Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, the 17th Legislative Assembly 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 territory.

The path to that vision has its obstacles and challenges. Now, as Northerners, we do not shy away from challenges. Our territory is built on the strength and resilience of people who have persevered and survived despite harsh climate and the sometimes harsh reality of northern living. However, there are times when the load can be lightened, the challenges met and the vision seen more clearly.

Mr. Speaker, this week Members of the 17th Assembly will have the unprecedented opportunity to clear the path to our shared vision of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous territory. We are ready, Mr. Speaker, to lighten the load all Northerners carry, to bring decision-making and resources where they belong: home, to the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, to that end, I will be tabling the results of the public engagement on the proposed Devolution Agreement and the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement. It is also our intention to introduce a motion seeking this Assembly’s support for the approval of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement.

Should this motion pass, we will then sign the agreement that will see new responsibilities transferred to us on April 1, 2014; new

responsibilities, Mr. Speaker, and a clear path to our vision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mr. Speaker, we all know the terrible toll that addictions take on our people and our communities. Widespread addictions are one of the biggest barriers to achieving the vision and priorities of this Assembly. It is a driving force behind family breakdown, incarceration, homelessness, and developmental delays in children.

As a government, we have invested millions of dollars into tackling this issue and commissioned numerous reports, but we haven’t seen much improvement.

This is why I convened the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. I believe that our communities and our people have the answers.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time today, I will table the report and recommendations of the Minister’s Forum. I want to thank the members of the forum and acknowledge their efforts, and I especially want to commend Mr. Paul Andrew, who chaired the forum and provided leadership to this important initiative. The forum members have produced an excellent and comprehensive report.

The forum’s conclusions and recommendations are consistent with what we have heard in other consultations over the past several months. Communities are telling us that their top priority is for more investment to support on-the-land programs for community healing. A second priority is more programming for youth.

Mr. Speaker, the forum’s recommendations on improving addictions treatment in the Northwest Territories are consistent with what I have heard from MLAs. Communities told us they want to see residential treatment improved, but more importantly, they want to see a greater emphasis on aftercare and detox programs.

Over the summer I will work with other Ministers to develop a detailed response to the report that will be coordinated with other action plans like Early Childhood Development and Anti-Poverty. But we will not wait until that response is finalized to take action.

This year’s budget includes new funding to address some of the forum priorities, including enhancing on-the-land programs, improving residential treatment programs and aftercare, and focusing on youth addictions. That important work is already underway and will continue. Through the business planning process, we will target priorities for increased investment throughout this government.

The recommendations of the Minister’s Forum will help us to build on the commitments in our existing Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan, and help us to target priorities for increased investment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is a day of remembrance for pregnancy loss and infant death. Although this day is observed in many places around the world, it is still not well known. The Canadian Foundation for October 15th , known

as CFO, is an official foundation leading the campaign to recognize October 15th as Pregnancy

and Infant Loss Remembrance Day in Canada.

The goal of the CFO is to obtain an official day of remembrance – October 15th of each year – to

ensure that all Canadian families who experience the loss of a child during pregnancy or shortly after birth are given the opportunity to acknowledge their loss, seek support and honour their child’s memory in an understanding and supportive environment.

The CFO works to promote national and international pregnancy loss, and infant death awareness remembrance and support, enabling the larger community with the knowledge and skills required to assist and meet the needs of families who experience pregnancy loss and infant death.

This special day is already observed in many countries, provinces and states, through participation in the International Wave of Light, a candlelight vigil starting at 7:00 p.m. every October 15th . The result is a continuous wave of light that

spreads around the globe for 24 hours, and it is a beautiful image.

A Pregnancy and Infant loss Remembrance Day is a small but important gesture for every family and community, but especially those who have felt this loss. It shows our support and our sympathy, and reminds us of the research and prevention work that needs to be done.

New Brunswick was the first province in Canada to honour October 15th as Pregnancy and Infant Loss

Remembrance Day. This is where we can help in this Assembly, and that is by designating October 15th as a day of remembrance for infants lost

through miscarriage, stillbirth and SIDS. I would like to see our territory join other jurisdictions in honouring this day each year, in support of those who have suffered the pain of losing an infant during pregnancy or shortly after birth.

I bring this topic up today in the House at the request of a young mother in Hay River who lost her first child at 24 weeks, and has subsequently happily given birth to another healthy child, but that loss and that remembrance of that child that she lost – and many other people have experienced the same thing – never really fully diminishes. It never really fully goes away, and yet, when people go home from the hospital, sometimes with empty arms, there isn’t much knowledge or support or, even in our society, a good understanding of how we can support and remember and help those families.

I will have questions later today for the Minister of Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to introduce to the House a group of students from Ecole J.H. Sissons School. These students in particular, who are all here in the gallery today, are an amazing group of young people who, through hard work and dedication, decided to invoke change within their community. What change do you ask? Well, these students decided that they were going to do something about homelessness.

In December of last year, Miss Anna Pontin approached her principal, Mr. Bennett, and expressed an interest in helping the homeless people in Yellowknife. Anna, a Grade 4 student at J.H. Sissons, was inspired by the work of another young person who was determined to make change: Ms. Hannah Taylor from Winnipeg. Although Ms. Taylor is now at the ripe old age of 15 years old, Ms. Taylor started helping the homeless when she was just five years old, and today she now has an organization called Ladybug Foundation that has helped homelessness across Canada in many major cities. That should remind us that you are never too young to start.

With the determination and energy like no other, Ms. Pontin enlisted five of her cohorts, five particular young people that she knew would bring

special skills to this movement she was changing. Although, through this collaboration, these young folks were able to launch and focus their mission. The first thing they did, knowing it was an enormous topic, they called upon Mayor Heyck, who met with them to discuss the issues so they could learn more about homeless people in our city, about the programs and the partner organizations.

After learning a fair bit about this particular issue, and at the same time realizing how large this issue really was, they decided they should focus their efforts specifically at the downtown day shelter. As such, these students then called upon Ms. Bardak to meet with them to talk about what they could do to help.

One particular area that they found that could make an immediate difference was they found that many of the clients had no access to crafts and music, so with an unwavering focus before them, they now were off and running with their mission.

