Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber, I’d like to draw your attention to the public gallery and the presence of a former Member, a former Speaker of this House, Mr. Sam Gargan, who is with us.

---Applause

Also, colleagues, the Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy, has been away from the House recently. Last week Mr. Abernethy travelled to Calgary to undergo an emergency medical procedure. I am pleased to advise the House that this procedure was a success.

---Applause

Mr. Abernethy will be returning to Yellowknife tonight, but will require some time to recover. On behalf of all Members, I want to wish him well and a speedy recovery. I know he is very anxious to get back to work and will do so as soon as he gets the green light from his health care professionals.

Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, the government is concerned about the long-term health of the Bathurst caribou herd; so concerned, in fact, that my colleague the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources enacted an outright hunting ban in an area covering the herd’s wintering grounds.

Mr. Speaker, it is the view of our government that the authority to make such regulations is clearly held by the Government of the Northwest Territories; without that conviction, we could not have acted, It is also clear that the Dene Nation and some aboriginal governments do not believe that to be true. We have even heard some Members of

this Assembly express doubts about the legislative base of the government they are part of.

Mr. Speaker, even when the people do not agree with their government all the time, it is important that they should trust that their government acts in their interest and within its powers, This matter before us, the long-term health of the barren-ground caribou is critical and requires immediate action. In taking action, it is also important that we ensure the people of the Northwest Territories have the same clear understanding of which government holds the necessary authority to protect barren-ground caribou.

For that reason, Mr. Speaker, with the support of Cabinet, I will be referring a question to the NWT Supreme Court and the Legal Questions Act, asking it to rule on the Government of the Northwest Territories’ legislative authority to regulate aboriginal hunting of barren-ground caribou.

The question that I will refer to the court is about the authority the Government of the Northwest Territories holds to regulate hunting by aboriginal people of barren-ground caribou. This is about clarifying for the public and for aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories, which order of government holds the authority to act, to ensure the long-term health of the barren-ground caribou herds in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, at a later date, I will provide information for Members about the process that will be followed in addressing this question. While I cannot speak for how the court will act, or when, I believe the process will be inclusive and produce a timely result. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today I will table the Youth Smoking in the NWT: Descriptive Summary for Smoking Behaviour Among Grades 5 to 9 Students report. This is a summary of findings from the NWT School

Tobacco Survey, The first survey was conducted in 1982 and is carried out every four to five years. The purpose of the report is to monitor youth smoking behaviour and related issues.

Mr. Speaker, Youth Smoking in the NWT: Descriptive Summary for Smoking Behaviour Among Grades 5 to 9 Students reflects Health and Social Services ongoing efforts to curb smoking initiation rates at a young age.

The NWT School Tobacco Survey was made possible with assistance from the students in grades 5 to 9, their teachers, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the regional education authorities.

Mr. Speaker, the report shows a number of positive results, The prevalence of youth smoking declined considerably from 1982 to 2006. The downward trend could be attributed to changing attitudes towards smoking as a result of our anti-smoking programs such as the Don’t be a Butthead campaign.

Some highlights of the reports include:

•

Over the past 25 years, fewer youth have tried smoking or currently smoke.

•

The overall prevalence of smoking among 10 to 14 year olds is declining: a 19 percent decrease in the prevalence of youth smoking over the past seven years.

•

Tobacco awareness programs are undertaken on a school-wide basis to educate all students about the adverse affects of tobacco use, Ninety-six percent of students in the NWT reported receiving some type of smoking-related education during the past school year.

Mr. Speaker, wellness is a basic goal identified in our Foundation for Change strategic document. Tobacco use is a common predisposition to many chronic diseases which diminishes one’s quality of life over time. Tobacco reduction is a personal responsibility. Health and Social Services supports quitting through education efforts. Tobacco use is addictive, it is easier to avoid use at the beginning than trying to quit in the end.

We encourage communities, families and individuals to make healthy choices. When residents choose to never start smoking, they are meeting this goal.

Mr. Speaker, this Youth Smoking in the NWT: Descriptive Summary of Smoking Behaviour Among Grades 5 to 9 Students is available in printed format from the Department of Health and Social Services and is posted on their website, I would like to invite everyone to take a look, Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, across the Northwest Territories there are many school administrators who are leaders in their communities and who work hard to ensure that teachers, students and school staff have the resources they need to be successful, They all deserve our gratitude, and today I have the opportunity to highlight the work of two such leaders.

I am very proud of the fact that two administrators from Sir Alexander Mackenzie School in Inuvik are being honoured with national awards for their leadership. This year Janette Vlanich is being recognized as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals by the Learning Partnership for the difference she makes in the lives of students and the community of Inuvik. While there are many reasons to celebrate Janette, of particular importance is her work helping to develop a successful literacy program and supporting aboriginal languages and culture in the community, Her membership in this year’s select group of 32 outstanding educational leaders serves as an inspiration to her peers not only across the Northwest Territories, but across Canada.

