This is page numbers 405 - 450 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 going.

Topics

Members Present

Honourable Brendan Bell, Mr. Braden, Honourable Paul Delorey, Honourable Charles Dent, Mrs. Groenewegen, Honourable Joe Handley, Mr. Hawkins, Honourable David Krutko, Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Lee, Hon. Michael McLeod, Mr. McLeod, Hon. Kevin Menicoche, Mr. Pokiak, Mr. Ramsay, Honourable Floyd Roland, Mr. Villeneuve, Mr. Yakeleya

---Prayer

Item 1: Prayer
Item 1: Prayer

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Good afternoon, colleagues. Before we begin, as a notice to Members, we have translators in the House today, both Tlicho and French translators. The Tlicho will be channel two on your mics and French will be channel three. Orders of the day. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

(English not provided)

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak on something very important. It is a seniors' home. I want to say a few words regarding that. I had mentioned this issue many times in the past. We are talking about the old folks' home in Behchoko. It's been in existence for over 20 years and we want that facility to be replaced. So I will question the Minister regarding this later. I have mentioned this concern many times. Many past leaders have mentioned this before. So today I want to ask that same question again. (Translation ends)

...on the most important thing for the elders of Behchoko and the surrounding communities and that's Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home in Behchoko. Mr. Speaker, back in March and May of this year, I spoke of the need for replacement of or repair of the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home in Behchoko to ensure the well-being of the elders who made their home in the community. Mr. Speaker, during the May session, in questioning the Premier as the Minister responsible, it became apparent the preliminary consultant's report is recommending replacement of the facility.

Mr. Speaker, Premier Handley also stated that the plan was to repair the building so the building would last the five years it would take to build a new facility. Mr. Speaker, I having been here a couple of years now, I know that my job is to keep the Ministers' feet to the fire to

get a commitment that will benefit my people. I certainly hope the Premier is wearing good shoes today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Premier for the commitment, but now we need to move forward and make sure the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home gets into the capital and that the dramatic population growth is taken into consider when designing a new facility, that a new facility meets the needs of the Tlicho elders.

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I will have questions for the Premier on the final report of the facility, which was to be completed in June of this year, on the steps the Housing Corporation is taking to repair and replace this facility. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Centre
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Mackenzie Valley Highway
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement is on the Mackenzie Valley highway, the proposed highway that is being considered by this government and past governments. One of the key issues I want to hit on, Mr. Speaker, is the isolation the people in the Sahtu are feeling. There is an enormous amount of interest by oil companies, mining companies. More importantly, the people in the Sahtu are saying enough is enough. When is this government going to make a strong commitment in pushing down the Mackenzie Valley highway, bring jobs to the Sahtu, bring the cost of living down in the Sahtu, raise the standards of living in the Sahtu and bring our interest and free our people in the Sahtu...

Mackenzie Valley Highway
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Some Hon. Members

Hear! Hear!

Mackenzie Valley Highway
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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

...from the isolation, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the rest of the Northwest Territories, except for Nunakput, and my honourable colleague from Nunakput and other areas in the Tlicho area are also isolated; more importantly, in the Sahtu and up in Nunakput. Other communities enjoy discussions of paved roads, fixing the bumps here and there, putting a bridge here and putting a bridge there. We talk about the cost of living, Mr. Speaker. People in the Sahtu dream of your discussions.

Mackenzie Valley Highway
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Some Hon. Members

Dream!

Mackenzie Valley Highway
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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

They can only dream of having paved roads. Even bring the standards of our goat roads up in the wintertime, Mr. Speaker. The cost of living is high. We want to contribute to the Northwest Territories. We want to be part of the Northwest Territories in terms of shaping our economy and contributing to the political structure. We can't do it in the dark. That's what this government is doing in terms of postponing the bridge, postponing the highway, not having a serious discussion with the federal government when they had a chance to and say open up the North.

Part of Diefenbaker's dream was to build a Mackenzie Highway right from Tuktoyaktuk. Let's put it through. Don't go sidetracking to another road. Put the money where it's supposed to be. Put the money there and free our people again in the Northwest Territories. The Sahtu people need to be free. They need to make a contribution to the Northwest Territories and bring that standard of living to everybody in the North. That's what good government is all about. Thank you.

Mackenzie Valley Highway
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Some Hon. Members

Hear! Hear!