The students decided to first raise some funds for this project for providing crafts, arts and music to the people at the downtown day shelter. As such, our young homelessness team, or crusaders, went on to present to all the other classes at J.H. Sissons, and they did this with such excitement, I’ll say that their excitement drew out enthusiasm, and it certainly was utterly changing and infectious.

May I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

---Unanimous consent granted

Their enthusiasm was infectious. Within a few days, these students raised $576, with several donations of musical instruments, but it didn’t just stop there. Since their initial presentation, they have pledged many other types of assistance. One particular student said, please don’t bring gifts to my birthday party; make a donation. She was able to raise $120.

The kindergarten kids proved that they are not too young, as well, to provide an additional $30 with their fundraising. They collected many things, such as winter clothes, mitts, gloves and toques for the shelter. Further, they continue to raise money for craft programs. They continue to have a weekly fresh bread drive that gets dropped off at the shelter once a week. Finally, these individuals continue to collect dry goods and canned goods for the Food Bank.

If you have been keeping tabs, which I know you have, you will now realize that they’ve raised over $700, along with collected musical instruments, new clothes, weekly bread drives, and they donate to the food shelter. The result of these young people is profound and has had an enormous positive effect, including on myself.

To bring this to a close, this all started with one student’s determination to do something, to lead a life-altering project strengthening partnership with six amazing students. They work together with their school and their community. In Rehtaeh Parsons words, everyone deserves dignity. The work of these fine students is bringing some dignity back.

To close this off, later today I will recognize the hard work that these individuals have done, and I will be asking for the attention of this House to recognize them individually. The work of the homelessness continues. Thank you to all of these fine students for reminding us how important it is and how young people can make change in their community. Thank you one and all.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know how I’m going to be able to follow that one. With just under 500 apprentices in the NWT, a recent ITI Economic Opportunities Panel reaffirmed the North needs more skilled workers but, more importantly, that these workers be Northerners.

I say this is a great observation, but no one really wants to talk about improving the process of our apprenticeship programs. We keep hearing the promise, finding the people committed to the trades. I say let’s fix and tweak the process and hopefully the people will step forward.

To achieve this, one must take the time to talk about our current apprentices and ask them what have been the roadblocks, what have been their barriers.

With limited time today, I will focus on one such barrier, which is the current Targeted Wage Subsidy Program. Currently there are four wage subsidy programs through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. While the programs differ slightly in their targeted audience, the spirit of the subsidies is to provide employers with incentives to create implemental employment opportunities for Northerners.

Now, this may appear to have all the rigours of a well-oiled machine, yet when you peel back the fundamental of this incentive, the employer is in the driver’s seat and not the apprentice. Why is this of concern? For starters, the control and leverage of wages lie in the hands of the employer. Now, I wish I could say all employers are equal in design, but I can assure you that some employers will use this opportunity to their advantage at the sacrifice of the apprentice.

Knowing your employment contract money in your future education is in the hands of the employer

offers little hope for those apprentices in not-so-favoured situations. Of course, like any employee, you can give your notice, but now your record book, your logbook, and your Apprenticeship Program is now put on hold until you are able to find another employer willing and able to take you on as an apprentice. I can tell you that many apprentices just say they will tolerate what they have. As well, your new employer would then have to reapply for funding, causing even further delays in the apprenticeship process. Again, most apprentices just can’t afford the delay.

What we have currently, in the eyes of northern apprentices, is a grin and bear it program when it comes to the Targeted Wage Subsidy Program. It is this barrier to the program success. The solution, I say, is let’s tip the process on its head and make the apprentice employee the one in the driver’s seat. Let this apprentice have the ability to assign wage subsidy certification with the employer of their choosing. Let the apprentice decide which employer is best suited for the success for their continued program.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Furthermore, let’s make sure this Targeted Wage Subsidy Program is owned by the apprentice and not the employer.

I will have questions later today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on finding better ways to achieve a better balance that we currently see with the Targeted Wage Subsidy Program and our Apprenticeship Program as a whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m taking the opportunity today to go down memory lane, like my colleague Mr. Miltenberger, who often talks about history.

Back in 1992, while I was taking my business degree in finance at the University of Lethbridge, I had the opportunity one summer to get a position as the economic development officer trainee, before I completed my last year of university. I returned to Hay River, became the economic development officer there, and since then purchased a home in Hay River and have lived here in the Northwest Territories since then. I think this is one of the draws that kept me in the North and kept me as a productive Northerner.

As students return from universities and colleges this summer, often the issue of employment comes up, whether it’s summer employment or some of them who are completing their education are looking for permanent employment. This government knows these students. We have financial assistance programs for them. We should be linking something to the students we know we have out there to the current jobs and what the government is looking for.

We have an aging population. We know there are going to be demands in the future of how many employees we’re going to need. The government is one of the major employers in the Northwest Territories, so we should have a direct link to those students when they first start their education, to what the opportunities are there, what the opportunities are for employment. We need to link that, because we are seeing in our riding, as well as hearing stories throughout the North, where there are students coming back and they don’t have a job. They could be lawyers. They could be doctors, teachers. We have teachers who are Northerners but don’t have any full-time employment. We’ve had a lawyer, recently, looking for a job in the Northwest Territories. Couldn’t get a job in the Northwest Territories; finally she was able to line one up.

Whether you’re a teacher, lawyer, welder, mechanic, we should be supporting our youth and getting them jobs, and linking our education system with the human resource commitment to the Northwest Territories government.

I will have questions for the Minister of Human Resources on how we can create this kind of a link between the Northerners who we’ve given financing, and finding them jobs out there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since being elected, I have been pointing out some of the ways people in small communities are at a disadvantage when it comes to receiving services provided by our government. Medical care is one of the biggest and most important. As we all know, there are many medical services that are not available in the small communities, so people have to travel. In my region, that often means going to Yellowknife.

There are no commercial flights and people can only travel by road, either by taxi or by private vehicle, and it is a pretty rough trip for someone who is in pain. Many travel by taxi. It is a pretty good business for taxis. There are often up to three people riding in the cab with different appointment

times. It is common for them to wait in the cab and bring their own lunch. The trip takes at least three hours each way, so unless the medical appointment is very well timed, it can easily turn into a two-day trip.