Even as Janette is being recognized as one of the outstanding principals, Jason Dayman, vice-principal of Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, is being honoured by the Canadian Association of Principals with the National Herff Jones Vice-Principal of the Year Award. Jason is driven by a strong belief that culturally relevant programming helps students achieve success in school. While at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, he’s committed himself to developing a permanent culture camp for students and fostering strong relationships with community elders, creating opportunities for them to share their knowledge with students, He has also worked in partnership with Parks Canada and the Department of Fisheries developing on-the-land programs for students. With his big boat and skidoos, he has facilitated many rich learning opportunities for these young people.

I want to thank Janette and Jason for their leadership and commitment to excellence and congratulate them to the honours they are receiving. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Bob McLeod will be absent from the House today to attend promotional events related to the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I opened the News/North today and this may not be the first time this ad has run, Mr. Speaker, but I was struck by this full page ad which says -- if I can just read it, it’s very brief -- “Empty Stomachs Make Empty Brains. Your kids cannot concentrate with growling stomachs. Everyone needs a healthy breakfast to start the day. Sponsored by the Northwest Territories Department of Education, Culture and Employment.”

Mr. Speaker, I find this ad offensive and I would suggest that if it’s run for very many times, it’s very expensive. Mr. Speaker, this government has way too much money to spend if they can take out full pages in the local newspaper for an ad like that.

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need many, many things in our education system and one of them is children who are healthy and fed and ready to learn, But, Mr. Speaker, we have Mr. Jacobson standing up here talking about the fact that we have no funding for a teacher in Sachs Harbour; we have other Members standing up and talking about the many, many needs in our community. I find it amazing and, as I said, this government has way too much money if they have money to spend on something like this.

This message means nothing to anyone who will read it. As a matter of fact, saying that if your stomach is empty, so is your brain, is an offense to somebody who doesn’t have enough to eat, as far as I’m concerned. I think people who are hungry can still think.

Mr. Speaker, if there are parents who don’t know that their children should not go to school hungry, this is a rather cold way of sending a message to them. Maybe ECE would be better to talk to their counterparts and figure out a way to sponsor a milk subsidy program so that children in communities where milk is an expensive commodity could have their diets supplemented with something that is nutritious. I find this ad, as I said, Mr. Speaker, not a very good use and expenditure of government

money. Later today, I would like to ask the Minister of ECE who came up with this campaign, who designed this campaign, who created that wording, how much did this cost the government. This kind of thing has got to stop. We have more pressing issues. Thank you.

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

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

Today I would like to talk, once again, about the frustrations that many of my constituents have with the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Mr. Speaker, many of these constituents are elders, single mothers, young couples trying to make ends meet to raise a family and many of them rely on income support. It’s a tough situation that they are in. As their MLA, I have seen firsthand the conditions of many of these units and when I meet with them in their homes, Mr. Speaker, I hear desperation in their voices.

I, too, have become frustrated with the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation because it seems that I am not making any progress with the issues that I bring forward. Mr. Speaker, I feel that the NWT Housing Corporation continues to neglect an important element when delivering housing programs and that is taking into account full consideration and factors of individual situations.

This means incorporating creativity and flexibility needed to effectively work with desperate clients, Mr. Speaker. As it is now, for many of my constituents in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e the policies are flawed, Mr. Speaker, it continues to be almost a daily practice if I am not following up on housing issues already in the system, then I’m bringing forth new housing issues, From there, it’s fairly predictable what happens. I get back a response that says they are unable to help. They owe money or they don’t own the land that their house has been sitting on for several years, many years, in some cases since the ‘80s.

Mr. Speaker, by the time I am able to make some headway on some of these issues, the construction season has passed. The domestic situation for our clients has changed, which means a whole application process and, unfortunately, in a few cases the constituents actually pass away before their issues can be brought before the Housing Corporation or before the Housing Corporation is able to assist them.

Mr. Speaker, there needs to be a change in attitude of the Housing Corporation, and in many of my

communities the Housing Corporation is seen as out of touch with the people’s needs.

When you live in a good home, make a good income in a regional centre or Yellowknife, there is a different attitude towards housing in places like Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

I thought the NWT Housing Corporation was there to help people, but so far it appears that that is not the case. I will have questions for the Minister of the Housing Corporation later on today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on the school extension at Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk. Recently Don Kindt Consulting conducted and completed, released a report identifying serious deficiencies and inadequacies with Mangilaluk School in the community of Tuktoyaktuk. I wish to thank the Minister and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for funding the evaluation.

The concerns identified in the report cover a wide range of problems but mainly focus on the lack of physical space, which, according to the community’s high school principal, is negatively impacting the successful learning environment. The report highlights the fact that so many areas, from the size of the gymnasium, the size of the library, lack of space for students to congregate, are far below territorial standards. Our Nunakput students are less deserving. Why do the students in small, remote communities always have to do with less than others?

The government once promised that all students across the Northwest Territories will receive equal quality education. This government is losing and the commitment is not being fulfilled.

