This is page numbers 339 - 366 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th 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 education.

Topics

Members Present

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

---Prayer

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

Page 339

The Speaker

Thank you. Good afternoon. I wish to inform the Assembly that I have received the following message from his Honour, Commissioner Norris: "I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of Bill 13, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1993-94, during the Fifth Session of the 12th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, D. L. Norris." The letter is dated February 24, 1994.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Keewatin Central, Mr. Todd.

John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this Monday, Metall Mining informed the GNWT that they will not be proceeding with the development of the Izok Lake project at this time. The company will be stopping the feasibility study, as well as the negotiations with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association on a benefit agreement and the environmental review process. Metall states that the current metal prices, primarily for zinc, are too low and the cost of transportation are too high for the deposit to be economic in the near future.

There appears to be little the government can do to deal with the economic factors that have stopped the project. Metal prices are set on the world market. The price of zinc is close to record lows with large stockpiles.

This delay is deeply disappointing given the large expenditure the company and its investors have made in the project. It is also disappointing given all the hard work the company and the Inuit had put into developing a benefit agreement. This agreement was near completion and would have guaranteed northerners badly needed jobs.

It is important to realize that all the work and effort has not been for nothing. The project can be revitalized when economic factors change. Although this is a setback to the mineral industry in the NWT, the mineral potential that Izok Lake represents remains. This deposit will be one day mined in a way that hopefully contributes to the north's development. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Nerysoo.

Minister's Statement 25-12(5): Towards Excellence, Improving Student Achievement
Item 2: Ministers' Statements

February 23rd, 1994

Page 339

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I believe that most of the Members of this Assembly are aware that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is taking part in the school achievement indicators program, a national assessment program coordinated by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada. Over the next few years, 13 year old and 16 year old students across the country will be assessed in the areas of mathematics, reading, writing and science. These subject areas are key to a student's success in a future that will be marked by complex information and technology.

Madam Speaker, one of the greatest benefits of participating in this program is that it improves the department's ability to monitor the success of school programs and to plan for improvements. Assessments will be done in each of the key subject areas in a regular cycle, allowing us to measure the improvements of students and the school system over time.

In December, we received the results of the first mathematics assessment. A group comprised of 13 year old and 16 year old students were tested on their understanding of mathematical content and on their problem-solving skills. The percentage of NWT students achieving at the highest levels was similar to the national results, while a smaller proportion achieved at the middle levels. However, more NWT students achieved at or below the lowest level than their counterparts across Canada.

Madam Speaker, needless to say, I do not find these results acceptable, nor does the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The department has already developed an initiative to improve the performance of NWT students with the goal of having students achieve at or above the Canadian average by 1997, when the next national mathematics assessment is conducted. This initiative, called "Towards Excellence," focuses on improving students' numeracy and literacy skills and will become a key component of the department's educational quality indicators project.

The first part of the project will focus on improving mathematics skills in kindergarten to grade six, in order to lay a strong numeracy foundation for students. A similar plan of action for improving literacy will be developed along with the administration of the reading and writing assessment, which will be held in April of this year.

Some of the activities under this initiative will be new, while others will involve putting a renewed emphasis on activities and procedures that are already in place. For instance, department staff will review the results of the current mathematics assessment, as well as past assessments, information on student health and other pertinent documents. They will use this information to develop a profile of NWT students to identify areas for improvement. In addition, a new survey for teachers and students regarding the NWT math curriculum will be developed and administered.

Support for standards in mathematics will be strengthened by activities such as facilitating the use of the student evaluation handbook developed by the department and keeping current with developments across Canada and the world.

Teachers play a critical role in providing quality instruction in mathematics. To ensure that new teachers are well prepared to teach math, the department will work with Arctic College to provide support in the area of curriculum, effective teaching strategies and use of resources. Teachers already working in the school system will be offered opportunities for increased training in teaching mathematics and will be kept up to date on the use of technology and other resources in teaching math. The department intends to make use of distance education technologies already in place, such as Television Northern Canada and the north of 60 electronic bulletin board system to accomplish much of this work. In addition, a symposium for mathematics leaders from each board is scheduled for the fall of 1995.

