This is page numbers 281 - 314 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 4th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

Members Present

Honourable Jim Antoine, Honourable Goo Arlooktoo, Mr. Barnabas, Honourable Charles Dent, Mr. Erasmus, Mr. Evaloarjuk, Honourable Samuel Gargan, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Henry, Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Krutko, Honourable Don Morin, Mr. Miltenberger, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Ningark, Mr. Ootes, Mr. Picco, Mr. Rabesca, Mr. Roland, Mr. Steen, Honourable John Todd

Oh, God! May your spirit and guidance be in us as we work for the benefit of all our people, for peace and justice in our land and for constant recognition of the dignity and aspirations of those whom we serve. Amen.

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Rabesca. Good afternoon. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Manitok Thompson is ill and will be absent from the House today.

As well, Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi will be late for Session today. He is returning from a meeting in Edmonton with the federal Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding the Canada Endangered Species Protection Act.

The Honourable Jim Antoine will also be late for Session today. He is returning from Deh Cho Leaders Assembly in Fort Providence, I believe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Ng

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Mr. Speaker, this past September the federal government discontinued its funding of the Adolescent Solvent Abuse Treatment Program, placing the operation of the program in jeopardy. The Department of Health and Social Services stepped in to allow the program to operate until the end of this fiscal year.

Today, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Health and Social Services will provide the necessary funding to continue to keep the Adolescent Solvent Abuse Treatment Program running. Not only will the program stay open, Mr. Speaker, but its scope can be broadened. Federal funding restrictions meant that the program had to target aboriginal youth with solvent abuse problems. Now, with the commitment of territorial government funding, Northern Addiction Services, who operate the program here in Yellowknife, will have the flexibility to include treatment of alcohol and drug abuse for aboriginal and non-aboriginal youth.

-- Applause

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Mr. Speaker, it is a sad truth that far too many of our northern youth abuse alcohol, drugs, and solvents. A recent survey found that over a third of northern youth aged 15 to 24 were heavy drinkers, over a third had used marijuana or hashish, and an alarming 13 percent had sniffed solvents. Our future is in our young people, Mr. Speaker. Successful early intervention in the lives of young drug and alcohol abusers will mean fewer addicted adults in the future.

The Department of Health and Social Services is working very hard to find better ways to meet the health and social needs of northerners. Supporting this valuable program is an important part of our effort to keep our young people healthy and work towards eliminating the root causes of health and social problems. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

Support For Victims Of The Old Crow School Fire
Item 3: Members' Statements

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we all know, the school in Old Crow was destroyed by fire. The evacuation of the school went smoothly without incident, and no one was hurt. I would like to commend the teachers and the students for carrying this out in a thoughtful manner. In the process of evacuation, the children and teachers left behind their boots, shoes, mitts, scarves, neck warmers, jackets, and parkas. Mr. Speaker, the Gwich'in in Mackenzie Delta are now gathering school supplies and clothing for the children of Old Crow. I have been informed that a charter will be departing to Old Crow with some supplies, clothing, tomorrow morning. The people of Fort McPherson will also be travelling to Old Crow to lend support to the teachers and students.

I would like to call on other communities in the Northwest Territories to donate any kind and welcome anything that can be dropped off at the Gwich'in offices in the communities of Fort McPherson, Inuvik, Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic. Communities can also send supplies and clothing to Chief Randal Tetlichi, Old Crow, Yukon, Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Support For Victims Of The Old Crow School Fire
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Picco.

Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While I am pleased by the attempts on the part of the present government to live within an increasingly bleak revenue picture, I am very concerned that the lack of focus on how we implement our budget will bring far more pain than need to our population. Especially for the most vulnerable, those with little, or unemployment, or other options. Until we can improve our decision making system, waste may be the order of the day. The arbitrariness of cuts for some programs recently issued demonstrates this point. It seems to be some type of Ouija board government happening here, which takes more direction from touchy-feely current instincts.

At the root of this problem is the lack of on-going evaluation of programs, systematic evaluation providing us with comparisons of value for many more program wishes than we can completely fund.

Mr. Speaker, today I had a call from a single mother with two small children. The mother explained to me that she pays $580 every two weeks for day care. Mr. Speaker, this working mother takes home a net pay of $987 every two weeks. By the time she buys groceries and pays taxi fares, she has $30 left. She has to pay the power bill and her phone bill, et cetera. Mr. Speaker, the gross salary of this individual is $35,000 a year. She is a member of the working poor. I have tried to refer this lady to various departments for help, but, Mr. Speaker, she makes too much money. Can you believe that? She makes too much money. The mother said that by going on social assistance, she would be better off financially. We have to address this, Mr. Speaker. The point here is that yes, we have to balance the budget. Yes, we have to cut back. Yes, we have to reduce, but we also have to maintain the less fortunate in our society that Mr. Todd talked about the other day, which Mr. Miltenberger mentioned yesterday. If we do not do this, it will all have been for nothing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Members' statements, Mr. Roland.

Inuvik Heating Costs
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues, I rise this afternoon to once again ...

Inuvik Heating Costs
Item 3: Members' Statements

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An Hon. Member

Say hello to your wife?

