Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to extend best wishes to the 350 athletes, coaches and managers of Team NWT as well as the officials that will participate in the 2010 Arctic Winter Games taking place in Grande Prairie, Alberta, this March.

Young people from across the Northwest Territories have been preparing themselves physically and mentally for this biannual multisport games event. They have been spending many extra hours on the ice, in the gym, and on the trails readying themselves to compete against young athletes from around the circumpolar world and to display their talents to the many thousands of spectators.

While only some will come home with medals, all will return with new friendships and an experience that will last a lifetime. I wish to commend our young athletes who have set a goal to challenge themselves by being the very best that they can be at the games.

Mr. Speaker, as these athletes and cultural performers complete final preparations, I feel it is important that we acknowledge the monumental contributions that volunteers and parents make to support our youth.

Without the coaches, managers, referees, scorekeepers and the thousands of others who give freely of their time, there would be no Team NWT. These volunteers are the backbone of Team NWT and are deserving of a heartfelt thank you.

I would also like to thank community governments, who support their youth in so many ways by hosting selection and training events, and our sport and recreation partners who contribute tirelessly to the success of this event. These partners provide guidance and support, and organize the many selection events across the NWT that results in the final selection of Team NWT.

Mr. Speaker, as Team NWT completes final preparations before the opening ceremonies on March 6th , I wish to encourage our young athletes

to continue to work hard to achieve their dreams. Congratulations to all and good luck. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that the Status of Women Council has named the recipients of the 2010 Wise Women Awards.

This is a prestigious award. The Status of Women Council of the NWT has been honouring northern women since 1992 for their wisdom, strength and accomplishments and particularly in working to make our communities better and stronger for all.

Mr. Speaker, these women are all known for their ability to stand with dignity no matter what hardships life has handed them.

They are known for fighting for the disadvantaged and downtrodden. They are known for thinking of others and offering a helping hand. They don’t take no for an answer, as many of my colleagues here can attest to. And, most importantly, they know how to laugh.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to announce the recipients of the Wise Women Awards of the NWT for 2010:

•

Sister Faye Tremblay for the Beaufort-Delta region. Sister Tremblay arrived in Tuktoyaktuk in October 2005 and took the community by storm with her wisdom, energy and commitment to people of all ages and abilities.

---Applause

•

Gina Dolphus of Deline from the Sahtu region. Gina is known as a counsellor, community advocate, and her work to enhance the place of traditional arts and crafts. She is often sought out for her input and wisdom.

---Applause

•

Lyda Fuller of Yellowknife for the North Slave region. Lyda has expanded the understanding of the cost of family violence to our society, expanded shelter services and developed transition housing for families starting over.

---Applause

•

Elaine Lamalice of the Hay River Reserve for the Deh Cho region. Elaine offers counselling and teachings on healthy living and encouraging young people to move away from making bad choices.

---Applause

•

Rosa Lafferty of Fort Resolution for the South Slave region. Rosa is admired for her kindness, that she lives by example and encourages young women to keep their tradition and culture and for her world-renowned sewing. She shows young women that you can do it all.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, the ceremony presentation will be taking place at noon in the Great Hall on Monday, March 8, 2010. I would ask the Members of this House to join us in congratulating the recipients of the 2010 Wise Women Awards at this celebration on Monday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last couple of decades many programs that were once provided by the NWT have been turned over to non-government organizations to deliver, known as NGOs. NGOs would also offer additional programs. These programs are vital as they improve the quality of life for people in the North. Many are programs that provide social services. For example, in the NWT our family assistance and counselling, emergency and transitional housing for homeless families, shelters for women and children, services for adults with disabilities and mental health issues and quite a few other programs.

Mr. Speaker, about $20 million is provided to NGOs. A recent government list indicates there are

472 NGOs in the Northwest Territories. Yellowknife alone has 291 NGOs, Mr. Speaker. Yellowknife has as many NGOs as Colville Lake has people. To put it in perspective, that means every YK NGO can advocate for every member of Colville Lake and then some. Not only do these NGOs deliver programs, they have goals and objectives to help people in need and to advocate for people.

Saying this indicates that there are no NGOs in the Sahtu, Mr. Speaker. None. Zero. Nothing. Why doesn’t the Sahtu have its own NGOs? It’s because our people aren’t used to the concept of NGOs or that NGOs aren’t treated the same as government programs. More specifically, our communities are too small that there aren’t enough people set up as registered societies let alone prepare proposals, maintain financial records and complete all the other related tasks.

NGOs choose to locate in larger centres where there’s enough people to sit on the boards, do administrative work and to deliver the programs, plus create a service that helps all people in the Northwest Territories.

The Sahtu may get some services through the NWT-based NGOs, but it’s always that my constituents are losing out on a lot of social support and assistance, because no money enters into the Sahtu through the local NGOs. I believe it’s unfair, Mr. Speaker, and that the Sahtu residents should receive a share of funding that goes to these programs and services. We don’t have an NGO to help with the homeless or to support families in crisis or in shelters. This has to change and the change must happen now, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This Monday coming, March 8th , is International

Women’s Day. The Canadian theme for 2010 International Women’s Day is Strong Women, Strong Canada, Strong World; an apt phrase, I think. This Territory, this country, this world has been shaped by strong women and I would like to highlight a few.

First off, as we are hard on the heels of the 2010 Winter Olympics I have to mention the very strong women athletes of Team Canada who garnered so many medals for us in our record-setting total.

Canada has had, and still has, many strong, political women. I want to mention a few:

•

Agnes McPhail was a pioneer on the federal political scene. The first elected woman to the House of Commons. That was in 1921, only two years after women gained the right to vote federally. She was not joined by another

woman in the House of Commons until Martha Black in 1935.

•

Ellen Fairclough was the first woman appointed to sit in a federal Cabinet in 1957.

