This is page numbers 6725 - 6744 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 6th 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 work.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my term as MLA I have two Member’s statements and traditions. At the beginning of a session I honour our loved ones who have passed away. At the end of each session I honour the accomplishments of our loved ones, especially our youth.

The Northern Youth Abroad Canadian International Program is a non-profit organization dedicated to enabling youth from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut aged 15 to 22 in gaining professional skills and training and hands-on work experience. High school credits through a cross-cultural work and learning.

I’m very proud of the following Nunakput youth. Residents participating in this year’s program are: Mr. David Lucas, Georgina Wolki, Keenan Carpenter, Bryan Kimiksana, Cheyenne Wolki and Chukita Gruben.

This year in Paulatuk, Angik School has the largest graduating class that they’ve ever had. That is a milestone we should all be celebrating. I’m very pleased that this year’s graduates have worked very hard and will have the ability to enter into college in post-secondary programs without having the need to upgrade.

In the community of Ulukhaktok, Gayle Ogina attended the Youth Leadership Forum in Yellowknife. Laura Akoakhion attended a National JCR Shooting Competition in Toronto. A couple weeks ago I had Rhea Klengenberg who attended our Youth Parliament here in Yellowknife sitting in the House with you and working with staff. She did an awesome job and we look forward to a great leader in Rhea coming up.

Simon Kudlak and Brandon Okheena attended an ASA forum in Inuvik. Elliot Malgokak and Reanne Kanayok attended the WAMP program in Inuvik. Brandon Okheena, through YELS, the oil and gas program, will be travelling to Edmonton and Calgary under the sponsorship of ConocoPhillips, to investigate career choices in industry.

In the community of Tuktoyaktuk, Jordan Walker, a grade 11 student, applied for and was accepted for the Environmental Apprenticeship in the Arctic Program. This takes place the first two weeks in August. Also, Will McIntyre was selected to attend YELS, Youth Entry Levels Skills Session, in oil and gas in June.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

I’m very proud of these accomplishments by the residents of Nunakput.

Lastly, I wish to express my admiration and appreciation for all the hard work and dedication of our staff in the Legislative Assembly and the Government of the Northwest Territories, and also all the hard work of my colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, to all fishing and hunting in Husky Lakes, and all those hunting on the coast, and to all my cousins upriver, have a safe spring and good hunting. To all in Nunavut, have a safe hunting season and have a good spring. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Every day this government loses revenue due to its failure to collect reasonable resource rents.

We have a bill before this Assembly for the creation of an NWT Heritage Fund to put aside funds from existing revenue for the future. The steps to devolution are started; actual implementation is years into the future.

The promise of additional resource revenues is a big part of that agreement’s allure to this government. But why wait to get a fair return from our natural capital? Various commentators have emphasized that the economic rent we are collecting now is much too low. The Pembina Institute report, When the Government is Landlord, makes a solid case for raising additional resource revenues, as do studies by Sustainable Prosperity. An Indian and Northern Affairs Canada study submitted to the Joint Review Panel and the department’s own website point out how low our rents are.

When it comes to non-renewable resources, we have only one chance to get the maximum gain for our irreplaceable loss. Yes, we do have to balance the need to make development attractive and economic, but low royalties aren’t the only reason industry invests in the NWT. Political security, a trained labour force, the public infrastructure, and services our taxpayers pay for, and above all, the world-class richness of our resources are huge incentives towards confident investment, as well.

The current rent and tax regime isn’t working. Our two largest diamond mines are halfway through their predicted lives. Year after year, capital cost write-offs destabilize and reduce corporate taxes while income slips away through low to no royalties. Given our push for devolution to increase resource revenues, given studies and the federal government saying our rents are unusually low, we owe it to the resource owners, our people, to make sure we are getting top dollar for value given. We don’t need an agreement-in-principle to start collecting full value, we have the authority now. The Mackenzie Gas Project, if it comes, will at least give us the opportunity for the real revenue returns future generations would wish we collected.

Work for devolution, yes, Mr. Speaker; plan for a Heritage Fund, of course; but those things are down the road while billions of dollars in irreplaceable resources are annually exported from the Northwest Territories untapped by this government. I will be pushing for a review of this next Assembly. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to share good news about an achievement of a northern Aboriginal youth who is the first person ever from the Northwest Territories to place in the North American Miss Indian World Pageant.

---Applause

Kiera-Dawn Kolson placed first runner-up in the pageant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Gathering of Nations Pow-Wow, which this year hosted 18,000 to 20,000 First Nations from Canada and the United States. During the Gathering of Nations, the winners of the Miss Indian World were announced. Kiera also won the best speaker award and broke old ticket sales records of 4,000 tickets to 4,117 tickets, earning her a trip to the Bahamas.

During her public speaking and to the general Gathering of Nations audience, Kiera-Dawn, of Tetlit Gwich’in and Tso’Tine heritage, continued to

reinforce to youth that you can come from a small place but it doesn’t mean that you can’t dream big.

