This is page numbers 4991 - 5034 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was territories.

Topics

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to pay tribute to a young lady in Tuktoyaktuk, Ms. Devalin Pokiak, who demonstrated not only bravery but the ability to use her skills that her father taught her to ensure his rescue, Mr. Speaker.

On May 15th , CBC states: a hunter from

Tuktoyaktuk is recovering from a long ordeal in the Beaufort Sea late last week when he became stranded on a drifting piece of ice for more than 14 hours. The hunter from Tuktoyaktuk is recovering well. Randall Boogey Pokiak and his daughter were driving the snowmobile north of Tuk on Friday when a piece of sea ice suddenly broke off and Mr. Pokiak started drifting out. He was up hunting and the ice just broke loose from the main shoreline. Tuktoyaktuk sergeant Calvin Roberts told CBC on Tuesday, his 15-year-old daughter had to take their second snowmobile and travel by herself in a snowstorm 50 kilometres south to a location nearest camp. Neither Pokiak nor his daughter drove to the camp which had a cell phone. Mr. Eddie Dillon and his daughter carried a satellite phone another 10 kilometres to get satellite service. The girl drove to the cabin and she grabbed a cell phone and then she called for help. The RCMP initially planned to send out a plane but Mr. Roberts said there was freezing rain in the area and police dispatched a helicopter from nearby Inuvik. Searches later found Mr. Pokiak on an ice pan, which Roberts said was about 15 by nine metres in size. Police say Mr. Pokiak was not injured in the 14-hour ordeal.

Mr. Speaker, I would really like to thank Devalin. That demonstrated courage to do this to save her father’s life. I also would like to thank...

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

I also would like to thank Ms. Alana Mero from Inuvik Search and Rescue and Frank Pokiak that was in the helicopter and also Jack Kruger. Jack has been part of Search and Rescue in the Northwest Territories for years, out of Hay River, and Jack told me that if it wasn’t for

Devalin keeping her wits traveling 50 kilometres by snow machine to Mr. Dillon’s camp during the snowstorm putting the search in motion, the outcome could have been tragic. Mr. Speaker, I really want to thank Devalin for her courage and give her a big round of applause. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would be remiss if I didn’t raise the subject of roads in this city in the Legislative Assembly. My colleague Mr. Krutko indicated that in his visit to Fort Liard, he heard that the solution was housing, housing, housing. But for the whole of my constituency as I travel, the issue is roads, roads, roads, Mr. Speaker.

The highways are an important link to the people in Nahendeh and throughout the North. Roads are the lifeline of our communities and so we are always concerned about them. I am pleased about the work that is going to take place in the summer: the chipseal work on Highway No. 1 and the engineering and reconstructing of the Liard Highway, improvements to the access roads in Jean Marie River and Nahanni Butte. The transportation link from Fort Simpson to Wrigley is also a concern. I hope that consistent and regular meetings occur in these sections as well as remediation of several narrow sections. I urge the Department of Transportation to ensure that these get completed this year so that we can look forward to developing more projects next year.

The benefits of these projects are many, beginning with local contracts, local employment in the region and extended to our tourists and tourism industry. Northerners travel back and forth on these roads for shopping, medical appointments, to attend sports and cultural events and to visit extended families. Our visiting tourists with their fifth wheelers and motor homes, sometimes even towing small cars behind, are the link to encouraging even more tourists. I wish for them all a beautiful and enjoyable summer as they travel our great country. Our road construction projects will show them we are serious about having them and keeping them in the North.

Having to begin the project description report for the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway is also very good news. I look forward to that work and I suggest that if there is a way to have a communication plan, that will only help sell our spectacular Territory. In the future we hope to have a Mackenzie Valley Highway.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I trust the Department of Transportation will have all the Nahendeh projects scheduled by now and work will be completed

without a hitch. We all look forward to an improved and well maintained highway system. Mahsi cho.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague Mr. Abernethy, Member for Great Slave, I, too, wish to speak to the issue of stem cell challenge clinics here in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, over the lunch hour, I actually went down with a group of friends to meet this challenge head on. Several of us wanted to ensure that we participated, because many of us believe that this is an important program that does save lives. Mr. Speaker, sadly, as we know very well, more people die waiting for a donor than receive them and we certainly wish that wasn’t the case.

