The process of appointing a new board is going to start immediately. We are looking at the governance. In 2011 we had a report done by a consultant. The conclusion was that the system, as it is, is not sustainable. We are working with a Joint Leadership Council that includes all the chairs and all the boards looking at a sustainable government system first. Once we have a good system that we think that we are comfortable with right across the Territories, we are going to put the board in place. We also recognize that we were

waiting for the CEO to come in. That has happened, so we can start the process. In fact, I’ve had one discussion with one leader about starting that process. We are also possibly looking at if the governments would allow an advisory board and some other structure. But again, I will consult with the four MLAs from the Beaufort-Delta before I start to move on reappointing the board in the Beaufort-Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Short, final supplementary, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, will we see this board in place during our term here?

I hope to have the Beaufort-Delta board in place, whether it be an advisory board or a management board, before the end of this government.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think all Members of this House will agree that teachers are intrinsic to the successful future of our young residents and, indeed, to the future of this territory, and so we need to make sure we take proper care of them. That means providing adequate housing where it is needed.

We are all aware of the multitude of needs in our small communities, and Members constantly press the government to make meaningful investments to help our constituents. An investment in teachers who guide and prepare students to fulfill a productive life is no less meaningful and long overdue. This has also been pointed out repeatedly by the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association.

My first question I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is: What is he doing to work with the NWTTA to ensure our teachers have access to proper accommodation so that we can do a good job for our students?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Our government, obviously, supports the teachers that are out there, the value they bring to our schools and also our communities. We’ve also met with the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, between myself, Minister R.C. McLeod and also Minister Abernethy, to discuss what’s out there, their assessment, their survey that’s been conducted, and I would just like to say thank you to the NWTTA for releasing that information to our government. At least it’s a tool that we need to work

with. I believe that as a partnership we can move forward. We are doing that in collaboration with our partners, the NWTTA, between the three departments, and we want to find a solution. It’s all coming together, so that’s what we’re working on.

Mr. Speaker, I am quite glad the Minister is taking this issue very seriously in his department. I think it’s important for the public to understand exactly how widespread this issue is so that they can support our teachers across the North and to find proper accommodation where need be.

I am wondering if the Minister can provide this House with a bit of a breakdown of the number of teachers sharing accommodation in the territory who would rather be in individual housing. Would the Minister have this type of information here handy today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, this is an area that the NWTTA, again we are working closely with them. The NWT Housing Corporation, Robert C. McLeod is also partnering this. Of course, the NWTTA conducted a survey with its members just recently. Of course, I will be seeking their permission to provide the results of the survey to the Members. At this point in time, we do not collect information on the teachers sharing accommodation. That is information that will be shared between the NWTTA and our community departments. We all know the small communities; there is a shortage of housing. We need to deal with that. How we will deal with that is in partnership and talking about the opportunities. Those are areas that we will continue to discuss among the parties that are here, the three Ministers and the NWTTA, and with the communities as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, it appears that the issue is probably more widespread than we are probably led to believe. As a long-time businessman and someone who is an academic, I know that you can’t do decisions unless you have good information, and to make some good decisions, you need the truth and you need the facts. We need to drill down information, as I just asked earlier here. We need those types of specific information. We need to do that type of research.

I will be asking the Minister here today if he thinks that we should be funding NWTTA a little bit more so they can drill down and provide us more specific research so that we can actually do the type of decision-making that we need to do in the future. Can he provide that degree of funding in the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, we value their survey that was conducted. They shared that information with us. It is to some degree evidence-based that the Member is referring to and has been referred to in the past. We need to use

evidence-based when we come up with various investments into the communities dealing with the housing and other infrastructure as well. Information that was released in a recent survey, again, we are working closely with the NWTTA. We will continue to press that matter. The Housing Minister is also involved in this because we are talking about housing for the Northwest Territories, whether we are professionals, teachers, the social workers and others. We will continue to press that with the communities as well. Committee also needs to work with us because they have the assets and also infrastructure in communities, as well, to work with. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.

Mr. Speaker, what I am hearing today is good news. I’m glad the Minister is taking this seriously.

