This is page numbers 5033 – 5072 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was million.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

The Minister of ITI has been designated the regulator under the Oil and Gas Operations Act, and that is legislation and that’s where I’m identified as a regulator and, again, delegated those authorities to the executive director who is also the chief conservation officer in our oil and gas regulating office. Thank you.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. Still not that clear, but I’ll give up on that one. I think it’s a matter of language.

So, I’d like to know, first of all – not first, this is my third question, I’d like to know from the Minister, when issues come before the House or they come before a committee, Members very often want to have some input into the issue, and very often it has to do with an issue where the Minister and/or his delegate will have to rule on a decision.

So, I’d like to know if the Minister, as regulator, or basically him as a regulator, if he can accept input from Regular Members on an issue related to oil

and gas, and if he can, how would that occur? Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

On April 1st , of course, we

inherited the regulatory responsibility from the federal government. There are processes in place and we have to respect the processes and not fetter the regulator, not fetter the process that’s in place through legislation, legislation that we’ve inherited from the federal government.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks Mr. Speaker. I didn’t really hear an answer there so I’ll just give up on that one as well.

This is a new process, as the Minister has said, and any time there’s a new process I am a firm believer in doing an evaluation of it. So, I’d like to know if the Minister has plans at this point, even though it’s early in the process, does he have plans to do an evaluation of how our role as regulator and our role as accepting input on issues is working, and when does he expect that that evaluation would occur? Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you. The office of the oil and gas regulator here in the Northwest Territories hasn’t been overly busy. That’s not to say that we can’t take a look. We’ve only had the responsibility now for six months. I think after a year would be a good time to look back. I’m also looking forward, again, to getting in front of committee. I know we want to get in front of Regular Members with the executive director from our oil and gas regulating office, the deputy minister and myself to answer any questions that Members may have and I certainly look forward to doing that soon. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Colleagues, before we go on today, I’d like to welcome Rose Ann Snow and her sister May Inglanqasuk from the Beaufort-Delta. Welcome to the House today.

The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my second opportunity to get some information from the Minister of Justice, as we all have been recently informed in a very troubling circumstance that’s happened. We’ve been informed lately about a Japanese tourist, what appears to be a single lady, who has gone missing for reasons unknown and, of course, it’s best that we don’t speculate, but certainly it’s hard not to fear the worst.

Residents such as myself and Northerners at large would like to know what the Department of Justice is doing. People have been asking me questions

such as what is the RCMP doing, what resources have been committed to engage this process to help find her.

What is the GNWT doing to connect with this issue, because it is urgent. Finally, what can Northerners do to help in this very terrible, troubling circumstance? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, this is a very concerning issue for everybody. People do want to find this lady. We have confidence in the RCMP that they will locate her. Of course, we know Yellowknife certainly is a very caring community and that people want to lend a hand and want to try to help out in any way possible in trying to locate her. It’s important that people go through the right channels with search and rescue teams, working under the search commander so they don’t inadvertently do any harm to the search.

I’d encourage people, if they do want to help out and want to get involved, to contact the Ground Search and Rescue here in Yellowknife. Their phone number is 446-4727, or 446-GSAR, and they will be able to help assist in the search. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. I appreciate that information provided by the Minister, and I didn’t give him any notice. It’s an issue that we’re sitting here thinking about.

Is there any type of formal coordination for this normally? I need to think that this is a one-off circumstance that we always try to figure out as it happens. When Northerners go missing, we’re familiar within the Deh Cho and MLA Menicoche’s riding of Nahendeh that somebody had gone missing at one time and it was difficult to get the resources up and running immediately.

What type of things do we have in place so when a terrible circumstance happens like this, Northerners can immediately get involved and know that proper steps and processes are there working as quickly and diligently as possible? Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you. The RCMP have protocols, they have processes in place when it comes to search and rescue and trying to identify or find a missing person. We have to remain supportive of the RCMP’s efforts and their investigative skills. We also would ask Members and the public to be supportive of the RCMP at this time as they continue to search for this lady. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

I believe in the Yellowknife region, I’m not sure about South Slave, but I know we have the SARA, so that’s the search and rescue group. I know, Mr. Speaker, in your region we have the Rangers and we have certain resources that we

can tap into, but Northerners being Northerners – the wonderful type of people we are – we want to help.

What more can the Minister do from his particular position and what type of public communications can he send out from the Department of Justice to provide opportunity for people to lend a hand?