Mr. Speaker, the process really takes about 10 minutes. It is a painless process. When I was down there with a bunch of my friends, you could see a lot of enthusiastic people knowing that their small contribution is going a long way to help other people. Mr. Speaker, an opportunity like this presents hope for many families who are out there hoping for a donor or a match. Mr. Speaker, it is equally comparable to the Live Donor Program which we need here in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, sadly, more people are waiting for a donor of some type but they don’t make it through that fight while they sit and wait.

Mr. Speaker, I can speak from personal experience of a recent sad case where someone that we call our Little Spike didn’t meet that challenge because a donor was not available. Mr. Speaker, as hard as we prayed, it just didn’t happen. Mr. Speaker, I would encourage everyone to dig deep down inside to see if they could make themselves available in this case to provide themselves for the Stem Cell Challenge or even consider filling out a donor card because their life could go on and save someone else’s.

Mr. Speaker, I would encourage everyone in this House, like Mr. Abernethy as well as anyone else out there who is listening, to take this opportunity to meet this challenge head on. It is an important value and I sincerely hope that many people do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Deh Cho Bridge Project
Members’ Statements

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had thought I would make it through this sitting in the House without having to speak about the Deh Cho Bridge Project, but, Mr. Speaker, after listening to the Minister of Transportation’s Minister’s statement I am left with little choice but to address that statement.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Minister that we have to extol the benefits that this bridge will bring our residents. However, I also believe that we have an obligation to our residents to give them the straight goods on how we are going to pay for it, what our relationship will be with the community of Fort Providence, and any issues coming out of the construction of it.

Mr. Speaker, this bridge project continues to cost this government money. I have been very critical of the decisions made to get this bridge constructed; I never did and never will agree with how the last government proceeded to approve this project. Yes, they put us on that path, but, Mr. Speaker, since then this government has been responsible for making decisions and calling the shots. Decisions like sole sourcing the rest of the work to Ruskin, and the decision to continually turn a blind eye to the mismanagement of the project, whether it was claims, poor concrete, scour rock that by all accounts was not up to spec, lawsuits, contractors not being paid, the general contractor being fired, design issues, and eventually the lockdown of the construction account. Let’s just say, Mr. Speaker, the alarm bells should have been ringing for the Minister and Cabinet a long time ago.

It was their call not to act; it was their call not to pull out the default clause in the concession agreement on the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. That, Mr. Speaker, is on this government. The accountability and responsibility falls squarely at the feet of this government.

Mr. Speaker, it was very welcome news when Sheila Fraser, the Auditor General of Canada, confirmed that her office will come to the Northwest Territories to conduct a much needed audit of this project. Mr. Speaker, I do look forward to her findings and her recommendations. How do governments continue to get away with shirking responsibility?

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I’m looking for accountability and I’m looking for governments and individuals being held responsible for the decisions that they make. If they’re not, then no lessons are learned and a vicious cycle will continue to the great detriment of the taxpayers of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Deh Cho Bridge Project
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

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

Mr. Speaker, I have always spoken in the House about the government putting as much support as possible for our youth. They are our future. Also, Mr. Speaker, I advocate that this government, in delivering programs to seniors, must do it in a respectful and timely manner.

Mr. Speaker, I feel this government must pay more attention to our seniors when delivering their programs. One of the programs that I speak of is the delivery of housing repair programs. Right now across the NWT, our seniors are going through a lot of hardship, including trying to support their extended families while their families sit on income support due to a lack of employment.

I have in the past spoken of low employment rates in the small communities and how that adversely affects everything, Mr. Speaker. One of the key effects of that is the land and tax arrears issue. Mr. Speaker, seniors that desperately need their units repaired cannot get those repairs because of land and lease arrears issues on the land on which their houses sit.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Housing Corporation must find a way to get around that policy. The NWT must understand that land and tax issues may go on for years and the houses will be way beyond economic repair by the time that issue is concluded. The Housing Corporation must realize that the alternative of housing seniors in a home or building a new house once their unit is beyond economic repair will be extremely costly to government. The NWT Housing Corporation must find a way to set the tax and lease arrears issues aside and repair the seniors’ homes and extend the life of those homes.

