This is page numbers 377 - 404 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 communities.

Topics

Congratulations To Newly Married Constituents
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 382

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to express my well wishes to four couples in my riding who were married recently and to a dear friend who will marry this weekend. In Fort Liard, Mr. Speaker, I have Mr. Marc Schmitz married to Ms. Alana Harris, Mr. Jonathon Buckley who married Ms. Stacey McLeod; and in Fort Simpson, Mr. Michael Canney married to Ms. Lyn Wharton, as well as last weekend Mr. Colin Munroe to Miss Leah Keats. This coming weekend, a close friend of mine, Miss Lisa Lafferty to be married to a Michael Tetso. I wish to congratulate these families, every happiness and wish them fortune in their marriages and their futures. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Congratulations To Newly Married Constituents
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Workers' Compensation Board Outstanding Claims
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about WCB. Mr. Speaker, let me start by saying that a lot of good progress has been made between the Members of this House, the Minister, the chair of the Governance Council and the new CEO over the last number of months. We have gotten some really good work done. I am particularly impressed, Mr. Speaker, with the changes in approach and willingness shown by the senior staff in working with us to make the new WCB Act under review as good and as responsive as it can be for the stakeholders.

Before I get too carried away with too many compliments and confusing the balance of things, Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you about something we have not seen as much progress on. That is the fact that we have not seen much movement in policy changes or closure of many long outstanding files. Some of them are 15 to 20 years long. The long awaited changes to the chronic pain policy announced in April of this year have not translated into concrete changes in situations for a dozen or so files that have been on the WCB lineup for many years. The abrupt settlement of the Ivan Valic appeal raised expectations for equally speedy settlement or system-wide changes. But that is not what has happened. Everything surrounding it remains enclosed in shadow. After a flurry of activities, I don't know of any more resources or push being made to come to a resolution of longstanding cases.

Mr. Speaker, the last I heard, the new chronic pain policy was still hung up on retroactivity clause. I know the worker's advisor has been gathering all the cases hoping to make progress with the new management and new direction, but, as I see it, unless there are real efforts made and real resources put forward to clean up these files quickly, nothing is going to get done. So I urge the WCB, the new management, the Minister and the board to keep working, to really do something about these long outstanding files and the people that are waiting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Workers' Compensation Board Outstanding Claims
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Support For Small Business
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to use my Member's statement today to tell this government that we are not doing enough to support small business in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, we have expended a lot of time and energy going around and consulting, consulting, consulting. We have amalgamated things. We have come up with a new BDIC, but I tell you today still, if you want to start a business or expand a business, you have got a very rough road ahead of you in terms of accessing capital to do that.

I had the opportunity and thank the Minister of ITI for inviting me to attend a roundtable on the economy with our Prime Minister last week. The Prime Minister shared that sovereignty is a very big priority of the Conservative government. I took the opportunity to tell the Prime Minister that one step towards addressing the issue of sovereignty is to ensure that we have people living in the North. If we want people living in the North, we need something for them to do to support themselves. We need jobs and we need strong communities. That will create the presence that we need in the North to say that this is Canada and we have sovereignty.

So, Mr. Speaker, to the issue of accessing capital, we have business programs in place, but I think they have gone backwards. It has been many years since we have had an economic development agreement. If the federal government wants to do something useful with Canadian taxpayers' dollars, they should revisit the issue of a very good economic development agreement in partnership with our government so that people who had the creativity, and the initiative, and the desire to start small businesses can do so.

Resource development is out there. It is big. We need the businesses to come in and to service that industry, but we need to create that opportunity on a level playing field. There has been a turning away from some of the emphasis on some of the level ones in larger communities, but yesterday the issue of housing came up in this Assembly of modular housing. Most of you who have been to Hay River to visit, you know that we have a proven track record there with a company that is building modular units. There is no reason why you would go three miles south into Alberta and people are building modular homes. If we can do that in Alberta, why can we not do that on a viable basis in the Northwest Territories? Part of the reason is it is a capital-intensive business to start up. We have a $2 million cap on our lending. It should not be there. For businesses that want to expand, with a proven track record, we should be revisiting the issue of those loan caps. I will have questions for the Minister of ITI on this today. Thank you.

---Applause

Support For Small Business
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 382

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Regional Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 383

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with all of the illegal drugs that are starting to come out now, the single biggest addiction for years and years has been the abuse of alcohol. Mr. Speaker, every community that we visited over the last two and a half, almost three years that I have been here, almost the single biggest concern in every community has been the abuse of alcohol and the effects on the community and on their lives. I see some communities trying to take some initiatives now in dealing with the problems of alcohol. I think one community introduced prohibition just recently. We wish them luck with that.

