Good afternoon,

colleagues. Welcome back to the House. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, following up

on the Premier’s sessional statement, the 16th Legislative Assembly has a vision that is characterized by the title Northerners Working Together. As legislators,, we have stated that our goal, in part, is a vibrant and flourishing economy that will mean more choices for our people and more opportunities for our businesses. Supporting the growth of the Northwest Territories economy is work that, in large part, falls on the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. This includes supporting the groundwork of that environment in which to advance resource and economic development and maximize opportunities for Northwest Territories residents. Thanks to investment in our diamond industry and oil and gas potential, we have experienced an unprecedented level of economic growth and with it extraordinary opportunities for people and our businesses. In particular, through the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Office, we are supporting the government participation and the development of the Mackenzie Gas Project. The socio-economic agreements that we have negotiated for the Mackenzie Gas Project, like those negotiated with each of the operating diamond mines, will ensure employment, training, procurement and value-added opportunities for Northwest Territories residents and aboriginal corporations. To date, our socio-economic agreements have resulted in significant contributions to the evolution and growth of our Territory’s business sector and are supporting the formation and joint partner

ventures that allow residents to be full participants in our region’s economic activity. We continue to solicit industry investment in the Northwest Territories and while we are working to establish the development climate of clarity, consistency and certainty required to attract exploration and investment, we are also working to protect and sustain the economic capacity that we have built. We want to preserve and maintain the potential that exists in our people, our businesses and our communities. Last fall we introduced a new Support for Entrepreneurs for Economic Development, or SEED, Policy. It is a policy that focuses on the needs of our clients, works more effectively with banks and other partners and incorporates a streamlined and simple approach. We have increased our investment in this policy to a total of $3.2 million this year, just one part of the $23.5 million that will be directed to Northerners and northern businesses and organizations as grants and contributions in support of our economic agenda. The Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation and our Community Futures organizations are also resources that we have funded to ensure the availability of capital for businesses here. Of course we cannot have a healthy business community without people. People empower our businesses and provide the market for goods and services that will create more businesses. We are continuing to invest in ways to attract and retain people to our Territory. The collaborative approach that we have initiated with our Territory’s diamond mines is one framework that has been put in place to develop the skills and capacities of Northwest Territories residents to meet the needs of our industry and attract even more new residents to the Northwest Territories. We will also take advantage of opportunities presented by the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver next year to promote Canada’s North and specifically the Northwest Territories. These initiatives and our Northern Marketing Campaign will ensure the message gets out that the Northwest Territories is a great place to visit, live, work, and invest.

Meanwhile, we are working to balance our government’s efforts to promote sustainable opportunities in the energy, mines, and petroleum resource sectors with initiatives to diversify the economy through tourism, agriculture, commercial fishing, the traditional economy, manufacturing, and secondary industries. In the long run, promoting a diversified economy will provide for greater future stability in all kinds of economic cycles. To this end we are working to develop initiatives and approaches that add value to our business products and services and broaden the knowledge, skills and creativity of our residents. More than any other investment, tourism holds the potential to advance and develop a myriad of jobs, business opportunities, and benefits in just about every corner of our Territory. Our programs and initiatives are helping industry operators invest in new products and market opportunities. We’re enhancing and improving our system of NWT parks and information facilities, investing in the production of traditional arts and fine crafts, branding and promoting the products and creations of our artisan community, and seeking out unique and innovative ways to market the NWT as a tourism destination of choice, one that is in demand by international travelers, Canadians, and Northerners. While the Northwest Territories’ natural beauty is a magnet for tourists, it’s a renewable resource in another sense too. Northern rivers and lakes have the potential to generate not just clean and reliable energy, but opportunities for partnership with aboriginal and community groups to develop this power and infrastructure that comes with it. In support of the government’s work to reduce the cost of living for Northwest Territories residents, we are working to change the way we produce and consume energy in the Northwest Territories. In the long term, these investments will make a critical difference in the cost of living and sustainability of our smaller communities and will reduce emissions. We are also conducting a review of the Northwest Territories electricity system. The Electricity Review Team has now heard residents’ views on electrical rates, regulation, and subsidy programs. This discussion will help us ensure that the electricity system reflects the values of our residents while providing the most reliable power at the most affordable price. The team will release a public discussion report on what they heard from communities within the next month. A final report with recommendations from the review team will be released late summer. The Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee, working with all Members through the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning, will develop a GNWT Response to Recommendations and Implementation Plan, to be released later this fall.

The Northwest Territories is blessed with a tremendous resource base. The Territory has been endowed with an abundance of natural mineral and petroleum resources, and at the same time its natural beauty is unparalleled. These are the Northwest Territories competitive advantages. As we work to advance the vision and goals of the 16th Assembly, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is working to advance these attributes to maximize opportunities for our residents and reduce the cost of living in our Territory.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The

honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker,

as part of the 16th Legislative Assembly’s vision and

priorities, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is responsible for ensuring our environment will sustain present and future generations. The Government of the Northwest Territories has outlined a number of strategic initiatives to ensure residents of the NWT can continue to enjoy a prosperous and sustainable environment. The environment is of great importance to the people of the Northwest Territories. While residents are fortunate to have clean air and water and productive forest, land, and wildlife, pressures exist that must be monitored and mitigated. Climate change, for example, is a growing concern that can significantly disrupt our environment and affect the ability of Northerners to lead healthy and productive lives. Increased human activities, changes to the world economy, and increasing pressures on NWT resources are also affecting the NWT environment. ENR continues to work with partners on protecting territorial waters. Through continued discussion with communities and aboriginal organizations, a draft NWT Water Management Strategy is being developed to define a comprehensive, collaborative approach for the NWT. Recognizing that land and water cannot be separated, ENR has created a land and water unit to integrate our effort in land use planning, protected areas, and water stewardship. ENR continues to support residents, businesses, and communities to reduce energy consumption and implement alternative energy solutions. Conservation programs, direct consumer rebates, and enhanced support for the Arctic Energy Alliance has made the NWT one of the most progressive jurisdictions in Canada in this area. Our Energy Efficiency Incentive Program, for example, provided a total of 763 rebate cheques, creating