•

Jeanne Sauve was elected as the first female Speaker of the House of Commons in 1980 and then appointed as the first female Governor General in 1984.

•

Hazel “Hurricane” McCallion, the current long-serving female mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, first elected to her post in 1978.

The NWT has many strong women of our own:

•

Lena Pedersen, first woman elected to the

NWT Legislature in 1970.

•

Nellie Cournoyea, the first woman Premier of the NWT in 1991.

•

Ethel Blondin-Andrew, NWT’s long-serving first female Member of Parliament.

There are many, many more strong women in our Territory who are little known and who don’t ask to be known. They are the backbone of our families and our communities. They are our grandmothers and our mothers. They are the volunteers at our schools and community events. They are the caregivers for our residents and our children, the organizers of fundraisers to help a needy family, the leaders of our councils and our boards, and the elders that we look to for advice and wisdom. We don’t acknowledge them because they go about doing normal things and they don’t ask for recognition, but without their contributions our society would be sadly lacking in strength and character.

On Monday, as you’ve heard, the NWT Status of Women Council will honour five strong women at the 2010 Wise Women Awards. I wish to extend my congratulations to Frame Lake resident Lyda Fuller, this year’s recipient of the North Slave award.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the Mackenzie Gas Project and to be on the record again to say that I support it. The Mackenzie Gas Project has been called the economic lifeline for many of our communities in the NWT.

This project is important for the people of my riding of Nunakput. It will bring jobs, business opportunities, ownership of the pipeline. Just as important, exploration will start up and the gas will have to make its way down to market. The good thing about that is the offshore holds amazing

potential. We just needed the industry to come back and get started exploring in our region.

Exploration is important. It provides jobs and gives our businesses opportunities that are scarce now. My people have been a part of the oil and gas exploration business for generations.

Right now the people need hope. My people are facing high levels of unemployment and suffering from poverty. My people hope the future gets them out of this cycle. The future includes their children getting training and taking advantage of employment opportunities from the Mackenzie Gas Project. It’s a key part of making this hope move into reality.

Another thing I wanted to mention is the natural gas is a clean fuel. The Mackenzie Gas Pipeline will bring a clean, natural gas to the South, which will allow people to burn natural gas in their homes instead of dirty fuels like coal. That keeps electricity plants going.

We see the impacts of climate change here in the North every day. One of the solutions is getting southern Canada and the United States off their dependence on coal and getting them turned on to natural gas.

I fear that these are critical times. I urge the federal government and the proponents to come to a solution when it comes to the pipeline. A pipeline is a good thing for Canada. We have heard many times in the House of the pipeline that will bring Ontario and Alberta economic benefits. The federal government should see this pipeline as Canada’s pipeline and not just ours.

I’m worried that the pipeline is taking as long as it is to get to where we are today. I urge all parties to work together and to get things moving. My people are relying on them. Quyanainni.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members we are often busy lobbying for more programs and services and certainly more facilities for our constituents and ridings. As we all have become well aware that our job, number one, is to make sure that our constituents’ issues are brought forward, and our roles as MLAs make this very important as we try to demonstrate the needs in our ridings.

Every community, I believe, needs to be treated fairly. Therefore, I want to use my Member’s statement today to talk about the importance of community and regional standards. By that I mean standards that provide direction regarding decisions

that make certain facility levels and service levels provided in any community and certainly regions. For instance, the NWT school capital standards and criteria offers direction that when a new school needs to be built in a community, it provides standards that help people understand and certainly follow the transparency of what that means. If there’s a school that needs to be built, whether the school is unsafe or a community is larger than 100 people, that tells everyone there needs to be a school. We also know that the challenge of providing renovations to a school is usually balanced by the cost of repairs versus the new school, and certainly the future demands of that school as perhaps a learning facility needs to definitely be taken into consideration. There are many considerations, as I’m trying to stress, but the fact is we need a formula that helps improve the way our services are provided to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I could go on about could we provide every service to every community or region, but we all know that’s certainly impossible. But we always have to ask ourselves is it cheaper to offer them in a regional centre or is it more reasonable to offer them in a regional centre than it is to always pull them into Yellowknife, and vice versa. Sometimes it’s just more reasonable to bring them here.

So, Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of standards we need to weigh and balance: the human standard, what it does to the family, and certainly the cost standard, what it does to our books. Mr. Speaker, I’m calling for a provision that the government will demonstrate fairness and clarity of services to the people of the Northwest Territories and have a policy that makes sure that these factors are always clearly considered. I’d like the government to demonstrate this in a transparent and measurable way so all standards are understood so every region understands that maybe the next community centre, next pool, next arena or health centre, when it comes around, it could be their turn and certainly when they deserve it. It won’t take the politics out of the system, Mr. Speaker, but it will certainly maybe even help the fight that many Members here fight for when they demand services to be provided in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to talk a little bit about consensus government. I’m not going to do justice to this very, very big topic in two and a half minutes, Mr. Speaker, but coming up on 15 years working in consensus government, Mr. Speaker, I am starting to not think that this is the best way to govern our

Territory. I don’t want to be particularly critical of anybody or anything, it is the system in which we work, but, Mr. Speaker, there are some downfalls.

Mr. Speaker, the consensus government purports to have significant cooperation between all Members. We come here as 19 Members all independently elected to serve in this House, and then consensus government dictates that we should all get along and work together. In a perfect world maybe that would happen. But, Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that we all come from diverse backgrounds, we have different ideas about what the priorities of the government should be, and then we get into the system and we choose our Cabinet and our Premier.

Mr. Speaker, in that system there’s a significant gap between that leadership we put in place for four years and the public and the electorate, the people who put us here. I think that is one of the downfalls of consensus government and it’s one of the advantages of party politics.

