This is page numbers 3073 - 3114 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was languages.

Topics

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

It’s a pleasure to recognize the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, Sarah Jerome, from the home community of Fort McPherson. You make us all proud with your

appointment. I wish you all the best and look forward to working with you. Mahsi.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I also would like to welcome constituents from the Sahtu. Jane Modeste-Goulet from Deline and Betty Modeste from Deline. Also, Crystal and Savannah Vandermere from Deline. Also like to recognize an old classmate from Samuel Hearne High School, Cathy Cockney.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. Always a pleasure to have an audience in here. With that, colleagues, the chair is going to call a short break and invite everybody out to the Great Hall for a reception.

---SHORT RECESS

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

We’ll return to orders of the day. Item 7, acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge the recent and untimely death of one my constituents, Mr. Gerry Pye. Mr. Pye was a born and bred Newfoundlander who moved north in 1984. He was an active and giving resident of Yellowknife for 25 years, an accomplished musician who entertained residents at the Salvation Army, the Baker Centre, Avon Manor and he was a collector of classic cars. I extend my condolences and the condolences of this House to the many members of Mr. Pye’s family.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 3 on the Order Paper. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

We will return to item 3. Mr. Ramsay.

Promotion Of The NWT
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about the government’s effort to promote the Northwest Territories in attracting both people and investment. I have been very

encouraged that the government has been making an effort at self-promotion. I believe that the Minister of ITI, Minister Bob McLeod, fully understands the importance of promoting our Territory.

I want to thank him for his clever speech at the recent Meet the North conference in Edmonton. I was unable to be there in person, but have had the chance to read the speech and subsequent press release that detailed the top 10 reasons to live in the Northwest Territories.

Here in the Northwest Territories we are blessed with natural wonders like the Nahanni National Park, Great Bear and Great Slave lakes, the mighty Mackenzie River, the pingos and Aurora Borealis. Our resource potential is immense. The NWT still is the land of opportunity and is available to those who are seeking out that opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, our greatest and most valuable resource continues to be our people. The people of the Northwest Territories are what makes living in this Territory so unique and such a pleasurable experience. The sense of community is something you just don’t get in southern Canada. The Northwest Territories is full of unique residents all with their own story.

If we, as a government, are going to be successful at attracting new residents here, we need to come up with a marketing strategy that includes our residents and their stories. We need to take advantage of the exposure of shows like Ice Road Truckers has given us. Testimonials from our residents will resonate with persons in the South who are contemplating relocation.

The economic hardship currently being faced by residents in southern Canada should be seen by our government as an opportunity for us to showcase our people, our Territory and our opportunities to those folks.

My family moved north from New Brunswick when I was a young boy and for our family it was the best move my parents could have ever made. And if you ask anyone who has moved away -- and many do move back -- what they miss the most about the North is the people.

So going forward we need to showcase our people, our greatest resource. I believe we need to get moving on a national marketing campaign, especially in hard-hit provinces like Ontario and Alberta, that will show people in southern Canada that opportunities are present here.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Promotion Of The NWT
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Now is the time to get to work at attracting people here. The Minister of Finance spoke earlier today of the importance of keeping

people here. That was clearly stated in his financial update. People mean money, in terms of our formula financing payments from Ottawa. With revenues trending downward I couldn’t agree with Mr. Miltenberger more, that we had better start looking at opportunities and ways to address this issue.

Promotion Of The NWT
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Midwifery Services In The NWT
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today to a concern expressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services last month by several of my constituents. At least two families in my riding have recently used the services of Yellowknife’s one and only midwife. While they were very pleased with both the birthing options available to them and the services provided by the midwife, they are extremely concerned for the long-term survival and sustainability of this program in this the NWT’s largest community.

In October 2005 the GNWT provided funds to Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority to begin midwifery services in Yellowknife. When announcing the new program in 2005 the Health Minister promised funding to expand the program from one to two midwives. Four years later the program still operates with just one midwife and it has created a lack of access to midwifery services in this community.

In just the last year, 25 women were refused service due to the workload constraints of the solitary Yellowknife midwife. Due to the nature of midwifery work, a midwife program must provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week on-call services for their clients. It’s unreasonable to think that such a program can operate with only one staff member and not cause staff burn out. In Fort Smith the midwifery program has been a successful operation for some time now, but in contrast to the Yellowknife program Fort Smith has two midwives, not one.

The Department of Health and Social Services must recognize that the Yellowknife midwifery program needs more staff in order to keep operating. The NWT program is highly regarded by other medical personnel, by the local Health and Social Services authorities and by the clients who use it. The NWT is currently at the forefront of midwife services in Canada. Is this government prepared to take steps to keep us there?

Midwifery Services In The NWT
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Use Of Residual Heat
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Despite commitments to the contrary, we are wasting the residual heat produced by our diesel power generating stations. Eleven years ago the GNWT and the NWT Power Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of a residual heat distribution system. The news release issued to announce the MOU made some remarkable claims. They said that Public Works and Services and NTPC have been working since 1997 to develop concepts and systems to capture the residual heat from generating stations and use it to heat buildings. It said that benefits from the work could include new revenues for the Power Corporation and that, as a result of the work, customers could save as much as 30 percent in heating costs in as many as 30 communities. That was a brave new world in 1998.

Also at that time, a Gwich’in Development Corporation and NTPC venture had already started this kind of operation using so-called waste heat to heat six buildings, including the school, arena and water treatment plant. Since the release, Whati has become the second and presumably only other NWT community to use the heat that other plants filter away.

They don’t call it waste heat for nothing. In the Nordic countries we just visited in search of renewable energy opportunities, it is against the law to waste the heat produced by power generation. Every winter day I go by the Jackfish Lake diesel plant I see a hockey rink sized hole melted from the ice. This same waste of energy is happening every day across the NWT while our businesses and residents suffer with rising heat and power costs.

These substantial and potential savings have been officially waiting for at least 11 years. While European countries have made it illegal to throw away heat, we import oil from Korea and pump about half of its energy out of our NWT diesel plants into the air, wasted.

With the current review of electricity regulation, rates and subsidies now underway, I ask what mandatory measures and deadlines can be implemented to stop this waste before yet another decade goes by. Neither we nor our residents can afford to throw away any more heat or money, and until we can get off diesel we should at least exact the highest price from our production of greenhouse gases. Mahsi.

Use Of Residual Heat
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Cell Phone Service In NWT Communities
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In most communities, I heard the discussion yesterday in the House in regard to 911 service in the communities of Yellowknife and six other communities. But I would also like to state that the communities in the Northwest Territories are still waiting for cell phone service.

The Yukon government made a political decision to ensure cell phone services to every community in the Yukon a couple of years ago, in conjunction with a private sector proposal that they received from NorthwesTel and a joint venture company.

I know that the 15th Assembly put out a request for

proposal to look at a similar arrangement in the Northwest Territories, but to date we haven’t seen any progress. I believe that communications in our communities, around our communities, and on the land can be accessed through cell phone service, especially on our highway systems where, more importantly, we don’t have any services it’s critical that we have that communication link wherever possible.

I think it’s very important that this government takes another look at the request for proposals, say exactly what the solicitors provided and, more importantly, act on that recommendation. If the Yukon can do it, can provide cell phone services to the community of Old Crow, I don’t see why this government cannot provide the same service to the other 23 communities throughout the Northwest Territories so we also can have cell phone services like most of the regional centres.

Cell Phone Service In NWT Communities
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Dads North Association
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the greatest extent possible, families deserve equal and shared parenting rights after divorce and family arrangements that do not create undue trauma or hardship. Ultimately it’s the children who suffer most from a broken home, court battles, and bitterness surrounding separation and divorce. There’s a well-known adage that a father is a boy’s first hero and the first man a girl loves. Fathers are prime components in a family’s life. We must remember that a parent’s attitude and behaviour are the greatest influence in children’s lives.

Today I’d like to draw your attention to a new organization in the Northwest Territories. The Dads North Association was formed in December 2008 to empower individuals to establish and maintain healthy domestic lifestyles by providing guidance and understanding in a safe, unprejudiced

environment to help people who are experiencing emotional trauma and financial hardship following divorce. Although mainly focused toward men, the association is not biased against women, but, rather, seeks to promote true equality in society.

One of the functions of the Dads North Association is to fill the gap left by the Dads after Divorce and Separation Program, now that it is no longer offered in the community-at-large. The Dads Program addresses problem solving, family relationships, lifestyle balance, and emotional issues; areas which are key to fostering positive home lives and health.

The Dads North Association meets once a week at the John Howard Society. It presently receives no funding apart from donations made by its members. The Dads North Association vision is to realize a preferred future for all children and adults identified by what gives us long-term fulfillment.

Raising a family is a long-term investment. Healthy families are at the core of a healthy society and positive relationships are well worth the effort. The Dads North Association is a new organization that addresses the old and all-too-familiar problem. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud their effort and the contribution that the association wants to make to the Northwest Territories.

Dads North Association
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Human Resources Service Delivery
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories must do everything it can to recruit and retain qualified employees. Mr. Speaker, I’d say, in many cases, we do just that, which the Department of Human Resources needs to be applauded for. I think that the quality of human resource management contributes to a productive employee and, of course, a government that stays in touch and understands our employees’ needs.

With that, Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to talk about that system and how it works with our employees in relation to payroll, benefits, pension, leave and attendance. Needless to say, with an employee receiving their proper pay and benefits, it’s always something on one’s high priority list. In recent years, the Department of Human Resources has made significant strides in improving their service delivery to their clients such as our public service employees. Employees are now able to post their leave requirements, overtime, sick leave, as well as many other things through this system. Mr. Speaker, this is a system that works well. Employees are able to check their overtime, benefits, leave, and this makes many people

happy. As well, they often get help dealing with superannuation.

However, Mr. Speaker, like in all systems, there are sometimes small glitches. I’ve heard of such cases where files sometimes get stuck in a glitch and they don’t move for three months, six months or sometimes even further. These are often referred to as difficult files. Although it’s not necessarily a question of who’s at fault; the problem is the file meets a dead wall.

Mr. Speaker, it has been my experience so far that quite often the person who’s blamed, of course, is the human resource officer in our HR department. But that’s not always the case, Mr. Speaker. Sometimes it’s two people thinking that someone else is doing a job and sometimes they assume the other person is doing it or should be doing it.

Mr. Speaker, it’s my opinion, as well as many other people I’ve talked to, that the Department of Human Resources should come up with a clear and simple policy that all difficult files have a three-month policy where they review them and double check through a phone call to communicate is there something we need to be doing together, is there something you should be doing or we should be doing. Mr. Speaker, this is simply about communication and working together to make sure these difficult files go through every step needed to make sure that they get off the desks and get out to where they’re supposed to go.

Mr. Speaker, the issue really is about communication and this would put a little more human back into the human resource title and go a long way to make a great and happy workforce work hard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Human Resources Service Delivery
Members’ Statements (Reversion)

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 8, oral questions.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, referring back to my Member’s statement, I’ll have questions directed to the Minister of Human Resources, the Honourable Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve had a chance to talk to our honourable Minister a couple of times about this subject, referring specifically to things like difficult files. Would he, as Minister, be willing to discuss with his department about the possibility of implementing a policy that all difficult files, if they’re not moving off desks, do a little review every three months to make sure that these difficult files are not lost and forgotten by new files as they continue to stack up and get ignored. Would he be willing to

consider a policy like that to make sure that these things move forward? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.