This is page numbers 397 - 428 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was community.

Topics

Members Present

Mr. Allooloo, Mr. Antoine, Hon. Silas Arngna'naaq, Mr. Arvaluk, Mr. Ballantyne, Hon. Nellie Cournoyea, Mr. Dent, Mr. Gargan, Hon. Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Lewis, Hon. Jeannie Marie-Jewell, Hon. Rebecca Mike, Hon. Don Morin, Hon. Richard Nerysoo, Mr. Ng, Mr. Ningark, Mr. Patterson, Hon. John Pollard, Mr. Pudlat, Mr. Pudluk, Hon. John Todd, Mr. Whitford, Mr. Zoe

---Prayer

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

Page 397

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 6th, I informed this Assembly about the release of the federal discussion paper, Improving Social Security in Canada, and I referred Members to our own discussion paper, Creating Choices: Solving the Income Support Puzzle, which was released for public comment last July. I will be tabling our discussion paper later today.

As you know, income support reform is a complex issue which is being considered across Canada. To make sure that this reform proceeds in a way which respects the priorities and needs of northerners, we have developed four principles to guide us. In our paper, Creating Choices, we said that income support reform must:

1. link jobs and training, and encourage people to make responsible choices;

2. respect northern culture, community direction and the integrity of families;

3. make the best use of available money and federal cost-sharing opportunities; and,

4. be fair and easily accessible by people in the communities.

Since the release of our paper last July, we have been researching social security programs in Canada, and have been consulting with our partners in Health and Social Services, Executive, Renewable Resources, Finance and the NWT Housing Corporation.

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources Development is undertaking cross-Canada consultations on social security reform, and is planning a number of town hall meetings. The Secretary of State for training and youth, the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew is already travelling in the north and social security reform is on her agenda. Ms. Blondin-Andrew will be consulting northerners specifically on social assistance issues as related to the aboriginal community.

Madam Speaker, these consultations need to be coordinated with this government's discussions on income support reform. I have written to the Honourable Lloyd Axworthy and stated that consultation on this critical reform initiative must be undertaken as a joint process, and that this government needs to be fully involved in any consultations in this area.

Consultations that are taking place with the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew need to be aligned with this government's consultations. I have advised Mr. Axworthy that northerners are eager to express their views on income security reform and that these views must be heard. I further advised him that I would be planning to attend these town hall meetings and that some of my honourable colleagues in the Legislative Assembly would likely be interested in attending as well. I propose that the parliamentary standing committee meetings scheduled for Yellowknife and Iqaluit later this fall be held jointly with this government.

Madam Speaker, a consultation process that targets large southern constituencies and discusses largely southern issues will not suffice in the north. Consultation in the north will need to be a joint territorial/federal effort to ensure that northern social security reform has a made-in-the-north stamp on it. Therefore, I am proposing to this House that our government undertake the following consultation process with respect to income support reform.

I am proposing that a six-member Ministers' forum on income support reform be established in early November to provide advice to this government on reform and involve northerners in developing a northern agenda for change. This forum would include representatives from business, labour and individuals involved in social reform.

The forum would lead focus groups to be organized in the five regional centres to provide face to face information to people, involve community people in discussions and get first-hand public opinion and advice on the issues. The forum would conclude by providing its findings and recommendations for this Assembly at its February sitting. I further propose that a debate on social security reform be held early in the February sitting of the Assembly.

Madam Speaker, this highlights our proposed consultation strategy and the developments of income support reform. Mr. Speaker, we must continue to make every effort to ensure that this reform effort has a northern face. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. I am not Madam, Mr. Nerysoo.

---Laughter

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise this House of a cornerstone program of my department's strategy to develop the capabilities of community governments to take on greater responsibilities with respect to the management of public lands within their boundaries.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and Arctic College Nunatta Campus have agreed to start a one-year certificate program in community land administration. This program is a fundamental element in assisting community governments to be ready to accept the devolution of land administration from the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the program will start in January 1995 and be offered through the Nunatta Campus in Iqaluit. Future courses will be offered at other Arctic College campuses as the demand warrants.

