This is page numbers 3779 - 3806 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 nwt.

Conserving Caribou Measures
Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

This government needs to find a way to support the board in making a timely decision, because this is a critical issue for all. I am confident that a balanced solution can be found. I believe a strategy to address limited hunting to make sure caribou is on the tables of those who need it to eat, Mr. Speaker. I believe that there are options out there that could help develop a limited hunting process with tags to help manage the harvest. Mr. Speaker, I also know that we could find a fair and respectful way to do this together. Mr. Speaker, there are options out there. I think this government’s primary option should be to get that board meeting to find a solution with everyone. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Conserving Caribou Measures
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Deh Cho Bridge Project
Members’ Statements

January 27th, 2010

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about the Deh Cho Bridge Project. I listened very clearly to the Minister of Transportation’s statement yesterday in the House, and understandably he has, and continues to, put his positive spin and messaging around this project as he can; this on a project that has and continues to be mired with issues.

The Minister left out some key items from his statement yesterday that I believe the public is owed an explanation to. The project was sold to the public, to Members of this House and to the previous Cabinet, as a fixed price contract with a price tag of $165 million. How can it be that the contractor of record, Atcon, fails to negotiate a price on the second half of the bridge? The public and Members need an explanation on what happened to this supposed fixed price contract. How can the government continue to state that the design of the bridge superstructure, the second half of the project, is essentially complete, Mr. Speaker? It has been essentially complete for nearly three years. How can the government continue to say that this new design will be more efficient and cost less, in one breath, then not be able to complete the project with the contractor that had the so-called fixed price contract? How is it possible to shop the remainder of this project with a design that is essentially done? Will the price be essentially unknown, Mr. Speaker?

What people want to know, Mr. Speaker, is how much this bridge is going to ultimately cost. That was a pretty big omission from the Minister’s

statement yesterday. I think as easy as it was for the Minister to speak about the benefits of the bridge, he also has to be up front with the public on the potential financial risks and impact to the costs of living that this project will have. This government and the one before it have not proven effectively that costs for everything that comes across that bridge will ultimately cost people more money, not just in the North Slave communities but also any communities serviced by air out of Yellowknife. The cost of living is already driving the people out of our communities. Where exactly is this proof that this will ultimately lower the cost of living?

Mr. Speaker, we need to know immediately what the financial risks are to this project now that the contractor of record has departed the scene.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

Deh Cho Bridge Project
Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I agree with the Minister. Yes, we do need to see this project through to conclusion. We will do that, Mr. Speaker. However, the public and Members of this House need to have every assurance that this project is being managed appropriately. Mr. Speaker, judging by the actions thus far, it doesn’t appear that way, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Deh Cho Bridge Project
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A band called the Bare Naked Ladies wrote and sang a song called, If I Had a Million Dollars. I always liked the song, Mr. Speaker. So, today, for the third time, I want to share with this House my own version.

Mr. Speaker, if I had one billion dollars I would ask the people what best to do, I would fund them for the contributions and their view, I would keep the resource revenue in the North, too, and Ottawa would think that’s cruel. If I had a billion dollars I would speed up the Mackenzie Valley Highway so the Sahtu can greet and treat you to a hot caribou stew too. If I had a billion dollars I would contribute to the educational programs in the Sahtu schools, install trade shop facilities and other schools too. If I had a billion dollars I would build homes, affordable housing so we wouldn’t have to live 10 people in a house, because that would cause a health issue to you and that’s cruel.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars I would buy materials to build a treatment centre for the Sahtu and I would buy airline tickets for other regions to come help us too. Then I will clear up the CANOL Trail while I’m at it too, because that would be cool and that is what my people taught us to do.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars I would build an elders office in the Sahtu. Cabinet would help with one in Tu Nedhe too. If I had a billion dollars, Mr. Speaker, I would fund a regional wellness centre so we can all get health care in the Sahtu and if we could learn to build it ourselves, wouldn’t that be swell? Isn’t that what we want to do? If I had a billion dollars I would get energy from the pipeline. No more diesel generators. Hydro and waste energy is the way to go. Now, that’s cool. If I had a billion dollars I would host Dene chiefs. They should meet in the Sahtu. I would invite all my friends and the Premier and the Cabinet too. If I had a billion dollars I wouldn’t forget the youth. Young people need training and support. They need them fast, because in the North unemployment is getting to be a critical mass.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars I would support the harvesters in their traditional lifestyle to hunt, and that isn’t really cruel. I am not speaking about the Sahtu. I would support all the other communities too. If I had a billion dollars I would give Colville a real terminal, because they don’t have one yet, and trappers, too, need to keep warm too.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars we would all be rich. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 5, reports of standing and special committees. Item 6, returns to oral questions. Item 7, 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. It is with great pleasure and honour to be able to recognize my dearly beloved in the gallery, Jeri.

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 Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

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

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, it is with great honour to recognize Chief Isadore Simon from Jean Marie, who is here in the gallery today and watching the proceedings and the budget today. Mahsi cho.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Dr. Robert Krushel, who is with us today.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to recognize a constituent and a representative from the Union of Northern Workers, Barb Wyness, who is the public relations and

research officer, up there in the gallery behind me. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. 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. I’d like to recognize Maxence, a reporter for the L’Aquilon, and his lovely daughter Elianta, who is an amazing fiddler.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize a former resident of Fort McPherson who now lives here in Yellowknife, Annie Kendi. Welcome, Annie.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. If we missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House, I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings.

Item 8, acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to acknowledge a Hay River constituent, a young man, the youngest in a family of six children, who put on skis for the first time when he was three years old and started in biathlon training when he was nine years old. At the age of 16 this young man set his scope and sights on an Olympic dream, training with great dedication and knocking off achievement after achievement. You have heard me speak of those achievements in this House.

Today, after these years of training and competing at home and around the world, joining the youngest ever Canadian team for biathlon, for the first time in 26 years that the NWT has sent an athlete to this ultimate level of competition, representing Hay River, the Northwest Territories and Canada, only officially announced today, Brendan Green is going to the 2010 Olympics. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 9, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions will be directed to the Minister of

Environment and Natural Resources today and it’s to follow up on my Member’s statement.

Mr. Speaker, I was trying to raise an issue and certainly paint a picture about working together on this caribou issue. As everyone knows, it’s significant and it affects a lot of our constituents, not just here in Yellowknife but throughout this whole Territory. Mr. Speaker, my question directly to the Minister of ENR is: what efforts can the GNWT do to encourage the renewable board that should be overseeing the decision, the guidance and the future of the caribou? What can they do to get them working on this issue rather than the GNWT implementing a broad ban? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Wekeezhii board was set up as a result of the self-government agreement with the Tlicho. They have their mandate, they have their process, they have set out the timelines and we are working with the board. They know the pressing issue at hand. We have been in correspondence for many, many months and they are doing everything that they can to get their process working. In the meantime, recognizing the emergency with the Bathurst herd, the government has come to their assistance as they get themselves up and running to put the ban in place to protect the herd while that work is being done. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. I appreciate the answer from the Minister, but what can the GNWT do to make sure that they are meeting and discussing this issue? What’s holding them back specifically? They are the ones that need to be making this decision and they are the ones that need to be guiding the future of this problem. Thank you.