Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

Mr. Speaker, later today, at the appropriate time, I will be tabling the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy Advisory Panel’s “What We Heard” report.

This report summarizes more than 80 engagements with our territory’s residents, private sector, governments and other stakeholders on the opportunities and challenges that they see for the NWT economy.

The advisory panel’s report documents what people had to say, it includes informed observations based on the perspectives and expertise of individual panel members, and it provides 90 recommendations to guide the drafting of the final Economic Opportunities Strategy.

These recommendations support several messages that the advisory panel has heard:

•

People are essential; we cannot advance our

economy without a growing healthy population.

•

Our resources, including our people, are largely

unrealized.

•

Economic opportunities and development must

be considered according to the benefits that will be provided to the NWT and its people; and

•

We must build our economy from the ground up,

using the local entrepreneurs and community-based businesses that provide the sustainability and growth of our community economies.

Mr. Speaker, our government has a vision of a territory in which a strong economy provides jobs and opportunities for our people and their communities. We are developing and implementing

plans and strategies that will make this vision a reality. Our work is interrelated. Initiatives to develop and sustain our grassroots economy, for instance, will be affected by the Mineral Development Strategy. Economic development is integrated with labour development, as it is with the Land Use and Sustainability Framework and our work to address poverty. Investments in managing our land and environment help us use our resources wisely and sustainably, while continuing to protect the health of our land and our people. A thriving economy is made up of healthy, educated people. We need people to own and run businesses and employees to work in them. People need education, training and healthier lifestyles to play a role in the economic life of the territory.

Our government is working hard to finalize a Devolution Agreement that will provide us with the authorities and resources to build our territory’s economic future. When we do, we will need to have strategies in place to guide the critical economic planning and decision-making that we have fought so hard to gain. Effective governance ensures that economic development leads directly to social development and protection of the environment. We can’t have one without the others. As our economy grows, we will be able to make more investments in prevention and early childhood to stop problems before they occur. The GNWT already has substantial social, environmental and economic responsibilities. Devolution will enhance our capacity to manage those responsibilities.

The NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy is one example of this foundational economic planning.

The process to develop this strategy was initiated by Members of this Assembly in 2011 when we took office, with a promise to invest, first and foremost, in partnerships and building solid relationships. Alongside a sustainable Mineral Development Strategy, it was identified specifically in our Caucus priorities. We have said, many times, that it is only by working together that we will be able to realize the full potential of our territory and the kind of future we envision for our people.

Mr. Speaker, the process that we are following to develop our Economic Opportunities Strategy is evidence to this.

The work is being led by the NWT Economic Opportunities Governance Committee, of which the GNWT is a member alongside its partners: the NWT Chamber of Commerce, the Northern Aboriginal Business Association, the NWT Association of Communities and Canada’s Northern Economic Development Agency, CanNor.

Government and business have come together, and now, thanks to the work of the advisory panel, our partnered approach has been extended to our territory's many leaders, stakeholders, organizations and residents.

Together, our goal is a strategy that can be a guide for a partnered approach to supporting the growth and development of NWT business and industry over the next decade. It will provide a tool for us as leaders to move forward in the same spirit of partnership and cooperation in which it is being created. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Colleagues, before we move on today, I’d like to welcome back former Member, former Premier, Mr. Joe Handley is in the House today. Welcome.

---Applause

The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, the people of the Northwest Territories know their needs and priorities and communities should take the lead on determining how to address issues, like community safety, that matter to them. The Department of Justice is committed to assisting communities, and the NWT has been recognized throughout Canada as a leader in community-based initiatives like our community justice committees. Today I would like to speak to Members about another initiative we are introducing to support our people and their communities, the Community Safety Strategy.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, crime, violence and substance abuse continue to be issues that our people struggle against. Left unchecked, these problems can create a cycle of harm that spreads its effects throughout our communities and damages the sense of belonging, safety and wellness that a strong, healthy society should provide. Dealing with the effects of crime and violence alone is not enough. To create the sustainable, vibrant and safe communities that are a priority of this Assembly, we need to be working to strengthen the social fabric of our communities and establish feelings of confidence, trust, engagement and partnership among our people.

Our new Community Safety Strategy will help bring an end to this cycle of harm. Like our community policing plans, this strategy takes a community-first

approach that empowers them to identify their own priority safety issues. With support from our government, they will work to set their own goals for resolving these issues and develop plans to address them. These will be community plans, Mr. Speaker, that will be effective, sustainable and responsive to local needs because they will have been developed by their residents.

The goals of the strategy are to increase involvement, help people learn what they can do to create healthy, safe communities and encourage innovative ideas. We also expect communities will benefit from increased capacity as they gain experience in developing their own safety plans. The growing sense of empowerment, confidence, accountability and self-reliance that will come from taking charge of their own issues will also help to reverse the cycle of harm and build the social cohesion that all healthy communities need.

Many of our communities have said they want to stop bootlegging; this strategy will help them make plans to do that. It will help them work together on plans for youth and elder initiatives or on-the-land programs that fit with their priorities. Through this strategy, the Department of Justice will be there with the support and tools that communities need to achieve their own safety goals.

Mr. Speaker, the community of Tulita is ready to start working on their own Community Safety Strategy and we will be holding our first sessions there in the next few weeks. This will be followed by sessions in two additional communities in the near future.

A strong, prosperous territory is built on a strong society sustained by a healthy environment, Mr. Speaker. The Community Safety Strategy is one of several strategies this government is working on that will support our citizens, grow our economy and help us protect our environment. This includes work like the Anti-Poverty Strategy, the Early Childhood Development Framework, the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, the Economic Opportunities Strategy, Energy Strategy and Mineral Development Strategy. We know similar approaches to community safety have met with great success. I look forward to telling Members about the difference the Community Safety Strategy is making in our communities in future sessions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, achieving our vision of a strong, prosperous territory requires a balanced approach that advances our economic,

social and environmental priorities. This government is moving forward on all those fronts, and the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway demonstrates our commitment to each of those areas.

The construction of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway will be the largest capital project undertaken by the Government of the Northwest Territories. The Department of Transportation, working with our local contractors, has been putting Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik residents and equipment to work, upgrading the access road to Gravel Source 177, creating local jobs and business opportunities in the Beaufort-Delta region.

