Merci, Mr. Delorey. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today I will, on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, be tabling a draft document called "Towards Literacy: A Strategy Framework." Mr. Speaker, I would like to emphasize the importance of literacy. The Northwest Territories is on the brink of unprecedented economic development, which will bring jobs and business opportunities to Northerners. Northerners must have literacy skills if they are to take advantage of these opportunities.

Given the challenges of today's world, literacy is no longer defined as the basic ability to read and write. Instead, it is defined as an individual's ability to listen, speak, read, write, view, represent, compute and solve problems in one or more of the Northwest Territories official languages at levels of proficiency necessary to function in the family, the community and on the job.

Literacy levels in the Northwest Territories have increased substantially during the past decade. We should recognize and celebrate the commitment that has been shown by our youth, their parents, teachers and adults in improving literacy levels. We know that grade extensions in schools within our communities, program delivery by Aurora College and the work of non-governmental organizations has significantly contributed to furthering the education of many Northerners.

The draft strategy I am tabling today was developed in response to a motion presented by Regular Members and passed by the Legislative Assembly last summer. It represents this government's commitment to create a network of partnerships within the Northwest Territories to enhance existing literacy programs and establish new programs to ensure that literacy training is available in all communities of the Northwest Territories. It was developed after consultation with representatives of the non-governmental organizations, education authorities, Members of the Legislative Assembly and the general public. More than 200 people have been directly consulted. We expect further input from MLAs, the Northwest Territories Literacy Council and others before we finalize the strategy.

The draft strategy framework addresses literacy throughout life, beginning in early childhood and extending through the school, adult and senior years.

The proposed framework is broad and comprehensive -- addressing the need to expand access to literacy programs in communities, correctional facilities, for the disabled and seniors. It also suggests that we can improve some of our existing activities across government and in our education system. The draft strategy links to the proposed Early Childhood Development Action Plan in the areas of early childhood learning and family literacy.

The draft strategy establishes four long-term goals:

• • Increase the number of people in the Northwest Territories who are literate;
• • Increase awareness of the importance of literacy in the official languages of the Northwest Territories;
• • Ensure government departments work together to increase literacy levels in the Northwest Territories; and
• • Develop literacy partnerships across society.

To implement the draft strategy, we have included an expenditure of $2.4 million in our departmental budget. These monies will help to establish and enhance community-based literacy programs. The strategy will provide funding for English and aboriginal language literacy programs and extend library services to 15 communities that are currently isolated from the service. Funding has also been put in place to develop programming for seniors and for delivery of specialized services to persons with disabilities.

The delivery of these community-based programs will be realized through active partnerships with individuals, families, communities, NGOs and governments at all levels.

Mr. Speaker, there is a direct positive link between education and employment. Not only are people with more education more likely to have full-time work, they are also more likely to continue to learn and to acquire skills. Literacy contributes directly to a higher quality of life for individuals, supporting a key goal of the Legislative Assembly's vision document Towards a Better Tomorrow: healthy, educated Northerners making responsible, personal choices for themselves and their families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci, Minister Ootes. Déclarations de ministres. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Minister Antoine. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From time to time, it is the role of the Members of the Legislative Assembly to focus on issues of very broad concern. They may not be topical, but they are issues we should all pay attention to. Today, my colleagues and I will be focusing on the issue of water resources in our statements and questions.

When we look around the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, we see a land that is blessed with fresh water. Ponds, lakes and tremendous rivers, which are the transportation routes, provide sustenance and are the essence of life for our people.

To give us an idea of the magnitude of our resource, Mr. Speaker, Canada has roughly ten percent of the world's fresh water supply. The Northwest Territories has roughly ten percent of that share. When you combine Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes, Mr. Speaker, it is an area of approximately 11 times the size of Prince Edward Island.

Let me give you another perspective. Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes each have approximately 1200 cubic kilometres of water. That might be expressed, Mr. Speaker, as somewhat more than a highway of water from here to I think about Regina. One kilometre broad, and one kilometre deep. That is a lot of water, Mr. Speaker, and it has not yet gone under the bridge.

