Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Orders of the day. Ministers' statements. Honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, this is a very exciting time of year. Over the past two weeks, graduation ceremonies have taken place at all three Aurora College campuses. Graduation ceremonies have started at schools throughout the Northwest Territories and will continue to take place over the next month.

Each graduation is a significant milestone in a person's life. We are very proud of NWT graduates and I would like to take a moment to congratulate them on their commitment and dedication. Many have made sacrifices to reach their goals and their efforts go far beyond academics.

While it is too early in the year for me to be able to report on the number of high school graduates, I would like to provide you with some highlights of the Aurora College graduating class of 2007.

I am pleased to note that 2007 marks the 20th year of operations for Aurora Campus in Inuvik.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, this campus maintains a strong working relationship with the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in people, who help fund a variety of programs, including the Natural Resources Technology Program, short-term trades training and safety training. Fifty students graduated from the Aurora Campus in Inuvik.

---Applause

I would also like to recognize the 55 graduates from Yellowknife Campus and 31 from Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith. Students have graduated from a variety of programs including Management Studies, Recreation Leadership, Office Administration, Traditional Arts, Nursing and Nurse Practitioners.

Mr. Speaker, our Aurora College graduates this year came from across the Territories including many smaller communities like Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik, Deline, Behchoko, Fort Liard and Fort Resolution. Having students from various communities graduate in a mix of disciplines

shows the college is meeting the needs of a northern society.

Although award ceremonies for many apprenticeship and technical training programs do not coincide with the academic school year, I would also like to recognize the achievements of individuals pursuing careers in trades and occupations at a time when the northern economy is very rich and there is a great demand for skilled workers.

Mr. Speaker, all graduates this year deserve special recognition. However, I would also like to recognize the people who helped them reach their goals. Grads could not be successful without the help of their family and friends who have spent much time devoted to their pursuits. It's also important to recognize the many teachers and community members who stand behind every graduate. The countless hours they dedicate to the success of grads has helped them achieve their potential.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of all our northern students and ask Members to join me in congratulating them. We all recognize the importance of education and training when creating a strong and skilled workforce. Education has a strong relationship to the health and well-being of society and contributes to greater satisfaction in work, life and community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Ministers' statements. Honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce a major partnership between the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada Health Infoway.

Canada Health Infoway works with provincial and territorial governments to accelerate the implementation of electronic health information systems. A network of these systems will link clinics, hospitals, community health centres and other points of care in the NWT and Alberta.

Canada Health Infoway has agreed to invest $5.7 million between 2007-08 and 2009-10 to implement an electronic health records system in all communities in the NWT. The GNWT has agreed to invest an additional $1.1 million for a combined investment of $6.8 million.

Electronic health records will provide primary care providers with more complete and reliable health information about their patients. This will lead to better access to healthcare services for NWT residents, enhanced quality of care and a more productive health care system. Patient safety will be improved by linking our

practitioners to modern technology used throughout Canada.

Alberta Health and Wellness and the Capital Health Authority in Edmonton will continue to partner with the Department of Health and Social Services throughout the implementation phase of this project. The network is scheduled to be operational by March 2008, with final completion by February 2009. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ministers' statements. Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Department of Transportation is issuing revised versions of three NWT driver manuals and is introducing the new Motorcycle Handbook.

The previous versions were close to 20 years old and out of date. The revised manuals are now consistent with other territorial and provincial jurisdictions and contain the latest driver information and techniques to ensure that drivers are able to safely operate all types of road vehicles in the NWT.

The four manuals provided by the Department of Transportation to NWT residents include:

1. The Basic Driver's Handbook, which provides information to all drivers.
2. The Professional Driver's Handbook, which provides additional information about driving commercial vehicles. It is used with the Basic Driver's Handbook when learning to drive a truck, tractor-trailer, ambulance, taxi or bus.
3. The Air Brake Manual, which provides information on the air break system and the components that make up the system.
4. The Motorcycle Handbook, which provides additional information on the safe operation of motorcycles, mopeds or power bikes. It is used with the Basic Driver's Handbook.

The four handbooks cover all classes of licences available in the Northwest Territories. They provide important information to help residents to obtain an NWT driver's licence and become safe and competent drivers.

