Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the Day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

[English translation not provided.]

Mr.

Speaker, spring is a very exciting time in

education. Graduation ceremonies have started and will continue to be taking place at high schools, post-secondary institutions and various technical training programs throughout the Northwest Territories.

These ceremonies acknowledge the hard work and dedication of each individual who has reached his or her goal of completion. Individuals will be acknowledged for excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts, leadership and community involvement.

Whether or not they have won tangible awards, each and every graduate should be exceptionally proud of reaching this milestone in his or her life. The completion of a high school, Adult Literacy and Basic Education, apprenticeship or postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree program is a significant achievement in the lifelong journey of learning.

We are very proud of the efforts and successes of our NWT graduates. I would like to take a moment to congratulate them on their commitment, hard work and perseverance.

Over the years the high school graduation rates have steadily increased across the Northwest Territories. In 2005 the graduation rate was above

50 per cent for the first time ever. That year there were 343 graduates. Graduation rates have continued to increase, and in 2007 we had 370 graduates, a rate of 56 per cent. The numbers reflect the tremendous dedication of students, teachers, educational professionals, elders and volunteers across the territory. Their work ensures that we can meet the needs of northern society for generations to come.

Mr.

Speaker, the teachers and educational

professionals are an integral part of society. As I mentioned earlier in the session, the first graduating class to have completed the Bachelor of Education degree at Aurora College in the Northwest Territories held their convocation in April. This class includes 15 graduates, 13 of whom are from the Northwest Territories. Many of them will soon be working in schools across the territory. Northern-educated nurses are also important to the Northwest Territories. In 2008 there are 13 students graduating from the Northern Nursing Program at Aurora College. I want to congratulate these and all other Aurora College graduates and recognize their achievements.

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

The list of noteworthy accomplishments this year is extensive. It is difficult to highlight every success within this setting, as each deserves special recognition. However, I would like to recognize the people who helped our students reach their goals. The success of each graduate depends on his or her support system. The help of devoted family and friends is invaluable. They, too, share in our grads’ successes, because they helped the students get there.

Mr. Speaker, the teachers, support staff, volunteers and community members who stand behind each graduate deserve to be recognized as well. The countless hours dedicated to the success of grads have enabled them to reach their full potential. Our

graduates are the workers, parents and leaders of tomorrow. We can all be proud of them and their achievements, and we can be sure that each will contribute back to our territory as they realize their full individual potential.

I am very proud of all our northern students and graduates, and I ask the Members of the Legislative Assembly to join me in applauding their achievements. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Applause.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, as Northerners we value and rely on clean waters and healthy aquatic ecosystems for our spiritual, cultural and physical well-being. It is one of our most valuable resources and will only increase in value and importance as sources diminish.

As we all know, wetlands, deltas and water flows throughout northern Alberta and the southern Northwest Territories are changing. We know these changes may be affecting the fish, moose and other life in the aquatic ecosystems. One of the major issues relates to the pace and scale of development within the Mackenzie River Basin and the potential for this development to impact the waters. We know that the effects of activities outside our boundaries are putting pressures on the basin and are far reaching. The increased demand for energy in hydro, and oil sands development in particular, could compromise the Mackenzie River Basin if not properly managed.

A significant priority of the 16th Legislative

Assembly is an environment that will sustain present and future generations. The protection of our water supply and quality is listed as an action item to ensure this priority is successfully met. As a result, the Government of the Northwest Territories continues to take a lead role in forming partnerships to protect the waters of the Northwest Territories and to fulfil our political and moral responsibilities.

As Members of this House are aware, the Government of Canada is legally responsible for the management of water and the regulation of water use in the Northwest Territories. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in collaboration with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, has developed a framework document on an NWT water strategy. At the appropriate time today, Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling this document.

The paper Northern Voices, Northern Waters is presented in the form of an outline and identifies the issues, challenges and opportunities in this area. The document also presents goals and principles to facilitate sound water management and policy in public water, transboundary waters and aquatic ecosystems.

Aboriginal traditional knowledge is a vital and essential source of information about the natural environment and its resources, including water, the use of natural resources and the relationship of people to the land and each other. The framework acknowledges the significant role of traditional knowledge in ensuring development is sustainable and compatible with protecting aquatic ecosystems.

It is important to recognize and respect aboriginal and treaty rights, land claim agreements and self-government agreements. Water rights and interests are entrenched in land claims and legislation, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is working to ensure that these rights and interests are recognized and respected.

The framework for developing a water strategy will be shaped by the advice and expectations of Northerners. Aboriginal leadership and northern communities have often emphasized the importance of water in the Northwest Territories. Input from NWT residents, aboriginal governments and organizations and interested stakeholders will ensure that all those who have water interests have an opportunity to contribute to the development of a strategy and that it addresses their needs and concerns with a strong northern voice. It is our intention to have the water strategy finalized by March 2009.