A joint venture consisting of local companies undertook the work to upgrade the 19-kilometre access road south of Tuktoyaktuk to Canadian highway standards.

A significant amount of work has been completed since the start of construction in March 2013. The upgrading of the Source 177 Access Road is now 90 percent complete. Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik residents worked around the clock to blast, excavate, haul, dump, spread, and upgrade the access road before the cold began to leave the ground. The first big push of highway construction activity is now winding down as the weather in the Delta warms up.

DOT contractors are using a highway construction technique that will not disturb the continuous Arctic permafrost that would become fragile if disturbed.

Instead of cutting into the land, geotextile fabric is being applied to the frozen ground with granular material placed on top, creating a layer of insulation that protects the permafrost from degradation. Crews also extended culverts in addition to raising and widening the access road’s embankment.

This upgrade work employed almost 150 Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik residents, and involved 14 northern, local, Inuvialuit and Gwich’in contractors.

Mr. Speaker, with almost 50 pieces of heavy equipment working on the project, our contractors reported that every available dump truck, grader, CAT, water truck, driver and mechanic in Tuktoyaktuk received the benefit of gainful employment during the spring construction period. Local contractors will continue compacting, levelling and grading the embankment and side slopes over the summer.

Geotechnical work was also completed, with over 30 people primarily from local communities employed on the investigation project. We are looking forward to the anticipated positive results of the investigation and analysis. The borehole samples taken along the alignment, borrow sources, and bridge crossings will provide the geotechnical information necessary to complete the

100 percent design of the new alignment and bridge structures this summer.

I am encouraged by the extensive and immediate local employment provided by the Source 177 upgrade and geotechnical works. These local employment opportunities will continue through the summer as Navy Road upgrade work commences in Inuvik. I am looking forward to the extensive employment opportunities during the upcoming winter and ongoing as we move forward on the construction of the new highway.

The total Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway construction is expected to require some 5.8 million cubic metres of embankment material, which means local employment on the construction project will continue to grow in the coming years, and the maintenance of the highway will provide local jobs for generations to come.

I congratulate the local citizens, contractors and leadership who are helping to make the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway project a reality that will result in long-term employment, training, economic, social and other benefits.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a vision of a territory where strong individuals, families and communities share in the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous NWT.

This vision is the Department of Transportation’s motivation to rely upon Northern experience, talent and skill to build the northernmost segment of highway that will connect Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to talk about the investment of our children and the people in our communities, especially in the community of Deline. Investment in our education, in our people, is very, very critical. I met with the Deline leadership this morning and they talked solely on the investment of their children, to the point where in 1995 was the first time the government said to the community we want to bring Grade 12 into your communities. The people in Deline said yes, providing you bring the resources that allow sufficient Grade 12 programs. Nothing to this date has honoured that commitment.

The people in Deline say we do like Grade 12 but the resources are not there. We only had three extra teachers that have come along. But the

education is not the same type of education they have in Yellowknife or Hay River or Inuvik. We are still waiting for the resources. This is why students are being sent to Yellowknife, where the parents have to pay their housing, their food, their airline tickets, and the government will not help them get a better education.

It has been proven just today, as Mr. Ramsay talked about in his statement about education being a key point to economic growth, sustainability, wealth and prosperity. People in Deline also are reminded of that. People in Deline know that the quality of education makes it all worthwhile in their community. They have ?ehtseo Ayha School. They say we need to rebuild that school and have a quality of education brought into our communities. We have not heard anything since 1995. The government’s going to bring that type of education into the communities. That’s why they said we’re not too sure, but we were okay by having this Grade 12 come in our communities. They want to come back to the government and say are we going to get the same type of facilities and resources in our communities if you’re going to give us Grade 12, because now students and parents are sending their kids out to Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife to get the kind of quality of education they want to see their children get.

I will have questions for the Minister on this topic.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the last sitting of the Legislature, I did a Member’s statement on health care card renewal. Many weeks have gone by, and I have to tell you that this has turned into an almost fulltime job for us in our constituency offices to deal with the myriad of people who cannot seemingly get a quick response to getting their health care cards renewed. I’ve checked with some of my other colleagues and Hay River is not alone. At first I wondered if it was a conspiracy.

It gives me no pleasure to stand up here and complain, as you know. We must always express all the things we’re thankful for. I am thankful for our health care system. I am thankful for those cards we have. I am thankful that we can hand them to any place in Canada and they will take care of us. I am thankful that we pay no premium, but you would think that issuing new health care cards on a new program that coincides with people’s birthdates would not have been this difficult.

Let me give you a few examples. I had a constituent that showed up for a medical procedure in Yellowknife three days before her birthday when

her card expired, only to be told by the health care professional that she, in fact, had to pay for the service and then she would get reimbursed later. Her health care hadn’t even expired yet and they were telling her this. Where is the communication with the people on the front line that are telling health care professionals what to say? Somebody’s got to be in charge of this.

I had a senior constituent in the south who had a $1,500 bill and was told just pay it and you’ll get reimbursed. Well, I have a news flash: Most people don’t have $1,500 sitting in their back account to pay for a health bill when they’re not expecting it. Most people don’t have that. A lot of people don’t have that kind of money, and health care procedures can be extremely expensive. Now, through a lot of phone calls and a lot of wrangling and stuff being faxed and phone calls back and forth, that situation was resolved, but that is a real life example.

I had a husband and wife in Hay River that both sent their applications out for renewal at the same time. The husband got his card back; the wife didn’t.

We have pharmacists in Hay River that are actually bankrolling, are carrying the costs of medication for people whose health care cards have not come in and, out of the goodness of their heart, are financing the pharmaceutical for the client. That’s not their job. We should not be asking them to do that.

I’ve heard rumors that maybe they lost some of the data in Inuvik. I don’t know about that, but I did make the same statement several weeks ago.

I will have questions again today to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the process for health care card renewal. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to focus on a difficult issue of seeking equity on parental custody arrangements to serve the best interests of children and parents caught up in divorce.

Data shows that when it comes time to determine custody arrangements in divorce, children are most often put in the exclusive custody of the mother. Statistics Canada indicates this is so in 80 percent of cases, with fathers at 7 percent of cases and shared custody in only 13 percent.

