This is page numbers 965 - 1056 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

Acknowledgement Of Disabled Athletes
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge some of the volunteers who are helping Pierre get where he is going. I acknowledge Tracey Robertson, who is recognized as the Special Olympics coach of the year this year; and Karla Cairns, who also supported and coached Pierre and is assisting in him achieving his goals. The NWT Special Olympic Team of volunteers and their program ought to be recognized and congratulated for their great work, especially, Mr. Speaker, our admiration and our best wishes go to Pierre and all his fellow athletes, the Olympians, in Ireland later this month. Way to go! Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Acknowledgement Of Disabled Athletes
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

Some Hon. Members

Hear, hear!

---Applause

Acknowledgement Of Disabled Athletes
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Hay River Heritage Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to a group of very dedicated Hay River volunteers who oversee an extremely important venture in Hay River. Mr. Speaker, the group of volunteers I referred to is the Hay River Heritage Society, whose labour of love is the Hay River Heritage Centre. For approximately the past 10 years, ideas were bandied about amongst several key people whose dream it was to see a heritage centre become a reality. Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest hurdles encountered in erecting a heritage centre is the ability to secure an adequate facility. To this end, I am pleased to report that NTCL, a local Hay River company, donated one of their buildings to the heritage society. The building that NTCL donated is an integral part of Hay River's heritage itself, as it is the old Hudson Bay building that dates back many years.

This is another wonderful example of Hay River's corporate sector doing their part. Once a building is located, Mr. Speaker, another challenge is obtaining ongoing O and M funding to keep a heritage centre operational. Mr. Speaker, the support of our community residents is evidenced by the fact that the Hay River public has brought forward a steady stream of artifacts to the heritage centre for display and preservation.

I was very alarmed, Mr. Speaker, to learn the plight of the members of the Hay River Heritage Centre, who have indicated that they may have to close up our heritage centre if more financial resources are not found to keep this centre operating. Mr. Speaker, the Hay River Heritage Society recently held a press conference and stated that they have three choices: one is to operate the museum on its usual shoestring budget; two is to close for the summer and clean and catalogue the artifacts due to a lack of funding; three is to close its doors permanently.

According to the heritage society, Mr. Speaker, it costs approximately $10,000 a year to operate the heritage centre on a bare bones existence. The heritage centre creates employment as well, Mr. Speaker, as the heritage society employs one summer student every year.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the preservation of our unique Hay River heritage is vital. Hay River has a long history as a transportation and fishing hub and Hay River has always possessed a cultural component. The preservation of all these facets is critical. Mr. Speaker, the support for museums across the North is nothing new. I have witnessed many examples...

Hay River Heritage Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Mr. Delorey, your time for your member's statement has ended. What is your wish?

Hay River Heritage Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

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

Hay River Heritage Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Hay River Heritage Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

Paul Delorey

Paul Delorey Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the support for museums across the North is nothing new. I have witnessed many examples of this government supporting heritage centres throughout the North and the Hay River Heritage Centre should be no exception. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Hay River Heritage Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Application For A Single Rate Zone For Power
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 969

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year, the board of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation took the initiative to create a one-rate power zone for power used across the Territories. Mr. Speaker, the idea of a one-rate zone means everyone pays the same rate for power use regardless of where they live in the Territories. This rate structure was something that most communities in the Territories who pay a higher power cost would have benefited from.

Mr. Speaker, before any meaningful input could be given, the Premier and Cabinet stepped in and stopped the public consultations. Cabinet stated that they wanted to hear from people with regard to the territorial energy strategy before any change to the rate structure was made. Consultations have taken place throughout the Western Arctic to hear the public and what type of energy Northerners want to use and how much they want to pay for power.

I know that the Energy Secretariat hopes to complete the strategy and have Cabinet table it for this June session. Mr. Speaker, time is short as session ends tomorrow and I, as well as my constituents, have been waiting to see the document. In particular, I would like to know how the input which people in my riding gave to the secretariat in February will be reflected in lower power rates. Mr. Speaker, I don't think my region is much different than any other region that consists of small communities. People in the commercial and private sector are having difficulty paying their power bills.

