Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, one of the key goals of the 16th Assembly is having a diversified

economy that provides opportunities and choices for our residents. I believe this Assembly has made tangible progress toward that goal.

The past few years have been challenging. Our territory did not emerge unscathed from the global economic recession. However, we are recovering from the recession, and although our economy faces challenges, we know these challenges come with opportunities.

Through the life of the 16th Legislative Assembly,

the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment promoted the development of mineral and energy resources, particularly through the work of the Northwest Territories geoscience office. Over the past four years, in partnership with Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), we provided over $6 million to better understand the Northwest Territories mineral and petroleum resources.

Projects emerged across the territory, which ensured residents reaped these benefits. We have also seen record sales of oil and gas parcels over the last four years.

Mineral development and exploration potential is high. Our diamond mines in the North Slave region continued to hire Northwest Territories residents and support Northwest Territories businesses, facilitated through socio-economic agreements with this government. Just yesterday the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canadian Zinc Corporation signed an agreement on the proposed

Prairie Creek mine that will ensure benefits of development go directly to the community level. We will continue to build Northwest Territories employment at the diamond mines through the Workforce Memorandum of Understanding.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most significant achievements of this government was the development of an updated Diamond Policy Framework. The update demonstrated this government’s efforts to build a sustainable diamond manufacturing industry, and we will continue to work to develop this industry.

Another major accomplishment is the progress made with the Mackenzie Gas Project. Earlier this year the National Energy Board issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. We will continue to engage with the federal government and the proponents to move this important project forward.

More than any other industry, tourism has the greatest potential for sustainable development in just about every area of the territory. The Government of the Northwest Territories has made significant investments to grow this industry during the past four years.

Our government wants all business sectors to flourish and has taken many steps to diversify our economy, support our small businesses, and assist residents and communities to become more sustainable.

Over the past four years the Government of the Northwest Territories has:

• introduced the Support for Entrepreneurs and

Economic Development (SEED). Interest in the policy continues to increase and this year ITI provided $3.6 million in SEED policy contributions.

• approved $100,000 in dedicated annual funding

for the Northwest Territories film industry.

• raised the profile of Northwest Territories art

and artists at Canada’s Northern House at the Vancouver Olympics.

• helped to increase local employment and

provided support to small businesses through annual support for community economic

development officers and Community Futures development corporations.

• launched BizPal in Fort Smith, Hay River, and

Fort Simpson. This on-line service provides entrepreneurs with one-stop access to the information they need to start or expand their businesses.

• ensured the traditional economy stayed strong

in our smaller northern communities by doubling our contribution for the Community Harvesters Assistance Program.

• expanded the Take a Kid Trapping program due

in large part to the support of this government, elders, educators, and Government of the Northwest Territories staff. Over 10,000 youth have enrolled in the program since it began.

• increased fur sales and supported over 700

Northwest Territories trappers a year through the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program. During the past five years trappers have garnered an impressive $5 million in sales.

• dedicated additional programming and funding

to develop community gardens, agriculture infrastructure, and support the harvesting, processing, and marketing of locally produced fish and meat in the Northwest Territories.

• launched a successful awareness campaign in

2010 to promote the Northwest Territories as a place to live and work. “Come Make Your Mark” is still running in partnership with 77 businesses in the private sector.

Mr. Speaker, I am confident the investments made over the course of this government have diversified our economy, provided our residents with opportunities and choices, and helped build sustainable, vibrant communities consistent with the plans of the Government of the Northwest Territories and this Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is committed to enhancing accessibility to post-secondary education for all Northerners. Through a Student Financial Assistance review and the development of northern university options, we continue to strive for a strong, prosperous, educated society.

The primary objective of the Student Financial Assistance program independent review is to determine whether the program benefits adequately support students with rising living costs, how the

program contributes to the government’s objective to develop a healthy educated workforce, and providing skills development and resources to meet the needs of our northern communities.

In May 2011, Members of the Legislative Assembly were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the terms of reference for the review. The department has since completed the request for proposal process and hired an independent consultant to complete the review.

After completing initial research on student financial assistance, the consultant will contact current and previous students, Aboriginal organizations, and various other interested parties to consult on the program. The department has formed a steering committee to lead the project and established a working group to assist the consultants with the review process.

Once the review is complete, final recommendations will be developed for consideration.

Canada’s three northern territories share the same interests with post-secondary opportunities for northern students and what opportunities are available. In June the governments of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut signed a memorandum of understanding to explore various models for northern university development.