Mr. Speaker, party politics they say is too adversarial. Well, I think anybody that’s been watching the 16th Assembly would say that perhaps

consensus government is not the most congenial way of getting business done either. So that’s one of the arguments against party politics.

Mr. Speaker, people who really purport to support consensus government say, “but it’s a great system because we get to see everything in advance. They tell us all the details behind closed doors in advance, in secret.” Well, what good does that do us if we can’t go out and talk to our constituents about it?

Me, personally, I want to tell you, the valuable debate that goes on on that stuff goes on behind closed doors, and by the time it ever makes it onto the floor of this House, everybody’s kind of worn out of talking about it. So, Mr. Speaker, I’m not so sure that getting information in advance is a great thing. I’d rather see something, put it on the table, and then let’s have a meaningful discussion, dialogue and debate and then let’s take a vote on it.

Mr. Speaker, I have often said this, I don’t like going over things two or three times. It’s a waste of time. Like I said -- I only have a few seconds left here, but, Mr. Speaker -- I think that there are other opportunities for governing this Territory that should and could be, and need to be looked at at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m going to again discuss the Deh Cho Bridge Project.

I’d like to thank the government for providing the technical briefing to the media yesterday, although I still don’t understand why it had to be held downtown in a boardroom when we have a dedicated meeting room here at the Legislature, and it should have been held with the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Finance there to answer questions.

Mr. Speaker, this was a technical briefing introducing some new members of the project management team to the media. The briefing lacked any clear and concise financial details for the media and, ultimately, the public to see.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that a contract was signed with Ruskin yesterday to complete the project. Why, then, can’t the government come clean to the public about the current financial disposition of this project and the impact this project has had and will continue to have on the finances of this Territory, not just today, Mr. Speaker, but well into the future? This is a very key issue, Mr. Speaker. Germane to all of this is whether or not the entire $165.5 million borrowed against the project will be entirely on the Government of the Northwest Territories’ books. If this happens, Mr. Speaker, it is a nightmare scenario for this government. Beginning next year we’ll need to cut expenditures, reduce infrastructure spending and our ability to look at new or strategic initiatives will be greatly curtailed.

Mr. Speaker, I will not and cannot divulge the contents of briefings Regular Members have had on this project and I appreciate the confidential nature of these efforts, but I’m having a difficult time understanding why some of the information presented was not given to Regular Members in hard copy. What happened to open and transparent government, Mr. Speaker, and when will the public know about the financial status of this project?

Mr. Speaker, it is best practice and an industry standard that when a general contractor is removed, as well as a project management team, a full audit is done of the project. How can you move forward with any financial certainty when you don’t know where you’ve been?

Our Department of Transportation and the new management team have inherited a project that has been mired with problems from the onset. This audit should have been conducted. The Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s records and books should be audited. This before any contract is signed or entered into. But, Mr. Speaker, as we know, it’s too late to do that right now. We are pressing forward, we have negotiated a one-sided deal with one company.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

We’re pressing forward, we have negotiated a one-sided deal with one company. Again, the public purse is not being protected here. Mark my words, we have set ourselves up for further cost overruns on this project by not tying off all of the loose ends. Taxpayers will again be taken for another ride on the second half of this project. We have set the stage, Mr. Speaker, for it to be a very expensive ride.

Mr. Speaker, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again today, that this project has the possibility of crippling the Territory’s finances. Mr. Speaker, this is the sad reality we are faced with and I’ll have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker...[English translation not provided.]

Following up on the MACA Minister, I, too, will talk about the Arctic Winter Games.

Watching the Vancouver Winter Olympics, Canadians had the pleasure of cheering their athletes on to glory. Next week many of our young NWT athletes will be participating in the 21st Arctic

Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alberta. They will be competing with eight other teams, four Canadian and four northern international teams. Given the Canadian success at the Olympics, I think all athletes will be pumped, I predict lots of fun, lots of personal bests and lots of medals.

I want to recognize the athletes from Nahendeh who will be attending the Arctic Winter Games. Not only am I pleased to see what a bumper crop of athletes we have going from Nahendeh, but they are participating in a wide range of events. Twelve youth will be attending representing nine different sports:

•

Carson Mantla, junior male category, Dene

Games;

•

Charlene Deneyoua, Junior Female Snowshoeing;

•

Michael Gast, Midget Male Cross-Country

Skiing;

•

Blair Kotchea, Junior Female Biathlon

Snowshoe event;

•

Madison Pilling, Juvenile Female Speedskating;

•

Thomas Roche, Junior Male Basketball;

•

Napem Moses, Junior Male Snowboarding;

•

Sydney Rowe, Junior Female Hockey.

The team with the most representation from Nahendeh is the Intermediate Female Soccer Team. There are three members: Amanda Bradbury, Jacqueline Thompson and, last but not least, Nicole Cholette-Antoine.

I don’t know if Arctic Winter Games mittens will be a best seller or not, but I would like to take this opportunity to wish the very best of luck to these young people from Nahendeh and to all NWT athletes in their sports. Also, a special greeting to the coaches, parents and volunteers who will be there. Don’t forget to take in the entertainment and cultural events.

Once again, good luck and have fun. Cheer each other on. Previous cheers at Arctic Winter Games have always been NWT, NWT, NWT! Mahsi cho.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As politicians we all must be impeccable with our words. Our residents listen closely to what we say and make personal and professional decisions based on what they hear in this House and statements quoted in the press. This is especially true for Ministers. When a Minister or one of his or her staff makes a statement to people of the Northwest Territories, those people take those statements at face value. As a result, there is significant value in thinking about the statement and understanding the ramifications of the words before making them public.

Unfortunately, from time to time incorrect statements are made by Ministers and/or their representatives, statements which only residents rely on in good faith and make decisions which ultimately hurt them, decisions they wouldn’t have made had they not received incorrect information from the GNWT. When people rely on incorrect statements from Ministers or their staff to their detriment, that Minister and department have a responsibility to work with that resident to mitigate the damage as much as possible.