Our family courts make custody determinations on the basis of individual circumstances. The first priority must be to set conditions in the best interest of children. There is a growing voice in our society

pointing out that our 13 percent rate of shared custody and a 7 percent rate of exclusive custody by fathers could indicate a built-in bias. As a role of fathers as equivalent parents and caregivers evolves in our society, we need to ensure this new reality is reflected in family court decisions.

Family health and early childhood research shows that children prosper and develop best when they have the advantage of the blended parenting of a mother and a father. Equity in custody arrangements allows both parents to forge deep bonds with their children. It promotes gender equality in parenting of children and recognizes both parents as significant contributors to a child’s development.

Setting custody conditions providing a meaningful role to both parents can contribute to reductions of disputes, and child financial support arrangements are most often performed when access to both parents is assured.

This government has taken progressive steps to use the trauma of divorce by instituting pre-divorce counselling programs and parental educational alternative dispute resolution services. Parenting coordination and counselling services are essential supports to minimizing the impact of divorce on children and ensuring an ongoing role for fathers as well as mothers. It should be expanded.

Research shows that the best parent for the child is both parents. When that’s no longer possible in a home, we need to ensure that the additional efforts to meet the best interests of the children include every possible measure to share parenting equitably.

Children don’t do divorce, parents do. Let’s examine our attitudes and ensure both parents have a full opportunity to raise a healthy child under creating arrangements. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is said teachers open the door for our youth. I say government needs to fix this door. The recent pleas for better housing from our territorial teachers and from the NWT Teachers’ Association should be a wake-up call for residents and for this government. A recent housing summary report asked this government to do something concrete to alleviate the longstanding issue of housing shortages and unacceptable living conditions across the North. This April 29

th report further brings awareness and

understanding of the current barriers faced by this housing crisis and calls for solutions to fix the door of affordable and acceptable housing for teachers.

A tall order? Maybe, but the consequences of not carrying out the number of recommendations will in itself create the ultimate fate of education in the North. We need to heed to the basic essential standards that teachers are looking for. We need to take proper care of them, which means providing affordable and adequate housing where it is needed.

We further realize that there are many other needs in our small communities, as well, and that this ask cannot trump those other basic expectations of our communities. In other words, we need to make the proper and meaningful investment in everything that is right to make our small communities safer and economically viable.

Ultimately our investment in proper living conditions for our teachers will pay dividends of better retention of these professionals, produce a higher quality of education being delivered, resulting in a higher student achievement and, in return, produce stronger and more prosperous communities.

We need to open the door to change. So I will be asking our Minister of Education, Culture and Employment later today if his department is in the business of fixing this door of opportunity. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just recently we had a bunch of graduation ceremonies through our three campuses in the Aurora College throughout the NWT. I’ll just read off some numbers for you here. We had 84 in Yellowknife at the Yellowknife Campus, 41 at the campus in Fort Smith, and a whopping 16 in Inuvik. Something is wrong here with the numbers and it’s not because we’re not getting the enrollments into the school, it’s because we’re not putting the programs where the programs are needed within the communities that are asking for them.

We have great facilities in the community of Inuvik at the Aurora College and we have an excellent staff. However, I’m very concerned about the future and the success of the Aurora College campus.

The government needs to focus and support by investing in our students, in our families, in our organizations and the communities who want to build capacity within our northern society. In fact, just earlier today we heard from the Economic Development Strategy that people are essential. We cannot advance our economy without a growing, healthy population.

Furthermore, it says a thriving economy is one made up of healthy, educated people. We’ve heard reports; we’ve heard news reports in the NWT that

we can’t meet our needs within the diamond mine industry because we don’t have the skilled labour workforce. Well, we can do something about that. We can start investing in our Aurora College programs not only in certain areas such as in Yellowknife where we have a lot of diamond industries, let’s look north, let’s look north to the Aurora College campus where we have a lot of students that come from the Sahtu and the Beaufort-Delta region that are going to be impacted with all of the big projects we have on the horizon.

Such projects as the fibre optic link, the satellite stations, Inuvik-Tuk highway, Mackenzie Valley Highway, offshore drilling, everything that’s been said over the last 19 months that we’ve been sitting in the House. The government, the Minister, his department, the board of directors of the Aurora College have a great opportunity here to invest in the Inuvik region and the Sahtu region, by putting more programs in the Aurora College campus to create local capacity so that we have local people leading the way for all these projects that we have on the horizon.

I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak again about the Aurora College housing policy. About a year ago I stated in this House that I believe the Aurora College housing policy is discriminatory. Nothing has changed in the 12 months since I made that statement. I still believe this policy to be discriminatory and I believe it is a human rights issue. Why do I believe it’s discriminatory? There are a few reasons.

Unlike other learning institutions across Canada where students are treated on a first-come, first-served basis, the Aurora College policy is written to specifically exclude local students from Aurora College housing. The policy unfairly affects students at all campuses, not only Yellowknife but Inuvik and Fort Smith as well. If no college housing is available, the student must live in market housing at market rates. Why do we expect local students to be able to expect market rent housing when we don’t have the same expectations of non-local students?

As well, there’s no consideration for household income in the evaluation criteria for the allocation of student housing. Why is it not a consideration as an extenuating circumstance?

In addition, the policy is lacking in clear definitions and often contradicts other GNWT generally

accepted policy, the GNWT Affirmative Action Policy, for instance.

In practice, there are many inconsistencies between the Aurora College housing policy, as written, and the actual application of that policy. 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. There seems to be a recognition that the policy is not working but no will to correct it. An organization that recognizes a policy failure should be acting to revise that policy and provide equal opportunity to all.

That being said, I understand the college has been doing an in-depth review of their housing policy over the past five to six months, and I understand it will be an agenda item to be discussed at their June board meeting. I commend them for this action and I look forward to a fair policy as a result of their debate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is on the reinstatement of the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Board.

One of the main reasons for setting up regional health authorities back in the 1980s was to provide for local input and influence on the way health and social services are delivered.

In the Beaufort-Delta, people had a way to voice their concerns up until 2010. That’s when the last government dismissed the board and appointed the deputy minister of Health as the public administrator. Then, in 2011, a public administrator was appointed. That was shortly before the territorial election. At the time, the public administrator told the media that after the election a new board would be appointed.

The current Minister confirmed that in this House last year on February 8

th . He said, “The department

will work with the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority to appoint a full board as soon as possible.”

