Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, the new public housing rent scale is scheduled to be implemented on July 1, 2012. We recognize the changes we are making are significant and there will be an adjustment period for all tenants.

As you know, there have been concerns expressed about the impact of the changes on seniors who reside without others in the house and often live on fixed income. These seniors have been paying zero rent under the old rent scale, but were to pay between $70 and $80 minimum rent using the new rent scale.

In recognition of the concerns that have been expressed, I am instructing the NWT Housing Corporation to implement an approach where seniors that live without other adults in their home would have the rent increase resulting from the new rent scales phased in over a two-year period.

The new rent scales will proceed as planned on July 1, 2012. However, for those seniors that reside in public housing that were paying zero in the past, 50 percent of any rent increase will be in effect on September 1, 2012, and the full impact of any rental increase won’t come into effect until July 1, 2013.

Mr. Speaker, the new rent scale has many benefits for residents of the Northwest Territories. The approach makes public housing rent simpler, more predictable and fairer, and addresses the long-standing concern over the disincentive to work. I am pleased that we will be implementing this change that will benefit so many NWT households on July 1, 2012. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Public Works and Services’ efforts to achieve our government’s energy conservation goals are paying off. Through energy conservation programs and initiatives, we are reducing our government’s greenhouse gas emissions, achieving considerable cost savings and reducing our dependency on fuel oil. These initiatives are key to effective and efficient government, and protect our environment so it will sustain present and future generations. Energy conservation isn’t a single program or initiative. It is our normal way of doing business. It affects every department in our government and it is having real results.

The Capital Asset Retrofit Fund program is one of the PWS-managed energy conservation programs that is having great success. Through this program, we focus on reducing operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions by assessing government facilities and identifying the buildings that are best suited for energy saving retrofits and upgrades.

Our energy conservation initiatives have eliminated the need for six million litres of heating oil. In the past five years, this saved the government $2.65 million and reduced our government’s greenhouse gas emissions by 16,600 tonnes. Since utility funding was consolidated in Public Works and Services in 2010-11, our energy conservation initiatives have saved the government $654,000 in ongoing utility costs each year.

Our early estimates from last year’s energy conservation initiatives show that we could generate an additional half million dollars in ongoing annual utility cost savings. This could bring the estimated utility savings for the past two years to $1.204 million. The cumulative reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could reach 25,156 tonnes by the end of the 2012 year.

A few examples of our highly successful energy projects currently in service would be:• lighting system improvements for the Deh Gah

School in Fort Providence;• a new biomass hearing system for Chief Jimmy

Bruneau School in Behchoko;• an energy-efficient lighting retrofit for the

Grandfather Ayha School in Deline; and• an energy-efficient lighting retrofit and a building

envelope upgrade completed for the nurses residence in Inuvik.

Alternative energy solutions are also being incorporated in the renovation and construction of buildings as part of Public Works and Services’ design considerations. The renovations for Ecole St. Joseph School included a $250,000 investment in biomass heating. The GNWT will be investing over $1.5 million in alternative energy heating solutions as part of new capital projects like the health centre in Hay River.

While the cost savings are impressive, the savings realized are now directly funding other energy-efficient projects starting in 2012-13. This is the first step towards making the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund a self-sustaining government program this year.

Thanks in part to the ongoing support of this Assembly, the GNWT has become a leader in energy conservation.

Mr. Speaker, program monitoring along with the sharing of best practices with other jurisdictions, the private sector and our residents is very important in demonstrating leadership in the GNWT’s energy conservation efforts. To that end, the department has finished publishing its second annual Energy Conservation Projects Report, which I will be tabling later today.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT is experiencing hot, dry conditions and the forests across most of the NWT are critically dry. The fire danger ratings in the North Slave, South Slave and Deh Cho regions are at high or extreme and the NWT is in the midst of an early fire season. We have had increased fire activity over the past week and are presently dealing with a number of problematic wildfires within these regions.