In the program at Nunatta Campus, three six-week semesters will be offered. After each semester the student will return to his or her home community for a six-week practicum. Students sponsored by community governments will serve their practicums in the municipal office. This is the training approach most mayors favoured when my department discussed the options with them. I believe this combination of classroom and work experience will provide the best learning opportunity for the students and achieve the highest success rate of students who enrol and graduate.

The program will include courses in land administration, community planning, surveying, contracts and property law, communications and computers. The program has been initiated by my department with funding set aside as part of the implementation of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act. Although initially this program will assist community governments, the program could eventually form the basis of an Arctic College program to assist other land management agencies requiring trained northern staff.

I encourage all community governments to take advantage of this opportunity and to prepare for the devolution of land administration responsibilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Qujannamiik, Ms. Mike. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Madam Premier.

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise the House of a cornerstone program of the department's strategy to develop the capabilities of community governments...Sorry, I have the wrong one here.

---Laughter

An Hon. Member

(Microphone turned off)

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. Later today, I will be tabling an action plan for the consolidation of the departments of Health and Social Services. The plan includes a functional organization chart for the newly approved headquarters structure, which will be fully implemented by January 31, 1995. The integration of the headquarters operation has resulted in a significant downsizing of the management team from 18 to a total of 10 managers in Yellowknife.

The consolidation at the regional and community levels will occur in two phases following the headquarters reorganization. Much work has already been done with boards and senior staff of Social Services to explore the opportunities for integration of both program and staff resources. Health boards appear to be receptive to the variety of options that have already been discussed and it should be possible to move fairly quickly with the changes that are identified through continuing consultation.

It is clear that solutions cannot be the same in all parts of the territories. For example, some innovative approaches will be necessary in the South Mackenzie. The Health and Social Services operations do not cover the same geographical areas, as is the case in the other regions. However, this consolidation gives us the opportunity to rationalize resources in this area and to move staff closer to the people they serve. This is particularly true of Mackenzie health services, which currently operate out of Yellowknife, but whose clients are primarily in the Deh Cho and Dogrib areas.

There are some good opportunities to bring jobs to smaller communities through decentralization and I will be providing regular reports to this House to keep Members up to date on the progress of consolidation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you, Madam Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Health Care System In The Nwt
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, continuing on a positive note, I would like to talk about an event that befell me last summer, following the Baffin regional consultations on the new social housing rent scale in Pond Inlet. I took a trip to Iqaluit, a beautiful area about 50 miles from Pond Inlet -- that is the other Iqaluit, Mr. Speaker. We travelled on the sea ice by snowmobile and when I got there, I was welcomed by Mr. Allooloo and his constituents.

On the way back, Mr. Speaker, I had a mishap. While manoeuvring past some deep cracks in the sea ice, I failed to notice that the heavy komatik I was pulling had gotten stuck on a piece of ice. The komatik stopped, but my snowmobile kept going. The rope stretched and my snowmobile stopped suddenly. I was thrown forward and ended up with a rather deep gash on my face when I hit the snowmobile. Dumb qallunaaq.

---Laughter

By the time we got into Pond Inlet, it was 7:00 that night. I called the health centre and explained the situation. I was told to come up right away. I was given immediate and careful attention from Theresa, the nurse on call, who very carefully cleaned the wound and then called on a visiting physician, Dr. Rob Driscoll, to assist with stitching me up.

Even though I had been out on the sea ice for seven or eight hours before I got treatment, the wound healed well and I have been left with a barely noticeable scar.

I was very grateful for the prompt attention I was given, even though I know my call interrupted supper after a long day of clinic for the health centre staff. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to relate this story, not because it was outstanding or exceptional, but simply because this is the kind of cheerful, prompt and quality treatment our people are accustomed to receiving from our dedicated health care professionals in our communities.

