This is page numbers 3837 – 3872 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 communities.

Topics

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will use my statement today to air some frustrations; frustrations with our Executive Council and the behemoth of a bureaucracy that is our government. I find myself believing that even though we’re just over half way through our four-year term, I sense that our Executive Council, our leaders, those presumably taking charge and showing the way, that they’re placing less and less emphasis on working. I already see the downward slide or slowdown that I’m told sets in and immobilizes government in the last year of any Assembly’s life. This is certainly not my preferred course of action.

If this Assembly can manage to work hard, continue to pass legislation, develop new ideas and put plans in place right up to dissolution, then I would be one very happy MLA. But I already see us slowing down both mentally and physically. It may be a perception that only pertains to me, but perception is nine-tenths of the law and it should be heeded.

Why do I feel this way? Well, here are a few examples: There’s a distinct lack of visible progress from the Strategic Initiatives committees. What are they accomplishing? We’ve heard nothing from several of these committees for many months -- the Cost of Living Committee, the Managing this Land Committee, the Maximizing Opportunities Committee, the Building This Land Committee. I can’t remember when we last had an update on the work of these committees. The only one which seems to be productive is the Refocusing Government Committee.

A second indicator is the abnormally long list of outstanding requests for information from standing committees, the Economic Development and Infrastructure committee especially. There have been opportunities for Ministers to meet with Regular Members but the briefings have not been forthcoming. Is it because the Strategic Initiatives committees have no work to report? It seems that way to me. It may be due to a delay in reports coming from the department, but a Minister should at least advise Members of a known delay. All we want is to be kept informed. Believe it not, Mr. Speaker, some of us over here do keep track of due dates and monitor the progress, or lack of it, in regard to reports.

I’m dismayed at my lack of access to Ministers in the last several months. Ministers seem to have been out of the office more than in it. For weeks before and after the Christmas break one could almost roll a bowling ball down the Executive offices hallway without encountering any resistance. Perhaps I exaggerate, Mr. Speaker, but it’s a concern for me when I have to struggle to find a Minister and get their attention to discuss an issue of importance to my constituents.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I hope these impressions of mine are overstated, but even if they are, the Executive Council must take note and do some soul searching. At this point in our term we all need to stop and check our pulse, make sure the heart is still active and beating strongly. Both sides of this House should be working full tilt for the next 20 months. There’s lots we can do if we keep our nose to the wheel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about the services and funding provided to businesses here in the Northwest

Territories. During the business plan review of the draft main estimates in the fall, the Department of ITI stated that they were working toward a one-window system being in place for business-related services in every region.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very interesting statement for the department to make, considering the fact that the last government and this one to date have done nothing to move toward a one-window delivery model that numerous studies and reports have recommended. Is ITI going to be the authority in all of this? And what about the BDIC? I’ve asked many questions previously about the role, mandate and future of the BDIC. This becomes even more murky now that it looks as though ITI is moving toward a one-window approach without the BDIC.

Given current economic conditions, we need to be doing everything in our power to ensure what little support we have for businesses is getting into the right hands. Mr. Speaker, let me be frank: most departmental funding is not going into business creation or expansion. What little infrastructure that is in rural communities is old and outdated. There really has been little to no diversification of our economy in the past six years. Overall, business growth is negative. Manufacturing is in decline. Tourism products and sales are in serious decline.

Mr. Speaker, last year 15 clients received more than $100,000 in contribution financing from ITI. This accounted for two-thirds of the value of all ITI contributions. How many of these clients were private businesses? The answer, Mr. Speaker, is none. Mr. Speaker, not a single, solitary one. Then, Mr. Speaker, there’s the SEED program, ITI’s main business development program where less than one-third of all funding actually found its way into businesses. We need to be very, very concerned over these trends, Mr. Speaker.

In the backdrop to all of this is the BDIC. Eighteen months ago I called on the government to have a meaningful, comprehensive and coordinated suite of services for economic and business development in our Territory. We have not made any headway, Mr. Speaker. In fact, statistics do not lie. We continue to regress.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I recently read a quote from an American legislator, Jim Collin, that I would like to leave you with: The signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change. The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need a complete rethink of how we meet the energy needs of our residents and businesses. Messing about trying to tweak electricity rates to redistribute costs, reviewing yet again our Power Corporation with no creative guidance and ignoring community partnerships goes nowhere towards addressing our real problems and opportunities. A smart approach to meeting today’s energy needs can serve a range of important government priorities.

