Good morning, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as Members of the 16th Assembly, we are,

first and foremost, Northerners working together. As a government, we are moving forward with a plan of five strategic initiatives that are focussing and organizing our work and initiatives to meet the goals we share as an Assembly. Our plan is built around the 16th Assembly’s vision, Northerners

Working Together. It is responsive to the priorities that we have identified, most importantly it is focussed firmly on achieving the potential of our future

One of the key priorities under the 16th Legislative

Assembly’s strategic plan is healthy, educated people with a focus on prevention by promoting healthy choices and lifestyles and the role of personal and family responsibility.

In order to advance this goal, we need to continue to invest in prevention and promotion programs that promote the overall health and well-being of Northerners. We need to concentrate efforts and resources in early childhood development, early intervention and upstream prevention with a focus on population health.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of our recent accomplishments and future directions aimed at furthering the priorities of the 16th Legislative Assembly.

The NWT Health and Social Services Action Plan, A Foundation for Change, sets out the strategic direction and actions required to improve the well-being of all residents of the Northwest Territories and aims to provide and promote affordable, effective and responsive health and social services.

Health and Social Services has several initiatives already underway within the Building our Future initiative.

We are expanding programming for children and youth through respite care in communities outside of Yellowknife. Respite care provides planned relief for caregivers, families and the people with disabilities they care for. Relief is necessary to decrease burnout and stress and allow caregivers to provide the best possible support and thereby the best quality of life for those with disabilities. This action focuses on improving outcomes and opportunities for children and youth.

Under encourage healthy choices and address addictions, we successfully launched our 2009 version of Drop the Pop to 38 schools across the Northwest Territories. This successful campaign encourages our children and youth to make healthy choices and promotes the Assembly’s goal of healthy, educated residents.

We will build on our partnerships with aboriginal organizations to establish culturally appropriate community treatment options for youth and adults dealing with addictions, such as on-the-land treatment programming. We are currently working to establish a child and family service delivery model that will be culturally appropriate and incorporate best practices. We will be looking to do a pilot project in a small community that will provide an alternative response for the delivery of social services and provide opportunities for a traditional community-driven response that is in the best interest of children and families.

This April we launched our oral health campaign. This campaign provides toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, bibs, and education materials to schools and health centres in all communities. Our Lift the Lip campaign highlighted the importance of good dental hygiene for children.

Once again our campaign will encourage healthy choices and promote healthy, educated residents. As we all know, if we can encourage healthy choices in our youth, we will be able to prevent many of the issues we see in our current adult population.

We are working in partnership with the Coalition Against Family Violence to expand services to smaller communities and to reduce impacts by

supporting children who witness family violence. Through the Small Communities Homelessness Fund we are providing resources to small communities for the provision of services and emergency shelter for homeless persons. In addition, the Homelessness Assistance Fund provides emergency financial and travel support to individuals and families facing homelessness.

We have devoted extensive resources to training community-based staff from across the Territory in the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training -- ASIST -- model of suicidal intervention. This is an important step in protecting the health and safety of our most at-risk people, especially our youth.

We are evaluating our Community Counselling Program to ensure that it meets the needs of our smaller and more remote communities. We’re committed to working with the communities to provide a service that is relevant and meaningful and assists community members to achieve their personal wellness goals.

We’re working with government and community partners to expand child and youth mental health programming. This is a strategic and preventive measure to increase protective factors and to reduce risk factors for future difficulties.

Through the Strengthening Continuum of Care for Seniors strategic action we have committed to supporting seniors by providing assistance and support for the construction and ongoing operation and maintenance of the Territorial Dementia Centre scheduled for completion this year. Once occupied, residents of this facility will be provided with a home-like environment that offers as much freedom as possible and reinforces a sense of belonging and independence.

We recently opened the Hay River Territorial Supported Living Campus. The campus will provide support for adults with special needs and disabilities and allow Northerners currently receiving services in the South to be closer to their families. The campus provides housing for up to 10 residents and two respite beds, which will give families caring for loved ones planned relief. There will also be a day program centre that will provide programs to both residents and clients from the surrounding area. This campus will provide residents with an opportunity for personal growth, life skills, and peer and social supports.

Earlier this week I was very pleased to announce a partnership with the City of Yellowknife and BHP Billiton to provide funding for the establishment of a day shelter for the homeless. This joint investment over three years will ensure that some of our most vulnerable citizens have access to a safe environment during the day and shelter from the elements, including washroom facilities. This initiative will further the Assembly’s goal of a

healthy, educated population focusing on vulnerable individuals.

While we’ve had many recent successes, this does not diminish the challenge faced by the NWT health and social services system. The cost of maintaining four hospitals and 19 health centres for a small population results in a very high per capita cost. We have a critical shortage of health care professionals, including nurses and social workers. We are heavily reliant on locum physicians and relief nurses.

Our current physician institutional-based model is extremely costly. Our social services are not well integrated and having eight regional boards of management means that our service delivery is not consistent across the system. Add to that the high risk lifestyle of many of our residents, an aging population, the rising cost of health care, and the rising burden of chronic diseases, and it becomes very clear that our current system as is, is not sustainable.

In order to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the NWT health and social services system we are focusing on initiatives aimed at providing affordable, effective, and appropriate services now and into the future.

The Foundation for Change Action Plan focuses on delivering the right services using the most appropriate service provider. We will fully implement a primary community care model utilizing all health care professionals to their full scope of practice. Through technology we will deliver services remotely and provide support to frontline staff in isolated communities, enhancing patient safety and care. We plan to look at all health and social services facilities in the NWT to ensure they are operating at maximum capacity and efficiency. Where they are not we will have to make decisions to ensure maximum efficiency.

We are also taking an inventory throughout the NWT of community health and social services capital needs. We will review existing governance structures to ensure that regional priorities are effectively communicated and reflected in the Health and Social Services strategic and business plans. To ensure accountability we will set performance benchmarks and targets that measure progress towards achieving our goals and monitor progress through quality assurance and performance monitoring. We will focus on services that will help to mitigate future costs; programs like promotion and prevention, chronic disease management, and enhancing continuing care to reduce costly long-term care and facility living.

To be effective, social programs will need to be better integrated, services to the clients will be seamless, and all social programs will be better linked to ensure the most appropriate services are provided to those individuals accessing the system.

We will roll out electronic health records and electronic medical records to reduce health care costs and improve quality of care. This means that a health professional with an Internet connection can access a patient’s health information any time or anywhere from all sites in the NWT, resulting in better information and faster results for the patient. Our new filmless X-ray system will allow health professionals in remote communities to examine X-rays and ultrasounds over a high-speed Internet connection. This means that we will no longer have to wait for X-rays to be sent by mail to have doctors review them. We can now upload them and have a doctor review the image in a more timely fashion. This new digital system will prevent the loss of film and reduce cost associated with producing hard copy film. This is an example of using the latest technology to provide a better service for the residents of the NWT in a more cost-effective manner.

The department is expanding its TeleSpeech Program, replacing 14 outdated telehealth units and adding 16 new units to schools and health centres. These units will ensure that residents, mainly children, will be able to access the speech language services they require in their communities. This is another positive example of how technology is being used to deliver services in our small communities.