A major concern of mine, Mr. Speaker, is whether large-scale water exports must occur under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement. By signing this agreement, some people would argue that Canada is powerless to stop water exports or diversion projects. Others note that this is not covered under NAFTA. To deal with this concern, the federal government recently introduced amendments to the International Boundaries Water Treaty Act to prohibit the bulk removal of Canadian boundary waters. This includes the Great Lakes.

Those waters will not cross the borders but, Mr. Speaker, where does that leave the water here in the Northwest Territories? Could a tanker pull up to the Mackenzie River in the Delta, fill it up with fresh water and roll out to ports around the world? Could the railway in Hay River fill tankers with pristine Great Slave Lake water and do the same thing?

Everyone in this room is well aware of the negative effects of damming the Peace River in British Columbia and the effects that has had on water levels in the South Slave, in the Great Slave Lake regions. Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know that the federal government, through the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Resources Board, has control of land and water use here in the Northwest Territories. Other provinces have changed their regulations or introduced legislation to ban bulk water exports. My concern, Mr. Speaker, is that this government, as far as I can tell, has no position on the bulk export of water and that the same holds true for the Mackenzie Valley Water and Land Resources Board.

We cannot allow an ecological threat to occur by allowing the bulk export of water from the Northwest Territories. I will be raising further questions on this, Mr. Speaker, as we want to pursue a better tomorrow, we have to pursue these kinds of questions today. Thank you.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to focus on water today, but from a slightly different perspective. Last Friday, February 16th, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes indicated that 22 percent of the households in his riding are dependant on hunting and trapping as a source of income and food. The same day, the Member for Tu Nedhe brought to the attention of this House a concern over the number of abnormal, deformed fish in a lake two kilometres from the community of Lutselk'e, Stark Lake. The people will not even feed the fish to their dogs, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, water is important to the people of the North in another way. The flora and fauna of our northern ecosystems are dependent upon it for survival. Many people rely upon wildlife and fish for food and as a source of livelihood. When an inland body of water becomes so contaminated, so does the flora and fauna that use the water from that system. Mr. Speaker, when we eat ducks, caribou, moose or fish, we need to be confident that the game we are consuming is safe to eat.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is in a period of development. Oil and gas has been found in the Liard area and the Mackenzie Delta is seeing a resurgence in exploration. A third diamond mine is on the horizon. A better highway system is in the making and will open new areas of the North for resource exploration, Mr. Speaker. We are also looking at the development of our hydro potential. We are hoping to become a "have" Territory.

However, Mr. Speaker, we must also be cognizant that hand in hand with exploration and development comes the increased risk of pollution of our lands, water and air. Throughout the North, there are contaminated sites caused by development. During the review of the 1997-98 Auditor General's Report, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight was informed that there are about 451 sites with potential environmental liabilities in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, do not get me wrong. I am very excited about the developments that are occurring within our borders, but we must proceed cautiously so that we do not cause irreparable harm to our fragile environment.

Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the Premier's state of the union address recently and to the Finance Minister's latest budget. I heard a lot of focus on economic development. We need to extend that same effort to the protection of our sensitive ecosystem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as my colleague Mr. Braden indicated, we are surrounded by water in the Northwest Territories. Good water, and we tend to take it for granted. We turn on our taps at home and just assume automatically that good water is going to come out of there, that it will be there and will always be there. As we have found with Walkerton, that is not always the case and may not always be the case.

Right now, Mr. Speaker, Canada's drinking water quality guidelines set out our national standards and includes physical, chemical and biological standards. Mr. Speaker, making sure that the water is pure, clean and drinkable is not a simple task. Right now, we are overseen by the Northwest Territories Water and Waste Association and their certification program, which trains people who handle water and sewer.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the hard work they have done and the level of service they provide to us in what is basically a legislative and standards vacuum on the part of governments. Mr. Speaker, there are only two jurisdictions in Canada that have mandatory certification training for those people that work with water and waste. Once again, as we have seen with Walkerton, if it is not regulated, if there are no standards, bad things can happen.

