Yellowknife but in most of the communities across the Northwest Territories.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. We know that our government is faced with our operating budget is okay, but our infrastructure budget will be challenged. So for a Premier candidate to commit to some type of new facility of any type will be very hard to do at this point.
I do agree that addictions in the Northwest Territories have to be further resourced. I hear from my smaller communities that we’re providing I think $5,000 a year to a community like Trout Lake. Most of those dollars get eaten up by travel alone. In the communities we would really have to look at that. I would certainly be supportive of more resources in our regions and communities.
In terms of a new facility, certainly government can always look and plan around a new facility and the need for it.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. About 10 years ago or so there was a report done, the Chalmers Report, called the “State of Emergency,” that did a scathing indictment of the current status of the addictions and mental health services of the day in the Northwest Territories. Based on that report there was literally tens of millions of dollars put into addictions and mental health, bringing them into the civil service, making them addictions workers and community wellness workers and mental health workers. There was a report done about four or five years after that, called “Stay the Course,” that recommended there be some changes, but for the most part the decision that was made way back was the right one. At the tail end of this Assembly there was another report that was done, given all the concerns and some of the issues being raised in the communities about how things are run. That report that’s been done in conjunction with communities and health boards has been built into
the transition plan and will be coming onto the table of the Cabinet and this Assembly with recommendations on how to move forward. If one of the recommendations is that there be an addictions centre built in the Northwest Territories, and of course that would be seriously considered by all of us, and then there would of course be the capital planning process that would kick into gear if that decision was made to see how and when we would be able to meet that particular need.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is this: as you all know, the small communities are faced with a low employment rate; if elected as Premier, how would you deal with the low employment rate in the small communities of the Northwest Territories?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There’s a number of things that have been done that I think we should continue to look at. As has been mentioned by some of my colleagues, education first and foremost is the best way to guarantee that you’re going to have a good chance at employment. At the community level where there are issues in terms of a lot of work is seasonal part time, we have to continue the support to the Harvesters Fund. We set up a program where we put workers in to help with employment. We put money to the small communities, to the Rural and Remote Communities committee that was set up. We have to look at continuing that. There are ways to look, I believe, for example, if I can use the example, in communities I have had discussions with my colleague from Tu Nedhe about if we brought all the maintenance money and O and M money that was there in the communities to look after all the infrastructure for the territorial government, schools, health centres, housing, and the housing program, and even the community, if we pooled that money together and we had a collective, coordinated way to deliver maintenance services in the community, that I believe with some support from education you’d have a critical mass to have apprentices in the communities along with tradesmen to maintain the very many, the tens of millions of dollars of infrastructure that we have in communities at all levels of community government. Those type of things I believe should be looked at. As well, we want to look at, of course, maximizing and continuing to be as supportive as possible to student employment.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think there are a number of things that can be done. As a government we have committed to providing for development in every community in the Territories. Every one of our 33 communities we’re endeavouring to have some form of development. With regard to Tsiigehtchic I think that we can help develop a local economy. There are some forestry resources and natural resources, there are tourism opportunities, there’s a highway that goes by there. There are some opportunities there. On a larger scale I think that there’s also the need to look at education, training. There are some very large projects on the horizon that I think we need to start training people for so that they can take advantage of the jobs that will be available.
In my view, very soon, looking at the Conference Board at Canada projections that the GDP will double by 2020, there’s going to be some significant opportunities and I think that we need to start early to provide for training to make sure our kids stay in school and get educated so that they can take advantage of these opportunities.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I think one of the first things I would do as Premier is continue to support the Small Community Employment Program that currently exists. I certainly won’t be supportive of cuts to jobs in the smaller communities in any of our departments. That’s not very conducive to the creation of those communities. One job in a small community of $60,000 to $80,000 has a huge impact. Every job in a small community is needed. I believe by supporting programs and services for the smaller communities and improving them, that we will create employment opportunities, because we will need people in those communities to run those programs and services.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A question on youth spending. I consider that over the last four years the youth spending that has occurred in this government was a tremendous increase over what happened before; however, it’s not enough. I’d like to ask the candidates today what they would do to increase youth spending across the Territories.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would continue with having a Minister responsible for Youth. I think that the programs that we have done for youth have been very helpful to expand their horizons. I think a lot of the programs that we have
done in conjunction with the Olympics and in conjunction with the Canada Games, Winter Games, Arctic Winter Games have been very helpful, have expanded their horizons to make them realize that there’s a whole world out there, and certainly I would look at the budget and I would certainly want to find a way to find more funding for youth programs, especially in the smaller communities. It’s very difficult to do fundraising and for teams or groups of students to travel. So I think that’s something that we need to seriously look at and find a way to make funding available so that we can support the youth and help them travel. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
If in fact there is an agreement and we as a government and an Assembly move to a 2 percent target for prevention, then there would be money, I believe, that would go into prevention that would flow into activities that relate to youth. Of course, through the business planning process, which we are going to be into very, very soon, if youth spending is identified as a priority by the committees and by the Legislature and we decide we’re going to move money and we can agree on where that money will be moved from, then our function would be as a government to work with committees to make that direction happen. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much. I believe that the youth spending was increased in the last Assembly because there was an agreed to goal and objective by the Caucus. I believe that should it become a priority again to look at increasing expenditures, that certainly the Cabinet will support that and find the resources for it.
That being said, often we look to our government for increases to everything, and the reality of the situation is that in this Assembly we have to just focus on four or five areas and make those a priority because that’s all the room we’ve got. It would be nice to make everything a priority and increase spending in all areas, Mr. Chair, but we have to choose the right priorities and we’ve got to choose the right goals and objectives in the 17th Assembly and all of us will have to do that. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Nadli Deh Cho
Mr. Chair, mahsi. I’d like to congratulate all of my colleagues here for being elected to the 17th Assembly. My question to all
three candidates. The Northwest Territories is the coldest part of Canada. Housing is a basic need for
people to live in and live a life of wellness and also raise families. Housing is a concern when people are in arrears and face evictions. What are some possible solutions that candidates will consider as Premier in reversing the rates of evictions? Mahsi.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much,
Mr. Chair. I’ve spoken consistently over the years about housing and how people get in arrears. A lot of them are because they’ve been disputing how their house was built, some of the guidelines around how their income is reported, and I’ve always been in favour of an appeal system. First, an appeal system to get rid of some of the longstanding arrears that are out there. I did work on a few files that were resolved, but at the same time people with arrears and with outstanding loans to the Housing Corporation can only appeal to the person that is requesting the money from them. I believe that we need an independent board like the one that exists in Education, Culture and Employment, an appeals committee to look at that.
Also, I think that our government has got to be more supportive of actually reviewing those arrears so that it doesn’t lead to a situation that people are evicted. Also, I’d really want to revisit this whole evicting people during the wintertime. I know that as an MLA that’s important and yet it still happens. There’s a myth out there that you cannot do it, but it actually happens to our people, large families, single parents, and I don’t believe that should exist and I would look for a policy to address winter evictions. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The issue of arrears both on the mortgage side and the rent side is a significant one, pretty well near I believe to about $20 million. There’s a Shelter Policy review that was initiated late in the 16th Assembly that is going to be dealing with a lot of these pressing issues. Rent scales and the market rent are the programs we’ve designed, properly tailored for the communities so that we can put all the houses that are currently unoccupied to proper and good use.
People also have to realize there’s a personal responsibility issue, as well, and when I was Housing Minister my approach would be housing is not cheap and it’s not free, and when you look at the hierarchy of need that Maslow has, food and shelter are right at the bottom. So we’ve got to impress upon people that you have to pay your rent. It’s very important that you do that.
One of the things we’ve done over the years, not by being lax, is allowing to build up and to create an
impression and expectation among folks that they could pay their truck payments and skidoo payments and defer their rent and they’d get caught up later, which doesn’t tend to happen. I agree we have to look as a government to be very careful when one part of government, a Crown corporation, evicts a person in a community where there’s no other housing, what are the costs going to be and are we going to pay more as a government to put people in emergency housing or hotels as we sort out the issue with their rent. That is an issue that needs work that’s more functional in intergovernmental cooperation so that we’re not creating work for ourselves by one arm of government doing something that has an impact at a greater cost on another part of government, one pocket to another.
So a key piece, of course, is if we could encourage everybody to in fact pay their rent, make sure their rents are fair, and recognize that that is a fundamental need, and it’s not cheap and it’s not free. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding that as a government there are about, I don’t know, probably 11 or 12 million dollars in unpaid rent and unpaid mortgages. So it’s a significant problem for the government and I think that usually evictions are the last course of action that the Housing Corporation takes, it’s after a long period of time to try to find solutions. Generally the Housing Corporation, if anybody makes some sort of repayment offer, generally the Housing Corporation accepts it.
I think we have to go back to fundamentals that perhaps there’s an expectation out there that housing is free, and if that’s the case, then it becomes a question of who is going to pay for it. Is it Income Support? If people aren’t paying their rent if they’re not on income support, then how can they move ahead?
I think a number of principles should be that anybody that works, they should be better off when they work rather than when they’re not working because their rent is going to increase. I think that we need to wait for the Shelter Policy review report to come out. We need to look at the process, like who is the person of last resort when it comes to deciding on eviction? I assume it’s the local housing authority, whatever the appeal process is there. I think then we have to look at the alternative.
Personally, I don’t think I would support evicting people in the middle of winter. I understand there are people that have been evicted and are living in tents in 15 below weather. So as a government we need to take all of this into consideration and find a
reasonable approach to dealing with evictions. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Before we move on this morning, I’d like to welcome a former Member of the Legislative Assembly, MLA for Mackenzie Delta in the 13th ,
14th , 15th and 16th Assemblies, former Speaker and
Minister, Mr. David Krutko. Welcome, David.
---Applause
Mr. Bouchard.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Robert Bouchard Hay River North
Thank you. Today I’d like to ask the candidates a question on small communities. During my campaign and during the short term here at the Legislative Assembly we’ve been talking about getting government jobs out in the community. I’d like to know what the candidates believe in that and how they think they’re going to implement that.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There was a program I referenced that was set up in the last Assembly based on a recommendation from the Rural and Remote committee that put money in for employment. We’ve put in community service officers to help people navigate through the government system. A lot of things I see in terms of moving to getting jobs into the small communities I touched on in a previous answer. For example, in bringing our maintenance money together, O and M money together to see if, in fact, in communities we can have a tradesman and an apprentice or two instead of flying people in.
There is a tremendous opportunity as we look at devolution, 175 jobs, that has to have a trickle- down effect. These positions are going to come empty from Ottawa. We are looking at communities, the larger centres, and then what we’d do in the smaller centres to in fact make sure that that benefit trickles down so that this rising tide of good fortune from devolution will raise all boats including the small communities. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Miltenberger touched on devolution as one of our sources of decentralization of positions as the lands and resources get transferred to the Northwest Territories. A huge opportunity. I know that it has not been addressed in this Assembly, but I think, working with the committee systems, that we have to start looking at it instead of just leaving it up to our negotiators. I believe it’s the committee and all the MLAs have to know exactly what positions they’re talking about, and I would certainly
commit to a full, extensive briefing on the agreement-in-principle that way.
Another thing I would do is I would not support any transfers of jobs to Yellowknife. I’ve seen that in the past. The bureaucracy always comes up with many reasons why a job has got to remain in Yellowknife or get transferred to Yellowknife. As Premier I will not support that. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ve been involved in government for a long time and this getting government jobs to the community, or decentralization, I think, is the word that is used more often. Over various Assemblies there have been a number of different initiatives and I think there’s been quite a few times where jobs have been moved out and decentralized where it makes sense and the costs are not unreasonable. Also, there’s been a decentralization committee that looked at all of the programs and services that the government provides and looked at finding ways to move jobs and programs around, and the process that I can think of, it failed because it was going to provide for winners and losers between communities. I think that it’s something that we should look at.
I think of Nunavut who went through a very large decentralization process and they had problems with hiring people. I think that there also will be problems with office space, housing. But I believe that we should have a committee that looks at it. I don’t think we have to focus solely on devolution of 350 jobs. I think that we can look at programs and services that make sense. We’ve done it. As a government, we’ve it in the past. I can think of some of the health divisions, forestry, for example, the move to Hay River, the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Office that was set up in Hay River. I think there are ways it can be done. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Colleagues, we’ve been going for the last two hours. I call a 10-minute break. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, colleagues. Welcome back. We are done the first round of questioning. We will now start with the second round of questioning. We have Mrs. Groenewegen.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have had much discussion over the years about the Affirmative Action Policy. The Affirmative Action Policy’s intent is to ensure that in the public service in the Northwest Territories we have a representative workforce. It hasn’t been revised,
reviewed or amended in many, many years. I would like to ask the candidates for Premier if they think this might be a time when we would like to re- examine the intent and the policy itself to ensure that it is meeting the objectives it was intended to. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Affirmative Action Policy has been in place for a very long time. More recently, over the past 10 years it has been about 31 percent. Despite many efforts to move that percentage up to have a public service that is representative of the Northwest Territories where 50 percent of the population in the Northwest Territories is Aboriginal, we seem to be unable to move past the 31. Although we had a slight increase this year; it is 32 percent.
With “20/20 – A Brilliant Future,” we have taken another strong run at improving our Affirmative Action Policy, making our affirmative action policies work. We have an Affirmative Action Advisory Committee to help us to work with the departments, to find new and innovative ways to get Aboriginal people into the public service. I think there are a number of things that we compete with industry. There are certain jobs that require different levels of skills. Not everybody wants to work for the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Having said that, there is a court challenge on the Affirmative Action Policy. Our view is that this is a very important policy. We need to continue with it.