Now, here we are 16 months later and we are still without a board. That’s three full years without a voice in our health care system and no way to set regional priorities for service. It is very frustrating for everyone in the region. We continue to have communities without nurses and a lot of other problems. It is action that is lacking along with the accountability.

When there is a regional board, its members have to listen to the people and explain the decisions they make. That system designed by the government was in place for well over 20 years. The government is very overdue on keeping its promise to the region and I will have questions later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the middle of May, people of the Northwest Territories have been enjoying our many campgrounds. Our campgrounds have seen good ties with families and friends and are home to many cherished memories. They also welcome visitors to the Northwest Territories who sometimes travel remarkable distances just to enjoy spending a few days.

Our campgrounds attract a lot of tourists, and many of them are elders. We do not recognize seniors in our current rate structure. Earlier this year Cabinet agreed to increase the tourism marketing budget. We could create even more incentive to visit the NWT by offering a senior discount for out-of-territory visitors to our campgrounds.

The North American population is aging, and as more people retire they want to travel as much as they can. A large number of RV tourists are seniors. Even a small discount on their campsite is a meaningful way to welcome them to the NWT, recognize the respect we hold for elders in the Aboriginal culture, and help offset the expense of travelling all the way up here.

The cost of implementing a discount will likely be offset by increased numbers of visitors, who might even decide to extend their stay. At certain campgrounds you might look at ways to build a discounted rate into a special elders package that can include visits to nearby locations, boat tours, fishing, or late summer aurora viewing. The possibilities are endless.

The NWT has a huge tourism potential in every region. We have an opportunity to tap into the growing market of retirees who enjoy the open road and the adventures waiting for them north of 60, and offering a special rate for elders on campground visits is a key to unlocking that potential.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year, along with my colleague, we had concerns about the health care card renewal system and the way the process is going. We continue to get these concerns from constituents, and we’ve also heard from our colleagues throughout the Northwest Territories that this continues to be an issue.

We are getting examples of people that are asked to apply three months before the expiry of their birthdate, and those cards are expiring without getting renewals or even notification that they’ve been renewed and updated. The department, when we’ve asked them about this, have given us several different examples or excuses and also have indicated that, well, worst-case scenario, have them pay for it and we can pay them back later.

I don’t know how we can ask that from our residents when they don’t have the confidence in us renewing their health care cards, never mind us paying them back thousands of dollars.

I’m not here to complain about the staff or take any shots at the staff that are implementing this health care. My concerns are how it was implemented. Residents are getting applications mailed back to them several times. These applications are missing a certain piece of information and instead of phoning them and getting back to them right away, it’s mailed back to them, asking for them to give the information and then send it back through the mail system. Very slow. No wonder we’re not getting them approved in time.

Also, residents are calling the 1-800 number and the mailboxes are full. Obviously, we don’t have enough manpower on this issue.

I would also like to take the time to thank the medical clinics, the health centres, the pharmacies that have been helping our residents to fill out these applications and get things done. We’re not halfway done through the year and this process still hasn’t been solved. I think we need to put more resources to a solution to this, and if we need to put more resources to it, I would recommend we put some of it into an insurance type of program for the South Slave, and obviously, I would be supportive of it being in Hay River.

I will have questions for the Minister of Health later on today.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As our government prepares to take over land

management, it’s time to examine our policies, and perhaps it’s time to look at trespass legislation. I’m not talking about the hunters or snowmobilers who enjoy their time as they sneak across the hinterland, or those people who are out picking berries or walking their dogs. I’m talking about those people who interfere with public and private property within our northern communities.

This is a very real issue. I’ve travelled the North and I’ve heard complaints both in Inuvik, Norman Wells and, yes, even here in Yellowknife. Many Yellowknife Centre business constituents have come to me and talked to me about difficult challenges they’ve had to deal with when it comes to people obstructing public access. It’s time to do something.

Right now their hands are tied and they’re looking for leadership from their government. When you have someone blocking the entranceway of a building and you’re trying to provide customer service, and you have someone accosting just passersby, they’re not technically breaking a law. You don’t think the RCMP has anything better to do? They call. They don’t come. There is nothing the business owners can do. It is frustrating for business people.

If you’re a homeowner, do you need to have to put up a fence for people who constantly are walking across your property and showing no regard?

It is time this government takes a quick look at this situation and says, is there a strategy? Possibility? Is there a way we can start thinking out of the box? Is it time for trespass legislation? Is it right for the North?

There may be several solutions out there, but trespass legislation could be one of them. For example, a store or a restaurant owner or a mall owner won’t tell our hotelier. They all want to provide good general public access. But again, if someone is obstructing it, they may not technically be breaking a law, but they are interfering with good harmony of good, normal, law-abiding citizens. The variety of reasons is far too many to talk about here today, but I can tell you poor abuse of behaviour tends to be the highlight of the bigger problem.

It would give people like storeowners and property owners the ability to say, please move on, stop blocking my customers and allow me to have my space that I pay for. Again, they may not be breaking a technical criminal code, but we must do something. It is time to empower our people with the right opportunity.

Places like Saskatchewan and many other provinces have enacted and updated their laws to deal with trespassers and help them deal with this problem.

Once again, we need some timely action from this particular government. I have raised this issue on a

number of occasions. I am hoping Minister McLeod will have a chance to look at this issue, take it seriously and see what we can do for all northern residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Bromley on February 21, 2013, regarding the Giant Mine Remediation Project.

There are a number of tools that will be available post transfer date related to setting securities. The Northwest Territories Waters Act has provisions for securities which are set by the boards. The boards also set securities under the Mackenzie Valley Land Use Regulations. Post devolution, in addition to the boards’ processes that were mentioned, the Government of the Northwest Territories will have the authority to set securities under the Territorial Land Use Regulations. The GNWT will also be responsible for the mirrored version of the Territorial Lands Regulations which do not specifically mention securities; however, security provisions can be included in individual leases.

As we prepare for the transfer date, the GNWT will be reviewing existing NWT legislation and transferring federal legislation, regulations and policies to identify issues to be addressed. Differences in environmental securities between existing territorial legislation and regulations and the new mirrored legislation will be assessed as part of this review process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Bromley on March 8, 2013, regarding the Giant Mine Remediation Project.

