This is page numbers 39 - 64 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was agreement.

Topics

2008 Arctic Winter Games
Item 3: Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement, please, Mr. Speaker.

2008 Arctic Winter Games
Item 3: Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

2008 Arctic Winter Games
Item 3: Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I encourage all Members of the House to take part in these 20th Arctic

Winter Games as a volunteer. It’s easily done. Go on-line to the Arctic Winter Games website -- www.awg2008.ca -- or, better yet, join the Host Society in a volunteer drive this weekend. You can get a taste of the games Saturday at the Multiplex. You can meet the 2008 Host Society members. You can see Foxy the mascot in action, and you can sign up right there to be a volunteer.

As has already been referenced, the voluntary sector has been invaluable to our communities and ultimately our economy. I urge you to become a part of that sector; be an Arctic Winter Games volunteer. I look forward to volunteering with my Member colleagues on March 9 to 15. Thank you.

---Applause

2008 Arctic Winter Games
Item 3: Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, providing a quality of life to the residents of the NWT so they can become independent, self-reliant individuals has to be a priority of the 16th Legislative Assembly. Mr.

Speaker, on November 15th , I had an opportunity to meet

in Inuvik with some families of people that are confined to wheelchairs, quadriplegics. As I sat there listening to their concerns and the frustration that they had with some of the programs, lack of services and lack of support, I felt their frustration, Mr. Speaker. I truly felt their frustration and when constituents have that and they come to you, it is something that you have to bring forward.

Coming out of that meeting, I planned on speaking to a certain individual in particular and the challenges that she faced being confined to a wheelchair for the last four years. I had documentation that I was going to bring forward to present on her behalf. But, sadly, Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, this individual passed away. I feel, Mr. Speaker, like I owe her and her family…I have to bring their concerns forward because we have other quadriplegics living in Inuvik. I feel like I will let them down if I don’t bring their concerns forward.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we have to listen to the concerns of the people. The only thing that I know of that is written in stone is the 10 commandments, Mr. Speaker. Everything else can be changed. If it is programs that have to be changed, if wording has to be changed, then I think we should be flexible enough to change them. If the delivery of the programs is the problem, then that might be something we may have to look into, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that the delivery of the programs is benefiting those across the Northwest Territories, not just in Inuvik.

We have made a commitment, and I will make it my personal commitment to these families that I will continue within the next four years to bring their issues forward and have their issues heard. Cabinet, you have made that commitment to hear these issues and between you folks and us on this side, we should be able to address these issues, because the bottom line is the well-being of the residents of the Northwest Territories. It has to be our top priority and nothing else. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take a moment to welcome my colleagues back to the House. Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure and an honour to be back here in this building working with you and the other Members of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, on November 7th , at 9:58 a.m., my wife,

Amanda, and I welcomed into the world a son.

---Applause

Thank you, colleagues. His name is Malachi David Ramsay. He weighed just under five pounds at birth and came to us five weeks ahead of schedule. He was born at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton and had to spend 12 days there before we could bring him home with us. Both my wife and my son are doing great. We are beginning a new journey together as a family.

Mr. Speaker, nothing gives me any greater pleasure than seeing the two of them together. Having a child wasn’t easy for my wife and me as she had to spend nine weeks in Edmonton prior to his birth, confined to a hospital bed in order to carry him. For all the commitment she has shown, not to mention the numerous pokes with a needle, nine weeks of hospital food, 16 hours of labour and a cesarean section, I will be forever grateful to her. I wanted to thank the doctors and nurses involved in her care, both in Edmonton and in Yellowknife, and our son’s care while he was at the Royal Alexandra. Special mention to Dr. Jonathon Tankel who delivered Malachi, Dr. Bing Guthrie and Dr. Rob Krushel who were instrumental in the early stages of our pregnancy, and to Dr. Shawn Mattas, our family doctor, who has helped us maintain a positive attitude through the face of adversity. To all the nurses who helped Amanda and Malachi along the way at Stanton and at Unit 39 at the Royal Alexandra, the neonatal intensive care unit at the Royal Alexandra, and now the public health here in Yellowknife, thank you very much. I wanted to also thank everyone who has

offered their support, their prayers and their thoughts the past few months. It has helped us immensely. I thank you so much.

In closing, I wanted to thank both my wife’s family and my family who have been lending support to us, especially my mother-in-law, Catherine Fabien, who has been giving us so much loving help and support. Mr. Speaker, both my wife and I are really looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead with parenthood. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a matter has arisen so soon that will test our Premier’s leadership and his commitment to transparency and accountability. On October 19th , I stood in this House

and asked questions about the extent of our government’s liability with respect to the Deh Cho Bridge project. During the life of the 15th Assembly, many questions and

concerns were raised by Members on this side of the House regarding the bridge acquisition process. Our concerns, for the most part, were unanswered. On August 31st , the 15th Assembly was dissolved, leaving

Ministers in place to maintain the status quo of government operations.