Paper copies of the manuals are distributed across the Northwest Territories for a fee from our driver and vehicle licensing issuing offices. Digital copies are available for viewing and downloading at no extra charge on the Department of Transportation's website.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Transportation would like to express its appreciation to Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation and Kingland Freightliner of Hay River for their contribution to the development of these manuals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) We live in the Northwest Territories in isolated communities, but we have problems with alcohol problems in our communities. Everyone is affected in the whole family when someone is drinking in the family and we know this problem exists all over the place. Although they go for treatment for one month, whether in Hay River or further south, the problem is the aftercare programs. They have nothing in place for these people. How can we help these people once they return to their communities? Do they have counsellors in the communities to help them? Do we have all the necessary things in place for them? A lot of them are serious about resolving their problem, helping themselves to keep away from alcohol. We need to guide these people through once they return from the treatment centre, but we don't have any aftercare programs in our communities. This is one of the questions I will ask the Minister later on. (Translation ends)

We all know that alcohol is an issue in the Northwest Territories. I would even venture to say that it affects every individual in the Territories. Without...(inaudible)...statistics, it affects addicts, their family members and friends directly and the rest of the community in terms of health care, policing and so on. It is an issue that concerns all of us, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, those suffering from addictions have two choices for treatment whether it be Hay River or a program down south. Much of their success, however, depends not so much on the actual 30-day program or 28 days, as on their behaviour upon returning to their communities. That's where we need to look after them. This is where we fail them, Mr. Speaker. The NWT has yet to provide adequate aftercare for those suffering from addiction so they can be supported on the road to recovery. Mr. Speaker, without aftercare support, we might as well pour their next drink for them. We are dooming them to failure. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Health and Social services at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I want to join my colleagues in speaking about alcohol and its impact on the lives of residents here in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, as a government, we've had much discussion surrounding alcohol and other addictions

and the services we provide to residents. Mr. Speaker, we have to do more.

The common denominator in family breakdown, family violence, violent crime and the segue into other addictions is alcohol. As a society, we have normalized the consumption of alcoholic beverages to the point where much of our leisure type of activity involves alcohol to one degree or another. If we were concerned about portraying a positive message to the children and youth of the Northwest Territories, we must look at ways in which we can denormalize the consumption of alcohol.

The GNWT and the Department of Health has had a very successful campaign in the Don't Be a Butthead program. We have enacted tough laws dealing with the sale and distribution of cigarettes and we need to examine how we are going to legislate alcohol. Mr. Speaker, the government is finally getting around to the introduction of the much anticipated new Liquor Act.

One of the general themes stemming from the NWT Alcohol and Drug Program's discussion paper from last fall was that there needs to be more attention paid to health promotion and prevention programs. Investments need to be made and programs aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing the onset of addictions. These would be required in order to effectively combat alcohol and drug issues. The more children in the NWT that we can get into sports and recreational type activities, the better the chance they will have to choose healthy living. We need to get more physical activity into our schools and into our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the government for initiatives like the Get Active campaign which was kicked off today in the Great Hall. We need a campaign to target alcohol consumption, Mr. Speaker, and perhaps Don't Be a Boozehound could be the name of this campaign. You could have a dishevelled-looking dog with bloodshot eyes that has the shakes go around to all the schools in the Northwest Territories talking about the impact of alcohol abuse.

---Laughter

As a government, we have to do our best to effectively deliver the message on alcohol consumption. We've done it on smoking. Let's take alcohol head on and do something about it. Mahsi.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a common theme we heard in our travels across the Northwest Territories in the last year or so, other than elder abuse, was the fact that a lot of people want to see an Aftercare Program for alcohol and people who are seeking treatment have a couple of options. They can go to southern NWT or they can go to the South. One of the big concerns I know from my region is, again, the Aftercare Program. When they do come back, there really is no programs in place for them.

Mr. Speaker, alcohol is a big part of the Northwest Territories and it's probably one of the biggest addictions we do have up here. Growing up in Inuvik in the '70s, alcohol was normal. With all the activity going on up there, alcohol was easy to get and it was easier to get than pop. As a result, many of the kids that grew up in the '70s ended up with problems with alcohol. If you wanted to seek treatment, you couldn't have it in your community.