The unfortunate circumstances of depressed local economies, rising energy costs and impacts of environmental issues dictate the need for energy services that meet these issues head on. We need utility structures and energy strategies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, provide local economic and skill development and reduce our environmental impacts. Fostering partnerships with our communities and regional corporations to provide clean energy to meet total energy needs can achieve these goals while increasing affordability of energy, revenues to utilities and ability of the public to pay.

Times are changing and real leadership for progressive responses is required. We have studied small hydro development for years, but where is it? Small hydro, biomass and solar power will eventually meet many of our energy needs while serving broad government goals, but where is this reflected in any of our thinking on utility restructuring and capacity? We have made a few initial steps within government infrastructure, but where is any implementation on a community level? And where is the recognition and integration of these realities in any of the costly reviews we have underway?

The huge opportunities for increased energy efficiency are glossed over in our reviews. Where is the energy efficiency strategy, particularly electrical efficiency? The Arctic Energy Alliance has demonstrated that investment in converting electric hot water heaters to oil fired in thermal communities could save the NWT taxpayers and ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, and this is just one example. Moving to clean energy, electricity for heating and to power vehicles are increasingly strong global responses to climate change and fuel prices, but it takes foresight and planning to reap the benefits. Where is the recognition of these trends? Where is the time of day pricing policies commonly employed elsewhere to bring new system efficiencies, increased affordability and improved revenues to utilities?

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, NTPC is a government-owned provider directed by GNWT and we have not provided written guidance to them since 2005. A close look at our review work to date is not inspiring. It is my fervent hope that rather than getting stuck in the same mould approaches, we will clearly see the need for energy services that reflect our values, recognize our scales and serve our priorities within the realities of today’s challenges. Mr. Speaker, I will be asking questions of the appropriate Minister. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Consultation On Caribou Conservation Measures
Members’ Statements

January 31st, 2010

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, before lunch I had caribou stew.

Some Hon. Members

Oooh.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Before I ate my caribou stew, my wife mentioned to me, she said, you know, this issue about the caribou, the specific area that there is a ban on hunting, this is what we are fighting about. You know, to have caribou in our life. This specific issue here is about this whole thing about our way of life, our food, and when I talked to several people over the weekend about caribou and asked how does it seem like on the radio in terms of this whole issue from this government, from this Legislative Assembly, most of the replies were that it’s not very good. It seems like the government is telling us what to do. It seems like they are telling us we have money and we should go to the store only and buy pork chops or steak or bacon. It seems like they don’t want us to eat our food; for what reasons, I don’t know.

So I want to talk about the issue of consultation in terms of coming to an agreement of what this government has done in terms of coming to an agreement to put this ban on. Certainly the Minister has some weight in terms of the conservation issue. It is in the agreements. I am not sure if the timing is right, because right now there seems to be a lot of resistance to this. I think it was bad timing. I think we should have had more consultation. As Mr. Hawkins has said, we should come to an emergency summit with the people of the Northwest Territories and have a real good discussion on it, look at all the factors. It should be something like that with the people of the Northwest Territories.

This issue is a very big issue in our communities. As one elder has told me, I wish I could come down to the government and speak to them right face to face on this issue; I’m so mad. So I think that if this

government could come to an emergency discussion on this issue with the people of the Northwest Territories, I think we’ll have a win/win. Thank you, Mr. Speaker

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I have the great pleasure of having youth from Ulukhaktok who are in the territorial trials here and all over the Territory in badminton, soccer and hockey.