Use of private vehicles seems to be discouraged. In such cases, the Medical Travel Policy does not make any allowance for meals and accommodation. Most hotel rooms in Yellowknife cost between $150 and $200 a night, and with the price of meals you’re looking at close to $300 a day. It’s a lot of money and many people can’t afford it. I’m sure some people decide not to go to their appointments at all unless their condition is pretty serious.

In the long run, this results in more medevacs, which are far more expensive to our government than travel allowances. NWT residents who get medical care in their hometown don’t have to bear these costs. Why do people from Fort Providence and other small communities have to pay for their meals and accommodations when others do not? This is a clear example of unfairness and the way government discriminates against people living in small communities. We have to do better, Mr. Speaker.

I’ll have questions in this regard later. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As pointed out in a recent report from the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, teachers are turning down job offers for small NWT communities because of a lack of adequate housing. The report goes on to say that in the past 11 years, the Department of Education has spent $13.9 million moving teachers out of these communities, and that doesn’t include the added cost of recruiting new teachers to replace those who have left.

Since 1996, when the GNWT got out of providing teacher housing, there have been many things tried but, unfortunately, most of these solutions have not been successful.

Currently most districts in the NWT do have some sort of off-the-books arrangement for housing and have had for years. Here’s a snapshot of housing options that are out there in the eight district education councils and authorities that we have.

Both Yellowknife Catholic Schools and the Commission Scolaire Francophone do not provide any form of housing to teachers. Yellowknife Education District No. 1 owns Nordic Arms, an apartment block here in Yellowknife. In the Sahtu,

specifically in Colville Lake, the DEA either owns or manages the teacher housing there through a creative arrangement. In the Deh Cho, GNWT assets were turned over to the education council years ago, when no one locally would purchase them. There are houses in Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte, and a lease with the First Nations in Jean Marie River was turned over to the board. At Kakisa, Education, Culture and Employment gave the district education council about $60,000, and the council built a house. Public Works and Services has since taken over the maintenance and associated costs for that house. There have been a few ups and downs with that arrangement, but the best part of the deal, the council still collects and keeps the rent.

Alternatively, the Tlicho has housing in at least Behchoko for nurses. We have housing for RCMP in all of our communities where they’re stationed. To be honest, the GNWT and its agencies, departments of Health and Justice, do provide housing. The government can argue that they are locum nurses and that the RCMP are contracted but, in my mind, it’s a matter of semantics. Government money is being used to supply housing for people who supply services in NWT communities.

We struggle to solve the teacher housing riddle. Can we not find a solution that works? I have a suggestion: One potential solution would be amending the current regulations to allow authorities and councils to own property.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

DEAs and DECs who are allowed to own property can then legally set about acquiring housing for their teaching staff. Education districts need many options to help them deal with housing. One solution will not work for every one of them. The GNWT needs to be flexible and supportive, and good, strong northern housing must be available, well maintained and reasonable in price when it comes to rent.

Teacher housing in the NWT is hampered by regulations which forbid educational authorities to own properties, and this is perhaps not a solution for all of our communities, but as ECE consults with their partners on this housing issue, they must seriously consider revising the regulations so DECs and DEAs can maybe begin to solve their own housing woes. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday I had the opportunity to attend a ceremony here at the Legislative Assembly, which was near and dear to my heart, and that was the World No Tobacco Day on May 31st of every year. It was really nice to

see, although I missed part of the ceremony. It was nice to see that the Department of Health and Social Services and its partners were promoting not only talking about the commercial uses of tobacco but promoting the cultural and traditional uses of tobacco that we have in the Northwest Territories, and promoting spirituality, healing, respect, offering prayers, but also talking about the commercial use and what that causes: the cancers, the strokes, heart disease and even death.

The ceremony finished with the feeding of the fire, and everyone that was in attendance participated and they all got to say a few words. But some of the strongest words were from our elders. Actually, the Stanton Territorial Health Authority Elders’ Council was there, a very strong voice. They didn’t have to read from a paper to tell us what they knew and how they grew up, and a lot of it wasn’t in terms of commercial tobacco use. They talked about the traditional uses. Very powerful words, very strong words, very wise words, and those words were that we’ve got to start focusing on prevention and promotion and educating our people to live healthier lifestyles.

I was very happy to hear that, and although we still do have a very high prevalence rate of smoking in the Northwest Territories – I think second across Canada – the numbers have been dropping. What has been increasing is the amount of people that don’t start smoking and that’s what this government needs to promote, educate and continue to strive for. In fact, it will lead us into that new generation of healthy, educated adults with the youth coming up and educating our youth.

Actually, in terms of education awareness, this morning in one of our public sessions, we heard from Mr. Wise Old Yakeleya here. He made a comment. He did say give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. This government has got to start educating and teaching our residents to live a healthier lifestyle so that we can create lifelong healthy, educated people and residents of the Northwest Territories.

I thank our wise colleague here, Mr. Yakeleya, for those words.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Final comments are due today as the Sahtu Land and Water Board decide whether to refer to environmental assessment the proposal by ConocoPhillips to test horizontal, multi-stage fracking. I’m urging the board to issue direction for a review.

Only last year the board issued a decision referring a similar proposal by MGM to environmental review. In issuing that decision, the board noted that because this is the first proposal of horizontal fracturing in the NWT, significant public concerns have been identified. There is concern regarding the environmental effects of hydraulic fracturing given the controversy elsewhere, and given the potential risks to surface and groundwater, referral to environmental review was warranted. All of these concerns are just as valid and pressing with the ConocoPhillips proposal.

Most importantly, we have yet to set limits and thresholds based on publicly set goals in relation to cumulative impacts. Regulatory mechanisms do not exist to actually enforce those targets, and monitoring enforcement and adaptive management processes on which to base permits and management of unconventional oil and gas exploration and development have not been developed.

More specifically, there are no plans for detailed monitoring or mitigation of greenhouse gas impacts including those directly related to the ConocoPhillips application, ongoing project activities or resulting from combustion of any oil or gas that eventually may be produced. Given the comprehensive and daunting understanding that humankind simply cannot afford to burn 80 percent of the already proven global reserves of hydrocarbons, this is surprising.