The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board formally requested additional information regarding water treatment options from the Giant Mine Remediation Project Team. In response to this request, the project team carried out analysis of treatment technologies and approaches for treated effluent discharge.

The analysis determined that ion exchange is the best viable option of the four options reviewed as it allows treatment to drinking water standards, providing a large reduction in treated arsenic levels from the original proposal.

This option eliminates the need for a diffuser and subsequent mixing zone in Great Slave Lake, and thus addresses a number of the concerns the project team has heard from the community.

While the approach proposed to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board in the original developers assessment report is considered protective of the environment, treatment by ion exchange will achieve better results and can be implemented in a manner that addresses public concerns. The project team is willing to revise the original approach to water treatment and work to implement ion exchange. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize our 2013 Educational Hall of Fame award recipients in a ceremony we held this morning. They are Beverly Masuzumi of Fort Good Hope, Bill Gilday of Yellowknife, Andy Norwegian of Fort Simpson, Jill Taylor from Hay River, Anne-Mieke Cameron from Yellowknife. We have a couple more, they’re not here, but they will be presented. I’d like to also recognize Dolphus Nitsiza, who is here from my constituency in Behchoko. I’d just like to say congratulations to all the Education Hall of Fame inductees and welcome to our Assembly. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Minister’s statement, I will be tabling, this afternoon, “What We Heard: Report of the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy Advisory Panel.” Two members of the advisory panel are here with us this afternoon. Its chair is well known to all of us, a former Premier, Minister and deputy minister in our Assembly and government, Mr. Joe Handley, and beside Mr. Handley is Mr. Rory Campbell. Rory is a former deputy minister of Economic Development and also Agriculture and Foods for the Alberta government, certainly a very valuable member of the panel who provided the external perspective in the panel’s engagements on the strategy. Thank you.

I’d also like to recognize all the Education Hall of Fame inductees and all the other visitors that we have here in the gallery today. It’s good to have a crowd here today. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize two constituents of Yellowknife South visiting here from William MacDonald School, Braden Helyar, student, and Mr. Paul McDonald, a teacher at William MacDonald. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple of constituents from the Great Slave riding. First, Emily Gosselin, who is with us here as part of William MacDonald School, as well as Bill and Cindy Gilday.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to give a special welcome in the Legislature to my partner Lucyanne Kendo and her daughter Brittany Jewel Kendo. I’m proud to have you by my side and that you get the chance to see me here live. As well, a very big welcome to my daughter Diedra Villeneuve and her partner’s mother Donna Huntis, who is in the gallery as well. Last, but not least, a congratulations to Mr. Andy Norwegian on the Education Hall of Fame Award today. Mahsi cho.

Thank you. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s with great pleasure that I recognize Anne-Mieke Cameron, a resident of Weledeh who received the induction into the Hall of Fame today under the Premier’s selection. So, congratulations to Anne-Mieke. It’s great to have her in the riding. She’s probably accompanied by her husband Les, and I can’t really see these folks, but I’d also like to offer my congratulations and welcome to all those people that received the award today and were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

I’d like to welcome William Mac student Delaney Taylor, a resident of Weledeh. I’d like to recognize Joe Handley, former Premier, a former resident and former MLA of Weledeh. I’d also like to recognize Amanda Mallon, a resident of Weledeh, a long-time teacher recognized in many ways, and also any other Weledeh residents that I can’t see behind me. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am extremely blessed to have two schools in my riding, one of which is William MacDonald School, and I want to officially welcome everybody from William MacDonald here to the House and I hope you have a great tour. I have a number of students here from my riding and I’m very pleased to recognize Seth Casaway, Dawson Chwelos, Jaiyden Demeies,

Bryce Jeske, Brooke Pelley, Blair Russell, Paige St. Jean, Leah Thompson-Astels and Alliks Traverse.

I would be remiss, Mr. Speaker, if I didn’t recognize two of my former colleagues, Mr. Bill Gilday and Ms. Anne-Mieke Cameron, who I worked with a while ago, I won’t say a long time ago, but congratulations to them and to all the Education Hall of Fame recipients. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have quite a list of people to recognize in the gallery, so bear with me. First of all, I’d like to say congratulations to the Hall of Fame education recipients. From the Sahtu, Beverly Masuzumi. I’d like to congratulate her. She and I went to high school together and now she’s in the Hall of Fame and I’m in the hall of… Well, I can’t really say, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

And all the other deputies. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize former Premier Handley, the Canol hiker who did the whole 222 miles on the Canol hike. I’d also like to recognize Rory Campbell, also a member of the economic strategy team. Welcome to the Assembly.

I’d also like to recognize people from the Sahtu from the community of Deline, the birthplace of ice hockey in Canada. I’d like to recognize Paulina Roche, Phebie Kenny, Jimmy Dillon, Freda Taniton, Danny Bayha, David Modeste, Tommy Betsidea, Diane Andre, Gina Dolphus, Joanne Tutcho, Betty Tetso, Michael Neyelle, Andrew John Kenny, Frederick Kenny, Morris Neyelle, Raymond Tutcho, Leonard Kenny, Patricia Modeste, Leon Modeste, Christine Gaudet and Brian Gaudet. Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome them to the Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Brittany and Lucy Kendo from Tsiigehtchic. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to recognize one of the William MacDonald students who I believe is a constituent in Yellowknife Centre. Alexia D’Astous MacDonald. I hope I said that correctly. Thank you for coming today.

I’d like to use the occasion to recognize a long-time friend, Terrance Courtorielle, up in the front there. We’ve known each other since we were kids. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the Princess Alexandria School Grade 6 class, their teacher Jennifer Tweedie; their chaperones Terrance Coutorielle, Ken Cunningham and Colleen Cochrane; and the students. I’d just ask the students to stand up as your name is called. Your name is going into the record of Hansard, so your names will be here forever. Riella Bordey, Marcel Cayen, Hannah Courtorielle, Elli Rose Cunningham, Keisha Giroux, Jacob Harder, Kadin Hare, Zackary Horton, Ashley Lamalice, Carson Smith, Tori Blake, Carson Borchuk, Lisa Boutilier, Katesha Buggins, Shayla Buggins. I’d also like to recognize our new Education Hall of Famer Jill Taylor. Congratulations, Jill. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s also my pleasure to welcome, for the 11

th year

in a row, the Grade 6 students from Hay River. I’d like to thank all that coordinate that, so today I’d like to recognize the other half of the group. Chaperones Rodger Blake, Sherryl White and Charlene Lafferty; and students Ira Cayen, Jayden King, Hunter Krushaar, Megan Kruger, Mathew Lafferty, Dustin Lamalice, Sierra Balsillie, Madison McPhee, Alicia Nadia-Hancock, Morgan Roach, Jimmy Roach, Trevor Sabourin, Bradyn Schofield, Ethan Schofield, Nickolas Zuwala, Taylor White. I would also like to add my congratulations to a very well-deserved recipient to the Education Hall of Fame today, Jill Taylor, who does many, many things in our community. That could be a Member’s statement unto itself.

