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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On June 21st, the people across the Northwest Territories will once again be celebrating National Aboriginal Day. This year marks the 10th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day celebrations in Canada. It is also the fifth anniversary of the National Aboriginal Day Act, which made the Northwest Territories the first and only jurisdiction in Canada to recognize the day as a formal statutory holiday.

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Mr. Speaker, this is important to me as Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations and as Premier because it demonstrates how strongly we feel about honouring aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories and Canada.

Our aboriginal heritage shapes the way in which our government conducts its business and how we work together to build and strengthen our territory. The traditions, culture and language of the Dene, Metis and Inuvialuit are an integral part of our unique northern identity, so it's only appropriate that we have a day to recognize aboriginal people.

Mr. Speaker, our commitment extends well beyond our annual day off and to celebrate some aboriginal cultures and traditions. Our government is bringing the spirit of National Aboriginal Day alive through our daily work and with aboriginal leaders, communities, governments and organizations.

The GNWT is fully committed to the objective of concluding land, resources and governance agreements in the Northwest Territories. Achieving this goal follows the GNWT's strategic plan of self-reliant people and communities in the NWT. This will enable our residents to realize the political, social and economic aspirations and result in more stable, political and economic environments in the Northwest Territories.

We remain committed to this goal as we work towards developing respectful, government-to-government relationships and continue to honour the diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories and Canada.

Mr. Speaker, this June 21st, I will ask all Members to join me in encouraging the people of the Northwest Territories to get out and participate in National Aboriginal Day activities in their communities. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Handley. Ministers' statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, in recent months we have seen energy prices reach record levels. The continued high demand for energy resources in growing economies such as India and China will likely mean energy prices will remain high for the foreseeable future.

As a result of these worldwide pressures on energy supply and costs, it is imperative that the Northwest Territories address our own energy usage and underlying cause of increased energy costs. In the short term, this means we must do more to reduce consumption and increase energy efficiency. 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.

In the fall of last year, this government and Legislative Assembly implemented the energy conservation action plan to increase public awareness on energy conservation and provide individuals, businesses and government departments with the tools to put meaningful energy conservation measures into practice. This innovative plan, aimed at enhancing existing conservation programs, introduced new conservation initiatives and identified new technologies to help reduce energy costs.

Mr. Speaker, to date, this program has been very successful. We are particularly encouraged by our residents' interest in and implementation of individual conservation programs and by the way government departments, boards and agencies and non-government organizations are working together in an ongoing and sustained effort to reduce energy usage and strengthen innovation.

Later today, the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger, will provide Members of this Legislative Assembly with an update on the action plan.

Mr. Speaker, given world pressures, it is equally important for the Northwest Territories to look outward when

considering issues concerning the supply and demand of energy.

Today, almost all of our territory's annual energy supply is imported from southern Canada in the form of fossil fuels. Secure, reliable and affordable energy supplies are essential to the long-term interests of this territory.

As a territory, we neither control nor regulate the cost of this energy. As we have seen over the past year, it is subject to sudden and large increases in response to world events and the supply and demand nature of the global economy.

Fortunately, Mr. Speaker, we have significant renewable and non-renewable energy resources, including extensive potential in natural gas and hydroelectricity right in our own backyard. The Mackenzie gas pipeline project is a basin opening project that can bring northern gas to southern markets and has the potential to provide clean, natural gas to many of our communities displacing less environmentally friendly fossil fuels. Our hydroelectric potential is enormous. Projects at the Bear River and the expansion of capacity on the Taltson River also have the potential to displace diesel generated energy in communities and industrial developments.

We must take a long-term view of the development of these energy resources. This means making critical policy choices respecting the development of Northwest Territories energy resources and setting the long-term strategic direction required to ensure affordable and sustainable energy solutions for the benefit of all Northwest Territories residents.

Mr. Speaker, the government has been working on a framework to begin this important discussion. Later today, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment will table an energy discussion paper titled "Energy for the Future" that sets out many of the issues this government and Legislative Assembly will have to consider in this discussion.