The vice-principal, program teacher and classroom assistant all use a small office space out of the library. To make matters worse, they share with the students because they have nowhere to congregate or study.

Mangilaluk School desperately needs an extension to accommodate the growing needs of the community. School supplies are being stored in a donated C-can from NTCL. Teachers have to eat their lunch in the hallway. Mangilaluk School is a poster school of the government’s failure to provide equal quality education.

Community schools are supposed to be a focal point in the community where activities and gatherings and, most importantly, learning takes place. When the school lacks the most basic standards, the whole community suffers. Students should be able to go to school and enjoy it. They should feel comfortable that education is not only books, tests and buildings, they are environments, teachers and the community.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

One of the government’s pledges is to provide good, equal education for all residents of the Northwest Territories, but when smaller communities are so far below larger centres such as Yellowknife, I wonder if this government will put their money where their mouth is. We have to commit to put improvements needed and identified in the Don Kindt Consulting report on Mangilaluk School. I will have questions for the Minister of ECE at the appropriate time.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m rising today to speak to the urgent need to expand the incredibly stressed facilities at Stanton Territorial Hospital. There is a significant capacity issue and overall care may be at risk, especially in areas such as emergency, intensive care and medical daycare. These are some of the most critical services our hospital provides. The overall volume and workload has grown substantially over the years.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs has recently toured the hospital and saw for ourselves the desperate overcrowding and lack of facilities to deliver existing services. Offices have medical record files piled to the ceilings. The hallways are full of freight. There isn’t room for one more sardine in that can.

The planning and design for the hospital are about 25 years old and needs have drastically changed in that time. Recent facelifts are tweaking and do not reflect the degree of changes needed. Now we’re at the point where a major investment, such as major reorganization and a new wing, is urgent and this is not getting the attention it deserves.

Providing quality health care for the entire Territory depends upon having modern, adequate hospital facilities. Savings in southern care costs, immediate service, and range of services here in the Territory are obvious benefits that an effective territorial facility can address.

We need to fully understand what our needs are, but some needs are obvious and demand action now. Our hospital is already bursting at the seams. We need to expedite the complex and specific capital planning for what will obviously be a multi-year, phased-in program that necessarily distributes costs over several fiscal years allowing for the fine-tuning as detailed needs are set.

Hospital design and construction are very specific and complex, but we need to fast-track the planning to get those dollars lined up for the work that’s needed. This situation reflects the need to look at our priorities more clearly.

Mr. Speaker, we’re spending close to $200 million on a bridge. It’s nice that it will be easier to driver to Edmonton for medical treatment, but we need to look closer to how we spend our capital priorities. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve yet to speak about the caribou issue, as some have been calling it, and so I will do so today.

Even though I haven’t spoken yet, I have been considering all aspects of it every day for the last week and more, listening to my colleagues on both sides of the House, listening to elders and other residents as they speak to us in person and via the media. I’ve been trying to reconcile the arguments, the concerns, the differences of opinions and the different positions. It has been difficult to do.

At the core of this issue is the need for conservation of the caribou, the need to ensure their survival for as many years into the future as the number of years that have passed already. That should be the basis for any discussions on this matter. But of paramount importance, as well, is the right of aboriginal people to hunt as they have done since time immemorial. The temporary ban has led to an impasse, a difference of opinions, a lack of agreement on how things should proceed and how things should have been done. I believe, in the science that has been presented to me, that the Bathurst caribou herd is in great distress; that without some intervention, the herd will become extinct. I believe in the right of aboriginal people to hunt. I also believe that there is a solution out there waiting to be found.

I am, by nature, a person who uses negotiation before confrontation. I strongly advocate that the parties to this dispute respect each other and negotiate a solution to this problem. The differences can be worked out if all parties keep an open mind, have the right attitude and treat each other fairly.

There is a right way forward and any actions should not be politicized or personalized. The preservation of the caribou is a much bigger issue than the need for people to save face and come out winners. There can be no human winners here, just the caribou.

Mr. Speaker, I know a middle ground can be found, that there is a solution acceptable to all parties. I urge our leaders in every area to continue the dialogue, reflect on what is best for the caribou and find the consensus we need to put this disagreement to bed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe last week the Minister of Education made a statement in the House in regard to student absences and the problem that we’re seeing across the Territories. Mr. Speaker, it amazes me that Sport North, who are going to be hosting the dog mushing trials in Fort Smith, that people from the Mackenzie Delta who are going to take part in these trials have to drive from Mackenzie Delta to Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, the students that are taking part in these trials will have to take three weeks of school off because of the way the trials have been set up.

Mr. Speaker, it’s unacceptable to allow our students to miss three weeks of school, yet we have a Minister who’s basically stating the importance of keeping the students in school. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister of Education, along with Sport North and the Department of MACA must find a solution to this problem to accommodate our students to ensure that they do not miss three weeks of school simply because of where they’re located.