Last Assembly, I think it was the 15th Assembly, we
came forward with an Employment Equity Policy, to replace the Affirmative Action Policy, that would be more focused on strategic categories of jobs, and at that time was felt that would be a better approach to deal with affirmative action. The 15th Assembly
didn’t agree with that and decided not to change it, so right now I think the affirmative action is the way to go. I think we need to defend it in a court case. I think that as the 17th Assembly we should review it
and see if we still want to continue that route or are we prepared to look at something else. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I agree with Minister McLeod; the Affirmative Action Policy I believe has made a difference, but, like any good policy, once again, as I have already stated, if there is a need for review again, we should look at it.
I just want to harken back to another policy that we have reviewed many, many times unsuccessfully, which would be the Business Incentive Policy
where we spent a lot of time and working with Legislature looking at it. It hasn’t been a useless process. It has helped clarify our thinking. In this case there is a pending court case which would require us to speak very carefully to this program or policy. The intent is the right one. Once again, I think any government policy, if it is the wish of this Legislature, should be there for review and constructive change if that is what we collectively agree on. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The Affirmative Action Policy, we had to force our government to hire our people and Aboriginals. That is why it was implemented in the first place. Incredible as it sounds, we had to force our government to hire our own people. That is the spirit and intent of the Affirmative Action Program. I know that in the last Assembly there was some inkling of looking at it, reviewing it, making some changes. If that is the priority of this Assembly, then certainly the Executive would certainly consider it seriously and working with all Members once again. We could have a real good look at it. Once again, it was about hiring our people, the Aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories. There are other ways that we can achieve an increase of those numbers. One of them I spoke about is that we focus in on education and increase our graduation rates, and what that does is increase the employability of our people. I would like to see us move towards that. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Before we go on I would like to welcome former Member, MLA for North Slave and Monfwi, former Member Mr. Henry Zoe. Welcome to the House, Mr. Zoe.
---Applause
Before moving on, colleagues, I would like to ask the candidates for Premier if they can shorten up on their responses to move along. Thank you. Ms. Bisaro.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the significant pieces of work and accomplishments of the 16th Assembly, the Standing Committee on
Social Programs did a very considerable, thorough and comprehensive review of the Child and Family Services Act. Out of that review came 70-some recommendations, some of which were agreed to by the government of the day, many of which were not, and many of those recommendations would go to assisting our people in being healthier and living better and having more productive lives. I would like to ask each of the candidates two things: How important are the recommendations of that review to you as Premier? What will you do about
implementing them sooner rather than later? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The recommendations that came from that review are certainly important because it went out and heard from all of the people of the Northwest Territories. Once again, working with the committee system we do have to come up with an implementation strategy. I believe it was the will of this Assembly to continue and implement those changes. We can do it.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It goes without saying, that the work of committees is vital to the functioning of this Assembly and good governance, proper legislation, proper policy direction. The issue always tends to come down to not the matters of policy issues but the issue of resources with the work that was done by the previous committee. There was agreement that things could be done that were agreed to prior to the passage of the last budget. There, I think, would be a valuable need to have that piece of work once committees are structured and once Cabinet is picked to bring that work back on the table as part of the transition work and setting the priorities going forward for the business planning process to review the outstanding recommendations and how do we collectively want to move forward on that, and if we’re going to identify resources, how do we do that, factoring all those pressures in.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The child and family services review was a very comprehensive piece of work and I think that it was reviewed close to the end of the 16th Assembly. I
think it would benefit from a more comprehensive review by this Assembly. I think our children are our most important asset and we need to make sure that they’re looked after. However we deal with them, it really affects how they go forward in life. I think that by working together and supporting each other, we can have something that will be truly in the best interest of children.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question deals with early childhood programs and development within the Northwest Territories. Early childhood development is key within our population and investing these types of programs will result in success for the future of our children, our families
and our communities. Right now we are currently seeing a need for the infrastructure in terms of facilities as well as training staff, more or less, in our regional centres. We’re getting an increased population with families going to school, looking for work, and in some cases lowering candidates. For Premier is: what are they willing to do to invest into these facilities and training the staff, quality trained staff for our families and communities, and how they prioritize where these would go in terms of the Northwest Territories?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. This government must continue to support strong families and abilities to make a living. The early childhood programming and their lack of infrastructure is seen not only in the larger centres but even in our smaller communities. That’s something I would certainly review and look at and find a way to be supportive of the programming. I believe that the training that Mr. Moses was talking about and quality training is definitely needed.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the next few weeks we are collectively going to be getting together to finalize the list of priorities as the Legislative Assembly. As a result of our time together and all the concerns, this issue has come up consistently in a lot of the priorities already listed. If it’s identified as a priority and comes forward in the business plans, then we’ll be looking at where do we find the money.
I’ll point to one potential area of re-profiling of funding: through the program review department that is located with the Executive there was work done on inclusive schooling and PTR, which indicated that they are overfunded by the formula and there was potential to possibly re-profile some of that money. This area would be one that would be considered, I think we could consider to do that if that was the agreement once we review all those figures and confirm that that is in fact the case. That is an opportunity to putting some of that money to use.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This question came up during the election here in Yellowknife. I think the Status of Women posed this in a questionnaire to all the Yellowknife candidates and they pointed out that early childhood programs really benefited families and couples that wanted to improve their education and so on. In that response I indicated my support for that and I would want to see it continue.
I think we need to also involve the federal government. The federal government in the past has funded daycare programs. I was struck when I went to Ulukhaktok to open their arts centre there, how a small community like Ulukhaktok has a daycare centre for the community, and I want to see how they were able to make it happen in a small community like that and perhaps learn from that and see how we can do it in other communities.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for this opportunity. It’s been four years since I last asked questions, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
---Laughter
I’d like to reflect on Mr. Beaulieu’s question on the youth. This Legislative Assembly, the previous Assembly, and as we move forward I’ve heard over and over about the youth as the most priority within this government. I’d like to focus with a twist on what we can do even further into the communities.
I can speak more specifically to my region and that will be the community of Behchoko. It does reflect on other communities as well. I’d like to focus on the number of break-ins for the last several weeks now, almost every weekend. We have a big facility in Behchoko, but it hasn’t been touched for a number of years. It’s no fault of the youth that the building is not being renovated, but at the same time there is a deficit recovery plan with our government. At the same time we can’t move forward on the actual building to retrofit the building. We need to do something for the youth.
With that in mind, I’d like to ask the Premier-to-be what is their overall plan to deal with these matters at hand where some of the communities are in deficit, they don’t have a decent facility for the youth, but there is a plan in place to have a recovery deficit plan in place.
We need to think beyond innovative and creative thinking. This is what we are accountable to the Northwest Territories. I’d like to ask those candidates, we need to think beyond what we have before us. If there is a plan in place, what are your overall objectives to deal with those individual communities that may have a deficit recovery plan to deal with those facilities that are badly needed?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Many of our communities throughout this Northwest Territories do have similar instances. Some will be arenas, some will be lack of funding for pool infrastructure, but they’re all community based, and with the New Deal we transferred all the
responsibilities to the communities. We can still have an impact. Government can still have an impact. We can make changes; we can look at unique solutions. I think one of them Ms. Bisaro talked about is a loan. How can we loan governments money that are having issues in the communities with infrastructure? Infrastructure deficit goes far beyond communities. It goes throughout the whole of the Territories. I would certainly commit to looking at unique ways of addressing this. I also believe that each of the communities should have proper facilities like a gymnasium, arena, etcetera.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I recently attended a dinner and sports awards of the Aboriginal Sports Circle. Some of the award winners spoke about the importance of sports in the small communities. These were parents, mothers and fathers talking about all the work they did in fundraising and making sure their children participated in sports. They all spoke about how important it was, how it made sure it kept the children off the streets, it kept them engaged and how important it was for the youth of their community. Certainly sports facilities I think are very important. I know municipalities, there’s a gas tax deal, there’s a New Deal, and I think that’s something we should look at. I guess I say that politics is the art of the possible, so I think it’s something that we should look at, very similar to Northland, to see what we can do to work with the community to deal with this very important project for the community of Behchoko.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our ability to deal with a lot of the capital infrastructure needs as a government with communities is going to be tied, I believe, very closely to the borrowing limit. Hopefully we’ll get that successfully resolved to see what kind of flexibility we have. As we look at infrastructure investments, we know we have some very major projects, but we also know that the community has needs as well. I think the other area we have to investigate fully is are there willingness for partnerships; partnerships with other levels of government, the Aboriginal governments. If there’s an area where there’s a major presence of corporations, what support is there? I notice in Yellowknife there’s a lot of very, very good support by the diamond mines for a lot of projects in Yellowknife. Those type of avenues as we think outside the box, as well, have to be explored.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Before we go on I’d like to welcome
former MLA for Mackenzie Delta, Government Leader, Speaker, Minister and currently president of the Gwich’in Tribal Council, Mr. Richard Nerysoo. Welcome to the House.
---Applause
Mr. Beaulieu.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Within Akaitcho and many other regions across the Northwest Territories there are a lot of contaminated waste sites from exploration or past mining. I’d like to ask the candidates for Premier what they would do to address the issue of contaminated waste sites across the Territories.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That particular issue has its own chapter in the Devolution Agreement-in-Principle. There are hundreds and hundreds of sites to be cleaned up. I think we have to nail down the responsibility to make sure the federal government is responsible for all the sites that are on their land so that as we proceed, we make sure the resources are there. We continue to treat Giant separately. That we negotiate a proper deal, recognizing at the same time that the federal government is cutting billions of dollars out of their budget over the next two or three years, $4 billion a year. That’s a challenge for us. Identification and then looking at what remediation money we do have to make sure we’re prioritizing that money and hitting the most important sites first.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Through the preliminary work that’s been done on devolution, how we deal with contaminated sites or environmental liabilities was something that’s been talked about and negotiated for a long time. There’s been an agreed upon process that the federal government will take responsibility for all of the contaminated sites that happened under their watch. There has been an inventory done. I think they identified 694 waste sites. I guess what we have to do is make sure that if we’re aware of any waste sites, to make sure that they’re on the list. Also, not a lot of work has been done in costing out how much it will cost to clean up all of these 694 waste sites. On a going forward basis, once the point that devolution takes place, the Government of the Northwest Territories, I guess, would be responsible for sites that occur under their watch. There’s also a process for joint payment of sites that, I guess, cross borders. I think the most important thing is to make sure that if you know of a waste site, to make sure it’s on the inventory.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I don’t think that we have to wait for devolution to find solutions to these existing waste sites. I think there’s a huge opportunity because some of them are being sponsored by our federal government now, and we have to use those in our communities to address the contaminated sites because it is about giving us jobs, jobs, jobs. I would be supportive of advancing as many cleanups of these contaminated sites as we can. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Robert Bouchard Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Canadian economy is obviously struggling and the Northwest Territories is no different. I would like to ask the candidates what the prerogatives are on improving the northern economy.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We just went through this exercise in 2008 where there was a global recession that impacted on the Northwest Territories and it had real implications. I think we were protected or sheltered a certain bit because, as a government, we had already started to take some action, recognizing this eventuality was going to occur. At that time we had a lot more flexibility than we do now. We took action to provide for increased capital spending to provide a stimulus for communities.
Also the fact that the diamond mines, although they shut down for a period of time, they didn’t shut down for good or for an extended period of time. So we were able to do that. I think that we will have to go back to providing for development in every community to provide for local economies, to work with the different regions to try to protect what we have.
As a Business Development Corporation, we reduced interest rates for the clients of BDIC so their costs of operation would go down so they could ride through the recession. So those are the kinds of things we can do as a government. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Minister McLeod laid out some good suggestions, but if we really want to do the structural change that is going to give us, as a territory, the levers we need in the life of this Assembly, it’s tied to devolution. But we can’t have a long-term economic strategy that’s going to allow us to control our future
unless we have the authority and responsibility collectively over land, water and resource development so that we can set up the policies to make sure that our regulatory regime is responsive, effective, does the work that Northerners want us to do, allows decisions to be made in a timely way, will allow and encourage business to come back and at the same time doing all the local and community things that Mr. McLeod mentioned.
But in the life of this Assembly we need the levers. Unless we have the levers, we will always be having this discussion, decisions still being made in a far away land. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I just want to say that every Legislature in Canada is preparing for a recession and they want to put in place measures. This is because of how our previous governments were behaving. I believe that stimulating the economy will provide the jobs that we need and will help reduce our cost of living.
Also, we really have to look at a mining strategy for the NWT. The regulatory reform that we talked about that people want in the Northwest Territories has to provide comfort to all people in the Northwest Territories.
In closing, so I don’t get too long-winded, Mr. Chair, I would support and lobby Ottawa for the continuation of the Canada Build Plan. Mahsi.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to congratulate all my colleagues on their election or re-election. I want to recognize Mr. Menicoche, Mr. McLeod and Mr. Miltenberger today for being willing to put their names forward as Premier.
There are serious environmental challenges and some of these like our changing climate have steadily increasing impacts on many aspects of our northern society, including government costs. Given that the cause of these issues are pervasive and often result from how we do things, what actions would you like to see us take to address these across the broad spectrum of responses required? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I mentioned that the Government of the Northwest Territories does have a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy and it’s a great plan, like many others in our government. We must implement it. It’s not enough to say we have great plans and great strategies, but we must continue
implementing them and I would be proposing a taskforce specifically to address this issue of reducing our carbon footprint in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are two key areas in this particular issue: the need to adapt to the changes that are happening that we know we won’t be able to affect for 40 years or so; the other one is to mitigate the causes of what has triggered all these changes to begin with. As we look at adaptation, we are on the move on that. We have a Climate Change Adaptation Plan. We know that we’re dealing with it already up north with piles, with permafrost, with erosion, rising water levels, those types of things. We are going to have to make sure we finalize our Greenhouse Gas Strategy as we look at mitigating and reducing our carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions so, in fact, we are not part of the problem.
So in those two areas we are going to have to continue to do the work that’s necessary. We have done things like building standards and those types of things to cut our energy consumption to make sure we are being as efficient and effective as possible. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. As a government, we’ve taken action to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of all of our departments. We’ve been able to realize our targets that we had set 10 years ago to reduce greenhouse gases. We do have a new Greenhouse Gas Strategy that will allow us to continue.