Mackenzie Valley Highway
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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Longstanding Workers' Compensation Claims
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Merci beaucoup, monsieur le president. One of the most frequent issues that I have raised in this House and had a little bit of an inventory done 50 times, Mr. Speaker, in the last eight years, has been the plight of injured workers. It's not about those people whose injury or disability has been expeditiously handled by the WCB and the vast majority of cases have, indeed, been handled this way. Rather, my concern has been for those injured workers that have complex, unconventional injuries who have challenged the WCB for years. In their quest for justice, some of them have lost virtually everything in their personal and professional lives, everything that is except their dignity and their belief that the wrong that's been committed against them must be made right.

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's review in the performance of the WCB in this area discovered some 30 injured workers with longstanding, regrettable, unresolved cases. In the case of one worker, Ivan Valic, I was full of optimism in December of 2005 when the Supreme Court of the NWT ruled that Mr. Valic, whose injury dates back 19 years, ruled that Mr. Valic had indeed been wronged, his Charter rights have been violated and his right to natural justice denied. Even today, 18 months after this ruling, he still waits for justice. He's not alone. Longstanding unresolved cases like his will, I am certain, continue and should come before this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, on a forward looking basis, this Assembly, committees, the Auditor General for Canada, the Governance Council and Ministers have done excellent progressive work on new legislation that is now before this Assembly. This is a cause for optimism that our WCB will indeed improve in the way it meets the needs of all workers and employers.

It is important for this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, for workers and for employers who pay the cost of this vital part of the society to stay engaged and involved as the WCB moves through the important changes that it faces in the future. Merci beaucoup.

Longstanding Workers' Compensation Claims
Item 3: Members' Statements

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Beluga whales were spotted in the Husky Lakes area late last week and once again the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters' and Trappers' Committee are concerned they may stay trapped inside the Husky Lakes if the Department of Fisheries and Oceans do not do something about the beluga whales.

The Tuk HTC discussed the issue of beluga whales at the annual general meeting and I should note the superintendent of ENR from the Inuvik region was in attendance. Mr. Speaker, subsequently, we had an opportunity to speak with an official from Yellowknife and was provided with information that generally beluga whales migrate into Husky Lakes every five years. This is the second year in a row that belugas have entered Husky Lakes, Mr. Speaker, and the HTC is concerned about their well-being.

Mr. Speaker, the Tuk HTC would like to do something about these whales. However, they do not have the resources or funding. The Tuk HTC have decided they will let nature take its course and hopefully these belugas will eventually find their way out of Husky Lakes.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, belugas were trapped in Husky Lakes last year. Fisheries Joint Management Committee and DFO decided to let nature take its course and hope the beluga whales will eventually migrate out. Unfortunately, they were trapped in ice that formed around them. Mr. Speaker, as...(inaudible)...as it was last fall, the HTC decided to harvest the beluga whales for distribution to other Beaufort-Delta communities. The harvesting of these belugas by the Tuk HTC was conducted only because they received necessary resources from the Department of ENR. The outlying communities were very thankful to receive the muktuk.

Mr. Speaker, the Fisheries Joint Management Committee is responsible for the management of fish and water mammals around the Beaufort-Delta region. I would appreciate and request the Minister of ENR to communicate with FJMC, DFO and Tuk HTC to resolve the problems of the belugas in Husky Lakes. Mr. Speaker, in the fall season, if something cannot be done to chase the whales out of Husky Lakes, there is a possibility they will remain in Husky Lakes and die eventually.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, beluga whales are one species that the Inuvialuit depend on for traditional meat. Let's hope the appropriate government will rise to the occasion to what is right: free the whales. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 3: Members' Statements

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David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to speak again today about the Deh Cho Bridge project. In May, Members passed a motion in this House to come clean on what the costs and benefits would be for the proposed Deh Cho Bridge. Mr. Speaker, we had a briefing in July behind closed doors and as protocol would dictate, I can't publicly discuss what things I learned at this meeting. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, there was nothing new. The public still doesn't know what the impact is going to be and all we know is that the Deh Cho Bridge project is going ahead. The Premier and government have been quite clear about that since May. Mr. Speaker, I am having a tremendous amount of difficulty understanding how this project has gotten to the stage it is at.

The Premier is planning a groundbreaking ceremony this Friday, the day after the last session of this government is concluded. To my knowledge, Regular Members haven't even been invited to the party, Mr. Speaker. What is so hard to believe is why the government is relying solely on a five-year-old piece of legislation passed by the last government to build the Deh Cho Bridge. Nowhere in the Deh Cho Bridge Act does it say build the bridge at any price. That act was conceived and vetted publicly when the project was 60 to 70 million dollars and tolls would be under $5 per tonne. At the time, a thorough cost-benefit analysis was done on the cost of the project. Mr. Speaker, that was five years ago. My motion in May and my standing here again today is to ask the government where is the 2007 cost-benefit analysis? The government has yet to prove to me that a bridge built for $150 million with tolls, when completed, of over $7 a tonne would not have a negative impact on the cost to consumers in the North Slave region and the city of Yellowknife. At no time in the last four years have the Members of this House had any discussion on completing large infrastructure projects.