Mr. Speaker, the trials will take place in Fort Smith and if you qualify for the Arctic Winter Games, you will have to stay there until the games are being held in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Again, Mr. Speaker, from there you have to basically drive back to the Mackenzie Delta, which will take you somewhere around five or six days. I think, Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable.

The Department of Education talks about establishing the policies and making sure we keep our students in school. I think you should inform government departments and agencies that they should also do their part to ensure that these students are able to access their education and make sure that they don’t miss any of their studies.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Education questions on this matter. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about insurance for what is usually the most expensive item that an individual or even a family will ever purchase and that is the family home. For many people who are out there buying new homes, they’ll find that they’re either very limited or there is no warranty at all for their new home purchase.

Mr. Speaker, that’s certainly not right, because if you go down today to Canadian Tire to buy a lawnmower and it doesn’t work, you can take it back because it has a warranty.

Mr. Speaker, if you go down to YK Chrysler and buy a new car, it comes with a warranty too, but shame on the fact that a home does not carry one and we don’t have legislation in place to protect the new homeowner.

Mr. Speaker, in Alberta, new home warranty programs have been operating since the 1970s. It offers protection to home purchasers who buy a home constructed by a builder who is a member of their program. Mr. Speaker, B.C. has even thought this out and their contractors must be licensed as well. I am not suggesting that we create a whole new Crown corporation and bureaucracy to oversee this homeowner legislation, but, Mr. Speaker, what I see is a huge gap about clear responsibility to protect the new home buyer and the difference between the contractor and who will be left holding the bag if something goes wrong.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is facing significant shortages in affordable housing. Mr. Speaker, it was not more than a week ago that the Minister of Finance was talking about our 18 percent vacancy. Mr. Speaker, the real problem comes down to this, it is difficult to attract people when there are no new homes for people to move into. Mr. Speaker, with rapid development potentially on the horizon with things like the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline, what will happen here is potentially unqualified people will call themselves builders and they will be out building houses as quick as possible to make their quick sale. But who will be left holding the bag? That new purchaser of that home.

Mr. Speaker, the solution is quite simple. We need legislation to help protect people to ensure that if deficiencies arise, the contractor leaves town or goes bankrupt, the new homeowner isn’t left holding the bag. Mr. Speaker, land titles in this territorial government has an insurance fund that protects people if the land transaction has

problems. Mr. Speaker, where does a family go when they put everything that they have had into the deposit, into their dreams, into their opportunities of life with great hopes, and everything is sunk quickly because something goes bad? Mr. Speaker, they are the ones left holding the bag. Mr. Speaker, later today I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to talk about the need for legislation to protect new home buyers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to use my Member’s statement to give my condolence to the Doctor family, Horassi family in Tulita. Over the weekend, we lost a community elder and member in Tulita. On Sunday morning I got a phone call from my brother, saying that a gentleman passed away in Tulita. Another one has left us in their community. I was thinking about the amount of elders that we have lost in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, people like my uncle Adrian Menacho, an older gentleman in Deline that passed away last year, and an older man in Colville Lake Joe Martin Oudzi also passed away. Several people in Fort Good Hope have also passed away.

Mr. Speaker, when we come here to represent our people, these people, when they ask us to work for them or speak for them, when we go out we seek their support on Election Day to put an X beside our name so we can go and talk to these people that have faith in us to say what needs to be said. These elderly people gave us advice. They give us direction. They tell us how to work together. They tell us if you don’t work together, you create a lot of hardship. They tell us, too, this is how they view life. This is how they grew up. These are the values and beliefs. Sometimes they don’t quite coincide with the modern day living in terms of how we see life. We go back to our communities. These elders are from the land. This is how they see things. Sometimes these elders give us strong words to speak on their behalf, how they see the world. Sometimes it has a conflict with the way they go out today. Sometimes we are in that state of which way do we decide on. But I also heard from one of the elders. You always side with the people. You will never go wrong in your decisions. I heard people say to remember what the elders have taught you and what have they told you. This is why I want to say to the families in Tulita and in the Sahtu that these elders are very valuable to us. I offer my prayers and condolence to the families in Tulita.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to recognize today Chief Edward Sangris and Grand Chief Bill Erasmus of the Dene Nation. Also many of the people and councillors, some of the people I see are Bertha Mackenzie, Ernie Abel, Sarah Plotner, Angela Charlo, John Carter, Kelly Cumming, Leanne Erasmus, and others from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Lee Mandeville I see is here. Colin Crozier, Dave Kellett, and many people interested in the important issues before us.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome everybody in the audience here for today. I’d like to recognize some people from my community. First of all, the grand chief of Deh Cho, Sam Gargan, former Speaker and MLA. Welcome. Also Victor Constant from Fort Providence is here with us. Welcome, Victor.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a great pleasure to recognize Murray McMahon. He’s here in the gallery and is a constituent of Yellowknife Centre, as well as Margaret Petersen, who is with him.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to welcome James Williams and Noah Cockney. Both will be going to the Olympics representing Arctic sports for the next two weeks. Have a good trip and showcase our Arctic sports. Also I’d like to welcome Mr. Greg Hopf of the Aboriginal Sport Circle.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague MLA Hawkins recognized Mr. McMahon and Ms. Margaret Petersen, but sitting with them is Amanda Petersen from Petersen’s Outfitters.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Greg and Sharon Hopf, a family originally from Fort Resolution.