I’d also like to recognize my constituency assistant from Hay River, Orlanda Patterson, and my constituency assistant from Yellowknife, Wendy Morgan. I’d also like to recognize Mr. Bouchard’s constituency assistant, who was very helpful in planning this trip, Myrtle Graham. Thank you.

I’d like to welcome all guests here in the gallery. Thank you for taking in our proceedings today. It’s always good to see a full house. I’d like to also welcome Debbie Gordon-Ruben in the House here as a former constituent of mine up in Nunakput. It’s always good to see people from home.

Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In the 20-year capital needs

infrastructure plans, I see that that the ?ehtseo Ayha School is not scheduled for new construction until 2020, 2021, or 2018; I’m not too sure. They have two different dates on here. I want to ask the Minister, in regard to this project, if he would be willing to work with the people in Deline and if he could look at moving this project to a closer date other than seven or eight years from now, in regard to the new school.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This project, along with others, will certainly be a part of the capital planning project. There are upgrades that will be happening within the ?ehtseo Ayha School in Deline. Those are just some of the upgrades that we are working towards. Then the long-term plans will be part of the capital project for the particular school along with other schools.

I will continue to commit to working with the DEA and DECs to make that happen, and also the leadership of Deline.

The parents of Deline are sending their children out of that community. There are other communities in the Northwest Territories where they’re seeing that their children are getting better education in the larger centres such as Yellowknife, Inuvik and Hay River or Smith. The facility in Deline, the school is not adequate to give them the same type of equivalent education as the larger centres. If we can look at that issue here and help the people in Deline look at a proper facility with proper resources, proper students, then the parents would keep their children in the school.

I want to ask the Minister, the time length of the construction to have this new school, would he be looking at working with the community of Deline to see if there are ways that we could bump up the capital process of this infrastructure so that it could be built within a five-year period?

Those are exactly the types of discussions we are currently having. We’ve heard from the Deline leadership, also the DEA, and also the DECs for their regional perspective on expediting certain capital infrastructure from the communities on to our capital plans. As part of the educational renewal process that’s before us, we’ve involved the community members, and we’ve listened to the small community capital initiatives. Those are in the forefront of our discussion as we move forward.

One of the pillars on the educational renewal is to focus on the small communities, whether it be the funding, the capital projects and so forth. This is an ongoing discussion we will be having, and we want

to expedite those capital projects that are in play for a number of years so we can move forward.

We have about 850-some-odd days left of this Assembly, roughly two years, and we have two cycles of our infrastructure, two cycles of O and M. That is giving us a short window of opportunity to work with the people, work with the people in Deline and this department, this government. Can the Minister commit within a two-year time frame to sit down with the leadership in Deline and say this is the type of design, what type of design are you thinking about if you were to take this project and go through the capital plan process so that within two years we know that they could look forward to a new school?

Mr. Speaker, I can definitely commit to meeting with the leadership. There has been discussion and also conducting a regular system of all facilities in the Northwest Territories. Deline will be part of that process along with my colleagues from Public Works and Services. We work diligently together on those educational infrastructure facilities and will continue to work with DEAs and DECs because they are the primary contacts. They give us excellent feedback on which capital we should be focusing on. We will be meeting with them and also the leadership that is here with us. We will continue to push that forward. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Part of the Minister’s commitment is to sit down with the Deline leadership to look at the ?ehtseo Ayha School and the new school for that community. In the Minister’s meetings, can he also sit with the leadership and talk about what kind of support this government can give for parents who are sending their kids to Yellowknife, Smith, Inuvik, Hay River for a higher education and to see where the government can possibly help these parents who are now paying for their own kids to get an education by sending them outside of their community?

Mr. Speaker, most definitely those are discussions that we need to have with the Deline leadership, the DEAs and DECs as well. Just offering some of the initiatives that have been undertaken by Beaufort-Delta, as an example, e-learning is a prime example that we will continue to invest. There have been discussions on fibre optics. Those are just some of the discussions that we will continue to have. Education renewal is another one that they have been part of and will continue to push this forward. It is a big piece of work for the Northwest Territories and the Legislative Assembly. We want to make those changes that reflect on the small communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you enter the Northwest Territories, we are quite fortunate to have rest stops and campgrounds right from Enterprise leading up right to Yellowknife. My question is to the Minister of ITI.

In these campgrounds that we have, I wanted to come to an understanding. Right now we are at the height of tourism season starting. What kind of rate structure does ITI have for campgrounds for daily to long-term usage in the campgrounds? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Those rates would vary from campground to campground and region to region. We have our campgrounds operated by contractors. We also have seasonal passes that are available to the public and to tourists that travel into the Northwest Territories. The rates would vary somewhat from region to region. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, what are the common types of services that one can expect if you do use the campgrounds, or perhaps on weekends or daily rates? What kind of services should people expect? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, services available would be dependent on which park or campground the tourist would find themselves in. We are constantly looking at upgrading services and facilities in our campgrounds and parks around the Northwest Territories, but as Members know, it is always a challenge to find capital dollars to be putting into campgrounds.

We are fortunate enough to receive $2 million to upgrade facilities around the territory this year. We are looking forward to upgrading some facilities. Some would have shower buildings, kitchen shelters, and electrical hook-ups for RVs, depending on which campground you would be in. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, as you know, we come from a culture of habit and respect for elders and especially senior citizens that travel long ways, especially as we turn to increase our potential in tourism. Why is there not discounted rates for senior citizens that use the campgrounds, especially as they travel a long way to be up here in the North? Mahsi.

