This is page numbers 833 - 910 of the Hansard for the 14th 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

Achievement Levels Of High School Graduates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently the newspapers have been printing congratulations to the high school graduates and pictures of grads. I am extremely proud of those who have graduated from high school and I support their educational and career aspirations. We need our youth to be highly educated and well trained in order to secure and retain employment. These graduates are our future. We must ensure the education they are receiving in our schools will allow them to pursue and fulfill their dreams of further education, training or employment.

However, the education system of the Northwest Territories seems to be failing some of our children, especially those who expect that the grade 12 diploma they receive will open doors to their future. Many people in our communities are reporting that the youth graduating with grade 12 do not have the educational skills to pass college or trades entrance exams. These exams have entrance requirements that range from a grade 8 to a grade 12 level.

With the emphasis that the GNWT is placing on the need for trades and other professionals, we need to ensure that our people are employable in all skill areas. For too long we have been complacent about Northerners being employed in menial, unskilled positions. The demand for employees in all of our trades and technical fields is great. There needs to be assurance that our youth have educational levels that match those of our southern neighbours.

Our graduates are bright, capable people. We do not want them short-changed by an educational system that is not delivering quality education. For example, Mr. Speaker, medical personnel are in high demand in the Northwest Territories, but how many students pursue further studies in medicine? Are we encouraging our youth to become doctors? Do our youth receive a science education that will allow them to pursue this type of a career?

We spend all of our time trying to convince people from other areas to move here and practice medicine when we should be encouraging academic achievement for our youth so they can pursue this type of career and stay in the North. I would like to have the Minister of Education confirm that our students are not being short-changed and that the education these students are receiving is equal to that of the rest of Canada.

Are there benchmarks that must be reached at a certain grade level? Are our students achieving those levels? Are we giving them false hopes by allowing them to graduate but they are not able to attend post-secondary schooling because their marks are not high enough?

Achievement Levels Of High School Graduates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mr. McLeod, your time is up. Mr. McLeod.

Achievement Levels Of High School Graduates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

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

Achievement Levels Of High School Graduates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Achievement Levels Of High School Graduates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, I do not wish to discredit those who are graduating. They have done their part. The question is, is the Department of Education doing theirs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Achievement Levels Of High School Graduates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Programs For Housing Maintenance And Repairs
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Housing Corporation of the Northwest Territories offers a number of programs that help people obtain housing who may not be able to otherwise. This is commendable. As a government, we are here to serve our people by providing programs and services to better the lives of all Northerners.

As well as providing homes, the department has a responsibility to ensure that homes are built as structurally sound as possible, so that homeowners do not have extra costs. A number of constituents have come to me concerned with housing problems that are related to unstable foundations.

There are also other issues. For example, one constituent of mine has electrical problems, but because there is no warranty, this person is basically going to be financially drained just to make sure his home is safe from an electrical fire. Other constituents have called me about insulation that is missing from underneath the floor or outer walls.

Mr. Speaker, constituents who have called the Housing Corporation with their concerns have been told that since they are the owners of the homes, they are responsible for the repairs. Mr. Speaker, it is true that when you own a home you are responsible for its maintenance. However, when there are structural concerns related to the construction of a home, it is only fair that follow-up repairs be done after construction.

As a result of unstable ground construction and conditions in the North, sometimes structural problems do not appear in the first or the second year. I have had the good fortune of being able to attend many events throughout the Territories as an MLA. I know that these housing concerns are not only in my region. They are all over the North.

Mr. Speaker, we spend millions of dollars in the construction of new homes for our people. People assume mortgages to buy these homes and yet they can end up with a home that has structural deficiencies. Mr. Speaker, I think if the Housing Corporation followed up on the construction plans, it would give homeowners' security. I will have questions on this for the Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Programs For Housing Maintenance And Repairs
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 837

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Business Incentive Policy Limerick
Item 3: Members' Statements

June 17th, 2002

Page 838

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been a busy day and I have not had time to write a Member's statement, so I thought I would just pass on a short message that I received from a constituent by e-mail.