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

I’d like to recognize a former sparring partner of mine during the Dene-Metis claims days, Dan Murphy, who was the federal negotiator. Also I’d like to recognize former Chief Fred Sangris. Also someone from Fort McPherson, Maria Itsi from Fort McPherson. With that I would like to thank and recognize former Speaker of the House Sam Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. If we’ve 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. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t like to be critical, of course, and I certainly don’t like to be unkind to our Minister of ECE, but when I saw this ad today, I’m sorry, but this is the kind of thing that gets me upset. We have a school board in the South Slave that’s running a deficit, and I know you can say it’s all different pockets of money, but really it’s all one department. I have always said I have no problem spending money, I have no problem investing money, I have a problem wasting money. I consider this ad campaign to be a major waste of money on top of the fact that it is a little offensive: a picture of a brain that says “Empty stomachs make empty brains.”

I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about this today. I’d like to ask him who is the target audience of this advertising campaign.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The target audience, of course, is the youth. It was the youth that gave us the direction and also the feedback on what should be advertised in the newspaper. A lot of the youth are spending a lot of their quality time, free time, in front of the TV. That’s a clear message that we’re getting from the youth to say do a different advertisement in the newspaper, on TV commercials, so it’s targeting the youth. It may not make much sense for us as adults, but it came from the youth to focus on what their intentions are. This is focused on the youth.

Well, that makes it even more curious, because if it’s youth that are developing this, I’m quite certain they’re probably old enough to go to the fridge and have a breakfast for themselves before they go to school so they don’t have an empty brain. And I don’t even believe that’s... I think that’s an offence to say empty stomachs make empty brains.

Anyhow, my question is this ad campaign, which is being paid for by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, I’d like to know what the price tag is on it.

I did request the information and it is coming to our department through the communications department that we’ve initiated this with an outside source. So as soon as I get that information I will certainly share that with the Member.

However much it is, it’s too much. Because I don’t think you can buy a full-page ad in the News/North for much less than about $2,000 a hit. So I would, if I could suggest, think it would have been better if you were trying to instil in young people the idea of having a healthy breakfast to help them do better in school, maybe a poster contest or something where the kids could get involved in expressing their ideas as opposed to something like this.

Under what initiative does this eating breakfast so that you can think better in school, under what initiative of the GNWT and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment does this program come?

This is under the direction of the youth, the feedback of the youth. It’s under the education plan, part of the educational plan of going forward and promoting students to stay in school, the healthiness of our students. Promoting more of that into the communities, Members have alluded to where maybe other work with other departments, whether it be the recreational program or other promotional programs. We are currently doing that as the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. We are working with Municipal and Community Affairs and other health departments, as well, to promote even more of that. We have all these different role models that we’ve highlighted through our posters campaign, so we’ll continue to promote that.

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

I was wondering if the department did any research on the readership of the News/North. Not to offend News/North, but I would suggest that the majority of school kids are not reading News/North. Perhaps $2,000 a week might have been better spent on samples of

nutritious breakfasts that could have been taken into the schools and handed out for free. Does the Minister agree?

I do agree that students with full stomachs learn better in school. So we’ll continue to support in that respect.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, given that we were lined up for major capital work on Stanton Hospital but have now let that opportunity slide, how long will the planning, budgeting and construction process take, in her estimation, to get what is needed in place, major redevelopment? When will that be actually in place?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I’ve indicated in the House previously, we anticipate that it will take at least two years to finish the Master Development Plan for Stanton.

Perhaps I’m not speaking clearly. I asked how long the Minister estimates it will take for planning, budgeting and construction to take so that facility is where we need it. How long? When can we expect that to be in place?

The Member is familiar with our capital planning process in this House. A capital infrastructure like that would go through a master development planning process, which would be used to get into the planning process. It’s the planning process that would determine where that capital ask would fit in. Once it’s approved it will depend on what the building requirements are and depending on how big of a capital project it will be, it will take multi years.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister is being quite modest in her estimates. I would say, at the rate we’re going, the pace the Minister is setting, we will be talking a decade or longer. This is totally unacceptable for this territorial facility, which is brimming over and desperately crying out for action. Everyone knows the territorial facility is overdue. Given that the Minister recognizes this need, what effort is she putting in to pushing to get this process shortened in an exception to the normal planning process? Everybody in this room, in this House, understands this is needed. Will the Minister push to get this done in a much more timely way?