Public concern remains high in the Sahtu, territorially and beyond. Several jurisdictions in Canada and globally are realizing greater impacts than predicted and moving to restrict or even ban fracking. Questions remain about financial liability from environmental damage of extractive operations. The public is already paying enough to clean up or stabilize the toxic consequences left behind after inadequate reviews.

Our Ministers of Environment and development repeatedly purport to be environmental stewards. In recognition of the hazards of premature fracking and testing prior to establishing limits and thresholds with plans to limit cumulative impacts, and the monitoring and enforcement mechanisms needed to assure this, have the Ministers urged the

board to remain consistent and refer the ConocoPhillips to environmental assessment to protect our people?

I will be asking questions.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Sahtu, the wise old Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my honourable colleague from Boot Lake. It sure goes against my affirmation this morning. I looked in the mirror and said I’m getting younger, I’m getting younger, I’m getting younger. And then he calls me old and wise. I appreciate that.

I want to talk about the Harriet Gladu Health Centre in Tulita. The Harriet Gladu Health Centre is a central, crucial piece of infrastructure in our community, and now more so important because of the heavy oil and gas exploration last year and the amount of activity that’s been happening around in the Sahtu communities, especially Tulita where the health centre wants to provide the best quality service that they can provide, and needs to be updated to serve the population that they are serving.

That’s why it is a concern to me that the plans to build a new Harriet Gladu Health Centre in Tulita are off the books. Our health centres are busting at the seams. We have the urgent need for the Stanton Territorial Hospital here in Yellowknife. We have the Midwifery Program in Hay River. We have the Colville Lake Health Centre. We have the Tulita Health Centre in Tulita. When we have the dental care services and the eye doctor’s care services come at the same time, it is jam packed. They are crowded like sardines in there.

Also, our health care is in crucial need of nurses. It has been noted that there are eight communities that have no full-time nurses in those communities. We have our work cut out for us.

However, I want to talk about the 32-year-old building in Tulita that was promised that they will get a new health centre. The design was put in place. We approved $100,000 to get it going and to see what will happen.

It is crucial that we get the tender loving care and that we get CPR for the Tulita health centre. Bring it back to life, put it back in our books, and tell the people we give you assurance that we will build you a health centre. The people were looking forward to this. I was doing my research. I noticed that the health centre is no longer in the books in the capital plan. I want to ask the Minister why.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to continue the thoughts of Mr. Yakeleya. He was speaking about broken promises by our government to our communities. This reflects upon the issue of Trout Lake and their school.

More and more families are returning to Trout Lake and the community is growing. It is a beautiful place. It is not surprising that people in the region are coming back after leaving for school and other pursuits. This is really good for the community and the people are happy about it, but the growth is putting more pressure on the school.

It is basically a one-room school that is more than 30 years old. The small renovation that was done cannot hide this fact and did not solve the problem. It is not a modern school with modern features or conveniences. It is overcrowded, with about 20 students. Replacing the school is a high priority for the residents and the community leadership. I have brought that message to the Education Minister many times and raised it in this House, as Members well know.

Given the critical need for a new school in Trout Lake, I do not understand the slow pace of advancing the project. Work is not due to begin until 2018. That is simply too far away. The school is already bursting at the seams. I have asked the Minister to initiate a planning study, but we are still waiting. The government has focused attention on larger infrastructure projects, and in the larger communities, I might add, that seems at the expense that is badly needed in the small communities. I don’t want to say that this is the pattern, but I am beginning to wonder.

I want to get at the most important issue here. Our young people need a good education. We know that education, good employment and good health are closely linked. We have worked hard on the Anti-Poverty Strategy and early childhood education programs. If we are going to see that pay off for our people, we have to deliver high quality schooling from kindergarten to Grade 12. Trout Lake needs a new school. It is as simple as that. We need to get on with it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Hawkins on March 12, 2013, regarding highway emergency response protocols.

The Highway Emergency Alerting Protocol, or HEAP, was developed by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to assist the RCMP and selected community fire departments in responding to vehicular accidents on territorial highways and winter roads.

HEAP describes a uniform plan for emergency response to highway accidents in the various zones designated across the Northwest Territories. It is intended to establish a process and procedures to be followed by various agencies in responding to highway accidents. More specifically, HEAP guides:

•

establishing command authority;

•

dispatching

resources;

•

accident

reporting;

•

emergency landing strip procedures; and

•

clarifying medevac coverage areas.

MACA is leading an interdepartmental advisory committee, composed of Justice, Transportation and Health and Social Services, to implement a plan to strengthen community-based ground ambulance and highway rescue services in the NWT, and to explore options to ensure the safety of residents and visitors who need medical assistance in remote locations. The committee’s work plan includes a thorough review of HEAP. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned in my Member’s statement today, I would introduce the special team of energy and determination from J.H. Sissons School. First I’d like to recognize Anna Pontin, who is the organizer of this initiative. Next I’d like to introduce Krianna Strowbridge. Krianna has a special talent speaking and she was an enthusiastic presenter. Followed by Arjun Budgell, who is a very articulate young man and he provided some enthusiasm as well. Thank you very much. Next, Matthew Weibe. He was the accountant on this project. Next I have Kea Furniss. She has a special talent speaking. As well, she was the young lady who I highlighted who donated her birthday money to this initial project. Certainly last but not least of this amazing six, we have Jack Kotaska. He brought focus and good money management skills to this initiative. The next I’ll run through really quickly. They’re supported by Principal Paul Bennett, who should be in the gallery right there. As well, to their aid they have David Pontin, who is the father of Anna; M.S. and Kay Naidoo, who are the grandparents of Arjun; Nalini Naidoo and Steve Budgell, who are the parents of Arjun; Doris Weibe, who is on the side there, sitting

next to her son Matthew; and I believe I have Carri Lauder and Jim Strowbridge here for Krianna. Again, I want to support all of these young students. Thanks very much.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Paul Andrew and Laurie Sarkadi, from the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. I’ll be tabling their report.

