This is page numbers 1255 - 1298 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 chairman.

Topics

Members Present

Honourable Roger Allen, Honourable Jim Antoine, Mr. Bell, Mr. Braden, Mr. Delorey, Mr. Dent, Mrs. Groenewegen, Honourable Joe Handley, Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Lee, Mr. McLeod, Honourable Michael Miltenberger, Mr. Nitah, Honourable Jake Ootes, Mr. Roland, Honourable Vince Steen, Honourable Tony Whitford

---Prayer

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

Page 1255

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, on October 3rd, the Honourable Jane Stewart announced, in conjunction with the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, a new aboriginal skills and employment partnership program.

This $85 million, five-year program is aimed at securing and increasing sustainable aboriginal participation in large economic developments across Canada. These training programs can range from basic literacy skills and academic upgrading, to job specific programming.

Funding proposals must set out a comprehensive training-to-employment plan for aboriginal people that links skill development to specific job opportunities.

This is welcome news for aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. As you are well aware, residents in the North need to move beyond the entry-level positions. I know that programs such as this one will assist us in making this move. By assisting aboriginal people to receive the training and skills they require, we know we are setting the stage for a better future for all Northerners.

The NWT economy, fuelled by extraordinary levels of mining and oil and gas activity, offers a remarkable number of opportunities for well-trained, skilled people. So many opportunities are available that, at the current time, we are experiencing difficulty meeting labour demand. We need to ensure that our northern population is trained and ready to meet this demand.

Mr. Speaker, while this program is national in scope, I am confident that a great deal of the impetus for it came from several years of intense effort by our government, in cooperation with our partners, to have federal dollars invested in the North for resource development.

This government has, over the past two years, been working on the development of two specific strategies. Mr. Speaker, the NWT industrial mining skills strategy and the oil and gas industrial skills strategy are expected to total approximately $20 million in new funding. Although the federal government has seen previous copies of these proposals, they must be resubmitted to meet the new guidelines. We will continue to work in conjunction with our partners -- industry, federal

government, aboriginal organizations and the Aboriginal Summit -- while finalizing these documents.

This new funding announcement speaks directly to these types of proposals, Mr. Speaker, and will complement the ongoing industry, GNWT and aboriginal investments currently taking place.

While the total amount of $85 million is allocated across Canada, we are confident that, given the level of activity and the excellent work done to date, a large portion of these dollars will be invested here in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Minister of Human Resources Development Canada and our MP, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, for the support they are demonstrating in our ongoing effort to ensure that the northern economy maximizes northern employment, one of the primary goals of our government.

As well, I also compliment and congratulate industry, aboriginal partners and the Aboriginal Summit for coming together and working collaboratively to ensure we are ready to now take advantage of this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, while there remain a number of administrative details to iron out, it is important that we continue to work cooperatively with our partners and keep in mind the main goal of increasing employment for aboriginal Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Minister's Statement 97-14(6): National Foster Family Week
Item 2: Ministers' Statements

October 6th, 2003

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the week of October 19th to 25th is National Foster Family Week. I would like to take a moment to look ahead to that week to recognize the valuable contribution that foster families make to our communities.

Foster families open their homes to care for children in need. They have a very challenging and demanding role. It is encouraging to see that so many people in our territory have offered to care for children. There are almost 200 foster homes in the NWT that give children a caring, supportive home environment that is vital to their healthy development.

Foster parents share a common passion to protect and nurture children. They offer children a safe home environment while also supporting their interaction with their birth families. They work as members of a team with the social workers in their communities to meet individual educational, medical and developmental needs.

Mr. Speaker, the children in foster care range in age from infants to teenagers. They include children from every part of our territory. Our foster families have welcomed these children into their homes, and should be applauded for the work they do.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the Foster Family Coalition of the NWT. This organization has been in place for over a year to strengthen the network of foster families and the services they provide. It is an important resource for foster parents, to help them understand that they are not alone and that there are others who can support them through difficult times.

I would like to take this opportunity to call on families to become foster families, and I ask the Members of this House to join me in applauding the efforts of those who have taken up this service throughout the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to inform Members of this Assembly about the Northwest Territories' search and rescue prevention strategy.

The strategy was developed by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs through a two-year consultation process involving community leaders, territorial search and rescue authorities and search and rescue organizations in each of the Northwest Territories' five regions.

This work was supported by the federal government through the new initiatives fund, a national cost-sharing program for search and rescue.

The Northwest Territories search and rescue prevention strategy is based upon a framework developed at the national level. This framework came about because the various federal agencies with responsibilities in the area of search and rescue saw the need to address prevention. They understood that, while it is important to develop a capacity to respond to search and rescue incidents, it is also important to try and prevent such situations from happening.

The Northwest Territories search and rescue prevention strategy is the most appropriate means of reducing the North's high number of reports of missing or stranded persons not only because of the focus on prevention, but also because it is the result of extensive community consultations. The strategy includes a consolidation of approximately 150 recommendations from these consultations.