We all know the effects of climate change are here. We are taking mitigating steps and adaptation to deal with it. We’ve talked to business. This came up again in questionnaires in the forums here in Yellowknife with regard to climate change. The question is how will this impact on the economy, and people talk about issues like carbon taxes and other cap and trade and so on. The big issue comes down to how does it impact on the cost of operating and how will this impact on industry.
We live in a high cost environment and a large part of the reasons for industry setting up their value- added outside the Northwest Territories is that it’s cheaper to operate in places like Alberta and Saskatchewan. But I think there are things we can do through the $60 million that government invested over the past three years. We’ve looked at all forms of alternative fuels and renewable fuels to find ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. The Mackenzie Pipeline will provide natural gas,
which, compared to coal, reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
We also have to find out what the Government of Canada is doing. The Government of Canada has indicated they are not prepared to make significant changes unless they know what the United States government is doing. Those are all things we have to take into consideration. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Norman Yakeleya Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Northwest Territories we have a unique style of governing ourselves through consensus style of government. It’s very unique in Canada or even in the world. From time to time we have reports in the newspapers, listen to the radio or watch TV about the interest in party politics and how that should be now our way of doing business in the North. I want to ask the candidates on that subject. What does consensus government mean to you and how will it guide you to make decisions as Premier?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ve been in this House 16 years and just re-elected for a fifth term in a system and style of government that has been staunchly defended, for the most part, in this Legislature. This building was designed for consensus government. It well suits the Northwest Territories.
The way that I have done business in the past – and I’ll point again to the Water Strategy, the Wildlife Act, the Species at Risk Act – is to collaborate to involve the Aboriginal governments. We have a unique arrangement and relationship with Aboriginal governments. We have to continue that. We have to commit ourselves to that process. We have to think very carefully about any suggested changes to the system of government that we do have.
But, for me, I have been across this country east to west, I’ve been in the House of Commons when it’s in operation, I’ve been to other jurisdictions and I always think back, without any hesitation, that this system of government that we have here is designed in the North and suits the North. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I certainly believe in our consensus style of government and I would not or cannot see any party politics in the future.
As well, I just want to say that in order for consensus-style government to truly work, we’ve
got to start involving all government, all residents of the Northwest Territories and all Members of this Assembly. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess, with consensus government, I think it really works. I think, because of the unique nature of the Northwest Territories, we need to have our MLAs from the smaller communities have a voice and that they play a very important role in how things work. All of the detractors of consensus government, not one of them have been able to describe a process that works better. You hear some people that want all of the people of the Northwest Territories to elect a Premier. I look at other jurisdictions. I don’t see any other jurisdiction where all of the people elect the Premier. You hear people want to have political parties. I think for Yellowknife that would be fine. But if we had political parties we’d probably always have a Premier from Yellowknife, especially when you look at other similar jurisdictions like the Yukon where that’s been the case.
I think that consensus government works for the Northwest Territories, and I think by working together and supporting each other, we can make sure we get all the important work of the Northwest Territories done. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to ask the candidates here, as they all know, in the small communities we are challenged with a lack of facilities for the care of our elderly. If elected as Premier, will you support long-term care in the small communities?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The answer is yes. I’ve got a constituency of many small communities and having long-term care closer to the homes, to their cousins, to their relatives is indeed beneficial to the health of the individual and to the communities. As well, it’s about jobs in our small communities. Once we start cutting in the communities, we’re cutting jobs, we’re cutting families that depend on those jobs, and I would not be supporting that. In fact, I would actually look at a solution of returning services to the communities that have lost them. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m supportive of putting in all the programs and supports we can in small communities; in fact, all communities so that we can have our elders and
our parents and grandparents in the communities for as long as possible. When the day comes that they need 24-hour-a-day care with nurses and doctors, then the reality is for us in the Northwest Territories, we’re going to be looking at regional centres. We’ve got one planned in the Sahtu; for Norman Wells to service the Sahtu, for example, where currently there is no long-term care facility.
The issue is strictly ideally it would be nice to have those services in every community. The reality for all of us in all our planning that we’ve done, it shows that it’s not something that can be done, but we can focus on the home care, we can work with families to make sure that we provide those supports with the nurses and the community health reps, and look at providing the best possible services at a regional level for 24-hour-a-day care. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess, realistically, the logical conclusion for what’s being proposed is we would have 33 long-term facilities in the Northwest Territories, and I think the reality is that it’s going to be difficult for us to achieve that. I prefer to look at the approach that the government can’t do everything. I think families should support their seniors for as long as they can and I think we should make sure seniors can be independent as long as possible. I know when my parents were alive they functioned very well with regular home care visits and were independent right until the end. I think that through a coordinated approach, I think that probably in some communities we could have long-term care facilities for seniors. But I think that if we have a continuum of care, I think that would work in the best interests. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Daryl Dolynny Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair, fellow colleagues. I just want to publicly, or we should be publicly congratulating our Stanton Territorial Hospital, their staff and administration for their recent accreditation of 95 percent. This shows great care in our primary facility, but we are struggling with the level of quality and the sustainability of health care in some of our many regions across the North. This government is currently spending 25 percent of our budget on health, where national averages are around the 42 percent mark. Coined by many as the greatest unsustainable delusion of our generation with aging baby boomers and costs rising, many budgets, many economists are saying that government budgets will push beyond the 50 percent mark.
My question to the candidates is: what will you do to sustain our health care in the North in the years to come? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We’re spending $340 million a year on health and social services. It is by far the biggest growth department that we do have. We are going to be negotiating here to replace the Health Accord, the $42 billion Health Accord that currently exists with the federal government. That’s going to be a key piece.
I’ve talked today about issues about prevention, moving money to prevention and getting people to make the right personal choices, doing the things in communities that will keep people healthy, keep aging parents at home, that we won’t add to the costs. We have all these insured services that we want to protect. There are a number of things that we have to do. A lot of it is tied to the front end in terms of prevention, because unless we can make people make the right… Or unless people can make the right decisions, we will never have enough money to fix people, to repair them, to help them recover with the alcohol addictions and all the other physical ailments that will beset them. In the long term that’s the way forward, I believe. As well, we have to be very sure and clear that we’re efficient at how we do business.
I, as well, would like to congratulate Stanton. It is the flagship of the acute care side of health services in the Northwest Territories.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much. I’m very supportive of a healthy living strategy that we will adopt, but it’s not a quick answer. The question is about can we prevent those huge expenditures in our health centre. The new agreement is important and we have to ensure that that funding is appropriate. Also, we’ve got to look at our current expenditures. I’m not convinced, Mr. Chair, that we are spending in the right areas, and I believe that we can review it and make changes and recommendations to how we are spending money in our health care system. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Like Minister Miltenberger, I think it’s very important that we don’t get left behind. We have to start planning so that we’ll be ready to negotiate with the federal government when the Health Accords are being renewed. We have to push for a very hard bargain. I remember way back when, when the three
northern Premiers got together and went to Ottawa and stayed in Ottawa until they got a fair share of funding for health care. I don’t know if it will come to that, but we have to be prepared to take that type of action.
Obviously, prevention is the cornerstone if prevention can help reduce costs significantly. I talk about the Foundation for Change. We need to continue to work on that. We can’t supply all of the services, as I said earlier. Medical travel is a very big, big cost. We have to make sure that it is administratively done properly and also serves the needs of the people that use it. I think we are very lucky here in the larger centres because we have access to health professionals. We get prescriptions. We can walk down the street and get it filled. I think we have to make sure that the smaller communities don’t get left behind. We have to make sure that we get health professionals there, that they be able to access drugs and get support as needed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The homelessness problem has caused significant concern and great pressure here in Yellowknife. This community, I will say admirably, has been responding quite well to the challenge, and you will see significant investment through the Bailey House and great support behind the Betty House that some day will come to life here and be helping women.
Mr. Chairman, I have heard informally, repeatedly, that 75 percent of the homelessness problem originates from members of our territory who are originating from outside of Yellowknife. They are coming to Yellowknife because they have no services to access either in their regions or in their small communities. What are the Premier candidates willing to do to help the small communities in the regions address some of their homelessness problems? It has become a serious problem here in Yellowknife. I have understood quite well that many of these people would like to be closer to their regions and communities as well as their families rather than just coming to Yellowknife. To address the problem, how are you going to help the North? Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think we have taken the approach similar to what we did here in Yellowknife where social agencies and the municipal government and territorial government got together to try to find ways to deal with it. I think there are a number of issues in trying to resolve homelessness. I think you have to have a
continuum of housing for the homeless. There are mental health issues. There are addiction issues. I think that the way they approached it for now, it is used as a model for other jurisdictions on how to deal with the homeless. I think that we have to identify how many people are out there. We need to try to deal with what their issues are. I think that we need to work with Income Support. We can provide for them. I really believe that we need to find ways to provide for individual support closer to home. Also, it is not just Yellowknife; I know most of the communities have hard to house people and so on. I think if we take the similar approach to communities, we can deal with it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is money currently in the budget to work with communities, money for Yellowknife as well as the small communities. If that money needs supplementing, we should look at that. I know that it is designed to be accessed on a case-by-case basis. There is also the issue of differentiating between homeless and hard to house. Plus, I agree and it is clear that Yellowknife is, by far and away, the largest magnet community we have in the Northwest Territories. People come, sometimes intend to stay here, make some personal choices, often not the right healthy ones and end up staying here in a way that they can’t afford and they can’t leave. I think we have to look at how we are going to do through interagency planning and in the communities and between communities to make sure that we can do the right things, and if repatriation back to home communities is the thing that should be done, then we should have a way to do that. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I can admit that there is homelessness and poverty in the communities and regions. I think that when the people migrate into Yellowknife, they are getting caught up in addictions and it is a deadly cycle. I think that we must provide a way to get them back home, because I truly believe that some of them do want to leave, but they just don’t have the resources or perhaps their family doesn’t have resources that would have a serious, hard look at this. As well, we have the Shelter Policy review and I believe it has to be the will of this Assembly to move that forward. Mahsi.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Nadli Deh Cho
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The meeting of October 21st in Dettah with Aboriginal leaders was
historic. Without preceding that meeting, there seems to have been a sense of disunity and discord among the Northwest Territories leaders. I think building upon strength has always been my approach to ensure that we have a better North. In that way we have a better sense of unity, collaboration and consensus. What further steps will the candidates take to build a stronger relationship with First Nations in making the Northwest Territories a better North?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank Mr. Nadli for raising that historic moment that we had last week.
There are a couple of ways that I would approach this. I spoke about it firstly was about establishing an Aboriginal devolution commission to first address the most important issue that is on the Aboriginal governments’ mind. Secondly, I did mention that I would establish an Aboriginal liaison office to work with Aboriginal governments as we move forward with this Aboriginal devolution commission. However, we do have to go further. We do have to include Aboriginal governments as full partners in this government and how do we do that. Mr. Yakeleya spoke once about an elders council, but to fully participate in Aboriginal government, I believe that we might have to have an Aboriginal governance council so that our government can recognize them as equal partners in this North and we can move forward to a strong united North. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There are a number of things I think we have to do. I think we are very close on the Wildlife Act as a piece of groundbreaking legislation, both the process and the product that fully involve the Aboriginal partners with their hands on the pen to draft bills, something that is not done in any other jurisdiction. I think we also have to continually follow up on the meeting that we had last Friday. Collectively, we are ready to do that. I believe that some of the processes started in the 16th Assembly
are worth continuing, the regional Aboriginal leaders meetings, for example, and then I think we need to, as well, put back on the table the successes we have had with the Wildlife Act, the Water Strategy, Species at Risk Act. We know we can do good work together. We can deal with very complicated, complex issues, all of which I believe are tied, in fact, to devolution, like water. We can do this. I think if we have enough good will we can find a way forward. Thank you.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the past three or four Assemblies all of the Premiers have had a process with Aboriginal leaders, either a bilateral process, or Northern Leaders’ Forum they called it, where they got together on a regular basis. I think, for this Assembly, with the meeting we had in Dettah, I think that we would talk to each individual Aboriginal government leader to get their ideas on where they think we can go from here. I think that it was a lot of work done on Creating our Future by Premier Roland. We want to see where that could lead to. I really think we need to have a follow-up meeting in Dettah. In the past we have had processes like the Intergovernmental Forum. I know they have that in the Yukon. That seems to work. I don’t know if we can see if there is potential for that here in the Northwest Territories.
There are other processes out there as to how we can work together with Aboriginal governments. I would like to see those explored. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
David Ramsay Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to congratulate all of the Members of the 17th Assembly on your re-election, some re-election, some new Members; and also to Mr. McLeod, Mr. Miltenberger and Mr. Menicoche, congratulations, again, for letting your names stand for the position of Premier of the Northwest Territories. I thank you for doing that on our behalf.