---Applause

Although there are always problems and things to be critical about in our health system and improvements that can be found, I want to thank the health centre staff in Pond Inlet for looking after me so well when I needed treatment. I want to state my belief that considering we live in a very remote part of the circumpolar world, we should still be grateful that we have a health care system that is second to none. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Health Care System In The Nwt
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Deputy Speaker Brian Lewis

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Contractors Under Bip
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 399

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today to offer my thanks and support for the commitment the Minister of Public Works and Services made yesterday to monitor contractors in compliance with the provisions of the business incentive policy.

I think the Members will agree that we have seen too many of these parachute contractors who promise the world when bidding on the contract, but when the work starts, the vast majority of employees are from the south.

Ensuring compliance with the contract and possibly even revoking the contract is a positive step and will make these parachute contractors take notice. I would also like to thank the Department of Transportation for negotiating the right-of-way brush clearing contract with the local of Fort Providence aboriginally-owned contractors both this year and over the last

several years. This is an important contract to my constituents and I appreciate it.

However, Mr. Speaker, I do have some concerns about highway contractors working in the Fort Providence area that I would like to address. Last summer, a contractor who was doing work over 50 kilometres from Fort Providence did hire a lot of members from my community to start the project to work on the highway. However, Mr. Speaker, as I drove back and forth to Yellowknife on business over the summer, I was dismayed to see less and less of my people employed on the construction. There are probably lots of reasons this happened, Mr. Speaker, or, Madam Speaker...

---Laughter

Contractors Under Bip
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 399

Michael Ballantyne Yellowknife North

They just change like that.

Contractors Under Bip
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

I think the primary reason was the distance the residents had to travel every morning to get from Providence to the job site. People from the south and communities other than Fort Providence employed by the contractor were given accommodation at the job site in a camp. Madam Speaker, the contractors were generous in providing transportation allowance for the workers from Fort Providence. However, I don't think they realize the problems.

Madam Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Contractors Under Bip
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Contractors Under Bip
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker, honourable Members. The majority of people getting this work were young people who had not yet had an opportunity to purchase their own vehicles. One had to get up at 5:00 in the morning to get to work by 7:00 am. If you missed your ride or if your ride wasn't going to work, you were fired. One chance, that is all you got.

Was this so that contractors could replace local workers with people from outside the community? I don't know, Madam Speaker. Maybe a bus service from Fort Providence or allowing residents to stay in the camp would have slowed the rate of attrition over the summer.

In the past, Madam Speaker, workers from my community have worked on portions of the highway between Fort Providence and Enterprise and stayed in camps. So, they are no strangers to this way of work. The reason I mention this here, Madam Speaker, is that next year the construction work will be even further from Fort Providence. Will workers from Fort Providence have to get up three hours before work to make it in on time?

Madam Speaker, I guess the point I'm trying to make is that, even though this contractor lived up to the intent of northern preference, they did not meet its spirit. Setting unrealistic barriers to employment and then replacing the workers when they cannot meet the requirements is not, in my mind, fair. Madam Speaker, what I would like to see is a community consultative process right through the tendering process on large projects like this.

The community could tell the government which companies have a good record in hiring locally, who treats their employees with respect and some consideration and understanding. After a contract is awarded, the government contractor and the community or communities involved should sit down together and work out any problems such as unrealistic employment barriers.

Madam Speaker, it is only by working together with government, communities and contractors, that programs such as the business incentive program will work. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Contractors Under Bip
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Arctic Environmental Strategy
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have a copy of an article that appeared in the October 10, 1994 issue of the News/North. The article is titled "Great Slave Clean-up Wraps Up Third Year." As many of my colleagues may know, this was a project undertaken by the Metis Nation of the Northwest Territories, in partnership with DIAND and DPW Canada with funding from the Arctic environmental strategy program of DIAND.

