Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Orders of the day, item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is an honour today, on behalf of the government and people of the Northwest Territories, to congratulate the RCMP on their actions to fight drug trafficking in our communities.

---Applause

Since April 2004, "G" division's federal drug enforcement section has been investigating high level drug supply and distribution in the Northwest Territories. This project, code named "Gunship," culminated in a series of arrests late last week. These arrests mark the end of the covert phase of the project, but are not the end of the investigation, which is ongoing. This is a major step forward for the RCMP in reducing the main supply lines that bring drugs and their destructive effects into our communities.

I'm pleased to join with the RCMP in announcing a one-year pilot project to reallocate existing resources to form a street level drug enforcement team.

---Applause

This four-member team will target street level distributors, couriers and dealers in all communities across the NWT. This project, developed in cooperation with the Department of Justice, is a direct response to public concerns regarding the drug trade.

However, Mr. Speaker, while we applaud the work of the RCMP, we must remember that the drug problem is not simply a policing issue. Mr. Speaker, the police play a role in reducing the supply of drugs, but communities can help reduce the demand for them. Each of us must contribute to the fight against drugs. This means reporting illegal activity you become aware of, and being prepared to testify in court if necessary. It may also mean supporting friends or family members in their efforts to get off drugs. Most importantly, we must ensure our children know the dangers of drugs and help them find safe, healthy activities that reduce their exposure to drugs and alcohol.

As with any social issue, the fight against drugs requires us to work together and, Mr. Speaker, this government is taking a lead role. A number of departments, including Health and Social Services; Education, Culture and Employment; Justice; the Workers' Compensation Board; the RCMP, and industry will hold a strategic planning workshop in November to develop a comprehensive and coordinated drug awareness campaign for the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I congratulate the RCMP on the success of a long and demanding operation, and thank them for their commitment to making our communities safer for all of us. Our government will continue to support and work closely with the RCMP to make sure those who would supply illegal drugs to our communities are not welcome in the NWT, and their activities are not tolerated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker. Over the past few weeks, the students attending high school programs in Inuvik were given a clear demonstration from the community that their education ranks high in their town's priorities. In just one week, following the closure of the secondary school, alternate facilities were set up in order to create classroom spaces and provide for the continuation of learning opportunities for all high school students.

Samuel Hearne Secondary School was closed temporarily due to possible risk factors related to the facility's wood pile foundations. This closure created a problem: where to house the over 350 students and how to make sure that students would continue their studies and meet the curriculum requirements.

To address this challenge, and through collaboration and cooperation between the Inuvik District Education Authority, the Town of Inuvik, Aurora College and several GNWT departments, classes have been set up in three locations. For students in grades 7 and 8, classes have been organized in the Sir Alexander Mackenzie School. Students in grades 9 to 12 are being housed at Aurora Campus and in the Town of Inuvik's recreation centre. In the rec centre, temporary classrooms have been built on the curling rink, and students have been given access to the wide range of activities that are housed in this facility.

I recently visited the community and each of the learning sites. I was very impressed by the work that has been

done by all involved to make the very best of a difficult situation.

I would like to recognize and extend our thanks to the students for taking a positive approach to the change in venue for their classrooms; to the DEC, DEA and education staff for taking on the challenge with great professionalism; and to the Town of Inuvik and the members of the Inuvik community for pulling together and working quickly and effectively to address the needs of the children of Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today will be about wilderness corrections camps. We, in the Northwest Territories, especially the aboriginal population, are overrepresented in the justice system. It would be good to say that we have too many lawyers, judges and administrators in the Justice department; however, this is not the case. We are overrepresented in the corrections system. The big building with the big dollars. My communities ask why we don't have our own method of dealing with our own people. The justice system, at least the corrections system, isn't working in the Northwest Territories. More and more youth and adults, even school children, have entered the world of lock and key. I had research look up some stats, and this is what they showed me.

Stats in the Northwest Territories show they are failing the aboriginal people. From 2001 to 2003, the last year for which the NWT's crime stats are available, crime had increased territory-wide by almost 25 percent, and crimes in the Northwest Territories are well over four times the national average. Aboriginal people comprise three percent of the population, yet make up 20 percent of the population in custody.