Mr. Chairman, I have a question. I guess it gets back to relationships. I know a lot of ground has been covered already today on relationship building with our Aboriginal partners here in the Northwest Territories and also with the federal government. I’ll just phrase my question this way: a lot of good work has been done in the past in building and fostering relationships with our neighbours to the east in Nunavut and to the west in Yukon and developing a pan-territorial approach to issues that are facing all three northern territories. I’d like to ask the Premier candidates what their strategy is for the evolution of that relationship that we currently have with our northern neighbours.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it’s going to be important to continue that arrangement. In fact, as we move forward on issues of significant importance like the Health Accord and the $42 billion negotiation, the three territories are going to have to work very closely together. It’s been a very successful arrangement so far. It’s because of that close cooperation between the
three territories and the help of Minister Aglukkaq that we in fact got the money to extend the funding for THSSI, the health programs that were going to sunset at the end of this year. Going forward I believe there’s going to be a need to intensify those kind of relationships. As we build up our presence in Ottawa, I think we’ll be able to be more effective not only with the government in Ottawa but all the other provinces and territories that come to Ottawa to do business where we have common interests. We also have many ongoing common interests, for example, with the smaller provinces where they tend to be very sympathetic to the struggles that we face.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to thank Mr. Ramsay for that question. We do have a working relationship with our neighbours, but I believe that we can show true leadership and formalize this relationship with Yukon and Nunavut so that we can have a stronger voice in Ottawa and present our case to Ottawa that the needs up here are unique, they’re different, and we stand united in them.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Northern Premiers’ Forum is something that’s already been finalized. It’s something that the three territories have used very effectively to work together to get momentum from the federal government. I can cite many examples where we’ve worked together on things like Arctic sovereignty, Canada’s Northern House, tourism and so forth. Not only is it a forum that’s used to work together to get concessions from Ottawa, but it’s also used to prepare for meetings of the Western Premiers’ Conference and the Council of the Federation. It’s something that we build on, on a regular basis. The Council of the Federation meets on a semi-annual basis. The Western Premiers’ Conference meets on the same basis. It always helps to have a coordinated voice. Although Yukon already has devolution and Northwest Territories and Nunavut don’t, there are many areas that we can collaborate on and it’s a very important forum.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Glen Abernethy Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’d like to thank the candidates for answering our questions so fully today. We truly do appreciate it. I have one last question and then I think we’re pretty close to getting to the votes. I’m not sure; there might be more.
My question is on communication. There was frustration in the public over the past four years
based on the government’s ability to communicate and work with our residents. Many feel that when public consultations were held, they were not truly consultations but more information sessions. The same is true for public hearings. In my opinion, public consultations, information sessions and public hearings are different things. Each has its place and its purpose. My question is: could you define in your words these different processes and outline when each of them should be used, and tell me as Premier how you will ensure that this government uses these processes to work with our residents and partners in an effective way so that our residents and partners feel engaged and listened to?
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Communications is a very critical part of how we all work together. As somebody mentioned, communication is a two-way street. Whatever messages you get out there, you have to make sure that whoever is receiving it understands it. I think Marshall McLuhan said the medium is the message. I think that in every, depending on what it is that we’re consulting on – obviously legislation is something that’s very important – that we need to make sure that the public is aware, when people are coming in to seek their input, where the hearings are going to be held and how their issues are going to be addressed. I think on policy issues this is something that we need to agree upon.
I’ve heard Members say that whenever we go out we should have a very clear policy that we’re pushing. Other people in the communities say, well, you’re supposed to come here and listen to us, don’t tell us what you’re going to do, we’re going to tell you what to do. I think we need a clearer understanding of that.
We have a government consultation policy that I think should be required reading for everybody here. If you haven’t had input into it, you should identify what you don’t agree with there. I think whatever we do in consensus government, that’s what we do is consult, consult and consult.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As Mr. McLeod indicated, we have a policy which has helped guide us. If it needs review in the minds of the Members, then we should look at that. There is a river of information the goes out from government on a daily basis from all points on the compass, from all the different departments. That’s a fairly standard process. I believe the Member is talking about all the political communication that goes on by us as Cabinet, by the Members, by the
government in terms of legislation and policy. That is going to require every piece of work that we do should have a communication plan to it that will identify exact intent and purpose. We have to make sure that we coordinate with our committees so that we do business in a cooperative way. As equal importance among the departments, we have to make sure that we have a coordinated network of communication so that we have a consistent message, an effective message, a message that reflects the direction and will of the Assembly.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. As we listen to people and their needs about consultation, I think creativity is about listening as well. We’ve heard what the Aboriginal, at the meeting with our Aboriginal groups last week, that our policy is not enough. We have to have a consultation protocol coupled with recognizing Aboriginal governments as governments. That will take part of working with Aboriginal groups and then when it comes to legislation and/or changing government policy, we do have to involve the whole of the Northwest Territories and they still don’t feel involved. My Cabinet would develop a communications strategy that would work with all communities and regions.
Questions By Members
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. It appears that there are no further questions for the Premier candidates. Before we vote I’d like to thank all candidates who agreed to put their names forward for Premier. This is a long morning but we have given all confidence that whoever’s chosen to be our Premier will be up for the job.
I think this morning’s process indicates that the process we use to select our Premier is an open and transparent one. It’s also no cakewalk. We had 26 questions and 78 answers.
---Applause
Order!
---Laughter
Members are now asked to proceed to the Clerk’s table where they will receive a ballot. If Members could please proceed to voting booths, mark your ballot, and then place it into the ballot box located in front of the Clerk’s table. Are there any more Members… Okay. Yeah. Moving on. Vote time.
Voting
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
I declare the voting process closed. The ballot box will be now taken to the Clerk’s office where the ballots will be counted. We will have a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
Results
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, colleagues. I’ll wait for everyone to be seated. I declare that you have elected Mr. Bob McLeod as Premier-elect for the Northwest Territories. Congratulations. The appointment will be confirmed tomorrow by motion in the House. I would now like to give Mr. McLeod the opportunity to say a few words. Thank you.
---Applause
Statement By Premier-Elect Bob Mcleod
Election of the Premier
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair, colleagues. I am very humbled by your support for me as Premier. I pledge I will do the best job that I can to work with all of you in the best interests of the people of the Northwest Territories.
I want to congratulate my friends and colleagues who put their names forward for Premier, Mr. Michael Miltenberger, Mr. Kevin Menicoche. Our last names all start with M, so if we were a hockey team, we would be the 3M line.
---Laughter
But there’s also one other connection that perhaps not many of you know, but all three of us went to Grandin College, so there was a good chance that the Premier today was going to be from Grandin College. When I think of Grandin College I think of Father Pochat and all of the other students that we went to school with. I was very grateful for that.
I want to thank my family for their support and unconditional love. My wife, Melody, who is not here right now but was here earlier; my son, Warren; my brother Michael; my niece Brenda, thank you very much. Again, I want to thank all the MLAs here for their support. As I said on election night, we have a very experienced, competent, talented group of MLAs and we’re going to get the job done.
I want to thank all of the people from Fort Providence and Yellowknife that supported me, my campaign team that worked very hard to get me re- elected. In times like this you always reflect on where you grew up, in Fort Providence. My mom and dad were very supportive. My dad didn’t care too much for politicians. Every chance he got when they came to the door, he chased them away…
---Laughter
…until my brother got elected, and for a long time they called him the black sheep of the family.
---Laughter
But he was very interested in politics and I’m sure he would be very proud that both of us got involved in politics.
I also have to talk about my grandsons. They make you appreciate life and how important life is. My wife was trying to explain to them that I was running for Premier and she was having a hard time explaining to them. They said, well, he’s already the Prime Minister.
---Laughter
But they are pretty good politicians in their own right.
I want to thank all the people who called me, sent me e-mails, texted me – I’m not on Facebook – and offered me their support. To those people who prayed for me all night, I’ll say thank you, it worked.
I want to recognize Members of the 16th Assembly
that are moving on. Premier Floyd Roland; thank you, Floyd. I’ll be seeking your counsel. Speaker Paul Delorey, my brother Michael, David Krutko, Sandy Lee. To all the Aboriginal leaders that are here, thank you very much for coming. I think this is a good way to show we can start working together. We are going to get on that right away, as soon as the Assembly puts forward the Cabinet. I’m sure they are going to do a very good job.
I want to say good luck to all of you putting forward your names for MLAs. I think it’s very important to show that consensus government works, the more people we have running for office. I look forward to whomever you put in Cabinet and I pledge to work with all of you so we can get things done. Thank you very much. Mahsi cho.
---Applause
Statement By Premier-Elect Bob Mcleod
Election of the Premier
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I will now adjourn the proceedings for this morning. We will reconvene at 1:30 this afternoon for the election of the Executive Council members. Thank you.
---LUNCH RECESS
Election of Ministers
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you. I’d like to call the Territorial Leadership Committee back to order. The next item on the agenda is the election of the Executive Council. In accordance with our agreed upon procedure, I will ask Members to indicate whether they wish to allow their names to stand for the Executive Council positions. A two, two and two geographic balance on Cabinet will govern all aspects of the selection process. Once Members indicate their interest, we will entertain a 10-minute speech from each nominee. Before we proceed to voting, let’s get things underway.
I will ask all Members from the northern constituencies that wish to allow their names to stand for a position on the Executive Council to rise. Mr. McLeod, Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Yakeleya.
I would like to ask the Members from the southern constituency that wish to allow their names to stand for a position on the Executive Council to rise. Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Nadli.
I would bring the portion of proceedings to an end… Sorry, sorry.
---Laughter
I already forgot Yellowknife. I apologize.
---Applause
---Laughter
To bring this portion of the proceedings to an end, I will ask the Members from the Yellowknife constituencies that wish to allow their names to stand for a position on the Executive Council, please rise. Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Hawkins.
Therefore, nominees for Executive Council positions are as follows: for northern constituencies are Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Robert McLeod, Mr. Yakeleya; for southern constituencies: Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. Nadli; for Yellowknife: Mr. Abernethy, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Ramsay.
So we’ll start off with each candidate permitted to make a 10-minute speech. The speeches will be made in alphabetical order by geographic area. Mr. Lafferty.
Mr. Lafferty’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Chair, I would like to begin by offering my sincere congratulations to you on your acclamation as our Speaker and also Bob McLeod for being elected Premier. Congratulations to both of you.
I’d like to thank my wife, Dianne, and my children, Jayde, Cheyenne, Sahara, Denae and Ty, for their constant support. I would also like to thank the Tlicho constituency to give me the strong mandate to serve as their MLA. I appreciate their trust and confidence in me. Mahsi cho.
As we look to select a new government for the Northwest Territories we need to look for a government that is accountable and transparent, also a government that’s responsible, a government that will consult with its people and work together to meet the needs of our northern communities.
I, Mr. Chairman, would like to be part of this government. I am here to express my interest in becoming a Cabinet member for the 17th Assembly
government. I am honoured to be among all of you and look forward to working with each and every one of you, focussing on making changes for the betterment of the Northwest Territories as a whole.
I see the government of the 17th Assembly as a
progressive and truly accountable public government. The people of the North deserve a government that will listen to them, to take their direction to the next level, a government that is not afraid of changes, but also a government that believes in consultation.
This government will find innovative ways to work with all potential partners for the betterment of all Northerners. This is a government with a true vision.
As an MLA in the 15th Assembly, I made Aboriginal
language, culture and education of our youth a priority and demanded the government, at that time, be accountable for education. I take great pride in my language and culture. I have always made a point of speaking my language in the House here in the Legislative Assembly and also in public. I promote and acknowledge those individuals in our communities who share their culture. I recognize elders as keepers of our way of life, professors of our traditional knowledge.
I had the privilege of service as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment during the 16th Assembly to make education, language and culture as that government’s top priority. Under my leadership, initiatives were implemented recognizing individuals who have contributed significantly to education in the North, including the Education Hall of Fame, the Culture Circle which recognizes elders and youth who have contributed their culture, language and experience to education.
In March 2010 was the first territorial-wide Aboriginal Language Symposium ever, which resulted in the NWT Aboriginal Languages Strategy. This came into being because of consultations and collaboration with language experts and elders from across the Northwest Territories. This strategy will be implemented during the 17th Assembly.
Under my leadership, the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative was launched. This was an historical achievement. Boards of education, Aboriginal leadership and GNWT, through community consultations, agreed and signed a commitment to ensure to implement this initiative to work together to better serve our Aboriginal youth to increase educational achievement.
It is time we start listening to the people of the North, Mr. Chair. This government needs to be more visible in the communities. We, all of us here today, need to see firsthand all the issues and concerns smaller communities are faced with on a daily basis. No more of these decision-making directly from headquarters without the understanding and witnessing the root causes of the problems at hand.
We need to be out there talking to the people that we are accountable to. Talking to our people is a necessary part of effective governance throughout the year. This also allows valuable input from community members, community leaders; better understanding between public government and vice versa.
Community elders are asking how to know their government, to know who they are dealing with on a constant basis, to know who the decision-makers are that are affecting every aspect of their lives. They want to meet the Ministers and the deputy ministers from their departments.
Our elders are leaders in their own right, having ensured the survival of their people, their land and their culture. They deserve to be treated with respect.
The newly elected Cabinet should be visiting all 33 communities on a frequent basis, constantly, as they represent the departments that are responsible for the day-to-day operations.
We need a government that is proactive, as opposed to being reactive. The last government seemed to react to issues or problems that arose. We need to set standards according to the communities’ needs. We need to be involved with them at all levels. Community visits are one small step towards understanding better the community issues, better communication and, ultimately, better governance.
We need to commit to consulting and being accountable to the people of the Northwest Territories. We need to recognize and finalize all outstanding land claims and self-government issues in order to move forward as a united, one voice, one northern voice.
My vision as a representative of the Tlicho people and Member of this government, the 17th Assembly,
is a government that’s transparent, accountable, open to hearing the needs of the people of the Northwest Territories. It is a government that will not stand simply for the status quo; a government that is creative, innovative; a government that is committed to following through with its promises; a government that shows results. It is a government that will show Ottawa the importance of the Northwest Territories to this country as a whole.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Robert McLeod’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I stand before you today to put my name forward for a position on Cabinet Executive Council again. Before I start, though, I would like to commend all the candidates who put their name in this morning for Premier and congratulate all my colleagues for their election.
I also want to commend all candidates across the Northwest Territories for putting their name forward. As we’re all well aware, going through a campaign is awfully difficult, it’s awfully difficult on the families more so than us. Having said that, I need to thank my family for their unconditional support as I continue to do the work as MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes. It’s one of the reasons I got into politics to begin with, was because I believe I can make a difference. I believe that I can make a difference and a future for my children’s and your children’s lives, and my grandchildren’s and your grandchildren’s lives. I thought I could make a difference in that. If you don’t have grandchildren now, you will soon enough, and when they do come, they are a blessing. Mark my words. They are expensive, but they are a blessing.
