This is page numbers 4285 - 4326 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 public.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Non-government organizations, or NGOs, are non-profit citizen groups who provide essential services to our residents. Everything from feeding the hungry and housing the homeless to providing child care, safe shelters or counselling services for youth and those with addictions or legal issues.

NGOs face unimaginable challenges in doing the work they do. They rely on a core of selfless volunteers who work long hours with little support because they believe in helping others in their communities.

They lack funds and often make do with less than adequate facilities, yet somehow year after year they continue to meet the needs of the most vulnerable and underprivileged among us.

Where is the GNWT in all this? Our NGO funding policy makes a paltry $350,000 per year available to eligible NGOs that meet our vaguely defined criteria. This $350,000 hasn't changed since the policy inception in 2010-2011.

Let's put this in perspective. In 2012-2013, 27 organizations applied for funding totalling over $1 million of ask. Of the 27, less than half, 11 applicants, shared in the funding and of those, only three got the full amount they requested.

Only three out of 27 had their funding needs met, yet the GNWT's own policy says that this elusive funding is for NGOs to “deliver programs and services that the GNWT considers critical and which the GNWT would deliver directly if the NGO were not able to do so.”

Further, for those NGOs seeking funding for the coming 2014-2015 fiscal year, information is non-existent. Information on the Department of Executive's website is a year old and provides deadlines for applicants for last year's allocations. I think this speaks volumes about how critical the GNWT really thinks the work of NGOs is.

Members of this House have asked repeatedly for funding for NGOs to be increased, but this alone is not enough. The time NGO volunteers spend fundraising is time they are not spending helping those in need. NGOs need clarity and reliability of funding. They need accurate, up-to-date information. NGOs need a clear decision-making process for funding applications and a list of what the government considers to be priority of critical services.

We need to do more for these NGOs who do not qualify for funding so they can become better qualified.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

We should be providing services to assist emergent NGOs and to take a look at existing stable NGOs to see where there are overlaps in synergies, so we can assist these NGOs to streamline these operations and stretch our funding dollars.

This government has a responsibility to stop paying lip service to NGOs and to start to recognize NGOs as a valued and essential resource. It's time the government stopped inadequate, piecemeal funding for services that are, by its own admission, critical to NWT residents.

It is time for the government to implement an integrated approach to working with NGOs in the true spirit of partnership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

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Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to recognize my wife of 40 years and my lifelong partner, and also another constituent of Yellowknife South, Carmelita Allen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dolynny.

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Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize, to you and through you, a resident of Range Lake, Mr. David Wasylciw. Thank you, David.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Hawkins.

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Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize a couple of constituents in the gallery. First off, I'd like to acknowledge and recognize Dawn Lacey who's up there, I just saw her a few minutes ago. I'd also like to recognize Brian Heppelle who's here to follow our proceedings today. Of course, special to my heart and to the Premier's obviously, Melody McLeod, who has been a wonderful lady to me for so many years. Thank you very much.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Bisaro.

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Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now that I know that my friend Carmelita is up there, I'd like to recognize Carmel, a long-time friend and co-worker. I would also like to recognize Mr. David Wasylciw and Mrs. McLeod and Mr. Heppelle. Thank you.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Bromley.

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Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Brian Heppelle in the gallery today. I had a chance to have coffee with him. I know he's a concerned citizen and it's great to see him in the gallery and all those who are out today. Mahsi.

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. I'd like to welcome everybody in the public gallery today. Thanks for taking an interest in our proceedings. I'd also like to welcome Mrs. McLeod in the House today. It's always good to see you.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Harriet Geddes of Fort Providence was chosen and honored on Saturday, March 8th, as the Wise Woman for the Deh Cho region for 2014.

Harriet comes from a very traditional background. She was raised on the land and from a very young age, she was taught how to be a good caregiver from her mother, Adeline Landry.

