This is page numbers 5221 – 5256 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 development.

Topics

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The pre-employment program and other programs have been very successful to date. There have been some changes in programming. Right now we are looking at the employment success through adult and post-secondary education and skills training. Those types of programs that existed before will definitely be captured in part of our review process, because we are engaging the key partners and also the stakeholders in the Northwest Territories on how best to deliver this particular program. We are re-evaluating our position on these skills and training programs.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Although I don’t know the exact phrase, but it’s something to the face of duty bound or obligation when we provide a program and it becomes ineffective, but yet we’re responsible because we do provide it. If we provide an education to people and they’re unable to get into programming afterwards, it begs the question are we not duty bound to ensure that they’re qualified to go forward in the future?

It’s been cancelled over three years, if I understand it. So I’m curious if the Minister has described, as he’s said in his words, very successful to date, what is he talking about that’s actually successful, and furthermore, has it been replaced with another program so I can point these young people into the right direction so we can give them careers so they can be responsible contributors to the future and certainly for their families?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

When I speak to success, we refer to the 50th year anniversary.

There are all these apprentices who have been very successful to date. We have journeymen ticket holders in the Northwest Territories, and we continue to push that forward and seeing the positive results. Those are the successes in the Northwest Territories. This particular program that may not be with us today, we will be discussing. Not only that, but other programming that potentially will come into play as we review this overall apprenticeship through adult and post-secondary education and skills training. It is under review at this point.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

I’d hate to think the program was successful and that was why we cancelled it. Maybe the Minister can talk about the interim solutions we can offer these families who have young people who want to start their careers. They like the ideas of trades. I mean, the Minister is so focused in on the end portion where they’ve gone through the trades program and they’ve graduated and moved on. I’m trying to get people into the program who want a fresh start at life, and it’s our job to ensure that we give them a great start.

What exists for these folks who need these pre-employment programs, these pre-trade programs? We must be able to do something. That’s what I

want to hear the Minister say today, is this is how we can get them moving.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

As I stated earlier, there are a variety of programs, subsidy programs that we provide to, whether it be training or small community employment programming. Not only that, there is a substantial amount of funding that we work with through the federal government, and that is Canada’s Job Fund. Those individuals that do not qualify for EI, those individuals, as the Member indicated, are in desperate need of sort of like a training that fall through the cracks. This particular program is geared towards that. Part of the focus of the federal government, obviously, is to train those individuals and fill those individuals with job opportunities upon the completion of the training program.

There is also the Labour Market Development Agreement that we are currently negotiating with the federal government. We want to improve every program as much as we can with the feds. Right now we are negotiating that as well. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to be able to be very clear on the record. When I ask this question, I want to be able to go back to these families who are struggling and trying to provide options for their children, and certainly these young people want to be productive.

My question is: If I ask the Minister, what is the name of the one program that is up and running today, what would that program be and how can I point them in the right direction so they can access it so they can get started on their career? By golly, they really want to be involved in something and the Minister can make that choice today by making sure they can be involved.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

As I stated, there are a variety of programs within my department and it’s also on our website as well. I can provide that detailed information to the Members on what is available for those individuals that want to be trained. I stated there is a Canada…(inaudible)…Labour Market Development Agreement, there is the Apprenticeship Training Program and small community programming that we provide to the communities, the employers. We will continue to push that forward, but I will be providing those to the Members. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 8, written questions. Oral questions, Mr. Hawkins? Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Yes, sir.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday MLA Dolynny talked about the resources of the firefighting season that we have just gone through. I’ve been speaking to a number of people about the recent fire season and I think what it really boils down to, a really good question that came over the weekend was: What type of public discussion will ENR be providing the public to come and talk to them?

A good public discussion could provide both education and understanding about the challenges that ENR had this summer and, as such, could go a long ways to going forward in the future.

Would the Minister be interested in facilitating a public discussion over this last fire season? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve received the text from the Member who got this suggestion from a constituent. I have sent it to the department. I know that they do meetings in the communities as a matter of course. As well, they look at the staff. I just want to get a better understanding; I am not clear what the Member is talking about. Is he talking about in Yellowknife, some major public gathering? Is he talking about gatherings in every community? The question needs to be refined. But we will definitely be sharing the results of the wrap-up and the debrief and what we see as areas that worked and things that we probably need to look at again. We will be sharing that information with MLAs as well as making it public. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

All very good questions by the Minister and I’m happy to answer them. Trappers and folks who own cabins are very concerned about the fire season. They are trying to understand why things, for example, resources weren’t used certain ways, why sprinklers weren’t accessed, why information wasn’t timely. The long and short of it is simply this: I think the suggestion is great, which is if ENR, for example, hosted a public meeting at the Legislature here, maybe in a couple of the communities where it is relevant, and welcomed input from the people who were impacted by the fires. The only thing that I will say is it is a very emotional issue and it’s very important that it is well moderated because, of course, emotion can sometimes take over. I don’t think people are mad; I just think it’s a very emotional issue and they would like to share their thoughts and express some of their opinions over this last season in hopes that it would be beneficial to the Department of ENR. Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

We at ENR, as a matter of course, touch base in the communities where there is a need to and they will continue to do that. I have been Minister now for a while, of ENR, and we haven’t quite got to the stage of public sessions that the Member is talking about. I will check and confirm with the department what in fact is being done or being contemplated in Yellowknife if anything out of the ordinary. Thank you.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Would the Minister be willing to entertain this type of discussion that we could have our deputy minister, who is very well liked and very well respected in our community… That is Deputy Minister Ernie Campbell. He is a great guy, he communicates well with people and people like him. He could host an evening here with the Minister and ask people what they thought on these types of services, how did it work and what was their vantage point. We have lots of trappers, cabin owners and other people who use the land regularly and they saw different things that all could be a benefit of the Minister. Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

ENR has a presence in almost every community and we represent and have an interest in working with all the communities and I believe we do that in an effective way. I am not, at this point, prepared to just have a special session because a Member got a suggestion to set up something in Yellowknife, accessible only to the people of Yellowknife. There’s going to be opportunities to look at that in probably in other venues, and I will just confirm that I will go back to the department, but we do have a process already in place that I think covers that issue. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. I think he at least did the proviso at the very end and I just want to be very clear on that. Would the Minister make sure that there is an access point so that the public can provide their perspectives on the fire season and if they have whatever type of info that they can provide, that is made available to the public? There are a lot of people who would like to provide suggestions, and it’s not just that they’re angry or anything, they just want to help. We have people wanting to do stuff. Let’s give them the chance to provide that opportunity because it is very meaningful. Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

I note the Member’s suggestion and will talk about it with the department. I just want to restate that I believe we have a fairly effective system right now. We will be putting a product on the table that will be the result of that work and it will be there and available, and we do make that contact at the community level. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Inter-activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000, April 1 to September 30, 2014.” Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Government of the Northwest Territories Contracts over $5,000 Report for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2014.” Thank you.