Mr. Speaker, our government, together with our partners, intends to do all it can to keep our water resources abundant and healthy. The interests of aboriginal governments and organizations and people across the territory need to be reflected in the development and implementation of the strategy. Northern Voices, Northern Waters will help move us towards these goals and towards the protection of this resource for current and future generations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk again about the difficulties that northern families have in accessing services for children who are diagnosed with autism. As I stated on June 3, 2008, I can relate to the frustration as I’ve now been waiting since May 11 – that is, five and a half weeks – for information from the Department of Health and Social Services on just exactly what they offer as services.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated before, if I as an MLA cannot readily get this type of information, what hope does the average Northerner have? I’m trying to do my job as an MLA and act as the conduit between the constituent and the government, but if the department or the Minister is unwilling to meet me halfway or at the very least tell me why it’s taking them so long to provide this information, it causes me to wonder. It’s starting to look like they’re more interested in the ministerial privileges than doing the work. How long does it take to say nothing because there aren’t any programs? I’ll type the response myself.

Everyone knows that early intervention is extremely important in making sure that a child diagnosed with autism has the best possible outcome and is able to function to their full potential. This requires support from the Department of Health and Social Services and, of course, the health care professionals for the family and the child. That is where I want to start with my inquiries. What intervention do we have?

As there is with everything, I understand that there is a fine line we walk regarding quality and affordability, but right now we have nothing offered up as facts. With no policy framework in place, what are we doing to offer anything to these constituents? Does it really come down to who you know, the squeaky wheel or even where you live?

Now, if you can get into a program run by the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities, you get to receive between four and five hours a week of support, but, Mr. Speaker, that’s what a province like an Alberta offers per day for children with autism, not to mention that the Alberta expert panel points to getting these children into intervention programs as soon as possible. This will allow these kids to have the best chance to sustain the reasonable quality of life that every other child enjoys. So we don’t have to look too far for examples of what exists.

Later today I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about where the non-

existent policy framework is to deal with children with autism. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the need to support our smaller communities with sport and recreation youth programs.

When we were younger, many of us were able to participate in a wide range of winter and summer sport and recreation activities here in the Northwest Territories. Among them were a very successful skiing program in Inuvik, a floating swimming pool that made stops up and down the Mackenzie River, above-ground swimming pools, and vibrant outdoor rinks in many of our smaller communities: all of this in the 1970s. What happened? How were we able to provide all those activities back then? Today, the youth in many of our small communities don’t have the same opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, part of the reason for the success of these programs was that the communities were able to hire qualified staff: staff who dedicated themselves to their jobs, who had the necessary skills to develop and, more importantly, the natural aptitude to deliver a variety of summer and winter sport and recreational activities for the whole community.

Today, smaller communities struggle to attract, hire and retain qualified recreation and youth staff. There is no question, Mr.

Speaker, that small

communities need help from this government to be able to properly fill these positions. I firmly believe that hiring qualified recreation professional staff and hiring local recreation assistants is the first step towards addressing many of the sport and recreation and youth problems.

Mr. Speaker, I spoke many times on many issues and concerns affecting the youth in Tu Nedhe and the need for swimming pools, youth centres, more dollars in O&M for existing facilities and much, much more. In addition to all of this, these workers can deliver programs where the youth have fun, enjoy themselves and gain positive experiences in a safe environment.

We need to support these communities. If that means getting creative, so be it. Providing communities with adequate assistance and support to hire qualified staff today can result in cost savings in the long run. However, Mr. Speaker, more importantly, the real benefit to this is that if we can assist communities with this issue, we’ll soon see them become more active, more vibrant and more healthy.

Thank you.

Members’ statements. The

honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke yesterday about housing needs in the Territories, and today I’d like to address a specific aspect of housing. It’s a topic that’s been mentioned several times already by Members of this House over the last weeks and months. That is the need for available, adequate and affordable housing for our teachers.

NWT teachers consistently face housing shortages, unsafe living conditions and exorbitant rent. Last year some 130 teachers were recruited to the North. Of those, 94 were replacement teachers, and 75 of those moved to our small communities. We experience a 20 to 30 per cent turnover of our teachers year after year, and the most often cited reason for this turnover is the lack of available, adequate and affordable housing.

Education authorities cannot sustain such a high staff turnover rate year after year. It costs the education authorities financially. More importantly, there is a cost to the students in our schools. It’s been proven that students perform better when they have consistent, quality teaching. The quality of the teaching is not at issue here, Mr. Speaker, but wholesale changes in school staff every year do have a negative impact on the students and their academic achievements. We want to attract qualified teachers to the NWT and retain them in our schools. How can that happen if housing conditions are deplorable?