Precedent has already been set. There was a significant flood in Hay River during the 2007-2008 fiscal year. After the flood a representative from MACA met with affected residents and provided them with some incorrect information indicating that many of them would be covered for flood repairs. These individuals relied on this incorrect information and made the repairs believing they would be reimbursed. Afterward they were told by MACA that they would not, in compliance with their

policies and procedures, be reimbursed as originally promised.

Fortunately, the new appointed Minister of MACA, R.C. McLeod, recognized that these individuals relied on this information to their detriment, showed some common sense and compassion, and arranged for the promised reimbursements. This was the right thing to do and I imagine that MACA will be very clear on policy direction to residents in this area in the future.

Recently a similar situation has occurred. During a barren-ground caribou meeting on December 18, 2008, a senior ENR official informed attendees that their access to tags -- 750 in total -- would not change for the 2009 or the 2010 hunting seasons. These outfitters relied on this information and proceeded to book hunts for the 2010 season. Then the Minister put in the emergency measures cutting them off completely. As a result, outfitters who relied on the department’s information and commitments are facing significant financial challenges as a result of returning deposits which had already been spent as part of doing normal business. They would not have booked these hunts had ENR not indicated...

Mr. Abernethy, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

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

---Unanimous consent granted.

This situation was made worse by the fact that in November 2009 another senior ENR official was quoted in Above and Beyond indicating that caribou numbers for the NWT are going up. In addition, in October 2009 the Minister of ITI made several tourism-related statements indicating the value of outfitting in the NWT. These statements lent credibility to ENR’s earlier statements and increased the outfitters’ confidence that their tags would not be affected in 2010.

Given that these long-time, committed Northerners relied on this information in good faith, I believe that the Minister of ENR should show the same level of integrity as the Minister of MACA and come to some sort of financial agreement with these outfitters to mitigate the damage caused by the department’s bad information. It’s alright to admit making mistakes; it’s also good to do the right thing. I would like to see the Minister demonstrate that he values long-term Northerners and is willing to assist them when provided incorrect information from his department. At the appropriate time I will be asking some questions of the Minister.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s the end of our longest annual session and we’ve debated many critical issues facing our citizens today. Now it’s time for action. I want to briefly restate my priorities on how we need to act.

The Mackenzie Gas Project can only be supported if it is made to provide sustainable social and economic benefits to NWT residents and mitigation of its social and environmental impacts. We need the input of all MLAs in developing a response to the JRP report and I am calling on the government to honour the principles of consensus government by obtaining full Assembly and committee input to a response. We want a full debate in the May session.

By next session we must be well along in developing cooperative management partnerships with First Nations for the preservation of the Bathurst caribou herd. It is essential that the Yellowknives Dene be fully involved in this work and their and other interests equally respected. Members must be kept fully informed as this work progresses.

We’ve asked the government for an integrated, resourced, government-wide strategy for reduction of poverty. We must make progress in reducing the suffering of our citizens most in need. I’ll be looking for reports on how this is moving ahead.

Our greenhouse gas outputs are going up, not down, while our climate changes ever more quickly. Biomass makes sense in every way: on cost, employment, business and investment opportunities, protection from oil price spikes and the environment. We must move as soon and as effectively as possible. Mandatory targets must be set for the reduction of greenhouse gas production throughout the NWT.

The Finance Minister released a discussion paper on the creation of a Heritage Fund. We need a higher revenue return on our resources as they flow out of our Territory. We have that authority now and we need to start saving some of that revenue for the future. Let’s get it done.

We must never find ourselves caught in the vice of another major construction project disaster again. I will be investigating what legislation can be put in place to prevent this government from locking the taxpayers into endless cost overruns from future projects like the Taltson project.

In my opinion, this government has been disastrous to date. It has seriously curtailed our immediate and long-term potential to meet residents’ needs and expectations. We are in a deep morass.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Our executive must make a much greater commitment to the principles and practice of consensus government. I spend too much time calling this government to task for its habits of unilateral action, as we all do, and then trying to clean up the mess later. Work with us and we will work with you. It can’t, it obviously doesn’t, work any other way.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Programs and services are essential services for all our communities in the Northwest Territories. Throughout the NWT, from education programs to health care services and health centres to hospitals, we all depend on the programs and services that assist our residents to improve the quality of life, the well-being of our communities, and the health of our residents. From mental health positions in our communities to alcohol and drug programs to social workers, they do make a difference in our communities.

The goal of this Assembly is healthy, vibrant communities. The real commitment that we made making that statement is not real. When we have communities without programs and services and the lack of essential services such as nursing services, social services, income support, that lack of services brings a barrier to the community’s health and well-being.

Yes, there are challenges we face in our communities regarding the high cost of living. The high cost of energy and isolation plays one of the reasons that we don’t have all services in communities. That is no reason this government should not be ensuring that adequate programs and services are being developed in our communities. These communities need attention that other communities take for granted, because they have all the programs and services being delivered and access to health centres and clinics to see a doctor. In a large number of our smaller communities, that is not the case. Why is it that in 2010 we still have have and have-not communities?

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted.

If programs and services are essential services, why is it we have some communities with programs and services and a

large number of smaller communities that don’t? All residents of the Northwest Territories deserve a fair break. Regardless if you live in Colville Lake, Tsiigehtchic, Sachs Harbour or Nahanni Butte, we have a responsibility to provide programs and services to our residents. At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services what she is doing to ensure essential services are being provided to our communities.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to bring the attention of the Legislative Assembly to the inevitable and always well-received Hay River Reserve Kamba Carnival.