Kiera has made many accolades. She enjoys writing and singing her songs, enjoys reading, bowling and helping youth. She sang songs she wrote when attending the International Youth Parliament in Sydney, Australia, in 2004; at the Earth Ling Environment Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia; for the after-party at the Aboriginal Achievement Awards in 2006 at Vancouver, British Columbia; and at the 2006 after-party in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards.

Ms. Kolson was chosen to attend the Artist’s Mentoring Program for the Canada Summer Games in Regina, Saskatchewan, and was chosen to represent the Northwest Territories as a cultural ambassador at the March 2006 Arctic Winter Games in Kenai, Alaska, where she sang for the athletes, staff and guests.

In December 2006, she was chosen as one the 10 Canadians to attend the Yelefest in Haiti, sponsored by the Governor General of Canada. In September 2008, Kiera attended, by invitation, the 2

nd

International Hip Hop Gathering in Los Angeles,

California. She was invited to present her cultural youth workshop at Wimanji, Quebec, in 2008, and spoke about continuing education and inspiring youth to be all they can be in life.

Kiera sang at Parliament Hill in the fall of 2008, to commemorate the vision of the Sisters of Spear Campaign to bring attention to missing Aboriginal women in Canada, and in February 2009, walked in Vancouver, British Columbia, to acknowledge missing Aboriginal women in Canada.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Kiera carried the Eagle Staff into Parliament at the reconciliation of residential school survivors. These are just some of Kiera’s achievements.

She is an inspiration to youth. Mr. Speaker, I ask this Assembly to join me in congratulating and celebrating Kiera-Dawn Kolson’s achievements, her winning the Miss Indian World First Runner-Up Award, 2011, and to wish her all the best in her future endeavours and goals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

NWT Hydro Strategy
Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is an exciting time to be a Northerner. From mineral

wealth to ecotourism, the NWT is known as a vast source of untapped potential.

Today I want to speak to another source of untapped potential where better focus needs to be directed. That, Mr. Speaker, is our northern hydro power potential.

Now that the Taltson expansion has been put on hold and now that the Bluefish dam replacement will cost almost $40 million, a lot has changed in the landscape as to where the NWT Hydro Strategy is going, or certainly could be going, Mr. Speaker.

With eight major rivers in the NWT with a combined hydroelectric power of over 11,000 megawatts, there is enough hydro power in that potential to provide 19 million residents with clean, affordable electricity. Mr. Speaker, that could support a city the size of New York City. However, with only a total of 55 megawatts on three rivers that have been developed at this point, clearly we have more than enough power for us and a great potential for opportunity to build towards the future.

I believe we need to focus in on a few simple strategic goals. We are clearly missing the opportunity to sell power to our neighbours to the south. Our government needs to direct the Power Corp to build partnerships with industry to work towards creating a territorial grid, because once a hydro plan is established, it can provide clean power for many years at a low cost to ratepayers, governments, and certainly make sure that the environment is available and cleanly used as opposed to going with diesel.

It is a clean source of sustainable energy, Mr. Speaker; one that could help as well lower the cost of living that is such a difficult challenge here in the North. If there’s one region in Canada that recognizes that problem, it’s certainly here.

Now, Mr. Speaker, industry has recognized that hydro potential, over seven years ago, could do great things, and we see it here with the investments that we have before us. I know this government doesn’t necessarily have all the money available to develop the hydro potential, and that’s why I suggest we seek partners in industry to work together to develop this need.

Mr. Speaker, I support the long-term development using partners, but as long as Northerners remain in control of our resource. Mr. Speaker, government has made significant investment into these energy priorities and I applaud the work that they’ve done. Mr. Speaker, it is time to make significant policy commitments towards those goals.

Later today I will have questions for the Premier to see how our Hydro Strategy is being developed for the future. Thank you.

NWT Hydro Strategy
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 3

rd

residents of the Northwest Territories

will be going back to the polls to elect the 17

th

Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. As an Assembly we only have seven sitting days remaining for us, which will come in mid-August just prior to dissolution of the 16

th

Legislative Assembly,

scheduled for September 5

th

. I’d like to formally

announce today my intention to seek re-election in the riding of Kam Lake, of which I’ve had the opportunity, honour and privilege to represent since 2003 when I was first elected MLA for Kam Lake.

I enjoy working for my constituents, speaking out in this House about issues that are important to them, and trying my best to get things accomplished. In my time here, constituents have seen me consistently speak to much needed capital projects in the city of Yellowknife and in my riding, such as the city of Yellowknife bypass road, which connects Kam Lake Industrial Park to Highway No. 3, and the retrofit of Ecole St. Joseph’s School, which was made much more urgent when the school was badly damaged by fire.

Mr. Speaker, there will be much to focus on for this next government coming in this fall. Critical files will need to be moved forward: negotiating a final agreement on devolution, the Mackenzie Gas Project, the Tuk-Inuvik road, the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the northern extension of a seasonal overland route to Gordon Lake, the expansion of the Taltson hydro facility, and ensuring that major capital projects around the Northwest Territories are concluded to the best of our ability.