Health and Social Services alone cannot ensure the future sustainability of our system. We will need broad support from all levels of government and community organizations. Individuals and families will need to accept personal responsibility for their overall health and well-being. We need to change behaviours today to ensure we meet our goal of healthy, educated people for the future.

I’d like to thank you for this opportunity to share with you some our recent and planned initiatives aimed at moving forward with the 16th Legislative

Assembly strategic plan.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In February of 2009 I advised Members that Municipal and Community Affairs was embarking on a strategic planning process in which the department would take stock of where it is currently at and lay out the key directions for the future, recognizing the current realities facing our stakeholders and partners.

MACA’s work on developing a strategic plan will contribute to the overall advancement of the

priorities of this Assembly. The Assembly’s goal of healthy, sustainable communities is one of the cornerstones we are utilizing in advancing a new strategic plan for the department.

Given the many changes in the past three years, it is time to review the achievements and milestones MACA has reached in collaboration with community governments, their representative organizations, sport organizations, and other partners; identify current and emerging issues and position ourselves to continue the positive momentum well into the future.

Through an inclusive process, MACA has developed a draft strategic plan that is now out to key stakeholders for review and comment. The draft was recently presented to the Northwest Territories Association of Communities at their annual general meeting in Inuvik. The delegates were very engaged and interested in the process and provided high level endorsement of the directions contained within the plan. Similar consultations are underway with other key partners to gauge their level of support and recommendations for future directions.

The draft strategic plan highlights for key themes that will guide the work of the department in implementing its diverse mandate for the next five years. The first theme, “A Foundation for Leadership,” recognizes that competent and effective elected leaders are necessary for community governments to function competently. As well, the financial policies, programs and partnerships that contribute sound financial management need to be in place and accessible to support community governments in making solid decisions.

The second theme, “A Clear Path Forward,” recognizes that MACA needs to ensure it has the proper tools and resources to effectively support clients. Up-to-date comprehensive legislation and policies, meaningful communication tools for connecting with clients, strong seamless partnerships, both internal and external to the department, and a skilled informed workforce that proactively adds value to everything in which they are involved.

The third theme, “Stronger Safer Communities,” speaks to the importance of MACA’s work in supporting communities to address key local issues such as community infrastructure planning and construction, land management, public safety in areas such as fire protection, emergency management, clean drinking water, and environmental planning and stewardship.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the last theme, “Invest in People, Build Communities,” speaks to the need to focus on building the skills of community government staff as well as on sustaining vibrant

healthy communities through quality of life programming such as recreation and volunteerism.

These four broad themes reflect the high level strategic directions the department is proposing to move forward over the next few years. The supporting actions and strategies will roll out in a manner that strives to balance needs with available resources, always keeping in mind that our clients and stakeholders are the key drivers of the department’s work.

Mr. Speaker, community governments and MACA’s other partners are facing a range of interesting challenges and opportunities, and as Minister, I am pleased to confirm that the department is striving to position itself to meaningfully partner with them to meet shared goals and important milestones. Once the final strategic plan is approved, I look forward to providing regular updates to Members on the activities undertaken by the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in order to maximize opportunities in our northern economy, we need to have the flexibility and capacity to adapt to change. We need to be able to adapt training and programming as industries develop, and as our population grows and changes. The NWT Labour Force Development Plan provides the strategic framework for this activity. This plan was developed in 2002 to ensure Northerners were able to participate meaningfully in society. The measures were strengthened and linked through partnerships and alliances, as well as labour market information and exchange.

Some of this work in the new areas has already started. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has been working with Citizenship and Immigration Canada to implement a Territorial Nominee Program. Starting in July, this program will assist immigrants who can contribute to the economic and social goals of our Territory in gaining permanent resident status.

Education, Culture and Employment also offers the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers which provides a range of employment activities to older workers in the communities experiencing ongoing high unemployment or those affected by downsizing or closures. This initiative is funded through the federal department of Human Resources and Skills Development. Programs such as this one will likely become increasingly important

as our population ages and we experience fluctuations in economic activity.

In addition to this work, there are new opportunities within the Northwest Territories for collaboration with industry and partners. The Memorandum of Understanding on the Northern Workforce Initiative between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the three diamond mines allows coordination of our efforts, but is not reflected in the existing Labour Force Development Plan.

As the new framework is developed, we will continue to ensure we provide Northerners with excellent career development services and opportunities through our ECE service centres. We are also working with HRSDC to establish an NWT Labour Market Agreement to ensure that individuals who are not eligible for assistance under employment insurance have access to programs and services that meet their specific labour market needs.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to presenting the final report to this House when it is completed. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, the aboriginal people of our Territory have a long proud history of self-reliance and self-sufficiency. The transfer of life skills relating to this proud history ensures that these values are sustained and important social and cultural links are maintained to the land and its resources.

In the Northwest Territories, these traditional and cultural skills are recognized and supported by our government as the foundation of our traditional economy, which services to advance the diversification and sustainability of local economies as identified in our goal to provide all communities and regions with opportunities and choices.

As a government, we actively support the harvesting and marketing of wild fur as a fundamental component of our modern economy.

I was happy to note that Northwest Territories trappers were, again, the top performers at the Fur Harvesters Auction sale last month. In addition, Genuine Mackenzie Valley Furs from the Northwest Territories outsold all others. Our furs provided the largest single section of marten or Canadian sable, offering 12,790 pelts, generating an average price of $62, with a highest sales price of the auction of $187. Production of marten has increased by 31 percent. The principle buyers were Hong Kong, China, Russia, Greece and Italy.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

These positive results, Mr. Speaker, are a reflection of many years of promotion, support and training facilitated by our government through the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program.

This year we have 728 people delivering fur to this program, which represents a 16 percent increase in participants overall; something that bodes well for our government’s strategic priority to pursue growth and diversification in the Northwest Territories economy, but, more importantly, in the preservation of the traditional economy and specifically our trapping industry in the North.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is also investing in the preservation of another traditional life skill: the construction of birch bark canoes. This skill is one that has existed in the Deh Cho for thousands of years. However, with the passing of elders and harvesters experienced in the art of making canoes, it is a traditional life skill that we risk losing.

Beginning June 3rd , the Liidlii Kue First Nation is

sponsoring a project in Fort Simpson that will see a number of youth learn this rare, time-honoured and valuable traditional art.

Over the 10-day course, young students will learn how to gather material from the bush, carve the ribs and frame of the canoe, cover the frame with birch bark and, finally, to seal the birch bark with spruce sap and gum to make it water tight.

We anticipate that the proposed June 12th completion date of the canoe will coincide with Treaty Day celebrations in Fort Simpson. The young people participating in this program will then present the finished canoe to the community as part of the celebrations.

Mr. Speaker, this initiative in Fort Simpson is one of many traditional life skills projects provided annually for school-age youth under the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment’s Take a Kid Trapping Program. Since 2002, over 5,000 youth have participated in different components of the program. Last year alone, 1,450 young people participated in the program.

The program success is due in large part to the strong partnership that exists between the departments of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Municipal and Community Affairs, Environment and Natural Resources, and Education, Culture and Employment and the talent and skills of the many local residents and elders who support the program in various communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to do my Member’s statement on an acronym, FMP, Food Mail Program or as my people in the Sahtu would prefer, Feed My People. Today I would like to think about the possibility the Food Mail Program can work. This federal government program has recently been reviewed by a consultant, Mr. Graeme Dargo, who recommends the short-term overhaul and replacement. I would like to think that it can, and indeed it should, be fixed.

Our people in the North need all the tools available to help fight the high food costs. Northern stores that sell groceries receive discount costs on freight charges. The Northwest Company, who owns and runs Northern Stores, say they added their mark-up to the product and delivery costs to determine the retail prices that we pay. This being true, we should see people benefiting from lower prices of postage and freight but, of course, there is no control on how much the mark-up a grocery chain applies.

For example, in Tulita, for 10 pounds of potatoes, we pay $25. In the Beaufort-Delta, I heard a case of pop is going for $63.

Mr. Speaker, one of our strategic goals in this 16th Assembly is to reduce the cost of living. Mr. Dargo sees the next step as doing away with the freight cost discount on personal orders. I do not agree with this step. The main reason for taking away the personal orders are to increase sales in our stores.

Mr. Speaker, to some degree, we have a dependency on northern retail stores and to a larger degree these Northern Stores have the benefit of a captive market. So, therefore, I would like to keep the right at least to have the choice as to how our people spend their hard earned dollars on food to feed their families. A little competition shouldn’t hurt the Northern Stores. Mr. Dargo stated in his report that personal food orders aren’t fair and favour privileged people who have cars and credit cards. This may be true; however, that doesn’t diminish the fact that, in my region, my people always have wanted the right to healthy food to feed their families.

Feeding one family is a costly matter in the Sahtu and throughout the Northwest Territories. What can be the logic in pursuing people who are a bit more successful? An awful lot of people in my riding, indeed throughout the North, have these things: a credit card and a car; well, maybe a pick-up. As

well, communities hold celebrations and regional gatherings. They often purchase food as personal food orders.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

Thank you colleagues. As well, communities hold celebrations and regional gatherings. They often purchase food as personal food orders. They have many reasons to do this. Maybe they are looking for something different, something maybe that is not available in the communities, maybe trying to save more money. Why would we punish these community groups? I have heard from several constituents on this from people with health issues such as diabetes who, through personal food orders, get good quality food they want and need. They have done this because, despite their best efforts to get their local stores to stock the food stuff they need, the local stores just aren’t interested. The stores are focussed on basics and give them all the food for the money they would like to make. This problem is not better. Let’s support personal choice.

In closing, I support the personal Food Mail Program and I think that as Members we must forward the outcome of this report and be involved in discussions about it and how we can work on lowering the cost of food for all people in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Feed my people.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we get near the end of each school year, Grade 12 students look back on their past years of school and then look forward to the next phase of their life. Graduation ceremonies are or will be taking place all over the NWT as high school and college students celebrate their achievements and the completion of their secondary schooling.

Graduation is often seen as a modern day rite of passage into adulthood. Yellowknife students will be marking this moment on May 30 and June 27. Tomorrow, graduation ceremonies take place for 72 students from St. Patrick’s High School and for six students from Ecole Allain St. Cyr who will form the first graduating class for NWT’s very first French language school.

At the end of next month, 159 students from Ecole Sir John Franklin School will celebrate their high school leaving. Today I want to recognize all Yellowknife Grade 12 students for their perseverance, their dedication and their hard work

over their last 12 years of school. Congratulations to each and every one of you on reaching this significant milestone in your life. Bask in the glow of your success for you have earned it. As you move on to the next stage of your life, whether it be further education, entering the workforce or travel, I wish only the best for you. I know you will be great ambassadors for your community and for our Territory. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to bring up an issue very important in my region as how the NWT Housing Corporation and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Employment calculate the tenants’ income when determining rent. According to my constituent’s public housing rental subsidy summary of some people, even the same housing units are assessed differently. In fact, there have been different assessments done even on the same person. I have been receiving a lot of comments from all of the Nunakput communities regarding the issues. Many people in small isolated communities live in the NWT housing units because there is no other option.

Mr. Speaker, although northern allowance settlement allowance is non-assessable income, evaluation is a complication, formulated as not complicated to see if there is enormous inconsistencies but the policies on how the staff and regions are expected to use them. All the tenants under the public housing rental policies, regardless of their employment or circumstances, should be treated with consistency, unless reasonable circumstances such as elders, et cetera.

Mr. Speaker, it seems, though, the people who don’t work for the government in the Northwest Territories are treated different and unfair. Mr. Speaker, it is wrong. Northern allowances and settlement allowances are given to people living in small remote communities all over this great Territory because of the high cost of living even though these allowances…People in my riding pay 80 percent more for basic necessities than those living in major centres.

Mr. Speaker, we can’t even afford to live a healthy lifestyle. This is wrong. The government calculates all these allowances as income. It is wrong. The people’s incomes are reduced. They can’t buy groceries. It is a shame.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of ECE and Housing. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about insurance for what is usually the most expensive item that an individual or a family can ever purchase. That is, of course, the family home. Imperatively, if you buy a new lawn mower and it doesn’t work, chances are you are able to take it back to whoever sold it to you and get a replacement or even your money back. Mr. Speaker, if your car malfunctions, you can take it back for warranty and get repairs. However, what happens when a contractor does not complete a house as promised, and, equally bad, you get a lemon, Mr. Speaker? The courts tend to be the only remedy before you.

Many provinces in Canada have enacted legislation to protect new home purchasers. As an example, in Ontario there is a new Home Purchasing Warranty Plan Act which describes mandatory responsibilities for the builder when they sell you a new home. Mr. Speaker, it outlines warranty coverage for the builders and vendors as they are required to provide to the new homeowner when they buy that new home or condominium. These regulations describe additional warranties and provide detailed requirements for the registration of the builders and vendors.

Mr. Speaker, the Crown corporation is empowered to administer and make sure that this is enforced. In Alberta, the New Home Warranty Program offers protection for purchasers who buy a house constructed by a builder who is a member of this program. Mr. Speaker, in British Columbia those builders must be licensed.

As anyone can see, there are varying degrees of home warranty protection, but the bottom line is, Mr. Speaker, the consumers are protected. Mr. Speaker, families are protected. What can a person presently do in the North if their house is deficient or a contractor goes bankrupt or leaves them in the lurch? Nothing, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a very difficult situation that families face. Let’s avoid the crisis before it happens.

Later today I will be asking questions to the Minister of MACA about looking into creating a legislative initiative that will protect our northern homeowners when they go out and purchase a new home or a condo. I believe consumer protection is a primary responsibility of a government and I certainly hope that this government will demonstrate that it feels the same.

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

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

I would like to talk about public housing and the difficulties that tenants are having once they find employment.

In the communities of Tu Nedhe, as I’m sure is the case in other communities, the issue of public housing tenants getting a job and having their rent increased -- in some cases substantially -- continues to be a big problem. More times than not the tenants will work for a while and determine that they cannot afford rent. Then they are quitting their jobs and have no way of catching up with their arrears which have accumulated during the time that they were working. In many cases this employment is the first employment that tenants have had in years. However, once a new rent is calculated and additional expenses related to work and child care expenses, the tenants can no longer afford to remain working.

I believe that the incorporation of a six-month grace period where the rent of the tenants when they go to work does not change for six months would go a long way to keeping them employed and would give the people an opportunity to become homeowners. However, this will only work if the NWT Housing Corporation staff immediately begin to work with the tenants and start the process of counselling the tenants towards becoming a homeowner. In small non-market communities there is not an abundance of houses available on the market. In most cases the tenants would buy NWT Housing Corporation owned units.

Once a tenant becomes a homeowner the government would no longer be required to provide income support to these tenants. This will create or enhance local housing markets in communities and there could also be more revenue to the GNWT through the sale of public housing units. And this will also reduce the cost of overall O and M of the Public Housing Program.

This government should do all they can to encourage people to work and get off income support, which is provided by the government. Ultimately this six-month grace period would have long-term benefits for both the communities and the GNWT.

Later I will have questions for the appropriate Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to encourage Northerners to talk to your MLAs. I’ve been sensing a lot of despair around here lately about we’re kind of saddled with the situation we have right now. We’re saddled with the leadership and the circumstances around the past two years that we’ve had in this government.

In fact, I don’t believe that’s true, in spite of Mr. Miltenberger’s characterization of the unhappiness on this side of the House as being bitterness and creating acrimony. In fact, I see the majority, if not almost all Members of this House, as being honourable Members who have been elected to come here and do a job on behalf of their people. I see nothing but good motives and a true desire to do the best that we can to represent our people.

The fact of the matter is we can’t bury our heads in the sand and act like nothing is out of order here, that there are no leadership problems in this government. If we are sensing that, the people out there who are our constituents must be sensing that as well. I mean, this kind of hits an all-time new low for this Government of the Northwest Territories, what we’ve had to experience. It didn’t start last week, it didn’t start a month ago. It started at the beginning of the 16th Assembly and I’m not going to

stand here today and recite the whole list of all the failures when it comes to leadership. But now things have sunk to a really all-time low.

We can choose to ignore it. We can try to brush it under the carpet. About a year ago I stood up in this House and I said, you know, I’m not out to get the Premier. And I said I don’t want the job. I don’t see anybody else over there that I want to see have that job either. I said that about a year ago. But you know what? A year has gone by. I’ve gotten to know quite a few Members better. I do think we have options. There are alternatives. But it’s going to take the backbone and the leadership of the collective membership here to stand up and say, you know what? We have some problems here. We need to deal with them. Let’s face it head on. Let’s go for a change of leadership here. We have got people capable of stepping into that role. We do. But it’s just going to take the backbone to stand up and say we need a change.

So we don’t want to operate in a vacuum. What I’m asking the people of the Northwest Territories today, who are observing this and must also feel despair over the situation, is to get in touch with your MLA. Voice your opinion. I know in saying that I’m going to take flack too because there are lots of people out there who don’t like me, but I’m willing to take that. I have to stand up and say enough is enough. We deserve better.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the development of the new Kam Lake bypass road. Construction has started on this key piece of public infrastructure here in the city of Yellowknife. In April I had the opportunity to attend a ceremonial rock blast at the construction site. The federal Health Minister, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, our Transportation Minister, the Honourable Michael McLeod, and Mayor Gordon Van Tighem were all on hand to formally kick off construction of this road.

Mayor Van Tighem, the SAO Max Hall, and city council, certainly the City of Yellowknife deserve a great deal of credit for providing their portion of the funding for this road and for all of their support in making it happen.

The road would not have been a reality had it not been for the federal government and its Building Canada Fund. I’d like to thank the federal government for their investment in this road and for all the other infrastructure dollars they’ve recently been providing us with.

Of course, thanks should also be given to this government. Even though not a financial partner, they have supported the project and coordinated the funding from the federal government. I want to especially thank Transportation Minister Michael McLeod and his staff at the Department of Transportation for advancing this project.

At this time next year, if all goes as planned, the city will finally have an alternate route to Highway No. 3 and into Kam Lake Industrial Park. Kam Lake Industrial Park is the economic heart of our capital city. The long awaited route will mean many trucks will no longer have to travel on Old Airport Road, public safety will be improved, and as an industrial park, a secondary access route is a must. This road will also open up access to the new Engle Business District, providing more industrial and commercial property for the city. This will also be a key component in any future development of airport lands.

The road design also includes a multi-use trail along the west side of the road to accommodate pedestrian and non-motorized vehicles.

In closing, I also want to thank all of my colleagues, both in the last government and in this government, that have shown support for this project and this much needed piece of public infrastructure over the years.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is on the water treatment plant and plans in Jean Marie. Firstly I’d be remiss not to thank Minister Robert C. McLeod, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, for the tour in the Nahendeh riding this spring.

---Applause

And also for the second day in a row I find out how a Minister’s statement is appropriate to my issue.

---Laughter

The Minister this morning spoke about health, sustainable communities, and as well as the key issue for Jean Marie, which is a stronger, safer community. Just about a year ago I spoke in this House about the quality of the drinking water in Jean Marie and once again this spring people in Jean Marie River are facing discoloured water when they turn on their taps. Although this water passes the current safety guidelines, it is still unpleasant and unpalatable to the people.

I understand that Jean Marie will get an upgrade and a proper water treatment plant sometime next year, but right now, however, the community needs a temporary solution for this coming fall, winter, and through the spring season until this plant is constructed.

I am told that the military has portable units to ensure the safety and clarity of drinking water. These can be set up reasonably quickly and serve a population the size of Jean Marie River. It would be valuable for Municipal and Community Affairs to have such information on these units and to have even these units available for emergencies and situations such as I am describing.

I think that more needs to be done to ensure that smaller communities have the support they need to make sure that the water is safe and palatable for the people.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about something that I consider to be an incredibly positive step that the Department of Health and Social Services, Aurora College, and the Registered Nurses Association of

the NWT and Nunavut are taking to enhance the role of nurse practitioners in the Northwest Territories. Specifically, the establishment of a PLAR process for registered nurses in the NWT. PLAR stands for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition and is defined as a process of identifying, assessing, and recognizing skills, knowledge, or competencies that have been acquired through work experience, unrecognized training, independent study, volunteer activities and/or hobbies.

In the nurse practitioner PLAR program, northern nurses who feel they have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform competently as primary health care nurse practitioners will have the opportunity to have their existing education and experience assessed, complete some required mandatory courses, complete necessary case studies for assessment purposes, validate their competencies, and then write the Canadian Nurse Practitioner Exam. If these nurses complete the program, they will be registered as primary health care nurse practitioners in the Northwest Territories.

This is a one-time opportunity for northern nurses and in total seven northern nurses entered the process and are currently in Phase 2, which involves the completion of mandatory courses and the beginning of some of the case studies. This is a great program and three partners -- the Registered Nurses Association of the NWT and Nunavut, Aurora College, and the Department of Health and Social Services -- should be applauded for the hard work and commitment to nurse practitioners in the Northwest Territories.

The Department of Health and Social Services is providing financial assistance to the nurses as they go through this process. This is good and I support this direction. They’ve provided financial assistance for NP students in the past and I hope they do it again in the future.

My concern is that in the past, when northern nurses have completed their nurse practitioner training where the department provided full financial support, some came back to work and were told that there were no nurse practitioner jobs available for them. To me this was a bit short-sighted. Investing all that money and time and not utilizing the skills when the nurses returned was a poor use of resources.

Fortunately, Members on this side of the House raised concerns and NP jobs were created and maintained. In the end all were offered NP positions in the Northwest Territories. Unfortunately, it did cause a significant amount of stress in all of those involved. I don’t want this confusion and uncertainty to happen again.

Prior to the completion of their studies, the department must ensure that a proactive plan is in

place to ensure that all of these new nurse practitioners are placed into nurse practitioner positions in the NWT.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

As I was saying, the department must ensure that a proactive plan is in place to ensure that these new nurse practitioners are placed into nurse practitioner positions in the NWT upon their registration as nurse practitioners. We must avoid the confusion and uncertainty.

At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions on this topic.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to make a few brief comments on the huge issue of regulatory reform and the resource management regime and make some suggestions for progress we can make now.

This issue has been moving on and off the back burner for as long as there has been resource management regulation. All players -- government, industry, aboriginal groups, non-government organizations and regular citizens -- agree that the systems are complicated and frequently don’t meet the needs of society as a whole or the individuals and groups who have an interest in seeing them work. It is certainly a matter worthy of rigorous review and it is crucial to all our interests that resource management regulation works efficiently and effectively. But we need to make progress.

Lately, Members have been presented with another stack of documents outlining the current state of reviews and the various interests competing to see their needs met. We have the McCrank Report and the GNWT’s approach to regulatory improvement; we have Alternative North’s thoughtful analysis of the McCrank Report; we’ve seen the five-year NWT environmental audit; and we’ve heard a submission in committee from the NWT chambers of Mines, Commerce, and the Construction Association. Where do we go from here?

I’d like us to make a start on the things we can do right now. The analysis we now have in hand contains several points of common agreement that we can move on swiftly.

Board vacancies have to be filled. Board action freezes when quorums can’t be met. This government can make it our business to lead and push, keeping our own appointments up to date

and pressing our partners to make the appointments needed to keep all our business moving. We need to be persistent and insistent. That’s a simple one.

Second, boards can’t work when they are starved for funds. We’ve bought into these processes, so we’re committed to make them work. We can’t let individual cases languish while we look for a solution to overall costs. We must help ensure sufficient resources to allow our processes to work while we look for ways to maximize value across the board.

Finally, this government has shown strong leadership in pursuing comprehensive resource management plans. Everyone agrees that land use planning is a major key to success. Land use plans provide certainty and the essential knowledge base for major decisions. We need to keep the momentum of our leadership going and push forward this major area of common agreement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to speak today in regard to the negative impacts we’re seeing in income support and the household rents that are being charged by the Housing Corporation by way of economic rents. The ideal situation that everyone should have a job, everyone should have an opportunity to work, but, more importantly, we all know realistically we have high pockets of unemployment in our communities.

A lot of people in our communities have an average income per year that is less than $18,000. Yet the economic rate charged in our community is $2,300 a month. That is totally unjustified. The take home pay of an individual who might find himself getting a job, which in most cases our jobs in our communities are seasonal at two months or three months a year, yet those individuals have to also continue to raise a family, continue to maintain their lifestyles, continue to provide for their families and provide for the individuals and other family members in our communities.

I think it’s very important that this government seriously considers looking at the policy that was in place prior to the decision to move the income subsidy to ECE from Housing. There was a policy in the Housing Corporation where it clearly stipulated that if an individual who was employed for a number of months was able to find a job, that there was a probation period allowed for those individuals to retain some of those earnings over a period of time -- a couple months -- make them aware what their economic rate was going to be so

that they were prepared for the economic rate when it was given to them so they knew ahead of time. They knew what it was going to cost if you continued to work, but at least we gave them the opportunity to save during those periods of time and get themselves into the employment opportunities in our communities. In a lot of cases those individuals ended up being homeowners, being able to access programs in our government because they had a good paying job.

What we’re seeing now is that as soon as an individual goes to work, he basically…

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

I believe that we have to allow individuals and the people in our communities to be able to build capacity, not only in regard to human resource capacity but also the skills that they need to take advantage of other economic opportunities, regardless if it’s in the oil and gas industry or the mining industry or even for apprentice programs we’re trying to deliver in our communities. Fulfill those obligations so we don’t see employers coming in from outside our communities, taking these jobs away and leaving. Because when even our employers in our communities are stating themselves that they have had a lot of good employees. They’ve had people working for them part time in regard to municipal contracts. But because of this policy, the incentive for these individuals to work part time, they’re penalized in regard to the economic rent where they’re not able to carry it through.

I believe this government has to reconsider this policy and implement something similar. I will be having questions in regard to the Minister responsible for ECE.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to recognize a young constituent who has been working for us all week. Alan Huynh has been working as a Page and he’s been doing a great job. I would like to comment that all of the Pages have done a very good job for us this week. Thank you very much to all of them.

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

It gives me great pleasure to recognize as a group, of course, all the students

from Mildred Hall School who have been paging. Mildred Hall, of course, is a school in my constituency. In particular, the Yellowknife Centre constituents are Paige Elkin and I believe it’s Kaine Kindla.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I’d like to welcome anyone visiting in the gallery today. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about public housing and the rent difficulties tenants are having once they find employment. I have questions for the Minister of the Housing Corporation or the Minister of ECE, I suppose; whoever is going to be addressing this issue. Is the Minister prepared to work with the other Minister from the other department to incorporate a grace period for public housing tenants so that the rents don’t change for six months when starting a new job?

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an issue that has been raised by a number of Members in this House over the last while. As we move forward with our discussions to look at ways to remove disincentives for employment, certainly this is an area that has to be explored. This is really not an area that the NWT Housing Corporation is responsible for anymore and we will bring this to the attention of ECE as we continue our discussions. Yes, we will look at this issue.

Considering the response of the Minister that it’s not really an area of the Housing Corporation on the grace period, my understanding in any event is that the public housing rent scale is passed down to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. I want to ask if the Minister understands the long-term benefits to the GNWT and the tenants of incorporating a policy such as the grace period policy.

I believe the Member’s asking my opinion on this and I’ll have to respond by saying absolutely.

Again, because there is no policy, this is becoming a difficult line of questioning. Does the Minister have enough units in the communities right now through the detached Public Housing Program or public homeownership

units that are built in the communities should such a policy be put in place for the tenants to move into as homeownership clients?

