This is page numbers 701 - 746 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 community.

Topics

Fiscal Legacy Of The 14th Legislative Assembly
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 705

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, an old saying "red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning, sailors take warning." Mr. Speaker, the Good Ship NWT had better look towards the horizon to see if it's a red sky in the morning. Mr. Speaker, I say that because in the budget we've been dealing with, we are just over $2 million from cresting $1 billion in expenditures throughout the NWT. One billion to 43,000 people in the NWT.

Yet, Mr. Speaker, we heard of concerns that health care issues aren't being dealt with, that education issues aren't being dealt with, that economic activities and demands are placing greater demands on our transportation infrastructure and so on. We are having difficulty meeting those needs. Mr. Speaker, as we've gone through this term as the 14th Assembly, we have indeed set high expectations and the residents of the NWT will now look to see if the government can continue to spend as it has spent in the 14th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, in the Finance Minister's Budget Address, he spoke of initiatives we are doing and potentials we had of our deficit situation. In his Budget Address, Mr. Speaker, in appendix B5, it shows a fiscal framework operation summary. Mr. Speaker, it shows that by the end of the fiscal year 2003-04, total debt will hit $214 million. The 15th Assembly will be looking potentially at a $370 million debt by the first year they are in the government. Mr. Speaker, is this what we have been planning for? We've taken from where we are, we are saying we are leaving the next government better off than the way we found it. Well, we are still close to the debt wall, but the demands out there are going to be higher than ever.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that we have looked to the horizon and said that it looks good, but from where I am standing, I see this picture, although they put a rosy lens on at the start of the 14th Assembly, I think we should have been looking to see that "red sky in the morning, sailor take warning." So watch out, Good Ship NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Fiscal Legacy Of The 14th Legislative Assembly
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 705

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Visit To K'alemi Dene School In Ndilo
Item 3: Members' Statements

March 11th, 2003

Page 705

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So often in this House, we look at things so pessimistically and at problems and so on. I want to follow Mr. Nitah's example and talk about a real success story. There are a lot of good things happening out there.

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity, along with other MLAs in Yellowknife, to visit K'alemi School in Ndilo. That is one successful school. In fact, I would venture to say the best school in the Northwest Territories. It opened in 1998 with 14 kindergarten to Grade 3 students. Today there are 68 students in kindergarten to Grade 7 and they will be adding Grade 8 next year, up to 80 students. These are all Ndilo children who have chosen to go to that very exciting school. They also have the Aboriginal Head Start Program, which opens a full Dene kindergarten for 10 students in that community.

Mr. Speaker, the children attending the school know that it's their school, they believe it's their school and they identify it as their school. I want to say the teachers do an excellent job, a super job. The principal, Angela James, and her staff are some of the best educators. They are voluntarily at school at 8:00 in the morning, allowing children to come in if they wish and spend time in school before the school day opens. They stay there voluntarily until 5:00 in the evening, all of them, in order to have an atmosphere for the students.

The program in the school is exciting. It's based around Dene language and culture, academics and technology, virtual education, physical and active living. They are very successful with their culture-based and on-the-land program. The atmosphere in the school is warm; it's welcoming and is full of love and a perfect place where children want to spend the day. The teachers are a committed, caring group of professionals that exceed any expectations that we may have generally.

The community of Ndilo is a small community, but it's a community that has long believed in having the school next door, the school across the street, and they have shown a lot of success. I think we have to say congratulations to the Ndilo parents, the students and the staff who have worked hard to have the best school in Canada. Good government should reward success. This school, the way it is going, Mr. Speaker, is going to be bursting at the seams within two years and I think that as a government, we have to use this as an example for all our educators and provide them with the resources, the space and so on that they need.

Visit To K'alemi Dene School In Ndilo
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mr. Handley, your time for Member's statement is over. Mr. Handley. Okay, the honourable Member has concluded his statement. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Further Return To Question 160-14(6): The Need For Changes To The Residential Tenancies Act
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 706

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Braden on March 5, 2003 regarding annual reports of the rental officer and the status of the government as a landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act.

There is no statutory requirement for the rental officer to file annual reports. The rental officer's contract requires him to make annual reports to the Department of Justice. The reports include information on statistics, trends, issues, recommendations and the activities of the rental officer I would be pleased to make copies of the reports available to the Member if he wishes to see them.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT and its agents, the NWT Housing Corporation and local housing organizations, are subject to Residential Tenancies Act.