In 2002-2003, 83 percent of total sentence admissions in the Northwest Territories were aboriginal. The year before that was 90 percent. We need northern solutions. We need culturally appropriate justice systems in the Northwest Territories. Restorative justice focuses on healing rather than incarceration and punishment. There are a number of aboriginal communities that have led the way for restorative justice. One of the communities is Hollow Water, where traditional culture is the vehicle for healing, and the importance of an elder in that system where they undertake traditional roles, beliefs and cultural ceremonies have become very crucial to participants.

The Northwest Territories is supposed to be a leader in the area of leadership and healing in this government. During the pre-budget consultations, people across the Northwest Territories were willing to support the wilderness camps for people with lesser crimes. The government can, and should, do more to set programs in place.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to quote the legendary George Jones in my statement.

---Laughter

The right/left hand. This is the time you got this right. We need the right hand talking to the left hand. We need wilderness camps in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today, I want to talk about funding for NGOs. Like my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, I found the pre-budget process to be very valuable. Of course, I hear from my constituents on a daily basis, but to hear the same message repeated again and again from many groups from practically every community really brings the message home.

The message, Mr. Speaker, is that NGOs need better funding arrangements so that they can do what they do best, which is provide social support and services to the communities that they serve.

For years, Mr. Speaker, NGOs have been kept on a very short funding tether. Although this government recognizes the crucial work they do in the communities, indeed depends on them as a service delivery vehicle within the integrated services delivery model -- despite this, funding is doled out so that the NGOs have their hands tied.

One of the major problems, Mr. Speaker, is the challenge NGOs face hiring staff. Key positions in important agencies sometimes remain empty. How can they compete, Mr. Speaker? How can they compete with the big players when the big players can offer so much more to employees? The reality is that they can't compete. Staff turnover is a problem. It is a frequent occurrence that staff are trained for a position only to see them leave for better pay and benefits elsewhere, and this understandably so.

Recently, the UNW and the GNWT signed a new Collective Agreement that provides a three percent salary increase over four years. NGOs have not seen this kind of increase to their funding arrangements to reflect increased pay levels in other sectors.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to see this government set up a funding arrangement for NGOs to provide services on behalf of the GNWT that includes automatic escalators that respond to increases and reflects the increases that are paid to the UNW under their Collective Agreement. An automatic escalator would enable NGOs to provide a salary increase for their staff to be somewhat competitive with the GNWT and other employers. This would be a valuable tool to recruit and retain the staff that they need to provide the services that they provide so well.

Mr. Speaker, if the GNWT truly stands behind the integrated service delivery model, they should step up to the plate and provide adequate and fair funding for their partners, our NGOs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this fall, the Regular Members from all committees joined together on, really, an historic initiative for this Assembly. It was the first time that we have seriously gone out to our communities, to our regions, to ask their opinions for our upcoming budget process and the three-year business planning cycle that our government has operated under for so long.

This really was a fascinating exercise. One that was very well understood too, Mr. Speaker, because when we were first looking at how to go about this, we were concerned that our message or what we wanted to hear out of this might turn into something like a very long wish list or a loud round of complaints. You know, it didn't turn out that way at all. It was something that was wonderfully constructive, very informative. It was candid, it was fresh, it was on the record. It is something that this Assembly and departments are certain to hear more about in the future. It is the consensus government that we operate under here. We are proud of this style of government, and we have to make efforts to make it work, and giving regular people, non-government organizations and professional organizations a chance to come before us and tell us what their expectations are is very much in keeping with our job and why we should be here.

A scan of what other jurisdictions in Canada do, Mr. Speaker, shows that up until this year, we were one of only three jurisdictions in Canada that did not have some kind of public consultation process going on. I am very pleased that we have changed that, and I really look forward to more of this kind of thing in the future and the annual visits to the communities and the regions that will really help us advance our style of government and the way we do our business. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleagues said, earlier this fall we did go on a pre-budget consultation tour. This tour allowed us to visit communities in the northern and southern parts of the NWT, to hear what people had to say about what they think of where the government should be going.