The recent visit up to Inuvik, and I had some of my Social Programs colleagues with me, we were invited up the river to a camp that is being put together by the Nihtat Gwich'in and the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

It is a camp, Mr. Speaker, that has a tremendous amount of potential for the people wanting to deal with their alcohol addiction and deal with it close to home. There are some people without that support group that may find it easier to go south, but there are also a lot of people that want that support group with them. I commend the Nihtat and the Gwich'in Tribal Council for seeing that there is a problem and not just talking about it. We talk all we want. They see a problem there and they want to do something about it. Mr. Speaker, alcohol is a killer. Today, it is no accident that I decided to dress in black because black is a colour of mourning. I mourn all of those people that we have lost over the years to the effects of alcohol. Now, as a government, we have to work in partnership with the aboriginal groups who want to quit talking and finally do something about it. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, as you can see, we are talking about alcohol. I want to talk about alcohol abuse. We don't talk about it enough. Could it be that we have become acclimatized or desensitized to the presence of alcohol abuse in the North? Maybe we have accepted it as a fact of life in the North and we have just learned to live with it.

Occasionally, we throw up some stats on some of our social indicators compared to other jurisdictions or national averages. Yes, there we are still with some of the worst instances of premature deaths, suicides, motor vehicle accidents, boating accidents, teen pregnancies, FASD and sexually transmitted diseases. Alcohol abuse affects all of these indicators. Is this what we are prepared to accept? We spend millions of dollars addressing health, wellness, child and family violence, justice, policing and education challenges related to alcohol abuse. I often wonder how the RCMP members can stay positive about the work that they have to do, when we think about how much of their time and efforts are absorbed by alcohol-related calls to deal with domestic violence, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. It must be very discouraging after awhile.

So what does our society and attitudes toward alcohol abuse teach our young people? One other Member shared with me today -- and this is what they observed when they were growing up -- if there is something to celebrate, just about anything, drink alcohol. If it is a sporting event, drink alcohol. If you are unhappy, sad or stressed out, drink alcohol. Mr. Speaker, abusing alcohol is a personal choice, but it is little wonder that so many people make that choice when it has become such a normal way of life in the North. As a personal choice, people need to understand that it affects everybody in their sphere of influence. They are sending a message to everyone around them that it is normal, it is okay.

Alcohol abuse in some way touches on and permeates a life in every region, in every community, every family and every individual in the North today. It impacts the work of every teacher, nurse, RCMP member, counsellor and extensively affects the work of us as a government. What could we do with the resources now dedicated to the ravages of alcohol abuse? Just imagine the possibilities. We need to recognize alcohol for what it is. Mr. McLeod said that it is a killer. I have to tell you today that I state that I hate alcohol and the effect it has on our people. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, as well, will be speaking about the issue of alcohol. As a territory, we strive for a sustainable society and a strong economy. That is built on two key factors. You need a healthy environment and healthy people. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you, based on my 56 years of life experience, that the single biggest impediment, in my opinion, in the Northwest Territories to healthy people is the abuse of alcohol. I know that from my personal experience. I know that from working in Health and Social Services and from being Minister in this House to see the endless struggle we have trying to lower the indicators that tell us we have a prodigious appetite for alcohol and drugs. It affects all the other problems that we do have.

If I had one single wish for this territory, before resource revenue sharing, before decentralization, it would be first and foremost to ask that we be granted no more abuse of alcohol, and from that instant on life would change for the better in the Northwest Territories.

The issue for us is twofold. We have generations of alcohol damaged people, FASD, young and old. Our jails are full. Our family shelters are full with alcohol-related issues. That is one challenge. The other challenge, and even more important in the long term, is the prevention side by trying to have babies born healthy. Otherwise, as a jurisdiction like other jurisdictions across this country, we will never have enough money, institutions, treatment facilities, homes and jails to fill to keep pace with the alcohol-related problems.

The challenge for this government is in fact to make a dent on the prevention side. We aimed at increasing our expenditures in Health and Social Services on the prevention side up to 1 percent. That figure is going to have to continue to rise if we are serious about doing serious battle and improvements with these indicators.

Mr. Speaker, it is not as simple as tobacco, unfortunately. As my colleagues have indicated around this table here, that the reality is adult sports, for example, are all tied to alcohol. That is where the key components in the whole exercise, be it hockey, curling, baseball, basketball, you name it. Young folks see that. We know that there are families...

Mr. Speaker, I request 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. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we know that there are cases where the adults drink upstairs and young under-aged children drink downstairs in the same house under the assumption that it is better to have them drink where there is other type of supervision. So the issue of denormalizing the use of alcohol is a fundamental one. That is our challenge.