Mr. Speaker, this government intends to continue focusing on renewable energy options and the development of policies that encourages conservation, innovation and the development of sustainable, secure energy supplies for all NWT residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Handley. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Premier has spoken about the potential of the Northwest Territories to develop more of its energy resources in response to rising energy costs faced by our residents.

Looking forward, it is critical that our territory has a coordinated and comprehensive approach to the development, management and use of energy resources in the NWT.

At the appropriate time today, I will be tabling an energy discussion paper titled "Energy for the Future." This discussion paper was jointly prepared by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and also the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Energy for the Future is a way forward, outlining a proposed policy framework to guide future energy decisions and proposing a number of strategic actions in support of this policy framework.

Mr. Speaker, this document reflects the balance that must be struck between future development, management and use of our energy resources while ensuring a high degree of environmental care and quality.

This document is built, in part, upon work undertaken by previous governments. Our government will consider all comments and will certainly be receptive to innovative suggestions as we move forward in the development of a comprehensive energy plan for the NWT.

This plan must consider domestic and export materials for the development and use of our non-renewable, renewable and alternative energy sources, like powering more of our communities and industries such as the diamond mines with hydroelectricity and identifying options for natural gas conversion in communities. It will mark, I hope, the emergence of the NWT as a supplier of secure, affordable and sustainable energy, first and foremost for itself, Mr. Speaker, and then for all Canadians and the North American marketplace.

It is our intention to have a draft of this energy plan for Members of this Legislative Assembly to review in the fall. I encourage all Members and all residents of the NWT to take time to consider these issues and provide input into this energy plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Bell. Ministers' statements .The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, as the Premier noted earlier, conservation and efficiency are critical elements in addressing the broad range of energy issues facing the Northwest Territories today. Conservation and efficiency provide an immediate response to the high cost of energy and, as a government, now form a part of our business-as-usual approach.

In addition, and perhaps more importantly, energy conservation and efficiency help us to address one of the most serious environmental problems facing us today: climate change. Mr. Speaker, experts predict that unless efforts are made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we can expect to see an acceleration of negative climatic trends.

Between the skyrocketing prices of oil and the serious risks posed by climate change, it is clear we need to continue and strengthen our efforts around energy conservation and efficiency.

To address these issues, this Legislative Assembly approved funding for the energy conservation action plan to retrofit projects on public buildings, infrared thermal scanning on municipal and GNWT buildings and the implementation of new energy-efficient design standards

for GNWT buildings. Additional funding was also provided to the Arctic Energy Alliance to supplement existing incentive programs.

An important part of this action plan is the development of a new approach to energy use. The first step in the process was the identification of three strategies for improving northern energy management:

1. energy conservation within government;
2. energy conservation in NWT homes; and
3. the anti-idling project.

The underlying goal of all three strategies is improving energy use in the NWT through disseminating knowledge, developing skills and improving attitudes towards energy conservation.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most important parts of this program is the marketing and promotional effort to increase energy conservation awareness in the Northwest Territories. This work was undertaken through the Arctic Energy Alliance and built upon public education awareness programs currently offered by that organization. Among the initiatives undertaken is the development of an Energy Efficiency Tips for Homeowners video designed to provide information and instructions on the basic, feasible and cost-effective improvements homeowners can do to make their homes more energy efficient.

The EnerGuide for Housing Program was one of the greater successes of the 2005-06 action plan. By the end of March 2006, over 60 households received incentives through the program. The average incentive paid per household was $820, resulting in estimated annual energy savings of $2,000 per household and an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of over six metric tons per household.

To ensure we continue to build on these results, the government will maintain support for existing residents by following through on conservation initiatives identified by the Arctic Energy Alliance in 2006-07.

Due in large part to the new funding provided for the energy conservation action plan, this government's overall spending levels for energy conservation and efficiency programs are higher than in the past. Over the coming months we will continue to develop and implement this action plan and will provide Members with a progress report during the fall session.