I won't repeat, Mr. Speaker, where some thought we should go.

---Laughter

This was the first time that this was attempted, and we did not know what to expect. What we found, Mr. Speaker, was an informed and articulate public who pay very close attention to what we do in this Assembly...

...and hold us accountable for our actions, or lack of actions in some cases. Mr. Speaker, this was an excellent opportunity for Regular Members to see many of the issues facing the other MLAs in the ridings they represent.

The issues, Mr. Speaker, are the same across the NWT. Every community has concerns with housing, with health, with the road system, and education.

---Laughter

Many think that this is nothing new, but hearing it over and over again, proved that to the residents of the NWT, the government is still lacking in many important areas. Once the people realized that we were just Regular Members, and we sometimes share the same frustrations in trying to get commitments from the government, they began to speak of all the issues in their communities, hoping that a united voice will help their cause.

Mr. Speaker, the northern group, chaired by Chief Hawkeye, heard from residents in Inuvik, Paulatuk, Fort Good Hope and Whati. We listened to residents speak on the lack of progress on the pipeline, the need for regional treatment centres, transparency from the Housing Corporation on their programs, the location of an income support office in one school. One young lady said that people should work for what they get.

Mr. Speaker, we visited a senior's home in Fort Good Hope and met with an 84-year-old lady who, despite the warm weather, had to have a heater going to keep warm. All she wanted, and deserves, was a new window and main doors to help keep the cold out so she could stay warm. My colleagues and I left her residence quite upset that Housing and this government would allow this elder to live in these conditions.

They plan on building a $41 million court house, and all Rosie wanted was new windows to keep warm. Shame on this government.

Mr. Speaker, while it is up to each community...I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, while it is up to each community to look after their residents, this government should equip them with the resources they require.

I want to thank the residents of Inuvik and Paulatuk, Fort Good Hope and Whati for their hospitality and input into the consultation, and hope that we can spend more time in each community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about the benefit of our way of life, and the on-the-land program as part of the initiative in the rehabilitation process for offenders.

Mr. Speaker, during the pre-budget consultation this summer, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight gave the GNWT definite direction, from the community perspective, on spending priorities. With each consultation, I was struck by the frequency and intensity of the support of the on-the-land correction program.

The Department of Justice establishment policy clearly states that their mandate is to administer justice, including policing and corrections in the Northwest Territories, in a manner which respects aboriginal values, and encourages the communities in increasing responsibility. In the community of Behchoko, for 2002-03 fiscal year, over $1.8 million was spent on corrections and policing services, Mr. Speaker. For the same period, only $53,000 was spent on the Community Justice Program, representing less than three percent of the funding spent on corrections.

Mr. Speaker, as part of the restorative process of aboriginal offenders, we need to look at implementing traditional healing programs; on-the-land programs, which have aboriginal offenders making retribution to their crimes through hunting and providing for their communities.

On-the-land programs, or wilderness correction camps, have had difficulty in the past; but like many important projects, they require nurturing. Funding is needed for this. I am not talking about a huge $40 million infrastructure, Mr. Speaker, I am talking about allocating funding to run camps. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about some of the health concerns in my constituency of Tu Nedhe, namely in Deninu Kue. The community of Deninu Kue has been without a resident nurse for the past couple of months, Mr. Speaker, and currently relies on temporary non-resident nurses to deliver health services within the community. This type of situation, left for extended periods of time, can lead to some grave results, Mr. Speaker. I am speaking literally.

Mr. Speaker, I received numerous calls over the past few days from concerned residents, that there are some elderly persons in the community who are not receiving proper or timely care that they require within the community, mainly because the non-residents have no knowledge or experience of the patient's medical history or lifestyle.

To add to this, also the lack of proper and expedient medical services in the community of Hay River, the long waiting times, and the lack of availability of a doctor does not help the situation at all. Although there are home care workers in the community, they are also not available to assist these elders that require 24-hour care unless the elder is actually living in the elders' facility in which, in this case, many are not.