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say – and this will be my last question – this woman is more than just a tourist. She appears to be a single woman by herself, and that sends chills down my spine that the worst could happen and I want to make sure we’re doing the best job we can. That’s not with any criticism on anyone, I just fear that we need to do as much as we can and I know Northerners everywhere want to participate because I have no doubt she’s in the prayers of everyone. Thank you.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I can assure Members, I can assure the public that we are doing our best. I know the RCMP are doing their best to try to locate this lady. We do have – and I mentioned a number earlier – if people do want to get out and help in the search, the number again is 446-4727 and that’s the Ground Search and Rescue. If folks want to help out, please call and we can use some help in the search. So again, thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In our region we’re finding it very difficult to attract apprentices, people who want to get into the trades, because of the quality of the education they are receiving in high school. It makes it difficult for them to enter into a trades entrance program or to get into the Apprenticeship Program because of the lack of skill or training.

I want to ask the Minister, is his department doing anything to improve the quality of education for Grade 12s that want to enter a trades program or a Trades Access Program or get into an apprenticeship program?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, that is our overall goals and objectives. That’s the very reason why we are re-evaluating and re-looking at our overall education system. More specifically in the small communities, whether it be the Sahtu region, Colville and the small communities, we’ve been told that their education system is not compatible or comparable to the larger centres. So those are some of the

areas that we are currently making some drastic changes. So it will reflect on that, as well, and yes, we want those individuals to be Grade 12 graduates or even entering the Trades Access Program so they can retain journeyman ticket holders in their region. Mahsi.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you. The overall picture the Minister has painted, looking at the overall system, re-evaluating in the last 10, 11 years as an MLA, we know in the Sahtu and the North that our education system is not comparable to the larger centres. It’s a known fact. As Mr. Premier said yesterday, it’s a cold hard fact. The cold hard fact of this issue is that we are not in the same ranking as the larger centres.

So, knowing this for the last 11 years, is the Minister willing to direct his department today to start looking at Grade 12, looking at and asking the communities, these are the programs that are going to help them to get into a trades program and to get into an apprenticeship program? Thank you.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi. Yes, those are the discussions that we are currently having, even directing my department to focus on those areas. There’s been a needs assessment that’s been completed just recently and that will give us the facts on what’s required, what kind of training should be delivered in the region and education and experience levels. So those are the facts that we will be working on with the college and with my department.

Specifically on Grade 12 graduates, they should be entering trades or college or university programming instead of upgrading. We’ve been told that before and I’m fully aware of that. That’s the very reason we are making those changes within our Education Act. Mahsi.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you. It’s a well-known fact, also, that government operates and makes changes at lightning speed, maybe a year or two.

So I want to ask the Minister, given the time within our Legislative Assembly, can the Minister direct his staff to dedicate a staff person to go into the Sahtu communities to look at career planning, counselling, so they know that they need to take math and science, so when they finish Grade 12 these are the opportunities in the trades and apprenticeship and the students have a fair chance at least within the life of this government? I know that the Education Act will take a lot of discussions and we cannot afford to wait and just continue to fail our students. Thank you.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, part of the process will be that we have regional representatives and career development officers, as well, even from our headquarters. Yes, I totally agree with the Member that those regions that have an economic boom that’s happening, we should be

focusing in those areas, whether it be the Sahtu region or the Deh Cho region. More specifically, now we are talking about the Sahtu, how we can prepare our individuals, community members so they can enter the workforce, what kind of training is required. More specifically, producing those individuals, those Grade 12 graduates and continuing high education, whether it be trades or other professions. Yes, I totally agree. I did instruct my department that we should have those career development officers focusing in those regions as well. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently in the Sahtu a couple of students couldn’t make it into the Trades Entrance Program because they couldn’t qualify. These are recent Grade 12 graduates, students that we graduated last year. We give them a huge celebration, the communities celebrated along with them, but when they came to write the Trades Entrance Program they didn’t pass. The Trades Entrance Program is 70 percent. These are students who were failed today.

I want to ask the Minister, why are we failing these graduates who want to get into a Trades Entrance Program, a career, to aspire to the goals that this Assembly set out for them? Why are we failing them?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, those individuals who are writing the trades entrance exams, it’s not only the Sahtu region that may have failed their trades entrance. We have to focus on how we can assist those individuals. Let’s come up with a solution. Let’s put our brains together with the departments and the community and also the regions on how can we come up with a solution to have those individuals pass trades entrance exams.

That will be my focus with my department, focusing on the Sahtu region so we can have those individuals pass their trades entrance so they can be prepared for the workforce. Mahsi.