Mr. Speaker, we must continue to support conservation and efficiency measures as the most effective means of coping with the high costs of energy.

In addition to this, we will, over the summer months, be updating the NWT Greenhouse Gas Strategy to ensure we have a focused approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and are planning for the impacts of climate change.

Mr. Speaker, emission reduction efforts must continue to be initiated across a number of sectors involving communities, energy suppliers, residential homeowners, non-government organizations and industrial energy consumers.

As a major contributor to the NWT's overall greenhouse gas emissions, industry has a responsibility, as good corporate citizens, to continue to explore and implement innovations to reduce emissions and, in doing so, conserve energy. Efforts to date have included wind energy monitoring to access feasibility of using wind power, increasing heat recovery through modifications to powerhouse engines and optimization of generators to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Mr. Speaker, we feel that by taking the right steps and making the right investments now, we will be in a position not only to reduce our overall energy costs, but, more importantly, to reduce our overall greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of FMBS, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the progress relating to the amalgamation of human resource services.

It has now been one year since we took the first steps towards a modern human resources management structure with the amalgamation of human resource services that resulted in, and continues to result in, identifying issues and areas where improvement is necessary.

One of the issues that was identified last summer was a significant backlog in both the pay and benefits areas. In both areas, plans were introduced in September 2005 to improve the situation. On the benefits side, there were approximately 550 files that were outstanding at the time of the amalgamation. I am pleased to report that all of these files are either completed or in the hands of another party such as Superannuation or the employees themselves for final action.

On the pay side, we began with a backlog of over 1,000 files. More than 60 percent of these files have been completed.

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The pay office was challenged in addressing the backlog due, in part, to the instability of the human resources systems hardware. Since the installation of new servers three months ago, payroll has run cleanly and without serious disruption each and every pay week. We have made significant progress in addressing the pay backlog and any remaining files will be attended to during the summer months.

Work is ongoing to ensure human resource policies, procedures and guidelines are followed and practices are being implemented in a consistent and fair manner to ensure all employees, regardless of community or department of employment, receive quality service and equitable treatment.

As part of the commitment to transparency, new staffing appeals regulations under the Public Service Act came into effect on April 3, 2006. As a result, all competitions

up to the assistant deputy minister level can now be appealed.

The GNWT's exit survey has been modified and, in an effort to encourage greater use, a streamlined process will be used to request departing employees to complete the exit survey.

In January and February of this year, indeterminate and term GNWT employees were asked to complete a survey that included a set of core questions. A national project team, whose goal was to develop a tool that would enable governments to compare employee satisfaction and engagement across jurisdictions, designed these questions with our input. Approximately 36 percent of GNWT employees responded, providing an excellent snapshot of employees' opinions across the GNWT.

The majority of questions had a positive response. Over 80 percent of employees who responded know how their work contributes to the achievement of GNWT department goals, have positive working relationships with their co-workers and feel that their job is a good fit with their skills and interests. While the overall results were positive, there were a number of areas that identify issues that need to be addressed. Any question where more than 20 percent of employees disagreed or strongly disagreed was reviewed to determine what actions could be developed to improve employee satisfaction in these areas. Mr. Speaker, later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the results of the 2006 employee satisfaction and engagement survey and accompanying action plan.

From February through early April, Human Resources staff were involved in intensive review and planning sessions with the Hackett Group, a company with a proven background in human resource transformation work. Human Resources received detailed recommendations relating to processes and systems and the changes needed to continue with the transformation work. The department has begun to implement the recommendations by the Hackett Group. While many of the recommendations are focused on the internal workings of Human Resources, the result will be an improvement in services for all clients.

We have made significant progress in moving towards a modern human resources service delivery structure. While there is still much more work to be done, we realize that the continued commitment of Human Resources staff is instrumental in achieving excellence in human resource management. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

This morning, MLAs joined the Awareness of Violence Against Aboriginal Women Journey for Change Walk. This walk is to remember those who have died, those who are missing and the many still living in violence and abusive situations.

