This is page numbers 861 - 906 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 5th 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 health.

Supplementary To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 875

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another concern with this site was its proximity to the highway and especially to the airport, Mr. Speaker. The site is virtually underneath one of the direct flight paths for aircraft landing and taking off with the Yellowknife Airport. It seems that one of the things that we market here is the quiet, solitude and the pristine nature of our land, but we are going to build an RV site right underneath the flight path of Hercules aircraft and 737 jets. I wanted to ask the Minister if this was considered at all in the choice of sites and whether other potentially better sites are under consideration.

Supplementary To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 875

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there are a number of advantages with that site. Obviously, it is close to town. Many of the people who will be there have an interest in that, right beside the golf course, right on the shore of Long Lake. There are a number of advantages to the site. Yes, there is some noise from the airport, but, on balance, with the sites that we looked at, we considered some expansion at Prelude Lake, but it was just deemed to be nice and quiet, farther outside of town and not having the same advantages that this site would. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, the Minister has pointed out a couple of strong advantages for this site. However, one of the disadvantages is that it is too limited in expansion. It is a relatively small area. I understand that our projected need over the next decade is potentially for 100 sites for RVs. It is not the only potential site that is close to town. I am wondering if the Minister would reconsider evaluating other potentially advantageous sites for the Yellowknife's RV market. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 875

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, in future, there will be need for additional land. We are discussing this with the Department of Transportation. We have had some parcels of land in the vicinity because we do envision future expansion. We think this site makes sense at this point, but we are always willing to look at other sites. If the Member does want to register objections with us moving ahead now at this point on this site, I will take that back. But I believe the best course of action is to move ahead quickly here, get some RV sites built and ready to go because we have this pressing need, and then look at future expansion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Question 317-15(5): Construction Of Recreational Vehicle Parking Sites
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated today in my Member's statement, I believe the government has a role to ensure all northerners have as much access to their personal money as possible. Mr. Speaker, we need to be responsive to the financial needs of our constituents. A pension legislation may be that vehicle. So in recognition of our current position, Mr. Speaker, that our issue truly does lie with Ottawa, not unlike many of our other problems, I believe we can do something with this problem, Mr. Speaker, fait accompli. Therefore, my question to the Minister of Finance is, has this government ever considered developing its own pension legislation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't speak for previous Ministers that held this portfolio, but under my watch at this time, we have not looked at getting into that field. Thank you.

Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would his department be willing to look into creating a discussion paper that looks at the feasibility of and the requirements of the NWT to have its own pension legislation and advise Members on the results of that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 875

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have had a preliminary look at it internally, but I would be prepared to sit down with the Members of this House to go through some of the information we do have to see where we go from there. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 875

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 876

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister commit today in this House that he could present some kind of a discussion paper before the Assembly and as well as include that in the future transition document to the 16th Assembly regarding potential pension legislation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 876

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have stated, I would be prepared to sit down with Members of this House and go over the information that we have and some of the implications of potential costs, implications of that as well. From that point, we can sit down with the Members and see where we put it. I guess, right now, I am not prepared at this point to see if we can set it out in the transition document. I think we need to have some of our own discussion first to see if that is one of the priorities that we should proceed with. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Members, I have a request pursuant to section 20(1), the rules of the Legislative Assembly, from the Member of Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen, to rise on a point of personal privilege to explain a matter that came out in the media this morning. I will turn the floor over to Mrs. Groenewegen.

Point Of Privilege

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week in this House, I had questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding the conditions that I observed at the Stanton Territorial Hospital obstetrics unit. This was reported in the media. I invited Mr. Roland to accompany me on a tour of the facility. He declined. I subsequently invited his deputy, who suggested that I just go and meet with the CEO personally and do a tour of the hospital with her.

Mr. Speaker, this is a Hay River issue because it is called Stanton Territorial Hospital and my obstetrics patients from Hay River have no choice but to go to that obstetrics unit to receive care to deliver their babies. I stand by every observation that I made in this House that day. I don't care if the CEO of Stanton Hospital gets on the radio and refutes everything I said. What I said is true. I have a right and a privilege to stand up in this House and raise those issues. I do not appreciate being contradicted by somebody who works there. I did take the time to constructively go and walk through that unit with her and point out the things that I observed and even offered to come back and assist with redecorating, reorganizing, do something to improve the conditions there.

Mr. Speaker, I am very sad to say that this individual took the opportunity in the media, which is playing in my community all day today on CJCD Radio, that she went and checked it out and none of the things that I said were accurate or viable. I am sorry. That is a challenge to my credibility and is a contradiction of what I stood and said in this House and I stand by every one of them. Just for the record, I would be happy to go over them again.

I will still ask the Minister, or anybody else who doesn't believe me, to come down there. I should have taken a picture when I had my camera there so I would have a record of it. I don't know what kind of standards we are operating under there. I even told the CEO. I said there were more things that I didn't feel appropriate to bring up on the floor of this House, but let me tell you, there was blood on the wall. There was a plastic bottle in the delivery room from the previous patient covered with blood when my daughter-in-law checked into that room before she ever went into that washroom. I looked at it. My daughter-in-law said, take a picture of that. I said, it is not what we are here about. We are here about a new baby. Let's just keep our cameras poised on her. Anyway, there was blood on the wall and on things left in the washroom for the next patient. There was flaking paint. There were repairs to the wall with drywall mud that had never been sanded or repainted. The curtains were hung on every second hook with half of the hem hanging down. If you weren't depressed when you went to the hospital, you would be by the time you sat there for a few days and stared at that.

As to the issue of the dead plants, I was told that they had a staff program where they allow the staff to winter their garden plants in the hospital to keep them alive until next spring when they can replant them in their garden. She says the plants are watered and they are green. They are not watered and green. They are probably full of bugs. I mean, this is a hospital. Most hospitals don't even allow live plants in a hospital, never mind ones that the staff dug out of their garden that are dirty, mouldy, buggy and sitting in a hospital. That was the one thing that I got a lot of pushback on. I'm sorry. This hospital is about the patients. It is not about the staff.

The housekeeping is substandard. I stand by the fact that the base cove is off on the bottom of the wall. You cannot clean a surface that is just a bunch of glue that there is no base cove on it. The food is substandard. I could go on and on about this, Mr. Speaker, but the point is that I stood here and raised these issues because I am concerned about conditions at that hospital. I have a right. I have an obligation to do that as an MLA, and I do not appreciate the CEO of the hospital going on the radio today and refuting everything I said. I intend to follow up with this. I will again ask the Minister, would he like to provide me with the credentials of his CEO and would he like to...

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 876

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. I would like to remind Members to not be talking about members outside of this House that are not here to defend themselves. Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen.

---Applause

Orders of the day. Written questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 876

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to refer back to item 5, orders of the day. Mahsi.

Further Return To Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Question 318-15(5): Need For Territorial Pension Legislation
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 876

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We will return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

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

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Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to recognize Chief Lafferty of Behchoko who is among us today. Welcome. Mahsi.

---Applause