Teachers who contribute significantly to the improvement of math instruction will be recognized and their methods shared with other teachers. With the participation of teachers, the department will assist schools and boards in the development of short and long-term goals and strategies to improve numeracy and literacy skills of students. With the help of our partners in education, the department also plans to establish in-school numeracy and literacy teacher councils for kindergarten to grade three and grades four to six.

Madam Speaker, in light of the results from the school achievement indicators program, I am asking my department and the divisional boards of education to place a renewed emphasis on the amount of classroom time spent on mathematics and language arts. Departmental guidelines specify that 18 per cent of the school day should be spent on math, while 21 per cent is spent on the language of instruction and nine per cent on another language. School programs and outcomes will be closely monitored to ensure these guidelines are followed.

Madam Speaker, NWT students must be prepared for the challenges of post-secondary education and training and for the work place of the future. It is only through a renewed emphasis on key subject areas such as mathematics, reading, writing and science that students will be prepared for the future. I am confident that my department's numeracy and literacy initiative will play an important role in improving students' skills in these important areas. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you. Madam Speaker, the Minister responsible for Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, pointed out in the opening statement to his ministry's O and M budget that the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council will begin its first formal land claims negotiations this week in Rae Lakes. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council began its first formal land claims negotiation session with the federal government today.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, for the Dogrib people this is an historic milestone in our long struggle to gain back control over our traditional land. Through this process, I am very optimistic that we can reach a deal that the Dogrib people can live with. We are also pleased that the new Liberal government in Ottawa is committed to changing the comprehensive claim policy to allow for a one-track approach respecting land claims and self-government negotiations.

Madam Speaker, this means our entire self-government agreement, as opposed to the previous case, where it was only the self-government framework agreement, can be constitutionalized. This is very exciting and will be a great step forward. We trust the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs can keep his bureaucracy onside and fulfil his commitment to change the claims policy.

Madam Speaker, you can be assured that the Treaty 11 Council's negotiating team will be guided by the Minister's commitment to reform the comprehensive claim policy.

Madam Speaker, as a general rule, the Treaty 11 Council intends to hold all negotiating sessions in one of the four Dogrib communities. The negotiating team intends to speak in a Dogrib language during these negotiations. This protocol may not seem that important to outsiders, but the Dogrib people at the community level must be intimately involved in all negotiations, every step of the way, and understand fully the negotiations and decisions made at the table.

Madam Speaker, I would like to close by wishing the Treaty 11 negotiating team the best of luck, knowing that they have worked very hard in preparing themselves for this first session of claims negotiations. Thank you.

---Applause

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

The Role Of Banks In Today's Economy
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Much has been written, Madam Speaker, about the new economy. Mr. Martin, the federal Minister of Finance, referred to it in his budget speech a few days ago. A recent visitor to Yellowknife and Hay River, Mr. Mazankowski, the former federal Minister of Finance, also referred to the fact that we are living in changing times. We have to look at economics in a new way. Many economists today believe, Madam Speaker, that banks have an important role to play in the transition from an economy based on resources and manufacturing to one based on knowledge and information. It is not only because banks control capital, Madam Speaker, but they have an important role to play. They are a major part of our Canadian culture.

Unfortunately, despite this, banks in the Northwest Territories are, at best, an alien system that is very much on the periphery of many of the things that affect people's lives. We have been unsuccessful, in my opinion, in developing financial institutions, with which you can have a viable economy.

So if there is one thing we do need it is to address the very first recommendation that our Special Committee on Northern Economy made about four years ago, we have to come to terms with the banking problem. Our government has not responded to that in a way that is going to make much difference. Banking is not going to be part of people's lives and until you get personal economy and access to institutions which control, not just capital, but information, we are not going to get a very good economy.