I congratulate the individuals involved in this activity, particularly Marie Speakman, one of this year's Wise Women Award recipients and the person who came up with the idea for the walk. I wish them well on their journey and I hope we will all take this opportunity to remember how violence against women hurts all of us, our families, our children and our communities.

The Government of the NWT is committed to working with families, community organizations and community leadership to address the problem of violence against women. I would like to update Members on the GNWT's Response to the NWT Response to the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence - A Framework for Action.

As Members may recall, in 2004, the GNWT committed to implementing all 72 actions in eight specific areas identified in this document. Over the past two years, the GNWT, in partnership with the Coalition Against Family Violence, has worked collaboratively to implement the response.

A significant amount of work has been accomplished and partnerships with community organizations have been key to the results we have seen.

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. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Most actions outlined in the Framework for Action have been completed. Significant among these is the implementation of the Protection Against Family Violence Act. As well, resource tool kits have been developed and distributed to frontline workers across the NWT to help them work with families who are suffering from the effects of violence. An integrated response protocol is nearing completion and we thank Yellowknife, Deline and Fort Resolution for their participation in the three pilot projects. We believe the protocols developed will assist frontline workers to work in a coordinated way in helping address the needs of families. Although much has been accomplished, there is still much to be done.

The deputy ministers of social envelope departments have been tasked with the development of A Framework for Action - Phase II. This new action plan will cover the next five years.

The Framework for Action - Phase II will be completed by December and the actions outlined will become part of the GNWT business planning process.

The Framework for Action - Phase II will outline actions that are achievable, measurable and effect changes for people affected by family violence across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the budget session, I spoke to the desire of the Children First Society in Inuvik to have their needs incorporated into a new school being built up in Inuvik. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak on the work that they continue to do.

I believe theirs is a worthy cause, Mr. Speaker, and I will continue to be an advocate for the society. Mr. Speaker, the society has put together an excellent proposal to justify their position. Over 30 businesses and agencies have given letters of support and close to 300 residents have given their support by signing a petition. They even have a detailed floor plan that meets their requirement. They put a budget together, along with an estimate from a local contractor, of about $2.5 million. Firmer numbers will not be available until after the design phase. Mr. Speaker, can you imagine the amount of bingos that need to be held to raise that kind of money?

Mr. Speaker, many students who attend Aurora College from surrounding communities will have a safe learning environment for their children. Mr. Speaker, this government stresses the importance of early learning and childcare and we have a group that have put together a strong case for an early childhood facility that we should support. They did the work on their own with no consultants. They have done all the legwork. The ball is now in our court, so let's not drop it. We have to send a message, Mr. Speaker, that we don't just talk the talk, but we also walk the walk. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to meet and talk with the mayor of Ulukhaktok on April 2, 2006. One item of interest for the residents of Ulukhaktok is the print making and tapestry shop that's been closed for a number of years. Mr. Speaker, the residents of Ulukhaktok are well renowned for their print making and artistic talent. To name one offhand is Mary Okheena. These artists have sold their print making and tapestries around the world. Mr. Speaker, in my discussion with the mayor, Ulukhaktok residents would like to revitalize their artistic talent in print making and tapestries and would like to see the print making and tapestry shop reopen. However, Mr. Speaker, government funding is required to renovate the facility.

Mr. Speaker, government jobs, sports and traditional hunting activities today is the only source of income for a lot of the residents. Today, residents of Ulukhaktok would like to achieve another economic base and source of income. By renovating the print making and tapestry shop in Ulukhaktok, it would enable the residents of Ulukhaktok to achieve anther economic base and source of income and prove once again they are well renowned artists.

