Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome to anther week of work on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice is beginning public consultations on proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act. The proposed amendments would modernize the act and make it more focused. They would also ensure that disputes are resolved more quickly and make sure landlords and tenants have effective remedies. I will table the document "Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act Consultation Paper" later today.

The Residential Tenancies Act regulates the relationship between residential landlords and tenants. It strikes a balance between the interests of tenants and landlords. It also provides for the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants by a rental officer.

We are proposing a number of amendments to the act. Many are minor and are essentially housekeeping items. They correct errors and outdated references. Other proposed changes are intended to introduce new remedies to protect landlords and tenants. A few changes are intended to shorten administrative processes, including the time required to determine undisputed applications for unpaid rent, and permit the rental officer to issue eviction orders.

The consultation paper is being distributed to stakeholders and is also on the Department of Justice web site. The paper contains a brief overview of tenancy issues in the NWT, suggests changes and poses questions for discussion. The department is inviting written responses until the end of April. Ads will be placed in NWT newspapers to inform the public that they can participate. A phone number is available to anyone with questions. This will be followed by focused stakeholder and public consultations later this spring. The department wants to hear from landlords, tenants, non-government organizations and anyone who can offer suggestions about the proposed amendments.

Also, the department welcomes general comments about the Residential Tenancies Act. Given the recent concerns expressed about increases to rental rates, this is also an opportunity for landlords and tenants to express opinions on rent controls in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about performance of Cabinet Ministers and our expectations on this side of the House. A Cabinet Minister in our consensus government is someone selected from amongst us to oversee and lead in areas of our government's actions and responses to the needs of our constituents. Although traditionally we tend to elect people with experience to these leadership roles, there is more than experience to take into account. As a Regular Member, I expect our Premier and Cabinet Ministers to take the authority and leadership with which they have been entrusted very seriously and bring their very best efforts to that role and, for the most part, Mr. Speaker, I must say that I have been pleased with our choices.

Our four-year terms are relatively short. It's not much time to bring the aspirations and mark of this Assembly to bear on the matters which we were elected to govern. We can't afford to waste time. It takes more than a maintainer or manager approach to show the kind of leadership that we want to see. This is particularly important in areas which impact our people to the extent of Education, Culture and Employment and Justice.

In an earlier statement in March, I served notice of my concerns about Ministers who had been warming chairs on that side of the House in the past and are back. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, we are more than one year into our mandate and I still see Mr. Dent performing his duties in a hands-off, that's-not-my-role, that's-what-my-officials-tell-me way. Bottom line; I am not satisfied with Mr. Dent's performance as Minister of ECE and Justice and I honestly haven't talked to too many people who are.

It is no one's God-given right to sit on Cabinet. It was a privilege given to one from amongst us, at the pleasure of this House, based on that person being representative of the collective will and direction of Members as we endeavour to obtain positive outcomes on behalf of our constituents. So, to me, it's simple. People either perform to that standard or we find someone who will. There is no shortage of talent amongst the Yellowknife Members. I believe the handling of the North Slave Correctional

Centre concern should have been cause enough to send an alarm about competence and the confidence that we placed in Mr. Dent. The dialogue over the Justice cuts his department proposed for this year's budget has proven they are not readily defendable. The information is questionable. It's the Minister's job to answer to these decisions. The buck stops with him, not his officials, not his advisors and not the Finance Minister.

Mr. Speaker, I am not satisfied. I want to revisit Mr. Dent's participation in Cabinet. The work that we have on behalf of northerners in the area of Justice and Education are too important for that role to be occupied by someone just doing a job. I want passion, heart, creativity, accountability, responsiveness and, most of all, leadership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, I was asking some questions about the government's plan to shut down the Deh Cho Hall. It's in Fort Simpson. I just wanted to address this issue today in a Member's statement. The Department of Public Works and Services and Education, Culture and Employment are meeting to decide the fate of the hall today. Mr. Speaker, I received a letter from the Village of Fort Simpson and they are concerned that Public Works and Services is going to tear down the Deh Cho Hall in 2006, based on some phantom report that no one in my community has ever seen.

This is a very serious issue for my constituents, Mr. Speaker. We are talking about 30,000 square feet of prime real estate. I am glad the departments are meeting about the building because they talk about shutting it down, but we need community input too, Mr. Speaker.