As we move into the 16th Assembly, we are going to have to raise the amount of money we put into prevention if we are, in fact, finally going to make a dent on these terrible statistics. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We are a society of binge drinkers, young drinkers and violent drinkers. The statistics in all these areas in the NWT are at or near the top of the charts of Canadian booze abusers. Our challenge, Mr. Speaker, it has been said many times and it has to be said over and over again, is to refuse to accept this type of behaviour any longer.

Mr. Speaker, there is a relatively new art or science in the way broad-based behaviours like this can be changed. It is called social marketing. It is something we have adopted in other areas. My colleagues have spoken in praise of the Don't Be a Butthead campaign and there are other things we have done. The Get Active one that just kicked off here today, other campaigns, for instance, more awareness about safe sex, are just the way some campaigns conducted along these lines that change the way society accepts or does not accept these aspects of our daily living. In smoking, for instance.

Whether something is considered normal or acceptable is where we want to focus our attention. It wasn't that long ago where it was quite normal to smoke, of course, in bars, restaurants and offices, even schools and hospitals. Today, that is very abnormal. When we talk about ways of denormalizing our extraordinarily lenient drinking habits, we are going to need much more emphasis and creativity to show us that we can make responsible decisions for

ourselves, that we don't have to follow the path of our friends, families or others in our community that might be showing. Mr. Speaker, government can make the laws and the policies that will set the limits and send the messages out that we need to change. The policing and courts will enforce and hand out justice. The key role, then, belongs to parents and community leaders, health and education professionals and, most importantly, each and every one of us to help break the devastating cycle of alcohol abuse in Canada's North.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the first step that we can take will be one that we will do right here on the floor of this Legislative Assembly to resolve to do more than just enough. We have to overcome our own complacency and all the reasons that we can easily find to continue to avoid the crushing burden of alcohol abuse in our society, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to join in regard to the discussion today about alcohol. However, Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize role models in communities who have shown leadership and to promote alcohol-free lifestyles.

Mr. Speaker, alcohol and abuse that stems from alcohol always seems to overshadow the work of community leaders and front-line workers such as alcohol and drug counsellors do in both large and small communities. Front-line workers and community leaders are role models in communities because they are trying to promote and educate our young people in the communities of the ill effects of alcohol.

Mr. Speaker, growing up in a small community and eventually having to leave home to complete high school, I was fortunate enough to have two loving and caring people to direct me to the right path. I am speaking of my late father and mother. I remember my dad travelling in the dark of winter by dog team to tend to his daily trap line and would be gone for at least two weeks at a time. On his return home from the trap line, my mother would occasionally make what we called home brew because, Mr. Speaker, during those days alcohol wasn't a commodity like it is today.

Although my parents drank occasionally, they did not turn violent like in today's society. They were responsible drinkers, but, more importantly, they were caring parents who raised 16 children. Parents in those days cared for their children by showing them the values to respect their elders and all the members of the community. Mr. Speaker, by having such caring parents in those days, my brothers and sisters today are able to become educated and eventually respect the people who live and work in today's society. My parents were my role models as I was growing up. I appreciate all they did for me.

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing community leaders and alcohol and drug counsellors and they have shown leadership by being alcohol free but, more importantly, leading by example and communicating to young people that we can live life by being alcohol free in today's society.

In closing, I would like to thank those parents who have shown leadership, community leaders and front-line workers across the Northwest Territories promoting alcohol-free lifestyle, and they respect the communities and show them they are the real role models in today's society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would make my comments to the other Members in terms of this issue here. Mr. Speaker, this issue is very close to my heart. Mr. Speaker, I have seen many good people in my communities, in the region, people in the Northwest Territories, a lot of good people who should be here in the Northwest Territories enjoying life. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, the disease of alcoholism had gotten them. Mr. Speaker, I speak from personal experience that when we have alcoholism in our communities, you know, it takes away life, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not a good feeling in our small communities.

Mr. Speaker, alcohol is going to be here for a long, long time. The effects of it are felt very hard in our small communities. Our government, this government here, makes millions in profits each year on this issue here.