There once was a Minister named Vince, Whose words he would never once mince. Large projects he builds, But the BIP he has killed, Consistency has disappeared ever since.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Business Incentive Policy Limerick
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Effect Of Class Sizes On Learning
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to advise my colleague from Hay River North that I stand here to beg today. Mr. Speaker, on May 16th, the Parent Advisory Group at Range Lake North School in my riding had an open forum on the effect of class sizes on children's learning. The goal of the forum was for all of the stakeholders to collectively address the issue of large class sizes and the impact it has on our children's ability to learn. The evening was well attended by parents, teachers and the representatives from both city school districts, departmental officials and MLAs, including the Minister of Education, the Honourable Joe Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the research that was presented clearly indicated that too many students in a class have a very negative effect on a student's ability to learn. The reality is that at Range Lake North School, the classrooms were designed for 22 students, but many classes have 28 to 30 students or more. In grades 4 to 8, numbers are up to 30 to 33 students per class. To make the situation worse, many of these are split classes.

This is simply intolerable, Mr. Speaker. Members, Ministers, and all of the officials in school districts, elected or otherwise, as a group of leaders we must do something about this. The students in grades 4 to 6 classes have written personal notes on how their big classes are making learning difficult. Later on today I will be tabling those letters from the children, as well as a petition from the parents in my riding. I would encourage the Minister and the government to read these letters from the children because they will tell you they cannot learn, they cannot concentrate and they cannot get the attention of the teachers when they need to. Nor can they take part in gym or music classes as much as they would like because there are just too many students.

Mr. Speaker, we must find a way to cap the maximum students in a classroom from grades 1 to 8 at 25. We must find the money to do this. I stand here begging, Mr. Speaker. Like many in this House and every parent and teacher out there, I have been put through a wringer, or more like a propaganda machine, about the technical difference between the classroom size versus PTR ad nauseum, or the nuances of national averages, territorial averages, et cetera.

I want to borrow from Scarlet O'Hara and say, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a..." The only important thing I need to know is that this is not working and we need to think of...

Effect Of Class Sizes On Learning
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Ms. Lee, your time is up. Ms. Lee.

Effect Of Class Sizes On Learning
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

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

Effect Of Class Sizes On Learning
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Effect Of Class Sizes On Learning
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the only important thing I need to know is that this is not working for our children. We need to think outside of the box of maddening PTR versus class size arguments. The only thing I need to know as an MLA is what our children, the teachers and parents are telling us. That is that our class sizes are simply too big and children are not being given proper attention to learn.

We need to look at our specific needs in the North and respond to them head on. We owe it to our children to act now. I urge the government to be bold and place the learning needs of our children on the top of their spending priority list. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Effect Of Class Sizes On Learning
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mining Week 2002
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 838

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is Mining Week in the NWT. It brings to mind the contributions of many early prospectors, Mr. Speaker, names like Johnny Baker, Gilbert Labine, Darcy and Huey Arden, and more recently, Mr. Speaker, the diggers and the hunters and the finders, people like Gren Thomas, Chuck Fipke, Walt Humphries and Dave Smith, people around the North who are continuing to look for the foundation that we are building on in mining.

Gold was first found in the Yellowknife region in 1895. That is when Yellowknife started its first boom, by 1936, when the first shafts were sunk for the mines that, to some extent, are still operating.

In those 60 to 65 years, gold has seen a roller coaster ride on the price, but lately, cresting at about $325 U.S., we are seeing a renewed interest in gold exploration. It is too early to say, Mr. Speaker, if we are on the edge of another gold boom but our gold mining heritage is certainly looking brighter.

Exploration and development have come a long way since the solitary prospector staking his claim may have tramped the countryside. It is hard to believe that a little over ten years ago, Dia Met Minerals and BHP announced the discovery of diamonds at Lac de Gras. If we look ahead just a scant five years, we are going to see from the Ekati, Diavik and De Beers Winspear properties at least 12 percent of the world's diamonds by values.

In addition to exploration and mine development, we have seen the growth of cutting and polishing plants. Yellowknife is an even more cosmopolitan place now, Mr. Speaker, as we see travellers coming in and out of places like London, Antwerp and Israel.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Chamber of Mines carries the flag for this industry. They have organized a number of activities, including a prospector's challenge, a mine rescue competition and tours of the Miramar Con Mine. Mr. Speaker, the official unveiling of the Walter A. Gibbons Memorial Mineral Display Case at its new home at the Northern Frontier Visitors' Association will take place tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m.

