This is page numbers 1143 - 1180 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th 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 policy.

Topics

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, there was an excellent editorial in the September 9 edition of the News/North whose headline read, "Students Suffer While Officials Feud". There were a lot of very thought-provoking comments contained in this editorial, but in particular, the last paragraph stated, "Ootes isn't seeking re-election. Perhaps his political legacy could be education peace in the South Slave." I couldn't agree more, Mr. Speaker. I urge the Minister to do the right thing and release the legal opinion to the parties concerned so that we can move ahead in the interests of all students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Aurora College Infrastructure Needs In Yellowknife
Item 3: Members' Statements

October 1st, 2003

Page 1147

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the last three years plus, I and a number of my colleagues have continued to make the case that the Yellowknife Campus of Aurora College needs additional classroom space, needs parking and it certainly, absolutely, needs student housing. We were, I think, reassured or relieved and saw at least some ray of hope when we discussed the project in Inuvik that's going forward and the fact that the Minister was prepared to work with the private sector in Inuvik to address some of the housing needs, despite the fact that he didn't have the capital money at that time to build dormitories. I think that my colleagues and I saw that as an opportunity and had hoped to get the same flexibility and same response and accommodation from the Minister in Yellowknife.

Six or so months ago, Mr. Speaker, I wrote to the Minister, as did a number of my colleagues -- Mr. Braden, Ms. Lee, Mr. Dent -- about the need for classrooms, parking and student housing in Yellowknife. The Minister did acknowledge that there was a critical shortage and certainly students who were coming in from out of town are on a waiting list to get into accommodations in Yellowknife and often have to put up with less-than-ideal housing situations because we have such a shortage. He did note that the housing market is very tight in Yellowknife and it's difficult to find arrangements with private landlords at this point. We do know things are softening.

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Minister is prepared to work in this capacity. I'll have questions for him today about this and about what he's been able to do to date. I'd like to remind the Minister that before we get into this I expect that he'll tell us the government understands the concern, feels our pain, but there's a process, there's business planning, there's main estimates, et cetera, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to remind the Minister that, before we hear that and before we see that argument rolled out, we continue to deal with supplementary requests month after month in this House that are for operational funding that obviously should have been planned for, could have been planned for. So when there are priorities we seem to find the will and the way to get things done. I'd like to remind the Minister of that.

We know the problem is being further compounded by a system-wide housing shortage due to the closures of a couple of buildings in Fort Smith. Things are not getting better for the college and for our post-secondary students. I'll have questions for the Minister about this in question period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Aurora College Infrastructure Needs In Yellowknife
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1148

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Clawback Of The National Child Benefit Supplement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1148

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in August of 2003, provincial and territorial Ministers met in Yellowknife. At that time, Jane Stewart, the federal Minister of Human Resources Development Canada suggested to the territorial government that people on income support keep the national child benefit supplement. This federal program was designed to combat child poverty, but if you live in our territory and receive income support this money is clawed back. The benefit would pay a low-income family with two children about $200 a month. The same amount is deducted from families on income support.

In my mind, this action by the territorial government defeats the very purpose of the federal program. This action penalizes the very children it is designed to help. For example, if a family earns $5 and receives the supplement, the children benefit. However, if a family receives $5 from income support because they are unable to find work in their community, the supplement is clawed back.

Many provinces, including Alberta, have recognized the flaw in this and are no longer clawing back the national child benefit supplement. I urge the territorial government to do so as well. I know that the Minister has stated that families on income support do not need the supplement because all their basic needs are met. This is debatable.

The Minister is also quoted as having stated that the child benefit was never intended to go to the people on welfare. Yet, the Minister is encouraging them not to claw the money back from people who rely on income support. On other occasions I have heard the Minister state that income support is a program of last resort. Mr. Speaker, in communities where there is no work, it is often the only resort.

Mr. Speaker, I do not think that we should be clawing back from children something that they are entitled to. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister on this issue later. Thank you.

---Applause

Clawback Of The National Child Benefit Supplement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1148

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like today to address the issue of tax-based municipalities and their involvement in the devolution process. Mr. Speaker, the Premier, in a September 8 press release, said it costs us more to respond to development than we receive in benefits. Further, he said that aboriginal and public governments in the Northwest Territories deserve the dignity of being able to provide the physical and social infrastructure to support growth. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Premier and I, too, hope that, as he spoke about earlier today, he brings back some positive results from his weekend meeting with federal Ministers of infrastructure.

Tax-based municipalities in the Northwest Territories, I assert, would also support this approach as they have recently formed a coalition to study the impact of devolution in their communities. Mr. Speaker, I think something that is not all that well understood across the North is that tax-based communities are required to finance much of their own infrastructure, programs and services through their own tax dollars, supplemented by Government of the Northwest Territories contributions.

Across the country, the majority of Canadians have migrated into large urban areas, into tax-based areas. The Northwest Territories doesn't seem to be much different. Seventy per cent of the population is resident in our six tax-based communities, Mr. Speaker.

Yellowknife's mayor, His Worship Gordon Van Tighem, recently said, when you receive a share of the royalties you also take on a share of the expenses associated with earning those rewards. There really is no free lunch, and I think that's evidenced by a number of residential tax bills in the city that are over $3,000 a year, Mr. Speaker.