Mr. Speaker, you know, there's people in my communities that, for some odd reason, they can take a drink and that's good. Take one drink and that's good, and they leave it. But, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, I'm just the totally opposite. I get mad; I get angry. But, Mr. Speaker, I recognize and I accept I have an issue with alcohol in my life. And life is about life, Mr. Speaker. These young people that are drinking, it's about life. They're taking their life. A lot of young people really, really need to look at that issue here. Hopefully through this discussion here, we can give life back to them. Take them on the land. That's what the elders are saying. Put them on the land. As life is spiritual, and alcohol is a spiritual issue, you have to have a spiritual remedy for this here. It's not about putting them in programs or it'll help them somewhat, but for the people. Put them on the land, Mr. Speaker. I have seen it firsthand, in terms of how alcohol affected my people, my own family, and my community. It's sore, my heart is heavy in this discussion here, talking about alcohol.

So, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the Members for making this a theme day and hoping that the government's listening in terms of our discussion this afternoon. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I also rise today to raise some awareness about the responsibilities of both the public and the government when we're addressing the social impacts of alcohol abuse here in the North, especially amongst our youth. Mr. Speaker, northerners have been living with the impacts of alcohol abuse in all our communities for many years. Many communities have groups and leaders that have come forward with many solutions on how to deal with this issue. Some have had some positive results, some negative, and some have not had any effect on curbing alcohol abuse within their respective communities. I'd just like to point out, Mr. Speaker, and commend all persons working toward an alcohol-free community, workplace or family, that your efforts do not go unnoticed, nor are they in vain. Because every little bit of awareness raised and addiction to alcohol avoided is success in my books, Mr. Speaker, especially for our youth.

The youth are the most at risk. It is with our youth that the effects of alcohol abuse are most noticeable because this often results in grief, pain and sorrow for families and communities by youth suicides, attempted suicides, assaults and other crimes related to alcohol.

Mr. Speaker, the real challenge for many -- and many do try -- is to try and provide some positive direction and instil a sense of dignity to our youth while, at the same time, trying to deal with our own demons. This is where we all have to have a responsibility to provide the support and encouragement to keep trying and help these people to never give up. We, as a government, need to continue to develop a campaign that puts more emphasis on programs that contribute to social well-being, like sports and recreation, education, and family planning, while, at the same time, denormalizing alcohol use in our daily lives so that one day our youth can stand up and declare to themselves and their family and to their friends that alcohol use is not normal for them and in their surroundings as it was in the past. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues here today to declare alcohol abuse and alcoholism our public enemy number one. Mr. Speaker, there's nothing else that harms us more and creates more sorrow and hardship and prevents us from moving ahead and being the best that we can be than the overuse and abuse of alcohol. Inappropriate use of alcohol is condemning unaccounted numbers of our children to lifelong conditions of FASD and FAE. Alcohol abuse is keeping our residents out of schools and workplaces and into hospitals and jails. Alcohol abuse is a quick segue to our people going into a horrendous and miserable life of drug addiction and drug dealing and all the other problems that come with that.

Mr. Speaker, alcohol abuse is infecting our people with STD and STI and spreading those diseases. Mr. Speaker, I would venture to say if alcohol abuse was stopped today we would see our crime rates go down by at least 90 percent. If we can stop alcohol abuse, we would not have to hear about women being locked up for days and being raped and beaten up. Mr. Speaker, we wouldn't need to have so many children suffering from the trauma of family violence if we could stop alcohol abuse.

Mr. Speaker, in our travels to communities we learn that there is rampant elder abuse arising from alcohol abuse by young people. Our seniors are living in fear because of the goings on and all-night drinking that goes on in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, we must deal with alcohol abuse head on and we need to address them on all three fronts: prevention, treatment and enforcement. The strongest focus has to be on prevention, because no treatment and enforcement would be enough if we don't address the prevention in a very serious way. Mr. Speaker, this is why we need to denormalize abuse of alcohol. We have to make it unacceptable for people to get drunk and inflict pain and suffering on others. Mr. Speaker, I want to suggest a slogan of Don't Be a Bottlehead for consideration to go with the Don't Be a Butthead campaign, but I kind of like the...

Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to finish 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, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. I'm not sure how that would compete with Don't Be a Boozehound, but we need to do a concerted and focussed and well-resourced campaign and to engage everybody in our communities and everybody in the Territories to say that we have zero tolerance for alcohol abuse and negative effects of alcohol. Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite the leaders and everyone in our territory to join us in this campaign. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Members' statement. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish I could be talking about the abuse of alcohol today...(inaudible)...with my colleagues, but with a short session I have another topic I have to raise today that's very important. March 31st is always a significant date in the NWT and it's the end of the government's fiscal year. As well, it coincides with the end of many contracts that go along with our NGOs. Today I'd like to talk about one of those contracts, or lack of contracts, Mr. Speaker.