The long-term seasonal temperature outlook from Environment Canada for June, July and August continues to project above seasonal temperatures for most of the NWT. Precipitation is forecast to be below seasonal for the same period.

Should weather patterns remain at seasonal or above seasonal conditions as indicated by Environment Canada, we can expect to experience a very difficult fire season. Municipalities have already had to enact fire bans in Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith. In addition, Industry, Tourism and Investment had to impose a “No Open Fires” policy in Prelude Lake, Reid Lake, Fred Henne and Yellowknife River Park territorial parks. Campers have been asked not to light open campfires until conditions improve.

Activities to ensure that ENR is prepared for the 2012 forest fire season have been underway since fall 2012. Operational manuals and forms are up to date, standing offer agreements for aviation short-term needs have been signed, crew contracts are in place and seasonal/casual hiring is complete. Facility maintenance activities for air tanker bases, fuel systems, the lightning detection network, the automatic fire weather station network and radio communications have been undertaken. In addition, aircraft and crews were brought on early because of the fire hazard.

ENR is prepared to respond immediately should wildland fire become a concern. Available personnel, aircraft and support resources have been identified and are ready for mobilization.

The department continues to monitor daily environmental conditions and is ensuring that risk mitigation measures have been identified and are ready. As appropriate, the department is providing advice on proposed activities which may pose a fire management risk in and around communities. ENR is also in discussions with Municipal and Community Affairs and local fire authorities regarding local preparedness for wildfires.

At this point, conditions point to a prolonged and difficult forest fire season. While we have done our level best to ensure we are as prepared as possible, we are still at the mercy of the weather. With this in mind, I would ask that all residents avoid using open fires wherever possible and make sure any fires are completely extinguished before they leave. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The 17

th Legislative Assembly set a goal of

achieving sustainable, vibrant and safe communities. Today I would like to take a moment to recognize personal safety on our roads and waterways.

The Department of Transportation consistently works to raise public awareness of safety issues.

Now that summer is here again, it is important to keep these safety messages in mind.

Cyclists need to wear helmets and follow the rules of the road. When enjoying water activities, wearing lifejackets and keeping mandatory safety equipment on board can save your life. When riding ATVs, proper helmets and driving at a reasonable speed are key to a safe ride.

When it comes to our roads, public education can foster change in driving behaviour. To that end, the Department of Transportation continues to promote safety through the Drive Alive program. Distracted driving is a key issue on our roads these days, and on January 1

st of this year, legislative amendments

came into effect prohibiting the use of hand-held electronic devices while driving in the Northwest Territories. Driving deserves our full attention at all times.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has reason to be proud of its contribution to Canadian road safety, as our record of zero fatalities on roads and trails has entered its eighteenth month. This is an important achievement and I encourage residents to continue this safety record into the summer and beyond.

A key factor that has helped us reach our zero fatality record is the use of seatbelts. We all know that seatbelts can prevent injury in a sudden stop or collision. In fact, you are 13 times more likely to die in a collision if you are not wearing your seatbelt. Buckle Up NWT, a seatbelt awareness and enforcement campaign, is underway to increase the number of NWT residents who always wear their seatbelts.

Further to this, the department has partnered with the NWT Association of Fire Chiefs and community governments. The department and enforcement agencies will be monitoring seatbelt use in each NWT community until May 2013. The location with the highest rate of usage will win a local concert with Aboriginal artist Ms. Leela Gilday in June 2013. The winning location will also receive $5,000 for the fire department that serves that community. So I encourage all residents to buckle up and I look forward to announcing the successful community next spring.

With the construction season getting into full swing, I remind everyone to please obey all signs, drive defensively and slow down when crossing through road construction sites. Remember speeding fines double in construction zones.

Finally, when travelling on the highway, remember to be on the lookout for wildlife. Collisions with moose, deer and especially bison can be fatal. Slow down at dusk and dawn when visibility is low and drive slowly around animals or wait for them to pass.