The two Yellowknife school boards are lucky enough to have two powers that assist them in the governance and management of their schools. They have the legislated ability to acquire real property and the authority to levy taxes. Over the years they’ve been able to address their teachers’ housing needs on their own without government assistance. Regional boards do not have these abilities and must rely on either the government or the local housing market, which very often is non-existent, to find housing for their staff. The NWT Housing Corporation has admittedly made some effort to supply market housing in some communities, but it’s met with very limited success.

Housing for teachers is still the most difficult aspect of teacher recruitment. The Minister of Education has recently been presented with a study called

Cheating our Students: The Impact of Inadequate Housing for Teachers in Small Communities. It has also received a letter of support for the recommendations in the study from the Yellowknife Education District No. 1.

The need for available, affordable and adequate housing for teachers has been around for a long time, Mr. Speaker, and we’re not much closer to filling that need.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker

Unanimous consent granted.

You may conclude your statement, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues.

We’re not much closer to filling the need that exists.

In closing, I’d like to quote from the study.

“If the current GNWT policy on staff housing remains intact then there must be flexibility provided to Councils such as what is available to the Yellowknife District Education Authorities. If schools in the NWT are going to remain attractive to teachers seeking employment…then the need for housing must remain a high priority.”

Action needs to be taken and taken soon. I urge the Minister of Education to consider the recommendations of the study and to respond to the district education authorities immediately.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to publicly congratulate the newly elected president and vice-president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council: Mr. Richard Nerysoo, president, and Mary Ann Ross, vice-president. I look forward to continuing to work with Richard and Mary Ann on the issues that affect the Gwich'in in the Mackenzie Delta region but more importantly to enhancing the Gwich'in social and economic opportunities in the region and throughout the North.

I would also like to thank the people who put their names forward to run in the Gwich'in elections, to serve the people in the Gwich'in nation and to stand for public office. I would like to thank Norm Snowshoe, Robert Charlie, Charlie Furlong and Lawrence Norbert for putting their names forward

and for getting their message out. I would also like to take the time to recognize all the Gwich'in people who cast their votes to elect their leadership for the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

At this time I would like to thank the outgoing president, Mr. Fred Carmichael, who has done so much for the Gwich'in nation and for the people in the Northwest Territories during his service as the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council and also as chair of the Aboriginal Pipeline orporation. Fred, we all know, deserves to take some time out and enjoy his retirement. More importantly again, on behalf of the Gwich'in people and the people of the Mackenzie Delta, I would like to thank Fred Carmichael for his commitment and dedication to the people of the Mackenzie Delta.

Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

[English translation not provided].

Mr.

Speaker, because of the long distances

between our communities in the NWT, air travel has become an essential service for our residents. Most community airports across the NWT are equipped with basic infrastructure, such as adequate runways, navigational aids and runway lighting. This ensures that communities can be safely accessed by air 24 hours a day.

Unfortunately, that is not the case for two communities in my riding. The airports in the communities of Jean Marie River and Nahanni Butte do not have runway lights. The lack of runway lights makes it very difficult for essential services such as medevacs to travel to the communities at night. I just want to mention that June and July aren't issues; it's the winter months.

This is a serious disadvantage and compromises the health and public safety of these communities. The Minister of Transportation has stated that public safety is the number one priority for his department and for the government. I urge the Minister to extend his commitment to public safety to the communities of Jean Marie and Nahanni Butte to ensure that runway lights are installed at these airports.

Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr.

Menicoche.

Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to use my Member's statement today to speak on the whole budget process that we just went through and Premier Roland's announcement yesterday during Committee of the Whole.

I voted at second reading to have the budget put into Committee of the Whole, because I wanted to have the opportunity to debate it. I said at the time that I would fight this tooth and nail for Inuvik and Arctic Tern. Well, we did, and last night and this morning I felt like I was in a brawl after five weeks of Committee of the Whole. But we were able to defer the closure of Arctic Tern, and it wasn't because of me. Although I played a small part in it, it was largely due to the letters that we received from the employees of Arctic Tern. They had a lot to do with my Social Programs colleagues. I shared the letters with them, and they committed their support. The biggest support came from the 11 Regular Members on this side of the House. Without their support — standing with me when it came for a vote — this never would have happened. I appreciate the support, and I thank you for it. According to a few of the e-mails I got from Inuvik this morning, they also thank you very much for your support.

Cabinet also played a role in this. This time you not only talked the talk, you actually walked the walk. We appreciate it, and Arctic Tern appreciates it.

We wanted to be able to save all the jobs, but we weren't able to. For those we weren't able to save, I apologize. But I'm confident that with your abilities and your commitment you will find employment within the GNWT. If you don't find employment with the GNWT because you are an affected employee, let me know. I will raise the issue with Minister Bob McLeod of Human Resources, because affected employees should be first on the list. I think we've already said that.