Finally, I would like to link the work on housing to what we heard in this House before about the education renewal project that the Minister has been undertaking over the last few months. I understand that many people have been involved in the discussions of this project. I am hoping that the NWTTA is one of those partners. In my mind, reviewing the education system in light of the needs of the NWT’s teachers is very worthwhile work. I fully support this initiative. Again, all this is for naught if we can’t ensure our teachers those proper accommodations that they are requesting.

I would like to ask the Minister if he can assure me and the Members of this House that teachers’ housing will be fully addressed in this education renewal initiative and that we will find concrete solutions in the very near future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that is part of our overall plan to find a concrete solution. That is why we are involved in partners such as NWTTA and also into the departmental discussions that we are currently having to find the solution at the community level. We know that teachers’ housing is very, very critical, especially in the small, isolated communities, and adequate housing to stay in the community longer. So that is part of the vision that we’re currently discussing, and to develop a better relationship with their students as well. The longer the teachers are staying in the community, the more beneficial it is for the communities as well.

I will absolutely commit to making an availability of adequate teachers’ housing an important part of this education renewal process. One of the pillars is to deal with the small community schools and the professions at a community level. So, yes, that will be part of the process.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I made a Member’s statement on one of my favourite topics: Highway No. 7. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation about some of the maintenance plans for this summer. I indicated there was a failure at culvert 221, but that’s, I believe once again, because of the age of the highway. I would like to say that the DOT and the contractors – I think it was Rowe’s Construction – have to be commended for acting quickly in the repair of that bridge, but it did reduce the road restrictions.

However, more importantly, my question is about dust control this year. There are 250 trucks being planned for the community of Fort Liard because of the Lone Pine discovery across from Fort Liard. That section from the BC border to Fort Liard is very dusty and I would like to ask the Minister about the dust control program that will have to happen there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the entire length of Highway No. 7 it’s 254 kilometres long. There are going to be nine sections, about 53 kilometres in total that will have the application of calcium chloride and the dust control applied to it. We believe that will greatly enhance safety.

We’re working with industry on a plan for the access road to Liard, and I know the Member mentioned 250 trucks. There’s a possibility of two wells being drilled near the community and it could, in fact, be upward of 700 truckloads going into the community or near the community of Fort Liard. So we’re working on a solution with industry on the access road and the application of calcium chloride there for the community of Fort Liard.

I’m really pleased about the dust control program for the sections and I encourage him to complete them, but there is that 32 kilometres from the BC border right to Fort Liard. I really believe that if the influx of trucking is up to that many as the Minister indicated, 700, we really should consider, and hopefully our winter road program industry is able to assist, I believe that 32 kilometres should have calcium applied to it to manage the dust for the safe travelling, because the residents of Fort Liard utilize that section going to Fort Nelson quite often and almost on a daily basis.

As far as the section from the border to Liard goes, I know there are nine

sections that calcium will be applied. I can get that information for the Member from the distance from the border, the 32 kilometres to Liard.

But the application of calcium chloride will be done near bridge crossings and other areas where it’s possible to pass. So, from a safety perspective, that’s where the application will be applied.

If there is more truck traffic coming out of BC to Fort Liard, this again is something we’re going to have to take a look at, and if more calcium is needed to be applied to that section, that’s something we’ll have to take a look at. Again, I think working with industry, maybe there’s a solution there as well.

I believe that’s the thing, is that there will be a lot of dust. I don’t know if the approaches, like bridges, et cetera, there’s an increased likelihood of accidents there, but I’d surely like to see if perhaps the Minister can meet with industry with the most up-to-date plans and look at possibly some dust control on the entire length of it. I know that that dust is really fine and hangs in the air, and it hangs over that highway system and it really must be addressed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are up to approximately 20 percent of the entire length of Highway No. 7 that we will have some calcification of calcium chloride. Again, we will sit down with industry, and I know the folks we have on the ground in the region are always talking to industry and community leaders down there about working together and trying to come up with solutions. We will continue to do that and hopefully we can have more of Highway No. 7 have that application of calcium chloride for the safety of the travelling public. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.