On behalf of the Department of Transportation, I remind all residents to make healthy and safe choices on our roads, trails and waterways and wish everyone a safe and happy summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, corrections staff are committed to manage offenders in the least restrictive manner possible, provide opportunities for culturally relevant rehabilitation and be leaders in progressive and holistic healing.

These extremely dedicated staff members work in conditions that are challenging and emotionally draining. They have committed to multiple years of training to make a difference in the workplace and influence the lives of the young people in their charge.

I recently joined a group of our corrections youth officers and employees at the North Slave Young Offenders Facility as they celebrated their graduation from the Healing and Learning Together, or HALT, program.

Effective and efficient government is one of our goals. Mr. Speaker, oftentimes small changes improve our systems and result in more effective programs. For the North Slave Young Offenders Facility, we’ve seen real changes through the HALT program training.

During the graduation, I heard employee after employee mention how the skills they had been taught over the years improved their work habits and their personal relationships as well. As Damien Ramm said, correctional officers have to deal with stress on a daily basis. This can lead to health issues, conflicts at home and an unstable environment to rehabilitate offenders. The skills he learned through his training with HALT have really helped him. By passing those skills on to the youth he works with, he helps them to become contributing citizens back at their home communities.

Staff members also told the group they have seen positive changes over the four years the program has been running. Youth offenders are now being managed in ways that emulate our vision and mission, in the least restrictive way possible and with the purpose of reintegration in mind at all times. Youth Officer Shari Manyika pointed out her training has given her the tools she needs to successfully deal with the increasingly violent offenders who are coming into the facility. Two of

our long-term workers, Tanya Ashley and Hiedi Yardley, who have worked both before and after the introduction of HALT training, feel youth at the facility have had direct benefits from the new approach by staff. Youth now are learning how to be internally motivated, think for themselves and have coping skills that don’t involve substances.

These are powerful words from the front-line workers, progressive, innovative and effective.

Mr. Speaker, we will be continuing this valuable training and approach at the North Slave Young Officers Facility and the department will be looking at ways that we can expand the HALT program to our other facilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the House was once again witness to another announcement of more money being required by the Department of Transportation and its Minister for the sinkhole we all know as the Deh Cho Bridge.

Many MLAs and many more residents of the NWT are extremely perplexed on how this department and its Ministers cannot seem to complete large-scale projects on time and on budget.

Moreover, it seems this time the department had to negotiate an agreement-in-principle within an already negotiated contract price in order to get the work done. I’m not sure if many people picked up on that but, Mr. Speaker, this is absolutely absurd.

The Minister and department claim they had few options as the work has fallen behind schedule and the opening of the bridge this fall was in jeopardy. Excuse me, Mr. Speaker, but isn’t this what negotiated contract pricing clearly defines when both parties sign a contract? Furthermore, what about the concept of holdbacks? As the client, why aren’t these options being leveraged and exercised?

They’re not, Mr. Speaker, because this government is trying to save face with the general public in committing to a November 2012 opening at all costs and our current contractor knows this, hence the so-called, “Pony up, GNWT, if you want to see your bridge built this year.”

It’s painfully obvious that this government is clearly setting a pattern of concern in how it deals with cost overruns for large-scale projects and negotiated contracts. It’s only a matter of time when this

Member will bring further examples into this House that will prove this point once again.

So to all of you 41,462 men, women and children in the Northwest Territories, the Minister of Transportation just asked you for another $241.18 each this week to make him look good. But don’t worry, this pales in comparison to the final bill you’ll get under your door when you see your invoice for just under $8,900. No, the GNWT does not take PayPal.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today: I’ve encountered an Aurora College policy which causes me grave concern. A student at Aurora College Yellowknife Campus in the third year of their program, one who is achieving excellent marks and doing very well, has run into a housing policy which I believe, quite frankly, is discriminatory.

My constituent has been subjected to unfair treatment and inconsistencies in regard to how the housing policy is applied and to its lack of timely and personal responses to all inquiries and appeals. There are many inconsistencies between the Aurora College housing policy and the actual application of that policy. The policy is lacking in clear definitions and often contradicts other GNWT generally accepted policies; the GNWT Affirmative Action Policy, for instance.