By introducing a one-rate zone, Cabinet would be doing much more than simply making the cost of living affordable for many Northerners. Most communities that rely on diesel generation already have a higher cost of living than those on hydro electricity. Most of the communities that benefit from the low rates of hydro electricity already benefit from being on a road system which, in turn, already lowers their cost of living.

This government has many initiatives on the go, many of which involve infrastructure partnerships which could increase the power rates even more, Mr. Speaker. Something has to give. These communities on diesel generation cannot afford to have their costs increased by government initiatives. I think it is time that we re-examine the structure for power rates, and move to either a one-rate zone or a system where we have a diesel generation rate or a hydro user rate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Application For A Single Rate Zone For Power
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 970

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Travels Of Princess Alexandra Grade 6 Classes
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 970

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I have the pleasure of greeting two Grade 6 classes from Princess Alexandra School, along with teachers and chaperones who have come from Hay River on a fieldtrip to visit the Legislative Assembly.

These students have been studying government as part of their curriculum, and have been learning in the classroom about the various levels of government: federal, territorial and municipal. The students prepared for this trip with a classroom visit from my colleague Mr. Delorey and myself, along with an outing to the town hall where they performed role playing, and now, to top things off, they are visiting with us today to witness the territorial government in action.

The Grade 6 teachers Kim Ivanko and Janine Pushie have taken this opportunity while session is sitting to teach the students by giving them a firsthand view of what government does and how it operates in the Legislative Assembly. The group arrived by bus yesterday. They have visited the Prince of Wales Museum, where they enjoyed a scavenger hunt; from there they toured the Buffalo School of Aviation, and then off to the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool for swimming and pizza. This morning they had a bus tour of the Old Town.

I'd like to thank Commissioner Glenna Hansen who made a presentation to the students while they had lunch in our caucus room. I'd also like to thank Premier Kakfwi and yourself, Mr. Speaker, for helping us with a group photo in the Chamber over the lunch hour. I'd like to thank Joe Gagnier from Ile Holdings and Frontier Coachlines for being their bus driver for this trip. I'd like to thank the Elk's Club of Hay River who sponsored the cost of the bus trip. The pool and pizza last night was sponsored by Northland Utilities.

I'd also like to thank the parents, most notably one parent, Wendy Morgan -- her son Mikey is in one of the classes -- who helped coordinate the trip. I would also like to thank the Pentecostal Church for allowing the use of their facilities to sleep in.

Also, I want to thank public affairs officer Pam Colquhoun for her help with the tour of the Legislative Assembly. I would lastly like to thank the Grade 6 teachers for their efforts in bringing their students to Yellowknife. We welcome the visitors and the chaperones today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Travels Of Princess Alexandra Grade 6 Classes
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 970

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Core Health Services Available To NWT Residents
Item 3: Members' Statements

June 11th, 2003

Page 970

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've had a chance to go through the Department of Health and Social Services' core services document. Mr. Speaker, it identifies core services, defines them, talks about what they are. It suggests that core services are intended to help all residents be healthy, and to lead long and productive lives in their families and in their communities. It defines, as I said, core services as those services and programs that are available to all residents in the Territories throughout their lives, regardless of age, sex, race, culture or location. That's very important, Mr. Speaker.

It then goes on to talk about how the core services are made available to territorial residents. It acknowledges that not all services are available in all communities. Sometimes you will have to travel to other communities or even outside the Territories in order to see healthcare professionals. But what it doesn't talk about, Mr. Speaker, are those who don't have third-party insurance coverage, and the fact that they may have to pay a co-payment to travel, they may have to take care of their accommodations while they're outside their home, they may have to pay for food so they can eat while they're away from home. Mr. Speaker, I think this is an issue that needs to be addressed. It's certainly something that many of us have been talking about for a number of years, since we were elected, Mr. Speaker. I had a chance to go back through some of the transcripts of Social Programs committee meetings and we've raised this issue with the Ministers a number of times. In fact, some of the most compelling arguments were made by the current Minister of Health when he was on this side of the House.

