Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Orders of the day. Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Energy Conservation Action Plan we adopted last October has been successful in raising the public's awareness about the importance of conserving energy and has helped individuals, businesses and GNWT departments and agencies put actual energy conservation measures into practice. The action plan enhanced existing conservation programs, introduced new conservation initiatives and identified new technologies to help reduce energy costs. Some of the highlights achieved by the action plan are:

1. Fourteen additional retrofit projects on public buildings were completed through the enhanced Energy Conservation Program offered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. We anticipate annual operating savings of $140,000 due to these retrofits. In total, 37 retrofit projects under the program will be completed this year, with expected annual operating savings of over $300,000.
2. Infrared thermal scanning on 80 government buildings has been completed by the Department of Public Works and Services and we anticipate completing another 400 scans on both government and municipal buildings over the next two years.
3. New design standards have been developed and implemented by the Department of Public Works and Services to maximize energy efficiency for upcoming government construction projects. These design standards will be incorporated into the revised 2006 Good Building Practice for Northern Facilities publication and will be made available to municipal governments and businesses.
4. One hundred fifty residential energy efficiency assessments were completed in Fort Smith. The NWT Power Corporation conducts these assessments to inform residents about electricity and answer questions about how electricity is generated, how much electricity is required to run a household and how to use electricity more efficiently. The corporation will soon be starting assessments in Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e.
5. Funding was increased to the Arctic Energy Alliance to supplement existing incentive programs. For example, homeowners and small businesses may qualify for cash grants if maintenance is completed on their boilers and furnaces. Information as to how to apply for these grants was included with the January 2006 power bills.

At the public meeting held by AOC in November on the rising cost of energy in the NWT, I spoke about the need for NWT residents and businesses to take full advantage of the energy conservation initiatives made available through the action plan and also challenged government departments to step up our conservation efforts. As seen from the highlights identified, NWT residents, businesses and our departments have been successful in rising to this challenge. Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the Energy Conservation Action Plan Update which provides additional information and guidance to help us all reduce our energy consumption.

Mr. Speaker, as we applaud the results achieved by the action plan, we must also recognize our longer-term goal of identifying more stable and reliable energy sources to mitigate rising energy costs and provide all northerners with affordable energy options.

The government will soon be releasing an energy plan discussion paper that will raise the critical policy issues that need to be addressed respecting the development of NWT energy resources and the long-term strategic direction and actions the NWT must take to ensure affordable and sustainable energy solutions for the benefit of all northerners.

Mr. Speaker, despite a drop in oil prices, energy prices remain high. In 2006, we must continue to support conservation and efficiency measures as the most effective means of coping with these high costs. This will require continued commitment by this Legislative Assembly and all northerners to ensure we build on the momentum achieved to date. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Handley. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today about the NWT Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program. Nominations for this program are currently being accepted.

The NWT Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program was developed in 1991 as a way to celebrate outstanding volunteers in the Northwest Territories and to highlight the importance of volunteerism to residents of the Northwest Territories. This year, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is pleased to be working in partnership with Volunteer NWT on the delivery of the program.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has launched this year's nomination process through advertisements, the distribution of brochures and posters, and notices on the department's web site. Nomination materials can also be found in community government offices, recreation offices and all schools in the Northwest Territories.

There are four categories of Outstanding Volunteer Awards. The categories are: individual, elder, youth and group. As in prior years, we expect to receive nominations from all regions of the Northwest Territories.

Each year, the award winners and all nominees are recognized during an award ceremony that takes place during National Volunteer Week. This year, National Volunteer Week is April 23rd to April 29th. Planning details of the award ceremony are underway and I look forward to providing Members with additional information on the ceremony once all details are finalized.

Mr. Speaker, volunteers are an incredibly important part of our life in our communities. The Volunteer Award Program is one way that the Government of the Northwest Territories can recognize the contributions volunteers make everyday. It is important to bring recognition to the award winners, and all nominees, and to the thousands of residents in the Northwest Territories that give freely of their time and energy with no expectation of thanks.

I encourage all Members of the Legislative Assembly to recognize and thank the volunteers in their communities and to nominate an outstanding volunteer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Ministers' statements. Before I go on to the next order on the Order Paper, I would like to draw your attention to a very distinguished looking group in the gallery today. They are a group of grads from the community wellness workers course. I would like to welcome Dowey Lafferty from Lutselk'e,

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Mary Rose Drybone from Colville Lake,

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Sarah Polquin from Aklavik,

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Teresa McDougall from Yellowknife,

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Rick Alexander from Yellowknife,

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Therese Simon from Fort Resolution,

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Bernice Hardisty from Fort Liard,

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Edna Alexie from Fort McPherson,

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Una Simon from Fort Smith.

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Donald Yukon from Deline,

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Rosemary Elemie from Deline.

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With them is Vicki Jacob from Keyano College. She's the instructor from Fort McMurray.