Unlike other learning institutions across Canada where students are treated on a first-come, first-served basis, the Aurora College housing policy is written to specifically exclude local students from Aurora College housing without any consideration for the student’s financial situation and whether they are a local resident or not. Why is household income not part of the student accommodation evaluation procedures criteria? Why is it not a consideration as an extenuating circumstance?

The Aurora College housing policy unfairly affects all students, not only in Yellowknife but in Inuvik and Fort Smith as well. Why do we expect local students to be able to afford market rent housing when we don’t have the same expectations of non-local students?

To quote my constituent, “The policy states that Aurora College is committed to providing an equitable process for allocating student accommodations. From the perspective of a born and raised northern student enrolled in a northern program funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories, this would seem to be untrue.”

I appreciate that housing cannot be supplied to every student, but to deny Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife residents even the chance to apply for housing in their community is unfair. The response from the college to my constituent’s appeal freely admits that the policy is lacking. That letter said, “The change in policy does not meet all students’ needs, but we are required to follow the policy.” That tells me that there’s a recognition that the policy is not working but there is no will to act to correct it. An organization that recognizes a gap, as indicated in the above letter, should be acting to fill that gap and provide equal opportunity for all.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all our communities we’re seeing the happy faces of high school graduates. Across the territory there will be about 400 grads. I’m especially proud of the graduates in Deh Cho communities.

Graduation rates are increasing but we still lag behind the rest of Canada, especially in our small communities. Even so, there are more opportunities than ever as technology and communications have improved so much in remote communities.

It is a big step in our lives to go to college or university. Many students may feel that it’s too expensive, but it is an investment that pays off long into the future. We don’t often mention the life experiences that you will get or the lifelong friendships that you will likely make.

The Northwest Territories has one of the most generous student financial assistance packages in the country, with grants and forgivable loans. There are hundreds more scholarships available through band councils, community organizations, industry and the schools themselves. It is true that finding and applying for these grants takes a little bit of time and effort, just as it does to get high marks in school. Almost all jobs with competitive wages and benefits require further study after high school. Those who don’t finish high school or go further, run the risk of staying in low-paying jobs in sectors where they never find fulfillment or reach their potential.

To all graduates, I would say you can accomplish anything if you put your mind to it. If you are afraid or stepping out into an expensive field of study you may not enjoy, or if you have taken that risk and it didn’t work out, don’t be discouraged. You will learn valuable lessons about yourself and your future along the way. You’ll probably come away with much more than you expected. That is how life is when you make decisions for yourself. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, wish to speak to the Deh Cho Bridge concern and issue. Yesterday we heard the Minister speak in his Minister’s statement regarding an agreement that they’ve reached that could run us up to a capped $10 million. What stood out specifically for me was they’re confident that both parties are committed to the success of this project. Of course, I’m more confident that Ruskin has figured out how to keep draining more money out of the GNWT coffers and the territorial government continues to roll over. If I may coin it in a typical sense of partnership, I would call this more of an abusive relationship than certainly a partnership.

Quite frankly, what happened to the fixed contract we were told time and time and time again? How many more figurative RSVPs will be told and sent out into our mailboxes that we’ll be getting ready for? Will the opening date be pushed back one more year? Besides, how much more money will it cost taxpayers?

I remember one Member on this side of the House many years ago constantly talked about who is going to pay, who is going take responsibility for this particular project. It’s gone from $140 million to $160 million to $180 million. Now it’s well over $200 million.

All I hear about now on the street is, as the old slogan used to go, between a rock and a hard place. Well, people are now saying, well, I hate to be between a bridge and a hard place. Frankly, the citizens are getting tired of this. I’m getting tired of being held hostage to this particular project. How much more money does it continue to cost the taxpayers?