I have Zakkery Kudlak -- and if you could stand up and say hi to home -- Zakkery Kudlak, Nathan Pogotak, Frances Himiak, Cynthia Oliktoak, Gayle Ogina, Ronald Oliktoak, Adrian Kagyut, Johnathan Kuneyuna, Bradly Olifie, Troy Akoaksion, Brian Kimiksana, Patrick Joss, my good friend Patrick Joss, and everybody knows Pat. Welcome Patrick. Kirstin Ekpakonak, Brandon Okheena, Elliot Malgukak, Kassandra Ekpakonak, Rose Inuktalik, Erica Alanak, Chelsey Olifie and Adele Okheena. If I messed up a bit, I’m sorry on your names. I apologize. I’d like to also recognize my wife who was with me for this weekend and it’s always good to have my support, and she’ll be home tomorrow, Kids. 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. Jacobson. Welcome everyone in the gallery today. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always good to have an audience in here.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ENR. You know, many would applaud the decisive measures that the Minister took to protect the caribou and this was not an easy decision, I am sure of that. However, some people out there are unhappy with the decision and feel that people were not properly consulted and that, in fact, this is an infringement on treaty hunting rights. So, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister today if he, looking back at the situation, can see any opportunity where things could have been done differently that would not have us at this level of acrimony here today over this very valued resource, valued by everyone. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I’d like to point out that since 2005, and even earlier, since the signing of the land claims up and down the valley, the co-management boards have been working very successfully with the government to look after and make the right decisions with wildlife, including caribou, and even investing significant monies since 2005. We’re now dealing with the issue of rapid decline with the Bathurst herd in the North Slave. Ideally if the Wekeezhii process could have been able to meet its initial targets in October/November prior to this hunting season, we would not be in this situation given the precipitous drop in numbers to look at interim emergency measures. We are fully committed, of course, to the process going forward to look at the long-term Bathurst management plan that’s going to involve, Tlicho, Akaitcho, Northwest Territories Metis. It’s going to spill over and look at the Ahiak, the Bluenose-East, which involves the Sahtu as well as the Inuvialuit. That’s going to be a fairly complex undertaking. The key now is to get through this hunting season without putting any further pressure on this herd which is in a dire state. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I’d like to thank the Minister for putting this into a context and a perspective that it is in terms of the specific herd and the management board responsible for that herd. The Minister also indicates that this is an interim emergency measure, which would indicate that this is temporary. Can the Minister offer any explanation as to why these other management boards have been able to be so involved in the wildlife management and what is the holdup and the delay and the deferring of the Wekeezhii board’s work on the Bathurst caribou issue? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

There are a number of factors here. The Wekeezhii board is part of the Tlicho Government and it’s new. It’s getting up and running. This is going to be its first full test. The other co-management boards have been successfully in place now, in many cases, for decades and have worked out the bugs. They have a good working relationship. As well, the North Slave circumstance is very politically complex where you have not only the Tlicho but the Akaitcho, Northwest Territories Metis, two unsettled claim areas and requires that extra work. So there are all these factors that have been playing together, as well as the fact that the Wekeezhii process didn’t quite meet its targets requiring these interim emergency measures to protect the herd. Thank you.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

I’d like to ask the Minister what steps is our government taking now to ensure that this board, this management board, does get up to the same level of capacity and ability to address the caribou in this region. I understand perhaps that the makeup of it is complex and the politics of it are a little bit different, but what can our government do to facilitate this board getting up to the same level of expertise, knowledge and capacity that the other management boards are?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

The board, I believe, is working as fast and as fully applying themselves to this issue as they can. They are now looking at being able to be finished their work consultation and such and recommendations that can be considered both by the Tlicho and territorial government by I believe it’s now April or May. In the meantime, the support we’re giving is to do what they asked us to do back in July when they themselves identified the state of the Bathurst herd and the precipitous drop from 2006, 120,000 animals, to around 30,000 in 2009. The need to have these interim emergency measures to protect the herd to allow this process to go through its cycle and looking at being able to then make in a more measured, careful way the longer term decisions that are going to be required to be done through that consultative process all the Members have been talking about.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just one more point of clarification then. This temporary ban that is in place on this particular herd in this specific area, how long does the Minister anticipate that will be in place before the Wekeezhii Management Board will then put measures in place to protect this herd? Just so we put that in context as well, not saying that someone else being responsible for the management at this regional level is going to solve all the problems facing the caribou and the impacts that are causing them to decline, but just as far as this government’s role in having to step up and put this kind of a ban in place. How long will that be in effect?

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Of course, our choice would be the shortest time possible, but we have tied the ban to come off as soon as we can get the report from the Wekeezhii board and be able to respond and engage as well, then, with the Tlicho Government, the Akaitcho and the Northwest Territories Metis to come up with a longer term plan. The targets for that report, their recommendations to be done are April or May, at this point.