This is page numbers 1299 - 1354 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

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, honourable Members. Mr. Speaker, the government got Northerners excited by raising the profile of the Social Agenda, but now frontline workers and government agencies are wondering about the lack of action.

Mr. Speaker, this has been a missed opportunity. A dollar invested in prevention is saved many times over in reduced social costs in the future. I know I have heard the Minister of Health and Social Services and other Cabinet Members talk abut the importance of prevention. Mr. Speaker, it's too bad we didn't try harder to actually invest more in prevention. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity over the last four years to receive firsthand information and offer my views on behalf of my constituents on the enormous opportunities that continue to unfold for our territory. Mr. Speaker, industries like diamond mining, oil and gas, hydro electricity and tourism, any of which any province or territory would be proud to have are all possible here in the North. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, for every one of these developing industries, our communities and governments are faced with the challenges that increased development presents.

Mr. Speaker, whenever we talk about opportunities available to us, we are inevitably faced with the question of how do we find enough money to deal with the challenges and survive long enough to realize the benefits. We have become accustomed, Mr. Speaker, to facts and figures like employment rates of 70 percent, an unemployment rate of eight percent, projected revenues of $31 billion from oil and gas and diamond mine resources and untold jobs for our residents. Mr. Speaker, we have also begun to speak lightly of our $1 billion budget and $300 million borrowing limit which we are fast approaching and one-time windfalls to this government of $80 million.

I believe all these figures are very significant, Mr. Speaker, as is the $80 million in federal funding announced this week for infrastructure development in the North.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend everyone for securing this money from Minister Allan Rock to the NWT Business Coalition and moreover, the 19 Members of this assembly who have stuck together in our belief that in order to meet our challenges, we need the help of the federal government.

For myself, Mr. Speaker, it's about doing everything in our power to retain jobs and long-term benefits for Northerners including sustainable businesses. For example, Mr. Speaker, when we hear about opportunities connected with the development of oil and gas and a Mackenzie Valley pipeline, such is the need for some 20 bridges and a pipe coding facility, I believe it is our duty to look at every avenue available to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to directly benefit from these projects.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, industry will gladly keep getting their services from the South unless we, through a social economic impact benefit agreement, force them to keep it in the North where it belongs. Mr. Speaker, we did it for the diamond industry. Let's not drop the ball on other industries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1305

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members will know that the community of Fort Providence has been working for the last three years towards an agreement to construct a bridge over the Deh Cho. This has been a huge undertaking that has been recognized in the Northwest Territories and on the national stage as an important element of the national highway system and for the economy of the NWT. It has also been recognized as a model for community and aboriginal participation in our economy. It has been a priority for me, as MLA for the Deh Cho. Since its inception two years ago, the idea has progressed steadily from a dream to a probability. The final approvals necessary to make this project a reality are within our grasp and construction could begin within the next few months.

Progress could be made possible by the belief, commitment and hard work of many people. In particular, I want to acknowledge the support and commitment of the Minster of Transportation, Honourable Joe Handley, who has been instrumental in this project from the outset; the Premier Stephen Kakfwi and Cabinet; all my colleagues in this House; the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew; and, the Honourable Robert Nault; and also the management staff of the territorial departments of Transportation, RWED and the management staff of DIAND regional office. Of course, I must acknowledge with some pride the vision and initiative of the leaders and residents of Fort Providence. They have been consistent in their support and determination to move this proposal forward.

The signing of the memorandum of intent in November 2002 was a big step forward and the passage in this House of the Deh Cho Bridge Act in June of this year was another huge step forward. I am pleased to advise that Premier Stephen Kakfwi and Minister Handley have been invited to Fort Providence to initial the concession agreement on October 22nd.

This agreement will define the relationship between the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and the GNWT throughout the construction and concession stages. It will allow the corporation to move forward with finalizing, financing, permitting and contract arrangements. Mr. Speaker, in two short years from now, I expect to be witnessing the ribbon cutting of a bridge crossing the Deh Cho.

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1305

Some Hon. Members

Hear, hear!

---Applause

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1305

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

I also hope to be doing so as the MLA for the Deh Cho.

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1305

Some Hon. Members

Hear, hear!

---Applause

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

I hope to be inviting all of you to attend. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1305

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Homeownership And Maintenance Programs For Single Parents
Item 3: Members' Statements

October 7th, 2003

Page 1305

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one thing that I have noticed over the last number of years is we are seeing more and more single parents being homeowners. These single mothers are trying to maintain a home through separation and divorce. They find themselves in the situation of not only maintaining the family, but now being the sole provider in the home and also trying to maintain the home which, in most cases are old units which were originally HAP units and are now reaching an age of improvements and maintaining them through programs in this government.

One thing that frustrates a lot of single mothers is because the cost of maintaining their homes, they don't meet the threshold this government uses. It's important to realize that there are more and more single parents out there, especially mothers, who are in this situation. I have met with many of them, along with the Minister, to try to find a solution or a program that is specifically designed for them.