Workers at Aven Manor in Yellowknife saw their contract expire six weeks ago, on March 31st. These qualified healthcare professionals and associated workers, even though they work for an NGO, in my opinion, deserve

wage parity with government workers who care for people in long-term care in our hospitals. They are working in the same field and, in essence, they are doing the same job, Mr. Speaker, taking care of our people. For me, this is an issue of fairness and ensuring NGOs are able to attract and retain qualified personnel. If we can't pay them fairly to do a job the government has handed away, how can we expect them to carry on? I am not going to get into how the government and the department need to enter into good faith bargaining sooner rather than later, but with a pending strike vote before us we need to avoid another Nats'ejee K'eh at all reasonable costs. I know the Minister will tell us that negotiations are the responsibility of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority and the authority will say that they can't make an offer without funding approvals from the department and the Minister. But the long and short of it is, Mr. Speaker, we need to put our front-line healthcare workers first and ensure that any potentially affected seniors, people and our families, are not put at risk because of dithering on this important matter. We need to avoid any costly situations that will eat up resources and the time of other healthcare workers who will need to work overtime to cover those short-staffed positions if the potential gap in services shows up through a strike vote. If any wage parity is an issue, we need to find a solution, Mr. Speaker. I would, however, like to remind the Minister that a strike vote could happen within a month or so and typically these situations are never resolved over summers.

Let's avoid another potential ugly strike and work out a deal as soon as possible as reasonably as possible, Mr. Speaker. That being said, I urge the Minister and the Department of Health to provide the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority the support and financial information they need to enter into successful negotiations so we can deal with this problem and we can get it done once and for all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to three visitors in the gallery today: Mr. John Quirke, a former NWT deputy minister and is now the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly for Nunavut.

---Applause

Tony Rose is the manager of facilities and technical services with the Nunavut Assembly.

---Applause

Jerry Giberson is a communications and technical consult from Ottawa.

---Applause

These gentlemen are here in Yellowknife today to work with members of our staff towards the implementation of a joint northern assembly broadcasting service. Welcome to the Assembly, gentlemen.

---Applause

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a number of people to introduce, a number of constituents and employees from Aven Manor. I'll start with Jacqueline Brule, employee and local president; as well as Victoria Duculan, Sue Beztilny, Eva Embodo, Bella Husky, Evelyn Sabourin, Sheila Laity and Gloria Taylor. From the PSAC office I have Dorothy Ablitt, Marija Babic -- I think that's right -- and Heather Longstaff. I hope I got everyone's name correct.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a constituent of mine, Mr. James Andre, who's in town for the presentation this evening with regard to the Three Rivers Conference that's going to take place at 7:30 at Northern United Place. I'd also like to recognize a former constituent from Aklavik, Bella Husky. Welcome.

---Applause

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

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, we have Peter Huskey of Behchoko. He's in the gallery to listen. I thank him for attending. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Mr. Bryrne Richards of the Tree of Peace, a great advocate and a worker in the addictions field here in the NWT and in a number of other communities in the NWT.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a former resident of Fort Providence, used to be my neighbour, Evelyn Sabourin, who's now a resident of Yellowknife.