$551,000 in energy savings and 1,800 tonnes of CO2 reductions. We are also taking action to develop wind energy resources in the NWT. Plans are underway to have four wind turbines installed and operational in Tuktoyaktuk by the summer of 2011. Twenty percent of Tuktoyaktuk’s annual electricity needs could be met with a four-turbine configuration. The project will save 88,000 litres of diesel per year and will result in a reduction of 247 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions during each year of operation. Monitoring in Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, and Sachs Harbour show that these communities are good candidates for subsequent wind turbine installations. A Biomass Strategy will be prepared to guide increased use of biomass energy in the Northwest Territories. The strategy will, amongst other things, discuss the efficient use of firewood and wood pellets to heat homes and businesses. Over the summer months ENR will also investigate options around creating wood pellets and chips right here in the Northwest Territories, further reducing our reliance on imported oil. ENR is preparing a draft NWT climate change adaptation paper to be released this summer. The adaptation plan proposes new actions to support communities and regions in their efforts to address problems caused by climate change. Consultation with communities and regions will be a key component of this plan. ENR continues to work with its management partners to manage wildlife populations. An NWT Bison Management Strategy was completed and consultations with residents, aboriginal governments, and interested parties are underway. A revised NWT Action Plan for Boreal Caribou is complete and being sent to co-management boards for approval. ENR also worked closely with land claim organizations and wildlife co-management boards to draft the Species at Risk legislation using a collaborative drafting process. The new Wildlife Act will be developed using the same collaborative working group process. To better inform users and to help ensure the environment remains sustainable, the department has developed the first ever State of the Environment Report. This initiative will help keep residents and decision-makers informed on the state of our environment, biodiversity, and natural resources in our Territory. Later this afternoon I will be tabling a copy of the highlights of this document from this report. Finally, the department is continuing to expand its waste reduction and recovery programs. A Paper Products Diversion Initiative has been initiated to

investigate and develop creative solutions for diverting paper products from community landfills. In March 2009, a public awareness campaign was launched to encourage voluntary reduction of single use retail bags and, Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the Beverage Container Program launched in 2005 has diverted almost 82 million beverage containers from our community landfills. These initiatives and others undertaken by ENR help move us towards our mutually agreed upon goals of protecting our water using alternative energy sources, mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our environment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The

honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Speaker, I am very proud to announce the first graduation for our new Corrections Northern Recruitment Training Program. The event will be held on June 5th , at 2:00 p.m., at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre auditorium, and I invite all Members of the Legislative Assembly to attend. This six-week program provides the basic skills Northerners need to be eligible for entry level jobs in our correctional facilities in Hay River, Yellowknife, Fort Smith and Inuvik. It is a big part of our long-term Northern Recruitment Plan. We want to provide more opportunities to northern residents and encourage them to consider careers in our justice system. This maximizes opportunities and strengthens the role of communities in prevention and enforcement, especially in dealing with chronic offenders. In total, 12 aboriginal and long-term residents of our Territory will graduate from the program. They have more than just basic knowledge of how to work in corrections; they truly understand what it’s like to work in NWT communities. They’re uniquely qualified to support the reintegration of our offenders back into their communities. This recruitment program ideally positions these Northerners for employment within the correctional service. We are immediately proceeding with staffing actions to fill existing vacant positions for corrections officers and youth officers. All graduates are eligible and certainly encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will be hired into jobs that will help with projects like the elder wilderness camp near Fort Good Hope, programs for girls at risk in Inuvik, our full-time adult male camp near Fort Smith, and our special Reintegration Program in the South Mackenzie region.

Mr. Speaker, this is an example of our department taking innovative steps to ensure our workforce reflects the people and communities we serve. We’re strengthening awareness of our northern identity and uniqueness, and we’re building partnerships with community leaders. I often meet with community leaders who have great ideas about how to improve reintegration services and want to see more local people working in our corrections system. This program will continue to assist us in finding interested, qualified northern staff. Our recruitment approach is accessible, relevant and enhances our existing programming. It’s truly made in the North for Northerners, and I look forward to meeting the new graduates at the ceremony. Please join me in congratulating them on their achievements. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The

honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, the

Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to increasing the representation of people with disabilities in the public service. The Government of the Northwest Territories Affirmative Action Policy identifies disabled persons as a target group eligible for affirmative action preference. The Standing Committee on Government Operations and Members of this Assembly have also welcomed the Department of Human Resources’ plans to increase the participation of disabled persons within the Government of the Northwest Territories workforce. With this in mind, The Department of Human Resources wants to improve our ability to recruit and retain individuals with disabilities. In order to achieve this goal, the department created the Government of the Northwest Territories Employability Working Group in July 2008. There are nine members of this group, composed of Human Resources staff members. Since its inception, the working group has identified short and long-term priorities based on consultation with stakeholders and has undertaken a number of initiatives. The working group facilitated the visit of a member from the Yukon’s workplace diversity office to Yellowknife in March 2009. The purpose was to explore models from other jurisdictions. Discussions began with the Yukon territorial government. Mr. Jon Breen, manager of the

Yukon’s diversity employment office, met with the working group to discuss the Yukon model. Mr. Breen also delivered sensitivity training workshops to the Department of Human Resources staff and senior management. Disability related issues with recruitment, accommodations and co-worker acceptance were covered in these workshops. As a result, the working group is currently exploring the possibility of further sensitivity training for Government of Northwest Territories staff. The working group has already developed partnerships with various stakeholders and has met with the following groups: • The Northwest Territories Council of Persons

with Disabilities;

•

Yellowknife Association for Community Living;

• Canadian Mental Health Association

(Northwest Territories Branch);

•

Hard of Hearing Association;

•

Taicho Employment Program, part of the Northwest Territories Council of Persons with Disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, the working group also has a designated representative participating on the Disability Steering Committee Partnership. To move things ahead for the Government of Northwest Territories, the working group is examining a number of next steps including setting similar goals to those of the Yukon, and the gathering of baseline data. Sensitivity training and awareness have also been identified as priorities. Longer-term priorities include the development of a recruitment strategy and developing our partnerships further in order to ensure appropriate supports are available for employees with disabilities. Partnerships with non-government organizations will be the key to moving this initiative forward. The Government of the Northwest Territories Employability Working Group is also considering the establishment of a new Northwest Territories Advisory Committee on Disabilities with territorial representatives to explore avenues aimed at increasing the representation of employees in the public service who have disabilities. Members of the committee would be appointed by the deputy minister of Human Resources, upon recommendation of the Deputy Minister Human Resources Committee. The Northwest Territories Advisory Committee on Disabilities would provide advice and make recommendations to the Deputy Minister Human Resources Committee on initiatives that will enhance employment for persons with disabilities within the Government of the Northwest Territories public service. It would work to strengthen relationships with government, non-government

and unions in the areas of human resources management and employment. Finally, the soon to be released human resources document “20/20: A Brilliant North - The NWT Public Service Strategic Plan for the Northwest Territories” will be recommending the creation of a diversity position in the Department of Human Resources which will provide support to the advisory committee. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is an inclusive workplace and it is open for business, and I would like to thank the Members for their ongoing support of this initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod.

Colleagues, before I proceed further on the orders of the day I would like to draw your attention to the public gallery and the presence of a former Member of the House, former Minister, former Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent, is in the House. ---Applause Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague Ms. Bisaro yesterday, rose in the House to talk about our Summer Student Employment Program. Mr. Speaker, I think this is an extremely important undertaking of this government to provide opportunities for our students to come back to the Northwest Territories to work for the summer. We talk about our wonderful Student Financial Assistance Program and, yes, that is there, but, Mr. Speaker, if they can supplement the cost of their higher education by working for this government during the summer, it is very important. Mr. Speaker, I was surprised the other day to open a local newspaper and see an advertisement from the Government of Saskatchewan recruiting students in a northern newspaper to come and work for the Government of Saskatchewan. Obviously, they know that there must be some merit in introducing students from other jurisdictions to their province, and they’re probably thinking ahead, and thinking that if they came there to work for the summer and quite liked the place, they might stand a chance of attracting them back at some future time in their life after their education is completed. Mr. Speaker, I think that any students that we can give jobs to for the summer is very good value for money. We get the work done by these young,

energetic employees; we support them in the pursuit of their higher education goals; they develop connections and relationships in the workplace environment that may lead to future employment prospects for them; and we realize some return of service for SFA investment and earlier education investment. Mr. Speaker, I believe that every returning student who is an indigenous Northerner should be treated as a priority hire by this government. Mr. Speaker, later today I will have questions for the Minister of Human Resources about the hiring policy and I hope, as well, Ms. Bisaro’s questions yesterday about the potential for students being hired on the basis of family connections is something that’s going to be looked into, because I don’t want our government to do anything that could potentially discourage our students from feeling like this is their home. This is where they will belong and they will be treated fairly by this government when seeking employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen.

The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I

want to talk about the road between Fort Resolution and Pine Point. The monies are in the foreseeable future but we don’t know exactly where we are going to be going, so I would like to address the Minister on that issue. The Minister of Transportation is putting infrastructure dollars into the reconstruction of Highway No. 6. Mr. Speaker, the allocation of capital is sufficient to complete about 50 percent of the highway between what used to be Pine Point and Fort Resolution to the chipseal stage. The department is completing work in the most dangerous part of the highway again. I consider that to be an appropriate response by the government. Mr. Speaker, my contention is the government must complete the reconstruction of Highway No. 6 to 100 percent. The government must put additional money into the infrastructure plan at this coming budget year in order to complete the highway 100 percent. The community of Fort Resolution has in the past very little infrastructure from the government and there is very little infrastructure money in the capital plan for the next five years. More infrastructure money would finish the highway 100 percent, making the people of Fort Resolution feel like the government is concerned about their safety and their cost. Mr. Speaker, this is a very unstable highway, especially at night and during bad weather. In addition, vehicles take a real pounding on that

highway and vehicles don’t last as long as they would driving on other highways compared to this highway making it necessary to replace vehicles long before their due time. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation on Highway No. 6. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The

honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Today I would like to speak to you about a concern of my constituents from Wrigley. As you know, Wrigley is situated on the Mackenzie River below the entrance of the Wrigley River. The Mackenzie is very swift flowing. For safety reasons, parents can’t let their children swim in the river and it is also too far a distance from the community to be monitored. Wrigley needs an above-ground swimming pool. The GNWT recognizes the importance of sports and recreation and the lack of activities for youth especially in our smaller communities. Recreational facilities such as an above-ground swimming pool can improve the overall health of the community. Everyone in the community can enjoy the swimming pool for swimming lessons, competitions and/or leisure. Wrigley does not have the ability to finance a pool with their capital formula dollars as there are more pressing needs in the community. The GNWT has programs for building above-ground pools in small communities that goes back 30 years, Mr. Speaker. Just recently, Tulita received a pool from such a program. I urge the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to consider providing Wrigley with an above-ground pool. This will greatly support a more active and healthy lifestyle for youth and residents of the community. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The

honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I

would like to discuss a very sad situation that has come to light about the length of time it has taken for a woman to receive appropriate medical care. The trouble began in December of last year where this individual was experiencing severe migraine headaches. Initially her family doctor thought it was her blood pressure that was the issue. However, she ended up in the emergency ward at Stanton on two separate occasions with severe head pain, where emergency room doctors told her that she

needed to receive a CAT scan as soon as possible. A new family doctor was found, medication prescribed and a CAT scan booked in Edmonton. The CAT scan in Edmonton revealed a brain tumour that obviously needed to be surgically removed. If not removed quickly, that tumour potentially could cause complete blindness. Diagnosis of a brain tumour and a prospect of blindness and brain surgery, as you can imagine, Mr. Speaker, is a very difficult situation for anyone to be put under. The emotional, physical and mental toll it takes on a person is severe. Not only does the individual live with the suffering, her family and loved ones live with watching their mother and wife suffer every day. It has a devastating impact on the family unit. Mr. Speaker, as if this situation was not bad enough, the woman was scheduled to go to Edmonton on May 21st to have surgery to remove

the tumour. Her daughter took unpaid leave to escort her. Her husband took time away from his business at his own expense to be by her side. Another CAT scan was done on the 21st and

surgery was to happen on the 22nd after the CAT

scan. She was advised that the hospital in Edmonton had nothing in their computer regarding surgery. She was told it had been postponed until June. Mr. Speaker, I find it hard to believe that we would subject a woman with a brain tumour, and her family, to the unfathomable position of preparing and being in Edmonton for surgery that doesn’t happen. How is it possible that this can even happen, Mr. Speaker? Why does it take upwards of five months from the discovery of the tumour to have it removed? This should never ever have been allowed to happen, especially to an individual who is already in a fragile emotional, physical and mental state. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The

honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recently in the North there is seen an introduction of yet another airline carrier from the south flying into Yellowknife. Many people call this the milk run, but considering how this impacts the northern part of the Territory, I hardly call it that. The air carriers with two northern presidents serve more communities than only Yellowknife. They serve the entire North and they do it northern style, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that this government balance competition and services all over the North,

but when the two northern air carriers face increasing competition with southern-based carriers, services to the entire North are affected. This government, at the minimum, must monitor and enforce the directives they already have in place so all the government employee and funded organizations use northern-based air carriers. Subcontractors are often excluded from these policies, creating loopholes allowing millions of dollars to leave the North. Subcontractors all over the North working on GNWT projects are using southern-based air carriers to bring in their workers. Secondly, this government must review the policies and procedures or projects they have in place and/or developing; for example, various upgrades to the airline transportation industry. It has not been requested by northern-based air carriers and will allow a result of increased seasonal competition. Lastly, the government must strengthen and support programs such as the BIP, demonstrating support through actions, not just words, to air carriers who are truly committed to the North. Carriers who employ Northerners who contribute to the northern economy and the flights beyond the northern air carrier’s destinations should incorporate northern air carriers as much as possible. What adds insult to injury is the northern carriers have stuck by the North through lean times and we are asked to give some of their already limited space at the airports. Even though these matters are a federal responsibility, the government could take additional steps to work with other governments and agencies to impose conditions on the air carriers in the Territory. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As many

people know, in this era of global warming and an increased personal responsibility for the environment, many people are now purchasing carbon offset credits to offset their personal lifestyle activities that create greenhouse gas emissions. These people in their own way want to be carbon neutral. For example, when a person travels on a jet, the use of the fuel generates carbon-based emissions. A person can neutralize or offset these emissions by purchasing credits through a specially designated or regulated agency. This agency allocates the purchased funds to support renewable and energy efficient programs. As an example, these funds support the establishment of wind

farms in India and Madagascar and micro-hydro plants in Indonesia. The goal in purchasing offsets is to prevent the equal amount of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere. The agency sponsors projects which contribute positively to the reduction of greenhouse gases. These projects are evidently closely monitored. The most carefully scrutinized offsetting projects with the highest standards are called gold standard. People can access credits, Mr. Speaker, through the Arctic Energy Alliance and they can use their portal called the Carbon Neutral North. This will allow a person to direct their contribution to developing countries on specific projects. The only concern I have and the concern that many others have is supporting global projects that are not within our country of Canada. Mr. Speaker, this is a concern of many. I think that when people want to make an environmentally conscious effort to reduce their carbon footprint on their own, we should be encouraging them to purchase carbon offset credits that go to projects here in the North. There is nothing stopping this government from creating a program that could do such a thing here in the North. If anything, we would become more attractive for those trying to do their part to put their efforts and money behind northern activities and support local projects when we talk about things like hydro development in the North. It is time for us to move forward in developing a gold standard northern project here for a reality for our citizens to contribute to. I would like to know from the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources as to what he can do on this initiative to create such a leadership role on this project in Canada. It is only our imagination that’s stopping us from following through on this. We can lead Canada by creating a gold standard project here in the North that people can contribute to help offset carbon emissions.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The

honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The

honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I

want to highlight some concerns about the GNWT process in regards to requests for proposals, or RFPs. Recently an RFP was let for the design-build of the multi-use facility and records centre in Inuvik. This RFP was scheduled to close late afternoon on Friday, March 20th , but less than 24 hours prior to

that deadline the project proponents were advised of a two-week extension. It is an action that hardly seems fair. By that time any well-prepared applicants would have been close to finishing their proposal, would have already invested much time and money in that effort. The government’s own documents and communications to me about RFPs admit that it is unusual to issue an addendum or a change to an RFP within five days prior to closing date. Also in response to my enquiries about this particular

extension, the government states, and I have to agree, that the extension was done within allowable parameters. Yes, there are no guidelines and policies to prevent such an extension from taking place. The department has the right to do this. It’s not prohibited by regulation or policy. But I question this gap or lack of policy. There should be guidelines in place; guidelines which are communicated to all RFP proponents in advance, to provide fairness and full transparency to our RFP process. After checking into Public Works and Services RFP documents, I can find no reference to extensions of an RFP deadline or any stated reasons for such an extension. We need to make the RFP process as clear and open as possible for everyone. RFP documents need to include information on possible extensions, to include the policies and guidelines that relate to the why and the when of any changes. This process needs to be kept unbiased and neutral. We need to make sure that all parties know the rules of the guidelines up front, at the start of any process. Any special arrangements that must be made should be made at the start of the project, not once the project is underway. In conclusion, a reconsideration of the RFP process and our current practice in regards to changes to RFPs is needed and I will have questions for the Minister of Public Works and Services later on.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The

honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The

Premier explained how he has involved himself in closed door discussions on our future constitutional development with an exclusive gathering of people mysteriously funded. I’d like to offer my view towards involving all the people of the NWT in an open, inclusive, public, and transparent process to develop new and effective governance for all the people of the NWT. First, the process has to be carried out not at a remote wilderness retreat, but across the NWT in a way that values public participation. There should be special efforts to involve the diverse peoples of the NWT with the involvement of youth and elders. I don’t think there were any representatives of aboriginal governments at the table at Blachford Lake. It is essential that the effort be based upon recognition of the special status and rights of aboriginal peoples of the NWT. I believe the people who gathered at Blachford Lake were almost entirely men; just as too many of our forums are. Our democratic process must consider and recognize the value of gender balance

and how the promotion of equal participation by women and men can be promoted in our future government structures. The vision of a politically, socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable future must guide our formation of new government. The NWT is still a largely natural area where its residents have an unparalleled opportunity to develop and implement ecologically sustainable communities with the opportunity for every citizen to strive for their full potential. We must focus on identifying a path that we can follow together, recognizing and accommodating our individual and cultural uniqueness, but subscribing to a group effort toward common goals. Finally, new discussions to further our political maturity must recognize and draw on the previous work done by the Western Constitutional Forum, the Bourque Commission, and similar bodies. A lot of time, money, and good faith of people who participated in previous processes have already gone into this work. Let’s begin by recognizing the value and teachings in this work and use this as a basis to bring our people together for fruitful discussions. Echoing Minister McLeod: Let’s get Northerners working together.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The

honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The

Sahtu Dene and Metis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement came into effect in June of 1994. Although in many ways my constituents celebrate this major achievement, we still have reasons to be angry. We celebrate the fact that much of the land in the area is clearly owned in law by the Dene and the Metis. We celebrate the fact that ours is the first land claim in Canadian history where two aboriginal peoples, the Dene and the Metis, came together in one land claim. However, we get angry about how the Government of Canada and industry don’t get it. They don’t understand our rights. Maybe they just don’t care. They just don’t understand that we are the landowners. They need to respect our rights, plain and simple. Our people have successfully claimed legal ownership to a lot of the land in the Sahtu Settlement Area and our rights cannot be ignored. Yet, too often when industry and the federal government undertake activities on our land, they ignore their duty to consult. They need to consult with our people and the Sahtu leadership on what they are planning to do and they need to give our

people the time to understand the impact of the activities. This is the Law of Canada, as several recent decisions in the Supreme Court of Canada have said. I have suggested that in addition to the duty to consult, there is an obligation to consult. This is a demonstration to respect. It shows respect for our people. It recognizes that we exist. It also acknowledges that we have rights. This moral obligation to consult extends to all the lands of the Sahtu region, whether they are on Sahtu settlement area lands or not. We can only trust the federal government if they demonstrate respect for the Sahtu people as historical landowners. We were on this land long before the Government of Canada came into being, long before any oil and gas companies. Encana did some work on our land this past winter where our rights were ignored. We were not consulted. The federal government seemed to think that no consultation was necessary because the activities were allowed under an old permit, four years old. The leaders of the Sahtu say that this is no way of thinking. If you want to access our right, show us respect and we will understand.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The

honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d

like to talk about the effects of climate change and the effects on our communities; especially the community of Tsiigehtchic, who have seen, over the last couple of years, some major erosion by way of ground movement. The church in Tsiigehtchic, which is usually a poster of the community, and more importantly the threat to its local gravesite. Now the residents of Tsiigehtchic are stating that their homes are now being threatened by movement of the ground. Tsiigehtchic sits on a hill and now we are seeing the ground starting to move. Also a lot of the construction of our houses were built on permafrost. With the global warming and the effects that we’re seeing by way of erosion and ground movement is a direct implication of climate change. I noted the Minister of Environment in his highlights stated that there is a draft NWT Climate Change Adaption Plan they are hoping to release in the near future to address problems concerning climate change. It’s too late. It’s already here. We’re already seeing the effects in our communities. We are seeing the effects on our highways. More importantly, our communities are now being threatened.

In an in-depth report which was done on the impacts of climate change, the estimate is $400 million in regards to the effects it will have on the public infrastructure throughout the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut. I think as a government we have to realize that we are already seeing the effects, especially in the community of Tsiigehtchic where people are now asking the Housing Corporation for assistance to possibly move their homes away from the banks, away from where the areas are being eroded, but, more importantly, to deliver programs and services within this government which can assist people when this threat is occurring. I think it’s important that government not only looks at putting out a plan, but make clear changes to the programs and services that we do deliver such as the program which was delivered a number of years ago because of the threats of public infrastructure in Inuvik in regard to pilings. I think we have to start looking at those type of programs and services regarding programs delivered by the department, Housing Corporation, or other programs and services to combat this problem, which is real, which is affecting communities and residents of the Northwest Territories. With that I will be asking the Minister of Housing questions on this matter later.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, today I want

to share with Members the successes of a young group of talented athletes: the Yellowknife Bantam Wolfpack hockey team. ---Applause These young 13 and 14-year-old athletes have accomplished some very significant results for sport in the North, results that we should all be proud of. During this past season the team captured an amazing six tournament titles and in doing so, they captured two consecutive Alberta tournaments during the Christmas break. They won the Northern Bantam AA Challenge hosted by Whitehorse and the A Team Lloydminster Invitational Tournament. Locally these boys also won the midget tournament, playing against athletes up to four years older than themselves, and they finished second in the men’s Easter tournament, and along the way defeated the honourable Premier’s team. I am sure Premier Roland can confirm to the speed and skills of these boys. The determination of this team to be the best and play the best was displayed when the team hosted

the Arctic Showdown, which included top teams from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. In this tournament the team went undefeated in the round robin and defeated Canada’s number one and most historical hockey school, Notre Dame. ---Applause Unfortunately, the team lost to the Hounds in the most exciting final game. Last week the team competed in a major California tournament. Parents of the opposing San Diego team were so impressed they sent along compliments. I’d like to read an excerpt from one of the compliments received. “I have watched my son play many teams over the past seven years. Some very classy and some not very classy teams. However, the Yellowknife team was the classiest team I have ever seen. They had class on and off the ice. Their kindness was refreshing and heart-warming.” The Wolfpack team has an amazing record of nearly 50 wins and only three losses in regulation time. However, it is the dedication, team play, and sportsmanship that these young men have brought to the game that I am so proud to share. As one Yellowknife fan was quoted as saying in the local newspaper, “every Bantam Wolfpack player is my hero.” I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement. ---Unanimous consent granted.

The Wolfpack team

captured the hearts of many and succeeded through a dedication to improve and a desire to succeed. They have been great ambassadors for the North. Later, at the appropriate time, I will be recognizing many of the members of the Wolfpack team in the gallery.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 4,

returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr.

Speaker. It is with great privilege to recognize the corrections grads I spoke of earlier. I’d like to highlight their names, because I think it’s important to highlight: Nicole Bonnetrouge, Gregory Bradford, Nora Doig, Ivan Gloden, Michael Henry, Nathan Kogiak, Alan Kopec, Laura McLeod, Kyle Pond, Matthew Simms, Linda Thiel, Steven Underhay, and Gordon Villeneuve. Welcome. I’d also like to recognize a special guest that’s here with us, Ms. Chantal Alarie. She’s the national coordinator for the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie. Also, our staff from ECE, Benoit Boutin, senior advisor French language

services. Ms. Alarie is here in YK as part of the planning activity for the Ministerial Conference on the Canadian Francophonie to be hosted in Yellowknife in June 2010. Looking forward to that.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The

honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

It’s my honour today to be able to

recognize some of the very accomplished Wolfpack team members who happen to be constituents of my riding. I haven’t got all the names, so I’m going to recognize the Dent family, the Miller family, and the Nilson family. If I missed anybody, my huge apologies.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The

honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

I’d like to recognize some

members of the Yellowknife Wolfpack hockey team and their parents. I’ll start with Tyler Dent, Tye Hand, Keegan Hnatiw, Storm Hubert, Reggie Kaip, Ryan McCauley, Aaron McDonald, Matthew Miller, Kent Nilson, Fraser Oliver, Joss Round, Jacob Schofield, Cody Villebrun, Colby Wallace, their coach Clem Hand, manager Marlene Nielsen, and the parents: Charles Dent, Clem and Shannon Hand, Marlene Hnatiw, Gary Hubert, Bill and Lizette Kaip, Evan McCauley, Ken and Maureen Miller, Marlene Nielsen, Jeff and Coralee Round, Kim Schofield, Lorna Villebrun, Stewart Wallace; all members of the Yellowknife Wolfpack. I also wanted to recognize Ter Hamer and Julianne Hamer. Ter was one of the original proponents of the Deh Cho Bridge, now living in Peace River. Also, my Yellowknife South constituent, Matthew Simms.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The

honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

I’d like to begin by recognizing

Chief Edward Sangris of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Also, we’ve been talking a lot about official languages in the last few days. I’d like to recognize the students from the Language Skills for Newcomers to Canada Program at Aurora College, who have come to the Chamber today with their instructor Lynne Zentner. These students now have permanent residency status in Canada and are working hard to improve their English language skills. They are Hiroko Matsuo, Julieta Baziyan, Melanya Grigoryan-- sorry, Melanya -- Natasha Salodkina, Suchitra Yadev and, finally, Rama Pakhrel.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The

honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

I’d like to, as well,

recognize from the Akaitcho region Chief Ed

Sangris, as well as the president of the NWT Metis Nation, Betty Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The

honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Today I’d like to recognize one

of my good friends Mr. Ivan Gloden.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The

honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

I, as well,

would like to recognize Betty Villebrun, president of the Northwest Territories Metis Nation; one of the executive board members from Fort Smith, Mr. Ken Hudson; as well as Gord Villeneuve from Fort Smith. Welcome to the Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The

honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Sometimes members in the

gallery get many recognitions. I’d like to recognize Mr. Gordie Villeneuve, a long time friend, and congrats on your success with your Corrections course. He’s the owner of TJ’s in Fort Simpson. Welcome to the gallery.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The

honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

I’d like to, as well, welcome the

Wolfpack hockey team that are with us this afternoon. In particular I’ve got a couple of constituents, Mr. Evan McCauley and Ryan McCauley. Welcome. Also to the Corrections grads, welcome. I know I’ve got a constituent up there, Nathan Kogiak. Welcome to Nathan. As well, it’s nice to see Chief Sangris here in the audience as well. To everybody else, welcome to the Assembly. I don’t have any questions for Mr. Dent today. Thank you. ---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The

honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

I’d like to recognize Nicole

Bonnetrouge to the family, I mean, member now. I congratulate her on her training course. Also Nora Doig. I also recognize two leaders, Chief Sangris and Mrs. Betty Villebrun, and Mr. Hudson, to the Assembly. And also a former colleague, Mr. Charles Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. Always nice to have an audience in here. Item 6,

acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like

to ask the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs in terms of the issues that I talked about earlier with the consultation issue we seem to have with the federal government and industry, especially Encana. I want to ask the Minister if he’s willing to meet with Chief Frank Andrew and the other Sahtu leaders in terms of a discussion on this crucial issue in terms of consultation with the federal government.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The

honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I’ve committed to meet with aboriginal leaders across the Territories three times per year and then once with the regional leadership and the chiefs of the region. In this case, we are prepared to sit down and have a discussion around consultation. It is also an area of work that we at Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations have been working on.

In terms of meeting with the

aboriginal leaders, I asked if the Premier, the Minister can commit to meet with Chief Frank Andrew of the Sahtu Tribal Council and some other leaders in the Sahtu to discuss with him some pretty tough, sensitive issues around the federal government’s moral obligation to consult with aboriginal owners, especially when they went through a trapper’s cabin and they damaged some traps on that line. Would the Premier or Minister commit to meeting with the grand chief to have some discussions on how they can get the federal government to understand the term “consultation”?

As I had stated, we are

prepared to work with Chief Andrew to have that discussion. It would fit well with the work we’re trying to do on consultation as well. Yes, we’d be prepared to arrange a suitable time.

Can the Minister also look at

providing the leadership in terms of this government’s definition of what they mean in terms of consultation? I know this is an issue that is quite sensitive. It angers a lot of people in my community in terms of the federal government’s attitude in the way they came right onto Sahtu Dene-Metis land without talking to our people. Would the Minister commit to providing some of the GNWT’s terms of what they mean in terms of consultation?

Gladly we’d share the

work that we have done in that area of consultation. Again, at a mutual time that we can get together

and share the work that we have done. In our position, I think, this is an example that shows how we need to as Northerners gain control over what decisions are made in the North.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final

supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I

appreciate the assistance from the Minister. I’d ask if the Premier would, once he meets with the grand chief in the Sahtu, draft a strong letter to Prime Minister Harper regarding the federal government’s ignorance and attitude in terms of coming onto Sahtu Dene-Metis land without talking to the trappers, without talking to anybody in Tulita in terms of what they have done in the past winter. Can the Premier show his support to the people in the Sahtu region through this type of letter?

First we’ll need to sit

down with the chief and leadership within the Sahtu area and within Tulita. At that point we’ll be able to decide what action is the best action to take in a common effort.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The

honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The

Minister of Health and Social Services spoke yesterday on the new recruitment and retention website that was launched yesterday at a media briefing. At least half of it was. The practicenorth.ca website was developed, the Minister said, at a cost of $110,000, contains the most modern on-line marketing features for attracting applicants to our health care positions, however, I don’t see the promised other half of the health care staffing equation -- retention -- on the website. Could the Minister tell us the average length of service of a health care professional employed by the GNWT, perhaps by category of professionals, doctors, nurses, technicians, and perhaps compare that to the average for the GNWT as a whole?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That

would require some time to compile and collaborate, so I will undertake to get that information for the Member. I could tell the Member, though, that I have attended many long-term service awards ceremonies for Stanton and Yellowknife health authorities anyway, and we have anywhere...We have lots of health care professionals who have made the North their home; 20, even 30 years, of working. So we will have to see what the average is and the highs and lows,

perhaps. I mean, the shortest and longest years of service. Thank you.