An appointed working group examined models from around the world to learn about what other countries have done. Based on this research, the working group is preparing a discussion and options paper for the three territorial governments to review and discuss in the fall.

Our goal is to increase northern students’ access to local university-level programming in the North by building on existing resources. A university model has the potential to build capacity for all Northerners, including First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we move into the last session of the 16th Legislative Assembly, I would like to take

the opportunity to highlight some of the significant progress this Legislature has made toward achieving its goal of an environment that will sustain present and future generations.

During the past four years we developed a Water Stewardship Strategy and Action Plan for the

Northwest Territories. The strategy has been acclaimed by water managers and experts from around the world. Our focus must now shift from planning to implementation. This will include a number of initiatives such as negotiating transboundary water agreements with neighbouring jurisdictions, establishing community-based water monitoring programs, and developing community source-water protection plans in the NWT.

All NWT residents and Members of this Legislature can be very proud of the work we have collectively done to ensure our waters will remain clean, abundant, and productive for all time.

We have developed a new Greenhouse Gas Strategy for the Northwest Territories that will be tabled later today.

The 2011-2015 strategy sets out actions governments, communities, and industry can take to control and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels in the next five years. The Joint Climate Change Committee, made up of Members of Cabinet and Regular Members, was instrumental in guiding our work to meet the challenges and impacts of global climate change.

The continued success of our waste recovery reduction programs highlights our residents’ commitment to our environment. This has been demonstrated by the overwhelming success of the expanded Beverage Container Program and reusable bag programs. We have recycled over 150 million beverage containers since 2005. We have moved away from single-use bags and have made milk containers eligible for a deposit refund. The expansion of these programs is dramatically reducing the amount of litter in our communities and garbage in our landfills.

The 16th Legislative Assembly passed the first

species at risk legislation for the Northwest Territories. It was developed using a cooperative legislative drafting modelto ensure it respected and incorporated provisions in settled land claims agreements, Aboriginal and treaty rights. Implementation is underway and the Species at Risk Committee has identified 29 species for assessment and an assessment schedule for the next five years.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most critical issues we dealt with during the past four years was the decline in our barren-ground caribou herds.

By working together and making tough management decisions, today we have seen increases in the Porcupine and Bluenose-East herds, the Cape Bathurst and Bluenose-West herds have stabilized, and the Bathurst herd may have stabilized. Other herds, the Tuk Peninsula, the Beverly and Ahiak, have yet to recover. But by completing harvest management and implementation plans for the Porcupine herd and

the draft management plans for the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, and Bluenose-East, we are well on our way to establishing plans for all our herds. The efforts of renewable resources boards, Aboriginal governments, communities, and residents allow us to take this vital step in conserving and protecting this valuable resource for current and future generations.

Mr. Speaker, this is the most environmentally conscious Legislature in the history of the Northwest Territories. Many communities, businesses, and residents are taking advantage of the energy efficiency and alternative energy technology programs and services available through the Arctic Energy Alliance and our government. Biomass, solar, and wind are all being used to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Recent research on mini-hydro, wind, and geothermal energy sources indicate these could be viable alternative energy sources for some communities and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, during the past four years we have embarked on efforts to review and update our forest management policies and legislation.

Recommendations from a recent wildfire program review are being implemented with communities to ensure the program is addressing the needs of communities and residents, particularly in determining the values at risk and the value placed on wildlife habitat. In addition, wildfire protection plans have either been completed or will be completed this year for all communities in the forested areas of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the highlights of the past four years. We have seen progress in a number of areas including energy and climate change, governance, wildlife and forest management, the Protected Areas Strategy, waste reduction and reuse, and water stewardship.

During the life of this 16th Legislative Assembly

we’ve learned how important it is for all Northerners to work together to deal with the important issues facing us.

The progress made to date could only have been accomplished by working with our many partners and forging collaborative and cooperative relationships with Aboriginal governments and organizations, renewable resource boards, communities, industry, academic institutions and, of course, residents.

As a department, Environment and Natural Resources has employees in almost every community. These men and women are very passionate about their work, about conserving and protecting our natural environment, and about working with communities and organizations. I would like to thank them for their unwavering dedication and hard work over the past four years.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Members of this Assembly. Your advice, recommendations, questions and suggestions have helped us make sure our environment will sustain present and future generations.

Conserving and protecting our environment is a shared responsibility and it is encouraging to know that so many organizations and people are accepting and acting on this responsibility.

The progress made through the collaborative and cooperative management approach we have used with our many partners provides a solid foundation for the work of the 17th Legislative Assembly.

Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the May sitting Regular Members made it very clear to the government that summer students are a priority to us. While I’m interested to hear the number of students the government was able to hire this year, I’m even more interested to hear what, if any, lessons were learned so that we can make improvements for the next year’s wave of summer students looking for employment.

Mr. Speaker, improvements are clearly needed, not glossy reports or strategic documents, but real-life practical improvements to the practices and hiring procedures, because I still hear stories that some departments are ignoring candidates who are studying relevant programs and instead they are in favour of hiring students because they feel like it, who don’t study relevant programs. It now begs the question: what’s the point of having Human Resources responsible if the department just ignores what HR does by them trying to help?

Mr. Speaker, to date I don’t see any plans to ensure that we’ve figured out how to organize early hiring, how to identify jobs early, and how to get this organized so students know what’s going on. I know it’s been a long time since many of us were summer students looking for work and, Mr. Speaker, it’s been a long time for many of us in this building, and I think that people have a tendency of forgetting what’s important when you’re a summer student. I think our Members have to remember that these are important jobs and these students are very anxious for these opportunities. So they’re waiting for phone calls, but yet nothing comes. They’re waiting for direction and hope, but yet nothing comes.

Our government is ignoring a huge opportunity: our young future workforce. So here’s an idea: what about taking all of the bilingual students and using their efforts to help improve service delivery? We often hear about how important languages are. Well, why aren’t we taking advantage of our bilingual students? What about helping students with their job search skills, which is real-world networking and tailoring skills for their resumes that need to be done? But right now the Government of the Northwest Territories discourages that practice. So they say just put all your resumes into a pool and we’ll figure it out from there.

There are real practical solutions out there and I certainly hope that Human Resources does a huge review at the end of this summer student season to ask themselves are we doing this the best way possible. I can tell you, I don’t think we are at this time.

So the summer students will be going soon and they will be back next year looking for opportunity. So let us not treat our young students, who will be the workforce of tomorrow, so badly, and let’s give them the best experience and opportunity they so rightly deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve been in the Legislative Assembly for the past eight years and throughout the years there are programs and services that continue to be front and centre in our work. For example, the ever pressing matters of housing, education, and health seem to be the core ones.

Today I’d like to speak about the access to appropriate health care assessment in our health centres.

Too many of my people have been diagnosed with cancer in my region. Something is not right, Mr. Speaker. In the Sahtu we have four health centres and one nursing station. At these health centres we are limited to the type of assessments that can be done, even more restrictive to the care at our nursing station in Colville.

You would think that with the number of people in my region recently being diagnosed with cancer and other related terminal diseases, there would be a shift in the Health department to begin the early detection of cancer, or have a policy in place to send people out to Yellowknife or Edmonton for assessments when the nurse does not know what’s going on with that person. Usually it’s too late, far too late for the families.

Mr. Speaker, in our health centres we are not yet at the same level of other health care in other regions. We can only go so far with programs and services. I’m often told why didn’t the health centre send this person out or do a more thorough check. Some are told to take Tylenol or aspirin, or simply because symptoms of their living are directly related to drinking or smoking too much or whatever. It’s like taking your car to the garage and a mechanic saying you’re driving too much or using too much oil without really checking it. Our health centres are only as good as the tools and resources we provide them.

You see, whether in Yellowknife or in Colville Lake or in Fort Good Hope, we should be treated equal and have equal access to health care. No more, no less.

Mr. Speaker...

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for your Member’s statements has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Health costs continue to rise, meaning that it will come to a point where money to maintain it will be a serious question in the North and the future Legislative Assembly.

With so many changes to our diet, changes to our water, and changes to our lifestyle, we are seeing a real need to provide health care workers and our people with early detection programs start assessing our people right now for cancer.

I will ask the Minister later on what types of programs are in place to start saving lives in our communities. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to once again stress the need for daycare and preschool programs along with the facilities to operate these programs in Tu Nedhe.

In Lutselk’e there are many parents who wish to work but because there is no daycare, they have no choice but to stay at home. There are also times when parents had to give up jobs because they had difficulty finding a sitter for their children.

As for children who have no preschool experience, they start kindergarten not being school ready. This is a fact and in the screening process for school readiness for instruction in school environment, a lot of children fall way below the necessary basic

literacy and math skills. These children would benefit tremendously from daycare and preschool.

A preschool prepares children for primary school and teaches these children socialization skills, interaction skills, motor skills such as to dress themselves and tie their own shoes. It teaches them how to recognize colours, learn their ABCs and numbers. These skills make the transition from preschool to kindergarten a lot easier.