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Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we've missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Assembly. I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience here. Acknowledgements. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to rise in the House to acknowledge a constituent of mine, Taylor Fraser, who has been accepted into the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. The RMC is a prestigious Canadian institution similar to West Point in the United States, RMC Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. RMC is one of the most difficult universities in Canada to gain entry into. It's a bilingual university and graduates are not only granted a degree, but also Queen's Commission to third as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a significant accomplishment for any young person, especially one from a small community in the isolated region of the Sahtu. Good luck, Tyler.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I outlined in my Member's statement today, I have concerns with the status of the negotiations that are going on at Aven Manor here in Yellowknife. I also mentioned the concern of the level of support the department is providing the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority in conducting those negotiations. Can the Minister inform the Assembly on the status of the negotiations with the union representing the workers at Aven Manor here? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is highly unusual that we would get into a negotiation process in the Legislative Assembly. We have been working with the Department of Health and Social Services on this matter and we will continue to work with them cooperatively and hopefully have a successful conclusion to the whole negotiation area. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister confirm that the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority has the ability and financial backing of the department to negotiate an agreement with the workers at Aven Manor? Wage parity is the one critical issue that needs to be solved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think, again, as we are in the midst of negotiation, that to raise it in this forum puts pressure on both parties, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority. As I stated, we are working cooperatively with them and hopefully we would have a successful conclusion to this. The issue of wage parity has come up all across the government in a number of areas where we have contracts in place supported by NGOs. That issue has to be looked at by the government at some point. I guess, when first called upon to look at this area of wage parity, our NGOs at the time said we can do it better and cheaper. The government did it in the day. Now it has turned around to say give us the same. At that point, we would have to look at it, as government overall, to say if we are going to be the same, then maybe we should all be in the same hat. But at this point, we are working cooperatively with the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority and hoping for a successful conclusion. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Minister willing to direct the department and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority to do everything within its power to make sure that all contract negotiations are concluded before the summer months? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is asking me as the Minister of my department to get directly involved in the negotiation process. Right now, the employees are the employees of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority. We have a contract with the Aven Manor and are employees of that facility. They are continuing to have their negotiation process. We are watching what is happening. As well, we are working cooperatively with the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could I get the Minister's position on adequate funding for NGOs in regards to wage parity? Is this an issue that the department feels that should be solved? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, the Member is asking for my opinion on a process

that is underway right now in negotiation. I am not prepared to give that at this point. I am prepared to work with my department, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, to hopefully come out with a successful conclusion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask questions today to the Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent. Over the past few weeks, there have been a number of jobs advertised in the local media. Mr. Speaker, one of my favourites was manager of total rewards. It got me to thinking that perhaps the employees of the government were accumulating points to redeem for some toasters, camcorders or iPods, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Human Resources, a department that has, as I mentioned the other day in the House, six managers managing six people. Of these new positions, how many of them are new? What does the job of manager of total rewards entail? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member asked how many new positions were new. All the new positions are new. Of the positions advertised, two are new. The rest are existing positions. I think, Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember that the amalgamation of the Department of Human Resources was staffed with 188 people. Over the course of the year and a bit that has happened since then, the staffing component has dropped. So these are not additional positions. These are positions that have been outlined in the Hackett report and recommended for inclusion. We expect that, from 188, the department will, over the next little while, be down to the recommended 170 positions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Hackett report, it also says that the Government of the Northwest Territories is completely out of whack with an organization of comparable variety where you look at employees per transaction. In a normal government operation, you look at seven. We have 24 employees per transaction, Mr. Speaker. What exactly is an organizational design specialist? Is this just to organize the 170 employees at Human Resources, or is this position government-wide organizational design? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Hackett report did say that the government organization was out of whack with comparable size organizations, but we have taken their advice and will very shortly be at exactly the structure and number of employees that they recommend. So, Mr. Speaker, we have used their guidance to move to where we should be. An organizational design specialist would work with other departments, as well, to talk about how their structure should be established.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have mentioned, in the Department of Human Resources there are six managers managing six people. I would like to see somewhere....I know it is not mentioned in the Hackett report, but how can we keep hiring manager-type positions, positions where we are going to have to pay more to have these folks employed at Human Resources? Why do they all have to be management positions? What is the ratio of management positions in Human Resources to actual on-the-ground employees in that department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have said, the structure of the Department of Human Resources will be just as recommended by the Hackett report very shortly. That would mean that there will be the number of managers that were recommended as well as the staffing levels.

It takes some time to move. When the department was created, we had 188 people that came in from various departments. Trying to move those positions into the exact right position for each employee and to fit into the organization has been somewhat challenging. It has required retraining, staff moves and it takes some time to go through the process without a wholesale layoff or mass firing, which was not something that we wanted to do. So it takes a while to get to that structure, but, Mr. Speaker, we are very close to being there now.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister could make me feel a little bit more comfortable today if he could tell me that the Department of Human Resources today is working on a comprehensive human resource strategy or plan long-term that is long overdue by this government. Are they working towards that, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has worked with some departments to prepare the long-term plan and stands ready to work with other departments as they are prepared to work with us. It is an offer that is out there. The department would agree that it is something that we need to do. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Mr. Speaker, I mentioned this in my Member's statement regarding an Aftercare Program. Is there currently an Aftercare Program in place? That is my question for Health and Social Services. (Translation ends)