Mr. Speaker, the community is requesting, from Health and Social Services, a timely resolution to fill the position of a permanent resident nurse within the community and ensure the residents that their health is still a high priority of this government.

Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services questions in regard to this situation later in today's session. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past September, for the first time ever, the Legislative Assembly took the budget process to the public. We encountered many ideas, thoughts and concerns from residents around the territory. For one full week, half of the Regular Members on this side of the House went north, while the other half went south to visit communities there. We also had two full days of discussions here in Yellowknife. From the feedback we received, this type of public involvement was long overdue. I will certainly be looking for ways going forward that we can find other ways that the government can open up the budgeting process. We need to allow more public presence in the lead-up to our budget discussions that ultimately end up here on the floor of this House. I don't really understand the necessity, Mr. Speaker, to keep all of the good work in the business plan review process behind closed doors. As a public government, we have to be more transparent and open about how we do business.

The pre-budget consultation exercise was a step in the right direction. Now we have to examine how we can increase our exposure, and the scrutiny that comes along with it, to the public that we serve.

Our budget process and committee structure does not normally allow for any type of public participation. Now that we have the door slightly ajar with the pre-budget consultations, we have to look at ways to let the public in on the business plan reviews. The public deserves, and has to have the opportunity, to see MLAs doing committee work. This will do two things, Mr. Speaker. First, it will increase public trust and lead to a more open and accountable government. Secondly, it will ensure Members take a more active and involved role in committee work. Ultimately, what you would achieve is better government. Isn't that why we are all here today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to raise an issue about education that has been a great

concern to Tuktoyaktuk and Paulatuk. Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk was built in the 1990s to accommodate kindergarten to Grade 9. However, it was renovated to accommodate students to Grade 12. Today, Mr. Speaker, the Tuktoyaktuk District Education Authority is concerned that the present setup does not work in having students from K to 9 in one school setup. Many of the students utilize their hallways and share the same bathroom. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult during recess, because of what they have in IA, young students seeing the older students smoking cigarettes. Mangilaluk School does not have a resource centre; for example, a library. Many of the resource materials are stored in the room. This should not be tolerated because resource materials play an important part in education. When will Mangilaluk School have a library so that the students can find the necessary materials to complete their projects? Mr. Speaker, this year, the home economics room was turned into a classroom. Why? Because of shortage of space for appropriate classrooms.

Mr. Speaker, in Paulatuk, the Angik School was to have a Grade 11 extension this year. The Beaufort-Delta Divisional Education Council approved the extension this year. However, it was brought to my attention that the Grade 11 extension of Paulatuk was cancelled. Why?

Mr. Speaker, education throughout the Northwest Territories is important for our students. Without the classrooms and resources, we are failing our most important people: our students. In closing, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment needs to address the needs of our students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague before me, Mrs. Groenewegen, I am going to continue to talk about NGOs on the pre-budget consultation. Since I became a Member two years ago, I have had regular and ongoing contact with a number of our NGOs out there, like the NWT Seniors' Society, that deliver programs on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories to residents in Yellowknife, as well.

Again, one of the most pressing concerns that I heard from them is the ongoing funding problems. Every year these organizations are waiting in limbo for the government or one of the health and social services authorities to confirm that they will be funded at the same level of the last fiscal year for the new one. It is time that this government drops the rhetoric and starts going through and doing some meaningful work that helps these agencies.

In the face of funding uncertainty, these organizations are unable to provide assurance to their employees that they will be, in fact, employed, once the government money does show up. Consequently, NGOs regularly lose employees who have to leave because of the uncertainty that this unstable position creates. That is not good for a family. That makes job security impossible. No one can get a mortgage without knowing that they will have a job next year. How does a person really start a true family working towards their future? The undue stress is not right. The red tape must end today.

Mr. Speaker, organizations again like the NWT Seniors' Society, and, of course, as well as many others, have a fantastic track record in delivering services to the people of the NWT. So I ask myself, how many years do these organizations have to demonstrate themselves to finally get the respect they truly deserve? Mr. Speaker, they should not have to spend inordinate amounts of time each year filling out administrative request after administrative request when they have truly a solid track record of providing great services at a great value. So again I say, if the government is listening, the red tape needs to end. We need to find ways to help these NGOs.

