Good afternoon, colleagues. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In reflection of my statement and line of questioning last week in the House, the Stanton deficit is certainly a concern and great passion of mine which I fear may have gotten the best of me on that particular issue. If I offended anyone, I certainly want to make amends to the House by withdrawing any tone or individual comment that may have caused any offence. I, of course, as always, am prepared to work in the most collegial way in the House as possible and always do with that intent.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes that Northwest Territories filmmakers make positive economic and cultural impacts on our Territory. Today I would like to talk to you about the important work that we are doing with the Northwest Territories film industry to help grow this vital sector.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is working with Education, Culture and Employment to undertake a review assessing the economic prospects of the film industry, investigating establishment of an independent film commission and possible programs that would support the film industry.

The review process is part of a two-step plan. The aim of the review is to explore the costs and benefits of programs to support the Northwest Territories film industry in our current fiscal environment and research options for support

programs for the Northwest Territories film industry and a delivery model for those programs.

The second part of this project will involve consultation with the players in the Northwest Territories film industry to explore those options and develop recommendations for support to the industry. It is anticipated this workshop will take place within the next month and will provide the Government of the Northwest Territories with an opportunity to present findings from the review and discuss and explore options together with those people involved in the Northwest Territories film industry.

Industry, Tourism and Investment currently provides support to Northwest Territories businesses, including those involved in film production through its Support to Entrepreneurs and Economic Development Policy. Education, Culture and Employment provides support to the film industry through the Northwest Territories Arts Council and northern film and media arts contributions programs.

This project will allow us to explore other possible options that support the Northwest Territories film industry. We already know that brilliant filmmakers are at work throughout the Northwest Territories creating memorable films that use our rugged landscape and vibrant cultural essence of the Northwest Territories as a backdrop. Yellowknife-based production company Black Swan Films recently screened “A Song for the Dead,” which was filmed at Prosperous Lake. I am pleased to say Industry, Tourism and Investment helped to fund this film through its Support to Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) Policy.

The 4th Annual Yellowknife Film Festival that just

concluded this past weekend is also a great example of success in northern film and video.

We know that people are interested in filming in the North and watching film and television shows filmed and produced in the North. Just look at the popularity of Northwest Territories Ice Pilots, which has now moved into its second season of production. We also had crews in the North to film a Tropicana orange juice commercial under Inuvik’s arctic sun. This commercial won multiple awards, including the prestigious Gold Lion in the film category at the Cannes Lions International

Advertising Festival, which is widely regarded as the most prestigious awards festival in the world.

Also, with the interest generated in the Northwest Territories through our Northern House at the Vancouver Olympics, we can only expect that interest in the Northwest Territories film industry will grow even more.

Mr. Speaker, we all want an economy that is diversified and one that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. Supporting programming for the Northwest Territories film industry is one way to maximize opportunities and support economic diversification of the Northwest Territories, which is a key goal of this Assembly.

I look forward to the results of the review and I am confident that by working with those closely involved with the Northwest Territories film industry we will find the best ways to show our support for this important industry. We will be tabling a final report on the review of the Northwest Territories film industry during the May session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about the status of the sterilization equipment located at Stanton Territorial Hospital.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to get an understanding from the Minister today as to what is happening with surgeries at Stanton Hospital. I’ve heard that over the past three weeks, with the exception of emergency surgeries, all surgeries have been cancelled. Mr. Speaker, there is also the issue of infection rates in post-operative patients at Stanton. Has there been an increase in infection rates at that hospital? Why have surgeries been cancelled the last three weeks?

The equipment used to sterilize surgical instruments is located in the CSR, or reprocessing unit at that hospital. I understand that currently there are technicians working on the equipment. I’d like to know when the hospital became aware of the problems with the equipment and why have they shut them down. Is it a coincidence that post-operative infections are increasing just when it seems the equipment requires servicing? Has public health been put at risk, Mr. Speaker?

It would appear that patients who get a post-operative infection are being told it’s their fault,

when just down the hall the same surgery, the same day, has the same infection. Again, is this all one big coincidence or do we have some serious issues with our sterilization equipment at that hospital?

If our operating rooms have been cancelling surgeries over the past three weeks, is it not going to have a negative impact on patients awaiting necessary surgery? What about the staff and the operational costs, all of which will increase due to the cancellations? Mr. Speaker, these have got to be piling up. I’d like to ask the Minister a number of questions today during question period regarding this issue. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Draft amendments to the Wildlife Act are not there yet. It has been a long road, and a pressing need to update the act into the legal reality of today is clear. The draft bill does go some distance towards recognizing Aboriginal and treaty rights but fails on our additional responsibility for bringing those without these rights into a cooperative management future.