This year marks the 27th anniversary of the Kamba

Carnival and, as promised every year, it will be sure to deliver plenty of interesting activities and family fun for folks of all ages. Whether their preferences are for indoor or outdoor activities, Hay River Reserve Kamba Carnival is sure to test your wit during traditional Dene games, hand games, or inspire you to jig at the dances or talent shows. Kamba Carnival is sure to chase away those winter blues. Of course, for those winter warriors and those who aren’t ready yet to see Old Man Winter leave on vacation, Kamba Carnival on the reserve is sure to deliver one last hurrah with exciting snowmobile races and adventurous dog-mushing events.

This annual event is organized by many dedicated and committed volunteers who donate a lot of their time and energy to showcase one of the community’s biggest events of the year, and in the past it has drawn visitors and fun seekers from communities such as Yellowknife and Fort Smith and communities all around the Great Slave Lake and Deh Cho and Akaitcho regions. A lot of people even come from southern Alberta as the event seems to draw more and more people in attendance from further and further away each year.

I’d like to invite everyone to come out and join the fun this weekend on the K’atlodeeche First Nations Hay River Reserve. On behalf of the Deh Cho constituency and to all of the competitors, I wish all the best. Play hard, play safe, and to all those who are attending as non-competitors, good luck at bingo.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Fifty years seems like a very long time and yesterday, as some of you know, I had a birthday and I happened to turn 50.

---Applause

I’m now considered an Inuvialuit elder, so I have to start sounding wise from this point on.

I use this to illustrate the fact that we have folks who have been married for a long time. I think recently we acknowledged some folks up in the gallery that were married for 65 years.

I have two constituents at home that on April 19th will be celebrating their 50th anniversary. I want to

use this as an opportunity to pass on my congratulations to Colin and Rita Allen, a couple of good folks from Inuvik who were married on April 19, 1960. I look forward to an old-time dance, Colin and Rita, and I’ll be shining up my shoes ready to go.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a group of strong, wise and hardworking women in the gallery today, and I’d like to introduce them: Lyda Fuller is the most recent recipient of the Wise Woman Award, and also the executive director of the YWCA; Lorraine Phaneuf, who is the executive director of the Status of Women Council of the NWT; Annemieke Mulders, program manager for the Status of Women Council; Irene Savoy, office manager of the Status of Women Council; and Marilyn Hardisty, project officer for Northern Women in Mining, Oil and Gas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to recognize the hardworking women from the Status of Women Council, and I’d particularly like to recognize Frame Lake resident Lyda Fuller, who is the 2010 recipient of the Strong and Wise Woman Award for the North Slave. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for the Deh Cho, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to recognize two Pages from the Deh Cho

constituency who have as of today successfully completed their duties through the NWT Legislative Page Program. I’d like to recognize Leona Fabian from the Hay River Reserve, Chief Sunrise School. She’s 15 years old, enjoys travelling, spending time with her family and working with computers. She tells me her goal is to complete high school. Also, we have Judith Fabian of the Hay River Reserve, Chief Sunrise School also. She’s 17 years old and she enjoys volunteering, spending time with family and friends, and she’s also got a goal of completing high school. I’d like to say thank you to them and ask all the Members in saying that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a resident of the Great Slave riding, Ms. Margaret Peterson. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize two hardworking Pages from Yellowknife South: Braden Redshaw and Alyx McLean. I’d also like to thank all of the Pages who have served here in the Legislative Assembly. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize and thank one of our Pages, Paige Elkin. She’s been a stalwart Page of this Assembly on many occasions. For the information of all Members of this Assembly, she’s also on our NWT curling team, and she’s also my son’s favourite babysitter. Thank you.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Marilyn Hardisty, who has her roots in Jean Marie River in my constituency. Thank you very much. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as well, I’d like to recognize the two Pages down from Inuvik: Ms. Caroline Kaufman and, I hope I get this name right, Evodia Mutua, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Welcome to everyone in the gallery today. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here. Item 7, acknowledgements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a well-known and respected, Mary Kendi, turns 95 years old today. Born at the Pokiak Channel, across from Aklavik, at a time when there was only a trading post in the area, married in 1932 in an arranged marriage, she lived in the bush, hunted, trapped and fished. Mary raised nine children and took care of many of her grandchildren. In 1992, Mary Kendi was the first woman in the Northwest Territories to receive the Wise Woman Award. Mary’s celebration will take place in Aklavik on Saturday. I wish Mary a very happy birthday and wish her well. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 8, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It’s in regard to the words “essential services,” and I think, more importantly, what are we doing to fill the gap between the have and have-not communities when it comes to programs and services such as health care, education and, more importantly, those positions that we depend on such as the nurses, the social workers and also looking at the clientele such as mental health workers to assist the communities with alcohol and drug programs, because those services make a difference to our communities. So I’d like to ask the Minister exactly what is the government doing to ensure that we do have these programs and services in all the communities in the Northwest Territories to make sure that these essential services are being delivered.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the Member’s concerns about some of the gaps in services. We have worked to bring back some of the mental health worker positions in Fort McPherson. We’re doing a pilot project in Fort McPherson, but we are also engaged in looking at the overall system to make sure that we have strengthened services available in the communities. In the coming weeks I will be working with the Member to close some of the

gaps, especially in the Beaufort-Delta region where we are seeing some harder challenges. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we have a very vast Territory, but we also have 33 communities. I think, as a government, we have to find unique ways to deal with the rural and remote communities. This has been an issue since as long as I’ve been here for 15 years. I believe that we have to find mechanisms that may not be able to fit all communities, especially with the challenges we face. So I’d like to ask the Minister if she’s more than willing to consider looking at ensuring that we have dedicated nurses or dedicated social workers to ensure that they do spend the time in our communities, and it’s not simply a rotation system, so that the residents can take the time to basically familiarize themselves with the service providers but also having them dedicated to those communities. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Foundation for Change Action Plan is designed to look at our system to see how we can make structural changes in order that we can enhance our level of care and services in small communities. That work is not complete. We have just introduced that. We are working to bring back to the Members across to see what kind of changes we need to make so that we can strengthen the services in areas that the Member is talking about.