I’ve been a strong proponent of this particular project from the beginning because I believe in the concept. It’s the management. I’d like the Department of Transportation to stop negotiating with a blank cheque that’s sitting in the hands of Ruskin waiting for them to fill in the number.

Enforcement clauses were always written into all contracts, but apparently for this Deh Cho Bridge contract they must have been written in invisible ink. What happened to the day when a contract was a contract? I look forward to that being finally satisfied. To be frank, we’re spending a lot of time, energy and money on this particular project and now the biggest critic is the champion. We need to see results on this. How much more money will it cost the taxpayers?

I will have questions later today to get to the bottom of some of this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. While there are many important looming issues in the North, I’d like to speak about the community of Fort Liard. They are having a graduation today. They are celebrating the achievements of four students who are graduating from the Echo-Dene School there: Ms. Camille Bertrand, Ms. Monica Berreault, Ms. Ivy-Lynn Marcellais, and I am especially pleased to acknowledge my nephew Mr. Trye Timbre, who is among those finishing high school this year.

---Applause

Thank you, colleagues. He’s a lucky man to be able to take not one but three young ladies to his grad.

Congratulations, graduates. You can truly be proud of your hard work and perseverance. That is what got them here today.

The theme for their grad this year is black and white, and it’s a good one. Black and white creates definition and impact, contrast and absolutes. The world relies on black and white. It makes the words stand out on a page and notes stand out on a sheet of music, and we know just how powerful those things, words and music, can be. Pianos have black and white keys. In combination, they also create harmony.

Every year our world, our territory and our communities become more complex. The decisions our graduates and their fellow students make will be more sophisticated than the ones made by previous generations. More and more we live in a world where so many people seem to have lost sight of what is right and wrong, but in traditional culture there were absolutes that helped our people live in harmony and respect with one another and with nature. I encourage our young people to look to the wisdom of the elders and spiritual leaders for help with the decisions they face as they venture out into the world.

In TV and photography, black and white images were the precursors of extraordinary things, things previous generations couldn’t even imagine. We all know it’s a challenge for our youth in our small communities to stay in school.

As the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Nahendeh, I would like to congratulate once again Camille, Monica, Ivy-Lynn and Trye and all graduates in my riding. I want to recognize the support of the families, school staff and all the

volunteers that work in the school for encouraging our youth. They have what it takes to make a difference in this world. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are about nine months into this government here, and in that nine months I have heard a lot of concerns, a lot of asks and a lot of community concerns from this side of the table. All my colleagues have heard of Highway No. 7 quite a bit. I have heard access roads to gravel sources so the roads in the communities can be maintained. I have heard schools that need washrooms, who need new schools. Some communities haven’t had a school retrofit for a long time. Myself, we are looking at getting a child development centre. If it’s not done, two-thirds of the kids who are accessing that school are going to lose out this year.

I just read in the news that Colville Lake’s airport runway just got washed out yet again. However, we are going to have to tell these communities that we are going to have to put these back on the backburner. Why? Because of the continuing saga of the Deh Cho Bridge.

It is something that we have been dealing with for a long time. Up until yesterday, up until the Minister gave his statement in the House and all the media reports that I have heard on the news this morning, I didn’t feel the frustrations until yesterday that all Regular Members past and present feel about this project. The mismanagement of funds, signing off on a project that wasn’t even complete with the planning process, for it to go ahead and yet now we are paying for those prices again. It has even bankrupted a southern company. It removed one of our Aboriginal groups out of the process. It is just continuing.

I believe, being new to this government, this is the third time that this government is coming back into this House asking for more money. I am not sure when it is going to stop. I do sure hope that this is the last time it’s going to stop, because there are too many concerns from our communities.

I haven’t heard the concerns from my colleagues across the floor, their concerns for their communities, the projects that they need, but I am sure there are some. Like I said, we are going to have to put that back on the backburner because of the money that we are continuing to put on the capital projects such as the Deh Cho Bridge.

I would like to see this project completed so that we can start focusing more on our small communities,

our communities where we can start putting projects and money for the buildings. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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