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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is dealing with the Business Incentive Policy. I think there’s a major problem with the policy. I’ll just go through some of the principles of the policy that are supposed to be applied.

The Government of the Northwest Territories adheres to the following principles when implementing the policy: the government referential practices should maximize benefits for the residents of the Northwest Territories to the government policy and procedures; should enhance the Northwest Territories business environment, ensuring sustainable economic growth; and the policy should not prejudice any present or future self-government treaties or land claim-based rights.

I have a problem with (3). I believe that this policy undermines the land claim agreements and undermines the whole objective of the land claim agreements to have stable and subsistent businesses in the land claims agreements. Ensuring that we have self-relying people and self-relying communities by making capital investments to develop the economic liability of those businesses to be sustainable, when you have businesses located in two communities… I’ll use the illustration of Inuvik. You have two hotel companies in Inuvik. One is owned by the Gwich’in Development Corporation in partnership with a company. They spent $12 million to put this facility in place. Now we’re finding out that the Government of the Northwest Territories is only using one hotel for government employees, which is the Mackenzie Hotel. For one reason or another they are not using the Gwich’in business in Inuvik. This totally undermines the whole principle of land claim agreements.

Why should aboriginal companies invest their monies in the Northwest Territories to provide an economic benefit to their benefactors by these types of businesses? Yet again this shows the disregard for land claim agreements, land claim corporations, from doing business in the Northwest Territories, especially in the Inuvik region.

I don’t know what it is, but it seems to me there’s a line drawn in the sand and this government is doing everything it can to undermine those land claim agreements and the Gwich’in Tribal Council and these business arms by trying to do business in the Northwest Territories.

This has drawn a wedge in regard to the aboriginal business…

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

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

---Unanimous consent granted

This totally undermines the whole concept of land claim settlements in the Northwest Territories and for aboriginal groups to develop an economic base so they can provide for their benefactors and the people in communities so that we are able to be self-reliant people. When this type of practice is done by the government to undermine those land claim agreements, the policy itself is in question. This policy, as far as I see it, shouldn’t be put forward to the implementation of the land claim agreements and see how it draws up to the land claims agreements. Are they exactly undermining those agreements by these types of policies?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday in the House the Minister of Health and Social Services announced that the Legislative Assembly has created a working group of Ministers and Regular Members to assist in the review of specific items that Members and the public would like to have reviewed prior to the implementation of the new Supplementary Health Benefits Program. The intent of this working group is to improve upon the program that the Minister has already presented.

According to the press release from yesterday afternoon, the working group will consist of three Regular Members and three Ministers, one of which will be the Minister of Health and Social Services.

For the record, I am supportive of this group. I have a significant amount of confidence in my Regular Member colleagues as well as any additional Ministers that are appointed to this committee. I believe that they will listen to what Regular Members and the public have to say and attempt to incorporate those comments and concerns into any future direction that the Minister of Health and Social Services may take. I’m supportive of this group and I’m optimistic that this could result in a new Supplementary Health Benefits Program that is in the best interest of all people of the Northwest Territories.

However, I am concerned that the Minister is limiting the discussion to three key areas: personal third-party coverage responsibility, which is important; approaches to limit employer and individuals from dropping third-party insurance, which is also important; and the issue of accumulated high cost and capped threshold, which once again is also important.

These are clearly areas which need to be addressed. However, I feel that addressing these fairly could necessitate the need to modify much of the Minister’s current plan. This could mean that other areas outside of the scope of the committee must also be considered. As such, the Minister must be open to making changes to all aspects of the plan if the committee directs her to do that. If the Minister is open to these, this process could easily work and result in a fair and equitable supplemental health care plan. If past predicts future, I’m worried that the Minister will remain committed to her existing plan.

I encourage the Minister to have an open mind and listen to and work with this working group. No options should be disregarded without reasonable consideration.

Lastly, I’m concerned with the implementation date presented by the Minister yesterday. Yesterday the Minister indicated that a program will be implemented on or before November 1, 2010. On or before means that the Minister may, or could, still implement the program on September 30, 2010, as she originally intended, which is prior to the next sitting of the next Legislative Assembly. To me, this could undermine the intent and good work of this newly established working group.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage the working group to take the time needed to do the work required and develop a reasonable and appropriate Supplemental Health Benefits Program. Mr. Speaker, it’s more important that we get it done right as opposed to get it done right now. Thank you.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to relay the personal experience of

a constituent whose unfortunate workplace injuries have resulted in a two-year odyssey of frustration, delay and uninformed support.

In September 2008, my constituent suffered a workplace accident resulting in severe damage to his ribs and spine. He is left with six to nine permanently detached ribs, nerve damage and great chronic pain with no hope of surgical correction. He can never again resume full duties and must make the choice between pain and debilitating narcotic medication.

He has experienced an apparently endless series of applications, highly legalistic processes and tribunal appeals with inadequate case support and denial of access to legal advice. He’s even had to pay fees for access to his own records. Along the way he’s waited, at times, for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission medical advisor’s determinations and learned that according to the compensation standards of WSCC policy, his psychological pain is the basis for compensation but not his physical pain. In the end, he has been offered lifetime compensation equal to 5 percent of his former earnings.