I see I’m also given opportunity to represent a couple of other folks who are supporting people: Dr. David Pontin, president of the NWT Medical Association, and Mr. Paul Bennett, principal of Sissons School. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I see the amazing team working on homelessness is off to their next project already; very quick moving on their feet.

I would like to recognize some of the Weledeh residents. In particular, of course, Anna Pontin, also her dad, Dave Pontin, here today. This family is very active in these areas and Anna is carrying on the tradition.

Also, Jack Kotaska and also all those working on this, and other residents of Weledeh that might be behind me. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a resident of Tulita, however, he’s living here in Yellowknife: Mr. Paul Andrew. I’d also like to congratulate the young team on their achievements. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I’d like to welcome everybody in the gallery here today. Thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings, and welcome.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what would be involved in proclaiming a day of recognition for families who have lost children that were yet unborn, children that are born

stillbirth and children that are lost to sudden infant death syndrome. What would be involved in our government when we declare a day as a day of remembrance or a day to recognize something like this? What’s involved? Thank you.

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

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I am no expert in this area, but I notice that over the last couple of years a lot of the days that are dedicated to things such as this were started off by interest groups. So my first recommendation would be that if there’s an interest group that wants to discuss this with our department, that would be a good place to start.

I’m not aware whether there is an actual developed and formed territorial organization as yet, but I’m sure that even by bringing the awareness to this in the House today there could very well be responses to this. We would be following suit of other jurisdictions in Canada, such as New Brunswick, which I mentioned, which have already taken the lead to do this. I don’t think it’s something that would be costly to the government and I’m not exactly sure how the proclamation of certain days is undertaken, but I would certainly encourage anybody who shares an interest in this topic of remembering young people, young lives that have been lost, and remembering family members, if they could communicate that to us I’m sure that we could get a formal presentation and request to the Minister. Thank you.

Also, once the information is in, I think the next process we’ll have to look at is maybe a motion from the Member from the House to look at designating such a day. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Admittedly, the North needs more skilled workers than ever before and it’s paramount that we need to do everything possible to make sure that our residents succeed at being given those skilled jobs of the future.

I rise today as a follow-up to my Member’s statement in which I talked about some of the barriers facing our northern apprentices. One of those barriers is the current way we legislate and regulate our targeted wage subsidies that flow from the employer to the apprentice employee. My questions today will be directed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Can the Minister indicate when was the last time the Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Act was reviewed and has this act kept up with current changes in labour market development agreements across Canada? Thank you.

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

Mahsi. I do believe this question is timely. As you know, the Minister of ITI delivered an economic development report that was tabled last week. Part of that consisted of training, training Northerners. With the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupation Act, it was recently revised. It came into force October 2012, and full implementation this August 2013. So that is part of ongoing development that we’re going through.

The review also consisted of various partners involved, stakeholders, industries, apprentices and the Apprenticeship Board. So those are just some of the processes that we have to go through to review and implement the current act that we have. But it was done back in 2012. That’s when they last revised the version. Mahsi.

I appreciate the Minister’s response to that. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment supports the development, maintenance and delivery of designated trades, occupational training programs and the development of our skilled northern workforce.

Can the Minister describe, in the event of an apprentice having employer difficulties, what are the options of this apprentice to seek help or assistance?

Mr. Speaker, part of the process is, of course, we have our ECE staff that deal with apprentices, and just to make them aware of their obligations within the program itself, being an apprentice. My staff is, of course, available any time if there is a challenge or a barrier in the way that the Member has alluded to earlier. Those are areas that my departmental staff are available to meet with certain individuals, especially those apprentices. We also have a regional representative, as well, that deals with the service centres in the regions. They are available to help and support these, whether it be the trainees or apprentices.

Those are just some of the key highlights of resource support staff we have at the headquarter level, regional level and community level.

Earlier today I spoke of the barriers of the targeted wage subsidies being in the hands of the employers wherein, I think, a perfect

scenario, would be more suited in the stewardship of the apprentice.

Could the Minister indicate by what process in today’s landscape could the apprentice play a more active role in the control of directing such targeted wage subsides to would-be employers? Is this possible?

Part of, again, the process is apprentice training on the jobs that we have. We currently have a wage subsidy, and that’s provided to the small employers so they can be competitive with the larger employers as well.

Most of the programs, as you know, there are limited financial resources with a high demand exceeding supply. With the feedback from my colleague, the Minister of ITI, on the Economic Development Panel, part of the role, I guess, is apprenticeship is something that we will review in light of supply and demand, and as you’ve heard from the panelists, there’s a high demand for northern apprentices, northern journeymen. We are fully reviewing that, as well, working side by side with the ITI Minister.

Part of the NWT is our GNWT has a remarkable subsidy program that we provide assistance to apprentices, assistance to small employers so they can hire and train those individuals. On average, there are 90 to 100 apprentices on an annual basis, journeymen that successfully completed their program. We’re very proud of them. Again, reiterating that developing northern jobs, northern training for northern people.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s response. Knowing that this Minister seeks the highest standards in forming industry partnerships, as we’ve heard, and the quality of the skilled workforce, would the Minister commit to investigating the current barriers of the Targeted Wage Subsidy Program delivery, work within our Canada-Northwest Territories Labour Market Development Agreement, and report back to this House a strategy and an action plan to improve such a barrier?

The uptake and successful completion of the Apprenticeship Program continues to increase every year, as highlighted earlier. The Labour Agreement is under review this year. That is a program that has been very successful. It is a federal legislative program and it’s coming to an end in 2014. We are focusing and monitoring that program and the overall review. Of course, the suggestions and ideas that are being generated in this House will be captured and will be considered as part of the review process. I will continue to work with the federal Minister responsible, Skills Development.

Also, I would like to commit today that we’re dealing with the partners in the industries, as we’ve done in the past, having them in the room, providing a true partnership. Those are the areas that we are continuing to discuss, my department discussing with the regional representatives. Industries are part of the representatives, as well, so they will be part of the process when we are dealing with the wage subsidy to the employers. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today will be to the Minister of Human Resources. What currently does the GNWT do to link students with job opportunities throughout the GNWT?

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Abernethy.

Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of different things that we do. One of the things that we do is the Graduate Internship Program. Since 2001, over 300 northern graduates have been supported through this Graduate Internship Program. We do market this program to students through a number of different ways. The GNWT Messenger, posters displayed in Yellowknife, through the Human Resources, direct e-mail blast from Student Financial Assistance, newspaper advertisement and Bear Facts. We have a budget of $1.3 million. We can support about 33 internships a year at $40,000 an internship. We also have summer student employment for returning students.

To date, this fiscal year, we have hired 197 students with 17 more job offers in the queue. Last year we supported 308 students. We expect to support around the same number again. I have had conversations with my ministerial colleagues, encouraging them to have their departments hire as many students as we can reasonably.

Through the Department of Health and Social Services and Maximizing Northern Employment, we have the Graduate Placement Program for nurses and social workers, and through Education, Culture and Employment, graduate placement for teachers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister for those answers. What priorities are given to those NWT students returning for employment in the Northwest Territories and the GNWT?

Mr. Speaker, for the Internship Program, the northern students are given priority as outlined in the Affirmative Action Policy, because the internship programs are just for returning students so it is offered to them only. Summer Student Employment, the program is in place to help summer students get jobs for the summer months. Once again, the Affirmative Action Policy applies. For graduate placement for nurses and social workers as well as teachers, once again affirmative action applies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, what is the GNWT doing to link these students that are starting out in their first or second year and they talk about what they want to be, whether they want to be teachers, doctors, lawyers, businesspeople? What are they doing linking those students in the potential employment that we know that aging population is affecting the GNWT as well as many industries? What are we doing to link those students as early as possible to those positions in the NWT?

Mr. Speaker, for things like nurses and social workers and teachers, it is a little easier because we have programs designed specifically for those. We do know the students that are in the northern program here in Yellowknife for social work and for nursing, for education as well. That one is a little easier to link to.

For students in the South who are interested in coming to the North to work in a variety of professions – the Member mentioned things like a lawyer or these other trades – it is a little bit more difficult. Through Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy, we do have some limitations in our ability to go through Education, Culture and Employment and directly link to those students. It is a challenge. It is something we are in discussions with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, finding a way so that we can direct contact those students based on the area of profession that they are interested in, but we are not, and more work is required on that.

For the Summer Student Program for the students who are going to be going back to school, we do have a Related Experience Program, so those individuals who have identified what profession they are pursuing, we can bring them in as casuals in areas where they need to or if they are interested in working in the future, and by that way we do develop a relationship with those students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, along the lines, we talked about decentralizing and devolution. Obviously, this is an important factor for students coming in as well. How does the human resource development work to develop not only the big city of Yellowknife – you mentioned Yellowknife, obviously

– but throughout the regions and throughout the smaller communities?

The Member, in his opening statement, made reference to the training program that he went through, and the government used to have a number of training programs from entry-level and officer-level positions. We don’t have that per se today, but it is one of the things we’re looking at through the Regional Recruitment Plan. The Regional Recruitment Plan will be put in front of committee in short order here. One of the things that we’re talking about in that particular plan is on-the-job training programs that will help individuals obtain employment with the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.

---Interjection

Okay. I was going to give you a fifth one but, Mr. Bouchard, I’m sorry. My fault. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I made a statement on medical travel, and my question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Medical travel involves, especially in my riding of the Deh Cho, either patients travelling from Hay River Reserve or else by plane, if they have the choice, or else from Fort Providence, Kakisa or Enterprise travelling by vehicle. Unfortunately, sometimes people are not given the choice to travel that long road between here and Fort Providence, so it becomes quite the experience.

Who decides if it’s okay for a patient to travel home by taxi after surgery? Is there a doctor involved in this decision, and if so, how is it communicated to medical travel staff? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The decision on medical travel is a clinical decision, so it would be a physician. It could be a doctor; it could be a nurse practitioner or possibly even a registered nurse, when the person is in recovery and going back home. Thank you.

How does the Health Minister justify not paying for meals and accommodations when a patient has to come to Yellowknife for medical reasons? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize that it’s an issue in the medical travel. Right now the budget for individuals to come and travel to a community is very, very minimal, and we are

examining that and recognizing the fact that the amount of money allocated on a daily basis, the per diem for meals, is insufficient to cover the amount needed to be able to eat three meals when you’re on travel. Thank you.

I understand that a couple years work went into the review of the Medical Travel Policy but it remains unchanged. What is the status of that review? Mahsi.

Yes, the review is complete. We are actually looking at making actual changes to the medical travel, to improve the medical travel system for the patients. I don’t have the specific dates on when the changes will occur, but the review is completed. We know what the problems are. It’s just a matter of incorporating change into the system now.

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

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister indicated, if medical travel is required, a physician is required. Communities that don’t have health centres, in particular Kakisa, if a patient has to travel to either Hay River or Yellowknife, they make a decision. If there’s going to be a review of the policy, can that be considered to accommodate the needs of residents from Kakisa that doesn’t have a health centre? Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, yes, that is going to be part of the review. In places where they don’t have any nursing or places that don’t have any actual health centre or nursing station, we’re going to try to accommodate those communities as much as possible in the new changes to the Medical Travel Program.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement. I mentioned in my Member’s statement that a possible option to assist with the teachers’ housing is to change the regulations to allow education authorities to own property. So I’d like to know from the Minister why the department has not considered that as an option to date and why it’s not allowed for district education councils and authorities. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This is an area with a broad perspective beyond the ECE department and beyond the school

boards. It is the GNWT as a whole, because we do have all the professions within the GNWT. So if we need to change that regulation, then it would have to be the GNWT changing the regulation. If we do it for one, then there will be others lining up.

So I think we need to strategically look at the overall regulations we have, how they impact on different departments. So that’s what we need to discuss, and we have discussed that with the Housing Corporation and Human Resources in the past. Maybe we can review those areas.

There’s also the education renewal engagement that we’re going through, and part of that is small schools and professional staff. So I’m sure that will be captured as well. So those are discussions that we are currently having. Mahsi.

I’m not quite sure why these regulations would be so far-reaching and so widespread, but I’ll take him at his word and wait to see what comes of any discussions that go forward.

