This is page numbers 341 - 376 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 6th 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 name.

Topics

Distribution Of Cbc North Regional Personnel
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 345

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the CBC provides a vital link across the North, linking all of the communities, providing us a way to keep track of what is happening in this vast territory. We have 33 communities as well as Fort Chipewyan. Mr. Speaker, however, there is a significant problem, in my mind, on how resources are distributed across the North when it comes to CBC coverage. In Yellowknife, we look at the phone listings. There are 74 positions for CBC. In Inuvik, they do somewhat better. They have five to cover the North. The South Slave to cover all of the southern part of the territory including Fort Chip, there is one person. There is very little community reporting ability available. The person in the South Slave is a long-term employee, one of the best in the business. She just took on territorial duties so she has even less time to go to the communities than she had before. The paper media in the South Slave from Hay River and Fort Smith are commenting that they are the only ones covering events because the CBC is no longer present there. In Inuvik, they have the same struggles trying to cover all of the communities they have up there with the five people they have and the limited resources.

Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue with CBC. As a northern communication arm, it is so important to us. They should be taking the steps to redistribute these resources a little more equitably. Ideally, it would be nice if they had more resources that they could actually put out to the field. When you look at the positions that are there, 74 in Yellowknife, five for the whole Inuvik region and one for the whole South Slave, clearly the balance is not right. They have a ton of bureaucratic reasons why it is so and how important it is to have all of these folks huddled here in the capital. They don't even have on-the-ground in-the-communities in-the-North community reporters like they used to have that they would call in with what is happening in their communities. So we have even less community input into this very important meeting that connects us all.

Mr. Speaker, I know that this is not a government issue, but this is a public forum. I know CBC is listening. CBC is important. They should be close to the people. Thank you.

---Applause

Distribution Of Cbc North Regional Personnel
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 345

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about issues surrounding the operation of Stanton Territorial Hospital. During the summer months, the surgery ward has remained closed. It has been closed on and off for the last few years. The excuse, Mr. Speaker, is usually staffing. With the surgery ward closed, patients are being housed in pediatrics. For many obvious reasons, the reliance on pediatrics to house surgery patients seems to be an accident waiting to happen.

Post-operative patients should not be subjected to further possibility of infection nor should they be housed in close proximity to our sick children. Nurses on the ward are having to look after both the pediatric patients and the surgery patients. Mr. Speaker, for a hospital of this size and responsibility, it just doesn't seem appropriate that this practice is condoned.

Mr. Speaker, this government has a proposed plan to spend at least $27 million at Stanton for the next few years to renovate the hospital. Mr. Speaker, a major incentive for the renovations is to have better space utilization. Mr. Speaker, this is a noble idea. However, what I truly believe Stanton needs to do is refocus its operation on solely providing the delivery of medical services to our residents, to have the hospital fully staffed and resourced. We have been struggling with staffing at this facility for the past 10 years. How many studies, reports, consultants and committees are we going to need to have staffing issues addressed at this hospital?

Recent decisions are being made that just make people wonder what exactly the hospital is there for. Mr. Speaker, this definitely impacts staff morale. Recently, the patient lounge on the surgery ward was turned into four offices to house staff from the medical centre. Certainly, space is at a premium; this is true. But are we looking at turning an entire ward into office space? When you visit hospitals in southern Canada, they seem to have office complexes and buildings near the hospital to house administrative staff. The time has come that the government needs to seriously examine the idea of building a dedicated medical administrative building near Stanton Hospital. If we can't get the capital dollars, let's let the private sector step up to the plate and get involved in building this much needed building.

Mr. Speaker, a hospital should be just that, a hospital providing the delivery of health services for our residents, not an office building. Mahsi.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on the Member's statement from the Member for Kam Lake, I just want to also speak a little bit about the issue surrounding Stanton Hospital. Mr. Speaker, I believe that, in this House, it is important that we get the job done based on what our constituents are telling us. Over the years, we have heard many questions and concerns about operations of the hospital, the morale, the deficit situation and such. I thought that, months ago, it would be a good idea for us to undertake a human resource review and get feedback from the staff there as to what the issues are and how we could address them. I supported this initiative because I really feel that it is much more important to be productive than to just be critical, although being critical can help too. Mr. Speaker, I do respect the work that the hospital people do. There are many people in my riding and right on my street who work at the hospital. I know there are lots of people who are happy working at the hospital without much issue, but there are many others. There are some real serious issues that have been brought to us that we owe them to look into.

Now, the human resource review that we have undertaken, we haven't got the results of that yet. We have a briefing scheduled, but I just want to put it on record that I feel like I am getting very conflicting information. On that, there is already a campaign or something going on that things are really not that bad. I just want to say that I am not interested in targeting anybody or anything. This is not a critical exercise. I still have a good will and good intention with the days remaining to do something productive and something good. I would like to call upon the Minister and the officials and everybody who is involved in this study to give us the goods, give us the information. Try not to make it anything other than what it is, because I believe, Mr. Speaker, if we don't know what it is, we can't fix it. We can't fix things unless we have all the facts. On Monday, when we are having a briefing, I will be expecting full information and a very good plan as to how we go about addressing issues that I am sure will come about, about how to improve the morale situation there or any issues that they may have and to make it easier for our human resources in the hospital. Thank you.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

City Of Yellowknife Land Transfer Application
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 346

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT has an abundance of many things, one of which is land. What we don't have is an abundance of affordable lots to build houses on, Mr. Speaker. I would like to discuss an issue with regard to the City of Yellowknife's application for land and the process involved.