We fought the budget cuts, not because it was our job, not because we wanted to justify our position as MLAs, and not because of ads in the paper. We fought the budget and the cuts because it was the right thing to do for the people in the Northwest Territories. I said yesterday and I'll say again today — and I read it somewhere on the Internet — I believe consensus government does work. I think this whole budget process was a prime example of consensus government working. Had it not been for that…. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I was saying this was a prime

example of consensus government at work. Had it not been for that, they'd have put forward a budget, and the budget would have been run through with 135 job cuts and everything else they wanted. So I do believe in consensus government.

I work with a lot of Members from the smaller communities. They raise their concerns passionately. I believe we will reinvest in the smaller communities across the Northwest Territories regardless of what other people think, because our Member's Conduct Guidelines say that we will distribute our resources fairly and justly, and I think this Assembly will do that.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

McLeod. The

honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my Member's statement today to speak about yesterday's proceedings in regard to third reading of Bill 8 for the 2008–2009 budget.

As Members are well aware, the last four weeks have been a real battle between the Regular Members and Cabinet. We have moved an historic number of motions during our budget deliberations, and yesterday was the culmination of all of our efforts.

The budget is not perfect, but we were able to minimize job loss and get the message out to our constituents that consensus government can and does still work. Our Premier himself has gone through an amazing transformation — from the Premier who took a hard line early on and said no to any movement by government to address our reinstatements to a Premier who did listen and at the end of the day breathed some life back into consensus government. In the past, Premier Roland has been nicknamed Captain Consensus, and he has on occasion in this House said that he is consensus to the core. So I'm very glad to see the Premier getting back to his roots.

I want to thank Premier Roland for working with the Regular Members on the concessions and also Deputy Premier Miltenberger, whom I know played a key role in bringing the budget to the conclusion that we had yesterday.

I want to say thank you to the UNW for all of their efforts in assisting Members with research and advice and also for their public relations campaign regarding the 2008–2009 budget.

The last four weeks have been a gruelling time for Members — many of us far from home and families

— and I want to thank all Members for their efforts and their dedication in arriving, finally, at a product we can accept.

None of our work here would be possible without the professional staff we have here at the Legislative Assembly. I want to thank our Clerk, Mr. Tim Mercer; Deputy Clerk, Mr. Doug Schauerte; all of the Clerk's staff, research staff; and all of the other building staff and service providers who make putting on a budget session — and a session in general — possible. Thank you to you too, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr.

Ramsay. The

honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Speaker, our northern graduate nurses are choosing to leave the North. I would like to profile the experience of one of my constituents.

As a recent graduate of the nursing program at Aurora College in Yellowknife, she enjoyed considerable support throughout her training. Yet upon graduation she found that the reality is that there are not enough positions to satisfy the employment needs of our graduates. Furthermore, positions appear to be being filled not on the basis of qualifications or affirmative action policies but rather on perhaps who one knows in the system.

This person, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with distinction, specialized in mental health and addictions: clearly an area of priority concern for us. Her qualifications would clearly prepare her to be an asset to our psychiatry unit at Stanton, but instead she was offered a graduate placement position in Hay River as a general medicine nurse. This would have meant selling her home and leaving behind her family and the supports available to her here. This graduate forwarded a resumé of her qualifications to the Calgary Health Region, where it was readily accepted. That’s quite a contrast.

The nursing program was started at Aurora College to keep Northerners home. Yet time and again Stanton Hospital hires new grads from as far away as Newfoundland, while those who have graduated in the North do not meet the qualifications for nursing positions here. Why do our nurses qualify anywhere else in Canada but not in the Northwest Territories? Hiring locum nurses to fill positions at Stanton when we have homegrown talent right here in our backyard does not make sense. Mr. Speaker, we cannot fail to recognize and support our northern residents. Let’s get our priorities right.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Mr. Speaker, today I stand here in regard to my elders’ pension cheques that are not lasting as long as they should because of the high cost of living in the North, which in my riding is 81 per cent higher in communities such as Nunakput than in the capital, Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, my elders should not have to worry about having enough food to last them until the next pension cheque comes in. We need to have action. The Minister has to talk to the federal government to try to give elders a choice of pension cheques once or twice per month. I stand here and I worry. I talked for about half an hour yesterday with a constituent who stated that elders’ cupboards are empty. That’s not right. This government has to act on this. Our people are asking for help, and let’s give it to them. It’s got to be done.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Item 4, Returns to oral questions. Item 5, Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It’s a privilege to recognize Amanda Mallon, who is here with her staff, Dave Roebuck and Colleen Eckert. Amanda served four years as NWTTA president, and she is outgoing president. This is her last month, and we do have a new president coming on stream. I’d just like to say thank you for all the services that you’ve done for us. Mahsi.

Mr.

Speaker, it gives me great

pleasure to recognize a friend, Steven Veness. He’s up there with Tricia Melanderford.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Assembly. We hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience here.

Item 6, Acknowledgements. Item 7, Oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the need for this government to assist smaller communities so that they’re able to hire qualified sports, recreation and youth staff. My question is for the Minister of MACA. Will the Minister commit to looking at this issue and to developing a plan to assist communities so they can have adequate resources to hire qualified youth staff?