Another possibility that I didn’t mention but that could conceivably be out there – and it’s something that was previously done and then was dropped, but it has happened in the past – is that the NWT Housing Corporation has bequeathed property to education authorities and has maybe even set up mortgages with those authorities.

I’d like to ask the Minister whether or not he would consider discussing with the Minister for Housing to allow education authorities and education councils to receive NWT Housing Corp property and enter into a mortgage at a zero or a preferred mortgage rate, if possible.

There is a partnership approach and I’m working closely with the Housing Minister. They do have a strategy in place to deal with the shortage, whether it be housing for staff in the communities, especially the most isolated, non-market housing. They are in the process of developing multi-family rental properties in non-market housing in the communities, so focusing on where there’s a high demand. So there is already work in play. I’m really working closely with the Housing Corporation and also the Minister responsible for Human Resources because we need to capture all the proficiencies in the Northwest Territories.

My interest will be, of course, the teachers. We need to house those teachers every fall time. To date we’ve been lucky, but we know there’s high demand. So we’re going to be focusing on those areas.

I appreciate that the Minister is working with different partners. He’s mentioned that a number of times and that certainly was something that came through in the NWT Teachers’ Association report, was that this is not an issue that can be dealt with by just one entity. It is a difficult

problem and I don’t think it’s going to be something that’s going to be solved easily.

I’d like to know from the Minister if he can advise, considering all the number of different pieces and all the number of balls that are in the air, how he is going to be able to coordinate the work that needs to be done. How is he going to involve the partners that are out there and set up what is necessary? Thank you.

The Member already alluded to some areas where management of property arrangements have been made with DECs and DEAs, and either with the local bands, local development corporation, private companies or even the other unique partnerships. With this, there is also – I’ve just been informed by the Housing Minister – some home units in the communities, homeownership program, that could be potentially converted to be made available to these professions in the communities. Those are some of the key areas that we are currently discussing, and we want to make as many units available, especially in the most isolated communities. Those are our targeted approach.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just would like to say to the Minister, he mentioned we’ve been lucky so far. We’ve been lucky to put teachers into housing, but it hasn’t been acceptable housing. It certainly hasn’t been housing that has been to the standard that we would expect if we were living in it.

The other possibility with the Housing Corporation is that, yes, they may provide an actual building, but it does not necessarily mean that the rents are going to be acceptable.

I’d like to ask the Minister, he’s talking about working with different partners and working closely with the Housing Corporation, working with the NWT Teachers’ Association. I realize that there needs work to be done, but I’d Iike to ask the Minister when are we going to see a report with the recommendations that the various partners are suggesting to get us out of this housing issue for teachers.

As we indicated, there are various partners involved, the Housing Corporation, again, Human Resources, and our department, ECE, working hand in hand with the DEA and DECs. We need to get their feedback. That’s what we’re engaged on. Even through various venues such as educational renewal, ASA, we’ve heard over and over about the housing shortage, providing us with the solutions. This is an area that we want to deliver in house. Once it’s available, we’re going to deliver it to standing committee, potentially from the three or two of us as

the Ministers responsible for those areas. When that opportunity arises, we will definitely be before standing committee if we need to make any changes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are of the Minister of Public Works in regard to a project and some questions I had raised in regard to this government awarding contracts to southern contractors and coming back with change orders that increase the cost of the initial project.

The project in question is the demolition of the Samuel Hearne Secondary School. I’d like to ask the Minister: What was the original cost of the contract, and to date, what is the total cost of the contract on top of what was originally awarded in the tender bid and the amount of change orders applied to the project?

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The original cost, or the value of that contract, was $1.25 million. Since that contract was awarded, there have been three change orders, one for $741,000, one for $373,000, and one for $86,000, which brings the current contract value up to $2.451 million. The costs are related to the removal of asbestos and asbestos-contaminated material discovered during the demolition, which was not included in the original Hazmat assessment completed by a northern consulting firm prior to tender. In this case, anybody who bid on that contract would have been bidding based on that original study, and all firms, regardless whether they are southern or northern, would have had to have change orders.

There are a couple concerns here. Obviously, one from our local contractors not getting the awarded bid under some discrepancies with the Business Incentive Policy, but then also coming back, in their eyes or their perception, the southern contractors getting a change order without…(inaudible)…details. I’m glad that the Minister made reference to the Hazmat assessment, because right now we’re going to be going through some more demolitions with the Sir Alexander Mackenzie School, not to mention the Aurora College family housing units.

Will the Minister agree to fixing up the Hazmat assessment protocol so that when we get those bids coming through, the bids reflect what the

Hazmat assessments do and we don’t have to keep on creating these change orders?

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. We have already taken those steps, lessons learned from the demolition of the Samuel Hearne. We have the original contractor who did the Hazmat assessment of SAMS was the same one who did Samuel Hearne. Since we got back the information on Samuel Hearne, we have actually gone and got a secondary Hazmat assessment done. But in the contracting of this next school and any future projects, we will provide a complete up-to-date Hazmat. We are also going to require contractors who wish to submit to go through the school or go through the area that we are going to do a demolition on and do their own assessment so they can put in a fair and accurate price. We will be looking more on a fixed price, based on an accurate Hazmat assessment. This should eliminate the need for significant change orders like we have seen in this particular contract.

Just as a note, although there have been some change orders, this project is still within the established budget. We haven’t gone over. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in regard to this project, the timeline, I wanted to ask the Minister in the initial contract that was awarded, is this company on time to get the demolition work done or are they progressing beyond the timeline that was allocated that they had mentioned when they put in the tender bid? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, originally this project was slated for completion for March 31, 2013, but as the Member knows, because he lives in Inuvik and he has seen the school which is still standing, we didn’t finish on March 31, 2013. The new date is June 20, 2013. That is when we expect the school to be done, the site to be open.

The reason it was delayed is because ceiling tiles and fume hoods not identified in the original Hazmat were identified during Hazmat deconstruction. There is asbestos in the drywall that wasn’t identified in the original Hazmat assessment and mudded pipe joints which contain asbestos were also not in the pipes. We had to get those things out of the school before we could move forward with the actual teardown. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am obviously trying to stay on top of this project here, as well as getting concerns from some of the local contractors as well as local residents in terms of how the asbestos is being discarded, those kinds of things.