The Member is right; we face a number of challenges demographically, in terms of location, in terms of shortage of health professionals, but I agree with the Member that our people expect to have a certain level of services, and we need to work together to make sure that that can happen. I will be coming forward with a plan to review with the Members on the other side. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that we can study this thing but I don’t think the communities want to wait that long. I think, in the meantime, there are workable solutions here and one of them I mentioned earlier is that we have dedicated staff either from the regional centres, the adjacent communities, and dedicate them to those communities that don’t have a full slate of service providers such as nurses, social workers or even people in regard to mental health and alcohol and drug workers. So I’d just like to ask the Minister, can she direct the health authorities that they have dedicated nursing professionals or people in that profession, dedicated to those communities so that they can have people that will be obligated to work with those communities to provide those essential services and, more importantly, do it immediately. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am willing to work on a plan to bring to the Members to consider that. Mr. Speaker, in order for us to have dedicated essential services in the communities, I believe we

need to look at changing the way our health delivery system is set up and look at whether we need to change the administrative system we have, which is by boards and they get block funding and, as it is set up right now, the boards decide how those resources are going to be allocated. In order for us to do it differently, we need to look at changing that and that’s part of consideration that we are engaged in in the department. I will move on that as quickly as possible and I will work with the Members to see how we move that forward. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that we do have a situation with the health boards. I think we’ve given them too much authority and yet as a Minister you don’t have much authority. So I think in order to get by that, can you give a ministerial directive to those health authorities that they find the essential and professional staff, dedicate them to those communities that require them or should be in those communities so that we can resolve this situation by ministerial directive?

Right now the authorities are set up as a board of management and they do have independent power and authority to use the money from within. So the Member knows that in terms of the mental health worker, I did issue a directive and we were able to correct that. With the health and social services staffing, under the current system it’s not as easily done. That’s why I’m committing with the Member that we will look at how we could change the way we are delivering the service so that we could work at looking at what each community has in terms of essential services. If we’re willing to come up with a formula for essential services, we need to discuss that as a part of the next business plan. I will commit to the Members that I will bring forward a plan that we can discuss so that we could have a debate on this in a detailed fashion with something solid in front of us. We are working on that, but we are not done yet, but we will do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my statement and questions to the Premier through you yesterday on the Taltson Hydro routing and east side versus west side. Yesterday the Premier noted that we needed a client to sell power to and that’s why we went the east side. This sounds odd to me, because does the Premier not think that Avalon secondary processing at Avalon Mine, Tyhee Mine, Nico Mine,

Yellowknife, Behchoko and expanded growth from a connected Taltson and Snare Hydro grids are not much better long-term and permanent clients for that power? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process that the Taltson expansion has been built on is built on a customer that has approvals, that is on the ground, that is benefiting the North through GDP development as we speak. The other projects that are there, yes, have promise for the future and we’ll need to try to incorporate that as we look forward, but they’re still years away from actually establishing if there’s a secondary industry, which, as we talked with Minister McLeod and questions were answered in this House, that that is one of the avenues we will have to engage in.

Right now the existing plan has been to deliver power to an existing client base. If that doesn’t go through, we’re going to have to look for a new client base and the expanse it would have to grow if we were to increase potential new projects that could come on-line. Right now the way the process is, it’s expanding the grid up into the North Slave Geological Province. Thank you.

Thank you. Last week we read that the Power Corporation chair dismissed this government’s aspirations to attract Avalon Minerals secondary processing with a competitive NWT electricity source, such as the Taltson. The Premier promised that the corporation would eat those words, but it’s clear to see this corporation thinks it’s a law unto itself. Will this Minister direct that the Energy Corporation’s chair appear before standing committee to report on his strategic plan? Thank you.

Thank you. It’s an interesting and timely question as we discuss the Power Corporation and this process going forward. In fact, at one time in the history of the Legislative Assembly the Power Corp, I’m not sure if it was just the chair or the board chair and representatives of the board and potentially a senior manager or so would appear before the Assembly or through a standing committee. I will look, in fact, at initiating that process be re-engaged as we go forward. Thank you.

Thank you. Another bit of misconfusion or misinformation that the Premier said yesterday I’d like to get cleared up, and according to unedited Hansard he said the thinking on this is “the thinking about building capacity with our aboriginal partners across the Northwest Territories. Unfortunately, the Member doesn’t put more weight and bearing on that piece of it.” I want to assure the Premier that’s not the case. In fact, Deze Energy could just as easily partner in a west-

side grid project. The fact is that Deze Energy and this government will develop nothing if this project degenerates in another Deh Cho Bridge calamity. So how does this Premier propose to ensure that this is the best project for Deze’s dollars and the public interests through strategic development of a project set up to actually succeed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It’s exactly the business case we’re working on, is to be able to sell the power to companies in the Northwest Territories that can’t do it for more, or can do it for less, to put it that way. Running the line, other than the scenario that’s been proposed, adds substantial dollars to the project, which would have to go towards the cost of a kilowatt hour, which would make it unaffordable, which means that we don’t have a customer base and that’s what’s driven this at this point. We would have to, as a government, decide if we wanted to do that and look at a different alternative routing that we would have to look at establishing that grid on our own, separate from the actual sale of power and we’d have to discuss if we were prepared to do that as a Government of the Northwest Territories. Right now, as I stated earlier, the business case is what’s driving this to the route and the client base that’s existing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the comments of the Premier. Premier, and I crystallize what I hope I made clear yesterday, it’s the frontend thinking that hasn’t been done. We’ve jumped right into this project instead of thinking about what we really need to do in the long term. The GNWT is a majority shareholder of the NWT hydro and Energy corporations and yet based on the response to earlier questions from last fall, the GNWT has never issued specific direction to guide NWT hydro corporation operations and hasn’t given specific direction to the NTPC since 2002. Can the Premier explain how it has directed the hydro corporation and the Energy Corporation to carry out the Taltson project and provide copies of any written detailed direction provided to the corporation boards? Mahsi.