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Welcome all of you to the House. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am going to again address the fact that it is my belief that the Government of the Northwest Territories has let down the majority of its residents and settled on socio-economic impact funding that isn't flowing through the GNWT and won't even start to address our needs as we move forward. You know, $500,000 sounds like a great sum of money, but when you spread the funding over 10 years and then split it amongst 22 communities, it doesn't add up to much, Mr. Speaker. It's anyone's best guess on what the administrative cost would be to administer this money; quite possibly as high as 20 percent. What money does get down to the communities will certainly be well used and much needed.

I want to state quite clearly today that I believe, as a government, we could have done, and should have done, much better for our residents. The 22 communities deserve the funding, every bit of it, the entire $500 million, Mr. Speaker. I don't believe Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Hay River should get a cut from the $500 million. What I do believe, and have evidence of, is that the Government of the Northwest Territories has failed 70 percent of our population: three out of four of the major population centres in this territory, by not standing up for them, or themselves, for that matter, and demanding more.

The major tax-based centres deserve and should receive funding from Ottawa, as well. This is on top of the $500 million, Mr. Speaker. I speak from experience, Mr. Speaker. Yellowknife is a much different community today than it was 15 years ago. Resource development and the negative social impacts have hit Yellowknife hard. The saying "more money, more problems" is quite an accurate description. Drugs, crime, addiction and unhealthy lifestyles are very prominent in our communities.

As we embark on the exciting prospects of mega resource development here in the Northwest Territories, our government must be willing to fight for each and every one of its residents, whether they live in Tulita, Fort Simpson, Hay River or Yellowknife. We will all be hit by socio-economic impacts. How is the government going to protect us? What is the government going to do to pay the social costs in every one of our communities? They don't have an answer for this, Mr. Speaker, and, for that reason, they have, thus far, failed us.

Remember, gentlemen, you are a public government. We are a public government and it's time to start acting like one, Mr. Speaker. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Premier. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to wade in on the Novel housing subject. I spoke just briefly during consideration of the NWT Housing Corporation budget deliberations. Mr. Speaker, this is what is my perspective, from what I have seen and heard.

As I see it, Imperial Oil and their partners want to build a pipeline. During the construction of that pipeline, they need temporary workforce housing. Traditional practices would see them bring that housing in and take that housing out. The Northwest Territories had the housing shortage. Maybe we could save the pipeline proponents from having to remove their housing.

ATCO Structures is an internationally recognized supplier of workforce housing. ATCO Structures has the capacity to produce all of the workforce housing required for the Mackenzie gas project. ATCO develops and designs a type of workforce housing that can be converted to a conventional home. ATCO presents their design and signs an MOU with NWT Housing Corporation. The Housing Corporation sees a potential use of 700 of the 1,400 housing units and looks for existing and potential housing programs for delivery. The Housing Corporation wants northern value added through training opportunities, participation of northern businesses involved in manufacturing, assembly, transportation and, ultimately, site development and conversion. ATCO is amenable to this approach and the negotiations continue.

Imperial Oil is looking for the best value for their needs and is willing to be convinced of the merits of using a convertible housing model versus conventional workforce housing. By participating, Imperial Oil could fulfil part of its commitment to socio-economic benefits for the North. The Housing Corporation could have access to much-needed housing for northerners. Considerable economy could be created by the conversion of these units to homes in various communities after the pipeline construction.

Fast forward to this week. ATCO Structures has taken a bit of a beating from some Members of this Legislature and ATCO is probably wondering why, since they are willing to recognize the need for significant northern participation. Imperial Oil is probably saying with our permits and agreements in hand, we don't need the permission of the territorial government to proceed with workforce housing in our best interest and in a way that we like.

If the Mackenzie gas project proceeds, there is going to be a demand for workforce housing for further exploration and construction for feeder projects for years to come. Do we have capacity for that in the North? Yes. Hay River already has worksite accommodation/office units being built as we speak. Mr. Speaker, I would like to 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, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. So Hay River already has manufacturing in place for workplace office and accommodation. Could they continue to meet the ongoing demand? Probably they could. Is there a northern company that has stand-alone capacity today to produce enough units to meet the needs of the construction of the pipeline? No. Would it make good business sense for someone to build that kind of capacity if this level of demand is not sustainable? Probably not.

Mr. Speaker, Imperial Oil needs workforce housing. The Northwest Territories needs housing. ATCO Structures has well over 50 years of experience in manufacturing and has invested in a concept to match these needs together. Am I a paid lobbyist for ATCO Structures? No. Do I see a potential and know a potentially good deal when I see one? Yes, I do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, when I speak to the elders in my communities, they often talk about the sicknesses and epidemics of the past taking the lives of many loved ones. Fortunately, today our youth have never had to experience these types of losses and we, as a government, must do whatever we can to keep it that way. Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a virus primarily transferred by birds. There are many different types. Influenza H5N1 is a type of avian influenza that is of world-wide concern and is carefully monitored. Last fall in the Fraser Valley region of B.C. they experienced bird flu infections. This brought the once-distant flu pandemic concerns very close to home in Nahendeh.

Last session, the new chief of Jean Marie River asked me to request what the government will do in case of a severe outbreak. Does our government have an emergency response plan to a possible outbreak in the Northwest Territories? According to my research, it is transferable among wild birds, although most of the human infections were from domesticated birds. In the Nahendeh, many residents actively harvest traditionally and live off the land eating wild birds, like everybody else throughout the North. Many residents feel this infection may be transferable from wild birds.