To all the people of Fort Simpson, Mr. Speaker, Deh Cho Hall isn't just some line item on a department's to do list. When Simpson looks at the hall, we don't see a dilapidated old building. We see a place where our people can go to get training in order to make better lives for themselves and their families. The people in Fort Simpson say the hall's foundation is good and with a little fixing up, we see that hall standing for another 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, I think we will be sending a bad message to the community in order to tear down a perfectly good building, especially when our need for infrastructure in Nahendeh is so high. Mr. Speaker, wasn't it the Premier who said not so long ago that he can't understand why there are so many buildings left empty in communities when they could be fixed up for families to live in. I would use the same argument for Deh Cho Hall. I can't understand why this government would abandon a perfectly serviceable building when it, too, could be fixed up.

Deh Cho Hall, to my constituents, represents 30,000 square feet of training space and we want to see the government do everything possible to save it. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off, I would like to thank the Minister of Justice for finally recognizing there was a problem at North Slave Correctional Centre and acting on it.

From day one of this Assembly, some Members of this side of the House had been speaking out about human resource issues at the North Slave Correctional Centre. Low morale, high staff turnover, wrongful dismissal suits and other problems were brought to our attention, that were a result of poor management and leadership at the North Slave Correctional Centre. Repeatedly, some of us hounded the Minister of Justice to take action demanding a review. For the longest time, he refused to acknowledge that there might be some serious problems at the North Slave Correctional Centre. On June 2nd of last year, referring to the North Slave Correctional Centre, he said, "I have every confidence that the training and supervision is adequate at the centre." On May 27th, he said, "I am satisfied that, other than the usual problems you can expect when one facility shuts down and people are moved into a new facility, there is nothing out of line there, so I don't see the need for it right now." On October 24th, he said, "I have no inside knowledge that there are problems. I believe that the issues are being raised by individuals, and I do believe that a majority of the staff in corrections are satisfied with their jobs and the way in which the department is running." When the Minister finally conceded to an internal review, the findings pointed to far more pervasive problems than any of these statements would have led us to believe. A total of 36 recommendations to improve human resource functions came out of the review; a review that, until last June, the Minister adamantly stated was not required.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister owes an apology to the employees at North Slave Correctional Centre who had the backbone to come forward with their concerns and persist, despite the department's initial refusal to even consider there might be cause for concern. Where was the leadership? I suggest it was sadly lacking, Mr. Speaker, at the political level and at the management level within the department.

Mr. Speaker, I don't understand how management could stand by and allow the working conditions and morale to deteriorate to such a state. I don't understand how a Minister could dismiss the concerns of Members and say that a review was not required in June, and yet have one take place in August. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know what has happened to the employees who allowed this to happen under their watch. Are they still with this government? Mr. Speaker, I will be following up with questions at the appropriate time today. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, I attended a reception for coaches from across the NWT who were in town for a coaching symposium. These are highly dedicated volunteers who don't get paid and only do what they do so athletes can have the programs and proper coaching. So many times, Mr. Speaker, the people who choose to coach get flack from many different angles and many different issues. These folks do a thankless job and are volunteers. Without them, many support programs would have a hard time getting off the ground.

Many coaches feel that if they can influence the decision of one young person to make good choices and live a healthy and productive lifestyle, then everything they do is worth it.

I would like to use this opportunity in this forum to thank and acknowledge the people who sacrifice their time and try to make a difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the benefits of our booming economy is that people never had a chance for many years to have year-round employment. That means people who only could work seasonally, or on and off, now have the opportunity for great paying jobs. But there are a lot of people whose economic circumstances keep them handcuffed from moving forward. Many people owe a lot of money to our local housing authorities and whatnot because of their circumstances from years before, such as unemployment and, again, seasonal work.

Mr. Speaker, now that they have jobs, in some particular cases, if they are in housing authorities, rents have drastically skyrocketed and it gives these people a very difficult chance to pay back some of these arrears. In many cases, they were not getting back the arrears. Mr. Speaker, the point that I am raising is many people can afford mortgages out there to get homes, but they need the assistance to bridge that opportunity. They cannot qualify at this time for mortgages through our NWT Housing Corporation because they owe money. Simply, they are excluded because they have owed money from before, and we are not finding ways to work with them.

