This is page numbers 4075 – 4134 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 going.

Topics

Take A Kid Trapping Program
Members’ Statements

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Take a Kid Trapping is a popular program through Industry, Tourism and Investment. It’s designed to introduce youth in the NWT to the traditional harvesting practices of hunting, trapping, fishing and outdoor survival.

[Translation] The students that are going to school are also taking up trapping. They set the traps and snares and also learn how to fish. In the past, our history, our elders have been able to make a trap and make a living doing such. Secondary school students, starting on March 7th , will be doing an on-

the-land program, then in one week they will check their traps. They have been doing well. [Translation ends]

Being on the land gives our youth a better understanding of who they are, where they come from and where they live. People who spend time on the land learn to value in a greater way. They see the connection between plants, animals, wind, water and sun that earlier generations always knew. It helps us understand our natural environment and take care of our land so that it can continue to take care of us.

[Translation] They learn how to trap and this is the way our ancestors survived. There are a lot of them that don’t have time to be out in the bush, so it is good that they’re learning how to trap and be on the land. If they are able to learn to trap, then they will be able to learn how to survive. They also would know how to live on the land safely and it also exposes them to a healthy life.

When they learn how to survive on the land, they learn how to trap. It’s also a healthy way of life, so it’s good that they’re learning to do this out-in-the-land program.

Take A Kid Trapping Program
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided]

…to the late Johnny Andrew Boucher, originally from Rocher on the Taltson River.

Johnny was born May 24, 1951, and passed away on February 19, 2014, at age 62. He passed away from difficulties of asthma. I often saw Johnny walking on the streets and he told me that he was not able to get better from his asthma because of his living conditions.

Johnny Boucher was born in Rocher River and was raised in Rocher River and Fort Resolution by his grandfather, Bonaface Boucher. Johnny enjoyed his childhood of being on and living off the land, and was an adventurous type and loved to roam around.

Although Johnny decided to live in the South while he was in his early twenties, he always made sure his immediate family in Resolution and Lutselk’e knew how much he cared for them and loved them, and would make sure to visit whenever he could.

Johnny was an artist and a fishing guide. He was known for his art, but mainly for his art that he did when he lived in the South. Johnny lived in Lutselk’e for a few years in the early 2000s, where he thoroughly enjoyed connecting with the land and living off the land and working as a tour guide for the Lutselk’e Frontier Lodge.

Johnny was predeceased by his mother, Elizabeth Boucher; stepfather, Noel Abraham; brothers Frank (Eddie) and James Boucher; his grandparents Catherine and Boniface Boucher; aunt, Mary-Rose; and his aunt and uncle, Archie and Louise. Johnny is survived by his children Elizabeth Lockhart, Cheyenne Rose Good, Johnny B. Good and Ashley Boucher; grandchildren Amber and Catherine.

My condolences go out to Johnny Boucher, commonly known as Spot. That was his nickname. I know that he was in residential school for a long time; I think almost all of his school years were spent in residential school. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Minister Abernethy.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple of different individuals. First I’d like to recognize Dr. Ewan Affleck who I mentioned earlier as the champion of electronic medical records, and he was recently awarded the Order of Canada. I’d like to thank him for his commitment to improving health care services for the Northwest Territories.

I’d also like to recognize another important group of individuals, our Anti-Poverty Advisory Committee, who is helping us with the development of the territorial response to the Anti-Poverty Framework.