Thank you, Mr.

Beaulieu. The

honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, this is an area that we’ve had a number of communities express interest in. We’ve also had some early discussion with the Council of Sport and Recreation Partners, and we’ve talked with the Aboriginal Sport Circle staff about the needs in our communities. We all recognize that more has to be done to assist the communities.

We have a number of funding programs that are directed to the communities. However, we recognize that there are probably other areas, especially in the youth programming area, where we could provide further assistance or find a way to do that. We have already committed to look at this with a number of different organizations, such as the ones I mentioned, Mr. Speaker.

Mr.

Speaker, I wasn’t

expecting to get that request this soon after concluding our budgeting process. In our recently approved budget we did increase funding to youth by way of creating a second youth position for the north side of the Territories, and we have still retained one position in the south end. We will look at what we can do. We need to have more discussion with our recreation, sport and youth organizations to see what we can do as we come forward for the business planning process.

I’m talking about the government themselves hiring youth staff — people who can deal with youth concerns and do youth surveys. My question is: could the Minister talk to his Cabinet colleagues about putting a budget together sometime in the next business planning process to look at this important issue?

That’s not something we’re prepared to commit to at this point. We need to have further discussions with the different organizations that have expressed concern over our investment in the area of youth. We need to look at all the sources of revenue that we have and also to have the opportunity to discuss this with the Regular Members. We haven’t really gotten to that point yet. I’d like to do that before we enter into the business planning process.

Thank you, Mr.

McLeod. Final

supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m talking about the actual thought of a whole bunch of individuals working in this area in the communities, working for the department. I don’t think that has been contemplated, so I would like to ask the Minister if he’s committed to working with a committee of MLAs or some of the communities to develop a long-term solution to seriously look at the issue of actually having youth staff working for the department at the community level. Of course, that would be during the next business process.

Mr. Speaker, we just went through a departmental reduction that has in fact just come into play. We don’t have any funding from within to hire. If I understand the question correctly, it’s to hire staff and it sounds like right away. We don’t have those resources. We’d be reluctant to hire without the proper discussion and without being able to come forward and have that developed into the business planning process.

Thank you, Mr.

McLeod. The

honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke yesterday about homelessness and about the need for us to address it across the Territories. I was pleased to hear the Minister indicate yesterday that the social programs Ministers will be meeting to discuss options with regards to housing for the homeless. It’s recognized that having a continuum of housing is part of the solution to homelessness. My question for the Minister responsible for the homeless is whether these discussions, which are going to be held over the next weeks and months, will consider expanding the continuum of housing within the Northwest Territories to help address homelessness.

Thank you, Ms.

Bisaro. The

Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister responsible for the area for homelessness

works with the other departments that actually deliver the services themselves. He committed to working with those social programs Ministers in getting the information and ensures that he continues to work on that path as they sit down and put this together.

I thank Mr. Roland for answering the question. I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for homelessness: in recognizing that there is a continuum of housing needs — from people who have absolutely no home to people who are transitioning from no home to be able to go to work to people who need a place while they do work until they can afford enough money to rent their own home, and so on — whether or not that continuum of housing is part of the discussions that the social programs Ministers will be having.

Mr. Speaker, I will have to defer that to the Minister responsible for homelessness, as he’d have that detail.

Thank you, Hon. Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the homeless, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr.

Speaker.

Certainly, that will be a part of the discussions we’ll be having with our social envelope of the Ministers that we will be gathering this next couple of weeks. That has been part of our discussion when we’re dealing with homelessness, since we’re in a process of opening the new Bailey House. We did meet with the group on the female facility they proposed for years down the road. There have been some discussions in that area. Certainly, that will be one of the discussions we’ll be having as part of the program within our social envelope.

I’m pleased to hear that they’re discussing a female facility. But I need to point out that homelessness…. I’m not speaking about homelessness just from a Yellowknife point of view but from a territorial point of view. It’s a problem in all of our communities. I’d like to ask whether or not the issue of homelessness and reducing the number of homeless people that we have in our communities is going to be a priority for these social program Ministers in our ’09–10 budget?

Mahsi, Mr.

Speaker. I

think it is one of the focuses of the GNWT, where we need to develop programs and services for those homeless who are out there. We currently do have programs among our resources. If we need to increase in that area, we need to work with the communities. We have contribution agreements with the communities, whether they be with First Nations or organizations in communities, to deal with the homelessness.

Certainly, any input from the Member or the Members will be very helpful for our discussions with the social envelope Ministers to move forward.

Thank you, Mr.

