Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m compelled to use my first statement of this session to speak to an ongoing issue affecting my riding. Only a few weeks ago this government refused a request from the City of Yellowknife for a no-interest loan, a loan that would have been used to assist the residents of Northlands Mobile Home

Park – some 1,100 Frame Lake constituents – to assist them with the replacement of the water and sewer infrastructure in their neighbourhood.

I have spoken many times about this predicament that these Northerners are in, and I really thought that a no- or low-interest loan from the GNWT to the city was a viable solution to this problem. But the government’s response to this suggested solution was an unconditional no.

To say that I was disappointed would be a major understatement, but what was even more disappointing was that our executive simply said no without trying to find other potential solutions. Admittedly, the letter to the city did provide an answer to the direct question, but there was no indication of a willingness on the part of the GNWT to help out at all. There was no attempt to offer a different kind of help or to look for other ways to solve this difficult problem.

One of the reasons given for the refusal was that no policy currently exists to cover the request. That may be so, but if Cabinet had really wanted to help my constituents, they would have considered how to develop a policy that could help them.

We, as MLAs, whether in Cabinet or not, are elected to develop policy and to make laws. That we don’t have a policy for a particular situation has seldom been a problem before now. As long as the government wants to do something, it will happen. The necessary policy to cover the action will be put into place. Stated differently: If the political will is there, a policy can be developed to fix the problem.

My battle with the government to help my constituents is not yet over. I truly believe that there is something that this government can do to help the residents of Northlands. It may not be, nor does it have to be, a loan. It can be program assistance. It can be a policy or a regulation change. It can be a “yes we can” attitude instead of a “no we can’t” attitude.

I am committed to pursuing this issue on behalf of Northlands residents, who are a significant portion of my riding. I only hope that my colleagues across the floor, now that the city’s request has been answered, do not now wash their hands of this problem, that they actively look for something the GNWT can do to help, and that they remain open to considering different solutions when they are presented.

I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A highly unusual Municipal and Community Affairs land swap deal has left the City of Yellowknife and the developer a legacy of problems to sort out and contributed to an unnecessary rise in the cost of new housing in Yellowknife.

Recently, MACA took over the former church property on 49th Street and transferred the Lot 501

block of Commissioner’s land adjacent to the North Slave Correction Centre to Homes North via the city. This without MACA seeking a buyer leave from the City of Yellowknife. The developer took on the property in the expectation of creating a residential subdivision according to the improvement requirements of the day. At the time, the city was transitioning to full cost recovery through development conditions.

Two years later the land swap is nearing completion and the city and the developer are still trying to find compromises that would allow an economic development that meets city requirements for sewer and water, roads, trail and park development and power supply. It has been a difficult negotiation, given the city’s need to see the cost of development paid for by purchase funds and the developer’s need for an economic project.

This should never have happened. MACA met its own needs for land without respecting the city’s need to derive revenue from the land to ensure development standards will be met and costs recovered before lands are provided. Then MACA left the two parties to sort out the most crucial and contentious issues. Had MACA dealt with the city in the first place, a land swap might still have been brokered and the costs of development being clearly stated from the outset.

But what’s the biggest tragedy here? The most unfortunate consequences accrue to our residents seeking reasonably priced housing. Our population is falling. People’s inability to find housing is a crippling, chronic drag on the territorial economy.

So what needs to happen now? MACA needs to recognize its responsibility for the situation they helped create and rejoin the discussions towards a compromise solution. We need to finally provide the city with control over unencumbered Commissioner’s lands within its boundaries.

I would support any move by the City of Yellowknife to gain control over the remaining Commissioner’s land within city boundaries to prevent such end runs happening ever again.

I will be asking the MACA Minister questions on this situation. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The need could not be greater than now for a territorial treatment centre here in the Northwest Territories. As we all know far too well, drugs and alcohol continue to have a profound impact on Northerners’ lives. It’s time for this government to get behind a detox centre, which will help the drug and alcohol problem that many people suffer from.