Mr. Speaker, I will be addressing the issue with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment today and over the next few months to once again reopen the print making and tapestry shop. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Again, I would just like to raise some housing policies and practices that continue to concern me and my constituents. Since very little has changed in the Housing Corporation's policies and practices since raising these issues in this House on numerous occasions over the past two years and also bringing them to the attention of the Minister in charge of housing who, I might add, Mr. Speaker, spent four years on this side of the House adamantly demanding the same changes to the housing policies and practices, I feel it is important to raise the red flag once again.

First, Mr. Speaker, I would just like to stress the need for this government to not only acknowledge the fact that we recognize the difference between the large urban centres and our smaller remote communities, but the need to address and take action on making some tangible changes in government policies and programs to show the NWT public that we can and will make changes that address those differences. This government can no longer stay with the status quo in developing policies that are applicable to everyone, whether in a large or small centre.

Look at the BIP policy. It works good for the small communities, but may not be required in a larger, competitive market system like Yellowknife. The negotiated contract policy again works good for small communities, but is not required in a competitive market or a larger centre where there are three to five potential bidders on any given government contract at any given time.

On the housing side, the CNIT, Core Need Income Threshold, a very cut and dried policy with no room for negotiations. If you are a dollar over the threshold, you don't qualify. A dollar under, you get government money to buy or build a new house. It doesn't matter how responsible and hardworking you may be, how many kids, relatives, grandchildren you support, what the amount of truck or car payments are or the cost to feed your family. All these factors have big impacts on the remote communities, Mr. Speaker.

The rent scales in our remote communities with no market system to gauge what people are willing and able to pay, but a system that says you will pay based on how much money you make or your household makes or how much money you won in bingo last night.

It's all these types of policies that need changes, adjustments and amendments, Mr. Speaker. Some of them are the main contributors to our ongoing housing crises and business crises in the small communities, not to mention the public's contempt and disregard for self-reliance and independent living, which this government

admits it's trying to build on but in reality it just seems to be working against. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation awards fixed-price contracts containing a specific scope of work to be performed for the construction of winter roads for resupply to northern communities. This was an unusual year this past year in terms of weather and conditions for winter and ice road construction. These are circumstances beyond the control of the Minister or the contractor. A bad year such as this past season makes the work of contractors potentially very costly and difficult.

The contractor has the option of ending the contract and pulling their equipment and people off the job, however, Mr. Speaker, everyone on the job, both from the department and from the contractor's forces, is keenly aware of the importance of making the roads available for resupply and the alternatives are not pleasant. Sometimes different equipment is required and sometimes more equipment is required, and sometimes more manpower is required. The contractor wants to get the job done and the window of opportunity can be very limited. There isn't time to go back and undertake a lengthy process to get written authorities and approvals to revise the scope of the contract, so people do what they need to do to get the job done. The freight gets into the communities and the story should have a happy ending.

The story isn't too happy, though, Mr. Speaker, for the contractor who proceeded in good faith out of a sense of responsibility and commitment to getting the job done. He's invested in additional equipment, his equipment has taken an extraordinary beating due to a lack of snow and ice, and the government is saved their expense of having to fly essential fuel and supplies into the community. But the contractor sits with a major loss.

Mr. Speaker, the weather and winter conditions for contracts such as these are not in the control of anyone. In other contracts, where we know that the possibility of forces beyond our control exist -- such as forest management fire suppression -- this government has the ability to appropriate funds in addition to those originally committed and contracted. There is a contingency plan for a particularly dry summer with an unusual amount of fire activity. So why not for contracts like winter road construction?

I wouldn't be happy if the GNWT was going to go back and open up and renegotiate contracts for the supply of goods and services after the conclusion of a competitive process, but I think we need to recognize the unpredictable nature of some contracts given the extenuating circumstances outside of the contractor's control, such as Mother Nature. Any extra compensation would need to be carefully considered and documented, but I don't think it should be ruled out. Any contractor who was awarded the work would have been faced with the same challenges.

Mr. Speaker, later today I'll have questions for the Minister of Transportation regarding his department's policy in dealing with these unique contracts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.