This is page numbers 535 - 571 of the Hansard for the 13th 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 chairman.

Topics

Members Present

Honourable Jim Antoine, Honourable Goo Arlooktoo, Mr. Barnabas, Honourable Charles Dent, Mr. Enuaraq, Mr. Erasmus, Mr. Evaloarjuk, Honourable Sam Gargan, Mrs. Groenewegen, Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Miltenberger, Honourable Don Morin, Honourable Kelvin Ng, Mr. Ningark, Mr. O'Brien, Mr. Ootes, Mr. Picco, Mr. Rabesca, Mr. Roland, Mr. Steen, Honourable Manitok Thompson, 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 the constant recognition of the dignity and aspirations of those whom we serve. Amen.

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

Page 535

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to tell you that I am fed up with the speculation and innuendo which is being repeated in this building, in the press and on the street about the Lahm Ridge Tower lease.

This is damaging the reputation of not only myself as your Premier but the Cabinet and the Legislature as a whole. It is also damaging and disrespectful to senior managers in the Government of the Northwest Territories and private citizens and it is untrue.

First, Mr. Speaker, I categorically deny any wrong doing or interference in the Lahm Ridge Tower lease by myself, my Cabinet colleagues and by my deputy ministers.

--Applause

Second the lease extension was and is a good deal for this government. But you know this, all the information has been put on the table. The Minister of Public Works and Services has tabled a chronology of events regarding the Lahm Ridge Tower office lease in this Assembly. The Minister and deputy minister of Public Works and Services have been candid and forthright in responding to questions on this issue. Despite this, rumours and innuendo continue to flow.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, we do have a process to deal with citizen's concerns about conflict of interest. I challenge the Member from Hay River or anyone else who may believe there is wrong doing to file a complaint against me with the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, that is if they have the guts and political backbone. If not, let us get on with the business of good government. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Morin. I would like to remind the Ministers to stick to their statements that they have filed and not stray away from what you have actually filed. Thank you. Ministers' statements. Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, as part of celebrations for the Northwest Territories first official Apprenticeship Week, I would like to announce yet another first - the beginning of a new project called Construction Trades for Women.

Construction Trades for Women is a pilot project to introduce young women in the Yellowknife area to careers in construction technologies. The pilot project is a partnership initiative sponsored by North of Sixty Women in Trades and Technology. This project also has the support of the NWT Status of Women Council, the two Yellowknife school boards, Human Resources Development Canada, BHP, the NWT Chamber of Mines, the NWT Construction Association and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, 24 young women in grades 10 and 11 will spend two years learning about the construction trades. The project consists of after-school training in various skills such as carpentry, plumbing as well as computer-assisted design. The courses are taught by Melanie Ridgely, who was one of the NWT's top graduating apprentices in 1995, as well as the winner of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's 1995 Woman Construction Apprentice of the Year Award.

Trades provide excellent opportunities for a lifelong career. The Construction Trades for Women project is an excellent start for these young women who wish to pursue careers in this area. On behalf of my colleagues, I wish them every success. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Evaloarjuk.

Mark Evaloarjuk Amittuq

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week during my Member's statement, I recognized and congratulated my constituents' achievements. I would now like to make a statement about something new that has been happening and is very serious and can have serious criminal implications attached to it. This may be something new, however, there have been a number of occasions where people have been putting sugar into gas tanks of skidoos and vehicles and this destroys motors. It is very expensive when this happens and can be very dangerous for operators of boats. If that happens while boaters are out hunting in the ocean, it can become very dangerous out in the open sea. I would prefer to call this action serious under the Criminal Code, but I also realize there is no law to deal with people who do this, just like there is no law to deal with people who sniff substances.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure which Minister I should question regarding this issue. I would like to work with my honourable colleagues as to how we can make laws to deal with people who commit acts of this sort instead of waiting for something serious to happen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the division of the territories approximately 13 months away or 421 days, I believe it is time to put personal differences aside and concentrate all our collective energies on what is best for the people who we are elected to represent. Mr. Speaker, I have some serious reservations about the decentralized model of government for Nunavut that has been agreed to by all the signatories including the GNWT, NTI and the federal government. I clearly understand that the concept of a decentralized model has been approved and accepted. I strongly support it. My concern, Mr. Speaker, is what is the timing or schedule for these jobs and positions to be relocated or transferred to the smaller communities such as Arviat and Baker Lake? Mr. Speaker, I am very certain that the majority of the people, the residents of Nunavut, believe that the long awaited jobs that have been promised with the coming of Nunavut will arrive in the next year or so.