---Laughter
I also have to thank the residents of Inuvik Twin Lakes for their ongoing support and encouragement as I go about my work. Some of our biggest critics are our constituents back home, especially some of the elders. If you’re not doing your job, they will let you know. I think we’re all well aware of that. I have to thank them. Their support has just been much appreciated. I’m just humbled by the whole thing.
Mr. Chairman, congratulations to yourself also and to Premier-elect Bob McLeod.
We have a future ahead of us, I think, in the 17th Legislative Assembly that’s ripe with promise. It will be challenging. There will be challenging times. There will be times when we’re not going to agree with each other and that’s fine. That’s the way it should be. I’ve heard the term “healthy tension” as something that’s needed in here to keep everybody on their toes, especially those that are on the Executive Council. I look forward to working with Members of this Assembly. I think I’ve proven over the past three years during my time on Executive Council that I’m quite capable of handling the work that’s put before me. I think I’ve proven that I put the needs of the residents of the Northwest Territories first.
We’ve done a lot of good work in the 16th Legislative Assembly and I think a couple of the Premier candidates may have mentioned this
morning the money that’s gone into youth under the watch of the 16th Legislative Assembly. As much as
I would like to take credit for it, it wasn’t really something that I did. I think it’s something that collectively in this Assembly we recognized the importance of the youth in the future of the Northwest Territories. We put our money where our mouth is. They appreciated that and I would encourage the Members of the 17th Legislative
Assembly to follow along those same lines. I know we have a former youth worker from MACA amongst our new Members and I’m sure he’ll keep our feet to the fire on this one. I’m looking forward to that.
Something that troubled me this morning when one of the Premier candidates was speaking, was the fact that we’ve lost $300 million in the last five years. To me that’s unacceptable. I think last Friday’s meeting with the Aboriginal government was a good start in trying to collectively advance the issue of Northerners taking control of the North instead of being dictated to all the time. Those days, in my opinion, should be over. I think it’s a decision that this Assembly is going to have to make. In my opinion, these are probably the most important four years in any Legislative Assembly. There are some big projects on the horizon.
We have devolution. I think that needs to be ironed out. Imagine what we could do with our share of the $300 million. We have people in the communities saying, well, we want houses, we want more programs for our youth, we want this, we want that. One of the Aboriginal leaders said the other day we have to quit bickering. I found those words very true. I think we do have to quit bickering. We’re all off to the side bickering here. There are truckloads of money going off on another road to Ottawa and we don’t see it again. They say, well, we give you transfer payments. What are we? A welfare state? I don’t think so. We have untold resources beneath our feet here and we have to be the ones to take advantage of it. I would hate to see something like a project like Mackenzie Valley Pipeline go ahead and the potential royalty monies that would come from that. That would go a long way to improving the lives of the people in the Northwest Territories.
We have to position our young people where they are able to take advantage of those opportunities. I truly believe we need to have a good training program for our young people, through some of the different departments, through Education, and we try to get a lot of our young people into training. We need our young people to take up arms. Well, no, not take up arms; take up pens and pencils and go back, get their education and be the ones that take advantage of all that the North has to offer.
I look forward to the next four years. I’ve proven that I am capable of handling any portfolio that comes. I commit to the Members that my door is
always open, except when it’s closed. As Minister of Housing it was closed a lot over the last three years. I commit to that. I have a good working relationship with all 16, no, it’s 14, 14 returning Members, and I know I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the new folks. I like the balance they bring to the Legislative Assembly. I look forward to a good, healthy debate the next four years.
All I can promise you, colleagues, is honesty, integrity, hard work, and these are some principles that I try to live by. I try to take people at their word unless they prove me otherwise. I’m not afraid to make hard decisions, but I’ll give you the rationale for those decisions.
As I said, this is not about me. I think this is about collectively as a group working together for the betterment of the people in the Northwest Territories over the next four years. I look forward to the confidence the Members may show me to help me be part of this group that advances all issues of all residents of the Northwest Territories over the next four years.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Yakeleya’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Norman Yakeleya Sahtu
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Congratulations on your role as Speaker, Mr. Jacobson. You’re the first Inuvialuit to be a Speaker. Also to the elected Premier, Mr. Bob McLeod, congratulations. To all the candidates who put their name forward as Ministers and Premiers.
Friends and colleagues, I stand here today to seek your support as I place my name forward as a member of our Cabinet, working through consensus to promote partnership, understanding and collaboration to best serve our people. We set that tone in our historic meeting last Friday as we met with the NWT leaders to acknowledge their leadership, their perspective, their voice, and put forth our willingness to listen and work together. Respect, listening and understanding, an open door, working together through consensus are principles that will guide my work here and in Cabinet. These principles should be both our intent and our actions.
When I was young I experienced firsthand the challenge of residential school in Inuvik. I learned how to take orders and follow rules. I struggled through the challenges of loneliness, fear, and the sense of isolation, and felt that I didn’t have a voice. I was determined to find a better way so that others would not have to suffer the way I did. That experience taught me to have inner strength. It taught me to claim my individuality. I became chief in my community of Tulita as a young man. In addition to the role of chief, I followed a career in the field of health and healing. I worked as a
facilitator for healing and as program manager. My practice ranged from individuals in treatment to government funders, program staff and to families.
I learned about working together from my elders. How to listen. How to decide on the right action to take based on my actions and on their experience and point of view together with my own thinking. Working with my elders led me to see things differently.
By working with people to build consensus I earned their trust and was given an even greater responsibility: I went on to become the chair of the Sahtu Tribal Council. I became the chief negotiator for the Sahtu Land Claim Agreement. Then I was asked to work on the Tulita Self-Government Agreement as their chief negotiator.
In 2003 I was encouraged to run for the Sahtu MLA. I am grateful to my constituents and humble for their faith in me. I’m proud to say that this is my third term in the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly.
Through all these roles I learned that to build consensus takes the same thing that it takes to build success: creating a team, keeping it focused by having a plan and clear goals, and respecting each other’s accomplishments while working together. Appreciating the different strengths and talents that people bring to the table. We are sitting here today to reflect the diversity of our great territory. Individually we are as different as our constituencies. Sometimes differences can make us go into separate corners. If we take the time to understand our difference, they can be a positive force for change. It is those same differences that make us strong, that we stand together in agreement while walking in truth. There are many paths to success, and the more we work together to reach a common goal, the more chances we have of building a self-sustaining community which educates and develops its people, giving them access to resources that can bring new opportunities never imagined before now.
Cabinet needs team players who are also leaders. Cabinet members must be people who have the flexibility necessary to see the different paths and that different paths can lead us to the same place.
My elders tell me there is always more than one solution. It is in a higher value that brings us into consensus, integrity, honesty and wisdom, and a deep desire to make life better for our children and their children. The common ground we need to get may not be easy to reach. We have big issues ahead of us, issues that affect the life of the Northwest Territories residents every day: cost of living, food, health, social issues, housing, and to name a few other larger issues that will impact our lives such as the economy, wildlife, education and
devolution. (Inaudible)…we, as government, will have to carry in meeting all those issues in a restrictive fiscal environment. Not only are the issues large, they’re complex. We have seen how the pressure to solve these big issues can create division. Divisions can shift the focus from the problem to the process. We haven’t had the time and the money to allow this to happen anymore. We need a strong plan in place now.
A strong plan needs strong Cabinet members, Cabinet members who have the experience to make wise decisions and the courage and the character to make tough decisions, cabinet members who are also flexible who will help us to see the difference not as problems but as different paths to the same solution, and we need members who will follow through and be accountable once decisions have been made. We need Cabinet members who will work from consensus with a standard of excellence as our normal way of working, because united we can focus on solving challenges and moving forward.
This Assembly will set priorities for our government and give us direction. This Assembly will keep Cabinet and the Premier accountable and make sure they are focussed on results. This Assembly will give us guidance to make changes as the plans unfold. Cabinet will have to see guidance from this Assembly and from our partners in a consensus government on new issues that come up. We already know they will.
As a Cabinet member my door will always be open. I am comfortable in building the bridge between Cabinet and our communities. As a Cabinet member I will continue to support the Northern Leaders’ Forum to ensure that communities feel connected to us. This Assembly will set the priorities for our government. This Assembly will do its job.
As a Cabinet member I have three basic commitments that will guide all the work that I do. My first commitment is to make consensus our way of doing business. My second commitment is returning to the basics of doing business. My third commitment is to work as part of a Cabinet team to complete major initiatives.
Our territory will benefit from the fibre optic line down the Mackenzie Valley. The highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk is important to the whole territory. We must work towards completing the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The Mackenzie Gas Project, we need to see this project through. The Anti-Poverty Strategy and the shelter review must guide our decisions.
Each of our constituencies are very different. Our communities have unique circumstances. Each region has a different challenge, and fundamentally
we all want the same things. We want to see our people’s needs met. We want higher quality health care and education for our children. We want to see the unemployed working and every NWT resident to have a home to call their own. We want our youth to succeed, our economy to prosper and our elders to live in comfort and dignity that they deserve. I want to be in the Cabinet that steers us reach those goals. We need to do what it takes to get those things done and we need to get to work.
I offer this Assembly my experience, commitment and willingness to do the hard work expected of a Cabinet member, and I want to make sure we stay on track and achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves as a government. I ask for your acceptance and look forward to serving for many years in the future.
Mr. Chairman, I’d like to say thank you very much to my wife and my family, the people back in the Sahtu for electing me here. I also thank my elders and the friends who have supported me throughout the eight years. I am happy to be here and I congratulate all the MLAs for the next four years. Good luck. Thank you.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Beaulieu’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe
Mahsi cho, Mr. Chairman. [English translation not provided.]
The employment rate is a huge issue in the NWT, with employment rates being between 65 and 80 percent. In Yellowknife and the regional centres they are doing well in as far as income goes. In the small communities, however, employment rates in most cases are between 30 and 50 percent. In two ridings in the Northwest Territories none of the communities have employment rates above 40 percent. In order for the entire NWT to prosper together, we must increase employment rates in our smaller communities and this can be done without adversely affecting the regional centres or Yellowknife.
Housing continues to be the number one issue for individual households in the Northwest Territories, especially in the smaller communities. In some of the small communities core needs are as high as 70 percent. This is not to say there are no housing issues in the larger centres. The bottom line, however, is there is a need for approaches that fit the communities. Solutions that work in market communities such as Yellowknife and Hay River will not work in Whati, Nahanni Butte or Colville Lake.
In order to decrease core need across the Northwest Territories for housing it will take a balanced approach. An example is if Yellowknife is
mostly an affordability need, then this government cannot address the issue as if Yellowknife had a suitability issue.
Infrastructure spending in this government can also be done strategically. Spending must be done in a manner that benefits the whole NWT. Options such as leveraging private money must be looked at when providing infrastructure so that both the people in the NWT and private industry will benefit.
As a government we must optimize all capital spending so all people feel that the government is moving towards improving the situation for them.
Early childhood development is essential if you want graduation rates to increase and you want the graduates to be ready to move directly into post- secondary studies. We need to support our families by providing support to daycares and we must find ways to provide preschool teachers to as many of the small communities as possible. The belief today is that children entering kindergarten with the basics learned in preschool will continue to benefit from those right through high school.
As many MLAs know, I’ve been a strong advocate for the youth in this Legislative Assembly, and I believe that if we spend money supporting the youth, we will see benefits for years to come. As MLA for Tu Nedhe I wanted to see youth centres built in Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e. Today the youth in Fort Resolution are enjoying a new youth centre. Unfortunately, we were unable to get one built in Lutselk'e during the last Assembly. I feel this government must increase spending in the area of youth programming and youth infrastructure and we will reap the benefits of that in the future.
There is a need to clean up the various contaminated waste sites across the Northwest Territories. First, because it’s good for the environment to have the environment cleaned up, and secondly, it creates much needed employment for the people in those areas.
We must continue to support the trapping industry and other forms of traditional economy. The economies such as fishing, hunting and arts are also important along with trapping in the small communities and some of the regional centres.
When I speak to the community health providers, there is a need for alcohol counselling, there is a need for treatment to be close to the people where the people live. We need to have those services at the community level and on the land where the people can work together in healing.
These are the initiatives and priorities that will allow the smaller communities to participate in the NWT economy and lessen their dependence on social programs. As Minister I feel I can strategically apply
these priorities that will benefit all of the Northwest Territories and the small ridings also.
My background is I have four years as a Member of this Legislative Assembly. I chaired the Standing Committee on Social Programs where we completed a very important review on the Child and Family Services Act and much work has been done to complete that review.
Prior to being MLA for Tu Nedhe during the last Assembly I served this government as the president of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation for four years and associate deputy minister for the Environment and Natural Resources for three years. I was also president and CEO of the NWT Development Corporation for one year. However, more importantly, I served 26 years in this government prior to those positions and most of it in the Housing Corporation, where I started as a trainee and ended up as the president.
As Ministers, we need to know what the main issues are. Once we know what the main issues are, then we can find solutions. We can develop solutions that will work for all people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Menicoche’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. [Translation] I am glad to be able to put my name forward to run for Cabinet position and now I will speak in English. [Translation ends]
Dear colleagues, NWT residents listening, I rise before you today grateful for my experience in the premiership candidacy. I look to your support to bring my creativity, vision and experience to Cabinet in the 17th Assembly. As stated, I have
represented six communities in my riding for the past eight years with commitment, dedication and energy and I bring this with me.
I am very honoured and pleased that you supported and listened to my speech during the Premier elections earlier today. I just wanted to say thank you for your compliments on my speech. It was further confirmed on Twitter that I had the best speech during the Premier candidacy.
---Laughter
Once again, I would just like to say I am a team player. I listen. I work well with others. I am a consensus builder, but I also strongly believe that communication is a two-way process in which we must be genuine and respectful. By doing so, we can have a Cabinet ready to face any challenges put in front of this Assembly.