The City of Yellowknife applied for a transfer in February 2006, for six parcels of land, and all the land, with the exception of two properties, have been transferred. A year or more later, Mr. Speaker, in 2007, the city's land application was returned, with MACA saying that they do not agree with the scope of the request. Therefore, revise it and then maybe we will look at it again. Well, the city prefers not to revise their application and remove the parcels that MACA doesn't want to consider. The city would rather have this, Mr. Speaker. They want a fair, open process, something that is transparent where they can hear from any third party regarding their interest on this land that the city wishes to seek for disposition. So what land, we may ask? Well, Mr. Speaker, the areas of concern are Tin Can Hill, Yellowknife golf course, Grace Lake, northeast end of the city and even Pilot's Monument. MACA is saying they cannot circulate the city's application because they can't offer the land. That is, they are saying it is not theirs to sell. The city is of the opinion that the decision should be made after consultation. So, Mr. Speaker, where is the fair public process? Certainly it is not in this situation.

Secondly, in February 2007, the city expressed interest in reviewing options for purchasing the Con and Rycon trailer courts. In July of the same year, the city passed a motion to acquire the common areas of the trailer courts and recommended that MACA should offer fee-simple titles directly to the existing lease holders. Mr. Speaker, MACA responded that they would be required to consult again through the IMA on the disposition of lands to the residents and the city. So the city has requested they proceed so the title transfer can occur by early 2008. Mr. Speaker, this is twice that the IMA process is being invoked. It seems like an unfair hurdle that the city is being put through this process twice.

Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of AOC was to see the improvement of land transfer and to expedite the land transfer process. The Housing Corporation received more positions and so did MACA, but what are they doing? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister later today. How do we get rid of the red tape and start transferring lots so we can build houses? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

City Of Yellowknife Land Transfer Application
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 346

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. Reports of standing and special committees. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 346

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is with great pleasure I have some constituents in the gallery with us today. Mrs. Juanita Green and her son Nelson, who is checking out the skylights. Welcome. I also have a couple of special people up in the gallery, as well, today. My nephew Aaron Ramsay and his sister, Julianna Ramsay. Welcome. They are here to watch their big brother, Ryan Ramsay, who is a Page here in the Assembly with us this week.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 346

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 347

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a family friend, Mr. Wayne Sweeney, from Yellowknife, and visiting from Richmond, B.C., Alison Fraser. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Item 6: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 347

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you're enjoying the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience in here. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, as I highlighted in my Member's statement, the importance of having a maintenance contract on the Edzo crew from Boundary Creek to the Rae access road. Mr. Speaker, we need to respect the jurisdiction, the Monfwi Gogha De Niitlee traditional territory on which Highway No. 3 is situated and operated. My question is to the Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation. What efforts have the Minister's department made to ensure it uses local workforce whenever possible? Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The department, along with many other departments in our government, have been using and will continue to ask for local workforce in all its communities and regions that we represent. Thank you.

Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was just the beginning of my oral questions here. My next question, Mr. Speaker, is I asked the former Minister of the Department of Transportation to consider the pros and cons of transferring the responsibility for Highway No. 3 maintenance to Behchoko, taking into consideration the cost efficiency as well as the need to stimulate employment outside of the capital city. The Minister was to report back to this Assembly. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if this work has been done and, if so, what were the results? If not, why not? Mahsi.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. No, I cannot confirm if that study has been completed, nor deny it. Thank you, honourable Members. I have not requested the department to see if this work has been completed. It's only now been brought to my attention, but having our base at Behchoko right now is suitable for our current needs. Mahsi.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been over a year, almost two years now, since I last asked that question and the department was going to come out with a study and then come back to this Assembly, which they are currently still working on for almost two years now. I'm not sure how long it takes to supply that information. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to seek another question to the department and also to the Minister. So for the third time I will ask, Mr. Speaker, has the Minister considered the option of transferring the maintenance contract from Boundary Creek to Rae access road to be under the Edzo crew? Mahsi.

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I actually heard a couple questions there and I'll follow up with the first one, which was the commitment to follow up on the study that's been previously committed. I can certainly do that. I'll check with the department and see where that assessment is at. As well, in answering the second part of his question is, I'll continue to do the same with the department and find out where the assessment and evaluation of extending the boundary from Behchoko to Boundary Creek. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Supplementary To Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Question 129-15(6): Transfer Of Maintenance Contract For Highway No. 3
Item 8: Oral Questions

Page 347

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the transferring of the contract; the sooner the better. So my next questions I guess would lead to that. Mr. Speaker, after all this time and out of courtesy to the Tlicho Government and the people of Behchoko, the Minister must make some effort to give this issue some consideration before the close of this 15th Assembly. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister agree to meet with the chief of Behchoko regarding the maintenance contract before the end of this Assembly and make a commitment to transfer the maintenance contract that is rightfully under Wekeezhii and Monfwi Gogha De Niitlee traditional area? Mahsi.