I would like to focus today on the Aftercare Program where we send out community members or even individuals going for treatment for a month, 28 days, whether it be down south or Hay River. The Aftercare Program is vital to recovery road. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, can the Minister please outline programs that are currently in place in the communities to support those with addictions returning from their treatment? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are quite a number of programs that we are involved with right from when an individual comes forward requesting support in this area of alcohol and drug addictions counselling through our framework and the revisions working with NGOs, this government and Members of this Assembly. There are a number of areas we have tried to focus on, and that is improving access in communities through community wellness workers as well as mental health and addiction workers and working with those that would come through. As well, in a number of communities -- and I have to admit, it is not in all communities -- there are groups. For example, there is the AA program that follows aftercare as well as one of the other methods. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the statistics show that 36 percent of the overall population and 53 percent of people aged 15 to 24 consume more than five drinks per day, Mr. Speaker. These stats are compounded when we include those dealing with suicides, accidental deaths, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, education and employment. Obviously, what we are doing is not working. Has a review been done in each community to look at the success rates of the aftercare programs currently in place? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know this is a sensitive issue and a very critical one in the Northwest Territories. This area is going to continue to be a problem, as we heard the Members speak about this issue today. I can go into a long process on my personal experience, but rather than that, I will go into some of the work we have done and what we are trying to do. There has been work done by previous governments as well as the Department of Health and Social Services working around how our programs are working. We have heard it, as I sat on the other side of the floor, from the social programs side, heard about how our programs are ineffective. When the government was going through downsizing, we are losing facilities. The question came around, should we build facilities or should we invest in people? We have worked through a number of organizations again with NGOs and Members to try to come up with a process that would work. We believe investing in people is going to make a difference. While we haven't, as of recently, gone into each community to look if our Aftercare Program is working. What we have is, through a number of efforts, try to look at the whole program area from start to finish and hopefully to full recovery of individuals. Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the program delivery in communities, there is always room for improvements. The current system may not be enough. It may not be working for the communities. As a follow-up, would the Minister consider working with the communities to develop better strategies and programs such as aftercare programs to deal with addictions and investing in people as the Minister puts it? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we are working with communities. In fact, in March of this year, there was a group that met to review our progress on our core service plan in the mental health and addictions area. New direction has been given for the next five years that we drafted. Hopefully by mid-summer, we can look at how we would proceed from here. We are working with Health and Social Services authorities, NGOs, aboriginal groups and other stakeholders to come up with a new direction in this area. Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Just to conclude my question for the Minister, I would like to focus on the next step. Can the Minister commit to providing resources necessary to deal with these community-based strategies? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department has been investing substantially in this area in talking about investing in people. For example, in 2006-2007, up to 77 positions or $6.6 million in funding to support the delivery of counselling programs in Health and Social Services authorities. That means 45 community wellness workers, 24 mental health and addiction counsellors, as well as eight clinical supervisors. We are working on putting the package together through the Chalmer's report, through the Stay the Course report that followed up on that and working with committee and NGO stakeholders. We are moving down this path towards improving the system.

Ultimately, Mr. Speaker, it is going to start in the home as individuals make their decisions. We can come up with the programming, but if people don't take that initial step to get help...We are there to offer them help once they take that step, but we need them to realize they need to take that step. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for Human Resources. If there was personal information including leave balances, salaries and social insurance numbers of MLAs and, in fact, of GNWT employees viewable through a PeopleSoft system which all GNWT employees had access to, I would like to know from the Minister if that occurred. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

So, Mr. Speaker, then the Minister is denying that it was not possible for a casual employee at the Department of Health and Social Services to have access to MLAs' personal information at any time?

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the best of my knowledge, that has never happened. If it has happened, it hasn't been formally transmitted to the department so that we are aware of it.

Had something like that come to our attention, it would have been an issue that would have been a very serious concern and followed up.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this day and age of all the attention to identity theft, if there was a breech of security on the PeopleSoft system, which would contain personal information about MLAs and Government of the Northwest Territories employees, what would be the protocol of the Department of Human Resources to ensure those people were notified of that breech? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know if we have run into a situation like that. I don't know what the exact protocol would be, but you can be assured that we would consider it to be a serious event and one that we would follow up on. But at this point, we have never been advised. In the past, I have heard rumours like the one that the Member has talked about. Every time we tried to follow up on it, we have never been able to find that it actually happened.

At this point, we don't actually believe that it has happened. If it is found to be otherwise, there will be a very serious review of the situation.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.