Many of us last night, including Mr. Todd, went to visit with the directors of the Arctic Co-op. They have been pushing for some years to look at the Credit Union system. I urge the government to have another look at it to see if there is one way in which we could support that happening.

The Role Of Banks In Today's Economy
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

An Hon. Member

Hear, hear.

---Applause

The Role Of Banks In Today's Economy
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

Financial Situation Of Resolute Bay
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to make a statement today regarding the hamlet of Resolute Bay and its deficit situation. I am informed that the hamlet of Resolute Bay and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs are currently working on a debt-recovery budget. I want to address how this debt came into being and suggest that the Government of the Northwest Territories is partly to blame for the financial problems. Madam Speaker, the Department of Public Works and Services provides the repair and maintenance service for the hamlet. I will offer a few examples of irresponsible use of public funds by DPW in the course of carrying out their service for the hamlet.

About three years ago, the main water line froze up in Resolute Bay. DPW went ahead and did $238,000 worth of repairs. Equipment and parts were shipped from the south as priority freight, whereas it would not have made a difference to repair if they were on regular freight, although much cheaper. DPW wanted to charter a 748, which is a plane that can carry 52 passengers from Iqaluit to Resolute Bay to ship about 300 pounds of equipment and three people. The hamlet managed to talk them down to using a smaller plane for the 1,000 mile trip.

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with my statement.

Financial Situation Of Resolute Bay
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

The Speaker

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

Financial Situation Of Resolute Bay
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

Ludy Pudluk High Arctic

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues. The hamlet managed to talk them down to using a small plane for the 1,000 mile trip. However, if they had waited one more day, the equipment and personnel could have arrived on a scheduled flight at a fraction of the cost. The hamlet estimates that $30,000 to $50,000 was spent unnecessarily on the frozen water line affair.

Smaller projects, such as printing and cleaning buildings, are done in elaborate government fashion and billed to the hamlet at the highest rate possible, plus administration and GST charges. My point is that especially in times of financial restraint, the government must work more closely with the hamlet to keep costs down as much as possible. I will be pursuing this matter with the government during this session. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Financial Situation Of Resolute Bay
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

The Speaker

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

Inukshuk Housing Cooperative In Yellowknife
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 341

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Inukshuk Housing Cooperative in my riding was built in 1988-89 to provide affordable housing options to its 50 members. The co-op is run by a board of volunteers from its membership, ordinary people like you and I, on a non-profit basis. Rents are assessed according to their overall costs of operation, with little surplus accumulated except for planned, specific projects and emergencies. Part of the assigned rent is set aside for the payment of the yearly property and school taxes levied by the city and is based on MACA's assessment classification.

In the first year, Inukshuk was assigned an assessment of class one, that is single-family dwellings, the same as other co-ops in the neighbourhood. Sometime during 1991, MACA arbitrarily changed the assessment class from one to class four, that being multi-family dwellings. The city then assigned its mill rate accordingly and the home owners dutifully paid their taxes, unknown to them that a major change had occurred. There was never any consultation with the co-op and its members or the city. Simply put, someone in MACA made the changes in error.

When the question was raised, no explanation was given except to advise them of payment deadlines. Being civic-minded, they paid the taxes they were assigned. Under new board management, the error was recognized and challenged through letters to the city and to the department. Madam Speaker, in a letter, MACA agrees that Inukshuk should be class one, single-family dwellings, not class four, multi-family dwellings, but appears to be reluctant or unable to redress the problem.

It appears, then, that until a better explanation is received, the 50 home owners of Inukshuk will be forced to pay an additional $500 a year for three years of this error. I will conclude by thanking MACA for changing the classification back to single-family dwellings for this upcoming tax year. I will have some questions to ask the Minister later on.