She took those words and applied them to her own life and to others. Harriet started on a healing journey and decided she was meant to be here to help others. She took training and workshops firstly on self-awareness, prevention and treatment for alcohol and drugs, counseling, family violence issues, and many wellness and healing workshops.

Harriet has worked hard, effortlessly comforting families with loss, guiding young families, giving advice and caring for the elders and teaching her cultural and traditional values.

She has helped many families to live a healthy lifestyle and reminding young families of their culture, tradition and spiritual ways. She stresses that families are so important today and we should love and care for each other, like the old ways.

She deserves the recognition as she is a good role model, never stopping to help out and volunteer her spare time for others in need. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke about the high quality of athletes in the Northwest Territories and having a program that would be something like a TEST program. I want to ask the Minister of MACA, in his role as the Minister of Sport and Youth, is it something that has been talked about in senior level of government? Has something like a TEST program been talked about where we could begin training some of the younger children who have the calibre to go to the Olympics and other world champion games?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Youth, Mr. McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We're quite proud of our athletes from the past and present. I think the athletes from the past have set the bar very high for our athletes coming along today. With the support that the athletes get from this government, they are able to develop. We have some fantastic sporting partners that bring all the games to the communities. With the support of this Assembly and Assemblies past, we have been able to increase the funding. We also have funding available for high performance athletes, those who are competing at a national and international level. We are quite proud of that too.

I think this is one program we may have to revisit because we have heard some concerns that our athletes are starting to get out there competing at a higher level and we may have to look at how these athletes are funded. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, my colleague Mr. Bouchard talked about the athletes from his riding attending the Arctic Winter Games, and certainly many athletes across the Northwest Territories will be there next week. Also, over the weekend we had the Second Annual Traditional Aboriginal Games Championships and I'm very happy to know, from speaking there to the young athletes, that Mr. McLeod was there to show support and people were quite happy that he was there to show support.

I'm asking if there is any type of discussion, with all the other support he has given to the athletes, if there's any type of program that's being looked at similar to the TEST program that happened up in Inuvik.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

To the TEST program specifically, there has been no discussions; however, our colleagues over in the Yukon are tossing the idea around about a centre for sports excellence, and this is one initiative that we'll be following quite closely to see if there are opportunities for us, as the Northwest Territories, to see if that would work here.

Again, I did have an opportunity to check out the Traditional Games; I had an opportunity to check out the NWT speed skating championships that were going on, and we have some fantastic speed skaters coming up. I understand there was also the territorial ski championship, I believe, going on this week. Our athletes are quite engaged and I think, again, working with our sporting partners, the Aboriginal Sport Circle, Sport and Rec Council, Sport North and the Mackenzie Beau-Del Recreation Council, with all the programs that they're bringing to the front line, I think we're starting to see a result of that. I would say the fact that we had 27 of 33 communities represented in the Arctic Winter Games by athletes I think goes a long way to indicate that our programs are working and all the programs we're providing in the front line are paying off. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Just witnessing the Second Annual Traditional Aboriginal Games Championships over the weekend at William Mac School, I could see these young students with gleam in their eyes with all the excitement.

I would ask the Minister, when he is meeting or talking with his colleagues from the Yukon government, is that something that will come to this Legislative Assembly for some discussion on this side as to possibly looking at the concept of a centre for excellence for our northern athletes?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, as we go further into the initiative and get some information, as we normally do, we will meet with committee and provide them an update and seek some input from them.

Again, we're very early in the stages. We have to have a discussion with our colleagues over in the Yukon to see how their program is being rolled out and how it may be working. Again, everything that we do we share with committee and get some feedback from them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is the beginning of planting the seed, so I look at that as the first process, is get the seed in the ground and start developing a vision for our athletes in the future. I'm not too sure the time frame of when this discussion will come to our side; hopefully, it will be done within the life of this government.

Can the Minister then sort of give some assurance that it will happen soon so we can have some discussion and start working on it?