They are Chief Minnie Letcher of the Liidlii K’ue First Nation, who is one of our co-chairs; Bronwyn Watters, who is the GNWT representative and one of our co-chairs; Julie Green from the No Place for Poverty Coalition; His Worship Mark Heyck, the mayor of Yellowknife; Chief Herbert Blake of the Inuvik Native Band. Bob Simpson is also one of our advisory committee members; unfortunately, he’s unable to be here today and he’s with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. I’d also like to recognize Grant Gowans, who is our senior advisor on the anti-poverty file. Thank you all for being here today.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Bromley.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to welcome Dr. Ewan Affleck, M.C., to the House today, a resident of Weledeh, and of course, welcome all of the Anti-Poverty Strategy Advisory Committee members that could make it today, and the mayor of Yellowknife, Mark Heyck. Mahsi.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Moses.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome Chief Herbert Blake, Inuvik Native Band, as well as His Worship Mayor Mark Heyck. Grant Gowans is up there. He’s a childhood friend of mine and we grew up together on the streets of Inuvik and I want to welcome him to the House today. As well, I’d like to recognize and welcome all the Anti-Poverty Working Group here and I just want to wish them the best of luck, and keep up the good work that they’re doing. Thank you.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Hawkins.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have three constituents in the gallery and I’d certainly like to recognize and give them their due Grant Gowans, Julie Green and certainly His Worship Mark Heyck. As well, I’d like to acknowledge Chief Minnie Letcher, I haven’t seen you in a number of years and, as well, I’d also like to acknowledge the Anti-Poverty Committee and thank them for their work and their commitment to the people of the Northwest Territories. The work that they do is certainly significant and important. Thank you.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Menicoche.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Chief Minnie Letcher. Welcome to the gallery and I hope you enjoy the proceedings here. Mahsi.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. I’d like to welcome, too, Chief Herbert Blake. It’s good to see you here. Bronwyn and Grant, it’s always good. Mayor Heyck, welcome back. It’s always good to have people in the House. Thank you for coming.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are related to the oil and gas needs assessment training. I wanted to ask Minister Ramsay – I know that he was working closely with the Department of Education and Culture and the Sahtu was going to complete a needs assessment on the Sahtu oil and gas training needs – has that needs assessment been completed?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d have to check with officials at the department and at ECE to find out the status of that work. Thank you.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

I hope to hear something quickly from the Minister so that I can pursue this needs assessment in the Sahtu. Like I said, I’ve been on the Sahtu winter roads over the last couple of days, and I went to Conoco and Husky, and I went into the Wells and Tulita, and certainly there is a huge cry for training for the young people.

I want to ask the Minister, once he receives the report, could we look at the Sahtu needs assessment report and bring it to a Sahtu exploration readiness forum, conference, so we could start matching up training dollars with oil companies and the needs in the Sahtu?

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Again, I fully support the Member’s push to have more training in the Sahtu. Currently, we are working with industry, we are working with ECE, and I will get that information to the Member.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Given the high interest in the oil and gas industry with all these contractors in communities, there are a lot of other programs going on, but right now the oil and gas industry is hiring a lot of people. Specialists are coming into the Sahtu to do a couple weeks of work then fly out. I’m looking at a training component base that’s strong in the Sahtu with the interests of the oil and gas being the main economic drivers this winter. We’re looking at this training program to the Sahtu needs assessment to be ready so that we can jump on the activity that’s happening now.

I want to ask the Minister, is there something that we can plan once the needs assessments have been reported, that we’d like to look at a second readiness exploration forum in the Sahtu region?

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

The success of the first readiness session we had in Norman Wells and the community meetings that we’ve had this past year were very successful in letting folks know what was happening in the coming year. I’ve had discussions with the Member and with the department and we certainly will try to move forward with a readiness session sometime this year, and we will also get that information on the training initiative, as well, and continue to work with folks in the Sahtu to ensure that there’s adequate training for people that want to take that training.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The oil and gas exploration is going to slow down sometime at the end of this month, so we need to jump on this opportunity as quickly as possible. When the Minister says sometime in the future, I’m hoping that between the end of March and sometime in September that we will have a training program offered to the people in the Sahtu based on the needs assessment and what’s needed now to help our people get jobs, get the training and build capacity. Can the Minister commit to having this forum prior to September?

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

I can’t speak to the training side because ITI is not responsible for the training initiative. Again, I will work with ECE and the department to find the information the Member is looking for. I do believe it is very important that that information comes out before ITI, with the communities in the Sahtu, puts on another readiness session there. That readiness session should happen before September, and I agree with the Member.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.