In the Northwest Territories, we have been very lucky to date, but I think it is time for the government to step up to the plate to work with the Northwest Territories Water and Waste Association to set some basic standards that this association and all of the people handling water in the Northwest Territories communities on behalf of all of us can have a legislative framework that they can work with. One that will provide the kinds of guarantees that we need as a Territory to ensure that there is never a problem like Walkerton. We cannot continue to rely on voluntary certification. We cannot continue to rely on the fact that good water is going to come out of these taps on its own. I will be asking the Minister later today about the government's plans to take this issue to the next step; to have mandatory certification for water and waste handlers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in keeping with today's theme topic, I would like to address the issue of water quality in the North. Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to state that the town of Hay River has one of the top water filtration systems in the North. I would like to commend the employees of the Town of Hay River, particularly the public works department, for their vigilance in maintaining such a high standard for the residents of Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, the water at the Hay River treatment plant is monitored daily for chlorine and other contaminants. In addition, they monitor for pH levels continuously. Water samples are taken once a week and shipped to Yellowknife for testing. In addition, Mr. Speaker, routine inspections of the water treatment plant are also conducted biannually by an environmental health officer who is employed by the Hay River Community Health Board.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Hay River has regulations in place for the safe transportation of water to individual residents through contracted services. The standards in place are very high, and I commend Keith's Water Service for their continued diligence in maintaining such high standards. Mr. Speaker, the water trucks and filling stations are sampled periodically by the owners of the water delivery company, the Town of Hay River, and the environmental health officer.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Hay River's responsibility for water quality ends when the water is transported to the consumer. Our local environmental health department has indicated that if a homeowner thinks their water tank is contaminated or inadequately clean, the environmental health officer samples the water and sends it out for analysis. In addition, he makes recommendations to the homeowner to minimize potential risk.

Mr. Speaker, when members of the public bring concerns about possible water contamination in their neighbourhood to the environmental health officer, he is not able to act as these are private homes and are not governed under the Public Health Act. Mr. Speaker, the only time that the environmental health officer can intervene in a complaint about water quality is in the case of landlords or rental properties. In this instance, the landlord would have to ensure that the water is safe for his tenants. Mr. Speaker, I have a concern about who is responsible for the end users in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Delorey, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We as a government talk about taking responsibility for the residents of our Territory to ensure a decent quality of life for them. Improving our water quality, Mr. Speaker, is just one way that we can do this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as today's theme is on water and water quality, I would like to make my comments about Canada's longest river and the main source of good, clean drinking water for the many people who live in the Deh Cho region. My comments today are regarding concerns about the Deh Cho.

Mr. Speaker, over the years I have watched and listened as many people have discussed how this river could be harnessed, how it could be controlled, how we can make money off it. I have also listened as many people have complained as they view this river as an obstacle to their trips south. The residents of the Deh Cho are becoming increasingly concerned about this government's ability to act as the guardian of this river. Every year we watch as the Merv Hardie ferry busts its way through the ice like an icebreaker, something it was never designed to do. All it would take is one mistake, one misjudgment, and there could be serious ecological consequences.

We are also concerned, Mr. Speaker, about the ice crossing at Fort Providence. Everyone here recalls the near disaster that occurred last year when a fuel tanker truck went through the ice bridge before it was ready. We got lucky that time, Mr. Speaker, but will we be as lucky the next time? Who can say? What would happen should a truck loaded with dangerous chemicals fall through the ice? Is there a disaster plan in place to deal with that?

We are all very concerned because downstream from the ferry and ice crossing is the water intake for the community of Fort Providence.

When the tanker truck went through the ice last winter, I questioned the Minister of Transportation on what preventive measures the department had in place to ensure that this type of incident would not occur again. I questioned the Minister on the need for an increased highway patrol presence to ensure that large trucks do not use the crossing before it was ready to handle the weight. Mr. Speaker, I have not noticed any increase in the highway patrol presence around the community of Fort Providence or the ice crossing.

I do know, Mr. Speaker, that the demands placed on the ice crossing by the needs of the mining industry has meant that the ice crossing was open to heavy traffic as soon as the ice had reached its minimum thickness for full loads. Obviously, Mr. Speaker, there is a need for a permanent bridge.

In the meantime, it is imperative that the Department of Transportation does everything it can to ensure that the ferry and ice crossing are run as safely and as environmentally friendly as possible. There is no room for error.

Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Transportation questions during question period. Thank you.

-- Applause

Merci, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude, Mr. Nitah.

Mahsi. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, water pollution has a wide-ranging impact on our lives, the health and well-being of the people we serve and the economy of Canada. I know from the personal experience I have had dealing with my home community of Fort McPherson, the whole area of contamination is on our doorstep. Talking about THMs and also the community of Aklavik, where there is a doctor's request for a total review and testing of all residents of Aklavik to look at H. pylori, which is a carcinogen which is in the water system of that community.

Mr. Speaker, I just received a letter from the Inuvik Regional Health Board to the Department of Public Works stating that the department is not complying or has received a non-compliance order from the Department of Health with regard to the Tsiigehtchic water supply. Yet, Mr. Speaker, these toxins come through the air, flow through our water systems and also are a major cost and effect the well-being of our people.

With regard to the cancers and other diseases, many of the toxins are affecting the well-being and lives of the people that we serve. Knowingly, in most cases, it is much too late, people have already died. While Northerners are affected by the quality of our drinking water, the most important aspect is to ensure that the ineffectiveness of managing our water resources and to ensuring that we do all that we can to protect the water commodity and the resources we have.

The greatest people who are affected by this are the children and our elderly. Most of all, the effects it has on the community as a whole knowing that this has a long-term impact on the community and knowing what that is going to be.

Mr. Speaker, this government needs to take more responsibility to clean our drinking water and to ensure that our water resources are protected and that we are living up to the standards and conditions that we set for ourselves, the Canadian drinking guidelines that we have. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There being no nays, Mr. Krutko, you may continue.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated, this government has to do more to ensure the well-being of the people in the Northwest Territories. Yet, Mr. Speaker, as Canadians, we have all seen the effects of Walkerton, the effect of THMs on the residents that I serve in Fort McPherson and the doctor's request for tests on people in Aklavik. The other community in my riding is now having effects. We are not immune to this problem.

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the federal government has announced additional funds last June, $2.65 million for infrastructure in Canada over the next six years. With that, I would like to know exactly how much of that money is going to be going to the Government of the Northwest Territories and exactly what is this government going to do to improve our water crisis in the North. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Déclaration de député. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on January 12th, I went on a tour of the Yellowknife water and sewer system with a number of other MLAs. I must say I certainly noticed a lot of changes since I first took the same tour nearly 25 years ago in 1976. Mr. Speaker, given the heightened concern since Walkerton about municipal water systems, I was relieved to observe the number of checks on the water quality. I was also impressed with the concern and professionalism displayed by the system operators. Mr. Speaker, based on what I saw and heard, I am confident of the safety of the Yellowknife water system. However, Mr. Speaker, the sewer system is a somewhat different story, and not just because the perfume is considerably more offensive than the odour of chlorine on the water side.

We have observed how the system works, but I have also seen the condition of some of the sewer pipes. The old sewer pipes are made of corrugated steel, which corrodes quite badly. There are many gaping holes and in some places whole sections of pipe have corroded away. That means, Mr. Speaker, there is actually no pipe. The sewage is just flowing through the hole that the pipe used to be in. Obviously, this creates a dangerous situation and is a potential threat to public health.

Mr. Speaker, it also means that more money has to be directed towards maintenance, as the ground eventually caves in and blocks the flow of sewage. The City of Yellowknife has a plan in place and has been addressing these problems for ten years. The plan requires an average expenditure of $3.7 million per year for the next 11 years to make the necessary upgrades to the water and sewage system.

Mr. Speaker, currently the City of Yellowknife is in a healthy fiscal position, but these expenditures place a huge burden on our residents. To date, the Government of the Northwest Territories, through MACA, has provided significant assistance. I noticed in this year's budget, or the proposed budget for 2001-2002, the City of Yellowknife has been allocated $500,000 in infrastructure contributions from MACA to go towards sewer line replacement.