This consultation process ensured that the final strategy is a made-in-the-North plan based upon the realities of northern conditions. It also ensured that the strategy contains realistic, useful recommendations for reducing the number and severity of search and rescue incidents in the Northwest Territories.

Northwest Territories search and rescue authorities will need to work with communities and all northern stakeholders to effectively implement the recommendations from this strategy. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs looks forward to working with all interested parties to make this happen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Thank you, Minister Steen. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment today on recent announcements made by the Government of Canada to support high speed Internet services for remote northern communities.

The announcement of $155 million available under a national satellite initiative is welcome news for the Northwest Territories, as 16 of our 33 communities rely on satellite service. This announcement demonstrates that the Government of Canada is listening to our concerns and are working to address the needs for infrastructure, in this case technology infrastructure and satellite capacity.

We have been working with the Government of Canada and the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa to find creative ways to address the high cost of delivering service to residents across the territory, especially in satellite-served communities where the infrastructure and the ongoing cost of satellite space is high. Earlier this year we received some public benefit satellite capacity from Industry Canada and deployed it to schools, libraries and Aurora College campuses and learning centres.

I believe our ongoing work in educating Ottawa about the challenges we face and the missed opportunities resulting from lack of affordable, high-speed service in all communities is helping to spur development of federal programs to address our needs in this area.

Mr. Speaker, although we do not have any specific details of this program, we are pleased to see that it could address both infrastructure and satellite capacity. We in the Northwest Territories know that it is not always possible to take advantage of new opportunity if infrastructure is limited and it is difficult to move forward if the costs are excessive.

We will be encouraging the federal government to provide us with program details as soon as possible. We expect the Northwest Territories groups participating in the broadband for rural and northern development, or BRAND, program will be equally interested in this new program as it is intended to complement the $105 million announced earlier for BRAND.

Mr. Speaker, investments in community infrastructure are needed in the Northwest Territories. We look forward to hearing more about the opportunities the national satellite initiative offers for the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, October 5 to 11, 2003, is National Fire Prevention Week, so this is a fitting time to announce the recipients of this year's Northwest Territories Fire Service Merit Awards program.

In 2002, I established the Fire Service Merit Awards, a new program to recognize the contribution of individual firefighters and fire departments in the Northwest Territories.

A special inaugural ceremony was held to announce the 2002 winners during Fire Prevention Week. Members of the Legislative Assembly were invited to attend this ceremony at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre to help recognize these special contributors to the fire service.

In this second year of the program, the department once again received nominations to recognize the special contribution of individual firefighters. Individual nominations are assessed by a panel of local and territorial fire service officials, against a set of established criteria. These nominations have now been assessed and I am pleased to announce the 2003 winners at this time.

The individual Fire Service Merit Award recipients for 2003 are:

  • • Al Kuyten of the Norman Wells Fire Department
  • • Robert Ansdell of the Tsiigehtchic Fire Department

Mr. Ansdell has also been chosen as the recipient of the 2003 Territorial Fire Service Merit Award.

The department also received nominations for the Community Fire Service Merit Award. This award is presented to recognize the efforts of the fire department and the entire community in improving the local fire protection system.

The assessment process to determine the community merit award winner has now been completed and I am pleased to announce that the 2003 Community Fire Service Merit Award goes to the City of Yellowknife Fire Division.

Mr. Speaker, ceremonies to recognize the winners will be held in their home communities in the near future. I would ask all Members of the Legislative Assembly to please join me in congratulating the two recipients of the individual awards and the City of Yellowknife Fire Division. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the presence in the visitors' gallery of Cathy Bentley of the Department of Executive, intergovernmental relations, and with her is Frank Stendardo with the Privy Council in Ottawa's office. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Chief Sunrise Education Centre Funding
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1257

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Chief Sunrise Education Centre on Hay River Reserve has been experiencing a shortage of classroom space for many years now and this year is scheduled to receive some long overdue renovations spread out over the next couple of years. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has provided $600,000 for the project and the K'atlodeeche First Nation has committed another $200,000 to ensure that the renovations meet the immediate needs of the community.

Mr. Speaker, I have problems with this arrangement on a couple of different levels. Number one, I do not believe a first nation should be required to contribute funds to pay for the construction or renovation of an educational facility. Education is a right guaranteed under the treaty. It logically follows that adequate schools are an obligation that falls out of the treaty as a right. So why is the K'atlodeeche First Nation having to come up with $200,000 of their own money? They're taking money out of businesses in the community and that is critical. They're doing it because they see a need in the community and I applaud the leadership of the Hay River Reserve for taking this step and thinking about the future generations, but must question whether the department has the same commitment to the children and whether they respect or understand treaty obligations.

The other problem I have with this arrangement is the criteria that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment uses to determine whether a school is overcrowded or not and whether it requires expansion. According to this formula, the department classifies Chief Sunrise Education Centre as underutilized. This is despite such obvious signs of overcrowding as classes being taught in non-program spaces such as the library, the kitchen, the industrial arts room, the staff room and the gym foyer. I'm aware that the language instructor moves her supplies from classroom to classroom in a shopping cart, like a sort of door-to-door salesman.

Mr. Speaker, right now we have no room in that school for the three cultural instructors who deliver the on the land program, language program and arts and crafts program to the students. I'm aware that there's 34 students aged four years old who are enrolled in the Aboriginal Head Start program and this program is...Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Chief Sunrise Education Centre Funding
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1257

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? Mr. McLeod, you have unanimous consent to conclude your statement.

Chief Sunrise Education Centre Funding
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1257

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I'm aware that there are 34 students three to four years old who are enrolled in the Aboriginal Head Start program. This program has proven to increase dramatically the chances of aboriginal students doing well in school. I'm also aware that the centre is offering classes in the evenings and weekends to accommodate those part-time students who cannot access programs during the day because of the overcrowding.

It is simple, Mr. Speaker. The department's criteria for program space does not meet the needs of smaller communities. It might work in Yellowknife, but it does not work for the residents of the Hay River Reserve.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that other communities, such as the Yellowknives First Nation, have advanced funds to the department for renovations or construction of schools with the understanding that they would be reimbursed by the government in subsequent years' appropriation. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister as to why the K'atlodeeche First Nation was not given the same consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Chief Sunrise Education Centre Funding
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

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

Rise In Crime Rates In Hay River
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to address an issue that affects the entire community of Hay River. That being, the rise in personal and property crimes in our community.

Mr. Speaker, from January to August of 2002 there were 93 crimes committed against persons and for the same period this year there were 159. The mischief calls are up from 169 occurrences last year to 245 this year. The disturbances calls are up from 30 in 2002 to 54 this year. I could go on and on with statistics, Mr. Speaker, but trust me, there is an urgent, growing problem in Hay River around the whole area of crime prevention.

Let me be perfectly clear, Mr. Speaker. Hay River is not a bad place to live. I firmly believe Hay River is the best place to live in the NWT and I have made it my home for the last 33 years. Mr. Speaker, I do, however, wish to illustrate that the residents of Hay River are concerned and they are more than willing to be proactive in order to insure the safety and security of our community.

Mr. Speaker, on September 15th there was a community hall meeting held in Hay River to discuss crime prevention and enforcement and, above all, to raise awareness. I was encouraged to see a full house at this meeting, Mr. Speaker. The 75 people in attendance were very vocal about the rising incidents of crime in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, I fully support and commend the RCMP detachment in Hay River for the work that they do 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to protect the residents of Hay River. The RCMP officers are doing everything they can with the limited resources they are provided with.

Mr. Speaker, we currently have eight RCMP members stationed in Hay River. At one point several years ago, I believe we had approximately 18 members in Hay River. I don't know what changed, but I don't believe the demographics or level of crime activity did.

Mr. Speaker, along with the advent of development comes some stark realities, one being the rise in social problems - alcohol and drug abuse chief among these. Mr. Speaker, as a result of the town hall meeting I am very encouraged that the idea for a citizen's coalition has come about. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Rise In Crime Rates In Hay River
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? Mr. Delorey, you have unanimous consent to conclude your statement.

Rise In Crime Rates In Hay River
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. This citizen's coalition will be spear-headed by Town Councillor Robert Bouchard, a constituent of mine. The coalition intends to work hand in hand with the RCMP to combat crime in Hay River. Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud of the efforts of the residents of Hay River in working together to prevent crime and I look forward to working with them to achieve this goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Rise In Crime Rates In Hay River
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

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

Funding Allocations For Schools
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday of last week I went to Deninu School to celebrate the graduation of Ms. Amy Mersch. Amy Mersch was the only graduate for the Class of 2003. I met with the local education authority afterwards, along with the deputy minister of Education, Culture and Employment, where we discussed formula financing that supports grade extension. The local authority and I feel strongly that we have to revisit the formula financing agreements with the local education authority to realize more graduates coming out of our schools. Every year, the formula financing agreement is visited with each school, but if it's not negotiated then the true cost of running a school will never be identified and more graduates coming out of the schools will never be realized.

I'll be asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if the department is willing to enter into negotiations with local education authorities of all schools in the Northwest Territories to determine what it really costs to run the schools instead of the local education authority continually fighting for dollars to run the programs and services. Especially in those schools that should be accepting grade extensions. Since Fort Resolution accepted the grade extensions in the schools, we've been seeing more graduates coming out of that school, but the community and the local education authority leaders feel that without more resources and targeted programs and services that these programs could be a lot more successful and we'll see a lot more educated people coming out of the Northwest Territories. I totally agree with that, Mr. Speaker.

I'll be having questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment at the appropriate time. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Funding Allocations For Schools
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Giant Mine Remediation Project
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1258

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the recent announcement about the closure of underground operations at Con Mine reminds us of the need to clean up the lands around mining operations when they close. With the closure of Con we are fortunate to be dealing with a company that is not bankrupt and has the opportunity to do the right thing for the environment on the closure of the mine. I expect the cleanup will be undertaken responsibly and move forward at a reasonable pace.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the environmental cleanup of Giant appears likely to hang over our heads for years to come.

Giant Mine Remediation Project
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1259

An Hon. Member

Years.