Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Welcome to all our guests in the Chamber today in the gallery.

Colleagues, on behalf of Members, I would like to congratulate Wendy Bisaro on being named the 2011 winner of the Ann MacLean Award for Outstanding Service by Women in Municipal Politics.

---Applause

The NWT Association for Communities nominated Wendy for this prestigious award. We are very pleased to see our friend and colleague honoured for her nearly two decades of outstanding service to her community. And, of course, she continues to serve Yellowknifers at the territorial level.

The Ann MacLean Award is presented annually by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to recognize women municipal politicians who have shown exemplary service to their community and constituents and to mentoring women who want to run in elected municipal office.

The Ann MacLean Award for Outstanding Service by Women in Municipal Politics was created in April of 2009 and is named in honour of former CFM President Ann MacLean and retired long-time mayor of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.

Ms. Bisaro was first selected to the board of trustees for Yellowknife Education District No. 1 in 1988. She was re-elected three times and served as a board member for 12 years and also as a board chairperson.

Ms. Bisaro moved to municipal politics in 2000 and was elected to Yellowknife City Council for two consecutive three-year terms. She was chosen to serve as deputy mayor by her fellow council members during her second term.

Ms. Bisaro was elected to the 16th Legislative

Assembly on October 1, 2007, as the Member for Frame Lake in Yellowknife. Congratulations, Ms. Bisaro.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to advise this House that a ceremony was held today to celebrate the tremendous contributions that people across this territory have made to education.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment launched the Education Hall of Fame in 2010. We recognize that we all play an important role in supporting the education of our children and the Education Hall of Fame reflects the valuable contributions that people make as educators, volunteers, board members, administrators, and other community members.

In February 2011 we distributed advertisements requesting nominations be put forward for those Northerners who made lasting and selfless contributions to education. Nominations poured in from every region and seven people were chosen from across the territory. The 2011 inductees embody the commitment, diligence, creativity, and passion that we want education to inspire in us all.

Ms. Joanne Tetlichi from Fort McPherson is a custodian of 18 years at Chief Julius School and a coach. She takes great pride in her work and greets the students every morning, and opens her home to anyone in need of a safe place.

Mrs. Dorothy Beaulieu of Fort Resolution began her teaching career as a part-time classroom assistant in 1974, and over her 30 years as an educator she taught many subjects to all grades. After teaching Chipewyan for 22 years, Mrs. Beaulieu earned an Aboriginal Language Certificate and continued teaching Chipewyan until she retired.

Mrs. Ethel Blondin-Andrew of Tulita taught for 10 years across the Northwest Territories before moving to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as a language specialist fluent in North Slavey. Ethel was involved in policy

development for the preservation of Aboriginal languages and culture. In 1988 she became the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to the Parliament of Canada and appointed to the Privy Council and Cabinet. During her tenure as a Member of Parliament, she served as Secretary of State and then Minister of State for Children and Youth. Ethel now sits on the Aurora College Board of Governors and remains a tireless advocate for children in the North.

Mr. Ed Jeske began teaching at Sir John Franklin High School in 1958 and devoted his time and energy to his students both in the classroom, the heavy duty mechanics shop, and on the hockey ice. Even after retiring in 1989, he continued mentoring hundreds of youth on the ice as a hockey coach.

Ms. Lucy Lafferty spent her nearly 30 years in education as an educational assistant, teacher, principal, and director of education in the Tlicho region. She was instrumental in the implementation of many language and culture programs, including Community Teacher Education Program and Aboriginal Language and Culture Instructor Program. Ms. Lafferty continues supporting education today as the culture coordinator for the Tlicho Community Services Agency.

Ms. Margaret Field passionately provided students in Fort Providence with an education balanced with both academic and cultural knowledge for 41 years. With positions such as supervisor at LaPointe Hall, classroom assistant, teacher, and later as community adult educator, almost every child in the community learned her lessons in academics, culture and Slavey, and some returned as adults to continue their education with her.

Mr. Garth Brasseur came to Yellowknife in 1989 to teach at St. Patrick’s High School and has since taken on roles of teacher, friend, confidant, advocate, taskmaster, coach, counsellor, tutor, drug and alcohol counsellor, taxi driver, lawyer and parent. His unconventional methods forged trust with even the most at-risk students, relating to them at their level as he works to affect change and see them through to graduation.

Of these distinguished people, some are with us today in the gallery, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, today we stand on the shoulders of giants. Without the dedication and hard work of these people and people like them, education in the North would not be where it is today. Just as they built upon the foundation laid by the many people who came before them, we must continue to build upon their efforts for strong minds and a strong North.

Mr. Speaker, this is our second group of inductees into the Education Hall of Fame. They are truly impressive people who inspire thousands of us to do more, be better and believe in ourselves.

Healthy, educated people is one of the goals of this Assembly, and I hope all Members of this Assembly will join me in honouring the inductees in the Education Hall of Fame and thank them for dedicating their life’s work to the students of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho.

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

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the NWT Water Stewardship Strategy Action Plan. The action plan outlines how the Water Stewardship Strategy will be implemented and reflects the needs and interests of NWT residents. Implementing the plan will address this Assembly’s priority to ensure an environment that sustains present and future generations and protects our water supply and quality.

The action plan builds upon the multi-year, multi-million dollar Water Stewardship Strategy, and is the result of multiple water partner meetings, public input and multi-agency workshops. It represents the interests of the GNWT, Aboriginal governments, environmental non-government organizations, regulatory bodies, industry, federal government departments, NWT residents and interested parties across the North.

