Good morning, colleagues. Welcome to the Chamber. Orders of the Day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, June 15 to 21 is recognized as Senior Citizens’ Week, which is a special opportunity to recognize and acknowledge our seniors and elders. Senior Citizens’ Week is an opportunity to highlight the important contributions of seniors in all our northern communities. The theme this year is Seniors and Elders Leading to a Better Future.

Our seniors are the foundation of our culture, the holders of our tradition and active members of our society. Seniors have a lot of knowledge to share with us and must be respected.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, June 15 is recognized as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The international theme of this day is My World… Your World… Our World — Free of Elder Abuse.”

While about 80 per cent of abuse or neglect of seniors is hidden or goes undetected, there is an increasing concern in the NWT about the abuse of seniors. We must work together to confront this issue and put an end to the silent pain many of our seniors endure.

Mr. Speaker, we would like to take this time to recognize the efforts of the NWT Seniors’ Society, a hard-working board of directors, and also many of the elders in the communities across the NWT.

We would also like to show gratitude to the many individual seniors throughout our smaller northern communities who share their knowledge and volunteer their time to organize events. They bring their communities together through these efforts.

We would also like to congratulate Mabel Collinson of Yellowknife, who was the recipient of NWT’s Outstanding Elder Award for her volunteer work. This award is presented by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in partnership with Volunteer NWT, to individuals and groups who have helped to improve the quality of life in the NWT through their work as volunteers.

Mr. Speaker, I am joined by all Members in thanking our seniors and elders across the NWT for the strong roles they play in our families and our communities. We pay special recognition to you during Senior Citizens’ Week; however, our seniors remain dear to our hearts all year long.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Ministers’ statements. The

honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr.

Speaker.

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, this Saturday aboriginal graduates, families and friends will meet at the Yellowknife River to celebrate their educational success. It will be the fourth annual Honour ceremony for aboriginal graduates. This special ceremony, held on traditional aboriginal lands, recognizes the importance of heritage in graduates’ identities as well as their past and future successes.

This year 65 aboriginal graduates have been invited to participate in this celebration, including 30 students from Sir John Franklin High School, 22 from St. Patrick High School, and 13 from Aurora College Yellowknife Campus.

Earlier this week the Government of Canada issued an apology to aboriginal people for the Indian residential school era, and many of our people in the Northwest Territories were impacted by that dark period in our history. Aboriginal students who graduate from our schools are a demonstration of the resiliency of Northerners and offer us a bright shining light of hope for a promising future.

The Honour ceremony was created four years ago to focus on the successes of young aboriginal Northerners and to make a special place for tradition and celebration. It is a true community-based event made possible by the work of many volunteers, led by Jane Arychuk and including Roberta Kendi, Doreen Cleary, Brenda Dragon, Johnny Bowden, and Al MacDonald. This celebration is made possible through broad community financial support, including many local businesses, as well as some in-kind support from the Government of the Northwest Territories and from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to participating in this event this weekend as it shows a glimpse of the success and energy that is building in our communities around us.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and happy Friday the 13th . As mentioned earlier, this Sunday,

June 15, is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and I’m going to do my part today to raise the awareness of elder abuse.

Elder abuse is a significant threat to the residents of our communities, as Members well know, and it’s a problem in both small communities and larger centres. For many years elder abuse remained a private matter hidden from view and not talked about. Thankfully, in the last 30 years or so elder abuse has become increasingly more important to our society and is now seen as a public problem needing attention.

The World Health Organization report called Missing Voices stated that “abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of elders are much more common than societies admit.” The same report demonstrates clear links between elder abuse and disempowerment and discrimination of elders.

Elder abuse is defined as any kind of physical, sexual, psychological or economic abuse, as well as neglect. Perhaps surprisingly, male elders are at almost the same risk for abuse as female elders. Family members extort money from their elders or force them to sign over property. Elders are taken advantage of because they are physically frail or have diminished mental capacity. They are an easy target, unfortunately.

It’s probably no surprise to anyone here, Mr.

Speaker, that elder abuse happens in

institutions as well as private homes. Many of us will have seen documentaries profiling the abuse of elders in hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. One of the few studies available on elder abuse suggests that 4 to 6 per cent of the elderly have experienced some form of abuse at home.

Our elders should be respected and honoured. They hold the wisdom, the history and the knowledge of our communities and our territory. We cannot ignore elder abuse, and understanding it gives us the power to fight it. What’s needed is for society to recognize that elder abuse and neglect is occurring and to raise our awareness of the problem. We need to inform health and social service practitioners and the general public about elder abuse — ensure that they can identify the signs and know where to find help. We need to use the media to change attitudes and reduce stereotyping of the elderly, and we need to educate our elders as well. All of these actions help to bring the problem of elder abuse out into the open, to acknowledge that it is a problem, and then we can start to eradicate it.

On Sunday find an elder, show them the respect they deserve and let them know you care.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. On

Wednesday the Member for Tu Nedhe asked the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services some questions concerning dental surgery services. I was disappointed to hear that dental surgery services have been discontinued and will not be offered at any health service facilities in the NWT. This decision is causing prolonged pain and suffering for young kids throughout the NWT.

According to the unedited Hansard from Wednesday, June 11, Minister Lee indicated,

“We feel that there is room for us to negotiate, because the dentists are getting most of the coverage for providing that service or are compensated for that. We also feel that the federal government should step in to covering the dental surgery costs, because it is a question of long-term oral health of our residents. I am investigating this, and I’m looking at the possibility of making this service available in either Hay River, where there is room for that, but probably not in Stanton, because they are fully occupied.”

Although I am very pleased to hear that the Minister is investigating the possibility of making services available, I do have a couple of concerns with her statement.

First, oral surgeons are paid for procedures based on a set fee structure. As a result, they are paid exactly the same for the same procedure whether it is performed in a clinic or in an operating room within a health facility. Unfortunately, it is not possible to perform large procedures on small children in clinics, as the children often need to be under general anaesthetic. Expecting the oral surgeons to take a pay cut from this fee structure because they’re performing a procedure on a child in a health facility is unreasonable. The pain and suffering of children should never be used as a bargaining chip.

Second, I don’t understand why Stanton Territorial Hospital won’t be considered. Dental procedures have been performed there in the past. I had all four of my own wisdom teeth removed at Stanton when I was a kid. Stanton keeps an OR room open most days. They have also traditionally closed the OR room for the majority of the summer break. In the best interests of children I believe that room can be found within this schedule at Stanton, as well as at the Hay River Hospital.

Mr. Speaker, I do agree with the Minister that the federal government should step in and pay the costs that they are responsible for. I continue to encourage the Minister to continue her efforts in this area. There are approximately 430 — 130 in the South Slave, 300 in the rest of the Territories — young children waiting for oral surgery. They are prioritized based on pain. Because of this government’s concern about whether or not dentists take a pay cut to perform surgery in the GNWT facilities, this number is increasing daily and northern children continue to be in pain.

Mr.

Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to

conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

You may conclude your statement, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If a child waits too long, damage to their teeth can reach a point of no return, resulting in permanent gum, bone and tooth damage — something that will last their lifetime. Is this pain and suffering that the federal government and this government is inflicting on these children really worth the couple of dollars that the Minister is demanding out of oral surgeons and the feds are refusing to pay? I don’t think so.

Currently these suffering children are sent to southern institutions to have their oral surgery completed. This is increasing the waiting list, costing the GNWT additional money — probably a lot less than performing the surgery in the NWT — and does not contribute to the economy of the NWT. I believe that if the Minister were to complete a full cost accounting analysis on this issue, she would find that the best solution, financially and practically, would be to reopen the operating rooms in both Yellowknife and Hay River to local oral surgeons. We can’t afford to wait for the feds to do the right thing. It’s up to us. Let’s do the right thing. Let’s get this waiting list down now and save these children months and years of pain and suffering.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services some questions on this.

Thank you, Mr.

Abernethy.

Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. As we all know, Sunday, June 15, is a very special day. It’s Father’s Day. For me, it’s going to be my first Father’s Day.

Applause.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, people told me there would be nothing like having a child — holding that child, playing with that child and looking into his or her eyes. I can certainly attest to that. There is nothing like it. Given all the work that we’ve been doing here for the last three and a half weeks, I haven’t been able to spend a lot of time at home, and I’m certainly looking forward to spending Father’s Day with my son, Malachi, and my wife, Amanda.

Mr. Speaker, fathers play a very important role in a person’s life. For me, my father gave me guidance, wisdom, love, strength and courage to be the person that I am today. Once a year I get to thank him for his contribution to my life, and I could never thank my father enough for all he has done for me and for my two brothers.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to wish my father, Frank Ramsay, who now lives in Moncton, New Brunswick, a very happy Father’s Day. To all the fathers across the Northwest Territories, have a wonderful Father’s Day.

Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Minister McLeod made a statement in the Legislative Assembly on June 6 on ITI’s traditional skills program with an invitation to the Duck Soup Feast at the Weledeh campsite. I can attest that it was a wonderful feast.

I'd like to share a few notes with a Weledeh focus. Over 200 people from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation community attended the Duck Soup Feast hosted by students and staff of K'alemi Dene School, held at the Weledeh site last Friday. The traditional skills program at the site on the Yellowknife River is wrapping up today with the completion of a birch bark canoe and the tanning of a moose hide. This is an historic event as it has likely been 80 years since the last birch bark canoe has been built in this area. In addition, many other Dene cultural camp activities have come to an end. Duck plucking, dry fish making and traditional Dene games kept youth busy and learning, with over 200 students ranging from kindergarten to grade 12.

About 100 students attended from K'alemi Dene and Kaw Tay Whee schools, and approximately 100 students from William McDonald School and École Sir John Franklin participated.

For those who can make it, there is a celebration at the Weledeh site today at noon with the Yellowknives Dene and a feeding-the-fire ceremony recognizing the Creator and the spirit of our elders who passed before us.