Mr. Speaker, extraordinary funding used to be like a supplementary block funding agreement. The term stretched over several years. Now applications to the fund must be made year by year. This leads to uncertainty and causes problems with planning. Mr. Speaker, we have heard from nearly every NGO receiving funds from this government that they need to get agreements for long-term funding. Municipalities also need to see long-term agreements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Déclaration de député. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just to make sure that I do not get ruled out of order for talking on too many subject areas in my Member's statement today, I would like to title my statement as an "Accountability Report to my Constituents" and use this opportunity to inform them about what I have been doing on their behalf over the last 24 hours.

You will see that I am doing this because I have learned that a good many people out there watch us on TV, including my mother, and I would not want anyone to think that I do not think the topic of water is unimportant. It is just that this is my fancy way of explaining why I do not have a state-of-the-art speech written on water and arsenic that I was hoping to write.

So before I go into my account, I would like to thank the Members for bringing this important issue to the fore, especially my colleagues from Yellowknife. I would also like to state that I have raised these issues in the House previously.

Just to get to my statement, I would just like to report to my constituents that I attended a Social Programs Committee meeting where we discussed a literacy strategy with the literacy council. I hope I am not saying anything out of school here.

This morning, Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to drop in at the Dene Nation National Assembly for a couple of hours to listen to the debates that were going on, which I found very informative and helpful. They were making great progress while I was there and united positions seemed to be building there.

At noon today, I attended a meeting of the Special Committee on the Sunset Clause, the result of which I hope to be reporting to the House soon. Still, we have a lot of meetings going around the clock and I managed to miss a meeting at lunch time because I could not be in two places at once. I just want to make sure that my constituents do not think that I am falling asleep on my job and not caring about the water issue.

Once again, I would like to thank the Members for bringing this issue forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee, for that state of Range Lake statement. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to make a statement on literacy and the need to be able to communicate properly in any language. In days gone by, many people were not given the opportunity to learn to read and write and therefore had to make do with whatever means were available at the time to get their message across. This applied to whatever form of business you were in, be it a trapper or a trader.

Let me give you an example in story form. In the last century, 1920 to 1940, when trapping was in its full glory, you could get $60 for a white fox and up to $2,000 for a silver fox. There were many traders operating in the western and central Arctic, including what were known as free traders.

The free traders operated as agents for the larger companies such as The Bay and CanAlaska Trading Company. Some were full-blood Inuit, others were of mixed blood. One such aboriginal free trader operated a store with the help of a white trapper. Although the white trapper was literate, the Inuit was not. Therefore, it fell on the white trapper to place the annual sealift order for more supplies.

One year, the trapper was not available to do this, but he left instructions with the Inuit as to how to place the order. His advice was to simply copy the writing off the boxes of goods and write down the quantity needed. When the order was received by the supplier, in this case CanAlaska Trading Company, among other things ordered were:

• • Four "keep lid down while playing";
• • Forty-eight cases, "this side up"; and
• • Twenty cases of "handle with care".

Mr. Speaker, one might well ask if the supplier was ever able to fill the order. I am told the supplier, who was based in San Francisco, was able to determine the order for the four items labelled "keep lid down while playing" were, in fact, four RCA hand-wound gramophones. This order was a sure sign that the local economy was booming, as these were high-tech electronic gadgets of the day that only the well-to-do could afford.

However, to this day...

Mr. Steen, your time for your Member's statement has expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There being no nays. Mr. Steen, you may conclude your very interesting statement.

Mr. Speaker, to this day they are still scratching their heads and wondering what in the world our Inuit trader wanted in the 48 cases of "this side up" and the 20 cases of "handle with care." Mr. Speaker, we may try to make do, but no doubt, it pays to be literate. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Steen. My previous comment was, because I was there, I know of what he speaks. It took me forever to learn that "klim" was milk spelt backwards. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a great deal of pleasure for me to introduce a very fine group of people in the gallery today. They are year one students of the Teacher Education Program at Aurora College. I am very proud to be able to introduce them, as well as their teacher, Doreen Baptiste. Please help me welcome them.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize Tim Butler, who is a member of the Workers' Compensation Board and also with BHP Mines. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a frequent visitor to our Assembly, the president of the Union of Northern Workers, Georgina Rolt-Kaiser.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Welcome all. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great honour to recognize Mr. Lee Selleck who is with the press corps here. I have to make sure I keep on Lee's good side in order to get some free publicity.