Mr. Speaker, elections give us all an opportunity and a chance to get out and meet with our constituents to discuss the issues that face us. It’s a great opportunity to set the marching orders for the next government. Mr. Speaker, I’m very excited about all the possibilities and opportunities that await this territory. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to advise the Members of the House of the passing of Mr. Karl Mueller of Enterprise. Karl...everyone knew him. He suffered a heart attack and passed away on May the 12

th

of

this year at the extended care unit of H.H. Williams Hospital in Hay River.

Karl was born on April 19, 1929, in Vienna, Austria. He immigrated to Canada in 1957, with Toronto being his first Canadian home. He then moved to the North, living and mining in the Yukon for several years before moving to Fort Smith, where he lived for approximately 20 years and worked in the field of construction. He then decided to move to Enterprise. He thought it was a good idea and a better location for a construction business.

It was after this move that he started his own company, his own business called Karl Mueller Construction, and he became very well known throughout the Territories for his abilities in the area of construction.

Karl also built a lot of our highways and winter roads in communities such as Fort Smith, Fort Resolution and Fort Providence, and he did a lot of work in the Sahtu. He also began clearing for a potential highway between Norman Wells and Inuvik for the federal government, which never became a reality. At least not yet, Mr. Speaker. Not too many people remember that.

Karl moved to Enterprise in 1975 and he lived there until he was admitted to the hospital in 2007, and he always acknowledged that he was a very proud resident of the community of Enterprise. He lived there with his wife, Anne Leskiw-Mueller. Karl lived with Anne for about 20 years before they got married a short while ago, on May the 7

th

, in the

extended care unit.

Anne tells us that Karl had been feeling much better in the last couple of weeks, and she had talked to him about a half an hour before his passing and he was in very good spirits.

Most of you know Karl was a very active person of Enterprise, a very outspoken person, and a councillor of the community for a number of years. He served on the hamlet council for about eight years. He always believed, and firmly believed, that one day Enterprise and the whole Northwest Territories would be booming.

Karl is survived...

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Mr. McLeod. Your time for your Member’s statements is expired.

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Karl is survived by his wife, Anne, who continues to live in Enterprise. He was cremated and will be buried in Winnipeg, Manitoba, near some of his relatives. A memorial service will be held on May 28

th

at 2:00 p.m. in the community hall

of Enterprise and we welcome any visitors. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we close out another sitting of the Legislative Assembly, I think that we’ve all come to realize that the work we do here is quite important. We all have some challenges in that, but usually at the end of the day I like to think we come to a common conclusion and that we’re here to do the best for the people of the Northwest Territories.

We heard yesterday Mr. Roland saying that he was not intending to run again and I just wanted to use this opportunity to thank him for his mentorship. I remember when I first came in, in 2004, Floyd was the Finance Minister. At our first meeting, Floyd said one of the first things you have to realize is Finance Minister and Cabinet are always right. He said, “Every time I put up my hand, you put up your hand.”

---Laughter

So it took me seven years, but I’ve finally figured that out, and that’s pretty much how it works.

Mr. Krutko, you know, he’s put in 16 years, Floyd’s put in 16 years, and David and I, we’ve never always agreed on everything. Actually, I don’t think we ever agreed on anything.

---Laughter

But that was part of the enjoyment. I mean, David and I have butted heads on a number of occasions and part of it I think we were just trying to see who could get madder, him or me. I want to tell you, David, you won that hands down.

---Laughter

But I’ve enjoyed my time working with him.

There are a couple of things I want to point out, Mr. Speaker. In Inuvik this summer we’re having the Truth and Reconciliation national event and we’re expecting over 1,000 people to come to Inuvik. It’s going to be a huge, huge event. I remember saying in the past that as a town boy we didn’t realize the challenges that those staying in the hostel were having to go through. We’re looking forward to this as an opportunity to show some genuine Inuvik hospitality, and we look forward to having all the visitors come to Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, as I close out my Member’s statement, we’ve had a few people say that they’re not running again; we’ve had a few say that they are running; and I think in the seven years I’ve been here I’ve gained some valuable experience, which I think would allow me to contribute to Inuvik Twin

Lakes. So it would be my intention to seek re-election and I just wanted to have that come out today. So, thank you very much, I hope you all have a great summer, and everybody out there, please be safe. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. 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 Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

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

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize Ms. Bren Kolson in the gallery. Bren is the mother of Kiera-Dawn Kolson that I talked about earlier today.

I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank all the Pages who have joined us over the last two weeks and have done all the hard work for us. In particular, two of the Pages from the Great Slave riding: Ms. Shanaya Haogak and Ms. Shania Richler-Beaulieu. Thank you all for everything you’ve done for us today. We’ve really, really appreciated it.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

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

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is an honour to introduce in our gallery Premier for the day, Ms. Erin Nadli, who has come to watch our session and been involved in a number of things today, accompanied by her mother, Paschalina Nadli, and her aunt Edith Squirrel, and also accompanied by our intern at our press office, Victoria.