At the first available opportunity, I sought an update on the status of the Deh Cho Bridge project and the level of commitment by the GNWT to this project. I am not a difficult person to understand, so imagine my surprise yesterday when I learned that a concession agreement with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation had been signed on September 28th , three days before a territorial election

when the Members of the 16th Assembly were elected.

When repeatedly and specifically questioned about the commitment and liability to our new Premier on October 19th , he did not take the opportunity to share with

Members of this House that a very significant milestone on the Deh Cho Bridge process had been passed. So what is the significance of this concession agreement in relation to the liability? If the outstanding conditions of permits, financing and equity are met, the GNWT’s liability changes very significantly. I am not asking Premier Roland to be accountable for the actions of the previous government; however, I will ask him to account to this House and to the public for not making any reference to the concession agreement signing when questioned in this House.

The concept of a Deh Cho Bridge project is good, but the process has been flawed and failure of this information coming forward has added insult to injury for me as a Regular Member. I will have questions for the Premier later today so that he can tell us why he didn’t mention the signing of the concession agreement when questioned about our government’s commitment and liability on October 19th .

Leadership, to me, today, would be to say from him that he should have said this when questioned on October 19th . Thank you.

Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement
Item 3: Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Passing Of Respected Nunakput Elders
Item 3: Members’ Statements

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this has been a very difficult month for the people of Nunakput. It is with great sadness that I inform the Assembly of the loss of three very respected elders: Mrs. Sarah Kuptana from Sachs Harbour, Mrs. Alice Carpenter from Tuktoyaktuk, and Mr. Bobby Gruben also from Tuk. All of them will be greatly missed. Bobby Gruben is well known across the North as an ambassador for the people of Tuk. The whole community looked up to him. He was always there to lend a helping hand and give me advice, for which I am grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my condolences to Rosemary, Robert and Roger Kuptana and their families; Willie Carpenter and his family; and Jean, Mervin and Eddie Gruben and all of the Gruben family from Tuk. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and with the Nunakput people at this time of sorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Passing Of Respected Nunakput Elders
Item 3: Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. I am sorry. I can speak on behalf of the whole House. We pass our condolences on to the families involved. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak to government support for the volunteer sector. We know that there are many demands on government resources and that we need to stretch those resources to meet as many of those demands as we can while still fully meeting all of our goals. There are essential services that must be delivered effectively and efficiently and government cannot do it all. These services affect the well-being of all citizens in the NWT, services that deal with homelessness and poverty, substance abuse, youth justice, environmental education and protection, sport and recreation and the list goes on.

Fortunately, our government has able and willing partners to meet these needs, partners collectively referred to as the voluntary sector. Mr. Speaker, I am particularly thinking here of those working for the good of all, the common good. The annual economic value of volunteerism here in the NWT is almost $70 million. That is every year. This valuable contribution is worthy of wise investment and support by this government.

To quote the YWCA, "The voluntary sector is essential to the democratic process." Like the marketplace which creates economic wealth in our society or the government which protects institutional memory of how to effectively govern ourselves, the voluntary sector creates and expands social capital. Social capital refers to the values and networks that enable coordination and cooperation at the community level building trust, mutually beneficial relationships, inclusion and tolerance. The voluntary sector includes all self-organized groups of people committed to the betterment of human life and has a key role in the advancement of human well-being. It is all

about citizen participation and engagement in community betterment.

Mr. Speaker, while the 15th Assembly committed to

implementing the Volunteer Support Initiative, only modest progress has been made. While many or all of our departmental mandates overlap with the areas in which volunteer groups are active, responsibility for supporting this sector seems lodged in only one department, that of Municipal and Community Affairs.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for maximum benefits here, our government and the voluntary sector must work closely together, more closely than we have in the past. We must ensure a clear line of communication between ourselves and our partners at the decision-making level. We must ensure government policy and support is developed together with those who can draw on much front-line experience. Importantly, Mr. Speaker, we must ensure government-wide coordination and integration in implementation of the Volunteer Support Initiative and in all of our dealings with the voluntary sector. A joint GNWT voluntary sector working group under the Department of the Executive may be the best way to achieve this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Members’ statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

November 26th, 2007

Sahtu

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Minister of Transportation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the president of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors, Dan Costache. I would also like to recognize Greg Debogorski, executive director of the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a long-time resident of Yellowknife but originally from Tulita, Paul Andrew is in the visitor’s gallery. Paul has been a recipient of the 2008 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards for media and communication.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a constituent, Mr. Greg Debogorski, who is with us today. He does a tremendous amount of work on behalf of seniors here in Yellowknife and in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a constituent who was not able to attend our First Session in October and also happens to be my lovely wife, Marianne Bromley.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Lydia Bardak, coalition team and also a city counsellor, and also I would like to recognize from my riding Therese Pelletier who is the adult educator in the audience. Mahsi.

---Applause

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize today a hard-working staff member from MACA, Beverly Chamberlin. I believe she is accompanied by her father. Welcome.

---Applause