As I have said repeatedly, whole management is the only approach that will work, but workable whole management requires that this bill also provides for wildlife users without Aboriginal and treaty rights to be directly engaged in the process. While the legal makeup of advisory and management boards may omit wildlife users without Aboriginal and treaty rights, that does not preclude a direct and funded role for them and advising government representatives who are at the table. The difficulty lies in the fact that government representatives must represent all people, including those with Aboriginal rights. And thus they have an inherent conflict of interest. Unless those without treaty rights have a clear mechanism for participation and debate, our solutions can only produce the failed management practices, discord and resistance that now prevail.

Another key issue is recognition of the legal fact that priority rights do not mean exclusive rights. Few, if any, would debate the recognition of priority access for those with Aboriginal and treaty rights over residents and then commercial interests. Case law indicates that while Aboriginal harvesters have pre-eminent rights of harvesting, that does not mean completely excluding allocation for users without Aboriginal and treaty rights.

Mr. Speaker, you have heard me speak out many times on behalf of Aboriginal and treaty rights holders. I am extremely pleased to see this draft

legislation making significant progress in recognizing those rights, but we have a responsibility for maximizing the use and enjoyment of our wildlife for all our people within the provisions for recognition of Aboriginal and treaty rights. To achieve this, we need to conduct and fund consultation for all users and provide all users with a meaningful mechanism for direct participation in wildlife management. Conservation is most supported by those who use the resource. Working together requires providing a real opportunity to engage.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Working together requires providing a real opportunity to engage. Failure will lead to bad management decisions and embittered agendas for years to come. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak in support of a request from the community of Fort Good Hope that the government reinstates the position for prevention and health promotion worker in the community.

Chief Arthur Tobac, the chief of K’ahsho Got’ine Band, believes that the lack of programs and services to support parents and young people in Fort Good Hope is holding the students back. He was very appreciative of the leadership taken by the Culture and Education department Minister at the Minister’s forum on Aboriginal achievement and education and at the Department of Health and Social Services community meetings. The community was encouraged by the consultation. Representing his community, Chief Tobac recommended the reinstatement of a prevention and health promotion worker who would be hired specifically to focus on helping the youth deal with alcohol and drug dependencies.

The prevention and health promotion worker could help youth keep on track and help them find alternatives to alcohol and drug use. Discovering healthy alternatives is the means to personal healing that gives the youth confidence and the energy for these youth to have more self-worth or are more likely to fit in at school and get involved in their studies. These students learn more, increase their skills and knowledge, feel better about themselves and are more likely to complete high school and further their education.

I think Fort Good Hope is on the right track, Mr. Speaker, in their request to hire their own prevention and community health promotion worker who can focus on creating a healthier environment for the student population. We want to help the youth actively engage in learning at school and at home, and they need help, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the chief says our youth are our future. Let’s start investing in our youth and in their future by helping them put together a community solution that they’re proposing to this government. Will this government stand up and listen and support the Fort Good Hope initiative to hire a prevention and health promotion worker? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On February 2nd I made a Member’s statement

outlining concerns I received about the most recent public consultation process that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has been conducting on the proposed Wildlife Act.

There is concern that these consultations are not really being conducted to get input on the proposed changes but rather to inform the people on what the department is planning to put before this Legislature. Many participants have the feeling that their concerns about the content is being ignored and that only token or administrative changes are being considered by ENR, so no real or substantive changes will result from these current public consultation sessions, which started in November, then over Christmas and ended in mid-January.

Mr. Speaker, on February 2nd I asked the Minister

some clear questions. I was trying to get the Minister to provide constituents across the Northwest Territories with some confidence that their voices and input have been seriously considered during this most recent round of consultation; specifically, the voices of the non-Aboriginal hunters, the Akaitcho and the Dehcho, whose only input into the proposed and final act come as a result of the really important public consultations.

Mr. Speaker, I was very frustrated by the Minister’s response to my questions. Rather than answer my questions, the Minister, in my opinion, danced a dance of deflection. Rather than answer these important questions he challenged the credibility of the NWT Wildlife Federation, accused me of egregious behaviour, made continual reference to 54 drafts, but wouldn’t confirm how many of these drafts have been done after the current

consultations. And when pressed for examples of how ENR would be incorporating input heard from the residents during these most recent rounds of consultations, the Minister provided examples of clauses that were already included in the proposed act, items that have not been changed since the current round of public consultations.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, consultations have been going on for over 10 years. Unfortunately none of these consultations included the distribution of the current departmental draft and only this last round of consultation included the plain language summary. Yes, Mr. Speaker, the drafting of this proposed legislation recognized treaty and Aboriginal rights. Some Aboriginal governments participated in the drafting. This is a unique and respectful practice which needs to be applauded. However, we are still a public government and the voices of all our residents must be heard and acknowledged.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, a lot of good work has been done. However, one would think that the Minister would want an act of this importance to be as near perfect as possible before putting it in front of this House.

