This is page numbers 61 - 86 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 standing.

Topics

Waste Reduction And Recovery Legislation
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 65

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe we fully appreciate that this is the last budget session of this Assembly and it is also important to note that this is one of the last crucial legislative sessions as well. The logistics would dictate that any major new law that wants to see the light of the day should be introduced in this session, and the one that I wish to see very much and want to speak in support of today is the law governing waste reduction and recovery in the Territories. Mr. Speaker, from what I know, the law as it is envisioned by the government, if it comes to light, will provide the necessary authority and infrastructure capacity to jump start the fledgling recycling programs in our cities and communities. Mr. Speaker, one of the things I noticed each time I went south for schooling is the way in which everyone in the south, or most of them, separate their waste into bottles, cans, papers, et cetera. It's really a way of their life, and one of the things I always noticed when I returned to the North is we just don't do that up here as much as we should. Mr. Speaker, we should be ashamed of this state of affairs in this area. It is true that each resident of the Territories must do their part and they could do more, but I do believe that this level of government must take a leadership role and take a principled action. We need to demonstrate by legislative action that this government is truly committed to taking care of our environment. Mr. Speaker, such a law would require and encourage everyone to do their part, whether they be consumers, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, governments or NGOs and more importantly, this is truly a win/win situation for everyone. Our people will feel better for doing it. It won't cost the government a lot of money because it will be cost neutral except for the start-up cost and it would create jobs in an environmentally friendly way and it will save our environment. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe this is too late for the government to do the right thing and I really urge the government to reprioritize and make room in what is a crowded legislative agenda to put this back on and do the right thing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Waste Reduction And Recovery Legislation
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 65

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Valentine's Day Greetings To Wife And Family
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 65

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Mr. Speaker, as we carry out the business of this House, it is important to keep in mind our constituents and families back home. Therefore, I wish to take this opportunity to pass on Valentine's Day greetings to my wife Betty and my family back home and thank them for their continued support while I am away from home. Special Valentine's greetings to my granddaughter Kelsey.

---Applause

Valentine's Day Greetings To Wife And Family
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 65

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Nahendeh Constituency Tour
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 65

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to send Valentine's Day greetings to my wife and my family and Members of this House and also, members of my constituency. I also want to talk about November 1st to the 9th, Mr. Speaker. We had a rare opportunity to tour my constituency at length and I did a lot of driving, Mr. Speaker. I drove from here all the way to Fort Simpson. I wanted to say that the highway is in pretty good shape.

---Applause

I also had the opportunity to drive to Fort Liard and visit the people there for a day or so. Also I drove into Nahanni Butte where they are building their access road and carried on to Trout Lake on their winter road. It took five hours to drive there, but it's a pretty decent road. I was in Jean Marie River on Saturday on the 8th. Throughout this whole tour, Mr. Speaker, people appreciate the work that we do as a government. There are some areas where they have concerns. There is lots of work that we still have to do as a government in working with our communities that we hear everyday. Building lots, for example, is a concern in our communities. I guess it's an example of what's happening in the North with the population in the communities. Our communities are growing and there's a high demand for new building lots. So there is a lot of activity going on in our communities and we have to continue to work close with the leaders in our communities to try to make a better place for people in the North to live. I think that's what we are doing in this House, Mr. Speaker, trying to do the best we can. Of course, you have some areas where people have a difference of opinion on certain things, but I think there is still a spirit of cooperation in this House to carry on with the work for the people of the Northwest Territories. This was expressed to me by my constituents in my travels. Mahsi.

---Applause

Nahendeh Constituency Tour
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 65

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the Gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 65

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize in the Gallery the board members of the NWT Association of Community Living: Blake Lyons, city of Yellowknife; Councillor Tom Melnyk, town of Norman Wells; Deputy Mayor Clarence Wood of Inuvik; Mayor Gary Bristow of Holman; Mayor Tom Wilson of Fort Simpson; Mayor Winnie Cadieux of Enterprise; and, Yvette Gonzalez, chief executive officer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 65

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Welcome to the visitors. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the Gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 65

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize some residents from Weledeh who are with us today. These are our pages from Weledeh. I will name them: Lorraine Westman; Megan Welsh; Laura Radicchi; Trevor Betsina; Samuel Gardiner; Curtis Beaulieu; Chelsea Goulet; and, Gordie Liske. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 66

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Welcome to the pages. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the Gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 66

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although my esteemed colleague from Nunakput already recognized him, I would still like to recognize Clarence Wood, deputy mayor of Inuvik. Welcome.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 66

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. Any further recognitions of visitors in the Gallery? The honourable Member for Hay River South.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 66

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to return to Members' statements. Thank you.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 66

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to item 3, Members' statements. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Northern Love Story
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 66

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of Valentine's Day and on the topic of romance, I would like to share a story, a love story that recently unfolded here in the North. The story starts with a beautiful young woman attending the Living Word Bible Institute in Swan River, Manitoba, in the 1950s. She meets the brother of a friend who ends up attending the same college. They fall in love. She finishes college one year ahead of him. They part company, leaving their plans flexible.

It's 1960 and she answered the call to go to Fort Resolution in the NWT to help Gordon and Ruth Bailey pastor a small church there. She never hears from her college sweetheart and it seems that they lose track of each other, which is understandable, considering that in those days, there were no telephones and mail delivery is just every few weeks in Fort Resolution. After three years in Resolution, she moves on to Hay River where she divides her time between a small church in Fort Resolution and Fort Providence. She then spends the next three-and-a-half years in Cambridge Bay and resigns herself to the fact that her friend has moved on with his life and so she must also.

In 1968, she again pastors in Fort Resolution until taking up what would be her longest commitment to any church, which is in Fort Smith in 1974. Mr. Speaker, I met Eva Nichol almost 30 years ago on subsequent trips to Smith and while dating my own husband Rick. It was no doubt that Eva Nichol never gave up on the idea of getting married. She observed many budding romances, married and counselled many young couples but as the years passed, I was amazed by her optimism. She kept very busy with her work in Smith, even though I know it was sometimes tough when she didn't have a lot of help and she was alone. She started a college there. She called it the Sub-Arctic Leadership Training and it fulfilled her vision of training indigenous Northerners to be spiritual leaders, pastors and councillors to their own people. She was a very convincing and persuasive woman and she got work crews and finances and in 1994, she built a college in Fort Smith.

So I was always kind of humoured by her assertions that she would get married someday because the years were going by. Because Eva was single all those years, she had much time to spend with others and she spent many nights on the phone with people and pastors from around the world praying with them and supporting them. Who knows if she would have been able to fulfill her dream for the Lord if she had chosen the love of a man over the love of the Lord?

A year ago this month, her old flame, Gary Ziehl, lost his wife to illness and not wanting to be alone, his thoughts returned to his college sweetheart. So out of the blue, Eva Nichol got a phone call which turned to be many more phone calls. Mr. Speaker, I am going to have to seek unanimous consent to continue with the conclusion of this happy story.

Northern Love Story
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 66

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Mrs. Groenewegen, you may continue.

Northern Love Story
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 66

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, this turned into many more phone calls. He found out that she still did love him and on December 17th in Alberta they got married. Subsequently on January 11th, I had the privilege, along with Mr. Miltenberger, of attending a wedding reception for the Reverends Gary and Eva Zeal. Forty-two-years after parting company to commit her life to ministry in the North and at the age of 64, I saw a radiant and beautiful timeless bride in a white gown step into the Roaring Rapids Hall. At the reception held in her honour, people from many communities celebrated with Eva. Her new husband, also a Minister, and Eva are both teaching at the college in Smith until May and I hope by then, he'll discover what kept Eva in the North all these years and they will choose to live here, of course, happily ever after. Thank you.

---Applause

Northern Love Story
Revert To Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 66

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

A beautiful, beautiful story, Mrs. Groenewegen. Thank you. With that, Happy Valentine's Day to all the special people in our lives, especially to my wife Elaine. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the Gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. It's with regard to a Member's statement regarding the Wildlife Act and enacting aboriginal land claim rights by way of land claim agreements, where we have wildlife harvesting and management sections in those land claim agreements. Mr. Speaker, the whole purpose of legislation is to recognize and implement provisions of different land claim agreements, but also to recognize the enactment of those powers that flow from those land claim agreements, so that we can carry out those responsibilities that have been negotiated in those land claim agreements. Mr. Speaker, it's been over ten years since the Gwich'in have signed and also federally legislated them into effect. Two years after that, the Sahtu Dene-Metis claim was also settled. Mr. Speaker, the last time any real amendments to the Wildlife Act have taken effect to recognize land claim agreements was in 1994. That's almost ten years ago. So, Mr. Speaker, why is it that it's taken this government so long to enact these legislative agreements?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 67

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Government of the Northwest Territories, we know we have obligations in trying to have good legislation, mainly in the Wildlife Act. This is a very lengthy, complicated process that takes into consideration provisions in different land claims. You have the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, you have the Gwich'in Final Agreement, the Sahtu Dene-Metis Final Agreement, and now the Tlicho Agreement is going to be finalized in August. There is another component that needs to be considered, as well; that's all other residents in the Northwest Territories. We have considered different regions that are in the process of negotiations. As a government, we have to look at the whole picture and try to include everybody in the process. Mr. Speaker, in the summer of 1999, a process was started by this government to amend and put into legislation a new Wildlife Act and a Species at Risk Act. So it's been four years now we have been working on it, and I understand that the last Wildlife Act that came into existence took them seven years to do that. So this is the fourth year we have been working on it. We have been working very hard to try to push it through. The Member asked why. Well, RWED continues to work with representatives of all the different land claims organizations to try to integrate these very important wildlife harvesting and management provisions of their land claims agreements into draft wildlife legislation. There are some groups that are willing to move ahead, but we have to make sure that everybody is included in this. This is where the consultation is at at this point in time. What we trying to do in the life of this government is to table draft legislation in June. That's what we are aiming for. Although we don't have full legislation, this is what the schedule seems to be in the reality of the work that we are doing. That's what is allowing this to happen. Thank you.

Return To Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 67

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 67

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I noted in my statement, the Nunavut Wildlife Act, which was enacted in 1994, was compiled as a land claim obligation. Would similar legislation be coming forth for the Gwich'in and Sahtu land claim agreements similar to those that were enacted by the Inuvialuit Final Agreement?

Supplementary To Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 67

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Question 14-14(6): Wildlife Act Compliance With Land Claim Agreements
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 67

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's difficult to compare the Nunavut final agreement with all the different final agreements in the Inuvialuit, Gwich'in and Sahtu. The Nunavut Final Land Claims Agreement was one comprehensive claim. So it's one big package. It was less complicated to do that at that time for them than it is for us in the valley. You have the Inuvialuit, the Gwich'in, the Sahtu, the Tlicho and you are going to have the Akaitcho and the Deh Cho. They all have their own distinct provisions of their own final agreements. So it's difficult to lump that together and compare it to Nunavut. Thank you.