Some children have none of these skills upon entering kindergarten, and when this is the case, it becomes a conflict with the teacher who has to juggle between concentrating on pre-ready and non-ready students. It can also become very frustrating in different areas for the children themselves who do not have the benefits of preschool.

Although Fort Resolution presently has a daycare preschool program, the facility, staff, and funding in place can only accommodate eight preschoolers. There are currently 16 children on the waiting list in order to accommodate a total of 24 children. There is a definite need for a larger facility, more staff, and more government funding. Fort Resolution could use at least one more preschool teacher and possibly a daycare worker.

Good support for daycare and preschool will assist students to enter kindergarten on a more positive note and these students will benefit from the programs right through high school. Not long ago I read a story about families in the suburbs of Vancouver who believe in having their children in preschool, and that they would drive across the city for three hours to get their children into preschool. Along with the extra four-hour drive they spend their day travelling to the preschool...

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

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Along with the extra four hours a day they spend on travel to get their children to and from preschool, they would even pay up to $1,200 a month to have their children attend preschool.

I believe this government has made a commitment to increase high school graduates. Let’s start at preschool and I’m sure the benefits will be there in the future.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last couple of years I and some of my colleagues have worked hard to highlight to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and his department the significant advantages supporting a home-grown film industry will bring to the Northwest Territories. I believe that this multi-million dollar industry is good for the people of the NWT in many ways.

First, it employs a significant number of Northerners, and with support will potentially employ more.

Second, film and media produced and developed by our talented Northerners highlights the cultural diversity and unique aspects of our great territory: the people, the places, the events, and our environment; all things we should be very proud of.

Third, it helps circulate money throughout the Northwest Territories as film and media producers travel to different locations within our territory and engage other small local businesses for assistance in their productions.

Fourth, it creates an awareness of the territory as a whole. It makes the realities of the Northwest Territories accessible to all people, both inside and outside of the Northwest Territories, and both within Canada and around the world. Clearly, this industry is and should be a real and sustainable portion of our economy.

I was very pleased on July 18, 2011, when the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment announced that his department, recognizing that the filming industry has become one of the territory’s most promising sectors, has restructured the Film Commission to provide support to the NWT film industry to better serve aspiring northern filmmakers. In addition, the department announced that $100,000 in new dedicated annual funding has been made available to NWT film industry projects. It’s clear that the Minister was listening to the industry. This is a great first step, and I thank the Minister and his department for their hard work and dedication.

Recently I was talking to a filmmaker who indicated that he has been working closely with the newly organized, efficient, and very helpful Film Commission that is helping to put Yellowknife and the NWT on the map as a place where high-level, professional, and economically rewarding film production can happen. Clearly, the northern-grown film industry, with government help, is going in a positive direction.

I would like to once again thank the Minister for his support on this file and hopefully this kind of open-mindedness can be seen within other sectors like

agriculture and biomass production in the territory in our future.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we are all aware, there is a major proposed amendment to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and again the process seems to be driven from outside in, from the big boys in Ottawa. Again the legislation, regarding the drafting of legislation, was done by land claims organizations in the Northwest Territories along with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government to come up with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act made in the North, for the North, and designed for the North.

Just reviewing the information that I’ve had access to, I believe that the changes will very much undermine the intent of the drafting that took place, especially in the area of duty to consult, as we heard from a lot of small communities, whether it’s Trout Lake or the Aboriginal organizations not being consulted, especially when it comes to the changes and the developments that are taking place in northern Canada.

The duty to consult is clear. The Aboriginal consultation recommendation, under guidelines of the federal officials, fulfill duties to consult and recognize that there’s a need for policies that need to be working and also through regulatory boards in northern Canada to work with First Nations governments to ensure that takes place.

I think it’s important to realize that the Government of the Northwest Territories, who seem to be now in the driver’s seat, is now suggesting their own changes in regard to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act without even consulting Members on this side of the House on what those changes are going to be, more importantly how they will affect our constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories.

I believe that the Government of the Northwest Territories has to fulfill its obligation to consult, but more importantly, understand that we have rural and remote communities that don’t have the resources to fully participate in the regulatory systems in the Northwest Territories, and we have the right to accommodate, regardless through financial means or allowing them access to legal advisors and people that understand the legislation, and to ensure that their rights and communities are

protected socially, economically, and culturally by these developments that are going to take place.

At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister questions in regard to where the government is coming from on the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

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