In the NWT, subsidized public housing is the responsibility of the Housing Corporation and either it or an LHO is the landlord.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct that there are some provisions of the act which do not apply in the case of subsidized public housing, the main one being the requirement to give a three-month notice of increasing rent. In essence, if an individual qualifies for subsidized public housing, the guidelines of that program apply. The rent paid is based on income, and when that income increases or decreases, the subsidy is adjusted immediately, not three months later. In such circumstances, the giving of three months notice would make no sense.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the act provides that a landlord can increase rent only once a year. This does not apply to subsidized public housing. If it did, it would obviously be impossible to adjust the subsidy and, in effect, the rent, on an ongoing basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 160-14(6): The Need For Changes To The Residential Tenancies Act
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Item 4, returns to oral questions. 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 706

Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize five very important people in the gallery today. First of all, Bob Haywood with the Federation of Labour; Steve Petersen and Dan Halldorson, who are on the Act Now panel; Andy Wong, the chairperson of the Workers' Compensation Board; and John Huffman, an injured worked who has provided me a lot of good advice over the last few years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

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

Page 706

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

(English not provided)

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to welcome from Ecole Allain St-Cyr the 6th and 7th grade with their teacher Mr. Pierre Ouellette.

---Applause

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

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to the Legislative Assembly and enjoy your visit. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish my youngest son, Ian, happy birthday today. It's his 32nd birthday.

---Applause

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

Page 706

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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 concerns my Member's statement and is directed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to follow up on a letter I wrote to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to urgently request repairs to the Sittichinli Recreational Complex in Aklavik. Mr. Speaker, the technical assessment commissioned by his department states the water damage to the recreation complex brings the facility into violation under the fire marshal's code. The community has also expressed concerns about the safety of this facility and the implication to the residents. The community wants to ensure that it is up to certain standards and there is not a potential danger of the ceiling falling in and hurting residents.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of MACA to please confirm that the protection of people and the protection of assets are high priorities of this government, especially the corporate capital planning process. How does a community like Aklavik meet this criteria and see something done when it comes to their recreation facility?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Minister of MACA, Mr. Steen.

Return To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a request to MACA, Public Works did an assessment in February 2002. The recommendations from the report for Public Works recommended that an inspection on the roof be done by a qualified engineering firm and that the department get an assessment of the amount of damage to the roof. MACA, as a result of that report, notified the hamlet that if the cost to repair the building was under $100,000, the community would have to bear the cost themselves. They were funded for that type of project. If it was over $100,000, then MACA would put it into the capital planning process. The community informed MACA that they would be using the Housing Corporation in October to do an assessment of the roof. However, to date we have nothing back from the community or been advised that the Housing Corporation was involved at all in the inspection because they said it couldn't really be done until May. So MACA is waiting for a report back from the community.

Return To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the recreation facility in Aklavik represents a central infrastructure for the community and it's very important that the community have access to this and they don't want to see it shut down. So I would like to ask the Minister, knowing there is potential danger and a hazard to its users, the residents of Aklavik, the community and myself would like to know, will the community receive the necessary funds and resources to repair the complex so that no one is hurt by the roof caving in?

Supplementary To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of MACA, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I could commit to any kind of expenditures, I would have to have a report from Public Works or the community on what the actual cost of repairs is. Like I said, MACA informed the community if it's less than $100,000, they will have to do it themselves. If it's over $100,000, then we will consider putting it into our capital plan.

Further Return To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Supplementary To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am in a haze with the Minister's comment. If something is over $100,000, his department will look at it. He is also the Minister of MACA. This is an infrastructure that is owned by the government and the people of the NWT. What has to happen here? Does the roof have to cave in? Somebody has to get hit in the head before this government does anything?

Supplementary To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

The honourable Minister of MACA, Mr. Steen.

Further Return To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MACA has already advised the community that there is nothing that Public Works can do until May. Up to now, the community had given the impression to MACA that they were going to be doing an assessment on the roof themselves using the Housing Corporation. That was in October, so we didn't do anything. MACA didn't request any more from Public Works because Public Works recommended that the assessment of the roof damage be done by qualified engineers. Without the funding to do it, Public Works could not do the assessment. So MACA has to have an agreement with the community that either the community is going to do the assessment or we are going to have to go back and ask Public Works to do it again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there have been continued repairs and replacement of community facilities in the NWT. We hear from the Minister's riding, all of a sudden, bang, a project pops up because of fire code violations. This is a fire code violation. Mr. Speaker, we have an obligation to ensure public safety in government facilities. This is a government facility. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain in this House what efforts are being made to implement the plan of this government to ensure that we protect the life of the residents of our community, protect the public and protect the assets? This is the criteria we hear from this side of the House day in and day out. So why is it in the community of Aklavik they don't meet that criteria when it comes to their recreation facility?

Supplementary To Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Question 218-14(6): Repairs Required To The Aklavik Recreation Complex
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 707

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Minister of MACA, Mr. Steen.