Mr. Speaker, the timing of these jobs is further complicated by the delay in construction for example, of housing units in my home community of Arviat. Mr. Speaker, this can only slow down the process for these transfers and decentralization. Mr. Speaker, most of the residents of Nunavut, especially the elders have waited a lifetime for Nunavut and the associated benefits such as these much needed jobs. Mr. Speaker, I will close by saying we must make every hour count leading up to April 1, 1999 and ensure that all residents know what to expect and most importantly, when to expect it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is in regard to the question of fairness and opening the area around Yellowknife to other aboriginal organizations to look at the possibility of acquiring real estate in Yellowknife and also having the ability to lease back that space to this government. Mr. Speaker, I am talking about two organizations in general, the Dene Development Corporation and the Gwich'in Development Corporation, who have made several inquiries into certain real estate transactions in this city in regard to Lahm Ridge Tower, the Laing Building, the Stuart Hodgson Building and other real estate opportunities they are presently looking at. Mr. Speaker, in regard to the comments in this House in reference to the Lahm Ridge Tower, I think the aboriginal groups have made it clear that they will not settle for anything less.

Mr. Speaker, regarding the organizations I speak of in which the Laing Building has been one of the real estate transactions they have been working on for a number of years, the Gwich'in Development Corporation have been looking at it for the last two years. Since then the Dene Development Corporation has taken on looking and purchasing such properties and also the possibility of becoming active in the real estate market in Yellowknife. They are involved in allowing themselves to compete in this market and be able to acquire leases from this government. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Public Works questions about these leases and why has it taken them so long and why was the Lahm Ridge Tower deal was done in such a short period. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak on the issue of seniors' fuel subsidies. Mr. Speaker, it has been some time since there has been heated debate in this Assembly about the issue of seniors' fuel subsidy. I would like to bring it back to this forum in a different area. Once the Minister had reinstated the seniors' fuel subsidy, I believe they did it around the food index as to which communities would be categorized in the different zones. The community of Inuvik was put into zone one. That concerns me, Mr. Speaker, for the simple reason that Inuvik is much farther north than any other communities in zone one. The cost of living is higher than the other communities in zone one. For example, this is, according to the 1991 census, the family weekly food costs in Inuvik were $199.00, Hay River $155.00, Yellowknife $163.00. By those numbers alone, I guess my

question later on will be what entails the food costs? If you are a senior in the Northwest Territories and you own your own home, that means you have to pay for your own power, your own water and your own fuel. So there is a lot of issues here that are not calculated into the costs. As I have said in this House before, the costs in the community I represent have gone up extremely high in the last year especially. So I would like to know and I will be asking the Minister responsible on the reasoning for Inuvik being in zone one where there are many communities that have a lower cost of living, have shorter winter seasons and I believe a lower total overall cost of living. So at the proper time I will be asking questions to the appropriate Minister. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

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

James Rabesca North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in this House asking myself what does it take? What does it take to get the Department of MACA to realize there is a serious problem with funding in the community of Rae-Edzo. As my colleagues may recall, last week I gave an example of the funding problems Rae-Edzo is having. Also myself and my colleague, Mr. Ootes, asked the Minister responsible for MACA regarding this and were told the department staff were coming up with a solution. Today, Mr. Speaker, I was told that the solution is that there is no problem. To that I would like to give two more examples.

Firstly, I would like to compare the community of Fort Providence in regard to the culverts funded under the hamlet funding formula. Fort Providence, a very nice community only a two and a half hour drive from my home, with a population of 674 receives $56,364 per year for culverts and streetlights. While in Rae-Edzo, a population of 1,615 receives from the same department $30,084. This seems a little strange.

The reason for this difference is because Rae-Edzo has very few culverts. The reason Rae-Edzo has so few culverts is because Rae-Edzo does not have proper roads and streets, with the number of culverts that we have, being 4 inch to 8 inch pipe, not real culverts. Our roads are not roads, we have something close to being called trails.