That’s an issue that I can take back to the department, but predominantly

tourists and folks that arrive in the Northwest Territories in RVs would be seniors. So we will take a look at that and I thank the Member for raising that concern. I do believe there are senior discounts on season-long passes. As to campground, a nightly rate, and there’s a discount for seniors, again, it may vary by park, but I’d be more than happy to get that information back to the Member. Thank you.

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

I’d like to thank the Minister for making a commitment, but I’d like to take it a step further. Can he commit to an immediate discount of rates to seniors, in terms of using the daily campgrounds, effective immediately? Mahsi.

That would be difficult in that we have contractors operating some of our parks around the Northwest Territories who would be looking for a certain revenue stream in the operation of those parks. So for this coming season I wouldn’t be able to commit to that, but as I mentioned to the Member, for next season we could work with contractors that aren’t offering discounts to senior citizens and see if we can come up with a plan to offer discounts to senior citizens in our campgrounds. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Justice and I want to follow up on his statement from today about a Community Safety Strategy.

I was really pleased to see, and I totally agree with the Minister’s statement, that the people of the Northwest Territories know their needs and priorities, and communities should take the lead on determining how to address issues. I think that this is going to be a great initiative and I just would like to ask the Minister some questions about getting a little further information about this particular strategy and what it means.

My first question to the Minister would be to advise me and the House on how this particular strategy was developed. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What has been developed, the strategy is basically a skeleton or framework that will be able to go into the communities, we’ll be able to work with communities so that they can set their priorities based on this framework. The framework was

developed in cooperation from a number of different organizations, including the Department of Justice, the RCMP, as well as input from communities, so the types of things that they would like to see that will help them develop their own individual strategies. So it’s more of a framework that will be able to be used by the communities to help them set their priorities.

Thanks to the Minister for that explanation. I guess I would like to know if the Minister can tell us at this point – I recognize that it’s a framework – what sort of content is going to be within each individual community strategy. What sorts of activities are you anticipating the community would undertake? What sorts of particular initiatives or what services would a program require to set up their Community Safety Strategy?

That would be presupposing what is specifically appropriate for every individual community. The framework offers the tools to help them set their priorities based on resources they have in the communities, resources that are available regionally, resources that are available territorially. Communities need to set their priorities and each community will have their own individual Community Safety Strategy. I’d hate to presuppose what anyone would look like, given that every community in the Northwest Territories has their own unique realities.

I guess I also don’t want the Minister to presuppose, but I was hoping I could get a few examples of the sorts of things that might be in a Community Safety Strategy.

I’d like to know from the Minister, in terms of implementation within each and every community, is this going to be an initiative or a strategy that is going to require a certain amount of funding? Is it going to be a request within the budget for funding for community safety strategies?

There are a number of programs that already exist in the Northwest Territories. It’s about creating access to the different programs and services, whether they are health programs, whether they are education programs, or whether they are justice programs. We need more money. It’s difficult to say at this point in time. We will have a better assessment of that after we have created the pilot in these first three communities, Tulita being the first community that we are going into. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

He mentioned three communities, and there’s one mentioned in a statement and I would be interested in knowing the other two.

My last question to the Minister goes to how a community can get a Community Safety Strategy. If

my community, for instance, wishes to have a Community Safety Strategy, what steps does my community or I have to take to ensure my community gets on to the list to get a Community Safety Strategy? Thank you.

I would like to know what the three communities are as well. We did have the three communities identified. We had discussed them in business planning. Since that time, we’ve had a couple of changes and we have had to reconsider the communities that we are going into. We haven’t decided fully on what the other two communities are going to be, but we are working on that right now. We hope to have those communities listed in short order. So for now, it’s Tulita. We will get back to the Member as soon as we can with the names of the other two communities.

I forget the other part of the question, so I’ll sit down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Well, she’s out of questions, so we won’t get it until tomorrow. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today on the renewal of NWT health care cards, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he could articulate for us some of the challenges that they have faced in the process and how those challenges have been addressed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister of Health, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is working with all of the health authorities and also the health centres right across the territory to try to make this renewal of health cards as smooth as possible.

As of the middle of this month, we were to process 11,600 health care cards starting in January 2013. We have about an 86 percent compliance. We have about 86 percent of those processed, so there are a lot of health cards being done. Overall, we need to process about 38,000 health care cards in 2013.

For the most part we think it’s going fairly smoothly. We do have some glitches in the system, but for the most part it’s going well. We are trying to ensure that people are not left without coverage. I think that’s the main point. Thank you.

When there are glitches and people are not getting health care cards in a timely manner, what we have been doing… Constituents have been providing us with a list of names and scenarios and we’ve been taking that to the Minister’s office. Some, as Mr. Bouchard had

indicated, have not had a lot of success in contacting the insurance office in Inuvik. Mailboxes are full when you call to leave a voice mail and so on. I’m sure this is a big undertaking for them, too, but what would we tell people, what would we tell our constituents if they are not receiving their health care card in a timely manner, if they are frustrated with the process? What would the Minister like us to do? Would contacting MLAs, going through his office, is this a satisfactory method of resolving this, in his opinion? Thank you.

Clients who have applied for renewal will continue to get coverage. The fact that they may not have the physical health card in their hand at the time may not be that important. I recognize that individuals want to have that card in case of travel, but for the sake of seeing a physician or getting pharmaceuticals, it shouldn’t be an issue.

Individuals, if they apply and their health card is not there on time, has not arrived by the time their old health care card has expired, we are still going to be able to provide coverage for those individuals.

That is very good to hear, and I’m sure the public will be glad to hear that, too, because it is a little different than when I questioned the Minister during the last sitting of the Legislature. That is a little bit different.

Has the department, in response to the concerns about a lack of health care card, revised the policy so that people who haven’t got a physical health care card in their hand are still receiving coverage? Has this been an amendment to the policy in light of these problems?

The anticipation is that things would go smooth and that an individual that gets a postcard 45 days before their birthday will then have, essentially, some time – I believe it’s four months even after their birthday – to apply. But their coverage is intended to continue as long as they have actually applied, whether they have the card or not.

That is just something that we’re doing now, because, of course, ideally, people would apply for their cards, go through the regular system, the card would come on time and they would be covered. That was the planning that took place. That was the intention. We were planning along the lines of success.