The city of Yellowknife and the Department of Renewable Resources from our own territorial government were contributing partners on this undertaking for the third year in a row. I've had more than a casual interest in this project, Madam Speaker, as a Metis, we celebrated July 1st of this year with a launch of flotillas of boats and barges from the docks in Yellowknife to start this year's work.

I have followed up on the progress throughout the summer, as the crews removed abandoned materials, hazardous wastes and barrels from old mine sites and sealed numerous unsafe open shafts they found. They also cleaned up the mess and remains of burned-out buildings at the abandoned Arctic Star Lodge and numerous other abandoned and filthy sites in the east arm of Great Slave Lake.

The president of the Metis Association, Mr. Gary Bohnet, is quoted in this article as saying, "It is a joint community and government effort to preserve the environment for future generations." I think Mr. Bohnet and the Metis Nation deserve congratulations from this Assembly and the people from the western part of the territories for their work, which included employment and training for the many students and young people involved with this project over the past three years.

I would personally call this project our own northern version of the Great Lakes clean-up, whereby the Metis Nation has concentrated its efforts right here in our own backyard on Great Slave Lake, the second largest lake in the territories. A lake that has unlimited commercial and recreational value to us all.

My time is up, Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue.

Arctic Environmental Strategy
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Whitford.

Arctic Environmental Strategy
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker, thank you, colleagues. Madam Speaker, I am aware that the Metis Nation next wants to undertake a clean-up of the entire Mackenzie River to remove the tons of waste and debris and the thousands of barrels in and around communities and old staging sites that have accumulated over the 50 years of commercial use of our river.

I am hopeful that we will all agree to support their plans, as it will not only improve our environment, but it will provide needed employment in the valley next summer. The Arctic environmental strategy will end in two more years and I personally believe that this Assembly must do all it can to emphasize to the federal government that a renewal is necessary so that we, as northerners, can continue to undertake projects similar to the work of the Metis Nation in other areas of the north. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Arctic Environmental Strategy
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Community Health Committee In Wrigley
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the nursing situation in Wrigley and the positive steps taken by the community and the Mackenzie Regional Health Services to work together to solve their problems. In August, Madam Speaker, a situation arose in Wrigley in which the nurse was verbally threatened for refusing to treat someone in what she thought was an unsafe location. Consequently, Madam Speaker, the nurse left the community and Wrigley was left without a nurse and with minimal local health care service.

With worries about the elders and children and the possibility of someone being hurt on the job, Chief Gabe Hardisty and the band held a public meeting with Mackenzie Regional Health Services to hear the community's concern and to work out a solution to the problem.

The results of that meeting and meetings held after by the community, Madam Speaker, was the formation of a community health committee. A committee, along with 10 other volunteers, will help the nurse in dealing with her concerns, and offer the nurse assistance in any dangerous situation. In turn, Madam Speaker, I believe this committee will provide an excellent forum for the residents to voice their opinions to the community nurse in a non-adversarial way.

This new system will put the word "community" back into the community nurse position. Thanks to the efforts of community residents, the band and the Mackenzie Regional Health Services in setting up this community health committee system, Chief Gabe Hardisty was able to convince the nurse who had left Wrigley that she would have the support of the community should she decide to return.

Madam Speaker, I am happy to say that the nurse has returned to Wrigley and, consequently, the community was spared the long wait that accompanies the filling of such an important position. It must be noted, Madam Speaker, that the nurse position in Wrigley is still being filled on an interim basis and that Mackenzie Regional Health Services is looking for someone permanent.

This is a local solution to a local problem. However, Madam Speaker, it will be necessary for the government to provide nominal, ongoing funding for administrative support for the community health committee to ensure that this excellent program does not fade away after two or three years of operation.

Again, my thanks on behalf of the constituents in Wrigley and my admiration for all those involved in working to solve this health care problem there. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Community Health Committee In Wrigley
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.