The action plan was developed by the GNWT, the Government of Canada and the Aboriginal Steering Committee, with active input from NWT residents. Water partners worked with Aboriginal governments to ensure Aboriginal and treaty rights as well as spiritual and cultural values are well respected. Both scientific and traditional knowledge continue to play a crucial role in informing decision-making and water stewardship by all users and regulators of water in the Northwest Territories.

The action plan identifies the key components central to the successful implementation of the strategy such as transboundary water agreement negotiations, community-based monitoring and a collaborative partnership approach to all implementation.

Mr. Speaker, the successful implementation is contingent on water partners working together. Many of the strategy’s actions address the means to routinely share information and work together with multiple agencies to plan priority actions and establish partnerships. Our partnerships with Aboriginal governments and the Government of Canada will ensure ongoing dialogue, and interagency collaboration continues to benefit all water partners.

Protecting our territorial waters remains a strong priority for this government. The action plan outlines the actions we will take to maintain and sustain our watersheds for the benefit of current and future generations. Development activities have the potential to alter the equality, the quantity and the timing of water flow. These changes can affect aquatic ecosystem health and, as a consequence, affect how we can rely on these water sources.

With increased pressure on our water resources being felt from both within the Northwest Territories and upstream in Alberta and British Columbia, we must ensure our rich natural resources are protected. It also requires a willingness at the political level to make change.

We believe the Water Stewardship Strategy and this action plan represent such a change. The collaborative, inclusive approach we’ve used to develop these initiatives should be seen as a model for how we, as a government, plan on managing water and land resources when responsibility is devolved.

The action plan will address a number of issues including the rapid pace of oilsands and hydroelectric development in the upstream reaches of the Mackenzie River Basin. It will also serve as a foundation as we continue negotiations on a bilateral transboundary water agreement with Alberta.

During the past fiscal year this government has helped form the Slave River and Delta Partnership that includes the GNWT and 15 different organizations as water partners working towards a community-based water quality and fish monitoring program. An expert was also contracted to assist in developing a source water protection model that will assist all communities in the NWT in developing their own personalized plan.

As water partners we must continue to show strong leadership in water stewardship to ensure the sustainable use of this valuable resource. Decisions on how the waters within our watersheds are used have the potential to affect many ecosystems. With this action plan, we can develop and execute sound and effective water management policies. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The time has come again where representatives from Statistics Canada have fanned out across the

Northwest Territories to complete the national census.

The Government of Canada is required to conduct a census of the population every five years. Historically, the census has been composed of two mandatory parts. The “short form” questionnaire which includes questions on a number of people in the dwelling, their age and gender, and information on languages, and the “long form” questionnaire which looked at more detailed subject areas such as Aboriginal identity, education, housing and employment. For 2011 the federal government has eliminated the mandatory long form for the census and replaced it with a voluntary survey called the National Household Survey.

It is important that residents of the NWT complete both the census and the National Household Survey for a number of reasons. Many national and territorial programs use population estimates based on the census to distribute funding, including the territorial financing formula. Since each person counted in the NWT yields approximately $28,000 per person per year from the federal government, it is important to all Northerners that every person is counted in the census so that we can continue to deliver programs and services. NWT residents need to ensure that they include all members of their family in the census, including those who are away at school or working in the mines or anyone else staying with them with no regular home.

Completing the National Household Survey is also important as it helps us understand how our communities are doing with respect to education levels, employment patterns, housing conditions and income. These statistics are the foundation for community planning, monitoring programs, developing policies and identifying emerging issues.

I want to take this opportunity to encourage all residents of the Northwest Territories to complete both the census and the National Household Survey, and I ask my colleagues to promote this important initiative in their constituencies.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people of the Northwest Territories for participating in the census and the National Household Survey. These important sources of community information would not be available without the cooperation and goodwill of our residents.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On May 12th , during question period, I

indicated that I would share with committee the report and recommendations, and I will do that on a confidential basis. I am prevented legally from sharing the report. Subsection 15(4) of the Evidence Act prevents any person with whom the report is shared from disclosing it unless it is for the purpose of medical research or medical education. It can also be shared for the purpose of other quality assurance committee activities which are carried out by quality assurance committees.

I wish to clarify that, as I stated previously, I will provide Standing Committee on Social Programs with any recommendations that result from the review of the incident and that I will also share those recommendations with Mrs. Leishman.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent of this House to proceed and advance to recognition of visitors in the gallery under today’s agenda item number five.

---Unanimous consent granted

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to highlight the inductees for 2011 Education Hall of Fame that are here with us: Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Lucy Lafferty, Ed Jeske, Margaret Field, Dorothy Beaulieu and Garth Brasseur. Congratulations.

[English translation not provided.]

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

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize constituents of mine in the gallery today: Mrs. Dorothy Beaulieu and Mr. Angus Beaulieu, her husband.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour today to recognize Mandy Day, part of the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre in Inuvik.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize the Grade 5 class from Sissons that’s here today in the gallery and has been visiting the Assembly. The students who are visiting us here today are: Kienan Ashton, Aliya Aumond, Nicolas Bennett, Grace Clark, Sophie Clark, Daniel Enge, Noah Hache, Delilah Hashi, Sean Irwin, Jack Panayi, Jacob Schubert, Lauren Seabrook, Jesper Sorensen, Niva Stephenson, Sarah Taggart-Miles, Anne Thomas, Elizabeth Thomas, and their teacher, Monique Marinier.

Finally, I would also like to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, a worthy recipient of today’s Education Hall of Fame Award, and of course the lovely Ms. Vivian Squires, executive director of the YK Seniors’ Society.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to stand today and recognize Ms. Tina McNeill from the Uncle Gabe’s Friendship Centre in Fort Smith.

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