Something struck me this summer, Mr. Speaker, as I was driving down to my office at six o'clock in the morning.

Regional Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

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An Hon. Member

Oooh, hard working.

Regional Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I noticed more and more people on the streets in Inuvik. That causes me a great deal of concern. They are people that really have no place to go. A lot of them are addicted to alcohol. I am sure many of them would like to seek help. But when you need to get help up in the Beaufort-Delta, you have to leave the Beaufort-Delta.

I go back again to the spring when my Social Programs colleagues and I had an opportunity to visit a camp on the east branch which was being put up by the Nihtat Gwich'in. They are hoping to use this camp to deal with these types of situations where they could have people have a place to stay. They could go there and hopefully turn their lives around and beat their addiction to alcohol. I am sure by having a camp on the east branch would make more people want to go and seek help, especially if they can have the support of family and the community.

As a government, we have to do what we can, Mr. Speaker, to not only encourage these types of initiatives taken on by people regardless of what our report says. People recognize the need for treatment centres and regional treatment centres. I think we should support that. If there is a way that we can support the Nigtat Gwich'in in any way financially to get this camp up and going, and deal with the problem that they recognize, and commend them for recognizing it and taking the initiative, we should back them with all the resources that we can, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

---Applause

Regional Alcohol And Drug Treatment Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to make special note of red Friday. I always like to wear red on Fridays to show my support for our troops and their families, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to participate as a Member of the Legislative Assembly in what is a unique consensus system of government. Although the consensus system has many advantages, I believe that for it to continue its relevance, it must change and evolve with the needs of the North. I strongly encourage the 16th Assembly to seriously look at changes they may be able to make to continue consensus vitality in the sense of moving forward for our future.

We are truly an anomaly, Mr. Speaker, in that our current Premier, who was acclaimed as an MLA by his constituents and then acclaimed in his position in the House, achieved becoming voted as Premier without casting one vote. Now, of course, Premier Handley has served us very well and his comments are no reflection of his performance. However, one change I believe would greatly strengthen our system of governance is if we elected our Premier at large. A Premier elected at large would have the advantage of a clear mandate from across the Northwest Territories.

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Some Hon. Members

...(inaudible)...

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Premier being selected throughout the Territories would have the strength, because they could select their Cabinet Members that they see with strength to move forward. This would give our Premier the ability to pick an A-team, our star team. Mr. Speaker, the Premier could also look at that time picking a Cabinet with regional balances...

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Some Hon. Members

...(inaudible)...

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

...balancing gender balances, Mr. Speaker, and also looking at other unique strengths and individual qualifications to make the continued Cabinet even better than they are.

The ability to hire and fire Ministers would also give the Premier the power to keep Ministers in line. We pay the Premier to act in the top job. Well, let's give them the ultimate authority, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility of ministerial performances belongs in the Premier, not the Premier putting pressure on the Assembly. Mr. Speaker, it should not be up to Regular Members to spill blood in the Assembly for the Premier when he should be doing his job.

Mr. Speaker, could I have some attention and order here?

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, our consensus style of government needs to evolve. In closing, for the NWT to continue the strength of consensus government, it must move forward with innovative approaches to make sure it is relevant for today and tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Some Hon. Members

...(inaudible)...

---Applause

Procedure For Premier And Cabinet Selection
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

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

Page 383

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize in the gallery today Sue Glowach, a good family friend and also a great supporter of an organization that I

have been involved with for some time, the International Exchange Student Organization. I know that her family will again be welcoming a student to Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to recognize a constituent whose family has lived in Weledeh for many years, well-known Bob Bromley.

---Applause

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

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

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David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to recognize a Page who travelled here from Fort McPherson, Mr. Dennis Nerysoo. Hopefully Dennis is able to take back what he has learned here and also his experience back to his classmates in Chief Julius School. With that, I would like to thank Dennis for coming down and wish him a safe journey home tomorrow. Thanks again for coming, Dennis.

---Applause

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

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. 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

Page 384

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome those in the gallery today. In addition to that, I have two constituents who are Pages with us this week, Mr. Dent's son, Tyler Dent. I would like to recognize him and my nephew Ryan Ramsay and as well all the other Pages that have been working on our behalf here this week. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Page 384

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member from Range Lake, Ms. Lee.