In 2002, the Social Agenda, a draft for the people of the NWT, recommended multi-year funding. We have got stone feet on this issue again. Every year, costs go up and the GNWT raises its rates. Authorities get more funding. Labour rates get covered, costs, et cetera, but NGOs continue to get the same amount of funding year to year.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions later for the Minister of Health and Social Services, but I have to stress, we talk about pipelines and devolution. Let's make multi-year funding a hallmark of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 3, Member's statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I, too, wish to speak to this House about our pre-budget consultation process that we began in August and September of this year. I was very happy to be part of a process that allows more input from our people into how we plan and spend our budget as a government, and also on how we can improve the delivery of our programs and services.

What I heard, Mr. Speaker, in each community that I travelled to, was accessibility and affordability of our living costs that reoccur over and over. I was also very pleased that the community of Wrigley took the time and effort to drive to Fort Simpson to make a presentation and have their say in how they would like their government to be spending their money.

My most memorable time, Mr. Speaker, was in Trout Lake, when Mr. Joe Punch went out of his way to ensure that we were taken care of.

---Applause

This is all he and our people ever ask of us, is that we take care of them and their needs. I look forward to ensure that this happens, Mr. Speaker. I want to make sure that the needs of our community and our people will be heard at each and every stage of our budget and capital planning process. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to comment on the pre-budget tour. I have to start off by saying a big warm hello to elder Joe Punch of Trout Lake...

---Applause

...our member from Nahendeh kind of took that line, but I really want to thank Joe Punch for being with us every second that we were there. He even took us into his home. We had an opportunity to get access to some of their cranberries. It really was a nice time. I want to say hello to elder Punch.

I have to tell you that this really was an experience that was highly informative, meaningful and heartwarming. I am glad we made a decision to do this and, now that we have started it, we have to continue to do it. Most importantly, we need to make sure that we act on the advice, suggestions and directions given to us by the people of the NWT, in the nine communities that we visited and many more to come.

Mr. Speaker, there is so much to say and do about what we saw and what we heard, but let me just point out two things. The first one is how impressed I was with the fact that Chief Dennis Deneron of Trout Lake has a whole community hooked up with wireless Internet. He is a young and dynamic leader who is very proud of using technology to build on the strength, and to use it to preserve and enhance traditional knowledge, including the fact that he has satellite chips on animals that roam around his community. He actually keeps track of them with the latest technology. Who knew that one of the smallest communities like Trout Lake is more wired than this fancy building that we work in, and so much more advanced than some of the technological dinosaurs that I have to work with in this building?

---Laughter

But we will talk about that later.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot complete my statement without telling you of the everlasting image I have of the children of Lutselk'e and how this government and all of us have failed in looking after the future of these precious children. Mr. Speaker, we were given a presentation from the day care manager. We had the opportunity to visit those facilities the next morning. Basically, these children have no day care home of their own. They go to the community hall in the morning. They have to set up everything from scratch. Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to say that these children really have no home to go to for their day care program. They are in this big community hall. They have to set up everything and take everything down at the end of the day. They are supposed to be controlled in how to behave. It is just not possible to be done in a place like this. When there are events for adults, they are the first ones to be kicked out. What kind of message are we sending to the children, and what importance are we putting on them? Mr. Speaker, coincidentally, there is much talk about our day care program. There is a lot of work to be done. I believe it is about time that this government addresses this issue head on. I will be pursuing that further during question period. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I am very proud to recognize five members of the RCMP with us today who were instrumental in Project Gunship that we saw last week. They are: Superintendent Rick Roy, who is the officer in charge of criminal operations for 'G' division.

---Applause

Also, Inspector Jim Cunningham, Project Gunship team leader.

---Applause

Sergeant Mike Payne of the Yellowknife detachment.

---Applause

Also, I want to recognize Larry O'Brien...