We find that these individual mothers have applied through Housing Corporation programs. They have managed to meet the criteria and then once they were qualified, they find that they were told they can't find a contractor or this program won't come in line this year, so you will have to wait until the following year. When the following year comes around, there is no money. The money has been lapsed or spent on other projects.

The Minister made reference to his meeting with the federal Minister and also working with CMHC to work to find new scenarios and new programs. This government could take the situation of how single mothers who are maintaining a home and raising a family and are in a situation where they are living in rundown homes because of poor maintenance and the high cost of maintaining the home, which they are responsible to maintain.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to the Minister on this matter. I have dealt with four or five individuals directly with the Minister where I have gone with the regional staff into these individuals' homes to look at the condition of these homes and they are very much in need of assistance.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, there are costs associated with maintaining a home. You have to deal with the day-to-day bills that come with raising a family and also the cost of maintaining the home with relation to your power bill, your fuel bill, your water and sewer bill, your property tax bills. All these things add up, especially if you are a single mother trying to raise a family.

I think it's important as a government that we try to find new programs that assist and don't put roadblocks in front of individuals because they don't have the mechanical skills. They are not carpenters, they don't have the abilities to fix and repair their homes themselves and they find these obstacles put in front of them.

So, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be asking the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation questions on this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Downturn In NWT High School Graduation Rates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1306

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I read a bit of a disturbing clipping in the media today that was talking about graduation rates across the Northwest Territories and the fact that they were coming down. This is something that I've been tracking for some time, Mr. Speaker. It's a concern of mine. Indeed, I think it's a concern of all of ours.

I've looked at my own community, Yellowknife, and noticed that the graduation rate since 1999 to 2000 has gone from about 64 percent, then down to 59 percent the next year and last year down to about 57 percent, Mr. Speaker.

This is a concern for all of us. It's something that we need to certainly be studying. I'm not going to stand here today and say that this Minister, this Department of Education, Culture and Employment and all the good folks working for the department are responsible for these numbers, but they are certainly accountable. This is the kind of information that I expect the ministry to present to us and I think it's on the ministry to engage us in a discussion about our performance so that we can get to the root of this problem and seek to address the issues that are causing it.

A number of my colleagues in this House throughout the last week have been talking about this kind of thing. I think it's vital, Mr. Speaker, that we own up to this and seek to address it. It's important that we also look at best practices.

I would note in the regional centres that there has been a bit of an anomaly, a blip from 1999 to 2000 when we saw our number of graduates go from 49 up to 73 the next year, and then back to 49. I'm wondering if the department has looked at this anomaly to determine if, in fact, this is accurate or if they can point their finger at something that went on right this year that we can seek to repeat. It's important that we do, Mr. Speaker.

I recently, in the mail, got a study on education policy. It's something that the Fraser Institute puts out. I thought it was interesting for a number of reasons. It's interesting because it assesses performance across the provinces. Typically, I think we'd tend to believe that the more money a province spends on education, the better the performance of its students. It seems intuitive, Mr. Speaker. It's not necessarily the case.

Something that was really interesting was that Alberta, which consistently scores academically at the top in terms of provinces, does not come on top in terms of two other categories often associated with high achievement, those being small classes and more spending on education. So what is it, Mr. Speaker? We've had a lot of discussion about PTR and the need to address student needs.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to see unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Downturn In NWT High School Graduation Rates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1306

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Downturn In NWT High School Graduation Rates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1306

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The social programs committee has consistently said that PTR is fine. It was important for us to put money there, but student support is also critical and very important. I don't want to be alarmist, Mr. Speaker, but clearly this downward trend is something that we have to address now before it gets critical.

Mr. Speaker, in the United States many of us will be familiar with the No Child Left Behind Act that President Bush signed on January the 8th of 2002. The guiding principles are such things as accountability of results, focusing on what works, reducing bureaucracy, increasing flexibility, empowering parents and guardians.

This is the point that I think is very important, Mr. Speaker. I think that we've had a lot of discussion about the have and have-not communities and the growing gap. We recognize it's there. If we're going to talk about improving quality of life and economic opportunities across the entire territory and, indeed, in the smallest communities it will be and will start with the improvement in our education system. When I say education system I don't just mean teachers and principals and the department. I mean our community leaders, mayors, chiefs, councillors, teachers, elders, parents and students. There's enough of this, Mr. Speaker, for us to all take on our shoulders and try to carry it forward. Indeed, I believe we have to do that in the next Assembly.

One more point, Mr. Speaker. I think it's important that we make examples of young, successful role models like Amy Mersch. My colleague who represents Fort Resolution mentioned that the department was in Fort Resolution to have a ceremony for her and her graduation. I think it's critical that we hold people like Amy up as examples of what can go right when we work together. My congratulations to her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Downturn In NWT High School Graduation Rates
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1306

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, I received a letter from the Premier outlining how a deputy ministers' task team has been created on meeting infrastructure requirements. The point of this team is to clarify the GNWT capital planning process between the GNWT and the communities in the North. Mr. Speaker, I was discouraged when I read this. To me, it is more busy work created by the upper levels of government which won't address the real issues.

There is a huge communication gap between the department heads deciding which projects go in which community and what the community actually wants or needs. There is also a lack of coordination between departments which results in delays and cost overruns on projects.

Last spring I travelled with officials from the GNWT into the communities in my region. Meetings were held with the people of the communities to hear what projects they felt would be of most benefit. The minutes of these meetings were sent to the communities and to my office. To date, no action has been taken. Mr. Speaker, I don't think this government realizes how frustrating this is.

What has been happening and what continues to happen is that projects and equipment are selected for communities without input from the community. For example, I've heard how a community was given the choice of either having a grader or a cat. The community really wanted a bobcat, but wasn't allowed to choose what would be best for the community. They had to choose between a grader or a cat, which wasn't their choice.

Mr. Speaker, how can we empower communities when we are still directing their choices? I have heard numerous examples of how government officials have come into the communities and told community members what the community needs, whether it be a new arena, fire hall or other such building. There is no dialogue between the people deciding the projects and the people who will use the projects. It is a top-down approach and it doesn't meet the community needs.

I'm sure you can understand how difficult it is for communities to do long-range planning when consultation is only given lip service. Instead of studying the problem, I encourage the government to open its ears, become involved in the actual communities and listen to the residents. Only then will useful decisions be made about which projects to fund in order to meet the needs of the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Laid-off Con Mine Workers
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1307

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to highlight once again the issues related to the Con Mine workers who are facing a lay-off at the end of this month and next. I've been talking to many of them, Mr. Speaker, and they all certainly have different stories. Some of them have been lucky and have been spared from the lay-off because they have the seniority to keep their jobs for now. For others, they are actively seeking other employment opportunities within the city and surrounding areas. But there are quite a few of them who have decided to put their homes for sale and are preparing to leave town.

Mr. Speaker, I think it's important for us to know and understand deeply that this will be a profound loss for us in losing any of these workers from our community and territory. When one of them goes, the entire family will go and that means we'll lose their community and volunteer services; we'll lose their share of the tax base; we'll lose their share of the transfer payments we get from the federal government; we'll lose important human resources. Many of the spouses are nurses, for example, Mr. Speaker, and goodness knows we cannot afford to lose any of these nurses. The spouses of these workers are as important a human resource to us as the mine workers.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that this government has responded very well to various aspects of this issue, but a lot of work has yet to be done. We must be relentless in our efforts. There is no question, Mr. Speaker, of the importance of the government to work out a deal to see the transfer of the land to the Con Mine trailer park residents. But there's more, Mr. Speaker. The government must do all it can to train and retain the workers that are laid off. There's a lot of work that needs to be done at the mine site until it's closed and reclaimed, and these workers should be put to work at those positions. They're the ones who know the mine site inside and out, they know what's in there, they're trained and experienced in dealing with the hazardous materials on the surface and underground and these workers should be used before southern workers are brought up.

Mr. Speaker, this was asked by many when the Giant Mine shut down, but this did not happen. I believe we have an opportunity now to do this differently. This government must work closely with the company and regulatory body to work out a plan to employ as many laid-off workers as possible from the mine to work in all aspects of devolution, abandonment and reclamation of the site.

Mr. Speaker, many of these workers have given their life to this mine and this city and I believe they have earned the right to ask the government to do what is right and do everything they can so these people can continue to stay in the North and be a part of our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Laid-off Con Mine Workers
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1307

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Addressing Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 1307

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to speak about an issue that's not new to this forum. Mr. Speaker, many Members in this Assembly have spoken about the schools and the need for assistance for students in those schools, especially in the area of special needs, Mr. Speaker. It's been talked about on numerous occasions. The Minister has responded a number of times. There have been studies and so on. Yet, we seem to still have the problems of how we deal with the special needs situations in our schools.

Mr. Speaker, I know from the past a person who was on a district education authority in Inuvik that, for example, half of the children going into kindergarten required a speech therapist. Unfortunately, right now in Inuvik we don't have such a person on staff either in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment or the Department of Health and Social Services.

Mr. Speaker, we talk about all we want to do for our children, but it seems when it comes to the very critical age of doing something for them at the youngest age when they enter our systems we say sorry, we don't have enough. We've passed all the money on to our DEAs and DECs and they're doing what they can with it.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know if this government in this life that we've been in as 14th Assembly Members, have we done anything to try and address the needs of special needs and support services in the classroom? Now, I know we've put some money into it, but have we done further than just saying here's a few dollars to it? Have we undergone anything that we can go and call a strategy that's going to be implemented and make a difference in the lives of those students so that when they move on in grades they're not just going as peer advancement or social pass, but they're going up and they're achieving their grades and will be ready for the world when we so-called graduate them.

I will have questions for the appropriate Minister later. Thank you.

---Applause