-- Laughter

-- Applause

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my Member's statement today, I am concerned that I cannot ascertain whether this government has a position on the bulk export of water. My question is for the Premier. Can he advise the Assembly if this government does indeed have a position on the bulk export of water? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is the lead on the issue of water, so all questions will be referred to him.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, over the last few years, the Canadian Council of Ministers for the Environment have been working on negotiating a bulk water agreement which would prohibit the sale of bulk water. The Government of the Northwest Territories has taken the position of support to not allow bulk water export from the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering, where is this position in terms of policy or documentation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the government does not have a written policy on bulk water. There are many other issues as well that we have a position on where we do not yet have policies or written documentation. Clearly at the Council of Ministers of Environment nationally, and meeting with our territorial and provincial colleagues to make very clear that we are not in support of exporting bulk water. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to emphasize that this is an issue that is going to have a growing prominence as water and climate conditions change. I would like to ask the Minister when he would pursue developing a formal policy on the bulk export of water? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are negotiating, along with the other jurisdictions in Canada, an agreement to prohibit the export of bulk water. We know water flows across boundaries, so it is necessary to have the support of all the jurisdictions that have water within our basins. We are doing that at the Council of Ministers of Environment level. We are also doing it through the Mackenzie River Basin Trans-boundary Waters Master Agreement.

Through that agreement, we are looking at entering into bilateral agreements with the neighbouring jurisdictions. I cannot give a specific timeline of when we would have either the bilateral agreements in place or the Council of Ministers of Environment agreement in place, but it is a matter that we are continually working on. I expect that within a matter of months or probably within the next couple of years there will be much progress on this. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased that we are working on that and that we are doing so with our neighbours. I would like to ask the Minister if there will be any form of public consultation or opportunity for people to have input into this very critical piece of policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I think there is ongoing consultation on a number of fronts with people with regard to water quality. On the agreement we are working on with the Council of Ministers of Environment, that one has been underway for some time. We will continue as we move along with it to keep the Members apprised of progress that is being made.

With regard to the Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement, there is participation from non-government, from the public, on that one as well. So there is a mechanism for consultation. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for Mr. Handley, the Minister responsible for wildlife. In my Member's statement, I mentioned I am concerned over the apparent lack of a coordinated action for monitoring the effects of development on the environment, Mr. Speaker. I am wondering if this government has a territory-wide plan for monitoring the effects of development on our environment? Not one that just looks at individual pockets of development, but a complete overall view of the effect of all pockets? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for monitoring water quality in the Northwest Territories resides with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. It is their responsibility through the Northwest Territories Waters Act to provide for conservation, for development and utilization of waters in the Northwest Territories for monitoring what is happening as a result of development. We as a government participate in it and we certainly lobby with our views, but because it is not our area of responsibility, we do not have an overall plan, except to say that we do recognize the need to maintain the integrity of our water system, to maintain the quality of it and to ensure that development does not have negative effects.

Having said that, we do participate and we cost share in programs like the West Kitikmeot/Slave Study project, which looks at water quality in a specific region. We will continue to do that in all areas where there is development. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do understand that inland waters are the responsibility of the federal government, but I am wondering if our government is ensuring that the federal government has adequate staff and resources to effectively monitor the consequences of this development.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, we certainly continue to ensure that the government understands our concerns for maintaining good quality water in the North. We participate on a number of fronts, as I mentioned the Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Waters Master Agreement that we participate in. We participate in the various monitoring activities that are going on with DIAND, with DFO, with Environment. We are partners in the West Kitikmeot Slave Study project and numerous other ones. So we continually make it known to the federal government through those cooperative ventures, as well as through letters and meetings, what our views are. Our view is basically good quality water and certainly supportive of responsible development at the same time. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Clearly we do want what is best for Northerners. I am sure we continue to lobby the federal government to make sure that they are adequately protecting our water and wildlife, but I am wondering if this Minister has placed it high on the agenda to get the authority for water developed to this level of government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, certainly the devolution of land and water is pretty key in any discussions we have with the federal government on the whole issue of devolution. Without responsibility of land and water being transferred to this government, then we really do not have any responsibility for resources and resource revenue sharing and so on. So that is pretty basic to any negotiations we have on devolution. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, water is as essential for life as the air that we breathe. Yet as we have come to realize in Walkerton, when it comes to how it is handled and who handles it, it is quite unregulated.

Mr. Speaker, the question I have to the Minister is while we have regulation and standards for child welfare workers...if you want to be a child welfare worker, you have to have a certain amount of training, a certain amount of certification. If you want to drive a truck, you have to pass a test and get certified because there are standards or a lawyer or an SAO.

Yet for those people who provide the critical service of making sure we have good, safe, clean drinking water, we rely entirely on the voluntary Northern Territories Water and Waste Association's voluntary certification program. My question for the Minister of MACA is are there any plans, given the tragedy of Walkerton, for this government to take a look at coming up and working with the Northern Territories Water and Waste Association to come up with a mandatory training package for people working in the communities who handle water and sewer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I am pleased to provide the Member with the information that MACA does provide funding annually to the Northwest Territories Water and Waste Association. They in turn conduct one or two operating training certification sessions a year. From the information I have, it tells me that this will be continued. Hopefully we will someday have a certification program for all waste water operators across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe I have the same information as the Minister, that yes we do have a certification program, but it is voluntary. My question to the Minister is, given how critical good, clean drinking water is to sustaining life in our communities, for all people, and given the tragedy of Walkerton, will the Minister indicate whether Municipal and Community Affairs is looking at making this not just a voluntary certification program but a requirement, a mandatory program for all people working with water and sewer? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, in conjunction with Public Works and Services, we are looking at a certification program that would require all operators in every community across the Northwest Territories to take some formal training to reduce the high risk of contamination of the water system. Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur Allen. Questions supplementaire, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is good to hear that news. I am not quite clear though, the Minister said certification. He did not indicate whether it was voluntary or mandatory. Could the Minister as well indicate what time lines we are looking at to have that certification program in place? Will it be the same as the one currently offered by the Northern Territories Water and Waste Association, but just made mandatory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, this is a coordinated effort between Public Works and Services, Health and Social Services and our department. Yes, we will undertake to ensure that perhaps in light of all the problems that have been raised across the country in terms of water quality, we will ensure that becomes a priority of our committee and to develop some type of certification program at that level. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to try to nail the Minister's feet to the floor more on this particular issue. He is pretty shifty here, he must have been a hockey player, not a skier.

What is your question, Mr. Miltenberger?

My question to the Minister of MACA is, could he give a time line when he anticipates that he hopes to do this laudable bill that I fully support? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not as shifty as he thinks I am...

-- Laughter

...but we are certainly complying with the occupational standards. In terms of the question, I am equally committed to trying to move this as fast as we can on the committee comprising members of Health and Social Services, Public Works and Services, and my department. We will move as fast as we can to make sure that in the next few weeks, or a month or so, we will be able to respond with some more concrete answers to that question. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of MACA as well. Could the Minister inform us as to whether there are any territorial regulations in effect that apply to every community when it comes to the installation of private home water systems? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is a good question, and I am sure that there are standards I am aware of, adopted through the Housing Corporation. We have standards that are required to be met for the installation of water systems. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister know if there are any repercussions that could come to local governments from individual homeowners if their water has become contaminated? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a number of issues that are raised across various communities in the Northwest Territories with regard to the question. From what I understand, there was a report done in September 2000 that identified a number of community water supply and treatment systems that need to be addressed. I am not up to date on any further information in that respect. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister inform us as to whether his department works with local governments to educate the people regarding the importance of regular cleaning of their storage tanks and water systems? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we do on an ongoing basis try to help them educate the residents across the Territories. In some cases, we have even committed funds to help them understand the need to improve their water quality systems in the community, as well as in the homes. We are also working jointly with Health and Social Services to ensure that the water is safe and good for drinking. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Final Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could I find out, is there a set of guidelines put out by the department or by Health and Social Services or by municipal governments that deal with how to clean and how to install proper water systems? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.