I would just like to close by asking you to vote for a Minister who will make the NWT strong and united, and vote for a Minister who believes in change and is not afraid to think outside the box. Mahsi cho.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Miltenberger’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would first like to publicly acknowledge and congratulate my friend and colleague, Premier-elect Bob McLeod, for taking the helm to move forward. I would like to confirm my interest in putting my name forward for Cabinet and confirm, as well, that I stand by my comments this morning as well as my answers to questions this morning. Thank you.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Nadli’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Michael Nadli Deh Cho
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would also like to extend my congratulations to Premier-elect Bob McLeod. I would like to say thank you. It has been a wonderful couple of weeks here getting to know my colleagues here. I think we have a contingent of really well-qualified people to serve the people of the Northwest Territories. It is an honour to be sitting around the table with them. I look forward to the next four years of this Legislature.
[Translation] Thank you. I would like to say my name is Michael Nadli and I would like to say thanks to my relatives, my wife and my mom and all the people that worked on my behalf. That is what got me here. These are the people that supported me. For the next four years I will be working hard along with all the Members. There will be a lot of difficult items to work on [Translation ends]
…for giving me this opportunity to rise up to the occasion in putting my name forward as Cabinet Minister because I believe I have the experience and the background. To think what I bring forward to the Cabinet would be, of course, a political understanding in terms of the lay of the land. I have a background in working in a leadership role in terms of bringing the Dehcho First Nations to the forefront of some cutting-edge accomplishments in terms of environmental preservation, environmental conservation. We have done some tremendous work in one region. I would like to ensure that that work flows into the well-being of the Northwest Territories to ensure that we have balance developed, ensuring that we don’t sacrifice the environment for the economy but ensure that we have a balance.
I speak my language. I am fluent in Slavey and also at the same time, of course, I have an understanding of my culture. I have had an
opportunity to be educated in the western thought, so having these skills, I think I can work well with Dene and non-Dene. I can also be a link to ensure that there is a balance in terms of bringing mutual interests forward. At the same time, in my background I have had some skills in mediation in terms of ensuring that we focus on issues, but also at the same time we work together, we try to identify some commonalities. Sometimes, too often, we get entrenched in positions. Sometimes we need to step away from our positions to ensure that we build upon our strengths, which is our common interest for the well-being of our Northwest Territories.
My campaign theme was for the next generation. Perhaps looking into this future, we could say in a decade, in a century, what kind of North will we have? I would like to ensure that we have a very good North ensuring that we have healthy individuals, healthy families, healthy communities and a vibrant economy and a vibrant people that enjoy this part of Canada but take pride in the beauty of the land, ensuring that there is a legacy that will ensure that future generations inherit.
This also reminds me of a legend of Yamoria and Yamozhah. They came into this land to bring balance and harmony between the Dene and the animals. Today I think what we have before us is to carry on forward the people, the Dene, but more likely take on the role of almost being a giant in terms of ensuring that we protect the environment. Giants ensure that there is a balance, giants so that we ensure that there is a balance between and harmony between man and the environment. I also stand in terms of one-house concept. I think we all live in the North. We want to make this North our home. We want to ensure that we have jobs. We want to ensure that we have a viable government that ensures we have and receive a quality of programs and services. We want to ensure that we have a future ahead of us that we can look forward to. Of course, most importantly, we want to ensure that, at the end of the day, we have a home to go to.
At the same time, I think people want change. What do we want in terms of change? Do we want changes in terms of being individuals? Do we want change in terms of our family? Do we want change in terms of being in the community? Do we want change as a government? I think those things we have to consider to ensure we are cognizant of the people out there in the North that have spoken out in the recent election. We need to ensure that we consider their views.
Being at this point in my life, I have a background in terms of ensuring that I have worked with people and organizations. Most recently I worked as chair and chief executive officer of the Dehcho Land Use Planning Committee. I have held that position for
the past four years. We have worked hard to ensure that we strike a balance including conservation and development to set up a management regime for the Deh Cho region. Also, at the same time, I have also worked at the community level in Fort Providence as sub-chief. In that role I ensured that our band and our First Nations was accountable to our membership to the bottom level of transparency. We also brought a principle of engagement to our membership so they realize how it is that we make decisions and preparing them for the eventual reality that we do indeed make big decisions down the road.
Also, at the same time, I also worked as an intergovernmental advisor with Indian Affairs. I have had an opportunity to meet and work with people that I still maintain today. At the same time I have also worked as band chief of the Dehcho First Nations. In 1997 I was 32 years old. I was elected to serve as grand chief. I was honoured to represent the people. I think I held a common principle of working with everyone, at the same time I wanted to ensure that we worked united, and that’s one of the strengths that I have. I want to ensure that here in this Legislative Assembly there is a level of unity between Cabinet and Regular MLAs, that we work well together, that we share ideas and we also have a constructive dialogue in terms of making the opinions and the policy initiatives that we bring forward stronger and better reflective of the people that we represent.
In closing, I think I have the background. I want to ensure that we uphold the principle of consensus. People have commented that we are builders of consensus, but I think we need to take it a step further. We need to ensure that consensus indeed works. We need to ensure that the principle of this unique style of government is upheld, that we ensure we’re reflective of the people of the Northwest Territories. At the same time, my goal on Cabinet is to ensure that you have a balance between small communities and larger centres, we have a balance between the rich and the poor, we have a balance in terms of the people that are fortunate, we have a balance in terms of ensuring that we consider the people that are destitute, the people that are sick, the elderly, and we ensure that we consider the future of the future generations, the youth.
At the same time, I look forward to these four years. I think it’s a humbling experience to be here and an honour and privilege to serve with my colleagues. I really look forward to working with them. I also want to thank the people that served in this Legislature before me. I’d like to acknowledge Michael McLeod who served as a Minister in his capacity. Also, at the same time, the people that have walked in these corridors before me, the leaders that have
blazed a trail for us, I’d like to say mahsi cho and thank you very much.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Moving on to the Yellowknife constituencies. Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Abernethy’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Glen Abernethy Great Slave
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to start off by congratulating both you as Speaker- elect and Mr. Bob McLeod as Premier-elect, and I look forward to working with you both in your new capacities over the next four years.
Thank you, colleagues, for the opportunity to speak with you today.
Prior to putting my name in for Cabinet I thought about the qualities that I was looking for in a Member of Cabinet. Specifically, what values and attributes I believe a Minister should possess in order to be effective. I want Ministers to be open to suggestions and/or proposals brought forward by his or her colleagues. I want Ministers who will listen and work with all Members in the best interests of all residents of the Northwest Territories. I want Ministers who will help Members understand their point of view and decisions.
I don’t want Ministers who simply say no without providing a rationale for saying no. I want Ministers that recognize when they are receiving a good recommendation from a colleague and/or the public and will help make that recommendation become a reality. I want Ministers who will take ideas from Regular Members of constituents into the Cabinet room and fight for all communities and regions of the Northwest Territories. We need Ministers who can see beyond their individual constituencies and departments and to the needs of residents of all the Northwest Territories. I want Ministers who will work hard for the people of the Northwest Territories and not support the status quo.
I believe that I have these values and attributes that I have just described and I look forward to working with and for you, the Members of the 17th Legislative Assembly and all residents of the Northwest Territories, as a member of Cabinet. I want to help make the Northwest Territories a place where our residents have the resources and opportunities they need to succeed in any capacity they choose.
I’d like to talk a little bit about some of my previous experiences, which will heavily demonstrate these values and attributes.
Prior to being elected in the 16th Legislative
Assembly I worked in the GNWT public service. I was a manager, first with the Department of Health and Social Services and later, after amalgamation, the Department of Human Resources, where I was responsible for more than a dozen staff and a
budget of over $6.5 million. My staff were located in a number of communities throughout the Northwest Territories, including Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife. As a manager I was responsible for the development and implementation of programs such as the Community Health Nurse Development Program, which focused on supporting Aboriginal nurses who wanted to return to their communities. In the first two years of the program we helped five indigenous Aboriginal nurses obtain the skills they needed to return to their communities and regions as fully competent community health nurses. This program proved to be a huge success and I’m very, very proud of this program and its success. This experience taught me of the value of working with colleagues, professionals and communities in order to create success. This experience also provided me with valuable management skills and experiences, which will be of significant benefit as a manager of the 17th Legislative Assembly.
Four years ago I ran for MLA and was honoured to receive the support of the residents of the Great Slave riding. Shortly after being elected, I put up a copy of my favourite political quote on my office window for all to see. It’s from Joseph Howe and he said, “The only questions I ask myself are what is right, what is just and what is in the best interest of the public good.” When faced with political decisions, these are the questions I keep in mind. They are the questions I always ask myself. As an MLA I’ve attempted to not only fight for my constituents, but also for the interests of all residents of the Northwest Territories.
Over the last four years I’ve been an active Member of this Legislature. For example, I took a lead role in encouraging the 16th Legislative Assembly to
conduct a review of the Child and Family Services Act. I did this because I believed that a review was necessary, timely and I cared about the impact that the Child and Family Services Act was having on the families throughout the Northwest Territories. It was a lot of work, but in the end I’m very proud of the work we did and look forward to future implementation of the recommendations put forward by committee.
In addition, late in the life of the 16th Assembly I
brought forward a private Member’s bill to amend the Employment Standards Act to support reservists and rangers in the Northwest Territories. I did not sit back, but chose instead to challenge a bureaucracy, which was initially resistant to the bill.
I’m not committed to the status quo. I see a need to look outside the box and challenge the norm. Like my colleagues in the 16th Legislative Assembly, I
took my role as a Regular Member very seriously. It is an important role within consensus government and I worked hard to keep Cabinet to account. To me holding Cabinet to account does not always
mean disagreeing with it. Sometimes it did. Rather than simply criticize, I always tried to offer alternatives and suggestions.
As your Minister I won’t forget my time as Regular Member and how frustrating and rewarding it can be at times. As your Minister I will always work to find common ground in the best interests of all of our residents. As your Minister I will listen to you and help you with issues that you bring forth both on a territorial and constituency level. Unfortunately, history does show us that from time to time we may find that we don’t agree on an issue or of some Cabinet direction, and if that does happen, I will try to help you understand why I and Cabinet have taken a particular decision or direction. I won’t simply say no.
I ran for election for this, the 17th Legislative
Assembly, with a focus on people. I believe people should benefit from a strong and sustainable community. The reality is that in the Northwest Territories we face significant economic challenges both today and into the future. Small businesses are struggling to survive in the Northwest Territories. Large non-renewable resource extraction businesses are slow to start. These challenges are compounded by the fact that the NWT-based diamond mines, our largest economic contributors, are approaching the end of their lifecycle. We must continue to pursue environmentally and socially responsible economic opportunities, but at the same time the GNWT must also work closely with small business owners and communities to enhance local business opportunities. We need more flexibility and less red tape.
I believe people should have the opportunity and resources to live healthy and productive lives. Everyone needs to be involved in the reduction of poverty in the Northwest Territories, business, social advocates, the federal government, the GNWT, all people. Action must be taken to reduce the cost of living to ensure that appropriate housing is available and accessible to all. To support education for Northerners and to enhance social programs can allow people to move forward.
I believe people have the right to accessible and timely health care. Wait times for physicians and other health care professionals throughout the Northwest Territories continue to affect all residents. Operational costs continue to increase, consuming significant portions of our program budgets. The Health Accord expires during the life of this government. The GNWT needs to support an alternative delivery throughout the Northwest Territories. The work started on the Foundation for Change must continue and be implemented during the life of this government.
I believe people and education are the keys to our future. To maximize benefits of economic development and activity, we have to ensure that there are enough educated Northerners to do the work required. Not enough of our children are graduated from high school. Often graduates from smaller communities lack the courses to get accepted into either college or university. We need to address the root causes of the failure and find ways to help our youth get programs and grades they need to succeed in post-secondary studies.
I believe people should benefit from government infrastructure spending. When government spends on needed infrastructure, I believe we have an obligation to ensure that it benefits all of our residents. For example, on projects like the Inuvik- Tuk highway we must ensure that the local residents are trained and employed during the construction. Or when large infrastructure projects like Stanton are upgraded, the upgrades must help to control the costs and improve service delivery. In addition, local contractors should be involved in designing construction.
The last thing I want to talk about is devolution. I believe that the greatest benefit of devolution, the grand prize, is that we, the people of the Northwest Territories, will finally be the ones making decisions on how public lands, water and resources get used and developed in the Northwest Territories. However, I do recognize that to date the devolution file has not been going that smoothly. The devolution file and the Wildlife Act have caused some serious tensions between the GNWT and our Aboriginal partners and governments in the Northwest Territories. We must find a way to rebuild these damaged relationships as we move forward with devolution negotiations. We must make every effort to find common ground.
Last Friday this Assembly took an important step in this direction with an historic meeting with our Aboriginal partners and governments. During this meeting one of our Aboriginal leaders said that with trust and understanding we can accomplish things together. To do this we must plan together. What we want isn’t really that different. I agree completely. I am committed to working with you, my colleagues, as well as our Aboriginal partners and governments to build mutually beneficial and productive relationships.
It’s time to shake things up in the Northwest Territories. The people want to see progress. The 17th Legislative Assembly is in a position to make
real progress for all of our people. I’m happy and honoured to be here and to be part of it. Over the last four years I believe that I have shown and demonstrated that I care about our people, that I want to make a positive difference to the lives of our residents, and that I want our residents to have
the opportunities and personal tools they need to take advantage of these opportunities.
I am very excited by the next four years and what we can all accomplish working together. I would like to take the next step and take everything that I have learned and experienced as a long-time Northerner, born and raised, as a GNWT employee, as an MLA to represent the people of the Northwest Territories as a member of Cabinet in the 17th Legislative
Assembly. I’m asking for your vote. Thank you for your consideration. Your vote counts. Mahsi cho.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Ms. Bisaro’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Congratulations to you on your position as Speaker-elect and to my colleague Mr. McLeod – I was going to say Bromley, not quite – to Mr. McLeod on being Premier-elect.