---Applause

Inukshuk Housing Cooperative In Yellowknife
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 342

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As we've all heard, Metall Canada has recently announced the indefinite postponement of plans to develop their lead/zinc/copper property at Izok Lake. Metall representatives cited low-base metal prices and high infrastructure costs as the main reason for the sudden decision. They also announced that, with the postponement of development, they were also withdrawing from the regional environmental review committee process and the Inuit impacts benefits agreement negotiations process with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association.

The RERC and federal government officials have recently requested information from the company's feasibility study. According to News/North on February 21, project manager, Mr. Ken Hill responded to those requests, "whether the government gets a copy may depend on whether it, too, comes in as an investor." The IIBA had also developed a possible major obstacle in that KIA was attempting to negotiate an equity participation into the Izok Lake project which company negotiators were having difficulty in dealing with.

Other recent developments have had environmental groups, such as Ecology North and the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, become more visible and vocal in raising concerns respecting the proposed Izok Lake project. And, as many of us know, Metealesellshaft, the parent company of Metall Company Incorporated, is in financial difficulty. Madam Speaker, as Metall progressed towards finalizing the regulatory approval requirements, more and more attention has been focused on their efforts and progress. Even while all these concerns were developing around the financial viability of the Izok Lake project, company officials continued to maintain to KIA that everything was on course, with minor delays and setbacks.

In fact, as recently as last Wednesday, February 16, at the KIA annual general meeting, Metall spokesmen advised the delegates that the feasibility study would be completed by March, taken to the Metall board for approval by June, with the intent to begin construction of mine facilities in 1995.

Since the very start of discussions between Minnova, which is the company purchased by Metall Canada Incorporated and KIA, there have been doubts raised about the viability of the project. Since that time, all the other potential detriments to the viability of the project had surfaced, including the parent company's financial situation, increasing base metal prices, less regulated deposits in other countries owned by Metall and high infrastructure costs.

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

The Speaker

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

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Even with all these issues surfacing, the company negotiators continued to promote the idea of developing the project to KIA representatives. My question is, why? Did Metall officials not know of these issues? Unlikely. Did they choose not to acknowledge them or even try to neutralize them? Or, did the company want to continue promoting the project in order to generate interest, which may have drawn in other potential investors, such as the government? We will never know the answer. However, what I do know is that there are many disappointed groups and individuals in my constituency and the NWT as a result of the sudden decision to indefinitely shelve this project.

Metall has continuously stressed their excellent progress in negotiating the IIBA with KIA throughout the development of the project. It would have been appropriate for Metall representatives to have recognized and addressed outright the possible deterrents to the development of a mining operation at Izok Lake in order to minimize creating any false expectations, which is exactly what they did.

Madam Speaker, the indefinite suspension of developing the Izok Lake property, although a disappointment to all of us, is certainly not a catastrophe. The ore reserves are still there and continue to be one of the richest in North America. At some point in time in the future, it will become economical to develop these reserves. I certainly hope that the manner in which Metall handled the negotiations with KIA, by not advising them of potential problem areas in developing the project, is not indicative of the manner in which other mining companies will treat other native claimant groups in the future. Mahsi Cho.

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Amittuq, Mr. Allooloo.

Lack Of GNWT Services In Hall Beach
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I would like to speak about the current situation in Hall Beach. This is a community with a population of 526. These 526 people feel that they have been forgotten by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Lack Of GNWT Services In Hall Beach
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Some Hon. Members

Shame, shame.

Lack Of GNWT Services In Hall Beach
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 343

Titus Allooloo Amittuq

The people of Hall Beach are not untouched by the many economic and social problems that exist in our northern communities. They are problems that require immediate attention, but what makes this community stand out is its appalling lack of services which would otherwise enable the people to take advantage of opportunities, obtain information and cope with their problems. I must say, Madam Speaker, I cannot blame this community for feeling neglected by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

At the moment, they do not have a social worker, a renewable resource officer, an economic development officer, an outreach worker or an adult educator.