Mr. Speaker, in some cases, I can assure you personally that I know that rent is higher than what they would probably pay in a mortgage. What are we doing? We need a program that is flexible that will work with the people. We need a program and a policy that will go forward to help them purchase their houses, if that is the case and the direction that they want to go and need to go. We need a program that adjusts with the times.

Mr. Speaker, if you owe money from the past to a local housing authority, you can't even get on the list to qualify for social housing. We need to find a way that helps bridge payments and opportunity together. Mr. Speaker, this government needs to do something to help assist the way arrears flow into the government because, as it stands right now, the money is not flooding in.

Mr. Speaker, let's help the people who want to help themselves. That is the bottom line. That is why we are here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Workers' Compensation Board does a lot of really good work in a number of areas. It has been established with the partnership of employers and workers to help keep accident rates down. When accidents do happen, they deal with them in an effective and responsible manner.

Mr. Speaker, in the last Assembly, we changed some legislation here that would enable the Appeals Tribunal of the Workers' Compensation Board to be much more appropriately set up as a truly and, in very practical terms, an arm's length and an independent system from the regular workings of the WCB. The idea here is when an injured worker does have an issue with the decision of the regular compensation board program, that there is a process that they can trust will completely, thoroughly and independently assess the decision and the process and take action to correct it if they so find.

But, Mr. Speaker, our NWT/Nunavut Appeals Tribunal has not gone the fullest extent, I believe, in terms of establishing itself as truly independent. We still have, Mr. Speaker, an administration for the Appeals Tribunal that is, in effect, the Workers' Compensation Board administration. We still have physical offices and other such connections that are still in place. This is not appropriate.

Mr. Speaker, I note from talking with some injured workers, that when decisions are rendered by the Appeals Tribunal, they can take several months before implementation begins. Perhaps a more significant problem is that decisions, as rendered by the Appeals Tribunal, go back to the WCB; in effect, back to be implemented and sometimes interpreted by the same people who may have caused the worker to file an appeal in the first place. So there are significant issues of a legislative and an administrative and a governance role, I would suggest, Mr. Speaker, need to be addressed within our Workers' Compensation Board. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Taking off on the statements that the Members for Hay River South and Kam Lake made, I would like to say a few things that the Ministers across the floor have done that I am not happy with either.

Mr. Speaker, first, let me start with Minister Miltenberger. Thus far, he spent three years studying the Supplementary Health Benefits Program and he is asking for some more time. So many of his projects are under study. I think that we need to keep him in his job for at least 10 more years before we see any kind of results.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, secondly, the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation has, thus far, not heeded any of my suggestions or outrage to revisit the second phase of the market housing initiative, even though the department has not provided any compelling evidence to suggest that we should move on to the second phase. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the Minister is actively pursuing the possibility of buying out all of the trailers that the oil companies bring up. I think he is going to change the name of NWT to NWT Trailer Park.

Mr. Speaker, thirdly, I can speak to all the nasty things that Minister Floyd Roland said in his budget about the poor people who can't get off their butts to get a job in this booming economy. I know he has been going through many briefings from the experts and the NGOs in communities to see the new light on the matter.

Mr. Speaker, Minister McLeod dared to give a permit to the Yellowknives to do a seismic study within the Yellowknife boundary, without giving a notice to the city government. For that, I think his head should roll.

Mr. Speaker, fifthly, I have made it clear how displeased I am with the way Minister Bell has created 22 new jobs in the department at a cost of almost $3 million a year, even though, for years, we have been asking for more money for the tourism industry and all sorts of things we talked about.

Mr. Speaker, I have a whole list of things to say about the Premier, but I don't have enough time today.

---Laughter

And, of course, Mr. Dent. Anyhow, for that, all the heads should roll. I understand this is a tough job and the debate will continue. I expect the Ministers to pull up their socks and do a better job. 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. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier today, until June of last year, the Minister of Justice adamantly refused to even consider that there might be a problem with human resources at the North Slave Correctional Centre. In August, the deputy minister called for a comprehensive, independent internal review. My question for the Minister of Justice is what changed between June and August of last year to cause his 180-degree shift in position? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.