Lafferty. Final

supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister. It’s nice to hear that it’s important to the government. I guess my next question would be: if it is that important, if it’s going to be a priority, will the Minister be assigning more financial resources and human resources than we currently have to this problem?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I said, we do provide financial resources, and we will continue to do so. If we do need to improve in these areas, whether it be the program or services, I will certainly be discussing that with my other two colleagues in housing and also Health and Social Services; and I’ll be working with the Members, of course, on how we can improve in these areas, financially and in resources as well.

Thank you, Mr.

Lafferty. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my Member’s statement today, I’m concerned about children with autism and the service levels that are what I and the parents in the city would describe as non-existent. There are services provided by service agencies, but they’re not specific to autism treatment. My question to the Minister of Health and Social Services is: what is the policy and framework that the Department of Health and Social Services operates under specific to autism? What exists in place today?

Thank you, Mr.

Hawkins. The

honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the question. I’m thinking that, in the interest of mutual respect and decency that we’re supposed to treat each other with in this House, perhaps someday the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre will make a statement about all the requests that my office does respond to and the constituents that we help him with. I know we have done some good, because I have had his constituents personally thanking me.

On that note, I’ll take the Member’s question on notice.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much,

Mr.

Speaker. I just want to follow up on my

Member’s statement to the Minister of Transportation. Recently I was flying over the communities of Nahanni Butte and Jean Marie, and I noticed there were no runway lights there. I’d just like to ask the Minister: is purchasing of these lights or fixing them up being planned for this fiscal year?

Thank you, Mr.

Menicoche. The

honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, no.

Thank you, Mr.

Yakeleya.

Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

I’d like to thank the Minister for the brevity of that answer and his efficiency there. I thought in the budget cycle previous to this there was a line item specifically referring to repairs to runway lights in Jean Marie and even in Nahanni Butte, I believe. I’d like to ask the Minister if there are plans this coming year to at least assess them and evaluate the repairs to those lights.

Mr. Speaker, in the department’s O&M plans and forecasts starting in ’09–10, we’re looking at improving the safety of the Nahanni Butte runway in terms of improvements to that runway. In Jean Marie we had to do some brushing in September of last year. There used to be lights in Jean Marie. However, on two occasions those runway lights were damaged. The department has indicated that they could look at putting some cones there. These runways are used by the charter companies.

There are other options that we’re looking at for Nahanni and Jean Marie in terms of emergency lighting on the runways during the dark seasons. In Nahanni Butte we are looking at some engineering work and ways we could improve our safety on the runway issues.

I will have to go back to the department and see specifically if there were plans in terms of runways to be put in at that airport. However, there hasn’t been any indication as to Jean Marie River airport getting runway lights.

I’d like to thank the Minister for a much better answer. The intent of question period is not to get the short answers. I didn’t like the tone of that. The intent is to inform me and the public and our communities that the government is here to provide services for our communities. Safety is one

of them. Once again, I’d like to tell the Minister that my communities feel that not having these runway lights installed is a safety issue, and I’d like him to do something about it.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. I didn’t hear a question there. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is also to the Minister of Transportation. It’s in regard to the issue that there was a motion passed in this House concerning roads to access sources in Tuk and Aklavik. The constituents of Aklavik have been calling me and wondering why it is that there’s a million dollars earmarked for Tuk but zero dollars for Aklavik. I’d just like to ask the Minister: what exactly is the process that has to be followed to ensure the residents of Aklavik will see an access road to their gravel source?

Thank you, Mr.

Krutko. The

honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.

I want to assure the members of Aklavik and also the MLA for Mackenzie Delta that, through the discussions and exchange with the Premier and myself, we are committed to going into Aklavik to look at the access road and at what it will cost us. We have our numbers; Aklavik will have their numbers. We’ll look at a partnership arrangement and see where we go from there.

Thank you, Mr.

Yakeleya.

Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Speaker, the residents of Aklavik want some assurances that they will get a road at some point. It’s been 30 years in the works, and it continues to proceed. The residents in other communities were able to receive budget allocations through this process, yet in Aklavik they weren’t. I’d like to ask the Minister if he has any resources that will be earmarked for the community of Aklavik to develop that plan or proposal so that he can also forward a similar proposal to Ottawa by way of the Building Canada Fund.

The department is definitely committed. The Premier has stated his commitment. We need to get into Aklavik and show our commitment as other communities have shown theirs. We certainly want to sit down with Aklavik. We want to look at the best way to approach this access road to the people of Aklavik and start working on it. We need to get there and look at the final numbers and sit down and get to work.

As I’ve mentioned, this has been in the process for 30 years. We’ve heard of commitments before.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he would put this commitment in writing so I can post it in Aklavik, where the residents can see it.

Yes.

I’d like to ask the Minister if he can also commit to me a date and time for the meeting in Aklavik. We were looking at July, somewhere in the second week. Does he have a date nailed down for the residents of Aklavik that will allow us, by way of having a public meeting, to discuss this issue publicly? Does the Minister have a date at hand for a public meeting?

