Good morning, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber.Orders of the Day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the House today to inform Members that effective October 1, 2008, penalties under the NWT Motor Vehicles Act have changed. Fines for speeding in school and construction zones, along with fines for driving without proper insurance and without an authorized driver’s licence, have all increased.

Increasing the fines in the school and construction zones will help protect the safety of children and workers and others who use the highways. Driving at slower speeds provides for a greater driver reaction time. High penalties will be combined with increased enforcement to reduce the risk of our children and road workers being injured by speed.

Mr. Speaker, when someone decides to drive without insurance, the consequences apply not only to them but to other highway users. With the current fine of $500 people may decide to take the risk of driving without insurance, as the penalty is much less expensive than the cost of buying insurance. Increasing the fine from $500 to $1,700 will be an incentive to purchase insurance and will ensure that everyone is adequately insured and protected.

A number of drivers choose to drive without a valid driver’s licence or during periods when they have been suspended from driving. Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege that is only authorized while holding a valid driver’s licence. Increasing the fine

of $100 to $300 will be a greater deterrence to this unacceptable behaviour.

The department has discussed these changes with law enforcement, the insurance industry, school authorities and the construction association. Everyone is enthusiastic and supportive of the fine amendments, indicating that the stricter penalties will go a long way to improve the safety of our highway system and reduce the number of preventable collisions in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, after a number of years of steady progress in reducing the number of collisions in the NWT, in 2007 the number of collisions spiked. There was a total of 738 collisions reported in 2007, 12.7 per cent more than in 2006. The number of collisions was also higher than the ten year average. Five people lost their lives in five separate collisions. Two of the five fatalities were linked to being under the influence of alcohol. The other three fatalities occurred when a driver lost control of the vehicle. Many of these collisions could have been prevented through safer choices.

Not only did the number of collisions increase in 2007 but the number of injuries as a result of these collisions also rose. We all know that wearing seat belts and properly installing and using infant car seats saves lives. The severity of injuries is lower for collision victims using seat belts. Only 8 per cent of those wearing seat belts were injured. On the other hand, 37 per cent of those not wearing seat belts were injured, some fatally. Safety devices such as seat belts or car seats can help prevent the potential fatal consequences of a collision.

Most injuries and fatalities from collisions are preventable. The department has launched Drive Alive!, a partnership-based safety and public awareness initiative aimed at reducing the number of collisions by raising public awareness about the choices people can make to keep themselves safer.

Mr. Speaker, I’ll use this opportunity to reinforce some of the key messages of Drive Alive!. First,

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Reduce speed, and drive according to road conditions and signage;

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Prepare for the unexpected; and

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Maintain and use safety equipment, particularly seat belts.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite Members of this Assembly and the public to take a look at the 2007 Collision Facts Report posted on the Department of Transportation’s website. I hope that as a result of the increased fines and the Drive Alive! safety education program safer choices will be made by all motorists so that in 2008 I will have more positive news to report.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Statement delivered in aboriginal language and then in English.]

Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the community of Tulita celebrated the grand opening of the new Chief Albert Wright School.

The new school is larger and includes a gym, a community library, computer areas, wireless networking, a large science room and a great view of Bear Rock.

Thanks are due to the District Education Authority, the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, Pin-Taylor Architects, Dowland Construction, the school staff and the community for the hard work that has been put into this new facility. Special thanks are also due to the Tulita Yamoria Community Secretariat, which came together to fund the gym, a beautiful facility for both the school and the community. This group is made up of the Tulita Band, the Métis Financial Corporation, the Tulita Financial Corporation, the Hamlet of Tulita, and the Shihtaotin Land Claim Group. This is yet another example of northern governments and agencies working together to maximize facilities for our people.

The new school was completed in April, and students were able to move into their new facility on April 24, 2008. I know the students and everyone involved were excited and pleased to have a new school in their community. Last year the old school was damaged by fire, which meant the District Education Authority, the school staff, the students and the community had to make many adjustments to carry out programming in various facilities.

I would like to particularly recognize principal Wayne Dawe, school staff and superintendent Seamus Quigg for their efforts to make sure studies were minimally disrupted during this situation.

Thanks to all of the GNWT’s partners it is now possible for Tulita’s 153 students to begin the coming school year in a wonderful facility that will help them to reach their full potential. I look forward to seeing the new school at my earliest opportunity.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the increasing cost of heating our homes and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, wood pellet heating is an economically and environmentally friendly alternative. This week, October 3 to 4, the Arctic Energy Alliance, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is hosting the Wood Pellet Fair in the Greenstone Building in Yellowknife.

Wood pellets are a Canadian renewable resource made from forest industry waste wood and are used in wood pellet stoves, boilers and furnaces. Burning at a very high temperature, wood pellets eliminate the waste product often associated with wood heat. A 40 pound bag of pellets produces only three ounces of ash. Burning wood pellets does not contribute to ozone or greenhouse gas levels.

Wood pellet costs are stable. They are not subject to the whims of foreign producers and can reduce home heating bills by up to 50 per cent. Wood pellet heating has been endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States as one of the cleanest burning, most renewable energy sources on Earth. Wood pellet heating is becoming more popular in the Northwest Territories as advances in new technology bring new furnaces and boilers to market to replace or augment oil as a fuel source in central air furnaces and boilers.

Last year we paid out more than $27,000 in rebates for wood pellet stoves and boilers through the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program. We expect an increase in applications this year. This technology works for small and large applications. A homeowner could install a small supplementary heater. Large boilers can also be installed to heat our large institutional buildings, as has been shown in an installation at the North Slave Correctional Centre. There is also potential for wood pellet technology to be used in generating electricity in those communities currently relying on diesel generation.

The Wood Pellet Fair is an excellent opportunity for residents to learn more about this technology and how it can reduce both the cost of heating our homes and greenhouse gas emissions. A number of local and national exhibitors are attending the fair to explain the benefits of wood pellet heating technology and answer any questions. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about wood pellet heating to attend the fair.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Across the Northwest Territories students, teachers and school staff have returned to work for a new school year, some from as early as August. I would like to extend a welcome to all our new students, teachers, administrators and their families. I would also like to welcome and thank those who are returning. A continued commitment to learning in the Northwest Territories is what keeps our school going.

A new school year needs a fresh start, and it means a renewed commitment to education… [Translation ends] …and continuing the journey of lifelong learning. As we continue to make improvements to our schools and education systems for our students, our schools are getting better and better. I’m confident that these changes will reflect on the future success of the North.