Since the Member and the committee have toured the Stanton Territorial Hospital, perhaps next they could do a tour of the Norman Wells Health Centre or Hay River hospital. My point being, Stanton Hospital is a very important piece of infrastructure for us and it provides very important territorial health care programs and services, but it is not one of the most aged buildings we have. It does require a midterm retrofit. It’s about 25 years old, but the Norman Wells facility is 40 years plus. The Hay River facility that we are working on right now, I believe it was built in 1966, plus the renovations. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to advise the Member and the House that a lot of work is being done to redesign the programs and services at Stanton.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Your final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are no doctors in those facilities. The doctors are at Stanton Territorial facility. It’s there where people are sent from all over the Northwest Territories. This Minister is completely ignoring that fact and the desperate need here. Those other facilities are not brimming over. This facility is facing, really, a critical situation -- a quick tour behind the scenes and even her own staff will tell her that -- even comparing to other facilities that we have. So I ask again, Mr. Speaker, what effort is the Minister taking to actually get some work on the ground and recognize the need that’s there, the desperate need? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I think the Member knows that we are here to work for the entire Territories and, for his information, the Hay River hospital has seven doctor positions. They have 50 doctor locums that come and go. Fort Smith and Norman Wells have doctors’ offices.

Mr. Speaker, I understand the need to make sure that the Stanton Territorial Hospital is renovated and, more importantly, that the master development is done. I’ve explained before, the master development plan is more than just a footprint and square footage. It’s about what services will be provided at Stanton for years to come. With the opening of the territorial dementia centre, the consolidated clinic and other facilities, we are looking at a territorial plan that would fit into Stanton Territorial plan. We are doing a lot of work and I’m optimistic that we will have the plan in place and planning money that will have Stanton Territorial Hospital become bigger and better than it is now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my Member’s statement was on Mangilaluk School. Recently, Don Kindt Consulting conducted, completed and released a report identifying serious deficiencies and inadequacies with the Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk. Will this government commit to implementing the improvements to all of the problems identified in this report? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the report that the Member is referring to we received just recently. My department is going through the overall review. The recommendations were brought to our attention and, clearly, we need to work with the community; we need to work with the Member on a going-forward basis. This could be part of the business planning cycle for next time around. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, we did receive a letter from the Member’s constituent school asking about the education planning regarding their school and, certainly, we are committed to working on that. There is also an invitation to the Minister and also Assembly Members. So I would commit going to the Member’s riding. Mahsi.

I wanted a commitment from him to build the extension, not for a visit, but I’ll take that too. Thank you, Mr. Minister.

Mr. Speaker, you know, about a year ago I put a motion on the floor of the House that was passed. With so many reports that we go through in the government, Mr. Speaker, I need commitment from the Minister in regard to, like he said, a go-forward on getting this…enough reports and getting some action done on the building of the extension in Tuktoyaktuk, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, this is all preliminary. We just received the recommendations. They are recommendations for us to consider. We may not cover every aspect of the recommendations that are brought forward, but the most critical need we’ll certainly consider that into our business planning cycle.

Mr. Speaker, we may not be able to have the upgrades as we speak today, but certainly that’s a going-forward basis for the next business planning cycle. I am committing to looking into this further with the Member and with the school board education council to develop an action plan. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, considering that the government once promised all students across the Northwest Territories would receive equal, quality education, this government should finally

develop an aggressive strategy to address all inadequacies and implement recommendations to make the real improvements on that report.

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree that we must meet all the students’ educational standards across the Northwest Territories. In fact, our main targets should be far-reaching to try and be ahead of the other jurisdictions such as the southern jurisdictions. We are developing the plans and implementing those areas and we will continue to improve in those areas.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for committing to come to the community; well, actually, the tour of Nunakput, to see all the inadequacies we have in the school system in all of the communities that I represent. Mr. Speaker, we have to action this sooner than later. The school system has to be really looked at in a way that, like from the South. You said the south is different than… We’re no different than the South, Mr. Speaker. We just want the Minister to commit to making sure that the quality of education is brought to Nunakput. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I may not be bringing a hammer and saw with me when I go to the communities, but certainly that is a starting point. The next phase will be the business planning cycle. I assure the Member that ongoing discussion and an in-depth discussion will take place and we’ll start planning for next year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Education. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and the Minister’s statement he made here in the House about the number of absences we’re seeing in our schools and yet, Mr. Speaker, the Sport North organization is having to take a student out of school for some three weeks just to make the trials and also to take part in the trials and then, from there, wait until they have to go to the Arctic Winter Games because of the location where the trials are being held. But yet, Mr. Speaker, other sporting events have taken place over the weekend. They got the students to those events. They flew them back home. They are going to fly them to the Arctic Winter Games where they are not missing any school. I would like to ask the Minister of Education

