The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Ms. Simone Gessler, principal of Weledeh Catholic School in Yellowknife, on being recognized as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2014.

The Learning Partnership recently announced Ms. Gessler as one of 40 exceptional educators from across Canada. Through her leadership at Weledeh Catholic School since 2010, literacy rates have improved substantially, with 100 percent of students now demonstrating significant improvements in reading, sense of confidence and self-efficacy, and 70 percent are reading at or above grade level.

To achieve this, Ms. Gessler adapted the “Response to Intervention” approach to create a program aimed at improving literacy for all students. This program addresses the needs of students who struggle with reading and challenges the entire student body in a relevant and interactive three-tiered approach. The International Reading Association has recognized the program’s success and I presented Ms. Gessler with a Ministerial Award for Literacy in 2013 for her achievement.

Ms. Gessler now has the opportunity to attend a five-day Executive Leadership Training Program delivered by the internationally renowned Rotman School of Management later this month. Once complete, she joins some 300 exceptional educators that comprise the National Academy of Canada’s Outstanding Principals.

Ms. Gessler graciously attributes the successes of her school to the hard work and dedication of each of her staff. Under her leadership, teachers and

students work purposefully and her school is a place for learning directed at success for all.

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Simone Gessler for her passion and dedication to excellence in education. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With devolution implementation in less than six weeks, GNWT assumes responsibility for mines, oil and gas installations set up under “modern environmental review processes.” Already an enormous responsibility, if we are unprepared, this could become an enormous liability.

Under today’s system, each project, mine or whatever is required to post financial securities as part of the review process. This is meant to provide money that protects the public and the environment from closure and clean-up costs even if the operator goes bankrupt. Until April 1st , this financial

security will be held by Canada, presumably with immediate transfer to GNWT on that date.

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has not collected all the financial securities approved by our management structures. I found one example of financial security where $263 million was approved by the Wek'eezhii Land and Water Board for a mine, but the federal government holds only $127 million in security leaving a gap of $136 million, greater than 50 percent.

Just recently a diamond mine in Nunavut shut down. Guess what. They have not paid their security deposit, so the federal government – i.e., the public – is paying the bill.

This raises a number of questions. How many sites? What is the total gap between approved financial security versus that actually held by the federal government for transfer? The Commissioner for Sustainable Development notes that Canada is

already liable for $8 billion in mine clean-up costs because of previous failures to hold security.

Will they hand over to us the financial securities held on the 1st of April? Will the GNWT and the

public be left on the hook for the substantial liability gap that exists?

Oil and gas operations also present a sticky problem. As of April 1st we will be the oil and gas

regulator, yet financial securities are apparently held by the National Energy Board in an office in Calgary. Is there a gap in the holdings there and how can we understand the level of liability we are assuming when we don’t even have a functioning oil and gas regulatory office?

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Bob Bromley Weledeh

While Cabinet proposes to roll out even more subsidies to the resource extraction industry, are they secretly deciding that fully paid security deposits are an unnecessary burden on industry that hinders our competitiveness?

We have spent the last week insisting we leave a positive heritage for future generations. This potential liability could do the exact opposite. I will have questions. Mahsi.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like all Aboriginal people of the NWT, the people of Kakisa have fished for generations. Kakisa was established in 1962 when the Dene living at Tathlina Lake moved to the east side of Kakisa Lake to be close to the Mackenzie Highway.

Fishing is integral to their way of life. In late 2012, Noda Enterprises, the business arm of Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation, opened a fish plant in Kakisa. This basic fish processing and holding facility allows local fishermen to prepare pickerel for sale in the region as an alternative to selling to the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation.

In 2011 and 2012, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment made valuable contributions to the establishment of a fish plant through a funding arrangement that has now become the Northern Food Development Program.

There’s an increasing demand for fresh fish. The Northwest Territories has some of the highest quality fish in the country. It is a popular menu item at local restaurants. MLAs have long waited to see fish served in seniors homes, hospitals and other facilities. Operations like the Kakisa fish plant is an

important step towards developing local and regional markets.

It would be good for the community if the fish plant in Kakisa could stay open longer and serve more customers. Commercial fishery is a priority in the implementation of the Economic Opportunities Strategy. I support the government’s initiative to increase commercial fishing and want to see benefits extend throughout the Northwest Territories. We need to encourage people to work in the local fishing industry.

The fish plant in Kakisa is an example of how communities can work using traditional skills and a renewable resource. I encourage the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment to work closely with fishermen and all interested communities to ensure the best use of public funds and help the commercial fishing industry in the NWT reach its potential. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On paper, this government provides quality health care to all residents no matter where they live, yet a select group of NWT communities does not have year-round nurses. Tsiigehtchic is one of them and it’s a stressful situation not to have reliable access to care, Mr. Speaker. Residents are fed up.

Being without a nurse in Tsiigehtchic isn’t for lack of trying. For years the community has been petitioning the Department of Health and Social Services for a year-round licenced practical nurse. The idea made it into the Health and Social Services 2010-11 Business Plan, but the Minister of Health eventually reneged on that commitment.

In the House on February 7, 2013, another promise was made. The former Minister of Health, the Honourable Tom Beaulieu, stated the department plans to continue to work with community leaders in the Beaufort-Delta Health Authority to try to provide nursing services in Tsiigehtchic. When I asked the Minister if he would commit to an interim measure, a pilot project to hire a licenced practical nurse, he gave an unequivocal yes. That was more than a year ago. Once again, nothing materialized.

Now, I have discovered that the new Minister of Health retracted his predecessor’s commitment. A meeting took place a few weeks ago in which the Minister informed the chief and a few others that an LPN would not be hired because of limitations posed by the service delivery policy.

Mr. Speaker, what doesn’t make sense to me is that the service delivery policy hasn’t changed since the Honourable Tom Beaulieu was in charge.

The lack of housing had been mentioned as a barrier, but that’s no longer a problem. The community has set aside housing specifically for nursing staff.

For far too long Tsiigehtchic residents have not had reliable access to health care. This government has to do better. The Minister of Health appears to be someone who can’t follow through on commitment.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Blake, the time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

For far too long Tsiigehtchic residents have not had reliable access to health care. This government has to do better. The Minister of Health appears to be someone who can’t follow through on commitments. He will have an opportunity to repair his reputation during oral questions today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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