I’m certainly looking forward to going to Aklavik sometime, but I need to sit down with my colleagues and Mr. Bowden to see about talking to and arranging a meeting with the people in Aklavik and to sit down with the MLA in terms of coordinating the dates. I’m hoping to go to Aklavik and have this very important meeting sometime in the next couple of months. Of course, that means coordinating all our schedules to get into Aklavik.

Thank you, Mr.

Yakeleya. The

honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier this afternoon. The GNWT went out to RFP for a liquor retail contract in Hay River. The contract was awarded. The liquor store would move from the downtown to the industrial area, as per the contract. The development permit for the new location that was granted by the town was appealed. Opponents to the change of location, for various reasons that I won’t go into, appealed to the courts. This matter has been in limbo for more than a year. I’d like to ask the Premier, as the grantor of the contract for the liquor retail services in the Northwest Territories, if he is aware of this situation in Hay River.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. I’m not sure if that issue is still before the courts. I’ll allow the Premier to answer. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That case has had some controversy in the community of Hay River when it comes to the community development permit process. An RFP was issued. The decision was made by the Government of the Northwest Territories. Since then, because of the

issues that have arisen there, it’s been extended. The existing operation contract has been extended, but we are coming to a point where we’re going to have to review other options that are available to us if there’s no settlement in that community.

It is an issue: a big issue. It can become a big issue in a small town. It seems that most of the angst is around the whole issue of the location of the liquor store. Again, as the grantor of the contract does the Premier feel that there is any influence he could bring to bear to resolve this too long outstanding issue?

Until I get a recent update as to what the state of the situation is in the community of Hay River, we’re being careful as to our involvement. The fact is that the Government of the Northwest Territories’ process has been on existing facilities and, as old contracts ended, on looking at new contracts for efficiencies. We have to look at a combined services retail storage facility, thereby saving some of the cost of having separate facilities. That’s the process we look at to continue. Our preference would be to continue with that path. The RFP proved a result, and we’re hoping that things will get concluded to finalize the deal.

Mr. Speaker, without going into the merits of the concerns that have been raised, I’d like to know: at what point does the Premier think it would be appropriate to step in, to at least discuss some way the government might be able to be involved to resolve this issue?

Again, having to be careful with all the interested parties out there, we have to first see where the situation sits within the community. At that point, the department would look at reviewing its next options. We are considering what options are available now and would be prepared to sit down with the Members for the community and look at what the next processes or steps may be.

Thank you, Mr.

Roland. Final

supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Again, I realize that those looking on from the outside might not consider this to be a big issue, but it has dragged on for a long time. It has caused division in the community. Again, not wanting to hold the contractor up but not wanting to discredit the concerns of those folks — just general townspeople who think it’s good to have a liquor retail store located in the downtown, where there are sidewalks and adequate parking and so on — could the Premier commit to attending a meeting, perhaps, with all the stakeholders and parties involved to see if there is a solution that the government could bring forward?

First of all, I will sit down with the department to get the latest update as to what’s happening and sit down with the Members as to

where things are and what options may be available to us. Then we’ll decide at that point what next steps we may be taking. If it’s a meeting of that nature, then we will take that into consideration. The first step is to get the latest update and sit down with the Members.

Thank you, Mr.

Roland. The

honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Speaker, this is in reference to my Member’s statement. I realize that Human Resources is responsible for the graduate placement program, but I believe that the departments, and presumably their authorities,

make the final decisions on hires. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services: is there a clear understanding of a northern hire preference policy within our health institutions, and how is this reinforced from time to time?

Thank you, Mr.

Bromley. The

honourable

Minister responsible for Health and

Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a clear understanding within our health and social services system to follow the affirmative action plan and to train and hire as many northern employees and graduates as possible.

I probably don’t need to state that the role of nurses is particularly enhanced when they are from the community and bring the local and cultural understanding and sometimes even linguistic services to their work. Is this fully appreciated by our health managers, and what is being done to ensure that this appreciation shows itself in the hiring practices?

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. Our health authorities are encouraged to hire Northerners.

In the situation to which the Member is referring, we had one of the biggest graduating nursing classes this year from Aurora College. Out of 15 grads, I think almost all of them were offered a northern placement. Ten of them have accepted their placements in the Territories, and seven were placed at Stanton Territorial Health Authority.

I understand that not everybody who wanted to work at Stanton was offered a job at Stanton. The constituent that the Member is referring to was placed in Hay River, and unfortunately that did not work for her personal circumstances.

Thanks to the Minister for those remarks. Why are we hiring locums from afar when we have local nurses available to do the job?

I think we are talking about two different things. I do acknowledge and want to say that we could do a better job at supporting and helping the new grads coming out of college. That’s one of the reasons why not all nurse grads can be placed in a setting: they do need support, and we need to make sure that experienced nurses and staff are able to be there to help them.