If the Minister can’t demonstrate that this most recent and final round of public consultation has had meaningful impact...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister can’t demonstrate this most recent and final round of public consultations had meaningful impact on the final draft and that no substantive changes are being considered as a result, I suggest that this act is not ready to be put before this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Darnley Bay project in Paulatuk, Mr. Speaker, is approaching another drilling season. All across the Northwest Territories, communities such as Paulatuk are one step closer to seeing a fully operating diamond mine near the community in similar projects. This project has experienced some slowdown due to the global economy.

Fortunately this project has once again built some momentum and financing and is moving this forward. Recently the Canadian Northern Economic

Development Agency invested $485,000 to help the Paulatuk Development Corporation in purchasing moveable exploration camps, which could be used at the mine site with the exploration companies.

Darnley Bay Resources Limited and Diadem and the contractor or geoscientists are currently active in searching for diamonds and base metals near the community of Paulatuk. This camp will consist of a 20-person moveable camp, complete with a camp manager, cook, First Aid attendant and camp staff who look forward to all the operations and logistics.

Darnley Bay Resources Limited is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and is preparing for the 2011 exploration drilling season for the diamonds and base metals, with two drilling campaigns planned. According to their spokesperson we’ve been speaking to, they’re hiring many local people from the community. The result of their recent finding is another indicator of a promising future for this project.

As the project moves forward, many organizations and groups want to see people from Paulatuk get meaningful employment and to participate and benefit economically, not just with low-wage jobs but with positions such as drillers and geologists, managers and environmental monitors. Construction companies could be used to build the site and camp catering companies could be used to provide a wide range of services.

This project is an excellent opportunity for a small, remote community such as Paulatuk to create and build real capacity in all areas of the local economy. I will have questions for the Minister of ITI at the appropriate time.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Last October at a public meeting in Fort Simpson with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in attendance, parents raised concerns about Bompas Elementary School playground. The old playground was pressure-treated wood and had to be removed for safety reasons. The play area designated for kindergarten and grade 1 children is equipped, but the area designated for grade 2 and 3 is empty. The area designated for grade 4, 5 and 6 has only a few structures that are in rough shape. This is a bad situation.

As we all know, the importance of physical activity for children’s health, having safe environment for kids in the fresh air goes a long ways towards

keeping them happy. The Fort Simpson’s group Parents for Playgrounds, which also includes teachers, has estimated that the total cost of a new playground is about $60,000 and they have been fundraising and making requests for corporate donations. Their goal is to raise $30,000.

I’m really impressed with the parents’ and teachers’ dedication to make sure that children in Fort Simpson have play equipment that will be used for years to come.

Recently Fort Liard raised funds to replace playground equipment that was falling to pieces and ECE matched the funds raised, providing the assistance through the district education authority. This is encouraging to the parents group and they’re working hard towards their goal of replacing the playground equipment.

The group Parents for Playgrounds is asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for the same assistance. I wholeheartedly support this request. They are working closely with the district education authority and the Dehcho Divisional Council. They do need more support. I look forward to the Minister confirming he will provide funding for the playground equipment at the Bompas Elementary School.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past December and January I attended public meetings for consultations on the Wildlife Act. The presentations were excellent and thorough but I came away with concerns for the act; concerns that were strengthened by submissions by a number of NWT organizations.

I want to start by saying that I appreciate the efforts of the Minister and the staff of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for their work in the development of the act over these lo many years and for the presentations and consultations that are recently concluded.

I will not comment on the consultation process. The Minister has heard people’s concerns about that already. I do have to comment on the act, in light of what I’m hearing from constituents.

The new Wildlife Act is long overdue but the draft act, as presented during the recent consultation process, is not ready for first reading without some amendments. Firstly, there are a couple of requirements in the act which will force airlines to contravene Transport Canada regulations, and that they cannot do.

Secondly, I have major concerns with the proposed membership of the Conference of Management

Authorities. We’re told that any interested non-Aboriginal residents are represented by the GNWT, but in reality that’s not adequate. We’re told that the conference membership must be limited to agencies who have a legal responsibility for wildlife management, but if that must be, then identify several ex-officio, non-voting members from interested organizations: the Chamber of Mines, or Chamber of Commerce, or the NWT Wildlife Federation, for instance. We must be inclusive as a government and we must be seen to be inclusive.

Thirdly, NWT businesses are concerned about the powers identified in the act to establish conservation areas, particularly the mining companies. There is little in the act that speaks to an NWT that protects and manages wildlife and also allows and encourages economic development. There must be language added to the act which expresses the philosophy of sustainable development.

Lastly, many, many people have indicated their concern with the unidentified content of some 250 or more regulations that will govern the new act. The department must be more forthcoming about the content of these numerous regulations.

I’m heartened by the assurances given to Members at a recent briefing on the act. What I heard is that a number of changes will be made to the draft act prior to its presentation to the House and I commend the Minister and his staff for recognizing that change was needed. It is imperative that the department’s response to the consultation be shared with everyone who submitted comments, with the general public, prior to the first reading of the act.

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