---Applause

...and Tom Wasiuta, who were two key investigators in the project.

---Applause

On behalf of the entire Northwest Territories, I want to make sure that we show our appreciation and recognize these five members of the force. I think we all have a better understanding of exactly how dangerous this line of work can be. Thank you very much, gentlemen.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my son, Ryan, and my wife, Judy, who are visiting from Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, six of the Pages in here today are from Inuvik. We have Kaylin Horassi, Angela Donley, Jessica Wilson, Alaska Edwards, Alyssa Ross, Hayley Rogers, and my constituency assistant and their chaperone, Meeka Kisoun. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the most important person in my life, my wife, Lucille Pokiak, up in the gallery,...

---Applause

...for the past 26 years and counting. I should also mention that she has worked for the Tuktoyaktuk Housing Association for over 18 years, and that she is presently the chair of the district education authority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to show my appreciation to the RCMP, and I recognize them in their efforts, but I will start with my constituent first. Of course, in no particular order, Superintendent Rick Roy, Inspector Jim Cunningham, Corporal Larry O'Brien, Corporal Tom Wasiuta, and Sergeant Mike Payne. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, I would like to say welcome to Lucille Pokiak, who is originally from the community of Rae. At this time, I would like to say thank you to Mrs. Pokiak, originally from the community of Rae.

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for Minister Brendan Bell, the Minister of Justice. What is the department doing in terms of supporting restorative justice programs in the smaller communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, we have community justice committees throughout the Northwest Territories that are doing work in this area. I have asked the department to analyze the success and the frequency with which we are using our community justice committees. I think we have some that have been more successful than others, and I am trying to get a better understanding, and follow some of the trends, to see if we can make improvements to reinforce this very important area of our justice system. In addition, I think the Member is aware, I have agreed to sit down and talk about a way to redouble our efforts in the area of wilderness camp programs. While everybody recognizes the importance of the program and the potential, we haven't been able to deliver the type of service that I would like to see. I am going to take another shot at it and see if we can't come up with a model that can be more successful. I look forward to working with the committee and Members in that regard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary question, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as he mentioned, he's going to look at the success and come up with a model. Would he make a commitment to work with the communities to set up wilderness camps? People have limited education to fill out the application process. That model isn't working in its present state. Will he look at alternative ways to help the communities fill out the applications, the process, to set up these camps? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll give my commitment to the Member that we will work with communities. We will work with people in communities who we think can be very useful in helping us get this model off the ground. This is not going to be about who is best able to respond to a request for proposals in the newspaper and who can submit the best proposal. It's going to be working with people in these communities to get this program back up and running. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister, in addition to his help in the communities, look at the other jurisdictions within Canada that have this type of model of wilderness camps or the approach that we may be looking at to visit them and have a site visit with these camps to see how we may replicate this type of service in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We'd certainly be willing to do that. Unfortunately, I think the department has had quite a look at this, and it's not something that's currently used in the Yukon. It's used, to some degree, in Nunavut, but in the South it's largely unheard of, Mr. Speaker. So I think we were forerunners in the development of this type of programming and, as I've said, I think we need to redouble our efforts and look

at how we can make it more successful. But we have been breaking trail here. If the Member is aware of any models that we could look at, I'd certainly like to discuss that with him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is correct that the Northwest Territories is leading the way in terms of the types of wilderness camps we have up here. We have the Tl'oondih Healing Society up there in Fort McPherson that has an excellent facility...

...and has an excellent program.

It's a crying shame that we're not using it more often.

However, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, when he looks at these models in the Northwest Territories, would he take into consideration having a family healing concept camp with this type of model where families can also be involved in these models in terms of reintegration of people back into the community and the healthy lifestyle? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would agree that families are very important in successful reintegration, especially when we're dealing with young offenders. I think the Member is probably aware, the last two years running we've used Tl'oondih in talking about transitioning people from the corrections system back into society. We are planning to use that facility again this year. The reports from the programming have been overwhelmingly positive, and it's something that we're going to continue. But I would agree with the Member that it really is about working with the entire family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement, I want to ask questions about day care programs to the Minister of ECE. Mr. Speaker, I realize that this is a very complicated issue, but it is a common theme that we hear all over the Territories. That is that we are just not doing enough to provide a healthy learning environment for our young children at the preschool ages. In Yellowknife, it is just well known that the workers that work in day care centres are notoriously underpaid. Any kind of subsidy that government makes available doesn't go anywhere near addressing the issue. Across the Territories, there are places where there are just not day care homes available. The government insists on that funding, any capital funding for these day cares. While we are passing the buck around saying that this is a federal responsibility, it is a territorial responsibility. The territorial government doesn't pay for capital funding. We have all these children with no educational opportunities at the preschool level. I'd like to know from the Minister what he's doing, as the Minister of ECE, to address this question. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, about a year ago, the Minister of Social Development, the Honourable Ken Dryden, announced a program that would see, he said, $5 billion coming to Canadians to assist the provinces and territories in providing improved services and access to day care. However, we have, to this point, not been successful at seeing this money come to the Northwest Territories. The federal government, in this situation, has offered us nothing more than per capita funding, which wouldn't allow us to make a significant change or improvement in what we are offering in the Northwest Territories. So at this point, we are continuing to negotiate. The Premiers of the three territories have together written to the Prime Minister to protest the position that has been taken by Social Development, and we are hopeful that we will be able to resolve this so that we can see some money coming to the North. I would then hope to be able to make sure that we can improve what is being offered in early childhood education. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm well aware of what's happening in that file, but I think we have to realize that's just one aspect of this very important issue, and that should not be used as an excuse for this government to continue to not act on this issue. This government has no real comprehensive policy on what we are doing for the children in creating spaces for day care services. For example, even if we got $2 million that we are asking for under this program with Minister Dryden, that's not going anywhere near addressing the needs, and it's not going to deal with the capital questions. So I'd like to know what, separate from that, is the Minister doing to address this very important issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A couple of years ago, the government undertook a plan for what should take place in early childhood education, and set that plan or made that plan public. That is the guideline document that we would use when improving the services. The Member is right; there is no plan for us to get into providing space for early childhood education. We have, at this point, talked, in the amendment to the

Education Act, about allowing schools to get into full-day kindergarten, but, at this point, the government has not looked at providing space for day cares for children who are four and younger.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that the Minister is saying that we're not doing anything about that, and I'm here to tell him that it's about time we did something about that because, Mr. Speaker, there are lots of things we can do. For example, in Lutselk'e I felt so sorry for that day care manager. He was at wits end, and the guy is not going to last there very long if somebody does not help him to find a place. We need a champion for children. Will the Minister at least look at Lutselk'e and see if you can find a space for these little ones right now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Education, Culture and Employment would be happy to work with anybody in any community in terms of trying to find a way to help operations get started. But care for children under the age of four is the primary responsibility of the parents. Our government provides assistance to day cares to get started in terms of capital. We have start-up grants. In terms of operations, we have grants to both day care providers and to parents. But it has been our policy that this government is providing assistance to parents, we're not the primary caregivers.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Your final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say that whatever policies he's outlining are not working. It is time for us to look at how to do this differently. We have a champion for the pipeline; we have a champion for devolution; we have a champion for highways; we have Ministers doing all sorts of trilateral government negotiations; there are meetings; they are burning the airplane routes talking about all these big issues, and there is not one child advocate or champion for children at that table and it's about time that somebody does that job. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I didn't hear a question there. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. His department funds a lot of non-government organizations and has them under his purview. We heard in our pre-budget consultations from many non-government organizations that look after a number of social concerns in the communities, everything from youth centres, women's shelters, seniors' societies, and the recurring message is that they have difficulty recruiting and retaining staff because they do not have sufficient funds to be competitive. I'd like to know, as I said in my Member's statement, if it's possible to build into the contribution agreements two things: escalators to address inflation and, number two, multi-year funding so that they can deal with these challenges they face. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, it is possible to build in multi-year funding agreements. The issue of escalators to non-government organizations is one that as a government we're currently struggling with, recognizing the fact that there are costs, as the Member has articulately outlined. They have to bear the same as government, yet we don't have the capacity to build into our budgets those kinds of increases. We're looking at a third-party accountability that will hopefully allow us to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I'm hearing then is yes to multi-year funding. So what I want to know now is what kinds of criteria would an NGO have to meet to qualify for that? Would there be some importance placed on the fact that many of these NGOs have been around for 20 years or more? We know they're there. They are there to stay. They're doing incredible work for this government and for our communities. What kinds of criteria would we put on for multi-year funding, and are there any administrative obstacles in terms of our government in extending that and getting it rolling? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are no obstacles preventing us as a government from entering into multi-year contracts, as far as I'm aware. The only caveat being, as with every contract we enter into, it's always contingent upon the Legislative Assembly having the final approval of the budget that were putting forward for that year. So, Mr. Speaker, in terms of who is Health and Social Services prepared to enter into multi-year contracts with, clearly we have a long-term relationship with many, many NGOs and