I want to acknowledge the contribution of people past and present in the mining industry and I continue to look forward to great results. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Mining Week 2002
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Yellowknife High School Graduation Ceremonies
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to echo some of Mr. Delorey's comments from yesterday.

-- Laughter

This week, Mr. Speaker, 166 individuals in Yellowknife are in their final school days. I am referring to the graduates of the class of 2002 from Sir John Franklin and St. Patrick's High School. They are now currently writing their final exams and will soon be embarking on new challenges in their lives. Last month, Mr. Speaker, I was honoured to have the opportunity to stand in for the Minister of Education, Mr. Ootes, and deliver his speech to the graduates of Sir John Franklin during their convocation ceremonies.

It would be an understatement to say that I was impressed with the calibre of graduates this year, Mr. Speaker. Being a witness to the graduation ceremonies and the personal speeches, I cannot help but share in the pride that our community has in all of these young men and women.

Clearly graduation is a time of extreme emotion for students, parents, family, friends and yes, even teachers. High school graduation can be a very stressful time in the life of these students who may feel uncertain about the future.

Mr. Speaker, the pressures and challenges our youth face today are many, and more so than when I graduated. These young adults are clearly ready and raring to take on whatever comes forth.

Mr. Speaker, dedication and personal discipline help these students meet the challenge, but they did not do it alone. Support from parents, family, teachers, and friends has no doubt been critical. I strongly encourage each and every graduate to strive to do their best and not to get discouraged by little bumps on the road along the way. Mr. Speaker, each of us knows that successfully navigating the road builds character.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask my fellow Members to please join me in congratulating not only the students from Yellowknife but also each and every graduate in the Northwest Territories, the class of 2002. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Yellowknife High School Graduation Ceremonies
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

National Aboriginal Day
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on June 21st, National Aboriginal Day, the communities of Nunakput are planning to hold celebrations. These will consist of traditional games, Arctic sports, drum dances, and square dances. Mr. Speaker, many of these events and activities are possible due to generous contributions from my honourable colleague, the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Antoine. On behalf of these communities, I would like to thank the Minister for these contributions.

The communities of Sachs Harbour, Holman, Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk will all be celebrating National Aboriginal Day. I will be taking part in these events and I encourage the residents in my communities to take part in National Aboriginal Day celebrations and make it a great day for everyone. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

National Aboriginal Day
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Thomas Simpson High School Graduation Ceremonies
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize the class of 2002. In Fort Simpson, we have the Thomas Simpson High School with eight graduates who have completed their work this year. I just wanted to say that we all know that it takes a lot of effort and time to encourage and keep the students focused and committed to finish their grade 12. I would like to congratulate the following graduates of Thomas Simpson High School, class of 2002: Josh Bellefontaine, Susie Hanna, Nathan Isaiah, Rebecca Jumbo, David Lafferty, Mark O'Neill, Tiffany Petersen, and Nathan Wright.

I also wanted to congratulate the families of the graduates, particularly the mothers and fathers. In those roles, you usually have to keep prodding on the students to make sure they go to school and stay focused. I would like to congratulate them all and good luck in the future. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thomas Simpson High School Graduation Ceremonies
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Passing Of Noah Selamio
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 839

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the concurrence of my colleague for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Floyd Roland, I would like to again take this opportunity to make a statement in memory of a dear friend who recently passed away in Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that during the past month, the town of Inuvik has lost a number of important members of our community. One such member is a gentleman by the name of Noah Selamio. Noah frequently attended our elders luncheons at Ingamo Hall, where I enjoyed sitting down and listening to his many stories.

Noah was born in Nunalok in the Yukon Territory. As a young man, Noah hunted and trapped in the northern part of the Yukon and eventually moved to the Mackenzie Delta.

Mr. Selamio's occupations varied throughout his life. He began working at the Moose Kerr School in Aklavik and when Inuvik came into being, he moved his family to Inuvik where he worked at Stringer Hall. After working there for several years, Noah worked as a labourer for Imperial Oil for several more years until the oil and gas industry left in the mid 80s.

Mr. Speaker, what continues to sadden me most is that many of our elders who are leaving us behind played such an integral part in developing Inuvik in its formative years.

So today, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Assembly to join me in expressing our deepest sorrow and to send our condolences to his family of two sisters, several children and grandchildren. Mr. Selamio's funeral will be held at the Pentecostal Church in Inuvik on Thursday, June 20th. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause