This is page numbers 4463 - 4502 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 4th 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 health.

Topics

The House met at 1:39 p.m.

---Prayer

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to update my colleagues on an important publication that has come out of the Northern Mining Workforce Initiative Memorandum of Understanding: the 2009 NWT Survey of Mining Employees. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will be tabling the document.

But before I speak about the survey, I would like to talk briefly about the memorandum of understanding itself, which was signed in 2008. This document is a platform for the Government of the Northwest Territories and our three diamond mines -- BHP Billiton Canada Inc., Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., and De Beers Canada Inc. -- to work together on issues regarding our mining workforce.

Mr. Speaker, two of the memorandum of understanding’s most important objectives are to improve the mining skills of Northwest Territories residents and to attract and retain our residents so that as many diamond mine employees as possible are from the Northwest Territories.

A steering committee, which includes leadership from the three diamond mines, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and myself, guide three working groups to achieve these objectives: one for training, one for transportation and one for residency. Industry, Tourism and Investment has been focused on the residency working group and how to attract and retain Northwest Territories resident employees at the diamond mines.

This survey is the first major step towards meeting this objective. Industry, Tourism and Investment and the diamond mines collaborated extensively with the Northwest Territories Bureau of Statistics to develop a questionnaire that would provide clear data on what motivates diamond mine employees on whether or not to live in our Territory.

Employees from all three diamond mines, and the employees of contractors for two of the mines, took part in the survey. In total, 1,705 people responded; a phenomenal response rate of 93.5.percent. The survey also broke the diamond mines’ workforce up into four groups: residents originally from the Northwest Territories; non-residents who have moved here; non-residents who once lived in the Northwest Territories but now live elsewhere; and non-residents who have never lived here.

Surveying these four different groups will help the Government of the Northwest Territories and the diamond mines understand the challenges of recruitment and retention of each group. It will also help us understand how to best direct our efforts to increase the size of the northern resident workforce.

The survey produced some very useful findings. It found that recreational opportunities, closeness to family and friends, competitive pay and benefits and cost of living are all key factors when diamond mine employees consider moving to or from the North.

Mr. Speaker, this is valuable work. The information in this survey has provided all the partners with useful data that we can use to help solve the challenges facing us as we try to increase the number of diamond mine employees that live in the Northwest Territories. It’s an example of how this memorandum of understanding is providing results that are beneficial to the Territory.

Industry, Tourism and Investment, Education, Culture and Employment and the diamond mines are now taking the survey’s findings and considering what steps can be taken to act on the valuable information provided in the report.

Mr. Speaker, there are some significant challenges to increasing our northern workforce at the diamond mines. But there are also significant opportunities. And it is work like the 2009 NWT Survey of Mining Employees that will be a starting point for the

memorandum of understanding partners in coming up with creative ways to meet those challenges and embrace those opportunities so that we can continue to build a Territory with a diversified economy that provides all regions and communities with choices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to update the House on the Department of Justice’s work to improve policing services across the Territory.

I would first like to recognize the new commanding officer of the Northwest Territories “G” Division, Chief Superintendent Wade Blake. Chief Superintendent Blake has 29 years of experience in the RCMP. Residents of Fort Smith will recognize him from his posting there from 1989-1992. He is well known for his commitment to alternative justice approaches and community policing. He is very familiar with the needs of small aboriginal communities without on-site detachments and has spent significant amounts of time working on family violence issues and crime prevention. I am confident that he is the right person to lead our Territory’s police force right now.

I would also like to thank our outgoing commanding officer, Chief Superintendent Tom Middleton, who is also retiring.

---Applause

Under his leadership, we opened a new detachment in Sachs Harbour and added new officers to police Gameti and Wrigley. We created new positions to do enhanced patrols to communities without detachments. We also worked with leadership in the South Slave region to place a new police services dog and handler into Hay River. We very much appreciate Chief Superintendent Middleton’s services and wish him well in his retirement.

Policing service to small communities is a priority for this government. This year we’ve invested $32 million into the RCMP. Later in 2010, we’ll have a new kind of support for detachments; or you might call it a traditional kind of support. The former Special Constable, now Community Officer, program is coming back. The program is being updated and training starts this fall for the one-year pilot project. We have three seats in the first troop to go through Depot. These officers will enhance our detachments, help our patrols and work on restorative justice initiatives. They’ll also strengthen the role of communities in prevention and

enforcement. I can’t wait to shake the hands of the first graduates.

The Community Officer Program is an example of how we can pursue and support northern approaches to policing. With the other northern Ministers of Justice, I have repeatedly emphasized the need for a territorial policing policy framework. The three territories have decided to work together for a new model for policing in the North, one that acknowledges our uniqueness, builds on our strengths and fosters stronger relationships with our communities. We want to increase resources to support victims and develop new partnerships to combine our efforts at the community level and build community capacity. Our new commanding officer has significant experience in all of these issues and will be key to that work. I welcome him and his family back to the Northwest Territories and look forward to working with him. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. I want to take the occasion today to speak about Education Week, and we draw attention to the people at the heart of our education system, our teachers. While the Weledeh riding can’t claim to have a monopoly on teaching excellence, we do boast some of the very best and I’ll name just a few.

Amanda Mallon’s career is a catalogue of achievement: 22 years as a teacher, past president of the NWT Teachers’ Association, four time Canadian Teachers’ Association vice-president, winner of the NWTTA’s Cliff King Award, YK Education District No. 1 executive and committee memberships. There isn’t time to mention them all.

Angela James, the principal of the K’alemi Dene School in Ndilo has been repeatedly recognized for her superb contributions to education: Canadian Association Principal of the Year in 2009, named one of that association’s outstanding principals the previous year and truly the driving force of K’alemi Dene’s remarkable success story.

Eileen Erasmus, also at K’alemi Dene School, is a winner of this year’s Prime Minister’s Certificate of Excellence in Education. Her devotion to improving the lives and education of at-risk students and in enriching the vitality of Weledeh culture make her a model of dedicated community leadership.

Mindy Willett has lived and taught across the North, shared her rich experience through educational

consulting and contributed to the literature of the North through her authorship and community engagement. Her leadership role in Canadian Youth Abroad and the Arctic Youth Abroad programs is exemplary.

Mary Rose Sundberg is an honoured pioneer in interpreting/translating skills development and certification and has recently expanded the community-based delivery of aboriginal language education through the creation of the Goyatiko Language Society based in Ndilo. A local advocate for aboriginal language enrichment, she was a key participant in the recently developed Languages Strategy.

Mr. Speaker, Helen Balanoff, heading up the NWT Literacy Council; Scott Willoughby leading the On-the-Land Program at Sir John; Barb Cameron at Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. These are just a few of the people who, one by one, build our future by building the education of our youth. I ask you to join with them in saluting their achievements and those of all educators in Weledeh riding and across the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Yesterday, we had the Minister of Justice in front of us during Committee of the Whole and I wanted to expand on a couple of items related to the Department of Justice that I brought to his attention.

The first is an issue that I’ve discussed with him previously and that is the fact that there are a number of aging penitentiaries across this country that sooner or later the federal government will have to replace and look at building a new federal penal institution somewhere in this country. My belief and desire is for that facility to be located here in the Northwest Territories. Imagine for a moment what a federal penitentiary built in one of our larger communities, like Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River, or Inuvik, would mean to that community. Between 300 and 400 jobs, spin-off business opportunities and contracts for local businesses, a marked increase in our population, which would translate directly into a larger revenue stream through the Territorial Formula Financing Agreement.

I was very surprised when the Justice Minister yesterday stated on page 75 of unedited Hansard, “We haven’t really raised that issue at the federal level as of yet because we were dealing with the courthouse a while back and we had to set our priorities.” The Minister’s comments are very

disconcerting. Firstly, he has not raised the issue of a penitentiary here in the Northwest Territories at the federal level in the past year when we know that the issue of a courthouse has fallen off the government’s radar.

Which brings me to the courthouse issue. My inclination is to say we are making a big mistake by not pursuing a new courthouse facility. The reality is that part of the maturation process our government is still undergoing will require us to build a public institution for the judiciary. The legislative, executive, and judicial branches are the very building blocks of a parliamentary democracy. As a government, we cannot continue to ignore the needs of our judiciary. As a government, we have spent millions of dollars and probably paid for the current facility at least 10 times over.

This facility that 20 years ago may have been adequate today is just not meeting the growing needs and demands of our judiciary. There are serious concerns over space constraints, space utilization, and security. Eventually a new courthouse will have to be built. There seems to be no end in sight to the escalating construction costs to build infrastructure in this Territory. We need to find a way to get this project back on our capital plan.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my Member’s statement today to comment on a recent experience: the opportunity I had to travel to Vancouver to represent the NWT last Friday, NWT Day at the Olympics, and to take in the marvellous Olympic atmosphere in that city over the weekend.

A couple of weeks ago I stated that the money expended by our government for participation in the Olympics has been money well spent. Now, more than ever, I believe that to be correct. Friday morning, attending MLAs were given a tour of our Northern House and, as Members have heard before, it’s an impressive venue. The quality of the exhibits is top notch and the layout, the artistic quality, just works. Several times as we wandered around Northern House I found myself thinking this is home. This feels like home, it looks like home.

Northern House represents the NWT very well. Visitors get a good sense of our Territory. I have to give huge credit to those whose vision developed Northern House, to those who had the courage to think beyond the ordinary to build Northern House into the striking venue that it is. I have to add that I

think government would do well to think the same way on many occasions.

Capping off a very vibrant day of activities was the NWT Day performance at B.C. Place prior to the medal ceremonies that night. Titled The Drum: The Heartbeat of the North, it was a real treat for those of us who were there to see it live. I found it to be a varied, passionate, professional performance; an excellent showcase for our home-grown northern talent and culture. I want to congratulate all the participants in the medal ceremonies show on their quality work and on putting on a great show.

While I was in Vancouver I found the city to be a bit of a zoo. There were quite literally thousands of people roaming the streets at all hours of the day and half the night. It seemed rather like one big happy party, a celebration of Canada and our athletes. I’ve never seen so many red Canada shirts in one place at one time. At any sporting event when Team Canada was competing, there was nothing but a sea of red. I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder to be Canadian and seeing the pride in everyone around me made me proud.

After I arrived home yesterday people kept asking me about the trip. How was it, they say. I can only answer, it was great. Truly enjoyable, if tiring, but a chance to take in a unique event, a chance we don’t all get and I’m grateful for my chance.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

My thanks go to the GNWT staff who set up all the details for my trip. My thanks go to VANOC, the Olympic Committee, for hosting us so well, for welcoming and pampering us as they did. I hope that I and the NWT will get the chance to return the favour sometime in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a lot of times Member’s stand up raising issues and questions from their ridings and not getting the answers that they’d like. Mr. Speaker, we cannot hide behind the authorities of boards, regardless if it’s a health board or an education board, as a reason the Minister can’t do anything.

Mr. Speaker, it’s clear in the NWT Health Act that the Minister can do something by way of directives to the Department of Health, the service boards, regardless if it’s the Inuvik Health Board, and also instruct them to carry out certain activities. It’s in the

legislation by the directive and with other written instructions issued by a Minister that they can move on some of these issues.

I know I’ve raised issues in this House, like the Minister stated yesterday, day after day, year after year, in regard to getting a nurse for Tsiigehtchic. Yet, the Minister’s response yesterday: “well, we do provide services.” It’s clear in the legislation that they do have to have functional facilities in regard to how we carry out our programs. Mr. Speaker, it’s also been in the directive that the Minister may, to ensure that the Territories, to ensure that adequate standards are maintained for the facilities, which means it has to be a functional facility. You can’t have a functional facility if you don’t have anybody in it to provide the services. And, again, it’s in the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, it’s frustrating for Members on this side of the House to do our job for the people we represent to bring their issues to the table of this House and ask the important questions, especially when it comes to the health and well-being of our communities. Again, Mr. Speaker, it is frustrating for the people back home hearing no from Ministers that they think have some powers. I think it’s critical that the Ministers carry out their ministerial responsibilities through a ministerial directive, a written response to the health boards or education boards to do exactly what’s been directed of them so that they can act on the situation.

We spend over a billion dollars a year, but we cannot act from that side of the House to do a simple thing like get a nurse in the community, but we can spend $2 million to operate facilities that we just built. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister questions on the powers that she has under the NWT Health Act.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

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

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk again about the camping area near Fort Resolution on the Slave River referred to as Big Eddy. In the past few days I have heard many of my colleagues and the Minister of ITI stand up in the House and talk about the importance of tourism in the NWT. This is good to hear, Mr. Speaker, but at the same time I have to wonder about this, because in my riding there is only one territorial park even though there are many areas that can be easily designated as parks.

So we need to start looking at extending some of this support for tourism into the areas in Tu Nedhe.

Mr. Speaker, the traditional area known as Big Eddy is one such area. Listening to the community as MLA, the community would like to see this area become a territorial park. I have stood in this House on numerous occasions and talked about the limited opportunities in both Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution. Mr. Speaker, establishing a territorial park at Big Eddy will enhance the economic pictures in Fort Resolution and it will provide for immediate and long-term job opportunities for residents, and will also mean more money for the community businesses from visiting tourism and also some short-term employment during construction.

Mr. Speaker, just as important, if not more important, is the protection of certain areas because of its cultural importance and preserving its ecological integrity. Mr. Speaker, the World Conservation Union defines a protected area as an area of land and/or sea especially dedicated for the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of the natural and associated culture resources and managed through legal or other affective means. Based on this, I would say that the Big Eddy on the Slave River is one such area.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the development of this area as an overnight territorial park will provide many boating and fishing opportunities for the residents of Fort Res.

Later today I will have questions on how the community can realize its goal of getting Big Eddy designated as a territorial park. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, in the Sahtu region we have many young people under the age of 25 years old. As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, 45 percent of the entire population of the Sahtu is under 25 years old. That’s an amazing fact, Mr. Speaker.

We need to develop and implement a solid plan for training so that our young people get the best training for the future. Our young people are eagerly waiting to contribute to our communities and to the North. Many young people are making their best efforts to participate in upgrading and employment training programs, and we need to have a regional training centre called the Sahtu Tech. We’re at the very edge of opening the North Slave agenda to mega projects such as the Mackenzie Gas Project and the extension of the Mackenzie Valley Highway.

What are we waiting for, Mr. Speaker? Let’s get those training programs in place for our young people so that in a year or so we can see a decrease in the unemployment rate and an increase in the skill building and the trades development. The best investment to our young people is to give them the tools to help themselves.

Our children look up and follow the examples of their parents, brothers and sisters, and family members. As leaders, we want to make sure that the resources are in place and we can be sure that our young people will work hard with those resources and put them to good use. We can help them to overcome life’s challenges and know that nothing can stand in their way if they are determined. We learned that kind of attitude from our parents and elders and it’s time to pass that along to the next generation of emerging leaders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier, the Cabinet and the Ordinary Members of this House have all been working hard to bring economic development into the Northwest Territories. One of the best possibilities in many decades to improve the economy of the South Slave is the potential of the value-added processing of rare earths at Pine Point, and it’s up to $500 million of investment.

Mr. Speaker, in July of last year the GNWT lost the investment of Fortune Minerals Hydromet plant and 80 value-added jobs when they were courted by the Saskatchewan government with their low power rates and incentives.

Unlike some previous mines, Avalon has started early and worked hard with aboriginal governments and the GNWT to try to find ways to retain value-added in the NWT. Recently, the Premier responded positively to requests from Avalon Rare Metals and the standing committee, that the GNWT would work constructively to pursue the possibility of the availability of competitively priced power and transportation infrastructure.

On Monday, February 22nd , the chair of the

Northwest Territories Power Corporation states that Avalon Rare Metals is not going to get a deal on power. He is quoted in News/North as saying, “Avalon is not going to get cheaper power than anybody else in the South Slave system. What Saskatchewan sells power for is really not relevant to us, simply because we have to recover our costs of service.”

I was shocked, Mr. Speaker, seeing the comments of the chair of NTPC contradicting our Premier, the will of its shareholder and this Legislature. In short, the chair of NTPC threw ice water on the hopes of using the surplus energy from the Taltson dam to leverage this once in a lifetime opportunity to develop the economy in the South Slave.

Mr. Speaker, the reverberations of this unauthorized communication and action go far beyond the borders of the Northwest Territories. You have to believe that the Premier of Saskatchewan and the chair of SaskPower were delighted to hear this comment. What are the investors at Avalon to think when they read that all of Avalon’s efforts to find ways to retain value added in the NWT are publicly dismissed by the NTPC board chair?

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

In his response that was shared with Members, the Premier asked Avalon to work with the GNWT to develop a plan that would allow Avalon to locate its processing plant in the NWT. Initial discussions have occurred. The Premier also suggested that the proposal to the federal government might be another way to ensure this project was to proceed. The comments in this article also have a damaging effect on public perception as it seems like Mr. Voytilla is also the spokesperson for the PUB, who is talking about blended rates and the cost of power to the public if this should go ahead.

I think there is a possible solution. I support the Avalon project and I know other Members support it as well. We need to see this attitude reflected by the people who are taking it upon themselves to be our spokespersons.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is Education Week. This world requires many resources. Even through the buildings and books or basic supplies all schools need in today’s world, much more is needed. Our kids are increasingly left behind. In the Beaufort-Delta communities everything, our adequate, reliable housing, living programs contribute to community successful graduation rate.

Several weeks ago I mentioned in the House currently there are eight students in the Nunakput community of Sachs Harbour who, for various reasons, have left high school in Inuvik and moved back home. Reasons include nowhere to live, not

enough resources and support. Support from this government and the Beaufort-Delta education is lacking.

In other Member’s statements I’ve highlighted problems with some school buildings. The schools are not big enough for the number of students they have, from the size of the gymnasium to the size of the library. At Mangilaluk School, for instance, there is a lack of space in the whole building that needs to be redone to bring it up to standards. We’re far below the territorial standards. Ulukhaktok, a Nunakput community, schools have old, outdated, second-hand, broken down computers that are often incompatible with modern software and e-ware. According to the school principal, most computers are even incompatible with the satellite linkup for the telehealth in Ulukhaktok.

According to Karen Kitekudlak, the chairperson of the district education authority in Ulukhaktok, the condition of Helen Kalvak School is worsening. This school was once the pride of Nunakput and was designed to have been built so beautifully. Now I ask this government what happened.

Sachs seriously lacks adequate accommodation for teachers and this coming school year the recruitment and retention of good teachers in the small communities such as the Nunakput community of Sachs are very dependent on providing adequate housing for teachers.

Over the years, schools have come a long way and have grown from one-room shacks to multi-functional facilities and more, as needed. Compared to national standards, our students are far below average in everything.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Our students are far below average in everything from adequate textbooks to square footage per student. Nunakput communities are experiencing very unique educational challenges for our youth. How much longer will this government take before they recognize some of these things that have to be done? This government must implement measures and recommendations made by numerous organizations and community governments.

We’re going to truly educate our youth to be competitive nationally, commit to supply our schools with adequate resources required for today’s educational challenges needs. I urge this government to implement per student calculation standards that students in tax-based communities receive, factoring in northern costs associated in small, remote communities. I will have questions for the Minister of Education at the appropriate time.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Nursing Services In Wrigley
Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. You may have heard a report on the radio this morning about how there will be no nurse in the community of Wrigley this year. I had spoken earlier saying that there would be a return of the service to Wrigley and it gave me no pleasure to correct this publicly.

The road to returning nursing service to Wrigley is a challenging one. When I was first elected I was told that there would be no nurse for Wrigley until there is policing. So I worked hard in the last term to ensure the return of policing to Wrigley. The Minister of Justice then, Cabinet, and our Assembly approved two RCMP positions in 2007 and a commitment for a detachment by 2011.

The next piece of the puzzle should have been easy: re-establish nursing to Wrigley. Yet for the past two and a half years I’ve continued to raise this issue. In November 2009 I understood from the Minister of Health and Social Services that there was a proposal to return nursing services to Wrigley. In December I did indeed advise the new chief of Wrigley, Tim Lennie, that there would be a position for Wrigley in 2010.

However, yesterday I was advised by Deh Cho Health and Social Services that there was no dedicated nursing position in their budget. Although the Government of the Northwest Territories approves funding for boards, it does not make detailed decisions on how the money is spent. I think the priority of our government should be the priority of our boards.

Myself and the community of Wrigley need the Minister of Health and Social Services and our government to pay attention to our needs. How will they provide for the needs of Wrigley and the residents of Nahendeh. I will be following up on this during question period.

Nursing Services In Wrigley
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Time and time again you hear issues raised from this side of the House and they continue to be pushed away. As said quite clearly by my colleague Mr. Menicoche, we raise issues because they are of community interest and they are important. The relentless pursuit of these community and

constituency issues will continue regardless of the deaf ears on the Cabinet side of this House.

When we speak about health board issues, education board issues, Power Corporation board issues, Liquor Board issues, municipal issues, or even housing board issues, we’re not speaking just for our own voices. We’re speaking for the people, the community, the constituency, and sometimes even up to six communities we’re speaking for. Where are the Ministers listening on this issue? Are they standing behind the boards and using them as the defence to doing something? I don’t know.

I ask the Ministers across this House to take a good look. More than 50 percent of the voices of this Territory are sitting on this side of the House. So wake up from your still stare. We’re here speaking. May I remind Cabinet...

---Interjection

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

We know the money is chopped up at the Cabinet table but we will not stand for this. We need Cabinet to realize we have priorities that represent our communities and constituencies and they’re very important. When an MLA brings forward an issue, quite often you’ll hear from the Ministers a relentless defence of it and you’ll hear the Five-D Approaches, as I like to call it: the Minister will defend, defer, delay, and sometimes deflect and defy the issue over and over. I had to add another one because they divide the House on the issue. The Ds just keep rolling.

When do you hear from the Cabinet side of this how can we help unite the Territory on the specific issues raised by Regular Members. That’s when Cabinet’s listening. We hear that very little. I’d like to hear from Cabinet, “How can we help?”, as opposed to, “Sorry, we’re busy, maybe it’s the board’s problem.”

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, 65 years is more than any age of any of us sitting in this august Assembly. It’s decades longer than any warranty we’ll ever get. It’s the age of retirement, something to look forward to. In some parts of the world it’s the age of life expectancy, but today 65 years is a milestone that I’d like us to honour and recognize. We have with us in the gallery Mr. Al and Febula Bohnet, and today they’re celebrating a lifetime together of commitment, love and sharing going back 65 years today.

---Applause

This is an enormous accomplishment in this day and age. They’re surrounded by some of their family, children, grandchildren, who I’ll recognize later, but today I just wanted to take this time to honour them and thank them for being here and for their whole life together and what they’ve done for the North. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

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

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Bohnet, Wanda Powder, Darrell Bohnet Jr., Shirley Bohnet, Sevn Bohnet, Seth Bohnet, Kelly Kubic, and Bonita Bohnet. Not with us, of course, are some of the other folks: Darrell Bohnet, Gary Bohnet and Gordon Bohnet. Welcome to the Assembly. I’m glad you’re here.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to recognize the new Commanding Officer, Mr. Wade Blake, who is fulfilling a new role as commanding officer. I’d like to thank Mr. Middleton for all these years of commitment and dedication and wish him all the luck in his retirement. I also recognize Bronwyn Watters, my deputy minister of the Justice department.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

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

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Al and Feb Bohnet on their 65th wedding anniversary, and all their

extended family of Bohnets who are here today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to do a special recognition to Chief Superintendent Tom Middleton, and pass on my well wishes to him and his wife, Susan, who will be retiring. He’s a constituent for just a few more days. At the same time, I’d like to recognize, although I haven’t had the pleasure to meet the incoming Chief Superintendent Wade Blake, so I’d like to wish him well on his new adventures leading our RCMP of the North. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of my colleague Mr. Abernethy I’d like to recognize Mark Bogan, a resident of Great Slave.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. If we missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier and the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I would hope that today, through some questions and answers here in the House, we could set the record straight. Mr. Speaker, at the outset of any sensitive negotiations of course we can’t fully predict the outcome of those negotiations, and no doubt, there will be obstacles and challenges to try to achieve the goal that we have of trying to see value added from the Rare Earth’s mining activity in the Northwest Territories. We recognize that. However, what advantage is there of the Power Corporation coming out and essentially cutting this negotiation off at the pass here. We were just embarking on this. The Premier was clear in his support for trying to find ways and means of ensuring that this extremely important economic activity was retained in the North to the largest extent possible.

Mr. Speaker, my question today to the Premier is: will those discussions and those negotiations continue on behalf of and with Avalon Rare Metals to try and find a solution that would see this value-added activity in the North? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the letter that I sent in response to a letter that we got from Avalon Rare Earth Mineral’s project and the people within that organization stands. We’re interested, as we have been with any secondary industry potential that we have in the Northwest Territories. There are many challenges that need to be looked at, so we’re still going to go ahead with those discussions. I know that Minister Bob McLeod with ITI folks have been arranging to have these ongoing discussions, and they’re still open. Of course, we’re challenged in our environment to see how we can meet some of the requests that will be on the table as well. But, of course, we are definitely interested in pursuing any

potential we have for secondary industry in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I can’t, of course, quantify what kind of damage might have been done by that very blunt and categorical dismissal of the opportunity to provide power at a rate that would be competitive enough to see this processing take place here in the Northwest Territories. But, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier if he could advise those who are in positions of leadership in these organizations, which are really the, you know, it’s really the role of the shareholder in these types of things to be the spokesperson, if it’s possible for the Minister to communicate to people the sensitivity and the importance of not coming out on these kinds of statements in the media. Thank you.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Mr. Speaker, we, of course, during initial discussions don’t want to put barriers up before we have a chance to get into any detail. I know in discussions, brief discussions with the chair of the Power Corp board there was issue there about the interview that was done. I don’t have a lot of detail on exactly what was said or stated, but at the same time, I said that communication needs to be improved between ourselves and the board as to letters and correspondence, as well, that we share. So we’ll get that message through the system. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, it’s a small Territory, we all know who the board chair is for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, and I want to say -- and Mr. Voytillla knows this -- that I’ve always had a great deal of respect for what he has done for our government and his many years as deputy minister and how pleased I was when he became the chair of the NTPC board. Would the Premier convey to Mr. Voytilla, please, that we would appreciate his support as the chair, because he would be a very key person in these negotiations; that we would like him to participate with our government in trying to find a viable solution to affordable power for the Avalon Ventures processing plan. Thank you.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Mr. Speaker, the Avalon project is one that’s early days. There has been some exploration. There is discussion about potential establishment of the mining operation itself and then the secondary industry and, of course, we’re interested in how we might be able to work together on that. So we’ll continue down that path, as I stated earlier, and see where we can get to on that.

As I stated earlier, the communications between our boards and ourselves needs to be clear and open and have a consistent message. We’re all challenged, though, in making sure that we do provide the best return for our investment on any project that we’d be involved in. So we’ll continue

down the path and keep Members informed of where we’re going on this and, again, improve the communications process. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So for the benefit of the folks at Avalon, for the Premier of Saskatchewan, for the public, for those of us in the South Slave who would like to see such an amazing economic opportunity come our way, for all intents and purposes, would the Premier state that Mr. Voytilla’s comments in the media are formally retracted? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

As I said, I will speak to the chair of the board on this and have him clear up his comments that were stated. He’s unavailable for contact at this point, but I’m sure that we can arrange that contact in a number of days.

As the Member pointed out, we’re the shareholder. We’re negotiating, we’re undergoing these discussions and ultimately we’ll set the direction of where we want to go as a Government of the Northwest Territories. We’re challenged, of course, in our environment, but we want to come up with the best deal possible, if we can come up to the arrangements. But at the same time, it is difficult to compare ourselves to other jurisdictions.

But that aside, there’s still a process we want to go through and see if we can and how we can advance the potential for this, like we did with the secondary diamond industry, of establishing secondary industries in the Northwest Territories. So our goal is to advance those discussions and see where we can go.

Again, communication is something that we will clarify and clear up as well.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about a designated territorial park near Fort Resolution. I would like to ask questions of the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment on that.

Mr. Speaker, last October I raised the issue and asked questions. Since October, can the Minister tell me if his ITI staff have had meaningful discussions with the community regarding the development of a territorial park near Fort Resolution? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During last session, October 2009, I committed to visiting the community with the Member for Tu Nedhe to facilitate the wishes of the people of the community of Fort Resolution, and I am still committed to doing so and visiting the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Can the Minister tell me if prior to our visit to Fort Resolution, if he’s able to provide me with some sort of a plan on what is going to occur as far as territorial park development goes in the Northwest Territories?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We do have some ideas of where we would like to go with developing a territorial park in Fort Resolution. We have had some very preliminary discussions with one of the former chiefs of Fort Resolution, and since October we’ve been endeavouring to meet with the Deninu Community Council, the Deninu K’ue First Nation and the Fort Resolution Metis Council, so we are committed to working with the community of Fort Resolution and we would certainly appreciate if the Member could assist us with helping set up these meetings so we can discuss where we can go from here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I’d be pleased to set up meetings with the Minister or the department; I just haven’t been able to find the appropriate time to do so. Can the Minister tell me in the interim if he will direct his staff to go to the community to start talking specifics about the park near Fort Resolution? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

I’m quite prepared to do that and we’ve been calling as recently as last night or yesterday to attempt to set up meetings. So the next step would be to have our staff go to Fort Resolution and meet with as many people as possible.

We still want to develop a park in that area, because we think it’s something that would be beneficial and certainly fit in with the attractiveness around Fort Resolution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. What happened is the question I have for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Myself and my colleague Mr. Krutko thought we had certainty in the delivery of nursing services for our small communities. I was very happy with the strategy produced by Health and Social Services called a Foundation for Change. It supports enhanced services for smaller communities; for me, the return of nursing to Wrigley in 2010. Can the

Minister of Health and Social Services tell me how can this be accomplished? Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct in saying that we have been working under the Foundation for Change to enhance our goals. The goals under Foundation for Change are: wellness, accessibility and sustainability. So we are working on that three-year plan that would change the way we deliver our programs in the North and to strengthen services at the community level, but as a Territory-wide plan to use our resources as efficiently as possible and change the way we provide services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I’m glad to see there’s a bit of a plan in that strategy. However, as I indicated in my Member’s statement, when I first became MLA, to return nursing services to Wrigley was policing. Policing was the answer to returning nursing. That’s accomplished, Mr. Speaker. We’ve got dedicated RCMP; we’re looking forward to establishing a detachment by 2011. Yet I stand up here today and I still have no certainty on returning a nursing position to Wrigley. Can the Minister tell me why did we go through six years of establishing policing when, in fact, they will not follow up on the original commitment to the community of Wrigley and to myself? Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we should be mindful of the fact that all of our communities have a nursing service. The community of Wrigley does have a nursing service and other health care service there. I do understand that for a lot of communities, they would like to have a live-in service, but that’s not always possible everywhere.

I want to advise the Member that the department and Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority are working on a plan to see how they could enhance health care service in small communities within Deh Cho. There are some other very small communities in Deh Cho outside of Fort Simpson, and they are working on that and I am committed to working with the Member and the authority to see how we could work that out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

The return of policing to Wrigley is piecemeal; there are slow baby steps; they do have two dedicated RCMP officers, yet they’re located in Fort Simpson and the plan is to eventually relocate them to the community of Wrigley. That’s the type of solution, that’s the type of creativity I’m looking for from the Minister of Health and Deh Cho Health and Social Services. Let’s start by dedicating a nurse to the community of Wrigley, and it does not have to be a resident

nurse at this point but at least pay attention to the needs of Wrigley and pay attention to the needs of the residents of Nahendeh. Will the Minister work with Deh Cho Health and Social Services and work towards that creative solution? Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Health and Social Services has been as creative and diligent as the policing service has been, because that is exactly the same model that Health and Social Services use. We understand the RCMP cannot be in every community but they do provide services, which is what Health and Social Services does.

I can advise the Member that there are right now four nurses that serve the communities of Wrigley, Trout Lake, Nahanni Butte, and Jean Marie River. The Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority have been working on a proposal to enhance services for those small communities. That includes Wrigley. It will see a strength in services so that we can do a lot more work on chronic disease management and health prevention and promotion as stuff the nursing services can provide. I have discussed this with the Member and I look forward to continuing to work with the Member and the board to see how we can do that.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I do have one more solution for the Minister. By having a dedicated nurse for Wrigley does improve the services for the rest of the communities in Nahendeh. Will the Minister work towards that and do that for our residents?

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

I don’t disagree with that. I do think that having a dedicated nurse for a community would be helpful for the communities. Right now the Deh Cho authority, like many other authorities, have a high vacancy rate in nurses. They have somewhere up to 30 to 40 percent vacancies in nurses. Like all the other authorities, they look at the pool of nurses available and have to share them around the authorities so that everybody in that area gets the nursing service. But they are working on a proposal to enhance nursing coverage in small communities including Wrigley, as the Member has stated in this House on many occasions.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Justice. Yesterday I had the opportunity to raise a couple of issues with him. The first one I want to talk about is the idea of locating a federal penitentiary here in

the Northwest Territories. Yesterday the Minister stated that because they were dealing with the courthouse issue and had to set some priorities, they weren’t able to get to this idea that I had brought to him a while back.

The courthouse project has not been on the capital plan at least for the past two years, so I’m trying to make some sense of the Minister’s comments. I’d like to ask him why we haven’t, as a government, had any preliminary discussions with the federal government on exploring the possibility of locating any new federal corrections institutions here in the Northwest Territories.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular area, we get direction from the Legislative Assembly and the priorities and goals and objectives of this government. I didn’t see any penitentiary within the goals of this Assembly. There are other priority items, priorities of the Northwest Territories and the communities such as community policing or other community programming. Those are the areas we focus on. Mostly on community policing, the Community Policing Program. Those are the areas that we’re focusing on. The areas we feel we can achieve and we have to date achieved those goals and objectives. Whether it be a penitentiary institution, that may be five or 10 years down the road that we may see a light. At this time we went after the short term and have achieved it.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

As a government I believe we have to be searching out opportunities. I disagree with the Minister. Here’s an opportunity to get some real economic development in one of our communities here in the Northwest Territories. I’m talking 300 jobs, multiple families with the possibility of moving to the Northwest Territories, increasing our revenue stream, business opportunities, contract opportunities for businesses. This is something the government has to pay attention to. They have to have some vision, they have to have some passion, and they have to have some vigor. They’re low when it comes to any of those things. They’re letting opportunities pass us by and I’d like to ask the Minister when he will have that discussion. If the Minister’s not going to have that discussion, when will the Premier have that discussion with the federal government? If we don’t make our own opportunities and pursue them nobody’s going to do it for us.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

If it is the will of this Assembly, I will be more than willing to present that idea to the federal government. But I haven’t heard much from this Assembly if this is a priority for this government. If it is, then I’d like to know from this Assembly. Then I can put a bug in the federal

Minister’s ear that this is of high importance for the territorial government. I haven’t heard that to date. There are other pressing issues that we certainly are dealing with. I feel that we need to tackle more of those small issues that we can certainly achieve.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Like I said, if we don’t pursue opportunities, there are other jurisdictions in this country. I know Saskatchewan, Alberta, Ontario are very aggressive in pursuing opportunities. You can rest assured their Members of Parliament and provincial Legislature are out there beating the bushes with the federal government, looking for the federal government to invest in their provinces. We’re not doing that and I think this Minister has to have that discussion. It’s not going to cost us anything to write a letter or sit down with that Minister of Justice and talk to them about the possibility of a penitentiary here in the Northwest Territories. That’s not setting aside any of the other priorities of this government; that’s sitting down with the Minister and discussing the opportunity. That’s what I’m asking the Minister to do. I can’t speak for the rest of the Members of this House, but 300 jobs in an economic opportunity like this is something I don’t think we should turn our backs on because of other priorities.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

With the federal government and their own initiatives, we don’t know if this is on their radar. At the same time, if we’re going to build this kind of facility, we’re talking millions. Those millions going through the communities, such as preventive programs that we currently are pursuing, we are again achieving those successes to date. Community policing. We’re talking about an institution here that could be in the far distance, down the road. At the same time, we have to listen to what the federal government’s goals and objectives are for the Northwest Territories. When the opportunity comes up, sure, I can ask the federal Minister if there’s a plan for that.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, we wouldn’t be using our own money. It would be a federal penitentiary. A federal institution, much like I’ve asked this government to go to Ottawa and demand that those 800-or-so-odd jobs that are located in Gatineau in Ottawa that pertain to northern development are located here. It’s much the same as asking this government to go to the federal government and demand that more military jobs are located here in the Northwest Territories. It’s the same thing. It’s not our money. So how hard is it to go and ask for it? That’s my question. When will the Minister write a letter to the federal Minister of Justice asking them what their plans are for building a new penitentiary in this country and whether in fact we can register our interest in

locating that here? It’s not going to cost us anything. I’ll give him the 42 cents for a stamp.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Minister of Justice

Fifty-eight cents. We have to keep our priorities straight here. We have two detachments that are coming: Wrigley and Gameti. Those are my first priority as a department of the GNWT. Penitentiary is over here possibly. We have to consult with the federal government if they’re willing to do that. My focus is on two detachments and I’m going to continue to push that until we see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s coming. Those are our priorities for this Government of the Northwest Territories.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up with my question in my Member’s statement to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the powers of the Minister under the health act. It does indeed describe the powers of the Minister and it says that the Minister may, and gives a whole list of items. Under (a) it refers to licensing, supervision and inspection of health facilities and social services facilities in the Northwest Territories to ensure that adequate standards are maintained for those facilities.

We have health centres throughout the Northwest Territories in almost every one of our communities. In order for those facilities to be functional, you have to have people delivering the programs and services. I’d like to ask the Minister what exactly she is doing with what’s happening in Tsiigehtchic. It’s been quite a few years since we’ve seen the service provided fully. I’d like to ask the Minister what she is doing to ensure there are going to be functional facilities in the Northwest Territories when it comes to health care facilities in our communities.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The act also allows us to set up boards and that’s what we operate under in the Northwest Territories. The community of Tsiigehtchic does have a health centre and it does have staff. It has a community health rep that works there year round. We also have physicians and specialists that visit that facility as well as the nurses who provide services for almost four months up to half the year.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Four months of the year is not an adequate service. If anything, like my colleague from Nahendeh, similar to the situation in Wrigley,

Tsiigehtchic is in the same predicament. I had a verbal commitment from the Minister that there was going to be a position filled February 1st . I passed

that on to the community, it was passed off to the community leaders who were being told something different.

I’d like to ask the Minister, as the Minister responsible for the establishment of health boards it also stipulates that the Minister, in regard to powers of the boards, by either directive or other written instructions issued by the Minister who can direct them to ensure that you have a full-time position in those communities to make them functional. Has the Minister submitted a written request or directed the health board to make sure that they have a full-time nurse in those communities?

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

For the record, I need to say that I don’t understand where the February 1st came

from. The Member is well aware that we’ve been working through many hours in this House to work on our health care delivery system so that we have enhanced services in communities by changing the way we do things. That’s the plan under Foundation for Change. But as it exists now, we give our block funding to the regional health and social services authorities and they are regional bodies who share their resources to provide the best services they can for all of the communities.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Again, that is the problem. The Minister gives the monies to the organizations and walks away from them. She says here’s the money, have at ‘er. The directive is clear that the Minister has the powers to ensure that the health facilities and social services facilities in the Northwest Territories must ensure that adequate standards are maintained for those facilities. To me that means the services have to be provided at those facilities. If you give the money to the health board to take care of six health care facilities, they have to make sure that the people are able to operate those facilities, maintain public health and social service providers to have a place to work out of. I’d like to ask the Minister again what her department is doing to ensure these facilities are functional and adequately being serviced by the health boards by ensuring that the dollars we give them are being spent on people to operate those facilities.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Again for the record, our objective of health care is not about maintaining and operating a facility. Our objective of health care is to make sure that every resident in the Northwest Territories has access to the health care they need and the health and social services care. Now, we understand that may require and does require patients to travel to services when it’s required. For example, doctors or specialists and sometimes special nursing services. Sometimes it requires the health care staff to travel to the communities. I think when we’re talking about the essential health care

services that we need to provide, we’re talking about making sure that every one of our residents, no matter where they are, that they have access to care. It’s not about operating a facility. It’s about making sure they have care. In Tsiigehtchic they have had nursing services for 89 days last year and that comes to at least -- I don’t want to screw up my math -- four and a half months.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I’m not too sure what it’s going to take to get through to this Minister that we’re asking for full-time positions for those communities that have the facilities are requesting the program to be delivered with full-time staff. When can we see a full-time position reinstated in Tsiigehtchic using the Minister’s powers, if she has any, to get that position filled so that we can have nurses in Wrigley, Tsiigehtchic and other communities of similar size so that they’re treated no differently than Yellowknife where you’re developing a super clinic and all these things that you’re pushing for? Why don’t you find us a nurse for our communities? That’s all we’re asking for. Get it done.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories adopted an ISDM model back in 2003, and that was what had prompted withdrawal of full-time nurses in Wrigley and Tsiigehtchic. So it goes back to 2003. This is the delivery model that we are using. The Member knows that if we are going to change that, we could do that as a discussion in the House as a business plan, but, again, the Member needs to understand that our health care services are being provided by making sure that everybody has access to care. It’s not necessarily about what all the services are, because we know that we need to get the service wherever we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are addressed to the Minister for Health and Social Services, and I have some further questions about the supplementary health benefit consultations programs. I discovered just within the last hour that it’s a bit of a moving target, this consultation paper that they have out there. I printed the document shortly before I came down to the House and went back up to check it again and discovered that the document had changed in the half an hour since I’d been down here. So I hope that it’s now finalized.

On page 14 or 15, depending upon which document you’re looking at, the department lists three things that need change, three statements, and I feel them to be fairly definitive. I’d like to know from the Minister how these three assumptions were determined. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the changes were made in consultation with a public working group. They had a meeting and they were quite pleased, actually, with the information that they received. They had some suggestions for change and that was incorporated and it was reinstated. I don’t have the document right in front of me so I don’t know exactly what assumptions and what page she’s referring to, but if she could specify that I’d be happy to answer them. Thank you.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

The three assumptions are: that all families should have a fair and equal access to Government of the Northwest Territories funded programs that assist with the cost of uninsured health services; that the structure of these programs can be confusing, this makes application for benefits or claims frustrating; a statement that we need a clear policy; a statement that we need a program that provides help to those who are most in need while maximizing our limited resources, and the assumption is that the uninsured health benefits are sustainable for the Government of the Northwest Territories without eroding other programs and services. Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

That reads to be like some of the observations that we are sharing with the public and looking for their input. The Member is right in that this is, I wouldn’t call it a moving target, but it is a living document, it is a live conversation we are having about the extended health benefits with the residents of the Northwest Territories.

In our last time out it was quite obvious that not just the NWT residents, but people across the country are not very clear about exactly what’s covered under the Canada Health Act, what’s covered as extended health benefits, what options are there for them to look at other alternatives about paying for their costs, what’s covered, what’s not, and who is eligible. It’s different in every province and territory. In the Territories, we have three different programs under extended health benefits, so the aim is to have a dialogue with our residents and come up with a more simple and transparent program and one Extended Health Benefits Program for those who are not eligible for NIHB or Metis health benefits. Thank you.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Then to the Minister: if these are observations, then I am a little bit concerned. These three things are prefaced by a statement which

says there are a number of things we need to change about uninsured health benefits. That doesn’t sound much like an observation to me. If the Minister feels that these are observations and if these are, indeed, observations, I’d like to ask the Minister, is there an opportunity during the consultation process, which is going to go on or is going on and has just started, is there an opportunity to amend these observations, as she calls them, modify them, add to them, delete them? Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Yes, the public has the opportunity in their town hall meetings to challenge the observations, facts, data, and they could suggest their own solutions about what we should do with the information we have. I think it’s really important for people to have a productive, and to be engaged in, conversation. They need to have lots of information. So we are looking forward to getting the feedback from the people about the information that we have there, what suggestions they may have and what additions they could add. That’s exactly what the public working group has done so far, and we look forward to hearing from the committee also. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Your final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I can assure the Minister that she will hear from the committee, I am positive of that.

To the questions that are a part of the document, I’m very glad to see that the questions are there. We could argue about the content of the questions for quite some time so I’m going to leave that, but I am a little concerned that the questions don’t leave it open for changes to the observations. So I would hope that anybody listening to the Minister takes her point that all of this is possible and any comments will be accepted.

I’d like to ask the Minister, the questions and this document that’s out there for discussion, I’d like to know from the Minister how it will be distributed to generate the largest number of respondents and to get the greatest feedback. Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I just want to make it clear, because I think that going back and forth questions may sound like, you know, we are in any way not open to receiving anything. We are open to hearing from the committee members, public, any interested organization, feedback to that discussion paper and the questions we have and in whatever format they want to do.

Secondly, we are going to -- now that the final document is on and because it went through some changes -- be distributing them as widely as possible. We’re going to put them on the website; we are communicating with the regional health authorities so that they can give it out to regions and communities; we are distributing to NGOs; we

will have them in government offices; we will have them on cable TV, radio, everywhere, because we do want to have a dialogue with our residents about this program. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement was the education in today’s world and the education in Nunakput. The education in the world requires many resources, even through the buildings that house our students, the books, our basic supplies, all the school needs in today’s world. Much more is needed, Mr. Speaker. Our kids are increasingly left behind.

Mr. Speaker, this is Education Week across the Territories and across Canada. Considering all the unique educational challenges for our youth in Nunakput communities and considering that compared to the national standards of our students and the students are far below average in everything from the textbooks and per square footage for students and staff, Mr. Speaker, is the Minister looking into getting a report done with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to see what’s needed in the communities of Nunakput? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there is a report, it will be up to the Beaufort-Delta to produce one. And if they are, then we are looking forward to a report. At the same time, there is an Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative that’s underway. There are several meetings undertaken about the success of students and the programming, the schools and the enrolment issues. So those are the areas, the key target discussions that they are having. So if the Member can elaborate on the actual report that’s been worked on. I’m not sure what specific documents he’s referring to, if there is one. Mahsi.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I’m asking for a report to get done in regards to the schools in my communities. The student-ratio is too big for the schools they are providing in the communities of Tuktoyaktuk and Sachs. I mean, I’m looking for a high school in Sachs Harbour that needs another whole classroom and little bit bigger facilities.

Mr. Speaker, I have eight kids in the community of Sachs Harbour that we’re failing them in the community of Sachs because we have nowhere to house them and no teachers to provide. Here this week, Education Week, we’re sending teachers

down to Edmonton for basically a nice trip. Good job. Thank you. I’m really happy with all the teachers but, Mr. Speaker, for $50,000 we could salvage the students’ last two months of school. What is this Minister going to do, other than hiding behind the Beaufort-Delta education board? What is he going to do to fix the problem? Thank you.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

We’re not hiding behind the Beaufort-Delta Education Council. We gave them the empowerment; we gave them the funding, because they’re the experts at the regional level. They provide us advice, recommendations, and also going forward on decision-making. So, Mr. Speaker, we’ve heard over and over from this Assembly and the First Nations assembly, First Nations community, the communities, that they want to have the power to make decisions. We gave them that authority and we have to respect that.

In my role as Education Minister, we do have the Education Act that we follow. All across the board, schools follow that. Mr. Speaker, with respect to the review that the Member is asking for, I need to work with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council and the superintendent. If they feel that there’s a need for that to happen, then, by all means, we’ll be more than happy and willing to assist in that area. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

You know, Mr. Speaker, they may be the experts in regards to what’s needed in the communities of Nunakput in the Beaufort-Delta, but, Mr. Speaker, sometimes we have to give direction. He’s the Education Minister. I have eight students in the community of Sachs Harbour not being educated right now that I want something done. They have two months left in the curriculum. They’re done school in May. What’s he going to do? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, I have to correct the Member: we do not have eight students out of school. As of today we have one student that went back to Sachs Harbour, one student from Sachs Harbour that’s enrolled in school and supported the independent study, the other seven students are in school. A total of 10 students; sorry, a total of seven students. So, Mr. Speaker, these students are in school, second semester, and there’s only one that went back to Sachs Harbour for personal reasons. This is accurate information from the superintendent of the board of education council of the Beaufort-Delta. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s good that they’re getting the job done, getting those students back into school. But, Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is we have to start providing services to the communities of Nunakput instead of looking for

handouts and table scraps in regards to this government’s allocation of funds for the education system. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister come up to the communities with me and see firsthand what’s going on? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would be more than willing to visit the communities of Nunakput and other communities as well, just to visit the schools, the board chairs, the board councils. Those are ongoing initiatives that we are currently undertaking and we are making commitments to visit all schools. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

(Inaudible)…Culture and Employment, Mr. Speaker. In the goals of the department here, on goal five it says “Northerners will actively participate in communities and societies to their fullest.” Then later on in the binder it talks about the different opportunities that the department is going to initiate throughout 2010-11. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to ask the Minister in terms of the programs and training, as I spoke in my Member’s statement, in terms of training of young people. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell me what’s been done to prepare and implement training programs related to the Mackenzie Gas Project, Mackenzie Valley Highway or even the projects, and when will these programs become available to the young people in the Sahtu?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, through our Department of Education, Culture and Employment we do provide various subsidies and also training programs to the communities, whether it be apprenticeship, occupational certification that falls within the Apprenticeship Program, Occupational Program, Training on the Job. Mr. Speaker, we also provide Labour Market Development programs to the communities. That essentially involves building essential skills, self-employment, training on the job, apprenticeship, and youth employment and so forth, Mr. Speaker. Just recently we signed off with the federal government the Labour Market Agreement for those individuals that are youth and also that don’t qualify for EI, and work experience, skill development, community initiatives and building capacity. Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the training programs that we offer to the

communities and there will be more in the other departments as well. Mahsi.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, the Minister did talk about the Labour Market Agreement. Also in the binder that I’ve been reading, the department is going to be developing a new framework, multi-year annual plans and program guidelines. I want to ask the Minister in terms of this initiative going forward in terms of involving the people in the Sahtu. Would he involve the people in the Sahtu in terms of going forward to have training programs in place, implemented and ready to go within the life of this government for the young people in the Sahtu region?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, by all means. Those are consultations that we need to have. We do have representatives at the regional levels; not just Sahtu region but other regions. We depend on their expertise because they’re fully aware of the community needs, the community programming, and what’s needed, what’s lacking. So those are areas that we need to have continuous consultation and dialogue with the Sahtu region.

Mr. Speaker, yes, we will have a dialogue with them. Mahsi.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, as I said in my statement, we have a high population of youth, young people under 25. It’s actually 45 percent of our population in the Sahtu that needs some attention. I want to ask the Minister in terms of helping the students in our regions, in our communities, to help them get into Aurora College programs in our communities under the Apprenticeship Training Program and working with them in terms of putting this Labour Market Agreement together so they could see people be productive members of society and to their communities.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, yes, we’ll definitely do what we can as a department, but I would encourage the Member to assist, as well, identifying those organizations that would pick up these apprentices. It’s almost as challenging a task for us as a department to seek out those organizations that are willing to take on these apprentices, but we’ll do what we can to train those individuals and provide subsidies for them to be trained as an apprentice. But at the same time, if the Member can assist in this area, that will be very helpful as well. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is asking if I can assist. I can certainly do that, Mr. Speaker, in terms of going forward with putting programs in place for young people. I can do this through the request from myself in terms of

also the leader from Fort Good Hope in terms of having a Sahtu education symposium where part of this discussion can be on the agenda in terms of going forward, and actually have other leaders to assist to make sure we get training on the ground for the people in the Sahtu.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

I can commit to the Member that I am willing to work with them on this symposium that he’s referring to. He did bring that to my attention and I believe that’s going forward. I told him, if we’re invited, we’ll certainly be part of that ongoing process. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today I talked about the relationship of this House and how we propose ideas and sometimes, if not most of the time, we feel like they get shot down. Mr. Speaker, I am going to have questions for the Premier, who I think is best suited for this type of question.

Mr. Speaker, I try to be a stalwart defender of consensus government, but sometimes, if not most of the time, it feels like it’s a one-way valve. I would like to ask the Premier what he does to advocate particular issues on our behalf when we raise them such as new schools or, sorry, we want schools repaired, we want nurses in our health centres. What does he do as a Cabinet policy to help us advocate those issues with those types of boards that are either duly elected or duly appointed? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do many things when we advocate on behalf of the Assembly Members, as well as trying to find the balance with the direction that the boards and agencies that deliver the core of our services across the Northwest Territories. So we get involved with the Ministers and the departments to find out where things are sitting and where, for example, strategic plans are put in place or where their capital program is, and we sit down with the expertise from departments and the authorities to make that happen. Believe me, Mr. Speaker, this is all in process of trying to keep the system flowing with the fixed budgets we have to operate in. So it’s challenging to come up with all of the right pieces.

I am sure Ms Lee would love to, for example, have a nurse in every community. We’d love to have a high school in every community, but we are challenged with a budget and our legislation in

place around our boards and agencies that are in place. In fact, we did try to do some work in that area and we’ve since halted that area to look at just how we try to do things and clean up some of our legislation. So we’re challenged in those areas, but I continue to work with the Ministers and their boards and agencies at times to try to come up with solutions that would work for us. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

I come to work just like many of my colleagues and have the attitude of can-do, but it seems like the response from Cabinet is can’t-do. As much as they like to think that they can, most of the responses from them are we can’t. This is why we can’t. The other thing is when it comes to budget money, it seems like they’ve got a big bag of money and then they give us these little scraps to fight over for community issues. Mr. Speaker, the issue comes down to the response of how can we help. Mr. Speaker, is there any type of policy from the Cabinet position about when an MLA raises a particular issue, that the Ministers will help take on and advocate that issue to the boards to make sure they are properly empowered to invoke these ideas? Thank you.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

The process we’re involved with and the method of delivery we have in the Northwest Territories, the legislation we operate under, drives to a large degree just the work we can do for the people of the Northwest Territories with a fixed budget. I don’t go in the back room at night and start searching out the money to pay for all of the demands. The demands far outweigh the resources we have available as the Government of the Northwest Territories. So our challenge as Members of the Legislative Assembly as we are through this budget process is do what we can do with what’s available and try to plan out the rest of it as we go forward.

Let’s say the 16th Legislative Assembly, Mr.

Speaker, has done some big changes in the way we do business. Rural and remote communities, for example, we are starting to focus on how we deliver those services; the Foundation for Change that the Minister of Health and Social Services is working on. We are talking about delivery of programs and services that will keep us sustainable. We can no longer keep making the requests without also giving us the opportunity to find the resources. We should say that for every Member that decides to make a request, they should also attach a revenue source for that so we can deliver what’s expected of us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

I want to thank the Premier for highlighting all of Cabinet’s priorities and the issue I raised last week like Mildred Hall, Sisson’s needs renovations and those are the priorities of those school boards. As my colleagues Mr. Krutko and Mr. Menicoche have said, priorities of communities saying they want health nurses. Mr. Speaker, these

are priorities that are found, they’re born, developed and brought forward from the communities to this Legislature. Those are the issues. How do we make them priorities of this House? Because Members here are trying to raise priorities in our communities and sometimes, if not most of the time, we don’t see them really reflected in the Cabinet’s budget. Thank you.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

This government is very open to input as we develop the business plans of departments. We sit down with Members on the capital program. They are aware of the process. They know that for every year we put a capital plan together, there are many projects that litter that capital planning floor and we don’t have the resources to make it all happen.

Mr. Speaker, what we are putting in place in our communities is not something that should be discarded in a matter of just making a statement to say we don’t do anything. In fact, the capital plan, how we do business, shows we are working with communities to make sure that they have the authority and the resources to do it. We work with our partner the federal government, we are working with industry, we work with communities, we are working with aboriginal governments, but still we have limited resources in what we can do across the Territory. So we’re forced to then try to work in a manner that allows for the flow in the system to work. As projects are required, they are replaced.

I can say, Mr. Speaker, for example the schools in Inuvik, when I was first elected in 1995, were supposed to be replaced in 1997. We’re just starting to see that work get done now. So things at times have to wait their turn to progress and we are all working together to make sure we give the best service to the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you can see the D list keeps growing. Now we add discard to the list and, certainly, defend. Mr. Speaker, I haven’t heard the can-do approach. I have heard the defend, defer, delay, deflect, divide approach. Mr. Speaker, the issue really comes down to this: MLAs, including Cabinet, represent issues raised in our communities that are very, very important. I think those have to be some of the fundamentals that need to go forward, because when an MLA gets elected and they spend their four years in this Legislature, it can be boiled down to many issues are significant to a community. I can tell you from one of my colleagues, a nurse in that community is a paramount issue. That’s the kind of issue I’m talking about and that’s the type of reflection I keep asking about. Where is that can-do approach to meeting those community needs? Thank you.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

You know, we talk about where it’s all at and what we’re doing for our communities and how we move things forward. Let me tell you about can-do. Mr. Speaker, in Yellowknife alone, in the capital city, the capital plan as laid out has over $85 million...

Some Hon. Members

Whoa...

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

...for facilities. So what’s a deflect in that? Where is the deferral in that?

Some Hon. Members

Can-do!

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

To make those projects go through, other projects had to suffer or wait in line for another year.

Some Hon. Members

Aw.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

So we have been stepping up to the plate. We have been delivering and we will continue to do so. It’s not a matter of rhetoric, Mr. Speaker. The proof is in the pudding and this Assembly will pass that pudding come the next day. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The time for question period has expired. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7 on the Order Paper today. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Just a follow-up on my honourable colleague’s intensity with regard to his debate with Cabinet. He’s entirely right; our jobs as MLAs is to urge, influence and persuade government, and to that end we have many tools at our disposal. But the main thing that we do is to pursue the goals and interests of our constituents and communities. Just getting back to my Member’s statement, the goal of Wrigley and of mine is to see a resident nurse in Wrigley in the long term. However, I can see my way to relax this demand if at the minimum we enhance current services and get a commitment that there is a nursing position classified as a Wrigley position. Will the Minister of Health and Social Services give me the assurance and commitment she will work towards a dedicated nursing position for Wrigley as well as enhance nursing services for 2010? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Question 394-16(4): Nursing Services In Wrigley
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, the department and authorities right now are discussing a proposal to enhance nursing services in small communities in Deh Cho. This is subject to approval by the board, so this is why I am just giving the Member as much information as I can. Mr. Speaker, I understand that he has made his desire for the community of Wrigley. We are working on the system where the regional board oversees the health and social services for the entire region. So whenever we do anything, we need to do it on a regional basis. The board has given me a proposal to consider. We are having a conversation on that. The Member has been given some information on that and we will continue to work on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I’m not entirely convinced with the Minister’s answer. Once again, one of the tools at my disposal while we’re sitting here during debate of the budget is to delay the budget, Mr. Speaker, and I am prepared to go that far in order to get answers for my constituents. I want the Minister of Health and Social Services to have the same confidence as the Minister of Justice did today and say that nursing is a priority for Wrigley and Tsiigehtchic out loud, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister do that? Thank you.

Question 394-16(4): Nursing Services In Wrigley
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Nursing coverage for Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley is my priority and I am happy to commit to do as much or more than what the Minister of Justice is doing in that regard.

Some Hon. Members

Whoa...

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

The Minister is going to have to explain how her commitment translates into real resources for those communities. Thank you.

Question 394-16(4): Nursing Services In Wrigley
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

I have committed that in the past. We understand and we accept that the RCMP for Wrigley is based in Simpson and they have increased their visits to Wrigley and that’s the proposal we have for communities in Deh Cho and that’s what we continue to work on for the region in Beaufort-Delta. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification, did the Minister say there was going to be a dedicated position for Wrigley in Fort Simpson? Can she answer that? As well, again, I would like to get a commitment that services, nursing services will be enhanced at least in 2010 as we work towards this dedicated position? Thank you.

Question 394-16(4): Nursing Services In Wrigley
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Currently we have four dedicated nurses in Simpson that services Wrigley, Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake and Jean Marie River. Yes, we have a proposal that would enhance nursing coverage in Wrigley and those three communities in 2010. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, following up on my colleague’s questioning. I, too, would like a commitment from the Minister. This issue has been raised, like I say, in several different formats, not only in this House, but other venues such as the Gwich’in assemblies and the Beaufort leaders’ meeting.

Mr. Speaker, we do have to show that we really care for the people in the Northwest Territories. We talk about healthy and vibrant communities. The critical aspect of that is to have service providers there to assist the communities to make sure they are delivering those programs and services. One of the key positions in the communities is the nurse. So I’d like to get a commitment from the Minister stating how soon can she have those positions filled in the communities of Wrigley and Tsiigehtchic so we can see that responsibility function fully for those communities.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are working on a project to look at enhancing nursing services in small and remote communities. We believe the proposal we have could shed light on what we can do and do services in other communities like the Mackenzie Delta. It is something we are working on with the authority. I have always stated in this House, Mr Speaker, that we are looking to enhance our services in small communities like Tsiigehtchic, but the Member also has to understand that we, at the moment, block fund our regions and we work under a system where the authorities share the resources within the authority to stretch those resources as much as possible. Thank you.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Again, the Minister’s answer was going in the right direction until she came to the health board and their authorities. This government has the ultimate authority. This House has the ultimate authority by approving the budget. We’re going through that process now. But also we have the accountability authority through the Financial Administration Act to ensure that those boards are spending the money where they’re supposed to and not running deficits year after year after year. I think as the Minister, you’re responsible for ensuring that other acts are followed in this position such as ensuring those positions are being fulfilled. It’s critical that the Minister carry out her ministerial responsibility to direct those departments to fill those positions in those two communities and

ensure they use the money they have in house and not say we’re already spending money. There are tons of vacant positions in the Beaufort region that are not being filled and the dollars are there.

So when can we see those positions being filled in Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley and ensure that dollars expended to those communities are earmarked for those communities and those positions are filled in those communities.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

The Member is aware that the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority uses every dollar they have to provide those services. Vacant positions don’t mean they have money set aside sitting in the bank. Vacant positions, in fact, mean more expenditures are required because they do fill those positions with locums and casuals. Mr. Speaker, the allotment for Tsiigehtchic, for example, are being used to provide nurse coverage because they do get nursing coverage for about half of the year, which is equivalent or better than what communities that size receive in other parts of the Territories and many of them don’t have a one-hour drive access. So, Mr. Speaker, the board is clear in their understanding that our commitment is to enhance our health care coverage in small communities and we will continue to concentrate on that. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Again, Mr. Speaker, it’s a game of playing who’s got the money and who’s going to go get it.

The other thing is we are spending $285,000 in the community for social services and health care services in that community. The information I got from the Minister stipulates they spent $60,000 last year. Again, we’re short $200,000 for those health care providers. You don’t have a drug and alcohol program in Tsiigehtchic. You don’t have a full-time social worker in Tsiigehtchic. You don’t have a nurse in Tsiigehtchic. Those positions were all filled positions prior to division. I’d like to ask the Minister to fill the full-time positions. I don’t care where you find the money to supplement the $60,000 you’re spending now, regardless if it’s another $100,000, find it within, get the job done and, more importantly, get a nurse in these communities.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

The Member knows that the Beaufort-Delta authority is in a deficit situation. There is no money for them to fund from within. Secondly, I’m not sure where the Member gets that we’re only spending $60,000 in Tsiigehtchic. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT spends a lot more money than $280,000 in Tsiigehtchic for health and social services. We have a full-time community health rep there; we have a full-time home support worker there; we have visiting nurses that go there for 89 days of the year; we have doctors’ services; we have a specialist service; as well, a social worker that goes there, Mr. Speaker. So there has been a

lot of information provided to the Member in answer to his questions, but I guess it’s up to him how he reads that.

But, Mr. Speaker, as the Premier indicated, if it was my wish tomorrow, I would have a nurse and doctor and hospital and everything that everybody wants in every community, but, Mr. Speaker, we have a $1.4 billion budget. We already spend almost a million dollars a day providing health and social services to 40,000 residents and we are working at our backs to be fair and equitable and make sure everybody has access to health care, which we do in the Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Again, Mr. Speaker, it’s sounds like the Minister is a broken record and she basically blames everybody else but the person that’s responsible, which is ultimately the Minister who should be the one making sure that these programs and services are being delivered under the mandate that you have as a Minister, but, more importantly, not continue to say, well, the health authority has a deficit. Well, excuse me, if they have a deficit. As a Minister you should intervene and find out exactly why programs and services aren’t being delivered in communities and why they continue to run a deficit.

So I’d like to ask the Minister why is it that you continue to put the onus on the health board. Why don’t you use your authority as Minister and, basically, appoint an administrative officer to run that health board, like you’ve done in other cases, if they’re not doing the job to provide a simple thing as a nurse in the community? If they can’t do that, I don’t know what else we expect from them. So I’d like to ask the Minister, if you’re really serious about doing something, you have an opportunity to prove yourself as a Minister that you actually can accomplish something here. Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Mr. Speaker, the Member knows that the budget we approve in the House, it is a work of our collective decisions. We work under a regional health delivery service model. I don’t think the Member is convinced of that. If we have any facts to suggest that, if we dissolve the board and hired a public administrator today, that that would get an enhanced…or have full-time positions in every community, I believe all of us would do that. Delivery of health care is much more complex. We have our challenges. It’s not just about issuing an edict tomorrow and say let there be. Mr. Speaker, we are faced with the challenges of using the resources we have fair and equitably to all of the communities. So, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work on that. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to ask some questions. I suppose I’ll ask some questions of the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and it gets back to some of my previous questions to the Minister of Justice. From where I sit, Mr. Speaker, I think the government is letting opportunities slip past us. I believe we’re soundly asleep at the switch oftentimes, and I think somebody has to ring the alarm clock and wake these guys up over here so that they understand that there are opportunities out there. We have to multi-task. If you’re a Minister, I don’t understand how a Minister could stand up in the House and say they have other priorities when, you know, they can’t write a letter and deal with other priorities. That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of ITI what exactly the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is doing to attract new economic activity here to the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We spend a lot of money promoting the North and making different investors aware of opportunities in the North. Where possible, we take trade missions to other countries, and I’m glad that this Member is starting to support some of those initiatives so that we can go out and make the world aware of business opportunities here in the Northwest Territories. We’re doing that even without royalties from the federal government, and we are taking every advantage to partner with the federal government and, certainly, we will look for any opportunities that are out there where it will create jobs and provide benefits to the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, when I was speaking earlier I talked of other jurisdictions, other provinces and territories, for that matter, in this country that, to me, seem much more aggressive, they seem to pursue things with much more vigor and passion than our government does. I’m talking about opportunities like I mentioned earlier: federal penitentiary; I’m talking about opportunities for an increased military presence here in the North; I’m talking about the jobs that are located in Ottawa; I’m talking about the film industry, looking at innovation and technology and opportunities in that regard.

You look at the province of Saskatchewan, that’s a good example, Mr. Speaker, and I think we could take a lesson from Premier Brad Wall in Saskatchewan. The man is aggressive. They go

after business opportunities. They attract people to Saskatchewan. They took Fortune Minerals from us. I know my colleague Mrs. Groenewegen was talking about the Nechalacho project and Avalon Ventures earlier today, and I’d hate to see us lose yet another opportunity, Mr. Speaker. So I’d like to ask the Minister what they are doing in regard to trying to be aggressive and get these opportunities here on the ground in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

I’m certainly pleased that you used the reference of Saskatchewan, because to attract investors you don’t just wave a magic wand and people appear. You have to have a strategy; you have to have resources; you have to have people; and you have to have programs that cost money and will attract investors into the Northwest Territories. I think that we can all borrow a page from Saskatchewan. If we had additional resources we could go out and lobby all of the different sectors that are out there that potentially are looking at building new facilities. We could lobby the federal government. We’ve been trying to promote a convention centre for the Northwest Territories, or a number of convention centres. All those things take resources and this is certainly something in the direction that we want to move into. Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I agree with the Minister. I think, as a government, we should be all over the federal government when there comes any opportunity to get federal investment in this Territory. Again, Mr. Speaker, I don’t see that happening with this government. I’ve been talking about some ideas here for the last two and a half years and, you know, we’ve been managing, it seems like bouncing from issue to issue to issue without really concentrating on some bigger prizes, Mr. Speaker, and those are the opportunities that exist in trying to get some federal investment here in our Territory. I’d like to ask the Minister, are they currently working... I know we’ve got a strategy to try to attract people here, a national campaign. What are we doing as a government to try and attract some of those federal dollars and federal positions here to the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We go to Ottawa quite regularly. We attempt to meet with federal Ministers on a regular basis, and at every opportunity we talk to the federal government about the fact that, in my view, the federal government has abdicated the North.

Twenty years ago every federal department was represented here in Yellowknife or in the Northwest Territories, and they’ve all pulled back south. This is an area that we need to reverse. I think that we now have CanNor, the economic development agency. I think that working more closely with the federal government on devolution and resource revenue

sharing, I think that we’ll have a lot more opportunities in the North. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I just see that it seems to me that the government and Cabinet Minister are afraid to step out of their comfort zone to take a chance, to take some risks and get out there and promote our Territory. There seems to me to be a lack of a vision that this government has, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps we need a visionary type of exercise with Cabinet and with Regular Members to sit down and try to chart out a new vision, or what we think is the vision, where we want to go and the opportunities that are out there, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, perhaps if the government can commit to re-examine where we’re at and where we’re going, because, Mr. Speaker, like I said, I don’t think we’re making much progress. Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

I’m a big fan of strategizing or developing visions in every sector and, certainly, we can review the vision that was developed when we were all elected. There have been a lot of areas that we’ve been pushing very hard on: the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, for example, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Taltson Dam. I could name a whole host of projects that we’ve been working and pushing very hard on the federal government and we can certainly expand our horizons in a whole bunch of different areas, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister of ITI. Just to listen to him, he’s a big fan of strategies and visions. I want to ask the Minister here in terms of getting -- I’m going to back to it -- wildlife food into our government facilities or into stores. Right now we have a fish market here. We have good fish in the Great Slave Lake and Bear Lake. How can the Minister, through his department, assist the fishery industry to put fish into our government institutions such as the hospital where they can have traditional foods in that facility?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an area that we’ve worked very hard on over the years and there has been quite a number of initiatives that we’ve attempted. We had a red meat initiative, for example, We’ve had test fishing at the

community level, and going back to residential school days, I don’t know if the Member wants to go back to where everybody ate fish three times a day, but we can work at the community level, because we all recognize how that was done, is it was purchased by local harvesters, and I think that we are prepared to do that. We put money in the proposed budget to allow us to improve in those different areas. Also, we talked quite a lot about producing locally. The only area that we have to be clear on is when you start serving or making food available to the public, you have to make sure that it meets all of the healthy tests or health standards, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I certainly don’t want to go back in time. The residential school days, according to my uncle, they served rotten fish there, so I’d like to just leave it at that there.

I want to ask the Minister of ITI, in terms of even just for the one issue on fish here, in terms of working with the Minister of Health and Social Services at the Stanton Territorial Hospital serving fish for elders who are in the hospital, who want fish broth, who want some boiled fish for their recovery. The Minister is responsible for traditional economy and, you know, they have wonderful fish in Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake. Is it possible, through the strategy, that he can work with this Cabinet to see how they can get fish served at the territorial hospital, in his capacity as the Minister of ITI?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

As soon as this budget is approved, we have identified funds to allow us to do that to develop local markets for fish, and I think one of the best places to start would be to work with my colleagues that have institutional facilities and get them to start purchasing fish and other commercial country food that is available and start serving it. Thank you.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I’m getting hungry now here. I want to ask the Minister in terms of his development, his process in terms of developing local markets for, say for example, fish, in terms of once the budget now is going to be, hopefully, finalized within the next six days here, in terms of going forward, is the Minister then prepared to put a discussion paper before the appropriate community in terms of getting their input, in terms of having this initiative see the light of day in terms of when we can get something on the go here.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We always work very closely with committee on these kinds of things, so we will put together some ideas and principles to work with committee as to how we could best develop this and utilize minimal resources to develop a very important local fishery or production of local foods. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take it that the Minister will look at a territorial-wide initiative in terms of just the one issue of fish, in terms of how we can get this into the government facilities.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s our intention, recognizing that not all of the communities have quotas. You need to have quotas, for example, for commercial fisheries, and a lot of times, working with the federal Department of Fisheries, we can get them to set a quota as to what your quota is what you catch kind of approach. So that’s one area that we can work closely together on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of ITI as well. My colleague Mr. Yakeleya raises the issue of domestic product for a domestic market. We have long had a lately untapped resource in the way of our fishery and for years we’ve been asking the government to do what they can to make the fortunes and life of the fishermen better. I’m, of course, speaking of the fishermen on the Great Slave Lake and the quota of fish that does not get harvested from that lake, which is determined by the Department of Fisheries to be sustainable.

Mr. Speaker, a landmark decision has now been made by the fishers of the Northwest Territories on Great Slave Lake in that at their last meeting they voted to be removed from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. This is something that the government was never prepared to move on until the fishermen voted to have this happen. Now that it has been voted upon and the majority said yes, we want out of this legislation, we want out of this monopoly, we want the opportunity to market our fish differently and through different channels, what are the next steps? What is the Minister going to do next to aid and assist the fishermen to find markets and process their product? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, obviously, the first step is to identify what the legal requirements are. As I mentioned before in previous questioning, there are liabilities that were agreed to at the time that the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation was established. So when you move a motion to remove yourself from an entity, there are some liabilities that have to be

dealt with. So that would be the first step, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I’d like the Minister to identify what he means by liabilities. Could he list some of the liabilities of being removed from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation regime? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

There are some ongoing costs with operating the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. There are liabilities that have been cumulated through the operation of Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. At the time of incorporation, I understand there were some considerations that were agreed to by all of the different parties that agreed to participate as part of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. I understand that there was legislation that was passed by this House to allow our participation as well. So we would have to deal with that part of it also. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

The Minister doesn’t sound very supportive of the vote from the fishermen to be removed from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. Again, I don’t really understand what the liabilities are. Is he talking about financial liabilities? Is there some outstanding debt that needs to be paid? Do we owe something to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation? I’m not understanding that. And as far as the legislation passed in this House, what is the department doing to bring forward whatever change in legislation needs to be enacted in order to see our fishery stand alone from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

The Member just asked me what I saw as the first steps that would be required. I can certainly sound more enthusiastic, but there are liabilities in it and we are waiting for the formal transmission of the motion so we can determine what is required on our part. As I said, we have proposed in the budget some funding so we can begin to develop local markets and opportunities for fishermen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, pardon me if I sound excited about this, but we’ve been talking about the Great Slave Lake fishery here for years and always felt that a big impediment to the fishermen, realizing the potential in the industry was the monopoly by the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. So I would hope now that with the motion I’m sure that will be conveyed formally to this government, that the government will begin to put together a plan and a strategy to assist the fishermen to process and market their product. Could the Minister please tell me if such a plan will be forthcoming? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We’d be very pleased to be able to work with the fishermen to identify opportunities and plans to work with them in setting up their businesses so they can market Northwest Territories fish which, similar to the fur, is some of the best in the world. One of the things we have to do is work with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans to determine responsibilities in terms of dealing with fishermen on Great Slave Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to ask a question to the Minister of Health and Social Services while I have this opportunity today. I’ve be listening to my colleague Mr. Krutko and my colleague Mr. Menicoche talk about the nursing services for Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley and even with all the debate and questions that’s gone back and forth, I still don’t really understand one thing. Is the ability to put nurses in these communities a financial consideration? Is it about the financial resources in order to do this?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Member for the question. It is financial in one way, but actually it’s much more than that. It’s operational as well. In terms of governance, we deliver our health care services through regional authorities. They’re provided with a block funding. They have services that they need to provide; nursing services being one crucial item. But they do not fund or they do not spend their money per community. They provide nursing coverage for the entire authority, a lot like school boards. Teachers get hired by school boards and they are employees of the board. The same with nurses. They get hired for the board and they get placed and sometimes they are resident in their communities, but in many cases like the Beaufort-Delta, in all our regional authorities, they travel. They provide services in whatever is needed and actually the authorities need some flexibility to make sure where there are vacancies... And the nurses are not all the same nurses, they have all different skills. For most of our authorities, they need to be able to use their resources where it is most needed and for many, many small communities, they are travelling nurses and they try to give as many hours as possible to all communities for nursing coverage and other essential services. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

So I understand that it is an operational issue to some extent and that regional health authorities have the ability to determine how to distribute those resources. What role does our government play in setting the standards of health care delivery on the basis of a population or a community? Surely there must be some role that our government plays in terms of determining the level of service. I think that there had been some considerable work that had been done on that. What role does our government have in determining that?

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Obviously, the money is a big factor, but also our authorities are guided by our direction, such as the service delivery model that I’m sure the Member has heard about for many, many years now; the Integrated Service Delivery Model. The Foundation for Change Action Plan does speak to where our focus is and the goals of that plan are wellness, access and sustainability. So when we’re talking about health care services, we’re talking about making sure all our residents have access to health and social services, and for some communities it is some of the resident support. But the priority is to make sure that every resident in the Northwest Territories has essential services, access to the services, but they may not always have them living in their community. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I can fully understand why Members representing small communities would consider having a nurse resident in the community to be a very important thing. Access sounds nice, but it doesn’t address the issue of emergencies and just, I suppose, the comfort level people have knowing that there is a qualified health care professional in the community should the need to receive services arise. It’s complicated, the answer, but does the Minister at least acknowledge the issue around the quality of life that’s realized in these small communities if they had a resident health care practitioner in the community? Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

I absolutely totally understand that and I think it’s much more difficult for the communities of Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley because they had a resident nurse and they now no longer have that since 2003. There are many communities in the Territories of similar size who have never had a resident nurse. What is really important for people to know is that if a community doesn’t have a resident nurse, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have the health care they need. The community health reps and other care providers are in constant touch with medical professionals all across the Territories. There is no community where local health care professionals are practicing in isolation. At any given time, the doctors and nurses across the Territories are in touch with all the communities and when patients present themselves, they are

diagnosed and assessed by all the professionals in an equitable way. Mr. Speaker, there was one more point I want to make, but I’ll just finish it there. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the House there’s been a lot of discussion around the number of days that the health care professional or the nurse or the doctor would visit the community that people could have access to the service that they like, but they do not stay there. It’s not a continuing thing. I understand the resources would not necessarily allow the very small communities to have someone resident there. Has the Minister ever considered approaching this from the possibility that there may be retired, semi-retired people who have been involved in health care their whole life who would really appreciate an opportunity to make a difference in these small communities and maybe work in those communities on a part-time basis as opposed to being a full-fledged full-time position which would cost the government a full person year in wages and support? Has the government ever thought that there may be people out there who consider the North a place where they would like to make that kind of contribution and really have the ability... Maybe they have worked in a big city hospital their whole life and they would like to come to a small community and work there and maybe only be paid on a part-time basis, but have the experience of living in the North and have an impact on the community. Thank you.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Absolutely, and right now at this moment we welcome any nurse: the young nurse, the young graduates, the retired, the part-time. Anybody who wants to work three shifts, we would take any nurse. Mr. Speaker, qualified nurses... We have about 400 nurses registered, I believe, under the Nurses’ Association, but we continue to have 30 to 40 percent vacancy rates of nurses and other health care professionals. Communities like Tsiigehtchic and Wrigley have the equivalent of one PY and that’s equivalent to 2003 and that is a part-time position. So the community of Tsiigehtchic gets half a year nursing service and that would work out to what you would spend if you had a nurse four hours a day. Since 2003, since we adopted a new model, our labour practices have changed. So if you want to have one full-time nurse in any community, you really need the equivalent of two and a half PYs. So if the Members are willing to consider having a part-time nurse, half a day in a community, we could accommodate that. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you. The question I have, Mr. Speaker, is to the Minister of Health and Social Services with regard to the issue of nurses in small communities. Can the Minister tell the House how many communities do not have a full-time nurse?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Question 400-16(4): Nursing Services In The Sahtu
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, every community has nursing services. I believe the Member is asking how many communities have nurses that don’t live there. I don’t know exactly what number. I believe it’s four or five, perhaps six. I have to get back to the Member.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

The community of Colville Lake has community health representatives. It’s not a health centre; it’s a nursing station. These good dedicated people work throughout the year. They have needed some training to just do the basic health care services in Colville Lake. I want to ask the Minister as to the level of comfort... As Mrs. Groenewegen has indicated, when people know there is a nurse in the community, there is some level of comfort for people. The people in Colville Lake are also trained throughout the year. Regarding training our community health representatives that don’t have a full-time nurse living in communities, is there adequate training for these people to take on the job 24/7 in the communities?

Question 400-16(4): Nursing Services In The Sahtu
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Colville Lake is one of the communities, along with some others that do not have a resident nurse. They have a half-time homecare support worker and a community health rep. They are very closely supported by the nursing centre in Fort Good Hope. They do visits to Colville Lake regularly and I am aware that they are in constant touch by phone and the community health reps in Colville Lake are trained to provide services. That is the case for all of the other facilities in the Territories. Not only for community health reps, but even for other health care professionals like nurses, because everyone in the field needs constant training and support. Thank you.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

The health care services to Colville Lake by the Sahtu Health Board, mainly the community of Fort Good Hope, has provided an increase of health care into Colville Lake. I spoke to the health representatives and they are happy they are seeing more regular visits by the nurse. Also they made mention that they would like to see more training for an additional position, because it gets quite heavy in terms of their responsibility as a health care professional. Would the Minister look at program funding in terms of having an additional

person in Colville Lake to help out and offset health care services in Colville?

Question 400-16(4): Nursing Services In The Sahtu
Oral Questions (Reversion)

Range Lake

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Minister of Health and Social Services

Once again, the Sahtu Health Authority does review the workload and, in fact, they have tried to do a different model of delivery where the community health rep and homecare support services were combined in some communities. I believe the authority is reviewing that, so I will undertake to discuss with the authority and get back to the Member.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 8, written questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment:

1. Please identify the grants and contributions

provided to the Barren-Ground Outfitters for the fiscal years, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 and 2008-2009.

2. Can the Minister also identify the purpose of

each grant and/or contribution to those outfitters?

3. Can the Minister provide any accountability

measures required by the grants and contributions?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 9, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Doug Schauerte Deputy Clerk Of The House

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Beaulieu on February 4, 2010, regarding income support services in Lutselk’e.

1. How many visits did the client service officers

make to Lutselk’e in the following years:

a) 2007-2008

b) 2008-2009

c) 2009-2010

In 2007-2008, client service officers (CSOs) made two visits to Lutselk’e.

In April 2008, responsibility for the Income Security Program (ISP) delivery was transferred to the North Slave region.

In 2008-2009, a Yellowknife-based CSO made eight visits to Lutselk’e.

In the current fiscal year, 2009-2010 up to February 2010, a Yellowknife-based CSO has made six visits to Lutselk’e.

From November 2008 through July 2009, the community was serviced by an individual who was hired from and resided in the community. That individual has since left the position. Since summer of 2007, a total of six competitions have been run to permanently staff a CSO position. However, no candidates have been successful so far.

In addition to visits, services are available to clients at all times through a Yellowknife CSO by a toll-free telephone. That way a client does not need to wait for a CSO visit to their community to access services.

2. How many clients were seen during these

visits broken down by approvals and refusals?

The department does not track information on the number of income assistance or public housing rental subsidy clients seen by CSOs visiting a community. Instead, ECE records the total number of income assistance and PHRS cases assessed by phone and/or in person on a monthly basis. The average number of cases assessed per month and the total number of cases assessed by fiscal year have been calculated from this information. Later today, at the appropriate time, I will table the document Lutselk’e Income Assistance and Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program Caseload Statistics 2007-2010.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Bill 11: An Act To Amend The Workers’ Compensation Act
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure has reviewed Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act. The committee wishes to report that Bill 11 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 11: An Act To Amend The Workers’ Compensation Act
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bill 3: Medical Profession Act
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

February 23rd, 2010

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 3, Medical Profession Act, and committee wishes to report that Bill 3 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 3: Medical Profession Act
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled 2009 NWT Survey of Mining Employees Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, further to my return to Written Question 17-16(4), I wish to table the following document entitled Lutselk’e Income Assistance and Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program Caseload Statistics 2007-2010. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 26, 2010, I will move that Bill 12, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 4, 2009-2010, be read for the first time. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 2, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2009-

2010; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act; Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Commissioner’s Land Act; Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Summary Conviction Procedures Act; Tabled Document 62-16(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2010-2011; Tabled Document 78-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Operations Expenditures) No. 3, 2009-2010; Tabled Document 84-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 4, 2010-2011; Minister’s Statement 47-16(4), Transfer of the Public Housing Rental Subsidy; Committee Report 5-16(4), Report on the Review of the 2008-2009 Human Rights Commission Annual Report, with Mr. Krutko in the chair. By the authority given me as Speaker by Motion 12-16(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We have several items to deal with: Bills 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, Tabled Document 62-16(4), Tabled Document 78-16(4), Tabled Document 84-16(4), Minister’s Statement 47-16(4), Committee Report 5-16(4). What is the wish of committee? Mr. Groenewegen.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee, I believe, would like to deal with the last department in the budget, the Department of Human Resources, and then move on to Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, Supplementary Appropriation No. 1 and then Bill 2, time permitting, Forgiveness of Debts Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Committee agree?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Okay. With that, well take a short break and begin with the Department of HR.

---SHORT RECESS

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

I’d like to call the Committee of the Whole back to order. As we agreed prior the break, we will continue on with the Department of Human Resources. At this time I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for Human Resources if he has any opening comments. Minister Bob McLeod.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Mr. Chair, I am pleased to present the Department of Human Resources main estimates for the fiscal year 2010-2011. The mandate of the department is to provide leadership and direction to the Government of the Northwest Territories, its boards and agencies, in all areas of human resource management.

The Department of Human Resources is the face of the Government of the Northwest Territories as an employer. As the human resource service agency of the Government of the Northwest Territories, we are responsible for the development and implementation of government-wide human resource management, recruitment and compensation practices. Our advice on these practices supports departmental and agency decision-making.

The department is proposing a budget of $40.073 million in operational expenses for the coming fiscal year. This represents an increase of $4.994 million or an increase of 14.24 percent over the last main estimates. This includes $2.017 million for the NWT Public Service Strategy Plan 20/20: A Brilliant North and Service Stabilization Initiative, forced growth funding of $3.120 million for core operations resulting from the compensation increase negotiated during a successfully completed collective bargaining session. The forced growth also includes increased costs for the public service medical travel and dental benefits. Finally, Mr. Chair, the increase includes a corporate initiative of $136,000 for the printing of the Collective Agreement and implementation costs, and a sunset amount of $279,000 for arbitration hearings and for the Yellowknife consolidated clinic.

Mr. Chair, improving human resource management in the Government of the Northwest Territories is one of the priorities of the 16th Legislative Assembly

and one of the key components of the Refocusing Government committee mandate.

Mr. Chair, I would like to outline for you the key themes of 20/20: A Brilliant North, and the programs and initiatives under development for 2010-11.

Under the theme of “proving a healthy, safe work environment for employees:”

The department will create a health, wellness and safety framework for the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The Aboriginal Cross-Cultural Awareness and Diversity Awareness training programs are under development, to be available to all departments by April 1, 2011. This will include e-training a component in the orientation and on-the-land cultural opportunities. The e-training will be available on-line to all existing and prospective employees.

There is a GNWT Green Team and a number of departments have started their own green teams.

Mr. Chair, under the theme of “create a diverse and inclusive workplace representative of the Northwest Territories population:”

The department is organizing regional advisory committees to provide a regional perspective and support the Aboriginal Employee Advisory Committee. These committees will help advise on issues related to the Affirmative Action Policy and methods of increasing the fair representation of aboriginal employees within the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The GNWT Advisory Committee on

Employability will be operational by March 2010. This committee will advise the Human Resources Deputy Minister’s Committee on methods of promote, support and increase the representation of persons with disabilities within the Government of the Northwest Territories workforce.

A sensitivity training project will be piloted in March 2010. The training, focused at directors, managers, officers, administration staff and persons with disabilities, will give attendees a greater understanding of the workforce that is represented by people with disabilities.

The Human Resources employer of choice

unit, in addition to providing program support to the GNWT Advisory Committee on Employability, will develop a strategy and vision for increasing representation of all priority groups.

The Department of Human Resources will be increasing our ability to track and report on all employees with disabilities who require an accommodation in our continuing attempt to increase the number of disabled employees, attract and retain them within the public service.

Mr. Chair, under the theme “demonstrate a commitment to learning and development of employees:”

The Department of Human Resources will

create a structure for the design, delivery, administration and evaluation of targeted programs for the advancement of aboriginal persons within the public sector. These programs will provide the foundation for an Aboriginal Learning and Leadership Initiative.

The department will make draft Government of the Northwest Territories-wide Learning Guidelines available by April 2010. The guidelines will help to provide much needed investment in learning and development within the public service.

Finally, Mr. Chair, under the theme “deliver effective workforce planning practices, from attraction to retirement:”

Human resource plans, which align with

business plans, are being piloted in three

departments: Environment and Natural Resources, Finance and Transportation.

A review and update of Government of the Northwest Territories recruitment and marketing initiatives is underway and includes a review of current departmental practices for hard to recruit positions. This information will be critical in the development of a Government of the Northwest Territories-wide recruitment strategy.

A Department of Human Resources Transition Team has been created to review and streamline existing processes. Work is underway to improve efficiencies, help resolve outstanding pay and benefits issues and look at improvements in other areas of human resource core service delivery.

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the Members of this House, specifically the Government Operations committee, for their support on these initiatives and of the NWT Public Service Strategic Plan 20/20: A Brilliant North. I will be pleased to answer any questions that Members have regarding the budget.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. At this time I’d like to ask if you’ll be bringing in any witnesses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Yes, I will be, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Does committee agree that the Minister brings his witnesses?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses in.

For the record, Mr. Minister, can you introduce your witnesses?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left, I have Mr. Tom Williams, deputy minister, Human Resources. On my right, I have Michelle Beard, director of strategy and policy for the Department of Human Resources.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. Any general comments in regard to the Department of Human Resources? What is the wish of the committee?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

An Hon. Member

Detail.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Detail? Okay. Turn to page 3-7, department summary. With that, we’ll defer until consideration of detail. Starting on page 3-8, Human Resources, information item, infrastructure investment summary. Any questions?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-9, Human Resources, information item, active position summary. Any questions?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-11, Human Resources, activity summary, operations expenditure summary, directorate, $590,000. Mr. Ramsay.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I could have done this under opening comments, I guess, but I’ll do it under the directorate. Being an MLA, obviously we field a number of calls and complaints, usually from constituents who are government employees or looking at getting positions with the Government of the Northwest Territories. I just wanted to make a comment, Mr. Chairman. In the past year or 16 months, year to 16 months, there’s been a marked improvement by the department, I think, in handling issues that have come up with constituents and I’m not getting the number of calls or complaints that I used to get. I think that’s a testament of the management there at the department, and I just wanted to put that on the record, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Minister.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that’s largely a function of the hard work of the staff in the department and working very closely with all the staff at all of the different departments of the government. It’s helped quite a bit working with the committees and focusing on improving service delivery. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Any other questions on the directorate? Okay, operations expenditure summary, directorate, activity summary, $590,000. Agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-12, Human Resources, information item, active positions, directorate. Any questions? Agreed? Mr. Bromley.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and excuse my hesitation. I am unsure where to bring this one up, but I’m wondering, with regard to direct appointments, what role does the department have in direct appointments that departments might decide to do? Do we have a policy on that and is it within this department or do we advise other departments on it? Does HR advise other departments? I could use a little help with that. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR, Mr. McLeod.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is a directive that lays out the criteria for which would apply to direct appointments, and we do provide assistance to the different departments as to format, and it has to be approved by the responsible Minister, and all direct appointments have to go through Cabinet. Then once a decision is made and if that position is approved, then the

Department of HR is the lead on implementation of the decision. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Bromley.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you. That helps quite a bit, Mr. Chair. The last one is: is the directive a Human Resources directive?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you. It’s a directive that is approved by Cabinet and it’s updated from time to time. We do keep track of the number of direct appointments and we do review the criteria to make sure that it’s fulfilling the objectives of what it was intended to do and we do have direct appointments for a number of reasons. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Bromley.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess the last one is: is that a publicly available document or is that an internal?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s one that’s approved by Cabinet. So it’s a Cabinet document and I’ll check to see whether that’s available or not. I expect that if it is, then we can share it with the committee. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

That’s great, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that offer and that would help me become more informed on that and then the reasons that you can do direct appointments. If the document can’t be made available and that can, that would also help me. I’ll let it go at that. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We’ll commit to providing that information one way or the other. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Okay, we’re on page 3-12, Human Resources, information item, active positions, directorate. Any questions there? Agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to 3-15, Human Resources, operations expenditure summary, activity summary, $6.257 million. Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think this is the proper place to talk about this; somebody can direct me to where the correct place is if this one is not the right place. So in the Minister’s opening remarks there’s a couple of comments, one on page 2 about an Advisory Committee on Employability, the next page then talks about a sensitivity training project and then about tracking and reporting on employees, and all of these have to do with employees with disabilities or in and around employees with disabilities and

accommodating them and encouraging employment of them and so on. I think it’s well known that I have some difficulties with the Affirmative Action Policy the way that it’s currently written. I’m a little confused on some of the information that’s in the Minister’s opening remarks and I would appreciate a bit more of an explanation, first of all, on the Advisory Committee on Employability. I realize it’s supposed to help, but what’s the composition of this committee and what’s the intention of the actions of this committee to try and encourage the increase of the number of persons with disabilities that we employ? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Deputy minister.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Williams

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The GNWT Advisory Committee on Employability, the composition of this committee will be six members, public servants and we’re also having a membership open to the various NGOs, such as the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities will have a seat on that committee and provide advice. We see it as certainly doing it in partnership with the NGOs that have expertise in the area in dealing with disabilities, and the role of the committee will be strictly an advisory committee. It’s how do we remove barriers that exist in the system today for persons with disabilities to enter the public service. How do we support individuals that come into the public service in terms of accommodation in the workplace? In the area the MLA mentioned, sensitivity training, how do we deal with individuals, co-workers in the workplace that have a disability? So that awareness is a huge issue in our consultation with the various NGOs.

They thought that that was paramount to get the message out that the public service is open for business and we want to have a diversified workplace. We have to make sure our employees understand how to deal with people in the workplace that have a disability. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks for that to the deputy minister. Maybe it’s the language in the Minister’s opening remarks, but it talks about the sensitivity training project; the training will be focused at directors, managers, officers, administration staff and persons with disabilities. So I’m wondering why persons with disabilities need to have sensitivity training. So maybe I could get an explanation of what’s intended with that statement. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess a large part of that is in determining what approach our government should take to increase representation of persons with disabilities in the government workforce. We looked at other provinces and territories and we thought that we could learn from what they were doing. So we had

a session with the Yukon division -- that was seen to have been the most successful -- and they briefed us on what they saw as being critical to being successful in this area, and a very large part of it is sensitivity training for our management and also to interact directly with persons with disabilities so that they become more aware of the work environment and so that we can become more successful in addressing some of the issues that could be potential barriers to employment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I guess I’m still not quite understanding the value of providing sensitivity training to somebody who already has a disability and is employed. So are these people taking the training? Are they there as a resource to the people who are giving the training? Again, I don’t quite understand the value of providing sensitivity training to somebody who is already identified as a person with a disability. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

That is not our intention to train persons with disabilities on sensitivity training. We are involving them so we can learn from them. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister for that clarification; I now understand. I just wondered, the Minister’s statement about increasing our ability to track and report on all employees with disabilities who require an accommodation, could I get a bit of an explanation as to what that action is intended, what it is intended to do, I guess, and how it is going to be done? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

One of the issues that has been identified early on is the question of self-identification, and so this is... We want to be able to deal with that and be sensitive to that, because one of the things that are used when people look at how successful we are or how successful we aren’t in attracting persons with disabilities to work in our workforce is statistics. I think that our intention here is to have a better idea and a better tracking system. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. I just wanted to comment on Mr. Ramsay’s comment. I do agree with him that things seem to be improved and the number of complaints coming forward to us as Members with regards to the HR department have been less, so I do think that the department is doing good work, I just wanted to echo Mr. Ramsay’s comment. Thanks, Mr. Chairman, I am done.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

That is more of a comment. Did you want to respond, Mr. Minister?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We appreciate those comments and we are going to continue to work hard to continue to improve. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

We are on page 3-15. Human Resources, operations expenditure

summary, human resource strategy and policy, operations expenditure summary, $6.257 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-16, information item, human resource strategy and policy, active positions. Any questions?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-19, activity summary, management and recruitment services, operations expenditure summary, $8.075 million. Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I asked a question yesterday with regards to recruitment and retention and I have received an answer that suggested that there is going to be a government-wide effort to put in place some recruitment and retention strategies for hard to fill positions. One of the ones that I am concerned about is within the Department of Justice, lawyers particularly. I just wondered whether or not the department is developing an across government strategy if it is going to include, for instance, lawyers, legal aid lawyers that are required by the Department of Justice and areas such as that where they have difficulty filling their staffing requirements. Something which the Health and Social Services department used a number of years ago, I guess, or may still use, was a return of service agreement and I wondered if the department is considering that in terms of recruitment and retention strategies. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Deputy Minister Tom Williams.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Williams

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Certainly in the area of recruiting and retaining hard to fill positions is a high priority for us to resolve that issue. There has been a lot of work under 20/20 to develop an overall strategy to Government of the Northwest Territories Recruitment and Marketing Strategy to help in this initiative. We have undertaken consultations with all the departments to identify those hard to fill positions, including the Department of Justice where we certainly have heard from the Department of Justice about their legal positions. This strategy, we have to look at all initiatives. I know Health and Social Services has looked at this return for service contributions. We may have to investigate that as well in these cases. But certainly looking at the old days of just putting an ad in the paper aren’t there anymore. We have to be innovative in how we find and recruit people to come to the North. I think we had a good take on Northern House, having screens put up at Northern House. I think we got some phone calls from that, people want to move to the North, they are excited about the North and I think that is the way we have to proceed in the future, being innovative, thinking

outside of the box and how do we fill these positions. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is all I have.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

We are on Page 3-19, activity summary, management and recruitment services, operations expenditure summary, $8.075 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-20, information item, management and recruitment services, active positions. Any questions?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-23, activity summary, corporate human resources. Mr. Bromley.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I am right, I think this is where the Brilliant Future document is being implemented and I am wondering if, first of all, is that the budget under strategic initiatives. I see there is a doubling of that cost this year under program delivery details. I assume that is for the delivery of that program A Brilliant North. Am I correct there or are there other initiatives I should know about there? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister for Human Resources.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member is correct; it is where it is provided for and that is where we have funding to be able to invest in a public service. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

One of the things that I am particularly interested in, of course, is the Government of the Northwest Territories Green Team that, I believe, Environment and Natural Resources has had for a while and perhaps is spreading to other departments. I believe the Minister mentioned in his opening remarks, that was spreading to other departments. I am just wondering, if that information is at hand, what those departments might be and is there a schedule to get the others signed up and going on this. I think this was wise to include this in the strategy. It is one of the things that attract young people these days, young professionals, is the ability to be green and participate in it. If those details are handy and you know if there are also what sorts of things these teams will be doing, green teams will be doing, I would appreciate that too. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

The Member is correct in his observation in that younger people, how green the place of employment is, is a factor in their decision-making. So the Government of the Northwest Territories does have a departmental Green Team. The terms of reference have been

developed and the following departments are represented on the team: Environment and Renewable Resources; Industry, Tourism and Investment; Public Works; Municipal and Community Affairs; Justice; Housing Corporation; Human Resources; Aboriginal Affairs; and Transportation. So the team is right now finalizing a comprehensive inventory of current Government of the Northwest Territories green initiatives. We are also drafting a proposed set of environmental conditions and this interdepartmental team will advocate and assist the development of internal departmental teams. Maybe I will ask, through you, Mr. Chairman, the deputy to further update us on how well we are doing in that area.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Deputy Minister Williams.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Williams

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It’s definitely an area that as a public service we’re proud of. It starts right from… I recall getting questions when we had our strategy and making us think differently where we’re developing documents that are on recycled paper, for example. That’s a start; trying to reduce the amount of printed documents that we do. So the terms of reference has been worked on, it has been distributed to the various departments. We got a lot of buy-in from within the public service, and it’s something that I think everybody had embraced in each department, is how do we move this forward, how do we be seen as a green government for the public service. So there is a lot of work to do ahead of us, but there has been a lot of work done under the direction of ENR who is the lead department on this initiative. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I appreciate Mr. Williams’ and the Minister’s comments. I know we heard a lot the other day about how the Legislative Assembly is doing and they’re marching right along in regard to some of those initiatives; I think well along towards achieving 80 percent reduction in paper in some areas and looking really good. I’m assuming that’s also saving us dollars and giving us some flexibility for other work and priorities. So that’s all I had. I’d probably benefit from seeing the terms of reference, if that’s shareable there. So I appreciate those comments. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’ll commit to providing that information to the Member.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. Next on the list I have Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a quick question here with regard to the contract services. That amount has increased significantly and I just wondered if I could find out why. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The main reason for the increase is for the implementation of 20/20. So contracts have increased by $2.1 million for that purpose. Also, it includes funding for Employee and Family Assistance Program, HAY training, labour relation, a very small section. So the primary reason is for implementation of the 20/20 Strategic Plan. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

That seems like an awful lot of money, $2 million to implement the plan. Are we adding staff or is this contracted services that we’re using to put this plan in place? Can I have a bit of an explanation as to where this money is being spent? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ll just go quickly through the list here. Administration of client satisfaction survey, $50,000; travel costs for outreach and marketing programs, $50,000; support to employee diversity networks, $237,000; Youth Intern Ambassador and Enhanced Student Employment programs, $500,000; marketing and recruitment initiatives, $250,000; cross-cultural workshops for staff, $100,000; increase employee wellness programs, $100,000; Performance Measurement Program system and support, $100,000; competency-based training pilot project, $500,000; training for all of the HR staff, $100,000; training initiatives for all employees, $410,000; and it also, when you get to the next page, provides for some increase in employees and I’ll ask the deputy, through you, to provide more detail in that area, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Deputy Minister Williams.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Williams

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Some of the new positions that have been identified that will certainly help guide us through implementation of 20/20 is we’ll be hiring a new diversity officer that will be put in place for the public service, a duty to accommodate consultant that would certainly help us deal with becoming a diverse public service and be able to support managers and employees in the public service. So there have been some increases to staff in that section as a result of 20/20: A Brilliant North.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

We’re on page 3-23, activity summary, corporate human resources, operations expenditure summary, $11.086 million. Ms. Bisaro.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Sorry, Mr. Chair. I think this belongs here, so I better ask it now and find out. The Minister mentioned the Human Resources Transition Team resolving outstanding pay and benefits issues and backlogs and so on. I just wondered if I could get an update on where things are at in terms of pay and benefits and the backlog. Has it finally gone down to zero or are we getting close, et cetera? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of HR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We now have transition in place. There’s been an increase of six positions for a two-year period. Right now, we are starting to make some gains. There was a brief increase for a number of reasons, but now that we have a transition team in place, our expectation is that we’ll begin to see a reduction in the backlog. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Back on page 3-23, corporate human resources, operations expenditure summary, $11.086 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-24, activity summary, corporate human resources, grants and contributions, contributions, $115,000.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-25, information item, corporate human resources, active positions. Any questions?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-27, Human Resources, activity summary, employee services, operations expenditure summary, $14.065 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 3-28, Human Resources, information item, employee services, active positions. Any questions?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Can we move back to page 3-7 in regard to the department summary. Human Resources, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $40.073 million.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Does committee agree that we have concluded the Department of Human Resources?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

With that, I’d like to thank the Minister and the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out.

Does the committee agree that consideration of Tabled Document 62-16(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2010-2011, is now concluded?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that consideration of Tabled Document 62-16(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2010-2011, be now concluded, and that Tabled Document 62-16(4) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

The motion is in order. The motion is being distributed. To the motion.

An Hon. Member

Question.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Question has been called.

---Carried

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

I believe the next item we agreed to move to is Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, Tabled Document 78-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, 2009-2010. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Minister, do you have any comments in regard to the supp? Minister Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present Supplementary Appropriation No. 3, 2009-2010 (Operations Expenditures). This document outlines an increase of $13.326 million in operations expenditures for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

The major items in this supplementary request include:

1. A total of $8.3 million for the Department of

Health and Social Services for increased costs primarily associated with the adults and children receiving care outside the Northwest Territories, the provision of supplementary health benefits, the vaccination program implemented by the department in response to the H1N1 pandemic, the purchase of blood products from Canadian Blood Services and the provision of services to non-NWT residents. The costs being incurred for non-NWT residents will be recovered from the home province or territory of the patient.

2. $1.6 million for the Department of Education,

Culture and Employment for the increased costs associated with the higher utilization of income support programs.

3. $1.4 million for the Department of Human

Resources for increased costs being incurred for medical travel assistance provided to

GNWT employees and increased dental premiums.

Also included in this supplementary request is funding for a $50,000 donation from the GNWT to the Canadian Red Cross to contribute to the aid relief efforts in Haiti.

I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary appropriation document, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

At this time I’d like to ask the Minister if he’ll be bringing in witnesses.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Does committee agree if the Minister brings in his witnesses?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Agreed. Sergeant-at-Arms, escort the witness in.

For the record, Mr. Minister, can you introduce your witnesses?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Chairman, Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; Charles Tolley, the director of the Management Board Secretariat.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Welcome, witnesses. If we can turn to page 3, Executive, operations expenditures, Minister’s office, not previously authorized, $50,000. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $50,000. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Page 4, Human Resources, operations expenditures, employee services, not previously authorized, $1.394 million. Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. A question here. I guess I’m just a little bit surprised that we didn’t anticipate these increased costs. We’re almost $1.4 million in increased costs for benefit payments basically on behalf of our employees. Could I get an explanation from the Minister as to why we couldn’t foresee these increased costs? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Finance.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As the Member will recognize, we have an aging workforce. We have a growing number of employees and the other one that we don’t have a control over is the growing number of referrals that are requiring medical travel. Thank you.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Certainly those explanations make sense, but I guess if we know those things, why are we not budgeting for increased costs at the time

that we put the original budget on the floor? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

The two that are related, most directly related, are the aging workforce and the growing number of referrals. While we know we have an aging workforce, it’s hard to anticipate the amount of referrals. We tend to base our budget numbers on the previous year’s expenditures and the other thing as we go from budget year to budget year the number of employees we try to budget are based on actuals and not projections. Thank you.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

The Minister just leads me into sort of my next thought, my next question. I mean, why do we budget on last year’s numbers if we know that we’re going to have demographics that are going to likely cause us to have an increase? So it’s kind of a rhetorical question, I’ve said this before; I have great difficulty in the fact that we establish our original budgets based on numbers which we expect to change and then come back three or four times during the year and say, oh, gee whiz, we need more money. So more of a comment than anything, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister, did you want to respond to the comment?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

I just thank the Member for her comments and her rhetorical question.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Okay, we’re on page 4, Human Resources, operations expenditures, employee services, not previously authorized, $1.394 million. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $1.394 million. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Page 5, Municipal and Community Affairs, operations expenditures, regional operations, not previously authorized, $392,000. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $392,000. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on, Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, program delivery support, not previously authorized, $1.136 million. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I think maybe my question is on something else, it’s not that number I’m questioning.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Okay. Health and Social Services, operations expenditures, program

delivery support, not previously authorized, $1.136 million. Agreed?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Health services programs, not previously authorized, $4.269 million. Agreed? Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Mr. Chair, the payments for contribution funding of the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority for increased costs associated with the pension plan and so on, it’s been raised before, I think we’ve dealt with this before. Has the department done an analysis of whether it would be indeed economic to bring these employees into the fold and enjoy some reasonable payback and reduced costs over the longer term? Some of the figures I’ve heard, which were unconfirmed figures, suggested that, yeah, this might be a six or eight-year payback, after which costs would be reduced. So I guess I’m looking or have we done that analysis? Goodness knows we keep dealing with this every year it seems to come up on a supp. I’m not sure about that either, but again, where are we at on that? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Deputy Minister Melhorn.

Melhorn

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The cost estimates that we have now, and they are estimates only and they are ranges, because there are a number of unknowns involved. It would be about $2.5 million to $4.5 million we estimate, associated with winding up the existing pension plan, and between $1 million and $10 million associated with transferring employees to the Government of the Northwest Territories. The very wide range is due to the fact that employees have a number of options they could select with respect to their pension arrangement. They can choose the option that is most beneficial to them, but unless you know which option is chosen, you can’t specifically cost it.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I would presume with that information that there are details to it and there must be opportunities over time narrowing down those options, putting a strategy together to do that on the lower end of the cost range. Are we looking at that, Mr. Chairman, putting that together? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Finance.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Given the knowledge of the figures, the last serious effort to this was back in 2003-2004. Back then, the costs even then were considered excessive, given the money that was available, and have only increased since then. So we haven’t pursued this as an active initiative as of late. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I wonder if the Minister could tell me how this situation developed and is it likely to continue to grow, and any chance that it would spread elsewhere as a virus. Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

In regards to bargaining units, this is the one bargaining unit outside the UNW bargaining unit that is currently there for the remainder of employees, plus the NWTTA. Outside of that are the LHOs, which are a separate issue, but the Hay River Health Centre bargaining unit is the only one that is in existence. Thank you.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I guess I don’t have enough information to suggest a strategy to the Minister, other than I hope he will look at it and see if there is a long-term plan to resolve it. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

More of a comment. Minister of Finance.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the advice from the Member.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Okay we are on page 6. We are dealing with health services programs, not previously authorized, $4.269 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to echo the comments of my colleague Mr. Bromley. We have talked about the issue with the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority and their employees for quite some time now and my comment is simply just bite the bullet and do it and get it done. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. More of a comment. Mr. Minister, do you want to respond?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the sentiment. The issue is going to be as we look at this supplementary for all the other costs for health, is going to be identifying the funds to make the initial transfer. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Any other questions? Health services programs, not previously authorized, $4.269 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Supplementary health programs, not previously authorized, $600,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Community health programs, not previously authorized, $2.283 million. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Something that has always been of concern to me is the amount of money that we

spend on facilities in the South. There are two items here, one is for increased costs associated with children in residential care outside the Northwest Territories and the other one is the increased costs with adults in residential care outside the Northwest Territories. I know that we went some distance toward our ambition to repatriate some adults with the assisted living facility in Hay River and they have the capacity for 10 full-time residents or clients in that facility, but it seems like the demand for these southern services continues to grow and I would like to know what the government’s response is to that and what opportunities for further consideration of offering care, opportunities, options for these folks in the Northwest Territories so they are not going south, which, if they require specialized treatment and care, I am still of the belief that we have the ability to recruit and retain and attract workers here with the kind of skills that they would need.

I see it as advantageous to keep residents in the North, as well, for reasons of closeness to family and reduced travel costs, and just the fees that are charged for these kinds of placements seem very, very high. So I would like to ask the Minister what kind of discussions or thoughts are had in response to these kinds of increased costs. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Finance.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. These particular circumstances with children in southern placements and adults are constantly being assessed. There is a changing variety of presenting problems, multiple needs, many in high need categories, and the challenge is that you may only have one or two clients that have very specific high needs that can only be met in a specialized facility. If you have a number of those clients across a number of very expensive facilities, it limits our ability to meet all those different needs under one program area.

We did take a look at this, as the Member pointed out, with the adult assisted living campus in Hay River. We did manage to repatriate. The other challenge is, of course, that as we repatriate, we do have needs in clients, both children and adults, that require services that aren’t available. As we have done over the years, we have slowly built up our program base. We have assessed these and we have built facilities, we have repatriated and we are struggling with the complexities of some of the problems as well as the demand that has yet to level off. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Does the Minister have numbers available as to how many adults and how many children are currently... This is just an appropriation for additional funds. Does the Minister have a number of people that are in care, adults and children, and what the total cost is? Because I

don’t think we are seeing the full picture here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Health.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Tolley.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

For FMBS.

Tolley

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the children in care, projected for 2009-2010, we have, I guess there is a minimum and a maximum number that we are depending on at any one time, but the average is about 35 children in care. The total number of months is about 501 months. Total expenditures projected for 2009-2010 would be a little over $4.6 million. On the adults side, projected for 2009-2010, we have 46 adults in care, 2009-2010 projected expenditures of just over $7 million. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

So these are fairly large numbers. I don’t know how they compare to previous years, however, the Minister has indicated that the demand for southern referrals and placements is increasing and I don’t know what is contributing to that. He said there are emerging issues, but certainly in terms of the sustainability of the support that this requires, it would be good if we knew what those emerging issues are so that we could perhaps do something to kind of put prevention or stem the increase in some way, because I’m not sure if this number in this group of people who are in need of these specialized services, I’m not sure this is sustainable over a long period of time if this continues to grow. So what were those emerging issues that the Minister referred to? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Health and Social Services.

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the children, the numbers have stayed quite stable since 2004-05. The average number of children in care back then was 39, the next year it was 39, and the year after, 36. We are projecting for 2009-10, 35. So those numbers have stayed the same. The number of adult placements has increased over the last number of years, but it was 27 in 2004-05, then 29 the year after, 35 in 2006-07, the year after, and then 48 in 2007-08, 51 in 2008-09, and 46 is projected.

Mr. Chairman, the people that are placed in these facilities are usually from either severe disability and who require care that we cannot provide in the North, or mental health disorders and other behavioural issues. I can assure the Member that we don’t know exactly why the numbers are increasing, but much of the cost has to do with not so much the number but the cost of care, because lots of these institutional settings have increased their rates. Also, we do review every file and, in fact, when we opened the Hay River assisted living facility we reviewed every file that was down south

to see if we could repatriate them. We have repatriated some of them and since then we have been able to avoid placing adults down south because we were able to direct them to Hay River.

This is something that is under close scrutiny in the department to make sure that we don’t use out-of-NWT placements unless we absolutely have to. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I didn’t really hear any answer. I guess the Minister said she doesn’t know why the number of placements required, what’s kind of contributing to that need for specialized services in southern Canada. I’m glad to hear that the department is keeping a close eye on that, not that we want to deny or deprive anybody of specialized services if that’s what they need, but when you look at the cost of care and these costs can be anywhere from $250,000 to $450,000 per client per year, and you look at that over the course of a person’s lifetime as an adult, if there’s no change in their conditions, I guess I just, again, say that we need to, as a government, look at some of the contributing factors to people’s condition that they require this care. Because this is a lot of resources that are absorbed by this and, like I said, not that we want to deny or deprive anyone of specialized care, but I’m looking at it from how is this sustainable in view of all the other demands on our financial resources. That’s just more of a comment. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

More of a comment. Minister of Finance.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Once again, I appreciate the Member’s comments. Her observations, I think, are accurate, as well, in terms of the ongoing health care costs, and the issue of sustainability is a huge challenge for every jurisdiction. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

We’re under community health programs, not previously authorized, $2.283 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $8.288 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to Department of Justice, operations expenditure, legal aid services, not previously authorized, $100,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Court services, not previously authorized, $107,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Community justice and corrections, not previously authorized, $342,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $549,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Department of Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, education and culture, not previously authorized, $100,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Income security, not previously authorized, $1.560 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $1.660 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Transportation, operations expenditures, airports, not previously authorized, $253,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Highways, not previously authorized, $309,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Marine, not previously authorized, $413,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Road licensing and safety, not previously authorized, $18,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, not previously authorized, $993,000. Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question that applies to all of these increases. The briefing note explains that there was no increase for fuel in this current year’s budget for all of these departments. My question to the Minister, I guess, is that it sounds as though we have adjusted our amounts going forward, future years, sounds as though we are planning to budget enough dollars to cover what we expect to incur in fuel costs. I guess my question would be: is that correct? Are we now stabilized going forward with this additional funding for fuel? Have we added enough money in our 2010-11 budget so that we’re not going to run into this problem in future years? I’ve raised this issue a number of times in regard to fuel increases. It seems that we are woefully inadequate in projecting and budgeting our costs for fuel. The bottom line is are we stabilizing as we go forward? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Deputy Minister Melhorn.

Melhorn

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member is correct; we have included increased funding in 2010-11 to account for expected fuel

costs. The estimates are based on assumption of about $70 per barrel oil, and if fuel costs remain in that range, then that would be sufficient. If fuel costs differ from that significantly, if prices increase significantly, then that may change.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Department of Transportation, operations expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $993,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Does the committee agree that we’ve concluded Tabled Document 78-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Operations Expenditures) No. 3, 2009-2010?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 78-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Operations Expenditures) No. 3, 2009-2010, be now concluded, and that Tabled Document 78-16(4) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

The motion is order. The motion is being circulated. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Question is being called.

---Carried

Next I believe we agreed to Tabled Document 84-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2010-2011. Minister of Finance, do you have some opening comments?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m here to present Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2010-2011. This document outlines a decrease of $300,000 for operations expenditures and an increase of $1.7 million for capital investment expenditures in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The total supplementary request is $1.4 million.

This supplementary appropriation includes:

1. $1.7 million for the Department of

Transportation to complete the project description report on the portion of the Mackenzie Highway from Wrigley to the

Dempster Highway. The costs incurred in 2010-11 will be partially offset from a contribution by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

2. A decrease of $300,000 for the Department of

Transportation to advance funding approved for the Yellowknife bypass road in 2010-11 into the 2009-10 fiscal year.

I am prepared to review the details of the supplementary appropriation document. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Would you like to bring witnesses into the House?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Yes, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses in. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

And if I could ask the Minister to introduce his witnesses.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Margaret Melhorn, deputy minister of Finance; Charles Tolley, the director of Management Board Secretariat.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Minister. Committee, we’ll proceed with detail. Starting on page 5 with Transportation, operations expenditures, highways, not previously authorized, negative $300,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Total department, negative $300,000.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Page 6, Transportation, capital investment expenditures, highways, not previously authorized, $1.7 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Total department, $1.7 million.

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Does committee agree that concludes Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2010-2011? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that consideration of Tabled Document 84-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures) No 1, 2010-2011, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 84-16(4) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Motion is on the floor, in order and is being distributed.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

I will now rise and report progress.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please, Mr. Bromley?

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 62-16(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2010-2011; Tabled Document 78-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Operations Expenditures) No. 3, 2009-2010; and Tabled Document 84-16(4), Supplementary Appropriation (Infrastructure Expenditures ) No. 1, 2010-2011; and would like to report progress, with three motions being adopted and that consideration of Tabled Document 62-16(4), Tabled Document 78-16(4) and Tabled Document 84-16(4) is concluded and that the House concur in those estimates and that appropriation bills to be based thereon be introduced without delay. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Mahsi.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Do we have a seconder? The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

---Carried

The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

Thebacha

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 26, 2010, I will move that Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2010-2011, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 26, 2010, I will move that Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) No. 3, 2009-2010, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 26, 2010, I will move that Bill 15, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 22, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

Doug Schauerte Deputy Clerk Of The House

Mr. Speaker, orders of the day for Thursday, February 25, 2010, 1:30 p.m.:

1. Prayer

2. Ministers’

Statements

3. Members’

Statements

4. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

5. Returns to Oral Questions

6. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

7. Acknowledgements

8. Oral

Questions

9. Written

Questions

10. Returns to Written Questions

11. Replies to Opening Address

12. Petitions

13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

14. Tabling of Documents

15. Notices of Motion

16. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

17. Motions

18. First Reading of Bills

19. Second Reading of Bills

20. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of

Bills and Other Matters

- Bill 2, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2009-2010

- Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act

- Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Commissioner’s Land Act

- Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Summary Conviction Procedures Act

- Bill 10, Exemptions Act

- Minister’s Statement 47-16(4), Transfer of the Public Housing Rental Subsidy

- Committee Report 5-16(4), Report on the Review of the 2008-2009 Human Rights Commission Report

21. Report of Committee of the Whole

22. Third Reading of Bills

23. Orders of the Day

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Thursday, February 25th , at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 5:59 p.m.