In his sessional statement, the Premier says the additional $2 million the government required to put into the project would not come out of education, housing or health care. How is it possible for the Premier to say this? Just because we have a better formula financing arrangement with Ottawa does not mean the Members of this House said it's okay to spend an additional $2 million a year on a bridge. That money could be used in education, health care or housing. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Deh Cho Bridge Project
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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Deh Cho Bridge Project
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David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That money could be used in education, health care or housing. It's just that now future governments will have no say in the matter, and that, Mr. Speaker, is a shame. Mr. Speaker, once again I will state for the record that I do support a bridge being built across the Mackenzie River but not without substantial funding from Ottawa and not without the proof from this government that costs will not increase in the city of Yellowknife or in the North Slave region. I just cannot believe the government is moving ahead with this project when it's faced with so many questions that remain unanswered. There has been no transparency from the government on this project, Mr. Speaker, and that is the sad truth. Mahsi.

---Applause

Deh Cho Bridge Project
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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Suicide Awareness And Prevention Programs
Item 3: Members' Statements

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Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to raise the very serious issue of suicide awareness and prevention here in the NWT. This issue has been raised many times here in the past four years, Mr. Speaker, but recently has become a very sensitive issue for myself due to the fact that my family has been affected by the suicide of a close relative.

We are all aware that the NWT has more than two times the national average of suicide rates in Canada. We have not seen any real improvement in programs and services related to suicide awareness, suicide prevention or aftercare services provided by this government over the last five years.

There is definitely a real need for ongoing community awareness, community counselling, and training to individuals and affected families who have been devastated by incidents of suicide. Even years after, families are still feeling the effects of such incidents, especially how it's affecting their families and siblings of suicide victims. As they grow up with these dark memories and without any good counselling or support networks to turn to, they may take it upon themselves to resolve their issues themselves by contemplating suicide themselves, Mr. Speaker.

In my constituency, many people have been raising this issue and have been working to develop some on-the-land programs to address suicide amongst our youth, only to be informed that there is not even health and social services dollars to move forward with a plan or there are just too many hurdles in government to get access to dollars. Mr. Speaker, that has to change. If we do not take this issue more seriously for the future, Mr. Speaker, then the talk amongst our youth about suicide will no longer be about just talk, Mr. Speaker; it will be acted upon more often. To me, this is a very serious trend that we, as a government, seem to be taking just too lightly. We have to act now to address this issue and I encourage this government to seriously review their suicide prevention programs in all of our smaller communities across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Suicide Awareness And Prevention Programs
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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Support For Nurse Practitioners
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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about the value of nurse practitioners in the delivery of health care in the North.

Availability of training for nurse practitioners in the North is still a relatively new undertaking. Although nurse practitioners have been present for several years in the North, their work in the larger communities is still in the pioneer phase. The primary health care model sees them as a vital part of clinics, hospital emergency wards and outpatient departments. Hay River has the good fortune of having two nurse practitioners operating in our system. We consider them to be a very integral part of the delivery of health services in Hay River.

With the relative newness of their presence in the larger communities, we believe that the model they are working with needs to be clearly defined in order to realize the maximum benefits of their training, skills and proficiency. This clearly defined working relationship with other health care providers would ensure that anyone new coming into our system would be oriented to that system whether they be administrative or front-line personnel.

Nurse practitioners have much to offer in terms of their ideas about the operation of the various settings in which they work. The network of nurse practitioners in the North are supported by professional development, resource materials, updates on best practices and conferring together. For reasons which I will pursue during question period today, Mr. Speaker, Hay River has been left out of that network to the despair of our nurse practitioners. They, too, would find benefit and opportunity to connect with their counterparts throughout the territory. This would only serve to enhance what they have to offer our community and as with all professionals, particularly in medicine, they want to stay apprised of ever-evolving best medical information and practices. Investment in this professional development is an investment that would benefit their patients.

It's very important that physicians, whether permanent or locums, understand the role of our nurse practitioners and would then work with them in a collaborative practice that was intended. Failing to do so makes it virtually impossible for nurse practitioners to realize the unique role and responsibility that they can offer to enhance the health care delivery system.

I would like to thank all of our health care providers in Hay River and today recognize our two nurse practitioners Karen Benwell and Sue Balmer. The efforts that they have made to enhance their education and skills have been a tremendous asset to Hay River residents. Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social services regarding improvements to the support for our nurse practitioners. Thank you.

---Applause