The Member is raising the grace period that the NWT Housing Corporation had as a program historically. It’s something that’s been transferred over to ECE and we’d be glad to have that discussion with ECE and we’d also be very happy to keep the Member informed. The Member has raised the issue of having tenants that are, could potentially or historically would have gained benefit from this program being considered for tenants or as clients for homeownership. The answer is yes, they would probably make perfect candidates for homeownership and we certainly are encouraging our tenants that are changing their careers in their life and move on to higher paying jobs to apply to the Housing Corporation to purchase some of their public housing units that they may be staying in and are having difficulty meeting the full economic rent. Our staff are out there encouraging people. There is a public campaign to increase the awareness of our housing programs and this is part of it. We certainly support the suggestion made by the Member.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke about the Jean Marie issues with their water and the potential of the water treatment plant being built. I just want to ask the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs what the plan is to get the water treatment plant built for Jean Marie River.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all I think I need to thank the people of Nahendeh for their hospitality during my tour there. A few more and I’m going to have to buy some bigger suits because I think all we did was eat in every community.

---Interjection

That was before, during, and after meetings. There is a new water treatment plant and it was an issue we heard in Jean Marie. They were quite concerned about the quality of their water. There are plans to have the design and construction started. They are on the list for a new water treatment plant as part of the bundled water treatment plants. They’re scheduled to get started during the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

As the Minister had heard in Jean Marie, they are, of course, very concerned about their water. In my Member’s statement I spoke about a portable purification unit. Is that something that the Minister can research and look at or maybe indeed they already have something like that available already.

We’d be pleased to do that because it is something that we heard about when we were in Jean Marie River, is a portable filtration system. If it’s something that could be useful and something that is feasible to have at our disposal, then it is something we would have a look at and I will follow up with the Member once we get that information.

I’m pleased to hear the Minister is willing to research that. I’d like to go just above research, because I know they’re out there and if the Minister can seriously look at even implementing or utilizing such a facility in Jean Marie this coming fall, winter, and spring season until the new water treatment plant is built.

I have committed to researching it and one of the components of that will be seeing if it’s feasible to operate in the community of Jean Marie. The water there is still within the water standards that are set, but there is a concern with the community and we have to take that concern very seriously. So I will do that and we’ll get some information back to the Member to work with him in the community.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Today I spoke about the things we can do now to help the regulatory system do its work while we continue with our reviews of regulatory reform. Are there currently any vacancies of GNWT appointments on the regulatory boards in which we participate and do we know what they are?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe there is one, but I will get the complete list of the board members and I will share that with the Member.

Thanks for that commitment from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm that he will make it an active priority of his department to take a proactive lead now by working to fill its vacant board appointments and pushing

our partners to get theirs up to date as well? Thank you.

The issue of regulatory reform board appointments is a priority of the government’s. We’ve pulled together a government response. We’ve shared it with the Members. We’ve met with Minister Strahl to make the case on regulatory reform, board appointments, consideration of transferring the authority to make board appointments to the government. So it is a priority for us. We’re going to continue to work with all our fellow stakeholders. We don’t see ourselves, really, as a stakeholder, but a partner with the federal government in this process. So, yes, that is a concern for us and we’ve been pushing on that because the issue of quorum is affecting the ability to do business. Thank you.

Thank you for that commitment, to the Minister. I’m really trying to focus in on the things that we all, I think, across the agencies, things we can actually get done. So I appreciate that.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister table in the House a list of the current vacancies on the joint boards, of which it is a member, and the length of time each of these seats has been vacant, as well as the dates when each of our appointees end so that we can be on alert and bring this to attention as need be? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I will commit to table that information before this House rises next Thursday. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today, I talked about lack of consumer protection in the area of new home warranties, whether you buy a new home, whether it’s a modular or a condo or whatnot. But, Mr. Speaker, in essence, the consumer is being left unprotected. And, of course, as I said earlier, the only remedy, really, that is provided for you are things like the courts.

Mr. Speaker, my question would be directed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs because he is in charge of the area of consumer protection. So this may first hit his doorstep as an issue. Perhaps it could end up elsewhere within the government, but the issue is: Would the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs look into an initiative that would help develop a new policy, perhaps maybe new legislation, somewhat built on

other jurisdictions, that provide that type of warranty for the new home purchase? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know from experience that there are some home warranties provided but usually that’s if you’re building for the Corporation, that there’s usually a one-year warranty. I’m not sure how that works out in the private market. Any time there’s a desire or a wish from consumers or people out there for the department to have a look at something and see if there are ways we can work with it, then we’ll do that. I can commit to the Member that we will have a look at it. I’m not committing that we’ll do anything once we have a look at it...

---Laughter

I don’t think that came out right. We’ll have a look at it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

He committed to not doing...I don’t know what he committed to there. Maybe if the Minister could restate his commitment clearly to the House. I know he was clear, but no one else understood it.

Mr. Speaker, in essence, Ontario and B.C. have new home warranty programs that are there for the assurance of the purchaser and, yes, I’m sure you could run out and find some places to provide insurance, but ultimately it’s the state run to have certain levels of regulations and policies in place for those types of situations. If the Minister would put it on record again that he’d certainly examine the issue and perhaps maybe take it to the point of a discussion paper to consider is it something worth pursuing, that’s really what I’m looking for at this stage. Not brand new legislation today, but if he could continue to the stage of developing a discussion paper, that’s what I’m searching for. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we will commit to having a look at it and doing some research and gathering some information, and then we’ll see if it’s worth coming forward with a discussion paper. Then we can take it from there. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are addressed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I would like to thank the Minister for her update on what the department is doing. But I was struck by some

language towards the middle of the statement and I’d like to ask a few questions of the Minister.

She stated our current physician institutional-based model is costly, our social services are not well-integrated, and having eight regional boards of management means that our service delivery is not consistent across the system. A couple of sentences later on she said that our current system is not sustainable. I can’t argue with the assessment. These are facts. But I am a little concerned by the language. The language suggests that a change is necessary and that the department is about to make changes. I would like to ask the Minister to, perhaps, interpret her statements and advise what changes are being contemplated in this area of boards by the department. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know if...Oh, I just can’t see the light from the sun.

---Laughter

I can’t see if it’s lit up or not. Mr. Speaker, the statement is referring to the Foundation for Change, which is the Minister’s and department’s action plan. We had a briefing and discussion with the standing committee and, really, it’s talking about if our system keeps on operating the way we are and where it’s very institutionally-based and physician-based in terms of our programs that we’re offering in our smaller communities; even in Yellowknife, it is not sustainable. It is important for us to look at what we could do to change that. When we are talking about the fact that some of our social programs are not consistent across the board, it’s because all of our authorities are block funded, basically, and they are able to move money around and depending, because of using the money that’s created by vacancies and such. So we want to be able to work closely with the authorities so that our programs are as consistent and similar in all our regions as possible. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. I didn’t really hear an answer to my question about whether or not changes are being contemplated. I guess I would like to ask the Minister again: In terms of boards, if programs are not consistent from one board to the other, what changes are the department planning on making or are there specific plans relative to the boards of management and consistency of programs? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, no, that statement was not meant to suggest that there are changes to boards of management. What we are trying to do is tighten the provisions in our contribution agreements that we have more

rigorous accountability back and forth between the authorities and the departments.

Also, I should make it clear to the Member that I presented this Foundation for Change Action Plan to the Standing Committee on Social Programs as preliminary discussion and we will continue to update the members in committees so there will be no surprises, changes or anything like that happening. We just wanted to start the discussion. Thank you.

I thank the Minister and I do appreciate that it is an ongoing document -- the Foundation for Change -- and that the committee has been involved in it. Maybe, you know, now that the Minister couldn’t see the light before, maybe she does see the light.

I wanted to ask the Minister: When the Foundation for Change was produced, were there consultations with stakeholders in the health and social services community at the time that the document was developed? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, just to be clear, I looked for the light to come on, I just couldn’t see it because the sun was on it.

---Laughter

I know...It’s Friday. Mr. Speaker, in terms of the Foundation for Change Action Plan, it is a rolling document, it’s a consultative document and we’re talking with the Members. I know our officials have been discussing the plan with the CEOs. I’ve invited chairs of all of the authorities to come to Yellowknife so we can have more in-depth dialogue on that document. On June 13th we’re going to have

a meeting with all of the chairs. We plan on consulting widely, but we have just begun that process. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start my questions by thanking the Minister of Health and Social Services for her recent visit to Hay River and the opening of the assisted living facility in Hay River. It is a wonderful addition to our community and to the North, in fact, because it will serve clients on a territorial basis and it is a much appreciated and added infrastructure and presence in our community.

Mr. Speaker, in attracting or screening, I suppose, the applicants for the clients who will be cared for in that facility, an interesting question has arisen. When someone who lives in the Northwest Territories goes to Alberta prior to us having

specialized services to meet their needs, and they are there for a number of years, what has happened in some instances is that, in fact, they have become Alberta residents by virtue of the length of time that they have stayed there and the support services and financial support they have received from the Alberta government. Now, when those clients may wish to apply to be repatriated to the Northwest Territories where they are from, this is the glitch: they’re no long considered NWT residents. How does the department plan to deal with that issue? Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure if that’s entirely the case, because I think all jurisdictions try to make sure that the residents that they take in from elsewhere remain the residents of the jurisdictions they come from so that they could bill. For example, we have lots of residents with a long time in Alberta, the Alberta government makes sure that they continue to be considered as an NWT resident even though some of them have been there 5, 10, 15 years. We have residents in Nunavut in our facilities who remain Nunavut residents and we bill them. I think we are looking at every possible resident we have in Alberta or elsewhere who could be moved to that facility. We are also looking at, and we know of residents in surrounding areas who are exploring, they want to come and meet, they want to look at the staff, they want to see how they could visit. So there’s lot of work being done to review all possible residents’ cases that could be considered suitable for that facility.

Mr. Speaker, I know of two specific cases in my constituency. One came to light a number of years ago where a young person had been in a specialized care facility in Alberta and when they turned 18, in fact, the Alberta government did assume responsibility for their care and deemed them to be Alberta residents. So I have known of this happening and I know of one other specific case where a client from the Northwest Territories, who has been in Red Deer, has become an NWT resident. So what I would like from the Minister is assurance that in the screening criteria, credibility and weight will be placed on the fact that these people were born and raised and have family, like, all those kinds of things will come into place, and it will not be solely based on residency in the case where they’ve been away for a number of years. Thank you.

Yes, I understand the Member’s point. I think there are exceptional cases on each side. We are not just looking at the residency status of that particular person. We’re a small community, we know of our residents even

though they’ve been away for a very long time from some of our communities. We know where the families are, we know whose families they belong to, which regions. So we are looking at it, because we do want to repatriate as many of our residents as possible no matter how long they’ve been away, even if they become residents of another province. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services and are in follow up to my Member’s statement. I just want to start off by, once again, applauding the Minister and her department for forming the partnership with the RNANTNU and the Aurora College to implement the PLAR process for nurse practitioners. I think it’s great.

Having said that, I’m curious whether the department has developed a process to ensure that all of the northern nurses who successfully complete this NT PLAR are offered nurse practitioner positions within the NWT upon registration as nurse practitioners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. Yes, the NPs and the practice of incorporating the NPs into our system is a key part of the Foundation of Change Action Plan that I’ve spoken about, and we will do everything we can to offer the new potential graduates that will be coming out, the new NPs that are coming out of the system, to be employed in our NWT entire system. Thank you.

I would like to thank the Minister for that response. I just would like just a touch of clarity on that. Has the department actually put in, sort of, proactive steps to ensure that they actually roll into NP jobs rather than go back to their old nursing jobs? It would be kind of a waste of money to invest all that time and effort financially into these individuals and not actually guarantee them some sort of NP position upon successful completion of their training and studies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If I remember correctly, even the previous NPs were offered jobs, it’s just were not necessarily what they wanted or the places they wanted.

I can advise the Member and the House, Mr. Speaker, that we have currently about 25.5 NP positions across the NWT. There are 11 vacancies and they are spread all over the Territories. There are three from Yellowknife, one in Fort McPherson, one in Inuvik, one in Tuktoyaktuk, one in Fort Liard, one in Fort Simpson, two in Norman Wells, one in Behchoko. Some of these NPs that are being trained right now, at least seven of them are CHN, so they can have a place that they came from and it is my hope that they will choose to go back there. In fact, some of these positions are being held vacant waiting for them to come back. For seven NPs that we’re going to have, we have 11 vacancies and, hopefully, we can match them up. We will do everything we can to keep them here. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my question to the Minister of Transportation in terms of the Food Mail Program. Mr. Speaker, the review has been completed and I would like to thank the Minister for his support in terms of this ongoing issue. I would like to ask the Minister: Now that the interim review has been completed, is he going to work with the Department of Indian Affairs in terms of engaging the communities that most need this type of program being implemented into the communities? How are we, as people in our small communities, going to engage in further discussions to improve the Food Mail Program?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that has been raised by the Member on a number of occasions requesting that this whole area of food mail, the subsidy program be reviewed and looked at. There has been ongoing concern regarding the delivery, regarding some of the costs that were becoming a problem. The federal government has responded by having a consultant and a number of people look at the issue. They’ve come forward with a number of recommendations and these recommendations will be brought forward for discussion.

In the last session we were also requested to have the discussion with the federal government regarding a presentation to committee. We have undertaken that. I’ve talked to the Minister of Indian Affairs about the possibilities of having some of his staff come forward and he had agreed that he would look into the situation and suggest that to his staff to come forward. We have not heard yet.

So there are a number of recommendations and the committee, the group that is heading this up will undertake to have the discussions with the appropriate people. I am assuming that we will have some feedback that we will respond to. Thank you.

Again, I want to let people know in the Northwest Territories that the Minister of Transportation has been really helpful in terms of getting this issue in the forefront of the federal government. The review has been long overdue.

Upon reading it, Mr. Speaker, I found some very interesting reading, especially the recommendations that were laid out in terms of eliminating the personal food orders in this program here. I strongly object to this issue here. I would like to ask the Minister in terms of him communicating with his counterparts in terms of what type of discussions can this committee have in our small communities that rely on the Food Mail Program and also have some benefits of using the personal food mail orders that they use from time to time? What type of commitment can the Minister give in terms of having this committee go to the communities in the Sahtu that benefit from the Food Mail Program, especially the personal food orders?

Mr. Speaker, this is not a program a community involves us as part of their committee. We have, of course, a real interest as to the findings and the recommendations. There has been some very good work, I think, brought forward. The consultant’s report clearly identified that some changes are needed. There are challenges coming forward. There is a federal Food Mail Program review team that has been put together. They will be contacting the northern consumers and also stakeholders in the northern communities to consult and provide some feedback. That is their responsibility. We certainly can, if the Member has any issues and would like us to formally provide some feedback to this consultant report. We would certainly do that. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the committee has also identified in one of the recommendations as to the possibility of the involvement of a provincial/territorial government in terms of taking over the Food Mail Program. However, that is going to have to be analyzed very carefully in terms of this recommendation. The Minister has offered some type of involvement. I think it is the onus of this government to look at all 11 communities who are benefiting from the Food Mail Program in terms of putting together conditions in terms of this government here in terms of how some of the recommendations can be implemented into the Food Mail Program.

I would ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, in terms of laying out some options as to how he has made the

offer to involve in our position forward through the Department of Indian Affairs in terms of the report and recommendations and how this government can be engaged and implemented in some of the recommendations. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Member requested a review of the program and has many times and on many occasions suggested that there are changes required. That is taking place. It is being headed up by a review team. They have come forward with a number of changes and suggestions. We are not in a position to always come forward and intervene in that process. There is a process that is straightforward that the committee can be involved in and respond directly. I think that it may be more disruptive for us as a department to start our own process to have feedback, to have committees and stakeholders take part and respond to us. We would be open to any suggestions the Member may have. However, this is really a program that is being headed up by INAC. It is their program. They have a process. We would like to see it unfold with as little disruption from our government as possible. Having said that, there are areas that we probably will be providing our own feedback as it affects our government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, that is the avenue I want to look at in terms of the Minister has indicated getting feedback from his department. These are some of the areas that we can be involved in terms of being a support to the Minister. Mr. Speaker, if the Minister can assure us that the committee will be coming to see some of the people in our communities in terms of feedback. I haven’t seen them in Tulita, Deline, Colville Lake or Fort Good Hope. When can they come into our communities and talk to our own people, the consumers? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we can certainly pose that question to Indian Affairs. Once again, it is not the committee that we control. We can’t really tell them where to go and who to talk to. They have indicated they have a plan to consult the northern consumers. They have a plan to talk to the stakeholders. We have requested them to provide some appropriate people to come and meet with the standing committee. We certainly can try to get a schedule of the communities they plan to visit or how they plan to do the consultation. I would be glad to share that with the Member. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of ECE. It is in regards to my Member’s statement on the challenges that we are facing in our small communities, especially the delivery of housing in regards to the economic rent that is being charged by local housing authorities. More importantly, the ECE program by way of income support in regards to how we are supposed to approve services that are in our communities.

I think one thing that is lacking is that we don’t really look at the social and economic viability in a lot of our communities. One of the things I see is that we have a high pocket of unemployment in our communities. We know statistically what the total household incomes are in a lot of our small communities. In most cases, it is less than $40,000 per household, yet in Yellowknife it is in excess of $120,000 per household and yet the programs are delivering in the same sort of policy. I would like to ask the Minister of ECE, in light of the plans that took place between the Housing Corporation and ECE in regards to the Income Support Program and the housing supp, the Housing Corporation had a policy in place before the transfer took place which basically allowed a tenant of the Housing Corporation who was unemployed for a period of time to basically transition into employment for a couple of months so that they can be able to get a job, but, more importantly, retain some of those earnings so that they can purchase items that they need and prepare them so that when they do get charged economic rent, that they have the resources to do so and not use the hammer approach where you basically nail them with the first pay cheque they get and take as much as you can and then say, here, go to work the next day. I think this program is not working. I would like to ask the Minister of ECE: Would he consider that policy and implement that policy, which was in the Housing Corporation, in light of what has happened in our communities?

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I do appreciate the Member’s questions in this area. That has been brought up on previous occasions at our deliberations with the communities and also the Members when we were before them. Certainly it has been delivered by the NWT Housing Corporation for a period of one year in 2003. At that time, it wasn’t really an effective program. There were only four intakes from the clientele. We are looking at other jurisdictions on how we can successfully and effectively deliver the program.

We are looking at the great period that the Member is alluding to. This is an area that we talked about. Now we are developing a proposal on a working centre because we certainly are supporting individuals that should enter the workforce. We are doing what we can as a department. Certainly we are looking into that. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in the economic reality, what we are facing here in the Northwest Territories, especially with the downturn in the oil and gas industry, especially in my riding in the Beaufort-Delta, we are seeing people finding it harder and harder to get a job. Whatever jobs they can get, like I stated earlier, are short-term jobs. I know the Minister of ECE, who is also responsible for education, culture and developing the people for the workforce that we have to ensure that the policies we have are not hindering people from actually going to work. If anything, we are penalizing them to go to work. I would like to ask the Minister: Would you not only look at what is happening within Housing but look at the policies within ECE programs to ensure that there is some sort of a transitional period that allows for individuals who want to basically take training or get a job, being able to sustain some sort of a lifestyle without totally taking away all of their income by way of these policies that this government administers? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, certainly, as I stated, we do support the communities. The members can take on any job that is available to them. We are involved with the various programs, whether it be with the federal or territorial government. Just today I have announced the Labour Market Development Initiative that certainly will provide more opportunities for individuals that the Member is speaking of. It also deals with the income support clientele as well. Also we do have a Ready to Work Program where we provide basic skills and training to individuals who are on income support so we can get them off income support and through the workforce level. Not only that, Mr. Speaker, we work closely with the Housing Corporation with their new Housing Initiative. The funds have been announced. Where some individuals have been paying high rent, they can certainly get into a program. We continue to deliver those programs, but we are trying to meet the needs of the communities. I appreciate the Member asking the question in that area. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: How soon can he come back to the House in light of his discussions he is going to have with the Minister of Housing to relook at this policy that was in place prior to this decision to consolidate income programs into one? I would like to ask the Minister: How soon can he come back to the House

with that discussion or even a draft policy that we can look at as Members on this side of the House?

Mr. Speaker, certainly we need to expedite this process because we have been discussing this within our internal departments, both my department and also the NWT Housing Corporation. We can certainly say within a couple of months. We want to have at least a draft discussion with members of the standing committee and get their input into the system and move forward on a decision that could be made at that time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to ask the Minister if he would clearly consider looking at the economic and political realities in a lot of our communities as I mentioned earlier. The incomes are a lot different in our smaller remote communities compared to our larger regional centres like Yellowknife and that being taken into consideration whenever you develop a policy. Consider the high unemployment rates. Consider the social and economic conditions in our communities so that we do have policies that are not territorial-wide but they are structured, work with those communities, get them productive and we can see a change in the lifestyle of our people and in our communities. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, again, thank you to the Member because my department certainly is monitoring our discussion here today. They certainly are discussing what the Member is alluding to. Certainly we like to hear the input of Regular Members as well. Those are experts around the table from the communities. They need to provide the information to us that we can implement our programs so we are looking forward to that. I am looking forward to meeting with the standing committee at a later date. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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