Guy Erasmus of the Traditional Economy division of ITI spearheaded the project. The project is funded by ITI and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, the Department of ECE, and Yellowknife Education District No. 1.

Weledeh’s Yellowknives Dene First Nation elders and cultural resource people guided the project and provided traditional skills and instruction. Youth saw elders who in good humour worked hard all week. They just didn't stop demonstrating and teaching the traditional values.

Recognition goes to them for their commitment and hard work: Judith Charlo, Verna Crapeau, Paul and Adeline Mackenzie of Dettah. Youth workers who really guided the canoe project are Ernest Sangris and Brendan Baillargeon of K'alemi Dene School, Joey Poodlat of École Sir John Franklin, and Jarius Stewart of Yellowknife. Don Gardner of Canmore guided the canoe project, and Barb Cameron of Yellowknife coordinated the traditional skills camp.

Mr. Speaker, may I have consent to continue my statement?

Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Most importantly, this project teaches the youth about the value of staying connected to the land. Maintaining and strengthening traditional Dene life skills is important to keeping their culture strong.

Our elders recognize that with rapid change, industrialization and globalization it is even more important to recognize the significance of vital skills like providing for our own needs in food, clothing, transportation and community spirit. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr.

Bromley. The

honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some 32 years ago, back in 1976, a study was carried out on Site 467, which is approximately 20 kilometres west of Aklavik, below the Willow River.

The study estimates that the site holds some 20 million cubic yards of gravel materials that are fair to good quality and easily accessible. More studies were done by the Government of the Northwest Territories in the late 1980s and again in 2002 by the Gwich'in Land Administration. I think we have enough studies. After 32 years this government still wants to study this site and hold meetings rather than take action to build an access road so that we can develop this massive gravel source and also take the opportunities for the community of Aklavik and the entire region.

I think the access road to Site 467 is a project that fits many of our 16th Assembly goals and priorities,

including sustainable communities and local economic development opportunities that reduce dependency between regions. It is an exceptional project and the sort of project that we should be looking at through the Building Canada Fund.

We've done all the studies, had all the meetings, so all I ask is: let's get on with it. At the appropriate time I will be asking the Premier questions on this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr.

Krutko. The

honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Up until last September the social assistance regulations specifically exempted the value of any monies or goods received in accordance with the Inuvialuit Final Agreement from being clawed back from Income Support clients. This changed last year when payments from the land claim agreements were suddenly reclassified as unearned income. According to regulations any unearned income over $1,200 a year will be clawed back. Clients who receive a dividend cheque from their community corporation can easily go over the $1,200 limit if they receive a GST rebate, federal child benefits or small gifts from relatives.

This change to the regulations is not in keeping with the good spirit and the intent of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. The government specifically exempts payments to the Inuvialuit from taxation by any level of government. Although the government might argue that technically Income Support clawbacks are not taxes, they have the same impact as taxes for those clients who are affected.

Benefits the Inuvialuit receive under the land claim are the result of traditional rights and the final agreement we negotiated in good faith with the Government of Canada. They cannot be put into the same category as gifts or federal programs that all Canadians receive and that can be stopped at any time.

Later today I'll be asking the Minister if he is prepared to honour the spirit of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and reinstate the exemption for any land claim payments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr.

Jacobson. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the greatest things about representing Yellowknife Centre is that I have the honour of representing the residents of Aven Court, Aven Manor and Aven Ridge.

Many of these seniors remain active in the community or have had important contributions in the past to the quality of life in Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories. But we all know that as we get older, it gets harder to do some things. That is why the Aven complex uses ramps instead of stairs, so that residents with mobility problems can get around easily.

I know that there are a number of residents in Aven Court, which is the independent living part of the complex, who have mobility issues and could use some renovations to the units to make it easier for them to maintain their independence. Probably the most important renovation we could do to some of these units would be to put in walk-in tubs for those residents who have mobility issues.

I have spoken with Aven Court and the NWT Housing Corporation, and there is interest and support for such a concept from both of these organizations. If these were private houses owned by seniors, they would be able to access funding under the Housing Corporation to install a walk-in tub, and that would be great.

But when the Department of Health and Social Services was approached, their answer was very clear and simple: no. This concerns me, Mr. Speaker, Does the Department of Health and Social Services not support our seniors? This can't be.

Mobility is a certain reason we have to stand strong and tall to make sure our seniors continue independent living. If not, they'll be put into costly places such as high-cost, long-term care facilities.

I realize that the costs may be seen as very expensive, at $10,000 for the partnership that Health and Social Services would be on hand for, but I think that could be simply justified by helping maintain the independence of those people. The issue really comes to do: does the government support independent living of our seniors?

I think this is a simple partnership that could be worked out between the Housing Corp. and Health and Social Services. In my mind, we can't lose the end result, which certainly always should be in sight, which is that we could help our seniors, save money and give them that quality of life they so richly deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr.

Hawkins. The

honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.