why is it that you are making statements in this House, but yet government agencies aren’t following those statements from this government to ensure the students are being able to sustain as many school hours as they can and not miss three weeks of school. Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Member referred to our statements in the House. They are important statements. Having an organization, whether they be NGOs or territorial government organizations, promoting more sporting programs, whether it be Arctic Winter Games trials or Canada Games trials, Winter Games trials, we fully support students participating in those events, Mr. Speaker. At the same time, we are not ignoring the fact that they are missing school or being absent from school on a number of occasions but they go with their homework. They go with their guidelines of what needs to be done. They have a tutor system. They work closely with the teachers. Every opportunity they get in the community, they attend the schools as much as they can in their home riding or wherever they are travelling to. Not only that, Mr. Speaker, but teachers are always on standby. They are available for these students at any given time. Even though they may be absent from school, the work has been done. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I understand if you miss four days of school you are basically not allowed back into the school. I think this government has to, if someone is missing three weeks of school and is a high school student, basically it will affect their grades and possibly have them rejected from that class. As a Minister who is responsible for ensuring that attendance there and working with other government agencies to ensure that we do not see students out of the classroom for more than a couple of days and to find out it is three weeks, I would be concerned too. Would the Minister consider talking to Sport North or the department responsible to ensure we find a solution to this problem and students don’t have to be away from school for three weeks?

Mr. Speaker, such as the Arctic Winter Games, the decision is made way in advance. Sport North, if we continue to work with them through MACA but the dates aren’t even set. We are given opportunity to have our northern athletes. We do have true talented northern athletes that we want to be represented at this national level. At the same time, yes, we continue to work with NGOs or territorial organizations for the territorial government to meet the standards of students’ education factor. While they are out doing trials, they are still educating themselves. Mr.

Speaker, we must assure that in this House we continue to make those successful recreational programs and at the same time education factor is part of the overall play. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I was hoping through the Minister I would be able to find a way to work around the situation with the students. They don’t have to be out of school for three weeks. They can have the sporting event over a weekend. They can fly them to the event, take part in the event, fly them home and then basically, if they qualify for the games, fly them to the games after the qualifications, but don’t keep them in the South Slave for two weeks because the event is happening in Grande Prairie. That is what I am asking of the Minister. Would he seriously consider talking to these organizations to try to find a way that those students could go back home and also be able to complete their studies in their home community in regards to their schooling and not have to stay in the South Slave for over three weeks? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I would follow through with that with organizations. At the same time, we do have representatives here as well. The Aboriginal Sport Circle and also the sports organizations are clearly listening to us as we speak. So, with that mindset, we will certainly collaborate together and move forward. But this is a great opportunity for our representatives to be at the national stages, so we will support them, as well, through our educational system. Mahsi.

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

Mr. Speaker, I believe the organization that he should be talking to is Sport North. They are the ones that are basically responsible for the trials for the Arctic Winter Games. I would like to ask the Minister if he can try to resolve this problem as soon as possible, because a lot of the parents are concerned that their children are going to be missing a lot of school and that they don’t want to see them pulled out of schools because of the amount of time that they are going to be away. Again, I ask the Minister to sit down with Sport North to find a solution to this problem so that the students don’t have to miss as much school. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, indeed, we are always looking for solutions. If there is a challenge on our hands such as we are maybe facing today, but at the same time we can certainly correct those areas. I am glad the Member is raising those issues, so we will certainly follow through with it. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about the issue of lack of legislation to protect new homeowners. If their home is built and there are problems, in essence the new potential homeowner is the one left holding the bag and that risk. Mr. Speaker, with some thorough research, I was unable to find any policies that exist in our government that helps protect these types of people from these risks. I am going to ask the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, because he is also the Minister who would be in charge of consumer protection services so I think that should rightly fall under his prevue. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister aware of any little known or dark policy that has never been invoked to help protect new homeowners if one of their houses goes up and fails and turns into quite a costly adventure because the builder walks away or builds a poor house? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not aware of any policies that are out there, but there are some policies within the Housing Corporation where a one-year warranty usually comes for those that are constructing units for the corporation. The best advice that I can give is if the homeowner is entering into a contract with a builder, first of all make sure they are a legitimate builder and do the research on that and always make sure that you have a warranty built into the contract. If they refuse to put one in, then I would have to seriously consider signing on with that particular builder. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am aware that CMHC actually has the clause built in about protecting the loan. Mr. Speaker, as I cited today, back in the ‘70s Alberta instituted protection for home buyers to make sure that their home had a warranty if something happened. We don’t have to look very far here in the recent past with Bayview Estates when the builder ran into problems and the project came to its knees and a grinding halt. That put those potential homeowners at significant risk. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister look into the issue of potentially creating legislation that could provide this type of protection to people who want to buy new homes, and so when they put an enormous amount of risk, as money is concerned, they are protected? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, the folks of Alberta and B.C. are covered under CMHC. The number of people that they capture is in the hundreds of thousands and we are a very small jurisdiction. It would be quite an expensive process to enact legislation to bring it forward. Do