First and foremost the relationship is through the responsible Minister; in this case at this point in time, myself to the chair of the board, meeting with the board to go over the plan that the board has put in place. Other factors that direct the board and its operation are through the legislation that exists and that is the NTPC Act itself, our Hydro Corporation Act, as well as the PUB and its decisions that have been made over the years that dictates the structure of how it would deal with the customer base. Outside of that, we set the direction in the Assembly. In fact, this

government has set the direction when it comes to alternative energies, the $60 million that’s been committed through the Government of the Northwest Territories to look at alternative forms of energy versus the Power Corporation itself doing it. In fact, the report that we tabled in this Assembly highlights some of those areas of what should the focus be of the Power Corporation.

As for direction, it is Cabinet; the Minister, on Cabinet direction, can issue direction to the board in how it does its business. I would have to review what is able to be released in that sense, but the other areas, for example, on the Taltson have been many briefings on the Taltson process through the Energy Coordinating Committee and through standing committees on that side of it.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for ENR and are a follow-up to my Member’s statement.

On December 18, 2008, senior representatives of ENR met with some barren-ground caribou outfitters. At that time they told the barren-ground outfitters that for the 2009 hunting season and the 2010 hunting season their tags would not be affected and that 750 tags would be available. As a result, the outfitters went ahead and started booking hunts and collected deposits and whatnot. Then, obviously, the numbers were cut back and there were no tags.

These individuals are in a real financial position having to return the money they have already spent as part of their normal business. I’m curious if the Minister would consider working with these individuals and possibly showing some common sense and respect in this area and work with these individuals to recoup or return some of the money that they’re losing so that they don’t go bankrupt.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a complex issue. ITI looks after the business side of the caribou issue. There are funds available in ITI. I’d be happy to sit down with the Minister of ITI to make sure that we’re putting the funds to the best use possible and to see if there are any avenues that haven’t yet been explored.

I know ITI is doing an awful lot. They’re trying. I have some questions that I’ll ask

the Minister on that later. What I’m talking about is the fact that ENR gave bad information, bad advice to residents who relied on that information to their detriment and are now in a negative financial position which might drive them into bankruptcy. They relied on what the government said and they are hurting as a result, because the government changed their mind. I want ENR, who is the department who gave the advice, to work with these individuals and find some common ground, possibly reimbursing them some of the money they’ve lost because of what ENR said, not what ITI said.

We are departments of the same government. We sit at the same Cabinet table. I will follow up on the commitment that I have made to make sure that... I’ll talk to the Minister of ITI, we’ll bring in our staff to make sure that we are doing all the appropriate things possible and if there are any avenues left to explore.

Once again, going to ITI, I’m talking to ENR. I’d like to see ENR live up to the same high standard that the Minister of MACA set when he responded to poor information given out by his department. They turned around and they made it right. I need ENR to make it right in this situation. There is not even an attempt here. I would like the ENR Minister to meet with the outfitters and work with them to come up with a resolution so that these individuals can get some money back as a result of the bad information that the Minister’s staff gave. They are his employees and they were speaking on his behalf.

The Member has made a lot of assertions here, which is his prerogative. I have responded to his request that ENR will take a course of action. I will follow through on that.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA a question on O and M funding for communities. I met with Mayor Sean Whelly of Fort Simpson and Deputy Mayor Tom Wilson earlier this week. They have advised me that O and M funding for the 2010 fiscal year has been reduced. They showed me a chart that they are actually one of two communities that will be reduced. I’d like to ask the Minister why there is a reduction. What is the rationale for the reductions of O and M for the community of Fort Simpson?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The formula funding for O and M funding takes into account population and the community’s ability to raise some of their own revenue. They are assessed land value and the Member is correct that the community has seen a slight decrease in the amount of O and M funding that they had because of a slight decrease in population. I’d like to point out to the Member, though, that both communities’ O and M funding actually increased. So there is not really a net loss to the communities.

The Minister references two communities. Actually, the second community that did receive a reduction in O and M is in my riding as well. That’s the community of Wrigley. Those are the only two out of 33. That leaves me to question why only those two communities. Why did everyone else get an increase in funding? Once again, I don’t understand the rationale. Other communities experience population declines as well.

There is one other community that received a slight decrease in the O and M funding. Oh, not the O and M; the water and sewer funding. There was a slight population decrease in both communities and that affects their formula funding. The numbers that we’re considering are very minor, but with the increase in the O and M funding to the one community they’ve actually made quite a substantial net gain.

Perhaps if the Minister could explain where that net increase is, because I only see a reduction in the figures there.

I’m provided with a chart from the department that I would be willing to sit down with the Member and show him the numbers. With all the different formulas or funding that we have, the community, both communities have seen a net gain. It takes into account all the others. But I do have the documentation. I’d be willing to sit down with the Member and we can have a look at the documentation, and if he has any questions, I would be pleased to get him some answers.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be pleased to take the Minister’s offer on reviewing those documents. If he could commit to get them to me as soon as possible.