I agree there are some long-

serving employees out there and we certainly appreciate them. They bring that experience to the job. But I sort of have the impression, as do others I know, that there’s quite a turnover in our health care professionals and retention is a huge part of that equation. It sort of becomes a catch and release program, if you will. You know, we attract them and they stay for a couple of years, advance their careers and on they go. What is on the website about retention and if it’s not there, other than a pin every few years, what is the Minister planning, or what’s in place to actually help retain these employees, these valuable employees? Thank you.

The information I have is that,

on average, our public service has about eight years. Health and Social Services has average service years of about 10 years. Obviously, I need a breakdown of health care professionals. I think the Member is interested in, probably, social workers, nurses and physicians. I’ve just had a meeting with physicians, who are specialists, who have spent 18, 20 years practicing here. So I think it’s really hard to generalize. I do take the Member’s point that this website is supposed to be recruitment and retention, and I will undertake to get the Member more information. I think, in terms of the innovation and the creativity of this idea, it is a good thing that we have launched yesterday. Thank you.

I appreciate those comments

from the Minister. I know a lot of people that tell me that every time they go to see a physician -- which may not be frequently, but it might be a couple times a year -- it’s a new physician. I’m sure the Minister is familiar with that situation. This is, to me, an opportunity and with that information in hand, I suspect that we could actually develop programs directed towards retaining the categories that need that sort of program. When can we expect that the Minister will focus that attention and start actually retaining some of these highly qualified and great people that we do attract? Thank you.

That might be, perhaps, the

perception out there, but I think we are lucky to have lots of doctors, nurses and social workers that we have in the North. Mr. Speaker, I know there are challenges in some of our regional centres where we don’t have permanent doctors anymore. There are lots of parts of the country where it is really hard to, anymore, have a family doctor. Not everybody can now say that I have a family doctor and he or she has been my family doctor for 10, 20 years. I know some Yellowknifers have that, but that is becoming more and more rare.

I think the way to retain our doctors and nurses is a lot of things beyond having a nice website. A website is one thing, but having a competitive package, creating a very good working environment and making people feel that they are welcome and that they are supported. That is always the short-term, mid-term and long-term strategy in retaining our staff, and I believe we are doing that. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final

supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of

course, I’m just using the Minister’s own words, recruitment and retention website, looking for the other 50 percent. I’m sure she will not deny that this has been a continual problem retaining health care workers and we can all point at individuals who have been here for a long time, most of their lives, or almost their entire lives. I guess, with data in hand, we can actually start to answer those questions. I’ll look forward to that response. Will the Minister ensure that the other 50 percent of the website gets on there soon and that we start working to retain our workers? Presumably with $110,000, we have some work done on that already. Thank you.

I am aware that Stanton

Territorial Health Authority, which is one of the biggest, has just completed a Human Resource Management Plan. Minister McLeod is releasing the Human Resource Plan for the entire government and, as the Member knows, many of our health care professionals are employees of the government. I do believe that all of the authorities...and we are working in that area. So I just want to make sure that the Member understands that just because it’s not one that we flagged at the website, it doesn’t mean that we are not engaged in this recruiting and retaining of our health care professionals on a daily basis and as part of our work every day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The

honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In my Member’s statement today, Mr. Speaker, I talked about the Summer Student Employment Program by the GNWT. I’d like to ask the Minister of Human Resources a few questions about that program. What is the process whereby the government determines the level of engagement or employment they will have available for summer students? Is it driven by departments’ requests or is a number set as a goal for the summer? How does that process work? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen.

The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Generally, the way the process works is early on in the year, usually February or March, we meet with departments to start planning for the summer and we make representations to the departments to identify summer student positions. Generally, our goal is to try to achieve previous years’ targets. As I’ve indicated in the past, our best years were probably about five or six years ago when we hired about 315 summer students. On average, the last few years we’ve averaged about 282 students on a summer basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, does the

Minister know roughly how 282 placements of summer students would compare with the number of summer students who registered looking for employment with the Government of the Northwest Territories?

Last year we had

approximately 580 summer students apply. This year I think we’re up to about 625 summer students that have applied. Thank you.

Thank you. Once the

students take that opportunity to register their resumes and their interest in summer work with the Government of the Northwest Territories, does the Government of the Northwest Territories make that database or that inventory of people looking, do they make that available to any other employers in the private sector, for example? Thank you.

In the past we made it

available to the federal government career office. I don’t think that’s working anymore. We also have programs where we top up or make assistance available to the private sector to hire summer students. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final

supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons I raise this line of questioning today is in response to some constituents who have raised concerns about fairness and transparency in the hiring process, and Ms. Bisaro mentioned it yesterday too. I mean, I hope that...I mean, people who are, you know, the children of deputy ministers and senior management of the government are entitled to student employment with the GNWT as well; however, if they’re working directly for one of their parents, of course, that’s something that I think needs looking into. However, one of the situations that I heard of in Hay River is that when a certain government department went to the summer employment office to get students, the only names that were sent over

to them to choose from were the P1 students. I’d like to ask the Minister if he believes that the Affirmative Action Policy must apply for summer students who are not going to be necessarily forming a long-term representation...I mean, the affirmative action is to have a representative workforce. Does the Minister feel that only P1 students’ names should be sent out initially to those departments seeking summer students? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I

must say, we’re very concerned about some of the allegations that are being made about practices not being followed in the hiring of summer students. Certainly, it’s casting some serious aspersions on our civil service and we don’t take these allegations lightly. In the hiring of summer students, our affirmative action policies apply, but historically we’ve been challenged to hire more than 30 percent affirmative action P1 summer students and the statistics this year bear that out as well. We encourage and we require the Affirmative Action Policy to be applied and when we send out information, we make the whole database available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The

honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr.

Speaker, my question is in regard to the community of Tsiigehtchic and residents’ homes being threatened by melting permafrost and, more importantly, land that’s starting to move. Because Tsiigehtchic is built on a hill and, apparently, the houses along the edge, along the river, along the bank, are now noticing cracks in the ground and, more importantly, their homes are now shifting where they’re seeing a lot of cracks in the walls of their units. Mr. Speaker, in regard to an individual, Mr. Cardinal, who did have someone from the Housing Corporation investigate and look at his house, said that the recommendation will be to move this individual to another location. I’d like to ask the Minister of Housing exactly what programs are available to people in these types of conditions where we’re seeing that the threat by way of climate change and movement of the ground and whatnot of the homes is affecting the structure of that unit. I’d like to ask the Minister: Does he have any programs to assist people in this matter and also what’s the status on Mr. Cardinal’s request for assistance?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The

honourable Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m reluctant to talk about an individual’s application in public. We certainly can talk to the Member and the individual that has been flagged as having concern about the circumstances. As to the second question that he asked as part of this, there are programs within our department, under our housing initiatives, that are targeted towards repairs and it certainly deals with health and safety issues and also deals with structural soundness. Those areas of criteria are part of the consideration and a house in that community would certainly qualify, providing they meet the rest of the criteria. I would also add that there are other communities with soil erosion, and that’s something that subdivisions fall under the municipal government’s responsibility and that also has some responsibility through MACA. So we have and will bring this forward to MACA for a look at how they could work with the community. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, again, I’d like to ask

the Minister, realizing that this problem is pretty apparent. It’s happening. It’s in the communities. We’re seeing it throughout the Arctic communities. Also, we’re seeing it because of the climate that is changing; it’s getting warmer. We’re seeing more precipitation by rain and it is affecting the foundations in our communities. I’d like to ask the Minister again: At one point there was a program to enhance the piling program, especially in light of the infrastructure challenges we’re seeing in the Inuvik region, but now this is even worse than that because even the units that are on piles are now seeing the ground moving on those units. I’d like to ask the Minister again: Can you consider looking at a program similar to the piling program to assist these people -- the majority of those people have homes that they have received through the Housing Corporation -- to either move their units or find ways of sounding up their units so they are safe and they are secure in regard to these challenges they are facing today at no fault of their own? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t

believe the NWT Housing Corporation was involved in the program for fixing the situation with the piles and the ones that were identified in the Beaufort-Delta for replacement. This is an issue that has been flagged. We do have programs that can address it. The programs we have are application-based and if there are any individuals in the Member’s community that would like to apply, we’d

certainly have our regional staff talk to them. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, just to remind the

Member, there was such a program in the housing programs that were delivered in the past. You reframe it your program, but the program is still there. I’d just like to ask the Minister: In light of people from the department going into the communities, inspecting houses because of this problem, are you aware of any other houses in the Mackenzie Delta region that are having the same problem?

Mr. Speaker, we did

and continue to do a number of repairs on the piles. There are other communities that have challenges in terms of soil erosion. Most of the communities are trying to deal through MACA to rectify the situation and our focus, of course, is our public housing stock. I certainly can talk to the other departments to see if there are any other communities that are facing the seriousness of the challenges that Tsiigehtchic is facing and provide that information to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final

supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr.

Speaker, in regard to the urgency of this matter, I’d like to ask the Minister if he can move this up so that we could try to resolve it before this summer and, hopefully, get an answer sooner rather than later. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can try to find way of moving on this matter in regard to the residents of Tsiigehtchic and, more importantly, the community of Tsiigehtchic in regard to the threat that they’re under. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the

Housing Corporation is aware of the situation. The Member has raised it. Several individuals in the community have raised it. Some have provided and formally submitted applications. There is some consideration for those applicants and I can certainly share that information in confidence to the Member as things develop. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The

honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My

questions today are addressed to the Minister for Public Works and Services. I have commented in my Member’s statement and suggested that no guidelines exist for request for proposal changes. I’d like to start off with an easy question to the Minister and ask him whether or not he can confirm that my understanding is correct. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The

honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a lot of rules around requests for proposals, we have a lot of rules around the tendering process and sole-source contracting, and I would be pleased to provide that to the Member if she would like. Thank you.

I would thank the Minister for the

offer but I don’t really need those rules and regulations. I did ask whether or not there are any guidelines in regard to changes. I accept that changes may be necessary at certain times and I guess my question to the Minister is why the documents that go to request for proposal proponents do not contain guidelines or indications that changes may be necessary and what circumstances a change such as an extension of a closing date would be necessary. Why is that not included with the documentation that goes to our RFP proponents? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, at the

time of providing the information and the drafters that put the information that we felt necessary for the people that were bidding, it wasn’t deemed necessary that we indicate that there is discretion that can be used to extend deadlines. I think, overall, if it makes sense to try to encourage people to meet what we’re establishing as a goal to have more people bidding on contracts...We certainly can provide it. It wasn’t warranted as something that we felt was necessary at the time. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for the

explanation. I do feel, though, that the Minister knows, and I think most proponents know, that changes are often necessary and whether or not an individual project requires an explanation that a change might occur, I think the tender document, the RFP documents, as a matter of course, should include anything, any sort of indication that changes may occur and under what circumstances they should occur. As I stated, I think we have to be clear and we have to be open about our process. We have to be able to have proponents know what is going on. Many proponents, by the time an extension comes along, have spent considerable time and money on their project. I would like to ask again, to the Minister, what exists in our current documents that will make it clear to proponents that changes may occur and under what circumstances those changes would occur. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t

believe there is a list of circumstances at which the closing dates can be extended. I would have to go back and verify that it is clearly demonstrated that there is an allowance for extending and changing and making addendums to contracts. I would have

to confirm and follow that up with my officials. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final

supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to

the Minister for committing that he is going to go back and look at this. I called for reconsideration of the RFP process and possible changes to the process and a reconsideration of the practices that PWS currently uses for RFPs. I would like to ask whether or not this is something the Minister could commit to. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we

certainly can reconsider. We are always looking for ways to improve our process. In this government, we are looking as part of our goals a way to promote and increase our competition on our tenders. Sometimes what makes sense is not really fully incorporated in our contract documents. I would be pleased to take another look at it and reconsider what we provide and how we provide it. Any input from the Member would be appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The

honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My

questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It gets back to my Member’s statement where I was discussing an issue that has come up with an individual who was diagnosed with a brain tumour, was awaiting surgery in Edmonton for upwards of four months, was scheduled to go down to Edmonton and receive that surgery last week, got down to Edmonton with her daughter, with her husband, and no surgery. As you can imagine, the individual is quite upset about how this happened and why it happened. Her new surgery is not scheduled now until sometime next week. The first question I have for the Minister and the Minister has known about this case for some time. I would like to ask the Minister if she actually did any intervention and the fact that it was taking so long to get this individual out for surgery in Edmonton. That is the first question, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The

honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.