I've looked at the numbers of questions in the House. I've read a couple of articles written in newsletters. It really has dominated much of the discussion in this area over the last couple of years.

I was very happy to hear when Mrs. Groenewegen raised the issue in the House the other day in questioning the Minister, that the Minister has taken a proposal to Cabinet; this is something that Cabinet is looking at and analyzing. I think it's important for us to realize that people without third-party coverage are often employed in lower-paying jobs. They are working people, and they can't afford insurance and end up getting stuck with these extra costs. These are the folks we need to take care of, Mr. Speaker, so that there truly is equity. I urge Cabinet to deal with this, and deal with it quickly so that we can do something for these people before the time that we have in this Assembly is up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Core Health Services Available To NWT Residents
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Negotiations With Specialist Physicians
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak again about an issue I believe that is worthy of repetition, Mr. Speaker, and that is to remind the government and the legislature of the importance of sending both parties in the specialists' negotiating dispute back to the negotiations table. Mr. Speaker, the way I see it, if the relationship between the two parties continues to deteriorate and the worst case scenario happens -- for example, the specialists are let go or walk out -- the impact on the future viability of this hospital and the future of this city and territory will be a major disaster.

Mr. Speaker, the contingency plan currently in place will not carry us through July and August, never mind until new specialists are found. If we do manage to gather locums together one week to the next, it will cost us a lot more financially or otherwise in the long run.

Mr. Speaker, I do firmly believe, and we must, that there is still room and time for all of us leaders to play an important role in bringing this to a close. I believe there is a way we can contribute without taking sides or interfering with the negotiation process. All of us need to privately or publicly, however we see fit, put the pressure on both the government and the doctors to get back to the table and hammer out their differences.

Mr. Speaker, I believe being neutral on this is putting pressure on both parties to do their talking at the negotiating table, not outside, not in the media. Mr. Speaker, further, there is a judgment call that needs to be made here by all of us. Have we crossed, or are we dangerously close to crossing the line to where we've been before? I know we don't want to revisit the Giant Mine situation of a decade ago, but I was working in the government at the time and I recall all the leaders, everyone from the federal Minister responsible for labour, the MP, the mayor, the territorial government, going around in circles, paralyzed with questions about the power and authority they had, or didn't have, to intervene in the process. Everyone felt helpless about getting directly involved, though many thought, or might have thought, that they had done everything they could. But in the end, Mr. Speaker, the outcome was a major disaster of horrible proportions.

Mr. Speaker, this may turn out very differently, and I do hope that it will. But if it all goes down badly, Mr. Speaker...

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

Negotiations With Specialist Physicians
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Negotiations With Specialist Physicians
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, in the end, this may turn out very differently, and I do hope that it will. But if it goes down badly, we'll all be responsible for the outcome and the impact of the outcome. I need to be able to know that I've done everything I could at the time that I ought to have, not only to prevent disaster, but to lead the process into optimal resolution.

I firmly believe, Mr. Speaker, it is wrong for anybody, in this House or outside, to think that we're better off paying millions of dollars to southern hospitals and doctors and businesses than to the highly-qualified people and the facility we have right here. Mr. Speaker, our lack of action on this matter is threatening our very sovereignty as an independent and sovereign jurisdiction capable of being self-sufficient.

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I urge this government and the legislature and the leaders in and out of here to act on this urgent territorial issue immediately. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Negotiations With Specialist Physicians
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Inequities Of The Medical Travel Co-payment
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on the same issue that Mrs. Groenewegen recently spoke on and my colleague from Yellowknife South just today. Several times over the years I've risen to address the issue of medical co-payments, which has created a terrible inequity for my constituents. This $250 charge for each way of travel impacts people particularly who are in lower income jobs.