Welcome to everyone here in the House and in the gallery, and to those watching and listening at home. It’s a privilege for me to have this opportunity; the opportunity to put my name forward for a Cabinet post, to offer to serve the residents of the NWT in a larger role. I hope my remarks today will provide some insight to both the Members of this House and members of the public as to why I’m standing for executive office.
I have one term as MLA under my belt. I have spent the past four years learning the ropes, so to speak, of this MLA job. Learning the protocols and procedures that make this institution, that give it its substance, its value and its decorum; the things that make this institution important. I believe that such a learning period, such an adjustment period is necessary to fully understand any organization and I don’t regret the time spent as a Regular Member. It’s allowed me to properly understand this very unique body. I now feel very comfortable in my job as an MLA, in my role as a lawmaker and a legislator, and I’m asking for a chance to serve as a member of the Executive to move our territory forward.
As the new MLAs have learned in the last couple of weeks, there are many, many issues and challenges that this Assembly will have to consider and to try to find solutions for. In my view, the 17th Assembly has to tackle these problems differently than previous Assemblies. We have to be creative; we have to be willing to try new approaches. I can bring that change of thinking to a new Executive Council.
Like every one of us in this room I have a unique set of skills which I bring to my position here. I have considerable experience as an elected person, on volunteer boards, as a trustee on a school board
and as a city councillor. I understand governance and I’m good at it. I’ve been involved with organizations in a leadership role making decisions in some capacity almost all of my life.
Age has allowed me to accumulate considerable experience dealing with people. Having worked as a teacher and as a manager of a small business that relied on client satisfaction, I’m well-grounded in the need to understand the people around you and understand what’s necessary for good relationships with colleagues and bureaucrats. Managing children and managing adults are definitely different, but the tactics are the same for both groups.
I’ve said on more than one occasion in this House that I’m a jock; I love sports and I’ve spent my life involved in sport. I plan on participating in sport well into my old age, and some of the younger Members of this House probably think I’m there already. However, the lessons learned through sport are too numerous to mention, but they are invaluable and have taught me how to work with others. It’s an overused phrase, but the term “team player” is a fitting description of me, I think.
On another note, some Members of the last Assembly felt that I have an insatiable appetite for detail; that I delay things by asking for information. Do not mistake my deliberation and consideration of all the facts as indecision. I firmly believe that an informed decision is a good decision and I take the time to inform myself prior to making any decision. To do any less is an injustice to those we serve.
All of these experiences and lessons learned, all of the skills I possess make me who I am and will make me a good Cabinet Minister. I am capable, I see the big picture on issues, I work hard and I get things done.
Our territory is on the edge of greatness. There’s so much that we can accomplish. Things like responsible sustainable development, elimination of poverty, reduction of homelessness, respect and fair treatment for all residents. Effective, efficient and innovative delivery of our programs and services will improve the lives of all NWT residents, will keep our children here, will make the rest of Canada envious of our home.
What issues are important to me? There are many but I will expand on a few. I make no secret of my belief that a comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy can go a long way towards addressing the needs of our most vulnerable residents. The implementation of such a strategy will coordinate our programs and services across government. It will create efficiencies and save us money. Most importantly, it will help our people become self-reliant, self- confident and successful one small step at a time. This is priority number one for me.
Completion of a Devolution Agreement for land and water rights and resource revenues from Canada to the NWT is a must. I supported the agreement-in- principle signing this past February. As a government, as leaders of our territory – which we all are – we must recognize the importance of Aboriginal governments and ensure that all groups are able to join in the negotiations for a final Devolution Agreement. Reconciling the differences which sprang up over the last year between Aboriginal regional governments and the territorial government has to be of the highest priority for this Assembly. We got started on this path last week, as many Members have said, when we met with regional Aboriginal leaders. As an Executive Council member I will make sure this government continues down that path.
On the financial front the NWT is hampered by many needs and too few dollars to meet all of our needs. I support the current prudent, conservative fiscal policy. It allows us to continue to deliver our day-to-day programs and services. On the negative side, we will be restricted to only a few capital projects. However, I feel there are savings to be had if we get serious about finding program efficiencies and doing only what we can really afford. I believe we should not put in place any new initiative, program or service unless we have reduced our expenses somewhere else to cover that new cost.
Our residents struggle on many fronts and it’s the job of government to assist them. I believe there must be a greater emphasis on early intervention and prevention in all areas of service to our residents, but particularly in relation to the health of our families. We need to empower our communities and give them the resources they need to provide the supports at the community level for their community residents.
Lastly, the NWT government must treat all residents equally and ensure that every resident has the same level of respect and feels just as valued as any other. We should be a unified people, a unified territory. Many Northerners did not feel that we were at the end of the last Assembly. The 17th Assembly has to ensure that all
Northerners feel part of our great territory. Our actions will determine that and it’s very important that any policies put in place by government are inclusive and not divisive.
The Legislative Assembly, the NWT government is seen by many residents as confrontational and ineffective, and a failure when it comes to producing results. We’ve heard much of that during the election. We have the tools to be productive. The 16th Assembly developed and published
consensus principles and protocols which can make us effective. We just need to follow them. We just need to use them. We need to eliminate the us
and them attitude which emerges after the Territorial Leadership Committee process. A more consensual Assembly will accomplish more. I want to take us to that more consensual place, get results in this upcoming four years, and see this government regain credibility in the eyes of our constituents.
I make but one promise today: if I become a member of the Executive, I won’t forget where my old office is. I will be sure to come back and visit the regular folk and to do it early and do it often. I look forward with anticipation and with great excitement to working with all the Members of this 17th Legislative Assembly. I’m especially excited about what I can accomplish as part of the Executive Council.
I wish the best of luck to everybody who is a candidate in this election and I would appreciate your support when you vote.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Bromley’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Speaker-elect, Premier-elect, colleagues, I appreciate this opportunity to speak to you and to share my ideas on what I would like to bring to Cabinet with your support.
My entrance into politics four years ago was a surprise to many and a not unexpected turn for me. I would even say that I am not a natural politician. But this is my home and I am totally committed to our people and this land. I have been motivated by wanting to contribute to change and wanting to draw out the connections between decisions that we make on the economy, our social fabric and our environment.
I emphasize the incredible opportunities we have to do things in ways that will benefit our varied cultures and communities, our relationships with our Aboriginal partners, our land, and our engagement of the public. These benefits can also help reduce our costs. As most of you know, I am passionate about this work and I fully appreciate the privilege of working with each of you on behalf of all residents of the Northwest Territories.
Some comments on my background. My education in wildlife biology enabled me to work throughout the Northwest Territories with all cultures, with elders and youth on the land, using both traditional and scientific knowledge. My interests have allowed me considerable experience in the voluntary sector and I have had a lifetime of business experience, beginning with the family hardware business and including 10 years of running my own business until my election in 2007.
As MLA for Weledeh the past four years I have worked on standing committees on Priorities and
Planning, Economic Development and Infrastructure, and Social Programs, as well as the Joint Committee on Climate Change. Throughout I have a record of speaking clearly on issues and perspectives, of being a team player, and of working hard for both my constituents and all people of the NWT.
These are indeed challenging times, fiscally, economically, socially and environmentally. The issues we face demand new and more effective responses. We are up against our debt limit, the global economy is uncertain, the measurements of our social ills are amongst the highest in Canada, and we face galloping climate change and contaminant clean-up issues that few others must confront. Relations with our Aboriginal partners are clearly not at their best. You could almost ask why the heck we would want to be part of the government at this time. Yet, as I am sure is true for you, I see such huge potential for getting things right, for doing things in new and better ways, for realizing that with our modest population size and amazing people and some new approaches, we can achieve great things. How we do this work is crucial.
Fairness is a value that will serve us well in our goal of working together successfully. I want us to have a high standard of integrity and to have the 17th Legislative Assembly earn a reputation of integrity as we do our work. Let’s commit to taking the high road in achieving our goals and priorities. I have sought, and will continue to seek, a respectful approach in my work. I commit to listening closely to what each of you has to say. I, and I know you too, will bring accountability to all that we do.
In Cabinet I will push for an approach that places much greater emphasis on prevention and the development of comprehensive solutions rather than draining our resources and fighting symptoms. I am concerned about our lack of success in reversing the increasing disparity between our small and large communities; disparity in employment, in cost of living, in education, in opportunity. I have many thoughts and ideas that I have spoken to you about on how to achieve progress on this front. As a Yellowknife MLA I state clearly that improving our small community economies will only strengthen our regional centres and our capital city. We can no longer tolerate the worsening conditions people in small communities are experiencing. Briefly, here are some of what I believe are key new elements in tackling this situation.
We now know that investment in good early childhood development programs prevents costly health, educational and justice issues later in life. They can maximize the opportunity for each individual to achieve their full potential. Cultural upheaval, residential school experience and high
cost of living in our small communities are factors that must be overcome to help families provide the best environment for their children to grow during those critical early prenatal and toddler years. Support for our communities to provide programs that nurture young families and their elders will yield huge dividends. Following these up with strong youth programs and education will help us realize these goals.
We also need to apply new principles that support businesses and residents in providing their own basic needs from local and largely renewable resources. For example, if we are building infrastructure such as a school or housing, let’s design it so that the majority of the labour can be from local residents, with schedules and budgets that allow for the extra time and cost this might require. Let’s establish standards requiring that some of the materials and most or all of the energy needs be met with local resources. Let’s provide supports for businesses that subscribe to this approach.
For dealing with the cost of living, it’s essential that heat and power requirements are met with local resources ensuring that bills are paid to the local suppliers and that the associated jobs are retained locally. We need to maximize local food production through strong agricultural policy and sustainable harvesting and preservation of fish and wildlife by local experienced harvesters. If we must use bottled water, let’s at least bottle it locally. All of this nails down dollars within our communities where they circulate many times before leaking away.
Each time dollars are spent, they return investments through income and corporate tax and through cost reductions in income support, energy subsidies and so on. Such an approach will lead to improved skill levels, interest in higher education and entrepreneurship, building community capacity, a strengthened knowledge and engagement with the land, reduced consumption of fossil fuels, a strengthening of our social fabric and reduced poverty levels. But we need to get started to see such returns.
NWT-wide, we need to diversify our economy, strengthening the tourism, agricultural, fisheries, forestry, arts and renewable energy sectors. We must capture full benefits as new mines come on stream and we must provide the mineral industry with regulatory certainty and the types of support that lead to value-added benefits.
The Mackenzie Valley fibre optic line is a priority that we can achieve in this Assembly. The 16th Assembly began work on core services and programs that I am keen to see completed. Housing is a clear priority and I look for a progressive Shelter Policy to guide appropriate action. The Anti- Poverty Strategy must draw on a collaboration of
governments, communities, business, non- government organizations and individuals in poverty for a comprehensive approach.
The Foundation for Change providing guidance on responding to our health needs requires full implementation. The reorganization of mental health services should be complemented with a mental health court that diverts people from costly justice programs into the health care system where appropriate. The new Greenhouse Gas Strategy needs to be fully supported and we must continue to implement the recommendations of the Child and Family Services Act review.
Beyond the need for improved delivery of these core services, the 17th Assembly must demonstrate
strong progress on devolution. This is directly connected to strong progress on our relationship with Aboriginal governments. If the GNWT is to play a real role as a responsible central government with a clear leadership capability eventually going into discussions on constitutional development, a clear next step after devolution, we must demonstrate an ability to establish a relationship of trust and reciprocity with our Aboriginal government partners. To achieve this, we must fully acknowledge the need for this approach, allow the time to achieve it and ensure leadership and vision are clear in laying out and following the steps to reach this goal.
Colleagues, I believe in the value of a consensus government and the results such an approach can yield. As MLA for Ndilo and Dettah and both the oldest and newest parts of Yellowknife, I have a wide range of constituency experiences that have enabled me to appreciate, really appreciate, the issues and problems all of you face. I recognize the constituency issues and challenges you bring forward need to be taken seriously and responded to in a timely fashion. I understand how our system needs to function and I am ready to ensure that it does so to serve your needs. With your support, I am excited about the possibility of bringing my commitment and ideas to Cabinet in the 17th Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Chairman, I’d like to conclude by just really expressing my thanks and appreciation to members of the public, to my wife, Marianne, in the gallery today, and my extended family for all their encouragement and support and, of course, my campaign team for getting me back to participate with you in the House today. Mahsi.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Hawkins’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and colleagues. Congratulations to you, Mr. Chairman, for being our
Speaker-elect, and, certainly, congratulations to you, Mr. McLeod, for being our Premier-elect.
I’m here today before you to ask for your support in my bid as a member of the territorial Cabinet. Upon reflecting upon this important duty, I’m reminded of what we have done, and where we need to go and to whom we need to serve. There are challenges out there, but at the same time there are many opportunities before us as well.
For the past eight years I’ve had the privilege to be involved in the progress of the NWT. It has been a humbling experience, to say the least. Like every experience, whether it has been one of highs and lows, I can say I have learned a lot. As a Member of the Assembly, I truly believe in the commitment of the work we have before us, and I strongly believe that with the time before us, we can rise to the occasion in this new role we must play to improve the lives of Northerners. As such, I ask for your support to become a member of your Cabinet in this Assembly today.
Mr. Chairman, in offering my name and effort, I can say that I feel that I’ve taken principle stands as a Regular Member when the time was needed. I have to say, sometimes it wasn’t popular. I also believe that I am a good listener and can consider reasonable compromise for the greater good for our northern people. To do this job, I will need everyone’s help and advice.
If elected to Cabinet, I will work tirelessly under the principles of fairness and respect. I will work to improve the lives of Northerners with a clear goal when lending my support to community issues that do need an extra hand from time to time, especially in cases where all they are asking for is basic support and standards that rightfully should be theirs.
In this role I’m prepared to be honest with you, as I hope you will be prepared to be honest with me, and I will be reasonable and steadfast in what I can and cannot do. I’m not here today to promise you the moon, knowing full well it cannot be delivered. However, working together we can achieve more. More on the issues of cost of living to help people, more on poverty, more on those housing issues. We can do this together.
Over the past few days I’ve committed to many of you that I will work to open up a greater dialogue on your needs, as I will work hard to ensure your concerns are heard and fairly considered. I truly believe that we can work together in a partnership of communication and respect, which will empower the voices of your people, and added with your experience, we will get things done for Northerners. I have spoken to many of you about how I can help you represent your people, and I believe that we
can make those voices heard, those people from your ridings, when and where it counts.
Mr. Chairman, it’s no secret that I grew up in Fort Simpson and I have travelled many of the northern roads and towns extensively over the years. As such, I’ve never forgotten what it was like to live in a small community and to appreciate the struggles and the day-to-day challenges that are in those small communities. If I find myself in a Cabinet role, that understanding and appreciation that I can bring to the table is an asset which only experience can truly understand. So rather than just saying I get it, I can actually tell you I’ve lived some of it. I may live in Yellowknife, Mr. Chairman, but I have lived in the communities, and I’m committed to northern communities as well as big community issues as well.
Mr. Chairman, I’m a strong believer in the work being done here today by our government that supports the aspirations of local community and Aboriginal governments. In the role I assume, I will work to continue to support and recognize those partners, because we need those partners to move issues forward. We saw last week how important devolution is to those partners. We need to ensure that they are along with us and we hear their concerns.
In this role I will continue to support the government’s efforts to build capacity for our people, to address skill shortages and help bring opportunities to communities. As a Minister I would hit the road running and, wherever possible, I would get out into the regions to see where I could support your work. To do your work on your behalf, I have the full commitment of my family to take the time needed to learn the job and to learn it well.
In the same vein, I also recognize that I have much to learn from the experience of your wisdom and things that your communities are telling you.
The local communities’ MLAs bring a lot of good issues here to the Assembly and they cannot be ignored. Because of the wisdom that they have taught me over the days and certainly over the years, I will use that opportunity of the wisdom provided to me to help empower all Members of this building. I believe the empowerment of our communities is good for all the territory.
As well, we have a lot of work to do on housing. That has become the predominant theme in the last few days. However, our economy needs to continue to invest in our territory as we continue to grow. Without any doubt, we need all levels of government both municipal and Aboriginal, to help work together to find creative ways to improve the lives of all Northerners from our young and old. This work I am prepared to do and this work I am certainly eager to do.
Over the last few days I have used this time to take the opportunity to renew my understanding on many of the struggles and challenges that my colleagues here are challenged with day to day, be it in supporting youth, local community jobs, fighting addictions or even finding access to quality housing, just to name a few. I will do my part with the guidance of all Members in addressing these areas that I can.
I promised – and am committed to that – to raising the standard of living for everyone across the North. Now, over the years I have seen many good ideas which have been brought to the table. As a Regular MLA, I was always keen to know that, no matter what the outcome was, I felt it important that my issues received a fair audience for the ideas that I have been trying to bring forward. So, accordingly, I commit to you as a member of Cabinet, I will take the time to understand the concerns of the Members as they are asking them to be addressed. I will listen to the story they are narrating and I will do my best to support the change and challenges that they are seeking. With almost a month behind us now, we must get right to work for the regions that brought us here today. I believe that every moment before us is a working moment, an opportunity where we could improve the lives of our youth, our seniors, our families and even our communities across the territory. I believe we have many hopes and beliefs in common. Through partnership we can achieve more, certainly more than if we go it alone.
Again, the devolution discussion that we had last week is certainly one example where we can work in collaboration for a better territory in partnership and certainly build and mend those relationships.
I am a believer of empowering our young people, providing resources where it makes sense and sharing opportunity throughout the North that builds a stronger economy which, in the end, is good for the whole North. I am always personally moved when I see the hope in the eyes of our young people who want to be part of a good future that we can help build. When my community says that they need a youth worker to help them guide the next generation along the right path, I assure you I will be listening. I will be standing shoulder to shoulder with you.
In the end, choosing a member of Cabinet is about a confidence in the Member’s ability to work with others and use their experience gained to be both the solid member of the Cabinet team and in understanding the vital importance all Members play in the Assembly. At the same time it is also about a trust to know that someone will be there when you need them and they need you.
There are two core questions I will always have in front of my mind as we face issues together: What
can we do for the future of the North and how can we empower its people? The answer to these questions in my experiences here is found in a meaningful partnership and action together. That will be the cornerstone of our mutual success.
In closing, I humbly ask all Members for their support. If I have the honour to serve, I promise I will not forget why I am there. I pledge to be responsive and accessible to the needs of the Members as well as to the needs of the people of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho, colleagues. Thank you.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
Mr. Ramsay’s Candidacy Speech
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
David Ramsay Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I would like to begin by sincerely thanking the voters of Kam Lake for giving me the opportunity to once again stand here in the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories and represent them during the life of the 17th Legislative Assembly.
I would like to welcome everybody back to the Legislative Assembly. I look forward to working with my former colleagues in the last government and last two governments. I am looking forward to getting to know better and working with all of the new Members, each of whom brings a wealth of credentials to the Legislative Assembly. I think we have some good balance with the new Members as well.
To my colleague Mr. Jacobson, congratulations on becoming the new Speaker earlier today. I wish you all the best in your role. Congratulations to Mr. Bob McLeod, Premier-elect, and all of his family. I have every confidence that Mr. McLeod will be a very capable and dedicated leader for our territory. He is well respected by Aboriginal leaders across this territory and has a firm grasp about what our relationship should be with the federal government. He is a very hard-working individual. I have had many opportunities to work with him over the past four years of which I firstly learned a great amount from Mr. McLeod. Congratulations.
I have been a Member of this House for the past eight years. During that time I have learned to fully appreciate the role and function of a Regular Member. Of the Yellowknife ridings, you will be asked today to choose two members to serve on the Executive Council. All five of us bring different attributes and qualifications to the position. In electing a Cabinet, it is imperative that the members you elect there are balanced, flexible and hardworking.
My background is firmly rooted in politics, having been involved in political life since I was 16 years old. I have close to 14 years of elected political
experience at the municipal and territorial levels. That elected experience has given me the opportunity to make contacts and establish working relationships with Aboriginal leaders, municipal leaders, NGOs, federal politicians and provincial and territorial politicians.
In the course of that experience, I believe I have become known as a capable and trustworthy politician. I know that being an effective Cabinet Minister requires the building of trust and credibility amongst other groups. I have demonstrated that ability. Having been part of the Northern Leaders’ Forum over the past two years, I have built relationships with the key players amongst the Aboriginal governments in our territory. I have built relationships in our regions, with communities and with Aboriginal leaders that are out there. I have a great relationship and rapport with the mayor and councillors here in Yellowknife, and over my many years in politics I have also made a number of key contacts in Ottawa.
As Members, we all know how important it is for this territorial government to have a good solid working relationship with the federal government. If elected to Cabinet, I can assure you that I will do whatever I can to make certain that our files are acted upon in Ottawa. I will fight for every available federal dollar, whether it is for transportation infrastructure, community development or housing. You can rest assured that our voice will be heard loud and clear at any FPT table that I would have the pleasure of sitting at.
I have also had the privilege to work with both former Premier Roland and Premier-elect Bob McLeod in gaining the Northwest Territories membership and PNWER, the Pacific Northwest Economic Region. The aim of this organization is to promote a greater regional collaboration and increase economic well-being of all its members. The NWT has developed many friends in this first- class organization. We have recently taken on the role of chair for the newly created Arctic Caucus made up of the State of Alaska, Yukon Territory and the NWT. My colleague from Nunakput, Speaker-elect Jacobson, and I had the pleasure of attending the first formal meeting of the Arctic Caucus in Barrow, Alaska, 10 months ago. The NWT recently hosted the Arctic Caucus here in Yellowknife this past August, where I had the opportunity to co-chair the Caucus with my colleague Mr. McLeod. The relationships that we have made continue to grow both politically and with industry leaders. The Northwest Territories involvement in the PNWER family will bode well for this territory well into the future.
During the life of the last government, I was given the honour of serving as the chair in the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure. As many of you know, the committee
dealt with many contentious pieces of legislation over the last four years including the Species at Risk Act, the Dog Act and, most recently, the proposed NWT Wildlife Act.
We didn’t always agree, but I think we always tried our best and did solid work for this House. The compromise struck on the Dog Act wasn’t perfect for everyone, but it led to a much improved bill. I want to thank my fellow committee members and other Members for their involvement and in time spent working to find consensus. As chair of the committee, I always endeavour to listen and to lead effectively.
Over the past eight years I have always made a conscious effort to perform my job to the best of my ability. I’ve made a point to have balance in any issues I’ve brought forward. Every day I strive to be the most well-rounded politician and leader that I can be. The more time I spend in politics, the bigger my social conscience gets. Helping people is what this job is all about.
Work ethic is the cornerstone of any successful leader. Being a leader and being a Cabinet Minister means hard work. It means early mornings, late nights, weekends. It takes commitment and dedication, and I want you to know today that I would be prepared to do whatever it takes to move us ahead and ensure our collective future.
I know the feeling, Mr. Chairman, of waiting weeks to hear back from a Cabinet Minister on a constituency issue. I can promise you today, if elected, I will make certain that your constituency issues become my issues. Members can expect a quick turnaround on answers for your constituents. I will be accessible, professional and responsible in everything that I do.
With eight years as a Regular Member I fully understand the challenges and demands placed on Regular Members. The Cabinet Minister is the public face of government, not only in our territory but nationally and internationally, and you should have every confidence that those you select to serve as Cabinet Ministers will represent this territory, you, your constituents, in a positive light, both home and away all the time.
I’m a communicator. If elected I will reach out to Regular Members. What I would like to do is bring in Regular Members when developing policy, legislation and regulations. The earlier on in the process, the better. We need to explore ways and means to put true consensus back into consensus government. I see the inclusion of Regular Members as integral to this evolution.
I find the most enjoyable aspect of being an MLA is talking to constituents. Constituency meetings and getting out to the small communities are key opportunities to put your finger on the pulse of
issues that are critical to our residents. During my time as a Regular Member I’ve taken every opportunity to spend time in our small communities, even when my attendance wasn’t required. It will be a priority for me to visit all of our communities. I think Cabinet Ministers should be spending more time talking to people in the communities and make every effort when there to get out on the land.
I know how busy our schedules can get, but more emphasis needs to be placed on visiting our residents where they live in the communities. Whenever possible, the Minister should be extending an invitation to one or two Regular Members to accompany them on community visits. Members, clearly, in this building experience does count; experience making tough decisions, chairing committees, working with staff and building consensus. It’s the foundation of what we do. I’m not suggesting that my experience entitles me to your vote today, but, rather, I think my experience demonstrates that I have done everything I can do over the past eight years to earn your vote.
Shortly, we will be asked to make a serious decision on who to support for seats on the Executive Council. I encourage you to vote for those you have the most confidence in, and who have the track record and work ethic to do this very important job for both you and your constituents. We have so many issues facing us, such as devolution, the Anti-Poverty Strategy, cost of living, housing and we’ve had many discussions over the past two weeks since we’ve been together trying to come up with a way forward, a vision for the next four years, and I look forward to the collective work that is going to go into finding a way forward, identifying priorities and getting things done. I think that’s what I want to be known as, is somebody who can get the job done and people can have confidence in my ability to get the job done.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I wanted to thank all the candidates that have let their name stand for a seat on the Executive Council. Good luck to everybody. Mahsi cho. Thank you very much.
Candidates' Speeches
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Before we move on to the vote, I’d like to welcome into the House a former Member. Mr. Leon Lafferty was a Member for the North Slave in the 14th Legislative Assembly. Welcome, Mr.
Lafferty.
---Applause
Members, we are now asked to proceed to the Clerk’s table to receive three ballots: one for the northern candidates, one for the Yellowknife candidates and one for the southern candidates. Please proceed to voting booths to mark your ballots and then place them into the ballot box located in front of the Clerk’s table. Thank you.
Voting
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Okay, are there any more Members wishing to vote? If not, I will proceed to vote myself now.
I declare the voting process closed. The ballot box will now be taken to the Clerks’ office where the ballots will be counted. The bells will be rung for five minutes to bring Members back in once results are determined. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Voting
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Thank you, colleagues. It is my duty to announce you have elected individuals to represent the northern and southern constituencies. However, according to pre-agreed upon procedures, the names of these individuals will not be announced until the representatives have been determined.
It is also my duty to announce there is a need for second ballot for the Yellowknife constituencies. The candidates for the second Yellowknife ballot are Mr. Glen Abernethy, Mr. Bob Bromley, Mr. Robert Hawkins and Mr. Dave Ramsay.
Before we proceed to the vote, are there any nominees wishing to withdraw at this time?
If not, being no such withdrawals, the ballots are available as before. Please proceed to vote and once you’re done voting, I want to leave the Chamber. Thank you.
Voting
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
I declare the voting process closed. The ballot box will now be taken to the Clerk’s office where the ballots will be counted. The bells will be rung for five minutes to bring Members back once results are determined. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Results
Election of Ministers
The Chair Jackie Jacobson
Good afternoon, colleagues. It is my duty to announce that we have two individuals to represent the northern, Yellowknife and southern constituencies. I declare we have elected Mr. Glen Abernethy, Mr. Tom Beaulieu, Mr. Jackson Lafferty, Mr. Robert C. McLeod, Mr. Michael Miltenberger and Mr. Dave Ramsay for Executive Council for the Government of the Northwest Territories.
---Applause
This concludes our proceedings for the day. I look forward to seeing everybody back here tomorrow in the House. Have a good evening.
---ADJOURNMENT
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