On the use of locum nurses, any nurse you talk to will tell you no nurse is the same as the nurse right next to her. Nurses come with different backgrounds and different qualifications, and we have to make sure that we have the right mix of nurses. When we hire a locum nurse when there is an existing new grad nurse in the Territories, it could be because the locum nurse provides a different background that the new grad doesn’t have. Obviously, we need to make sure the new grads get the training necessary to be fully skilled at the job they’re assigned to.

Thank you, Ms.

Lee. Final

supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the specific case I have in the back of my mind, the person had considerable experience: over a decade and a half in mental health and addictions. It seems to me it should be appropriate and should be easily slotted in. I’m wondering why we continue to hire even short-term locums from afar when we could be building the experience of our graduates here.

The Minister did acknowledge that more needs to be done. I’d like to hear exactly what is being done, then, to address that need.

First of all, we have reduced the use of locum nurses substantially. We have a larger pool of casual nurses registered with the nursing association who are available to work in the Territories. This is less costly than bringing in locums. I could provide the Member with the stats on that.

In the situation that the Member is talking about, particular to his constituent, I understand that she wanted to work in the psychiatric unit. That’s a very, very small unit, and it could be that the hospital was not able to accommodate that situation. I’d be happy to undertake seeing what other options were made available to her. I think that talking about locums and a new grad placement are separate things, and I’d be happy to look into that specific situation.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We ask residents of the Northwest Territories to go and further their education. Students at the Adult Learning Centre in Inuvik have made that commitment to further their education.

I’d like to direct my questions today to the Minister of Education on the upcoming destruction of the only facility in Inuvik that meets the needs of the Adult Learning Centre, and that’s the building that the students work out of.

I’d like to ask the Minister if his department has identified any alternate locations. What are the options that his department has come up with? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

McLeod. The

honourable

Minister responsible for Education,

Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Ever since there was a petition from the students of Inuvik that came in late last year, my department has been working with the community of Inuvik and the different departments of ENR to try to find a solution, because we know that in August of 2008 there will be the closure of the facility. We’re doing what we can as a department to come up with a solution.

We’re working on some options, and we’re also working with the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Education Council, possibly using some classrooms in the interim. Also, we’ve identified an ENR building that’s going to be vacant, so we’re exploring that option as well. We’re exploring the college campus as well. Those are the options that we’re working with. Then there’s also a leased space managed by Inuvik Commercial Properties. Those are just some of the areas that we’re exploring at this point.

I think the big thing here is that we have to find a suitable location. I know for a fact they need about seven rooms. They operate on timetable schedules, so having classes in different locations throughout the community isn’t very much of an option.

Going back to the centre itself — I may have asked the Minister this before —was the engineer’s report done by DPW, or was that done by an independent engineer?

Mr.

Speaker, through

PWS and our department it was a contract for the inspection of the building.

We have staff who are leaving next week, and they’re coming back in September. They’re not sure if they’ve got a facility to step into when they get back.

The facility has been safe for them to occupy in June; it should be safe in September. I’d like to ask the Minister if the department would consider deferring demolishing the Adult Learning Centre until a suitable location is found.

Mr. Speaker, one of the options that we did work with was PWS having another inspection done on the actual building itself. The building is an old building, so it was a safety factor. The foundation is rotting away. At the same time, that was one of the options we were working on.

The next option, in the medium term, will be to do a lease agreement with the college campus, because we know that the students need to enter the fall school year. That’s one of the short-term solutions that we are working on. After July 30 I do believe there will be space available for them. That’s one of the areas that we are focusing on as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr.

Lafferty. Final

supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that. There’s a lot of uncertainty as far as students and staff go.

Inuvik is starting to remind me of Jericho in the Old Testament, but in this case you walk around the building seven times and walls come tumbling down.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister if a contract has already been put out and awarded for the demolition of the Adult Learning Centre. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the building itself is scheduled to come down in August. As far as I know, it’s not out there yet, but I believe it’s in the process.

There was a request to PWS to have another inspection done on the facility itself, so we’re in the process of pursuing that. We do have some time until then, so we are looking at other options as well. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr.

Lafferty. The

honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions are to the Minister of Justice. I’d like to ask some questions about the RCMP’s DARE program.

Mr. Speaker, we all know how successful the DARE program has been in many communities. I would like to ask the Minister if he can look into having the DARE program delivered to my constituents and to students in Nunakput. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Jacobson. The

honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program has been very successful in the North. In fact, we do have approximately 20 RCMP members who deliver the program in the communities. They are situated in Inuvik, Aklavik, Whati, Yellowknife, and Fort Smith.

There have been some programs undertaken in the Member’s riding. This was for a short period. Certainly, it’s one of the areas that we can talk about with the Member —it is a G Division area — if the community is interested.

When the officers are in the community, they get trained. It’s a specialized training area. If an individual constable would like to get training, I think the opportunity is there. Certainly, that is one of the areas the department can work with. Mahsi.