Just by seeing what is happening in the community, what is the percentage of local workforce on this project in terms of the employees on the job site? What is the percentage of our local workforce? Does the Minister have those details? If not, can he provide them so I can make another statement in the House before the session is done? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As for the contract awarded to the successful proponent, 55.1 percent of the work is going to be done by local people in Inuvik and 3.2 percent is going to be done by NWT outside of Inuvik. I will confirm to get some additional numbers to the Member, but I can confirm to the Member that there are 50 local Gwich’in residents who started the training required for the Hazmat removal. Of those, 30 local individuals in Inuvik were hired to actually do the Hazmat removal. Most of those remained employed until recently, as the Hazmat removal has actually come to a conclusion to get ready to drop the building. So 30 of the 50 people that were trained did actually obtain employment.

As far as the other numbers, we will get those numbers from the successful proponent and I will share those with you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are a follow-up to my Member’s statement earlier to the Minister of ENR regarding fracking activities in the Sahtu and the permitting process. This Assembly has approached this new and controversial form of development on both sides of the House, to achieve better understanding of what fracking means for the NWT. EDI’s recommendations report clearly indicated the need for development of policy and regulatory framework, assembly of data, having thorough information and control before potentially damaging decisions are made.

Is the Minister committed to heeding this advice, living up to his own statements that fracking must be environmentally sustainable in ensuring vital monitoring and management plans are in place before fracking goes ahead? Mahsi.

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

Mr. Speaker, the government is hard at work, along with working with community members, on the whole issue to do with fracking. We have been doing work now for the last six months or so. We have come up with a

draft. It is a best practices policy paper which is being shared within governments and is being shared with the regulators. It is going to come back and be shared with committee. It identifies a lot of the critical best practices across industry. We believe that if they are complied with and they are clear, unequivocal and understandable, we will be able to manage and protect the interests and the balance of economic development of this particular practice. Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister for that response. I am happy to hear that things are progressing on that front, and hopefully they will be coming to committee soon. I guess it won’t be until the fall, but it will be after these decisions are being made.

Last fall the Sahtu Land and Water Board referred an MGM Energy proposal for a fracking test well program to environmental review, citing significant outstanding concerns meriting detailed resolution before work went ahead. Today the board is receiving final submissions on whether that same still valid logic should be applied to the proposal by ConocoPhillips. The Minister has said repeatedly that fracking must be sustainable and based on sound environmental information and regulatory controls.

Does the Minister support the ConocoPhillips application to environmental review and has he communicated his position to the board?

Mr. Speaker, I think we should make the distinction between the two applications, the MGM Energy one and the ConocoPhillips one. The ConocoPhillips application is very comprehensive. It covers a whole host of areas, which is one of the reasons there was a different decision made by the Sahtu Land and Water Board when they looked at the MGM Energy proposal. It didn’t have the same depth and level of comprehensiveness as the ConocoPhillips one does.

The Department of Energy, Mines and Resources has coordinated a response to the Government of the Northwest Territories and there has been review by all of the appropriate departments, Education, Social Services, Health, and Environment and Natural Resources.

Mr. Speaker, when we look at the best practices that we are using as our guide, when we look at what ConocoPhillips has put in their application, there is a great linkage there. We are of the opinion that if in fact ConocoPhillips complies with everything that they promised plus the extensive list of mitigating measures put forward by the Government of the Northwest Territories, that this project could proceed, in our mind, without any further requirements, other than meeting those commitments by ConocoPhillips and addressing the

concerns raised that we have supplied to the Sahtu Land and Water Board. Thank you.

I will take that as a no, despite our Minister reporting being environmentally responsible, and that we do not have policies in place and that we have no decisions made on monitoring and follow-up.

There is nothing in their application on greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation management. We are going to support that going ahead without review. I am very disappointed to hear that.

As I pointed out, we have yet to set goals and limits on cumulative environmental impacts and thresholds. Regulatory mechanisms don’t exist. Unfortunately, adaptive management processes on which to base permits and management have not been developed, and there are no plans for detailed monitoring or mitigation of the greenhouse gas aspect of the proposal.

In keeping with his stated commitment, will the Minister recommit to these requirements and the recommendations of the fracking report as minimum first steps before any exploratory or test permit application is approved? Please reconsider.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we have to balance many things, and we need to balance the environment and economic development and resource development. We have taken the appropriate steps to ensure we have the policy base that work is underway. We are, at the same time, recognizing that the world is not going to stand still and we need to maintain that balance as we catch up with our policy work. We are going to do that. We have looked very carefully, very thoroughly at the ConocoPhillips application and we are, once again, confident of what ConocoPhillips have put in their application in terms of commitments and if they address the concerns, extensive concerns we’ve put forward to the land and water board that this project is safe to proceed, recognizing that there is still work to be done, that this is a whole area that is new and we are doing a lot of the further detailed work to catch up that is going to allow them to more effectively address some of the concerns the Member has raised.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

I guess I’ll just leave it at this. This government is obviously open for business at any cost. We are always in favour of development and we always fail to protect our people and our land. I think that’s a pretty consistent record. So maybe I could just get the Minister to define for me what he sees as balance. Mahsi.

The Member has made a harsh condemnation of the House and, by extension, the Legislature. He’s made some sweeping, universal condemnation of this

government and the position we take on the balance, the priorities of the 17th Legislative

Assembly, the balance between protecting the environment and at the same time balancing that with the need to be able to look at having an economy that is resource-based in this case.

We are doing that. When you look at the work we’re doing across the board as a government on water, on the tools devolution will give us, when you look at the work we’re doing on wildlife, on dealing with caribou, when you look at the work we’re doing on developing comprehensive policies for fracking that I believe we have demonstrated and will continue to demonstrate our commitment. Alternate energy, the Greenhouse Gas Strategy, we are thoroughly committed and this has been imbedded in our approach as a government. So there is that quest for balance. It’s a constant quest, but the Member’s sweeping condemnation is harsh. A sweeping condemnation of the government I think is clearly unwarranted. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.