Every spring the hamlet staff of four works very hard to ensure spring run off drains properly. However, because we do not have the proper drainage, the staff works two or three weeks pumping water across the trails and digging drainage ditches in these very trails we drive on to ensure some form of drainage occurs. This is not a new problem, it has been this way since the hamlet was incorporated back in 1971.

My second example is the dump trucks the hamlet has. The only funded dump truck is the standard government issue with a box that holds approximately two to three yards. The hamlet also has a 1980 vintage surplus US Army DEW Line dump truck. This truck was purchased by the hamlet with the blessing and encouragement of MACA and is not a funded vehicle. This same truck has now cost the hamlet $25,000 in repairs to date and is still not in proper running order.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that I have unanimous consent to complete my Member's statement, please.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Member for North Slave is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Rabesca, you have unanimous consent.

James Rabesca North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I ask you, does this seem fair and equitable? It is my hope that this will finally show the Minister there is a serious problem in Rae-Edzo and that she will come up with a fair and equitable solution in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Rabesca. Members' statements. Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this week is Apprenticeship Week, I would like to rise to pay tribute to apprentices and of course, tradesmen. This is a week that has some special, personal significance for me. I have had the privilege for the last two and a half years, basically since we have been elected, of sitting next to my honourable colleague from Inuvik, who is a journeyman mechanic, a wrench-puller extraordinaire, from Inuvik and an all around swell guy as my Minister of Finance notes. I, as well, have the honour of being a journeyman carpenter, Mr. Speaker.

Clearly, tradesmen can be anything they want. Mr. Speaker, very clearly as a society we would be lost without tradesmen and apprentices. They build things, they fix things and they keep us going. Being an apprentice or tradesman is good work. It is valuable work and it is honourable work. In our territory, soon to be two territories, those kinds of skills are now needed more than ever. They have my full congratulations. They are a fine bunch of guys and women. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Members' statements. Mr. Enuaraq.

Tommy Enuaraq Baffin Central

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, the breakwater is important to the economy of Broughton Island. Mr. Speaker, the breakwater was set up to reduce the force of the waves and to provide a sheltered place for the community to dock their boats, but there is not enough space to safely dock all the boats at the existing breakwater. An extension of the current breakwater is needed.

The extension is part of a long-term plan to improve the fishing industry in Broughton Island. Fishing is an important part of the local economy. As in other remote northern communities, employment opportunities are hard to find. The local fishing industry in Broughton Island provides seasonal income to many people. Many people in the community may not have a source of earned income otherwise.

The first phase was to build the existing breakwater and this has been done. The extension is the second and final part of the breakwater project. It is time for the Department of Transportation to finish what they started, Mr. Speaker. The people of Broughton Island and I look forward to the prompt completion of the breakwater. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Ootes.

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last night I had an opportunity, along with my fellow MLAs, to attend a presentation and discussion with four doctors as representatives of the NWT Medical Association on the issue of regionalization of health care in the north.

The doctors presented a written brief followed by a two and a half hour discussion. As was pointed out, there are advantages to regionalization but there are also tremendous disadvantages like fragmentation of fiscal and human resources and discrepancies in access to health care. The strong message last night was the NWT Medical Association has become increasingly concerned with the changes being made in the delivery of health care by the regional boards and the potential for destabilizing of the health care system.

Dr. David Butcher, president, said the most important resource of the system are the people working in it. It was stated that it has been the health care workers who have kept the system going. The health care workers are not being adequately supported in many cases by the boards.

Dr. Butcher spoke about the fact that economics is driving the system. He stressed the most important point was the quality of health care. He said there must be territory-wide standards and the need for leadership by the department in this area. Otherwise each health board goes in its own direction. He made reference to breast cancer as an example. Now each board sets standards and chooses what services to deliver, how to deliver it and who can do what in a region. He suggested what we needed to do is to ensure a plan is in place for appropriate training in clinics and hospitals with adequate supply of staff. All institutions should be credentialized. Following that, all individuals should be credentialized.

Dr. Butcher said we are placing undue expectations on boards. They do not have a governance process in place. They do not have the critical mass of well-trained people. It was not the message of confidence in our system, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

--Applause

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Steen.