we have the resources to do that right now? There is obviously a demand for the resources, so we would have to seriously consider that before we proceed to go ahead for such a small jurisdiction. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, people building houses in some particular cases do not require trade certification. So, in other words, the homeowner, or I should say potential homeowner, could be put at significant risk trying to fulfill part of their family’s dream of owning their own house. This government shows little interest in doing this. Mr. Speaker, it is the cost of taking a serious look at legislation that already exists. It is the cost of printing it on paper, which really isn’t that expensive. Mr. Speaker, it is not a big cost. Would the Minister commit to this House that he would investigate the realities of could this be something that this government could consider in its life? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, if it is a matter of printing someone else’s legislation onto our paper and our letterhead, it is something that we try to stay away from, because we always say, and we have said in the past, that we need legislation that is built in the North, for the North. To go and copy other jurisdictions’ legislation, that’s something we wouldn’t look at. But I could commit to the Member that we can do some research and see if there’s a demand for this particular type of legislation.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Minister for that commitment there. I think that’s an excellent solve for this particular issue, I’d be willing to help the Minister with some of the research I’ve done to show that perhaps it maybe isn’t that complicated to bring forward this idea. If the Minister would be willing to see what is out there, would he be willing to potentially take this on as a legislative initiative if we can do it this time around or certainly set it up so it’s a consideration for the next government in 14 or 16 months from now?

Like I said, we will do the research and see if it is feasible to enact this particular type of legislation. We have to understand that there is going to be a cost factor to this and do we have the money for that right now with all the other demands on the budget. I have committed to the Member that we will do some research and see if this is a particular piece of legislation is being called for in the Northwest Territories.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I talked about a desperate situation that many of my constituents have in their housing needs. I have questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.

Many constituents in Tu Nedhe want to know how the Housing Corporation is supposed to keep building brand new houses for $250,000 and then leave them vacant for years while families are in need. Can the Minister tell me if the Housing Corporation is looking at other options to help meet housing needs in the communities?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re always looking for ways to improve the delivery of houses and especially in the communities, because that is where the greatest demand is that we’ve seen from the needs survey that was just completed on some of the demands in some of the communities. We’re always working to meet the need there. We also have concerns, as the Member has pointed out, with the number of units that are built and left vacant. We’re taking steps to address that. We are working with the communities, who are coming up with some good solutions as to how best we can use those units. We’re continually working on ways to improve the delivery of houses into the communities.

Can the Minister tell me if there is a time limit in which the NWT Housing Corporation will allow units to sit empty in a community?

Offhand, I’m not quite sure about a time limit. I could follow up on that and get back to the Member. I do know that when a unit is sitting vacant in a community for too long or what the community feels is too long, then the community or the Members will usually let us know that there are some vacant units in the community that haven’t been filled and then we’ll take steps to try and address that and come up with the way we can fill these units.

Can the Minister tell me if the NWT Housing Corporation has developed plans for what’s going to happen in the communities? Of course, I’m specifically interested in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e for this construction season. If he’s able to tell me what is going to happen in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e.

We’re always developing plans on how we’re going to deliver houses into the community. I think part of that plan is the process that we’re going through right now

with the budget process. The Housing Corporation’s infrastructure is still a part of this particular budget, so once we review that, we’ll be able to see some of the investments that we’re making into the communities and which communities they are going into. As well, we have a table of all the money that we have through federal money that is going to the communities through major MNIs and improving the public housing stock. We have all that information that I’d be more than willing to share with the Member so that he can see firsthand the amount of money that’s going into his riding.

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

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. With the new needs survey just completed, which I haven’t seen yet, I know that there’s definitely some needs for the seniors living in their own homes in Tu Nedhe. Can the Minister tell me if the Housing Corporation is going to be establishing anything insofar as repairs go that is specific to helping the seniors that are homeowners in our small communities?

The Housing Corporation goes a long way into assisting homeownership clients through repairs and trying to get people into homes. We have some challenges that we face. There is a gap of people that we’re looking to try and capture. I’ve given instructions to the corporation to see if we can start capturing a lot of those people who are quite capable of looking after homes, but for one reason or another are not qualifying at the moment. There are a lot of programs designed for the seniors through the preventative maintenance, where they go in every fall to do the maintenance in their units. There are home repairs for seniors that I know for a fact a lot of seniors are taking the corporation up on. When they do qualify, they get some work done to the house. As I said, we’re always looking for ways to improve the delivery of houses and repairs into the communities, and with input from Regular Members on a regular basis, we continue to do that.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of ENR regarding consultation on the issue of the caribou. I wanted to ask the Minister, the Minister provided me and some other Members with a list of meetings that happened over this issue here. I wanted to ask what his department means in terms of meaningful consultation with the users of the caribou.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to the issue of the Interim Emergency Measures, it was a very compressed time frame and efforts were made -- every effort, I would suggest -- to try to make sure we consulted with the aboriginal governments, both Tlicho and the Yellowknives as well as the folks around the lake that were users of the herd.

Within the compressed time frame that the Minister has indicated to his definition of consultation with aboriginal governments, I want to ask the Minister what his definition is of a meaningful consultation.

All the consultation we do, and have done, and will continue to do, is considered meaningful. In this particular instance there was a compressed time frame. The circumstances were such that we did the consultation that we were able to in the circumstances and had to proceed with a decision, because it was considered to be an emergency conservation issue.