Inuvik Heating Costs
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Say hello to my wife and family back home. Thank you Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Speaker, I would hate to disappoint the gentlemen around the table here. Mr. Speaker, I have concern, in the community of Inuvik, that once again we are taking undo pressure when it comes to budget reductions. Mr. Speaker, I have recently received calls from my home community of Inuvik on a concern with the news that is going around town on the proposed rate hikes for the high temp system in Inuvik. They are saying that the high temp system could rise by approximately 60 percent in the buildings.

Mr. Speaker, in a community that is already hard hit, that has lost a lot of employment, and is continuing to try and adjust dealing with the deficit situation it is put in, I am concerned that, as a government, and parts of our government, are looking at imposing or trying to impose such outrageous rates. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to a number of people who have owned homes in Inuvik that bought their homes from the GNWT that were hooked to the existing high temp system. On certain months of the year they can pay up to $800 a month just alone for the heat they receive in their homes. Sixty percent of that, Mr. Speaker, to add on top of less wages to pay the bills. Mr. Speaker, I have very serious concerns at what message we are sending when it comes to fairness and trying to deal with the people in the territories equally. I will have questions for the appropriate Minister at a later time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Inuvik Heating Costs
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Members' statements, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Senior's Fuel Subsidy Program
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am going to tell a story. Once upon a time, in a little town in the Northwest Territories, there was a street. And on that street lived a variety of townspeople. In the first house, lived a little elderly grandma, and she owned the home that her late husband and she had lived in. She had many happy memories from this modest home where she had raised her children, who were now all grown up. On her meager income of $13,000 per year, she had a fairly happy life, until one day the government came along and told her that she was earning too much money, and that the fuel man and wood man were not coming to her house any more unless she had the money to pay them.

She ran to her good neighbours to ask if the government had been to their door. The couple next door had indeed had a visit too, but although their house was the same size as hers, and it cost roughly the same to heat and maintain, the wood man and the fuel man were still coming to their house because, although their household income was $29,000, they were not earning too much. She ran to the neighbours next to them, who were really comfy and warm. They were getting ready to go on a trip to see their children. And, although they were retired and living on a good pension, they had extra money to buy things for their grandchildren, to eat out once in a while, and buy good food and clothing. The old lady was happy for these neighbours because they lived in a home owned by the government. They did not have to pay for their wood, fuel, power, rent, repairs, nothing, but the government had not been to their door either.

Alas, the old woman returned to her home. That night she shivered in her bed, wondering what she could do to afford her little house. She was comfortable there. Could she get a job? Could she move into a government house too? No, there were no more, and she was too old for anyone to hire her. The government houses were all taken. She would cut back on her food and clothing and get some cheap wood from the correctional centre. But when she called them up she found out that there was no more cheap wood for seniors. Although the woman tried not to worry, she began to dread the night when she would lay in her bed all alone and worry about the future. After many sleepless nights, she became sick and stopped going out of her house. One day, the ambulance came and picked her up, and she lived out all the rest of her days in the hospital. The hospital was nice and she thought that it must cost the government a lot of money. But she was lonely for her little house. She quit looking forward to visits from her family, and one day she quietly passed away. Her grandchildren and her neighbours sadly missed her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Senior's Fuel Subsidy Program
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements, Mr. Erasmus.

Jurisdictional Responsibility For House Boats
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is about the jurisdictions in the Northwest Territories, in particular Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, over the past year there has been lots of discussion in Yellowknife about house boats. This has caused confusion and anger for many people. In other places, this particular type of situation is not an issue. There are plenty of examples of house boats in B.C. For instance, in Vancouver the City of Vancouver has jurisdiction over house boats and there are land use marine guidelines used. On Granville Island, CMHC has jurisdiction by order of council, and the land, in this case the water, is leased to the home owners. Mr. Speaker, the problem is jurisdiction. Elsewhere in Canada, it is clear who is responsible. Here, in the Northwest Territories, and particularly Yellowknife, there are many players. There is the city, there is the territorial government, there is the federal government, and then, of course, there are the aboriginal people because of the claims. Everything is up in the air. There are treaty land entitlements, land claims, and self-government is still hanging around out there unanswered. The federal government has authority over some land and waters. It is ridiculous that so much time, energy, and dollars are being spent on this issue in Yellowknife. Once again, lack of decisive action by the federal government is causing trouble for northerners. We need the jurisdiction clarified. Not just for house boats, but for other activities. The federal government must settle self-government and land claim issues, and soon. The general public and potential investors should not have to wonder who is responsible for the land. It is time we were responsible for our own land, not just treated as tenants. It is primarily the federal government who can clarify this. Thank you.

-- Applause

Jurisdictional Responsibility For House Boats
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Mr. Erasmus. Members' statements. Item 4, Returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Todd.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me pleasure today to recognize John Hicks who is the newly elected mayor of Rankin Inlet, and with him is Antonie Masone, who is the administrative officer for the centre of the universe, the growing metropolis, the constituency that stands above all the rest, my home town, Rankin Inlet. Thank you.

-- Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Ootes.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge the presence of Yellowknife businessman and well known northerner, Dave McCann, in our gallery today, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Edward Picco Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past few days I have been trying to get some information from the Minister of Education on the librarian's position. In the Department of Education's capital standards, regional librarians are described as having a specific purpose. They are established to support a specific designated region. The standards indicated regional libraries are designed for joint use with the community library. In the past there has been a clearly demonstrated need for the regional library in the Baffin Region. Can the Minister explain why his department has decided that this need no longer exists, and is eliminating the regional librarian position?