In closing today, I would like to mention that it is World Teachers’ Day on October 5. We may have brand new schools, eager students, an impressive curriculum, but without teachers to guide our students on the learning path, we are nowhere. Our teachers and students are important resources in keeping our territory strong, and for keeping and also helping us reach our full potential as a territory. I hope to update you on activities and successes of students and schools in the Northwest Territories through the school year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to highlight this Sunday, October 5, which is Run for Our Lives. On Sunday hundreds of participants in six of our communities will take part in the CIBC

sponsored Run for Our Lives to raise funds for breast cancer.

You may know of the national event Run for the Cure, but Run for Our Lives is an NWT event made in the North for the North, and the dollars stay in the North. Several years ago a dedicated group of volunteers, tired of sending our hard earned NWT fundraised dollars to the South, decided that a breast cancer fundraiser event would better benefit Northerners financially if it were held in the North. With that, the NWT- CIBC Run for Our Lives was born.

The first year the run only took place in Yellowknife, but this year there will be runs in Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Yellowknife, Norman Wells and Inuvik. Each community hosts their own run, and the proceeds from the runs go towards the collective northern goals to fight breast cancer. Hats off to the Run for Our Lives committee, who has so successfully expanded this fundraiser in a short period of time.

This run allows Northerners to determine how the funds raised by the people of the NWT will be invested. It’s not decided by Southerners.

How successful is this event? Well, the net proceeds from the 2007 run were over $185,000. These funds are being used to pay for the NWT-wide Breast Health Navigator Program, which is run by Stanton Territorial Hospital. Through this program breast cancer patients in NWT communities are visited and counselled by the patient navigator without having to leave their community. The proceeds also provide funding to the NWT Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group, a group which develops breast cancer projects and services in the NWT and which promotes the awareness of breast health at the community level.

Proceeds contribute to a special Stanton Territorial Hospital fund for breast cancer related major equipment, such as a digital mammography machine. Lastly, a portion of run funds also goes to national research in the hope that someday we’ll find a cure.

There are few of us who have not been touched in some way by breast cancer: a family member, a friend, a co-worker.

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

Unanimous consent granted.

We can assist our communities, our patients and ourselves by taking part in this year’s Run for Our Lives. You can make a donation. You can collect donations. You can take part in the run. Or you can work as a volunteer. Every little bit

helps. And if you can’t do any of these, this Sunday be sure to stop for a moment to remember someone affected by breast cancer and wish them well. Thank you.

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

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

Today I want to talk about the high cost of living in the communities of Nunakput and the devastating effect it’s having on my elders. I watch elders at the store in Tuk struggling to pay for their groceries. I help out when I can, Mr. Speaker,

but I can only afford occasional bags of groceries that will only last an elder a day or two. The situation is only going to get worse as these same elders will soon have to pay higher bills for their home heating fuel and their electricity.

We are failing as a government. We have encouraged the people to move into their homes, and now, with all the increases in heating fuel and electricity costs, they will be unable to meet their mortgages or, in cases of elders on fixed incomes, to afford proper nutritional foods. With the high cost of gas for snowmobiles, to go out on the land for traditional food, it is very prohibitive. If you go out and you get skunked, you really have to question whether you should have gone out or just spent the money at the grocery store.

My people have always shared. Many people give elders meat and fish whenever they can. But I have to admit that if you have to spend $300 in gas and you only get one caribou, you might not be inclined to share with elders that you are not directly related to. That’s human nature. Even the people with high paying jobs are hard pressed to afford to go out on the land and harvest traditional foods.

In my mind, all the initiatives, all the special ministerial committees, all the proposed tax increases really don’t matter if we can’t make sure our elders and families have a comfortable place to live and enough to eat. To the Ministers on the other side, you are going to become very familiar with me over the next three years. I have been here for a year now. I have not yet seen much happen to benefit the people I represent, and that’s going to change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Northerners are reeling from the increased costs of gas, diesel and home heating fuel and are fearful for what this winter will bring. Not only does it cost more to put gas in our vehicles and to heat our homes, but these sky rocketing fuel prices are affecting and impacting the everyday cost of living of all Northerners. As a result of these high fuel prices, we are living with increases in electricity, food and other goods and services.

The bottom line is that this government needs to stand up for Northerners and protect them by introducing regulations that monitor and stabilize fuel prices. Gas price regulation will make a real difference for our residents. It will stop gas price volatility, eliminate opportunistic price gouging, and

deliver fair, stable and predictable fuel prices and hopefully eliminate price poaching.

Five other provinces have implemented fuel price regulations with serious success. New Brunswick, for example, sets fuel prices every two weeks based on global oil prices, fair transportation costs and certainly a reasonable margin. I hope that the Finance Minister is listening.

Our citizens matter, Mr. Speaker, and I certainly hope that this government finally takes that to heart. We need to be protecting them. Excuses need to be stopped. There’s not one person in this building who didn’t run to say we are going to stop those people who like to say no instead of saying yes. Let’s start standing up for our territorial residents by protecting them. That’s why we’re here.

Which side of this problem does this Finance Minister want to be on? Does he want to be on the side of protecting the producers or maybe the citizens? I can tell you that I’d be on the side of the citizens.

So, Mr. Speaker, there’s no reason why this government can’t do the same here. The regulatory mechanisms already exist within our bureaucracy, so establishing a process would not be onerous or expensive in any way. People work hard for their paycheques, and they get angry when the gas prices suddenly shoot up overnight by 10 cents without a resupply or any other excuse proving why this is. Is the bureaucracy protecting the producers? They should be protecting the people.

Mr. Speaker, we can’t sit idly by in this situation watching our Northerner’s money being gouged by these people. High prices have to be protected against for the citizens, and we have to stop this. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For many years and all the time I have been here, I always hear about the NWT being rich in resources. I’ve also heard so many times, in almost every statement that comes out of this Assembly that we should be the major benefactors of our resources. In a lot of cases I don’t see this happening, especially with the workforce that continues to be brought in from down South. I and my colleagues from Nunakput and Mackenzie Delta know that we have a skilled workforce in the Mackenzie Delta that should be utilized more, but there seems to be no effort to go up there and recruit them. They will gladly recruit workers from south of the border. In

many cases, Mr. Speaker, they come up here, they earn their living, and they continue to contribute nothing to the Northwest Territories.

My understanding, Mr. Speaker, was that the NWT Payroll Tax was implemented to ensure that the GNWT receives some income from migrant workers. Now we have a proposal to increase the Payroll Tax from 2 per cent to 3 per cent. Who will this benefit? Just another example of Northerners being hit hard again with increases while people come from the South and contribute, I say, nothing. I truly believe that.

I understand there are mobility issues, and we should be able to work anywhere we want within Canada, and that’s not my issue. My issue is the fact that income earned in the NWT and the workers that earn it in the NWT should have to contribute to a payroll tax in the NWT, not their place of hire. I thought that’s why this whole Payroll Tax was proposed in the first place.

Mr. Speaker, a lot of them return home, and they continue to enjoy a lower cost of living than we have up here. Residents of the Northwest Territories have a high cost of living, and again there is a proposal to increase everything. We hear talk about the fuel, the electricity and everything going up.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a fair process. We are rich in resources. We really should be the major benefactor of some of the resources and not have everything continue to go out of the territory. If this continues, I would give this advice: don’t be standing anywhere near the border if all this goes through, because you’re going to be trampled in the herd of people that’ll be leaving. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to use my Member’s statement just to talk a little bit about the issue of health services and activities falling under the purview of the health authority in Hay River, that wonderful community of Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, our clinic…. Let’s start there and in no particular order. The renovations for barrier free access have been underway over the summer and are almost completed; something we have wanted for a long time is now being completed. So for people who were unable to access our clinic because previously there were stairs to go up, now that is going to be resolved.

This summer at the clinic we saw one of our nurse practitioners, our only nurse practitioner, running the walk in clinic because it was difficult during the summer holidays to get locums all the time. I want to thank Karen Benwall very much for the excellent job she did this summer. It is a lot of responsibility to be the only one on duty in a community the size of Hay River, but she did that and ran that clinic herself many weeks, and she did an excellent job of doing that. I want to thank her for that. I believe that the locum schedule has been addressed, and there are locums coming in now.

We still have not recruited any permanent doctors. Later today in question period I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what the status is of a current contract with which we can recruit physicians to the North. How are we going to address the fact that it is a little bit more difficult to get physicians to go into smaller communities, more remote communities and certainly ones where there are no permanent physicians at this time?

The issue of dental surgery. I am pleased to report that dental surgery is back up and running in Hay River. We had raised this in the June session quite extensively, and I want to thank the Minister for responding to this in a positive way. I am sure, on behalf of those people who are on the extensive waiting list, that dental surgery is back on.

Our CEO at the Hay River Hospital has unfortunately resigned, and I will be asking the Minister today about what the game plan is to deal with that. That always causes quite a ruckus in an organization. Paul Rosebush, again, thanks to him for doing a good job while he was in Hay River.

I have other issues to do with the capital budget, the assisted living facility, many other issues related to health care, but I cannot fit them all into two and a half minutes here. I will have questions for the Minister of Health later in question period. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about the ongoing developments on the devolution and resource revenue sharing negotiations with the federal government. The Premier recently shared with Regular Members some correspondence between our government and the federal government, and I must say I was quite surprised with the new tack being taken with the negotiations. Aside from what I read in the correspondence, I have also heard the Premier mention this new proposal in his sessional

statement to the House on Wednesday. There have also been news reports and interviews of both the Premier and the Finance Minister talking about this new proposal.

Perhaps this new infrastructure partnership proposal will be an integral component of an overall devolution and resource revenue sharing deal, as the Premier states. However, why do Regular Members and aboriginal governments and leaders have to find out about this new proposal through the sessional statement and media reports? How many times has the Premier heard that we need to work together? We need to form consensus as Northerners in order to move forward. The GNWT has got to be the lead in bridging gaps and bringing aboriginal governments together so we can move forward collectively.

I am not sure why the Government of the Northwest Territories would all of a sudden be asking for a billion dollar cost shared infrastructure partnership with the federal government as part of the negotiation on devolution and resource revenue sharing. I would like to know why Regular Members were not briefed on this new proposal. Why weren’t aboriginal governments aware of this substantial new proposal?

The Premier is quoted in the news story this morning as saying he is confident most Regular MLAs and aboriginal governments will support the proposal, but the fact remains that we have not seen it. I am wondering why the government would put a substantial deal on the table like this prior to an election. They should have instead used that time to shop the deal to Regular Members and aboriginal governments and get buy-in from them first.

As an elected Member of this House I would appreciate and I would expect that the government would share this type of proposal with all Members first. Obviously, that did not happen, and once again Regular Members and aboriginal governments are on the outside looking in. It’s just not good enough, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In June I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services a number of questions on the provision of dental surgery services in the Northwest Territories. At that time the Minister indicated that the department was investigating the possibility of making services available.

Since then it has come to my attention that senior officials with the Department of Health and Social Services had discussed the issue with Health Canada, who has agreed to increase the coverage under NIHB for the facility teams associated with provision of First Nations and Inuit children’s dental treatment under general anaesthetic at hospitals in the NWT. The increase provided by Health Canada does not cover the complete cost of the services, but it does offset the cost that the GNWT would have to cover to allow these services to be provided in territorial hospitals. Based on these changes, the Department of Health and Social Services has re-evaluated their stance on dental surgeries for children, and dental surgeries are currently being booked in both the Hay River and Inuvik hospitals. This is excellent. This is the right thing to do, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank both the Minister and the department officials who made this happen.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister to take the next step and make the same services available in Yellowknife through Stanton Territorial Health Authority. Yellowknife has the largest population in the NWT and has a large number of children who are suffering and require dental surgery. The Yellowknife dentists are willing to provide the services that require access to an operating room extension to perform these treatments.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions on this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy.

Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to recognize just a few of the amazing artists of the Weledeh riding, knowing that this exercise simply reflects the incredibly talented people that can be found throughout the Northwest Territories in every one of our ridings. In doing so, I hope to underscore the important role and mentorship these people have in strengthening our community and northern spirit, our social relationships and our economy.

I’d like to start with mentioning visual artists in Dettah/N’dilo: Henry Beaulieu, Peter Mitchell, Alex Betsina. Craftspeople and artisans in Dettah: Paul Mackenzie, Roy Sangris and Lawrence Sangris. Traditional sewing, beadwork and clothing elders: Mary Louise Drygeese, Mary Louise Sangris, Judith Charlo and in N’dilo Mary Jane Francois and Helen Mackenzie. Younger folks in that area are Violet Martin, Alice Wifladt-Sangris and Priscilla Sangris.

Alex Czarnecki, film director and producer, is to about premiere his insightful documentary Water is Life at NACC on October 6. France Benoit has an internationally acclaimed film, Alicia and the Mystery Box, and Reflections on the McKenzie Gas Project will premiere in January. Internationally acclaimed cinematographer Terry Wolffe has just returned from Hollywood where he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the series Ice Road Truckers.

Terry Pamplin is a well known artist who paints in vivid colours, doing portraits and scenic and imaginative works. Sheila Hodgkinson is well known for her vivid portrayal of Old Town heritage and landscapes around Yellowknife. Diane Mercredi, Rosalind Mercredi and many others are talented visual artists in Weledeh. Diane Boudreau, exceptional natural landscape sculptor and painter, collects beverage containers from Weledeh residents so she can fund her work helping the mentally challenged find and express their artistic talents.

Matthew Grogono is well known for his glass etchings and reuse of old liquor bottles to produce prized gifts. Ben Nind is executive director of the Northern Arts and Cultural Center and a nationally recognized actor on stage. Pat Braden is an extraordinary musician who’s now developing a performing arts reputation. Maureen Crotty, flautist, just performed with other classical musicians at NACC last week.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

The extra time reflects the many artists we have: Tracy Riley, Azure Degrow and Stephen Kakfwi are a few of the well known Weledeh musicians. Our talented photographers include Tessa Macintosh, Fran Hurcomb, Alex Beaudin and Ozgur Culha, to name a few. Christine Bourqe is known for her unique and original fur garment designs. We have Inuit sculptors, potters, jewellry makers, graphic artists, writers such as Jamie Bastedo, who has written many books of various sorts.

Mr. Speaker, our amazing artist community contributes to quality of life and plays a key role in attracting and retaining residents. We do not speak enough about the benefits we have in the North. One is most certainly our arts community. We must continue to increase our investment in our artists. Colleagues, I ask you to please join me in recognizing the talented artists of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

Applause.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is in regard to the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik. This facility was built in 1978 and is now 30 years old. It is a level 3 facility, which provides 24-hour care for elders in Mackenzie Delta, Beaufort Sea and surrounding communities. This facility has provided a very top level of care for our seniors, our elders, a lot of whom have passed on. It is that sense of love and caring that only the Joe Greenland could provide. Over the 30 years a lot of people have worked in this facility, a lot of elders have lived out their days in this facility, but we also have to realize that this facility is 30 years old.

Mr. Speaker, a lot of people in the community of Aklavik went away to take training, then came back to the community and were able to acquire full time employment in regard to providing care in this facility. These people have now retired after working there for some 30 years. Again, we cannot lose sight of a high and growing population of elders in the Northwest Territories and what happens to our elders, especially in our smaller communities, and how we can retain that service and provide 24-hour care to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, a lot of elders and family members want their loved ones to live out their days in our communities, close to family and friends, and not have them go away to regional facilities in Inuvik or to the hospital for long term care or here in the Yellowknife in the dementia centre and other facilities that are being built in the larger centres.

In regard to this facility, it has survived three floods, yet, Mr. Speaker, very little by way of facility upkeep and improvements have been made besides replacing a roof and dealing with the foundation.

Mr. Speaker, as the government we have a responsibility to take care of our aging population, which makes up a large percentage of our population in the Northwest Territories. We cannot lose sight of the traditional values of aboriginal people: being a family unit, taking care of the elders and allowing them to pass on with loving care in our communities.

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

Unanimous consent granted.

Mr. Speaker, we can see through the budget process the number of dollars being

expended in facilities, especially in the larger centres, and I’m talking about the dementia centre and health care facilities like the Northern Lights Special Care Home in Fort Smith. There is very little by way of government direction for elders in the Northwest Territories. There were facilities built in Aklavik, Deline, and also in Fort Resolution and Behchoko so that people can be taken care of in the regions. They can stay close to home and family members.

Mr. Speaker, I get the feeling we’re going away from that, so at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services what we are doing to retain facilities in our regions, in our communities so that we can take care of our elders as they age in our communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize an individual I worked with and who, as a result, helped me grow as a person. Larry McNeill is retiring after 32 years and nine months of service with the Government of the Northwest Territories.

He started with the NWT Power Corporation and then joined the Department of Public Works and Services in Inuvik as a heavy duty mechanic. It was shortly after that, that I joined the department as an apprentice auto mechanic in 1981. From the days of working in what was the old Inuvik fire hall to a newer location and then to working on carburetors — yes, I said carburetors — to seeing the age of computer assisted engines, from working under parachutes in 40 below weather to working on outboard motors in Deline, Larry has seen a lot of change. He also saw a number of apprentices come through that shop. I’m sure there were times when he must have thought: where do they get these guys from? Along with the other mechanic, he pushed us at times, even counselled us through difficult times. Through his efforts he saw many of us through to completion as certified tradesmen and watched us grow and move on.

Larry is the longest serving member of our mechanic shop. He was there when we serviced all the Beaufort communities and Sahtu communities. He was there when the government privatized our operation. He remained with the department to change the focus through the operation of contracting the work out. Mr. Speaker, there are days when I miss the back and forth of the shop, when we traded jokes and shots.

Tomorrow evening they will be holding a supper for Larry, and I am sorry that I’m not able to make the trip. I have to say there are many stories I could tell. I also have to be cautious, because there are many stories he could tell.

Mr. Speaker, I want to personally say to Mr. Larry McNeill: thank you for all of your help and guidance during the time we spent together in our shop. Happy retirement.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me pleasure to recognize my wife and my biggest supporter, Judy.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this time to recognize a friend of mine, Everett McQueen, and his two lovely daughters he has with him, Wynter and Montana. Welcome.

Mr. Speaker, I made a statement on artists. I’d like to recognize Wynter and Montana as extraordinary up and coming fiddlers. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to recognize a constituent of mine, Mr. Everett McQueen, and his two daughters, Wynter and Montana. I can’t tell who is who because they’re twins, but it’s nice to see them here.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Mr. Tom Beaulieu in the gallery.

Laughter.

Welcome to everybody in the gallery today. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today talked about dental surgery services in the NWT and the fact that the Department of Health has worked with the federal government and is now providing dental services through dentists in both Hay River and Inuvik.

My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Now that we’ve worked out this agreement with NIHB, will the department be working with the dentists in Yellowknife to provide similar services here in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I was very pleased that the officials were able to work out an agreement with the federal government and that surgeries have been booked. It started being delivered in Hay River as of Monday. I was hoping to be there for the opening, but I couldn’t make it.

I think what’s really important to note here is that the dispute we had with the federal government was that there are costs associated with dental service, and the federal government is only paying for these non-insured health benefits to our aboriginal population. Dental surgery is not an insured service. I think everybody should know that. GNWT does not pay for dental surgery; that is not part of our health care plan. It is a plan that the federal government provides to aboriginal people of the Territories. That’s one of the reasons.

The other thing is that Stanton Territorial Hospital is over capacity. They are not able to offer the days available in their surgery room to provide this service, whereas Hay River and Inuvik have surgery rooms and surgery staff who are being underused. I think that as a government we need to make sure that, where the service can be provided in regional centres, we encourage that as much as possible. We had a waiting list of about 350 kids in the South Slave area that we needed to address. So that is why we had to push that really hard to get it to happen.

I am willing to look at what’s possible in areas other than Hay River and Inuvik, but the focus right now is to get it done and get it running and reduce the waiting list in the South Slave area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That sounded an awful lot like a no. Yellowknife does have the largest aboriginal population in the Northwest Territories, the largest single population of aboriginals. So there are individuals who live in Yellowknife who would be able to get those advantages. I understand that there is a waiting list in Yellowknife as well and that there are young children who require dental surgery services in Yellowknife who will have to ship out to Edmonton or other locations if we can’t find a way to get it to happen here.

I understand that there are some issues at Stanton, but at the same time I also know that they shut

down the operating room for the summers for extended periods of time. So there’s obviously some time to do some surgeries in Stanton if the Minister were willing to work with local dentists.

I guess I’m asking the Minister to commit to working with the local dentists in Yellowknife to arrange to have them provide dental services in the operating room here in Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, the plan is that those who are eligible for non-insured health benefits and dental surgery, from and including Norman Wells and south, will be travelling to Hay River. Until we opened the clinic in Hay River, they had been travelling to Edmonton. Now they will be travelling to Hay River, and they will get their services there.

We need to work on how we best use our facilities. Hay River had a built-in dental surgeon who’s been doing it for 30 years. We had a waiting list there. We need to use that facility. There are no surgeries being done in that hospital, when we are paying for the staff and the facility.

Now, Stanton is an acute care facility. They have to do the work that we need to get done under the health care benefits for the entire population. It is a different kind of hospital, and I believe that if we can deliver services in centres other than Yellowknife, we need to do that, because we’re paying for this.

That still sounds like a no. I don’t quite understand why the Minister isn’t willing to work with the dentists in Yellowknife to provide these services in Yellowknife. I understand the importance of providing it to the other communities as well. I’m not suggesting we stop, but the lists are large, and there are dentists here who are qualified to do this work and are willing to do this work.

At the risk of repeating myself, I think I’ll ask a very similar question. Will the Minister work with the local dentists to find a way to provide oral dental surgeries in Yellowknife as well as the other communities?

Mr. Speaker, once again I want to state that dental surgery is not an insured service. Government does not provide that service. The federal government provides the services to our aboriginal population, and we are trying to accommodate that. Having said that, Yellowknife has a very vibrant and very reputable dentist and dental surgeon population. Anywhere else in Canada dental surgeries are provided by private clinics. There’s no reason why the private clinics in Yellowknife couldn’t look at opening that. If the dentists and dental professionals in Yellowknife want to talk to me and work with me — and I’d like to work with them — to see if that’s at all possible…. I believe Yellowknife, better than any community in the NWT, has the room for private

clinics and private business. All other people who need dental surgery will be covered by third party insurance, other than the government and other than NIHB.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I want some clarification on that response that was just provided. It sounds an awful lot like you’re telling me that this government will work with dental surgeons in Inuvik and Fort Smith to provide them with facilities for their oral surgeons, but if you happen to be a dentist in Yellowknife, no, we’re not going to help you; do it on your own. Is that kind of what you’re telling me now, Ms. Minister?

Mr. Speaker, I’m willing to explain as long as I need to, to get the point across. What I’m saying is that any dentist in the Territories could provide this service for those residents who are eligible under NIHB, which gets funding from the federal government. A vast majority of the population in the Territories gets employee benefits, or it’s a private practice situation. We are covered by third party insurance.

Because we have facilities in Inuvik and Hay River that are not being used that the government is paying for, we are looking at opening a facility there. Yellowknife is over capacity. Stanton is fully used at all times. The most they could offer is a one day surgery capacity every eight weeks, whereas Hay River can offer it 10 weeks in a row. In order for us to use our money as best as possible, it makes sense for us to do it in Hay River now. I’m prepared to look at Yellowknife, but with the variables right now, it’s better for Hay River.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services with regard to my Member’s statement. Like I mentioned, the Joe Greenland Centre, which is a level 3 facility, is now 30 years old. I know that in previous years

—

and I’ve been looking through the

capital budgets

—

there were dollars allocated to do

a major retrofit on this facility. Now I see it’s nowhere to be seen in the books, yet we’re building new facilities. We’re building dementia centres; we’re building care facilities in the larger centres.

I’d like to ask the Minister where this department is going to ensure that there will be elderly care available to communities so that their elders can

live out their days in their communities without having to fly out of their region and go to regional centres, so that they can be taken care of closer to home, around family members and loved ones.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question from the Member. I’ve been to Aklavik many a time, but I didn’t have the opportunity to visit the Joe Greenland Centre until my recent visit there in May. I want to tell you that the department is very well aware of the demographic trend of the NWT population, which is in line with the rest of Canada. It says that the biggest growth over the next ten to 20 years will be with our elderly or older population because baby boomers are aging, and they’re going to live longer and healthier. The community of Aklavik’s demographics follow that line. I’m told that there are a lot fewer births and young children and they’re a more aging population, and we need to make sure that we are planning for that.

The Joe Greenland Centre, as it was built and as it’s operating, is not suitable for a long term care facility. I am working with the department to see how we could plan for the future of Aklavik and address the need for independent senior housing units there, because a long-term care facility needs to be 24-7. It’s a lot more labour intensive, and that’s taken care of in Inuvik. I’m willing to look at Aklavik.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t agree that the residents from my communities have to go to Inuvik for elderly care. If anything, I want them to remain in their communities and these facilities to function in our communities so they’re able to be provided with that service in the communities rather than having them exported out of our communities, because the elders do play a critical role in the social development of our communities.

So again I’d like to ask the Minister exactly when we are going to see some capital investment in the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik so that it can be brought up to safe standards in regard to a 30 year old facility.

The Joe Greenland Centre is over 30 years old. There have been renovations worked on. The board suggests that it is not possible to revive it to the level that it needs to be to function the way it was meant. I have to tell you that we are not going to be able to have a long term care facility in every place, but we need to make sure that whereas the regional centres like Inuvik or Yellowknife could have more acute care programs, communities like Aklavik need to have a facility that meets the need of the community to look after their

elders. It will be more of a level 1 and level 2 care, and other centres will have level 3 and 4. We need to be rational about that. I’m willing to look at Aklavik to see what facility we could have there to look after the elderly as a growing population.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, these facilities were put in place back in the ’70s so that they could provide elderly care in the regions I mentioned: Fort Resolution, Behchoko, Deline and Fort Simpson. Those were regional facilities. The facility in Aklavik is a regional facility. It also provides employment to people in the region and in those communities. I think that we also have to not lose sight that this is more than just simply building $10 million or $20 million facilities and regional centres so that you can fill them up with people from communities. That should not be the plan of this government.

Again I’d like to ask the Minister: is there a report in regard to the facility in Aklavik, and what has to be expended to bring it up to today’s standards?

There have been studies done. I don’t know if that was specifically to the Joe Greenland Centre or in terms of facilities and requirements for the entire NWT, but I will look into it to see what we have and give the Member a copy.

Mr. Speaker, I’m advising the Member that we have to look at the community of Aklavik to see what the needs are. I’m not going to presume to know all of the cultural and demographic make-up of Beaufort-Delta, but there is a very close connection between Inuvik and Aklavik. If we’re going to have two centres, we need to make sure we’re not repetitive in our services being delivered there. It would make sense to have a facility in Aklavik for small communities that are less labour intensive and less acute and leave it to Inuvik, where there’s a hospital, for those who need more intense 24-7 care.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These facilities provide employment to people in the communities. With the social problems we see in our communities, where people are leaving our communities because they can’t find jobs and whatnot, this government has a responsibility to ensure that we provide services in communities, not all at the regional level. That’s exactly what I’m hearing from the Minister. Everything we do in the Mackenzie Delta, we have to go to Inuvik for our services. That should not be the case.

I’d like to ask the Minister again: when is this government going to decentralize programs back into communities so they can really provide services for communities? We don’t have any

services, because they’re all being allocated to the Inuvik region. I’d like to ask the Minister again: when will we see an improvement in services to elders in our communities instead of having to export our seniors out of our communities to programs and services offered by the Department of Health and Social Services?

What I was suggesting is not a centralization in Inuvik. I support the idea of decentralization. What I’m saying is that we have to avoid duplication. If we built the same facilities in all communities, that’s not going to work. We can’t afford that. What I’m saying is that Aklavik has a growing elderly population, and as much as there are elderly who can live relatively independently with support from the community, we need to have a facility there that meets that need. We don’t have that in Aklavik right now. I’m willing to work with the Member to put that into a planning process so that we are prepared in the long term, when we know that the need for a larger and more independent facility in Aklavik will be necessary.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Before I go any further, I would like to remind Members of the length of question period and supplementary questions and answers as well. We’ve got 20 minutes gone on question period, and we’ve only done two Members, so please respect the time.

The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my Member’s statement today, I want to focus on the issue of health services and services that fall under the purview of the health authority in Hay River.

I want to talk about doctors’ contracts, what we’re going to do about the vacancy in our CEO position, how the budgeting for our renovation and replacement of our hospital is coming along and also what’s on the horizon for staffing and programming at the assisted living facility which is under construction. I’ve given the Minister a heads-up on all that.

As to the contract for doctors, how long has it been since we’ve had a contract in the NWT with which the health authorities can go out and recruit physicians?

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, the contract is currently in place, and that contract will be in place until such time as it’s replaced by another. We

know there are negotiations underway, and we don’t want to speak about anything to do with that. But, yes, be assured that we have a working contract, and all recruitment and retention of doctors is being conducted under that contract.

I understand that contract has been in place for some time now, and potentially, when the new contract is negotiated, some aspects of it will make it easier to recruit more physicians to the Northwest Territories.

As I said in my Member’s statement, our CEO has recently resigned. That always causes some instability. It creates an environment that’s not so good in a small health authority like Hay River’s. What is the plan for replacing the CEO in Hay River?

I can tell you that from the information I have, the CEO has chosen to leave his post for personal reasons. He has enjoyed being in Hay River, and he has done a good job in delivering services there.

I don’t want to get into too much detail in this setting, but Hay River seems like it’s a destination of choice for others, for people who want to work there. I look forward to having the public administrator going down to Hay River and having more discussion on what’s in the plan, as well as keeping the Members informed.

We do have some ideas about how to address that, details I really don’t want to be speaking about in this forum. We do want to have input from the community and inform the community and the Members.

I was hoping that just being able to put something on the record about that today would bring some comfort to the people who work in the authority, who are, of course, always going to welcome the leadership that a CEO brings to an institution like that.

I was wondering if we could get an update from the Minister on how we’re doing on the development plan for the upgrading or replacement of the Hay River Hospital.

I just want to say that the Hay River people should not be too concerned about transition and succession. I think we are far from that. There are a number of possibilities.

The second thing is, as well as the essential surgery that’s being done, mammography service started on Monday for Hay River, which is new. On Thursday the master development plan, or redevelopment plan, of Hay River…. We have contracted a health planner, and they have the contract as of March ’08. The final plan is to be

completed by December, and they will work through the new planning process we have.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you. Then just the last item. The assisted living facility is looking very nice; it’s nearing completion. Now we’re interested in staffing and programming. Is the staffing for that new facility going to be with GNWT employees, and where are we with the programming of the officer in that new facility?

We expect the facility to be open in December. The community of people who work with persons with disabilities in Hay River are overseeing that work through a committee.

We have not finalized the staffing model yet, because we’re going through the budgeting process with the Building Our Future Strategic Initiative Committee. Those monies have to be approved for staffing. I look forward to working through that process with the Member and keeping the Members advised of the details.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I talked about some energy alternatives for the residents of Tu Nedhe. I’d like to ask the Minister of the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee, Mr. Bob McLeod, some questions.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell this House: are there any plans under the energy program to provide assistance to our residents for this winter?

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee coordinates all the energy initiatives for the government, because energy consumption crosses all departmental lines.

We do have a program that’s been in place starting last year. It’s a program to assist homeowners and consumers so that they can replace products that are in everyday use and reduce their costs by improving their energy consumption.

Can the Minister provide me with some details on what’s planned, if anything, to assist residents of Tu Nedhe?

We do have a number of initiatives underway. The primary one is the Energy Efficiency Incentive program, and that’s part of a program we had last year.

This year we’ve revised the program substantially. We’re focusing on home heating. We have a number of initiatives there. One is that we’re providing a rebate for purchase of wood stoves, because the use of wood stoves is one of the easiest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also have rebates for wood pellet heating appliances and for high efficiency oil furnaces.

Also, in the communities that are in the Member’s riding fuel is disbursed by the Petroleum Products Division, and there are some subsidies involved in setting that price.

Can the Minister tell us when he can provide cross government details on budgets and what is being planned for the various departments under the energy initiatives? When can the Minister provide some of that detail?

I can advise the Member that with regard to rebates for wood stoves we’re increasing the rebate to $400 from $300. As well, for wood pellet heating furnaces we’re increasing the rebates to $700 for pellet furnaces and $1,000 for pellet boilers.

As far as government departments, all government departments are involved in developing energy conservation measures. We will be rolling them out as part of the business planning process.

Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell us if the government has had a serious look at the viable alternative of just simply providing wood stoves to people who cannot afford wood stoves? People who cannot afford wood stoves cannot get to the point where they’ll be requesting the rebate. Is there any alternative for those people who can’t afford to buy the stove upfront so they can never access the rebate?

We recognize that the high cost of energy is one that is going to affect all of the people of the Northwest Territories. We will be rolling out a very extensive program that is currently under development. Any of these kinds of suggestions will be undertaken.

I can add that the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation is looking at those kinds of suggestions as to how we can help people who can’t afford to buy wood stoves but would like to utilize them. We are taking all of these into consideration as we go forward. We’ll be bringing them forward as part of the business planning process.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier today. It gets back to my Member’s statement where I was talking about this new proposal the Government of the Northwest Territories put forward to the federal government that was in addition to the devolution and resource revenue sharing negotiations that were ongoing.

Everybody knows that the Government of the Northwest Territories has been trying to get a deal with the federal government for the past 20 years. This may or may not be a good proposal that the government has put forward, but all of a sudden, to plop a massive — and the Premier even alludes to it in his sessional statement as “substantive” — proposal to the federal government into the mix…. I’d just like the Premier to advise Members on this side of the House when we might be able to get a look at the proposal that was made to the federal government.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is quite right. The fact is that we have over many years and through many Assemblies tried to come to a conclusion from what was one day called a Northern accord to devolution and resource revenue sharing.

We know that the last offer on the table was one that, when working with the aboriginal governments and organizations, they were not supportive of. Some groups are saying they want to do their own work first or come up with a settlement in their self-government discussions.

But through the regional table that we’ve established during the life of this government, we’ve been having ongoing discussions about the devolution and resource revenue sharing file. Prior to sending the letter out, I was able to call a number of the regional leaders to inform them I was putting a letter before the Prime Minister and at the same time had forwarded a letter on to Members. We’re trying to set up some time now to sit down with Members and go over more of the file that we’re waiting to bring to conclusion.

I appreciate the challenge that the government finds itself in, and I know the pressures on our infrastructure and the need for more money. You can’t debate that. But the fact remains there was an impasse. The government has put a new proposal on the table to the federal government without first consulting the Regular Members of this

House — duly elected Members — and I’ve heard from other Members that perhaps aboriginal governments across the Northwest Territories weren’t consulted on this either.

So, again, let’s be up front with each other. Let’s put the deal on the table before we take it to Ottawa. I’d like to ask the Premier when we’ll be able to see this proposal.

The fact is that at times we have to move and move fairly quickly. When we became aware that the Prime Minister was going to be visiting our jurisdiction, we felt that was the opportune time to put before him and his staff the idea of establishing a framework. That is a step we have taken, to come up with a proposal that is a framework to try to cross the gap that is now in place with the existing deal on the table.

Again, I called a number of the regional leaders. Those I was able to speak to I let know that this was the intention. We forwarded letters on to them in that regard, and we’re going to also, at our next meeting, have further discussions on this. I believe it would be in November at some point, at our next regional leaders meeting.

I’ve got, I believe, some time scheduled now, or we’re working on the scheduling of a meeting with committee members to go over the framework. But it is just that. It is a framework to try to cross that gap that is now in place.

I think part of the problem, from what I understand, in the past and the impasse that was there had to do with this fiscal capacity cap.

I’d like to ask the Premier: is the impasse that’s currently at play the capacity cap, or is it this new proposal the Government of the Northwest Territories has put on the table?

First of all, I should say that in my correspondence with the Prime Minister I feel we’ve got an opportunity to continue the discussions as we look at this framework we’ve put on the table.

There are a number of factors at play here. The federal government has quite clearly told us they will treat us the same as every jurisdiction in Canada. That is the part where you look at equalization versus formula financing of a 50 per cent in and 50 per cent out scenario. We’ll use a nominal figure of $100. If we were to get $100 in royalty, we’d lose $50 of it through our transfer payments, and we’d net $50. Then another measure comes in, and that’s the fiscal capacity capthat they have put in place; that is different from other jurisdictions. We’re still negotiating the fact that it is a concern to us.

Now, with this framework that may be a way of bridging them. In fact, I would say that is still using the money that is coming out of the Northwest Territories, so I think that is why the discussion has been open and remains open. Hopefully, shortly after the election we will be able to move on that along with the Members of this Assembly.

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

Mr. Speaker, I don’t disagree with the Premier. Obviously, we need to do something.If they are moving forward with this, that is good. I just think it would be nice to know on this side of the House, especially with what I have seen and heard. It’s a billion dollar cost shared infrastructure agreement with the federal government.

Maybe I could ask the Premier this question: where is the $500 million coming from in the Government of Northwest Territories to cost share with the federal government’s $500 million?

Mr. Speaker, let’s not put numbers out there that are not factualat this point: $500 million. You talked about cost sharing, but a percentage has yet to be discussed of what level, as well, from the Northwest Territories. I talk about a partnership among the federal government, the GNWT and the private sector. There are a number of things we need to work out. It is early days on that, but we felt we needed to put that on the table and get that recognized before a call for an election happened. Then we’ve got ground to work with. So this is a framework we’re working on.

As I said, I’d be prepared to sit down and work on getting the time, together with the committee, to go over some of this. It is early days, and we felt we needed to get a marker down and establish this. As we have heard from Members of the Assembly on numerous occasions, as well as the public out there when we talk about our budgeting situation, we need to step up and get something done. Here is that opportunity, I believe, which we have created.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to continue on this theme of devolution and resource sharing negotiations. I want to start by just noting that where there is a vacuum — that is, no information — false information will be developed. So it would be nice to get those vacuums filled.

My first concern is aboriginal governments. Like it or not, we do share governance with them. Which aboriginal governments and claimant groups were

contacted by the Premier, and what was their response in this round?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Hon. Premier, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Speaker, the initial contact was by phone with me and a number of the leaders. I left a message for others I could not get hold of. We follow up with a letter just as we are sending our package out. We’ve got some correspondence, as well, at the regional table we set up; we’ve been discussing the file ongoing.

I know, for example, the Akaitcho group are saying they’ve got their own process. They do not want to be involved in this, in fact, and wish us to not have any further discussions on devolution and resource revenue sharing. The Sahtu is undergoing some of their own work and looking at the numbers we provided. I believe their work confirmed, in fact, what our numbers were stating.

We have other groups that are prepared to move on it; for example, the Gwich’in, the Inuvialuit. The Sahtu have taken a step back from their original position. The Northwest Territories Métis have also been supportive of this initiative. The Deh Cho is a group that is again saying they are involved in their own process. They want to complete that and feel they need to do that before they can support any initiative of the GNWT.

The problem is that if the Government of the Northwest Territories is dealing with all levels of programs and services in all the regions — whether it is health care, education or economic development — without additional resources, we’re going to leave self-government as they take over operations. When they do finally settle their claims, they’re going to take over operations that are burdened with a heavy load, and that’s the problem of continuing to wait.

Thank you for those comments. I want to state that I am the first one to recognize we have an extremely complex situation here, and a bull in a china shop is obviously not the right approach. We need to be very sensitive here.

Has the Premier assured these aboriginal governments that this process will in no way impinge upon their ability to negotiate their own devolution of resource revenue agreements as part of their self-government negotiations and land claim settlement negotiations?

Mr. Speaker, as past Assemblies have, this government also stands by the fact that we as the Government of the Northwest Territories will not interfere in the sense of what they negotiate for authorities from governments, whether it’s the federal government or existing programs and services that we deliver.

We are involved in those negotiations. We will continue to honour those tables and work forward.

Quite simply, Mr. Speaker, whether it comes to the GNWT at a stage and then goes under self-government when those agreements are finally signed, those are all part of the process. I think we need to recognize the fact that we are not trying to take it over as the GNWT, to take it forever. We are trying to just bring that authority north, and then once the further self-government discussions are completed, the areas that were successfully negotiated would be passed on.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that when the Premier was Minister of Finance, he made a commitment to look into getting some of these windfall profits that are happening from oil resources of the Northwest Territories as the price of oil has soared. The federal government is now accumulating hundreds of millions of dollars, for example, from Norman Wells. Is that going to be in or has it entered into this process? Will that be profiled? Is this an opportunity to deal with that situation so we get some immediate gain here?

Mr. Speaker, the Member has hit on a very key area. I think that when we look at the royalties that are being taken out of the Northwest Territories right now in today’s existing agreements, we would say that those dollars could be flowed back through an infrastructure program to meet the needs of the Northwest Territories. That is the approach we are taking.

Now, the federal government has always stated that Norman Wells — the oil, the pipeline out of that community — is not a royalty; it is an equity. Well, we are saying it is money one way or another that flows out of the Northwest Territories. We need to work on that initiative together.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. A final short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you again for those comments. One last question: could the Premier outline the role he sees this side of the House playing and how he intends to involve us as representatives of the people in this process in a meaningful and timely way?

Mr. Speaker, through our whole process we have established, whether it is budgeting, finding new revenues, sitting down with committee to give ideas of where we can go…. Those options are there. In fact, as I stated earlier, I am seeking time with the committee to sit down and have more discussion about the proposal, the framework that has been forwarded. Hopefully, we will have that very soon, and we will continue with those discussions.

Now, there has been lots of discussion on the devolution package that has been on the table. It would be sort of an update of where that is, plus this idea of this new framework.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement yesterday I spoke about the need for this government to reduce expenditures. One area, in my view, that is ripe for picking some funds and removing them is print advertising.

The Minister of Finance yesterday was good enough to advise me that, yes, we do have policies that govern this particular expense. But I have to ask the Minister: has he done a cost benefit analysis of this type of expense, the use of print advertising, and what is the value to this government of print advertising?

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, clearly, the value of the printed word is very important as part of the way we communicate. The actual dollar figure, in terms of how much we advertise and what our printing costs are, I don’t have with me today. But I will commit to getting the best numbers we can for the Member.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank him for that. I wasn’t necessarily asking for a dollar value; I was asking for a value per dollar spent. I didn’t hear an answer to the question of whether or not there has been a cost benefit analysis done on print advertising. It is for me, I think, one of the methods of communication that is least effective. So I’d like to ask the Minister again: has there ever been a cost benefit analysis done on print advertising from the GNWT?

Mr. Speaker, over time there has been. There have been checks to see how we advertise jobs in different newspapers. There have been attempts to centralize that type of work to save costs, of course. There is great consternation at the community level among the community newspapers and regional newspapers when they get cut out of the advertising business.

Clearly, there is a pressure for us to communicate and consult with our constituents across the land. The tendency is, as we look at saving money, to say, “Let’s just try to advertise in the News/North, because everybody reads the News/North.” It leaves out things like The Hub, the Slave River Journal, the Deh Cho Drum and the Inuvik Drum. We have to balance it. This is not just a straight

dollar issue; it’s an issue of how we get our message out and what value we place on that as well.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I have to state my belief, though, that there is some advertising the government does that I see a value to. Certainly, advertising jobs and advertising for consultation is extremely valuable.

But I do take great offence at many of the print ads that announce a particular day, that announce a particular…. For instance, there’s a full page ad in one of the papers south of the lake that welcomed students back to school — ads proclaiming “Whatever Day” by the various departments. I have a problem with those, and I’d like to know from the Minister, in terms of an analysis of the print advertising that we do…. Yes, there are benefits to some and not to others. But has there been a consideration of removing those kinds of ads that do nothing, I think, in terms of efficiency of the government but simply glorify a particular department?