I’ve come to see the drug and alcohol problem kind of like an iceberg. You know, you can look far off and see the surface of the problem, but you never fully realize the size, the magnitude, what truly lies underneath the surface. I can only work with the information I have, and with that I’m trying to provide a picture that the Minister understands.

I know the Minister likes stats and numbers, so let’s give a few a try. Almost 89 percent of the people in our jails are struggling from addictions; and if he doesn’t believe me, he can nudge the guy on the left of him to ask for the facts on that one. On average, 600 people are hospitalized a year because of health problems related to mental illness, and 58 percent of those are directly related to substance abuse. Again, being a Minister who likes numbers, that’s about 350 people per year.

The rate of addictions in the Northwest Territories dwarfs the rest of Canada. Our smoking rates are twice Canada’s average. Thirty-two percent of our people who drink in the NWT are heavy drinkers, more than twice the national average. Even more shocking is the number of people who say their friendships, social lives, physical health and home life are harmed by their drinking. That applies to one in four of the people that consume alcohol, and they live in our Northwest Territories. In our small communities it’s even worse: 43 percent of the drinkers say that this habit has been consuming their lives.

Alcohol is not the only problem. Forty-one percent of our young people between the age of 15 and 24 are now smoking marijuana. One in four residents of the NWT has been experimenting with cocaine, crack, hallucinogens, ecstasy, speed and even heroin. These facts alone should be calling this government from its sleepy slumber and use it as an act or a message to finally take up arms on this issue.

During question period I will have questions directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services about what this government will finally do on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my great pleasure to recognize a colleague who I haven’t worked with for quite some time, but we still do pass by each other periodically. I’d like to say Mr. Ed Jeske recently had a birthday in January. He has recently turned 85 years young. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize our good friend Mr. Ed Jeske, and accompanying him today, the lovely Vivian Squires. Thank you for coming out. I have one of my constituents here who is no stranger to the Assembly, working here in the past as a constituency assistant, Mrs. Carla Hanvold-Walker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleagues, I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, a Yellowknife senior in the constituency of Yellowknife Centre, and at his side, as always, the true and vigilant, lovely Vivian Squires, and talented, of course. Finally, I’d also like to recognize a good friend. His name is Bill and he’s here with his wife. So that’s Bill and Helen McIntosh. They both hail from Belleville, Ontario. I’d like to welcome them to the Legislature. I believe they’re here visiting family. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Barb Hood, executive director of the NWT Seniors and a resident of Weledeh. Also a tip of the hat to Ed and Vivian. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize my constituency assistant Maia Lepage, who is here doing some business this week and learning the ins and outs of the trade of the Legislative Assembly to make our office back in Inuvik more efficient, proficient and more successful in the work that we do for the people of Inuvik. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize my constituency assistant, Myrtle Graham. She’s also helping me here this week from Hay River West Channel. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to go six for six here for Mr. Ed Jeske, who my favourite arena is named after. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Nadli.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to acknowledge the presence of two Pages from my community: Brandon Constant and Lisa Constant. I’d like to acknowledge them. Brandon and Lisa are both in Grade 9. Brandon likes to play badminton, from just speaking with the principal in Fort Providence, and they both like outdoor on-the-land activities. Both completed the Student Initiative Program in Fallis, Alberta, in November. Both are wonderful youth models, and their parents are Manuel Constant and Vicky Marcellais. So I’d like to welcome them to the Legislature. Mahsi.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to acknowledge and congratulate six Weledeh constituents to be honoured today as recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. Being honoured at the presentation ceremony here in Yellowknife are Weledeh constituents Anthony Whitford, Bobby Drygeese, Barbara Bromley – hi, Mom – Patricia O’Connor and Arlene Hache. Gail Cyr is receiving her medal today at a ceremony in Ottawa. Please join me in celebrating these distinguished citizens and their richly deserved recognition. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Thank you, colleagues. I’d like to go back to recognition of visitors in the gallery.