For help in navigating this maze, he has relied on the help of an excellent worker’s advocate and now worker’s advisor, who works flat out but lacks the expertise necessary to unsnarl many legal questions. As a result of my inquiries, the agency finally informed the commission that funding was available to provide legal advice with the Minister’s approval.

His Appeals Tribunal hearing was in March and he’s still waiting to hear the WSCC’s reaction to the decision. While past WSCC statement and ministerial correspondence said the medical advisor determines the percentage of impairment as the basis of compensation, he’s learned that actually this is just advice and can be varied according to circumstances, something else the commission didn’t know or admit. He has now filed a human rights complaint to challenge the distinction between psychological and physical pain, and tries not to take too many of the pills that are the best comfort the WSCC seems able to give.

Mr. Speaker, when accidents happen in the workplace, workers are required by law to seek relief through the Workers’ Compensation benefits and support system. They depend on the commission for help in their times of greatest needs.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

They depend on the commission for help in their times of greatest need. I have been impressed with this person’s patience, dignity, intelligent approach and calm in seeking meaningful

relief. Because of his perseverance, he is often breaking new ground and doing so partly in recognition of the standard-setting impact he may have to help others that follow with similar issues. He continually asks the question: if this is what’s happening to me, how many more people like me are there out there? That’s a question I’ll be looking into with questions to the Minister. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This summer in the Nunakput community of Paulatuk, Darnley Bay Resources Ltd, a mining exploration company based in Toronto, will be continuing their studies of ground surveys and taking seismic readings of the community, a section of potentially mineral rich land bordering Tuktut Nogait National Park. Similar to projects all across this Territory, this project has experienced slowdown due to the global economy. Fortunately, this project has again built some momentum and financing to move forward.

Nunakput needs this project. Paulatuk needs this project, Mr. Speaker. Nunakput realizes this project is still in the early stages. That’s why we’re getting involved to ensure that economic development projects such as these progress.

In addition, along with the development of this project, concerns of the community regarding wildlife and environment must also be protected. I believe Paulatuk could benefit socially and economically from this Darnley Bay project while maintaining and protecting the traditional way of life and the environment, Mr. Speaker.

As I mentioned previously, in our Nunakput communities, every year we go through the same thing: people having to leave the community. The primary reason is the lack of real jobs and opportunities in their hometowns. This is going to be a serious problem in the future. Our communities are going to places where we go for holidays in the summer. Communities are empty of our youth. This government needs to get active to assist remote communities with serious programs so jobs can be created for our residents that have to leave their homes.

One concern raised by a constituent is this government doesn’t really care about small communities. The residents leave the communities just because of the federal transfers. All regions must be treated equally, Mr. Speaker. The unique conditions and the economic limitations are considered, while allowing resource and various programs all across the North. The unemployment situation in the communities is a serious issue and

we’re failing, Mr. Speaker. The lack of opportunities for our youth in the communities of Nunakput, we’re almost failing them too.

Mr. Speaker, creating jobs is the best way of having vibrant communities, but Nunakput needs job creation in unique and difficult challenges.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, this government must do more to assist regions to develop the capacity and infrastructure to attract industry, investment and jobs. This government needs to place more attention to resources in small communities and remote communities regarding economic development programs. Mr. Speaker, this program needs to develop a coalition of partners and stakeholders in the Nunakput region due to the unique set of challenges, and promote and coordinate a truly northern, regional and intergovernmental approach at rejuvenating our economy in Nunakput and all across the Territories in the small communities, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize Mr. Ron Ostrom, director of marketing with NWT Tourism and also Janine Carmichael with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, an organization powered by entrepreneurs. She is a representative for Western Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Welcome everyone in the gallery today. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement of Darnley Bay project and the lack of jobs in the communities, I have questions for the Premier. Can the Minister identify the actions that this government is taking to keep small and rural communities alive and growing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We could probably take up the rest of the question period if I were to go into a lot of detail in that area. A number of things that we are highlighting, Mr. Speaker, a number of things that we are doing and one of the areas that we have been working on with Members of the Assembly is the electricity rate review and implementing our recommendations that will affect the commercial cost of doing business in our communities. The fact that within the Department of ITI, we have put more focus on small businesses in our smaller communities as well as traditional activities in that area, as well, to offset the cost of living. We have a number of subsidies in place that help people in our smaller communities with the cost of living; an increase, for example, of our Territorial Power Support Program. In this day and age, we know we have to do more but we are challenged with our ability from our side to implement some of these changes or enhance some of our services because our revenue base isn’t growing. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, it is really good that we are giving 70 percent off to Sachs Harbour, finding a way to be able to buy some food in Sachs. It is such a high cost of living in the community. It is a good government. I am happy we work together. That is one thing. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to working with the coalition of Regular Members to businesses and aboriginal partners to develop new strategies for small and remote communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Member has actually highlighted another area this government has taken an initiative on. It is forming a committee, between Regular Members and Cabinet, on small and remote rural communities. I would say that would be an avenue that we could use if that group wants to seek some input as to what options they may be able to work on and present back to the Members of the Assembly. I think we have an avenue there. Thank you.