The GNWT must inform the general public through a communication campaign on the avian flu virus. This government must be proactive in the intergovernmental approach involving the federal, territorial, local, and First Nation governments in an emergency response plan. Other jurisdictions in Canada have implemented a strategy and have started to store the necessary medication and vaccinations, and so should we. Furthermore, this virus is constantly changing and the response plans and vaccinations must also be evaluated periodically.

It seems like every day we hear on the evening news that there was another outbreak of this virus on humans. Some are close to home, some are quite far away, but with modern transportation and visitors from all over the world in the Northwest Territories, we are not isolated, we are not alone, and we must prepare. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The government has taken some very, very bold and aggressive steps in the last few months at least, Mr. Speaker. Some of them, though, have not met with the expectations or the conventions or the rules that this Assembly is based on. The most significant one being consensus. The ones that come to mind, Mr. Speaker, would be the snap, sudden, secret decision to relocate the Territorial Treatment Centre to Hay River; the decision by the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment to dispense with the NWT's participation in the National Diamond Strategy and disband the diamond unit. Mr. Speaker, the most significant one happened late last year with the so-called "letter of comfort" when our Minister of Finance and our Premier decided to, in effect, block the NWT out of a significant revenue stream based on the development of the gas reserves.

Mr. Speaker, in here, with the Novel housing program and the project with ATCO, we have yet another situation here where things are going on without the knowledge, consultation or, in fact, the consent of this side of the Assembly. Mr. Speaker, we found out that the government has signed a memorandum of agreement with ATCO regarding the use of the Novel manufactured homes. Now, Mr. Speaker, I, too, am an advocate of making the very best opportunity of this great project that lies ahead of us. The challenge that I have, Mr. Speaker, is for the way in which our government is going about this. When I read in a document that was tabled I believe earlier in this Assembly that we already signed a memorandum of agreement, what is it that we've agreed to? Where are the options? Where is the feasibility? Where is the confidence? Where is the transparency? Where is the trust? Where is the consensus, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Braden. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also wanted to congratulate all the community wellness workers that are in our gallery on their successful completion of the certification program that they have all undoubtedly worked diligently and passionately to acquire.

Mr. Speaker, some of the difficulties, both in the workplace and in the communities where they live and work, are not things that people are compelled to talk about, but I think are worthy of mention today. We all recognize the importance of these positions in our small communities, and I want to let it be known that these community wellness workers' positions are 24 hours, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year jobs, and the compensation for these positions is severely underrated and inadequately funded by this government.

Mr. Speaker, a community wellness worker cannot take a holiday in their respective communities because many people seeking assistance often require help or guidance before their issues transpire into something more tragic and the community wellness worker is often, it is often their obligation to take action before this happens.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a couple of reasons why I would like to see some serious reviews done on the compensation levels for these frontline workers; salary levels that are truly reflective of the broad spectrum of wellness issues that these people have to work against every day.

I could go on and on about many of those community wellness issues, but two minutes is surely not enough time. I do have time to say thank you from all the Members in this House and from the residents of the NWT in their job, and they all deserve a pat on the back every day. I wish them the best of luck in their future endeavours. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last night I had the chance to read yet one more propaganda put out by this government on Novel housing and, lo and behold, I learned something new that I was not aware of before, and that is that this government, in fact, does have a formal working relationship with ATCO by way of a memorandum of agreement regarding the use of Novel manufactured homes by the MGP. It's in the document that the Minister asked me to look at.

Mr. Speaker, in learning this, the light came on in my head as to why this so-called mere Novel concept, or novel concept, has made it into this year's budget. Now I know why this government talks and acts like the biggest lobbying agent for one company; because, in fact, it has become a life partner with this, through this MOA, Mr. Speaker.

What does this mean? This means that we'll never know if ATCO is in fact the most suitable marriage partner for us in this housing project. Any responsible parent will tell their children to look around, shop around, compare. If you have five hundred million to spend, what is the best deal we can get? Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you I don't think we'll ever know. This means no other companies need to apply since one company, without any apparent competitive process, has been given the leg up and stands to become the biggest beneficiary of this project that's now worth not $297 million as I thought it was previously, but it is now worth about $500 million. Two hundred and thirty-four million from the oil producers for the cost of workforce housing, forty million dollars plus for the premium for any extra cost of making them convertible, two hundred and forty million plus from the federal government, GNWT and private sector to build the lots and set up and buy the units.

The report also states, Mr. Speaker, that the government does not know if this is the only company that can do it, but the government's not going to do their due diligence to find out. We have no info here as to whether there is the buy-in from the people who would be asked to live in these used trailers. There is no information as to where regional and community governments have bought in. There is, in fact, no information as to whether Imperial Oil is interested in this marriage because they're too busy going through the regulatory process.

So, Mr. Speaker, I have to accept that there has been a marriage, but I need to still see that...

Your time for your Member's statement has expired.

Thank you.

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Members' statements. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.