I know that the Minister of Health and Social Services has said over and over in this House that his department is looking at the issue as part of an overall review of supplementary benefits. I know, when I made statements on this issue in February and March of this year and asked questions at the time, that the Minister at that time promised he would soon have an answer and would be telling us what that was. So it has been dragging on for a long time and it hasn't been dealt with.

My constituents can't afford to wait any longer. As things now stand, they not only have to pay for a good portion of the travel when they are referred to a doctor outside, but if they're not hospitalized they may wind up being on the hook for food and accommodation as well. So this has become an issue that is broader than just travel, particularly if things don't go well at the negotiation table with the doctors here.

Mr. Speaker, even the most conservative of provinces -- Ontario -- treats its northern residents better than we do in terms of the cost of medical co-payments. Manitoba used to charge $50 as a co-payment to its residents. They've eliminated that. So I'm pleased to hear, as the Minister told Mrs. Groenewegen, that he will soon be going to Cabinet and that he would see these co-payments dealt with. I can only hope that that plan will eliminate the need for my constituents to come up with those payments.

I call on the Minister to take a look at the example set in Manitoba, and eliminate the co-payment plan completely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Inequities Of The Medical Travel Co-payment
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 971

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

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

Role Of Special Committees
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 972

Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome to the House the students from Hay River. It's good to see the younger people taking an interest in politics.

My understanding of politics in this House, Mr. Speaker, is that we represent the people, the people vote for us to speak on their behalf and bring their will to this House. One of the ways we do that is through committees. We create special committees, and the special committees go to people with issues to be discussed and decisions to be made on certain issues. We take what the people say back to the House in the form of a report and recommendations resulting from that report. The House accepts those reports and the recommendations, and it becomes the will of the House. The will of the House is the will of the people. The bureaucracy that works for this government, its job is to implement the will of the House, the will of the people.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to explain to the students and maybe some of our colleagues how things are supposed to work. Welcome to Yellowknife, students from Hay River, and thank you for showing an interest in your northern politics.

Role Of Special Committees
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 972

An Hon. Member

Good statement.

---Applause

Role Of Special Committees
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 972

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Yes, I suppose that's a good example of how government works. Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Tribute To Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 972

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise as the MLA for Nahendeh. My constituency is very large, about 20,000 square miles and six communities. The majority of the people are aboriginal people who live there, a large number being Dene as well as Metis. I rise today to speak as the MLA. I would like to speak about the Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus who has announced that he will be stepping down as the national chief of the Dene Nation at the 33rd annual Dene assembly which is scheduled for July 2nd to 8th in Aklavik.

Mr. Speaker, we all know that contributing to public office takes a huge commitment and sacrifice, from both the person and family. Bill is to be commended for doing this very important work for 16 years. That's four terms in MLA language.

Bill was born and raised in Yellowknife, where he attended St. Patrick High School. Bill continued his education and career and received his post-secondary education at the University of Alberta, where he still currently sits as a member of the senate of the University of Alberta. Since 1987, Mr. Speaker, Bill has represented the Dene Nation as the Dene national chief. Mr. Erasmus is also a regional vice-chief of the Assembly of First Nations and is a board member of various committees for the Assembly of First Nations, as well as other similar organizations.

Throughout his career, Bill has strongly promoted the implementation of treaty aboriginal rights and self-governance. In 1993, Chief Erasmus received national recognition for his significant contribution when he received a commemorative medal for the 125th anniversary of the confederation of Canada from the Governor General. Last year, Bill was again nationally recognized when he received the Queen's Jubilee Award.

Through his strained schedule, Bill still manages to be a dedicated father and husband for his son Lonny, daughter Sarah and wife Reanna. I would like to personally thank Chief Bill Erasmus for all the hard work he has put in over the past 16 years, not only for the Dene Nation but for all people in the Northwest Territories. I know that Bill will find new and exciting ways to serve in the North in the coming years. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause