This is page numbers 1921 to 1954 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was honourable.

Topics

Government Fiscal Prudence
Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This being the last day of the fall session, I wanted to speak again about where our focus needs to be as a government.

I recently had a constituency meeting where I heard from many constituents that are adamantly opposed to tax increases that will increase the cost of living. Apparently, Mr. Speaker, this is the biggest issue facing our residents. Obviously, I share their concern, and I’m interested in trying to find ways to make it less expensive for people to live here. That is why I will fight any proposed tax that increases the cost of living, whether directly or indirectly.

This government seems completely out to lunch when it comes to planning for the future. The government comes nowhere close to reduction targets it sets for itself. Then they reinvest almost as much as they reduce spending by. This is a very haphazard and dangerous pursuit. As a government we are living way beyond our means: $170 million for a new bridge, $115 million for a new school, $22

million for a new garage,

$26 million for new office buildings, and numerous other niceties. In case Cabinet has not noticed, there is the very real and pressing issue of the global economic meltdown currently underway.

Just yesterday the Bank of Canada stated that Canada was on the brink of a recession. On paper, many people here in the Northwest Territories and around Canada have lost thousands and thousands of dollars in savings and RRSPs. The credit crunch will come. Commodity prices are sinking. The loonie has lost nearly 20 per cent of its value in the last month. All levels of the government will be facing tough times ahead, yet we walk aimlessly along, oblivious to what is going on around us.

I question why our Premier was not at the First Ministers meeting held in Montreal on Monday. That discussion centred around the growing fear and realization that governments are going to be faced with possible deficits. The federal government may have no choice but to cut equalization payments. This will severely impact our operations and our ability to look after our people. Why is it that we continue to spend like drunken sailors, Mr. Speaker? We all play a part in this, and demands in our constituencies often call upon us to ask government for program enhancements, capital projects and funding.

Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to put out the caution flag to government today and to the Members that we always need to keep in mind our need to live within our means.

Government Fiscal Prudence
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to speak again about the initiatives and the needs of our small communities and convey the needs of my constituency. My constituency has expressed over the past four weeks the frustration of getting services to our communities and frustration about the interruption of ministerial portfolios that has impacted delivery of programs and delayed and deferred initiatives. That’s never popular with people who are waiting on programming.

However, I do want to say that I am a realist and that bringing up these issues doesn’t…. The main thing, I think, is that we continue to raise these issues in the House and give government a heads-up that they do need to accept and evaluate our needs, ensure that they fit into our existing guidelines and procedures and, if not, take the time to see if they can make it work.

I do want to continue to advocate for my constituency in that I’m supportive of nursing in Wrigley, the improved development of Highway No. 7, improvement to the nuisancemanagement of the buffalo in Fort Liard and also a reassessment of how we provide housing. Small constituencies like Nahendeh that also have a depressed economy are — not by choice — impacted by changes in government priority, meaning that job cuts and reduced programs have a big impact.

Overall, I just want to say that the government’s got to be aware that their decisions impact my communities tenfold, I would say. A reduction of one job is huge in a community that only has two community government jobs. Reducing programming has taken away job opportunities and contracting opportunities for our communities that have limited resources, Mr. Speaker.

So I would like to key in on that when allocating resources to our communities. Government’s got to be aware and take in all the regional balances and the different impacts that it would have. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

GNWT Zero-Based Review
Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I continue to remind this government about the need for a zero basedreview before any tax increases.

I started this session several weeks ago raising the concerns of many of my constituents in this city regarding the way the government potentially wants to tax-monger these new ideas through our next budget process. Mr. Speaker, 23 days ago I raised this issue, and I would continue to raise this issue. The fact is the Finance Minister must listen to the people. They cannot bear being punished with further taxes. Good fiscal management needs to be the philosophy.

Again I say that we do not have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem, Mr. Speaker. I hope the Finance Minister is listening to all the feedback he has heard from this side of the House and certainly from constituents, as I have.

The fact is the knife cuts both ways. Yes, we might get a short term increase in taxes, but in the long term we’ll erode our tax base. Think carefully, I say to the Finance Minister; think carefully. I stand firmly here today reminding the Finance Minister that almost every one of those should be dropped, if not every one of those. They should have had the red pen treatment and fallen onto the floor and been struck off long before public consultation was considered.

Mr. Speaker, the public at large can no longer bear unnecessary costs to a regular cost of living. This government has not proven to any degree that it is working as hard as it can with the sharpest pencils and doing government in the best and the most efficient way.

Mr. Speaker, they cannot take it, nor will I. I say to the Finance Minister: heed the warning of the public, because I can use the drumming of restless constituents who will demand responses — and measured responses. That discussion paper released by the Department of Finance has caused serious ripples in our North. People in industry are starting to second-guess this investment climate. Individuals are concerned about covering day to day costs. The tone of the economic environment in our North is struck and rung clearly by the Finance Minister.

I have a message for that Finance Minister: before you run out into that dark room and draw up the next budget, be careful which tax bell you ring and how hard it is rung. You cannot unring a tax bell that scares the investment climate and destroys the tax base. Be careful, Mr. Finance Minister.

GNWT Zero-Based Review
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to welcome my wife, Judy, and my son Ryan to the Assembly.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to recognize and acknowledge the two pages we’ve had fromP.W. Kaeser High School in Fort Smith: Mr. Carson Roach and Adam Gruner, chaperoned by Judy Vendorver.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

[Statement delivered in aboriginal language and then in English]. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to recognize two pages who are working here: Alicia Mata and Patricia Wederwen from Gametì. I would just like to recognize their fine work here in the Legislative Assembly. Mahsi.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, today I

would also like to recognize two hardworking young ladies from Katlodeeche First Nation. I was very proud to have two students here from my riding joining us this week, working as pages. I would like to recognize Miss Dawn Nessell and Miss Brandy Buggins and also their chaperone, who is Brandy’s mother, Betty Buggins. Both these students are from the Chief Sunrise school and are avid readers who also enjoy sports and can often be found volunteering in their community. They both have plans to enter the field of education. I also wanted to thank the Legislative Assembly staff for their support and for the help they’ve provided this week, and I wish these two young ladies the best of luck and safe travels home.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Welcome, everyone, in the gallery today. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen,

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the issue of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the Northwest Territories. I don’t know the exact statistics, but I daresay we are still among the jurisdictions that are the most affected by this.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to create a scenario. In a community a young woman comes into a clinic or a nursing station and finds out that she is pregnant. The workers in that community are concerned about social pressures and lifestyle issues that may

not result in a healthy child being born as a result of that pregnancy. The young expectant mother does not want to pursue the option of an abortion. What do we have in our network of health and social services that would allow that care provider or that community health worker or that nurse practitioner to refer that young person to a safe environment for the duration of that pregnancy if that was their choice?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened to the Member’s statement with a great deal of interest. It’s something I would like to look further into. I don’t believe at the moment that we have a system, legislative framework, policy or program that would intervene in that way with the pregnant mother

I do appreciate what the Member is saying, which is to support a pregnant woman whom we know to be at risk and see what we can do to assist. I’d be interested in looking further into that.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I consider this to be important. The outcomes we have seen in the people we care for, who are children in our education system…. Many end up in our justice system and on long term support from this government as a result of FASD. It’s far more costly than having the opportunity to refer those who wish to a healthy home environment.

When I was Minister of Health and Social Services, I had a chance to travel to Winnipeg, where they had a network of homes where people said: yes, we will receive young women into our homes; we will care for them; we will nurture them during this time of pregnancy.

Would the Minister suggest that’s a role this government could play, or would it take a non-government organization to step up? Who could organize such a network of homes, of families who would be willing to participate in this way on a foster family type model?

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

I think the Member is aware of the work this government does and that the western provinces, Nunavut and Yukon do to address FASD issues. I have to admit this is the first time I’ve heard it. I was not aware that this was being practised in Winnipeg. Perhaps there are other jurisdictions that are doing something like this. I’d be very interested in seeing what the program entails, how it works and whether or not we could look into implementing something like that here. It sounds like something that would require a great deal of work to explore, but I’m certainly willing to give the commitment to the Member that I’d be interested in exploring that further.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

The age of the young people we may be talking about may fall in that gap. I think foster care funding is only available to children up to the age of 16. I believe that income support may be available. That’s for people who want to live independently, I believe.

Would there be funding available for a room and board type situation, a home boarding situation for a young person under the current programs that exist? Would there be funding available under room and board situations? It doesn’t fit the foster care age group, and it may not fit the income support model either.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

There will be no program or money that would be available to do something like that at this time. If we as the government or the Legislature decide that this is something we want to undertake, then it would have to be introduced as a new initiative with new funding. Unless a pregnant mother falls into some other programs under Income Security or something else for health reasons, we do not have such foster family programming for pregnant women at risk. I think it’s something we could look into and explore further.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

We’re very fortunate to have non-government organizations, NGOs, here in the Northwest Territories and here in Yellowknife that are very concerned about the fortunes of women and children

I would like to ask the Minister if she could, through some format, initiate a dialogue with some of these organizations that may have firsthand knowledge of these types of situations and come back with more information to gauge if there is interest and a need in the community for this type of service.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

I am interested in collaborating with NGOs that might be knowledgeable or interested in this issue. As well as that, I think I will make a commitment to direct my department to do more research, gather information, look at the idea, explore it further and get back to the Member and Members on the other side.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to follow up from my Member’s statement in regard to policing in small communities, but more importantly, the community of Tsiigehtchic, which I represent.

The Minister was at a public meeting, along with Minister Lee, where issues came up about policing

in Tsiigehtchic, or the lack of policing in the community, and what this government can do to try to find ways to remedy the situation. We know that it may be a while before we see a permanent police presence there.

I’d like to ask the Minister: has he been talking to the RCMP and come up with some ideas? I know there was talk about special constables. There was talk about increasing patrols. There was talk about overnight visits. Has he had an opportunity to talk to the RCMP or people in the Department of Justice to see if there are ways that we can find some mid-term solution to this problem? We’re not going to have police placed permanently at the present time, so has he come up with some ideas on how we can assist the community of Tsiigehtchic with its policing problem?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s follow-up question on the Tsiigehtchic matter. We did have a good visit in the community. We had a public forum. There were a lot of questions and concerns brought forward from the community leadership and also from the Member.

I did follow up with the Member in a letter format. I think it’s important to follow through with what we’ve committed to the community. I did that in a letter format. Just with the RCMP G Division there is ongoing discussion about how we can increase community visits on a schedule.

We’re also exploring other options. The members come from Fort MacPherson. Is there any way that we can increase capacity so they can focus more on the isolated communities that do not have detachments?

Those are the options we’re working with. We’ll keep the Members informed of our progress on this particular file. It’s important for the safety of the community that we focus on the communities that do not have an RCMP detachment, and Tsiigehtchic is one of them. We’ll continue to work as diligently with the members of G Division and also the Member from the riding. Mahsi.