I’d be willing to sit down with the Member as soon as we’re done today and that way he can have some comfort in knowing that the overall funding has increased. I can explain the rationale of the formula funding. I

would be pleased to sit down with the Member and discuss that.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve had many questions over the past six years related to the Deh Cho Bridge Project. Today I want to direct my questions to the Minister of Finance. I mentioned it previously, and I mentioned it again today, that this project certainly has the ability to cripple our government’s finances not just in the immediate future but well into the future. I would like to ask the Minister how exactly the Department of Finance is working with the Minister of Transportation and the Department of Transportation on trying to get a handle on what the real impact of this project is going to mean to our finances.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve been working very closely with myself and the Minister of Transportation and Cabinet. By my rough estimation, I think I’ve spent about 10 hours this session before committee on various aspects of the bridge where we’re engaged fully with committee on a plan coming forward that we believe will help in due course and allow us to get this project on the final footing that needs to get completed, recognizing that it is going to be a self-liquidating investment. It will be paid back through the tolls that are raised. This is a huge priority, as the Member has pointed out, and we are working together to come to a process that we can finally focus on the construction and get the bridge completed.

I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance what would an additional $165.5 million do to our debt wall and our ability to borrow for other projects.

Keeping in mind once again that the $165 million is for the most part self-liquidating, but, as the Member well knows, if we add that number to the debt that’s already available, it would put us past our borrowing limit if that was a worst-case scenario.

It wouldn’t be the first time that I ask questions in this House for the benefit of the public. I do already certainly have an understanding of what’s at play, but again I think the public has the right to know. I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance what the status is of our relationship with the lenders on this project.

First let me say that we as well are in the accountability business that the public has a right to know. The discussion in the House has always been in terms of the information that is available at what time to allow and the appropriate time, so that the government in fact is able to complete the work on whatever the issue may be and not be in a situation where the confidential information is discussed in the House. Our relationship with the lenders is one where we’re continuing to work with them within the terms of the agreement to make sure that this bridge gets built.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my statement, the contract with Ruskin was signed off I believe just yesterday. Considering that contract has been signed off, I’m wondering why the government is reluctant to let the public know the details behind their relationship with the lenders and the disposition financially of this project.

The Member is aware of the process that we have before us that we’ve agreed to. We will be coming forward once we finish the necessary work and take all the steps that are necessary for a full debate and discussion and disclosure. Until that time we need the time to be able to conclude that process in due course and in a manner that befits the complex nature of the process. We are fully intending to have that discussion. There is no hesitation. We just want to make sure it’s done appropriately when we have all the pieces in place that we can stand up and lay it all out.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about some of the downside of consensus government. Maybe it isn’t that consensus government is all bad, but maybe the Territory has evolved and maybe a change from consensus government would be a natural stepping stone, a natural evolution in the way that we govern ourselves here in the Territory.

I am not sure where changes to the way we govern ourselves would actually begin. I’m hoping that the Premier could help me out with this, because all of our systems and committee structures and rules of the House and everything are currently premised on a style of government called consensus government. If we wanted to transition to party politics in the Northwest Territories, certainly it

would take a great deal of public consultation. It would take a signal from the public that this would be a more effective way to govern. But I would like to ask the Premier where the starting point would be on that kind of discussion and transition.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the very beginnings can start just as they have with a Member raising the issue of consensus government and our processes. We have touted much about our consensus style of government when we go to other jurisdictions and meet around the issue of consensus government. Many Members from other governments from the opposition parties are very impressed, let’s say, with the ability to gain information from the governing body or Cabinet, so to speak, and share that up front. That also places restrictions on Members when you get that information to hold that in confidence until decisions are made and we can bring them to this level of debate in this House. I, as well, starting as a Regular Member, was rather pleased with my ability to get information up front. That also hampered my ability to speak to issues at certain times.

But we fully recognize that the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Northwest Territories itself is evolving when you talk about self-governments, you talk about the evolving governance structures. One of the areas I’ve engaged in is a political development forum with aboriginal leaders leading towards the possibility of a constitution. I would say debate would be good to have on consensus government, because there are times when we really need to move and make decisions on subjects that are time sensitive, that need to move ahead, and we find our processes do slow that down when it comes to decision-making.

So I would say the start of it would be a debate at this House. We could carry it out to a referendum to the public of the Territories to end in a vote and give direction, for example, to the next Assembly. It could be as straightforward as that. But one of the avenues I’ve initiated with regional leaders is a political development forum to begin to look at how we set a common vision for the North. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we have a wonderful Territory full of amazing opportunities. Mr. Speaker, the Premier has alluded to going to other jurisdictions, and I’ve been in that same situation where they’re almost in awe, you know, that we get together and we make it sound like we hammer everything out until everybody agrees when, in fact, that’s not exactly the way it is. Maybe it sounds a little more rosy than it is.

From the government’s side, normally the government is a governing party and they have party discipline and they have party protection, they

have a party platform going into an election campaign, but, Mr. Speaker, from the governing side, even of this consensus government it’s been alluded here today in discussions about the Deh Cho Bridge, the government, it’s an untenable situation to have to be caught between sharing information with trying to accomplish a goal at the same time knowing full well that that information that you share could be used as a stick to beat you with. I mean, that’s basically what it boils down to. It creates an untenable situation for this side and that side. So, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to know what means does the Premier have at his disposal, or this government has at its disposal to begin this dialogue and debate. He talks about the Northern Leaders’ Forum, but in the general public what means do we have to begin a debate on the pros and cons of consensus government? Thank you.

Let me first recognize and appreciate the Member’s recognition of the times and challenges we face when we share information on initiatives that we’re thinking about going down and initiating and sharing that information and at times being held to account for information in its earliest days of forming and coming to setting direction as a government. We’ve got examples of that during this government itself, the 16th Assembly, which leads to huge challenges.

When other governments in a party system want a direction set, a platform is set at a general election and the governing party can come in and then begin to make changes as it progresses and does its time. I would say the tools that we have before us, one, I’ve initiated a process with the regional leaders on political development forum, but we could, as well, at this forum put a motion on the floor for open debate for the public to hear and have it recorded about the discussion around consensus government or political structures. Thank you.