Devolution and the sharing of resource royalties are of vital interest to us all. We can be and we want to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. But while there's been a lot of discussion regarding the share of royalties between our government, Canada and First Nations governments, there's been little consideration by us of the involvement of tax-based municipalities. It should be a core principle of this government, Mr. Speaker, that if industry creates growth and generates wealth through royalties, the communities who directly bear the impact should be involved and should receive some of the benefit.

Tax-based municipalities say, with regard to devolution, that they have not been involved, nor represented, nor consulted on this issue. This is not an acceptable approach for our territorial government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to continue on a theme I started with yesterday about the benefits of being in a large centre and the capital, that being Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker. The cyclone effect of the capital city is something we continue to be reminded of on different occasions.

Mr. Speaker, I'll refer directly to government positions within communities and I'll specifically refer to the vital statistics office up in Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, it's been a number of years that that office has been established. My understanding is that vital statistics deals with every person in the Northwest Territories when it comes to their health care cards. I also understand that when that office was moved up to Inuvik all the human resources that were doing the job here in the capital city didn't quite make it out to the community that I represent and that office was established in.

Mr. Speaker, since that time, the increased workload that has continued to grow hasn't been met with new resources to help deal with that. Instead, the human resources, as I've last heard, were shrinking. Mr. Speaker, when that part of the department which is territorial in nature, but outside of the capital city, was seeking help and seeking support to try to deal with that issue it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. In fact, at one point, Mr. Speaker, I became aware that the department had moved to try and pull that office back into headquarters. Mr. Speaker, I was told that nothing of that nature was occurring, but I was shown an actual letter by an employee who would be affected. That is when I became absolutely aware that this move was afoot.

Mr. Speaker, I have to thank the Minister for stepping in and ensuring that this territory doesn't continue to centralize itself in one location. But, Mr. Speaker, I became aware again that the concern continues to be there with those people trying to provide a service for the residents of the Northwest Territories. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services on this area and what he's doing to ensure that the needs are being met this department through that office in Inuvik. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Return To Question 245-14(6): Community Consultations On The GNWT Capital Planning Process
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 1149

Stephen Kakfwi

Stephen Kakfwi Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Lafferty on Wednesday, June 4 with respect to coming to consultations on the government's capital planning process. The deputy ministers task team on "meeting infrastructure requirements" includes the task to clarify core capital need and development of infrastructure policy framework. The objectives of the above task include:

  • • the requirement to develop clarity between the government and communities on the types of infrastructure that will be funded;
  • • the involvement of communities in the planning and decision-making;
  • • community responsibilities on the maintenance and upkeep of infrastructure;
  • • community contributions to capital projects;
  • • how this government may address a balance between core service needs and community priorities; and
  • • application of capital standards and criteria.

The community consultation undertaken this spring was intended to seek the communities' input into both the development of the 2004-2005 capital plan and the capital planning process, including the criteria applied in prioritizing projects. A consultant was engaged to review the current capital planning process and also to address how we may better provide for the needs of communities. The results of the consultants report and the community consultations will form the basis of a number of recommendations to enhance the capital planning process to better serve the needs of this government and communities. Thank you.

Return To Question 245-14(6): Community Consultations On The GNWT Capital Planning Process
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 1149

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1149

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Colleagues, I'd like to direct your attention to the visitors' gallery. In the presence of the visitors' gallery of the former Member serving two different Assemblies, Mr. James Rabesca.

---Applause

Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Minister Steen.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1149

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to welcome in the gallery two of my constituents from Holman, Jill Olifie and Janet Kanayok, and from Tuktoyaktuk, Helen Gruben and Lena Kotokak. Mr. Speaker, these ladies are attending the annual general meeting of the Native Women's Association being held here in Yellowknife. I would also like to mention that Ms. Kotokak has been serving as my constituent assistant for the last four years and doing a fine job. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Steen. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Minister Miltenberger.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Dr. David Butler-Jones. Dr. Butler-Jones is past-president of the Canadian Public Health Association, a member of the Naylor committee and a respected public health advocate and expert who is in the North to speak on the importance of a strong, vibrant, well organized public health system in order to respond effectively to emerging issues such as SARS, West Nile Virus, mad cow disease and others. He's accompanied by Vicki Lafferty from the Department of Health and Social Services. Dr. Butler-Jones.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm surprised today to see Jack and Jan Cooper here. Jack Cooper is a former resident of Hay River. He taught school there for many years. He's now retired and he and his brother have a business called Cooper Studios, who have voice coached many renowned performing artists in Canada. So if you want to be a rock star, go see those two gentlemen. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to welcome as well Ms. Agnes Kuptana, originally from Holman, but now a resident of Inuvik.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Minister Ootes.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize some members who attend the Tree of Peace Adult Education Program here in Yellowknife. Helene Usherwood is the instructor. Flossie Okoak, Theresa Martin, Theresa Wright, John Quitte, Michael Payne, Violet Kachkowski, Eli Ulayuk, Lawrence Mantla and Melanie Norwegian. They're up in the gallery, Mr. Speaker. Please help me welcome them.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 1150

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.