This is page numbers 297 - 330 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 know.

Further Return To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I think the important point here is to explain that we do annual audits on LHOs. That information is provided to ascertain where those funds were expended. So we are certainly keeping, for our own perspective, a record of those expenditures. From an individual's perspective, we do have program officers that assist the clients, thus we try to ensure that all levels of work are completed when required. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recently obtained an application for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation where it states that the information on the forms will be shared with other government departments for the purposes of determining eligibility for programs and developing statistical databases for policy and program development. Mr. Speaker, the work I am doing is for statistical purposes and, in reality, I am part of the government. I will ask the Minister if they are willing to release the information that I request to be accountable for the clients that they have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Further Return To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not clear on the legalities of ATIPP, but I will certainly review that request and respond back to the Member. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
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Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that answer and hopefully most of the complaints that we are hearing from our constituents can be helped. I would like to ask the Minister if they are willing to change some of the policies so that the basic information on the home, the project done and when complete, those are not privacy issues and if they could change their policy to share with all Members of this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister Responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Further Return To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my meeting with the residents of Rae, I stated very clearly that all the concerns would be addressed at some point in the next several months and we will set new direction so we will remain accountable. Yes, I am prepared to provide that level of detail to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Question 86-14(6): Local Housing Project Delivery In The North Slave
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, in the NWT, there is one piece of development that is happening right now and the challenges that we face as Northerners are to take advantage of those opportunities. In the last little while, we have been concentrating our public statements on the challenges, the unfairness of the flyover staff that are working in these mines and the exploration camps and the oil and gas sector. The Minister has had three years now to deal with the gaps in employment. We have socio-economic agreements with resource companies. What has the department done to close the gap between employment readiness and employment opportunities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we spent a great deal of time developing a program called Maximizing Northern Employment, which addressed the issue of training for the oil and gas industry, the mining industry, as well as providing an Aboriginal private sector partnership and a northern employer support initiative. These were three of about eight programs we looked at to ensure our people have the opportunity to participate in the development that's taking place while we speak. We feel that we've been very successful in many ways. In some of the oil and gas training that's taken place, we've had several hundred people take training; not just in the entry level programs, but in some of the more advanced programs, Mr. Speaker. So we are, in the maximizing northern employment end, making some significant steps. Additionally, we've introduced a literacy program to help individuals to improve their literacy capability and their communication skills and so forth, so that they can partake in opportunities that might be out there. These are two of the thrusts that we have introduced, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Supplementary To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I mentioned the socio-economic agreements. I imagine the department will be negotiating these agreements with oil and gas companies, and not only the mining companies that are operating in the Northwest Territories. These socio-economic agreements are for the people of the Northwest Territories. We have First Nations that are negotiating impact benefit agreements or participation agreements that are similar to the socio-economic agreements. When the Minister's department puts a program together for training, is it specific to a geographic location? For example, let's say the Dogrib or Akaitcho people in their relationship with the mining companies want a training program for their people. Does the department work with such a group and develop a program just for that group or do they invite or welcome anybody from the Northwest Territories, whether it's Tuktoyaktuk or Fort Smith, for that matter, to participate in that particular training program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The socio-economic agreements are monitored by both RWED and our own department to ensure that the commitments made by the mining corporations are met, and they have been met by the companies so far. There was a slight dip last year, but it was very slight and we feel they are meeting the commitment overall.

With regard to the employment programs that are in place for people to enter the mine employment areas, we do have a mine training committee. That committee runs a number of programs to ensure that people are given the opportunities to get experience in some of the work that may be available at the mines. I will give you an example. We have a mobile welding unit which was established and developed between the Aurora College Mine Training Committee and industry and that travels from community to community. It's not necessarily dedicated specifically in the impact benefit communities, but that is where the mining companies have traditionally looked towards getting their employees. So that is, of course, an area that we are also concerned with. We are also concerned with the whole of the territory because we need more and more employees for our work availability in the territory, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Supplementary To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, communities like Fort Resolution don't have impact benefit agreements with the mining companies because the mining companies feel that they are not impacted by the development, although we all know the communities signed framework agreements recognizing that area as their traditional territory. That's another argument on its own. However, communities like Fort Resolution that are not an impacted community, whether it's mining or oil and gas, under the current methods, will be left out. What is the department doing to approach these communities that are not seen as impacted by industrial development to help them get employment and training for these developments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, the mining companies initially looked at the impacted communities and they almost had borders there, but they realize now they have to go beyond that. We have traditionally taken an approach of trying to help immediately those communities where the employees were available, but we have gone much beyond that because mostly we've done this through the mine training committee. It's been up and down the valley doing various projects and we know that we've got to, as a government, look to every community in the territory as potential employees. In order to facilitate that, we did apply and made several proposals and developed a mine training committee that has been in existence for a long time. We have also developed an oil and gas training committee, which has representation from a variety of organizations: the Government of the NWT through RWED and ECE, HRDC, DIAND and the Aboriginal groups through the Aboriginal human resource development groups. So we have put that together. We've got an oil and gas pipeline committee as well.

We've got the umbrellas in place. We have some units of proposals to the federal government. We don't know whether there's any money for that or not, Mr. Speaker, but certainly we are continuing our effort and we are developing through the college a number of programs like the mobile welding unit. We want to do it with carpentry. We want to do it with a number of other areas, so we can shoot those into communities like Fort Resolution so people can get some hands-on experience for two weeks, see if they want to move into that trade and then move into apprenticeships with mining companies or whoever. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Final supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Supplementary To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad for those answers the Minister gave me. There are many areas the department is working on in partnership, by the sounds of it. However, Mr. Speaker, sometimes when we do this job, we isolate ourselves in this big room; in Yellowknife especially, where we don't seem to take the message to the communities. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister ever instructed his department or has his department ever gone to all the communities in the NWT with career fairs for their young adults, adults and high school and junior students so they can see what kinds of possibilities, what kinds of opportunities are available in the NWT, whether it's with the mining companies, whether it's oil and gas exploration, whether it's the Government of the NWT? Has the government ever taken career fairs to the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker David Krutko

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Question 87-14(6): Accessing Development Opportunities Through Employment Readiness
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have had career fairs in the...I can't name off the communities, but I do recollect them. I will give an example of Fort Resolution. I believe it was a summer ago, not this past summer, where the assembly was held in Fort Resolution and our department participated in a career fair and promoted other companies to participate as well. It is a way for us to continue to concentrate and make sure people become aware of the opportunities in the territory, in all communities in the territory. As I said, we need employees for these operations that are taking place, for the companies that are operating up here. Our first priority is Northerners, to ensure that they get the jobs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.