all those NGOs, as I've indicated in my travels as well, we're prepared to enter into long-term multi-year contracts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just too much good news.

---Laughter

I don't know what to ask now. No, seriously, are the NGOs that have contribution agreements with the Department of Health and Social Services, have they been formally notified of these prospects for multi-year funding? If they haven't been, how will they be notified? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've been making that commitment to NGOs, and it is a position that it's clear that we have that capacity as a government. The condition always is, it's going to be dependent on the funds being voted, and it's going to be based on, at this point, the existing dollars that are in the contracts until we can work out the issue of the third-party accountabilities and what we're going to do or how we're going to address the forced-growth issues that affect NGOs the same as government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. So for the fiscal year, funding year, of April 1, 2006, then NGOs can propose their contributions, propose their budgets on a multi-year basis. Is that correct? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would encourage them to do so and only working as we normally do through the various Health and Social Services authorities and their budgeting process, which ties into the broader GNWT budgeting process. But the starting point would be for them to pull together their requirements and work with the local authority and then on through there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice...

(Translation) During the pre-budget consultation, I heard loud and clear that the people want to see more justice dollars allocated to on-the-land corrections camps. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what the department is doing to encourage and facilitate on-the-land corrections camps? What is the department going to do to work with the communities to assist them by the way of funding and providing advice and how to access programs and set up an on-the-land corrections camp? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some have been very successful and others not so. I was concerned about the length of time a review would take, so I've asked the department to speed this process up. I think we already are aware of several of the shortcomings. We know that we can't force inmates to attend such camps. We know that only those who are not a threat to themselves and/or others are going to be eligible. I think we know that we really tried to make the model too much of a business model where we were looking for somebody to come forward, be very entrepreneurial, also have counselling skills, and be able to deliver programming, and I think we made it much too cumbersome and convoluted. I'd like to simplify it and work with the Members on the other side of the House to see if we can't come up with a model that would allow us to roll something out by April 1st. I will be approaching the Members, as a start, to sit down and talk to them about what I think and what they think would be the most viable option. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister please tell the House what barriers or challenges the department has encountered that hindered the on-the-land corrections in the NWT? I know that we had some on-the-land houses, but they have been closed. What is the Minister doing about that?

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the problems we've encountered is operators have made a significant investment in infrastructure on the land and incurred quite an overhead to get up and running, and then we had difficulty attracting inmates to those camps. With a significant overhead, it's hard to make a go of a program or project of that nature. So I think one of the best things we can do is talk about no permanent structures. This really doesn't need to be about much

more than some tents and some equipment. The concept and the idea is paying restitution to the community, and I think that even if we can't deliver significant different types of programming, we can certainly have inmates who are willing to go out on the land with an elder or respected community member and potentially hunt and bring meat to those who can't hunt for themselves in the communities. I think there are some things of that nature that we can do that will be much more workable than some of the programs we've tried in the past. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, another question. Will the Minister comment on working with interested communities such as the Tlicho Wilderness Program to address these obstacles and get on-the-land programs running for these people? Will they reallocate or rebuild this kind of facility in our area? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bell.