Mr. Speaker, seniors do not pay a mortgage for NWT Housing Corporation programs, therefore, credit issues pertaining to lease and tax arrears should not be a deterrent for them receiving housing programs.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mr. Speaker, while the issue of land tax arrears has been affected by many things in the past, including negotiations where small communities have been told this is Dene land, you don’t have to pay taxes and leases, as you can see, Mr. Speaker, this issue is very complex and the NWT Housing Corporation should not wait until it’s concluded before delivering programs to seniors that need programs so badly.

Mr. Speaker, during the appropriate time I’ll have questions for the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I started off this sitting of the Legislative Assembly raising a concern about a medical professional practising in the Northwest Territories who I had serious concerns about.

As a result of some follow-up with the Department of Health, Mr. Speaker, I was able to determine that a new Medical Profession Act was passed and came into force on April 6th -- so just over a month

ago -- so complaints after the date of April 6th are

now managed under the new act.

The new act gives a disciplinary board and the investigator better and up-to-date tools, temporary suspension, a wider variety of ways to deal with the terms and conditions of a licence, mediation and dispute resolution techniques for a complaint, and better ways of dealing with difficult physicians who may not wish to cooperate and who may leave the NWT or let their licence lapse in order to avoid a complaint process.

Mr. Speaker, here are a few of the improvements. If there is improper conduct that is deemed to be a criminal offense, this allows the GNWT to revoke the licence upon conviction of that individual, it allows for sanctions if a practitioner fails or refuses to comply with the settlement agreement approved through proposed alternative dispute mechanisms.

Mr. Speaker, it allows for the investigation of a complaint for up to two years after a physician is no longer registered in the Northwest Territories. The accused practitioner can be compelled to testify in an inquiry. The board of inquiry can proceed upon proof that the complaint has been served to the accused. The complainant can have a very limited role in the inquiry. The written decisions of the board of inquiry must be provided. An appeal of a decision by the board of inquiry to the Supreme Court does not set aside the judgement. Also, the new act allows for the recovery of costs from a physician, but not exceeding $20,000.

Mr. Speaker, I was very, very pleased to learn of these changes to the process and I would encourage people who feel that the previous process did not serve their complaint, or did not give them the satisfaction of feeling like the physician complained of was dealt with in a proper way, to look at this process and consider whether it might be appropriate to file their complaint again to

have it dealt with. I do say I’m very pleased with these changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. 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 Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

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

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many people had a hand in the developing of our Water Strategy, Northern Voices, Northern Waters. We have some of these fine folks in the gallery today and from INAC I’d like to recognize Teresa Joudrie, director of Renewable Resources and Environment; Sevn Bohnet, technical coordinator; Tricia Melander-Forde, senior communications officer; Carole Mills, former manager, water resources division, now working for the Government of the Northwest Territories; and with the GNWT we have our stalwart deputy, Mr. Gary Bohnet; Mark Warren, assistant deputy minister of ENR; Megan Leverage and her soon-to-be baby,...

---Laughter

...and Loretta Ransom. Thank you all for your help.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my old boss Gary Bohnet, who used to be the president of the NWT Metis Association. I was his vice-president. So it’s good to see the boss up there in his position. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a couple of Pages from Fort Smith this week. A Page named Paige McKay, and Julia de Pelham. I recognize the chaperone, Ms. Megan Okrainec. Welcome and I hope you enjoyed your week and had a great experience. Mahsi cho.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to thank two Pages from Hay River South for their work and their help in the Legislative Assembly this week, two Grade 8 students from Diamond Jenness Secondary School, Mr. Bryce Maher and Mr. Zachary Martin. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, have a Page that I’d like to recognize for his hard work: Branden Horn from Range Lake School here in Yellowknife. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize all the folks who worked on the NWT Water Strategy, fantastic work. I figure there must be residents of Weledeh in such a good group, so...

---Laughter

...there we go, thank you very much. And as well, of course, I wanted to...

---Interjections

---Laughter