However, since there are some failures in the system, we’re saying that if you’ve applied and the individuals know where you’re trying to get a service from the doctors, from the drug stores, then we will continue to cover. People that haven’t applied or people that don’t have an old card but are indicating that they are a resident that would be eligible will have to pay up front and then bill for

reimbursement if they are eligible for a health care card.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not sure I understood everything that the Minister just said, but it seems like in there somewhere he said that if you have applied for your card and you were a holder of a card previously that you will get coverage. I’d ask the Minister if he would commit to communicating that out to the folks at the front line so that there’s no confusion when a person who is a bona fide NWT resident shows up and their card has not come in the mail yet. If that could be communicated somehow, because there does seem to be some misunderstanding about that even on the front-line worker level.

I will commit to having the department advise the health centres and the drugstores that individual clients who prove that they have applied could do one of two things. The drugstore or the clinic can do an immediate check to see how far along in the process their card approval is, or also just to prove that they have applied and they will be covered.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my opening Member’s statement earlier today, I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment some questions in regard to the Aurora College campus in Inuvik and the lack of programs that are actually at the campus itself, in the facilities.

I would just like to ask the Minister, starting off: How are programs distributed throughout the three campuses in the Northwest Territories? How do we decide which campus gets which program and moving forward from there? That will be my first question. Just how are programs distributed, diploma programs, certificate programs, throughout the three campuses in the Northwest Territories?

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. First of all I would just like to congratulate all those graduates, over 141 graduates between the three campuses. That’s a huge accomplishment for those individuals and I’d just like to applaud them for that.

The programs that have been distributed through the three campuses are based on the needs of the communities and through the venue of the Aurora

College Board of Governors. As you know, the Board of Governors is meeting in the next two weeks, I believe in Inuvik, and those are the opportune times to ask those questions or give ideas and suggestions on various programs that should be delivered.

I understand where the Member is coming from. I will be addressing that with the current board chair and also the president. As we move forward, I would encourage also the Members to approach the board representative from a regional perspective. In that fashion, they do make the decisions as a board of governance. We provide them up to $30 million to deliver programs across the Northwest Territories. I will be forwarding that information to the board governor. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister can’t answer the second question I was going to go into, but has the Minister, speaking with his colleagues on the Executive Council and Cabinet, talked about what types of programs are needed for the Inuvik-Tuk highway, for the early childhood Children’s First Centre or the other projects that we have going on in Inuvik? Has he spoken with his Cabinet colleagues to say we need these programs in Inuvik so that our leaders, as stated in the statement earlier, do get addressed and we want to hold accountable providing those programs? Has he spoken with his Cabinet colleagues to get those exact education programs for the Aurora College so the local people can become our leaders in the future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, yes I have. We will continue to pressure that at the Cabinet level. At the same time, I have a board chairs meeting that consists of the college and all the education board chairs, and we discuss the communities’ needs. If there are ideas generated or suggestions, then we will work with that. At the end of the day, the Board of Governors makes that decision based on the communities’ needs. They work with the community representatives what is required, whether they be the activities happening in the Beaufort-Delta, Sahtu region or Deh Cho region. It will be based on that. We get a lot of feedback. From the feedback, we discuss around the table with educational leaders and develop programs based on that. This is an area that we closely monitor. We will continue to make changes to our programming for the Northwest Territories that will benefit the North. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, being new to the Legislative Assembly, I’m finding out new processes, the way things are being done. My understanding, from what the Minister just said, is the board of directors make the final decisions on where programs are being offered. Why is there not a process where the Minister might make the final

write-off on where these programs are sent? Or would the Minister take those recommendations from the board of directors, bring it back to standing committee, and standing committee can have some recommendation into how those programs are being delivered?

Obviously, we have a strong voice here, small communities, rural and remote communities that do need these training programs. Would the Minister be open to having that as a process, bring in recommendations from the board of directors to standing committee and having dialogue from there so that we have a greater interest in how these programs are being offered throughout the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we do go through an annual basis before we distribute funding to the college so they can deliver programs, trying to get feedback from the Board of Governors on what is needed and to make changes.

As we know, there are a lot of community learning centres for the Northwest Territories that need to be fully taken advantage of. There are all of these different programs that should be delivered at the community level. I will take the Member’s suggestion seriously into consideration. I will be working with the Board of Governors, the chair and also the president to move this forward and identify what changes are required at the regional or community level. I will bring that forward for the Board of Governors. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will follow up on my colleague’s questions on the health care cards and the renewals. I am wondering what the department is doing to commit resources to speeding this process up and the backlog that is currently happening in the system. What is the department doing? The Minister indicated 11,000 have been completed but they are estimating that there is somewhere around 35,000 to 40,000 that have to be completed, so we are only about a quarter of the way done. What is the department committing its resources to speed the process up and make sure it works faster?

Perhaps I wasn’t clear. There are 11,600 until birthdates, until the 16

th of

May of this month, and at that point we had processed approximately 86 percent of those. But right up until the end of 2013 we will have about 38,000 people right from January too. So another 26,000 and some-odd cards, people whose cards will expire from May until December. Then the rest

of the people, the 3,000 or so residents of the NWT, their cards will be expiring in 2014.

I guess my question is still what kind of resources? Obviously, we as MLAs are getting e-mails, three or four a week from different people that are having difficulty getting renewed. Obviously, the process is not working quickly right now. What resources are we committing to make sure that the process works quicker?

The residents of the Northwest Territories are frustrated right now. Myself and Mrs. Groenewegen have given you several examples today of people who have applied, including myself. My card would have never renewed before my birthday. I had to go to the pharmacy and get it updated. What is the department committing to resources?

I’m not sure that putting more resources in the Inuvik office, which is responsible for processing the cards, is the answer. Perhaps we could deal with trying to provide them some assistance in the processing of the cards.

The process is that people in Inuvik are dealing with the cards as they come in. They’re processing and sending them to Ontario, they’re being printed, and then they’re being mailed out to the individuals in the Northwest Territories that are to receive health care cards. But if I can commit to the Member that we will contact the Inuvik office and see if the issue is a lack of manpower. If the issue is a lack of manpower, we’re prepared to put some individuals in the office to process the applications. Thank you.