This is page numbers 4225 – 4252 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. Blake. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’d be more than willing to work with the community; however, at the end of the day, the decision is usually made by the community as to whether they’re going to have a gravel haul or not. They will canvas other departments to see if there’s need for gravel. You did say Municipal and Community Affairs…

---Laughter

…and I have to get on TV.

---Laughter

So we’ll work with the community and they will identify their gravel needs and we’ll continue to work with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Sorry, I got mixed up with those two departments, but while the Minister is giving…

---Laughter

I know the community has been planning to stockpile gravel to upgrade their roads in the community, so is the Minister willing to work with the community to ensure that there are funds available for that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs

The community does have funds available. They are able to use the money provided through our department. Again, they will work with a number of the other groups. They may check with the NWT Housing Corporation to see if there might be a requirement for gravel. If there is, it will give them a pretty good indication how much they want to stockpile. They, in turn, would sell that gravel to whoever needs it in the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, titled “Cancer in the Northwest Territories 2001-2010.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table Dehcho First Nations leadership resolution and the attachment from the February 4 to 6, 2014, winter leadership meeting held in Fort Providence. The resolution calls upon the GNWT to honour long-standing commitments made in 2006 by the forest management division of ENR to develop regulations and policies in support of the non-timber forest product industry. The resolution insists that these measures be in place prior to the 2014 harvesting season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to table two documents. The first is called “Income Security for all Canadians.” The second is an infographic that has a lot of good stuff in it, called “The Case for a Guaranteed Income – Lifting People from Poverty: Fairly, Efficiently and Effectively.” Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Item 15, notices of motion. Mr. Nadli.

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, March 10, 2014, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories take the steps necessary to ensure widespread access to… Sorry, I have the wrong motion, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Could someone get the right motion for Mr. Nadli?

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Sorry about that. Whereas non-timber forest products, including wild mushrooms, can offer wide-ranging health and economic benefits; and whereas, world-wide demand for gourmet mushrooms…

I give notice that on Monday, March 10, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories take the steps… Again, is this the right motion? Sorry.

---Interjection

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

It is? Okay. …take the necessary steps to ensure widespread access to automated external defibrillators or AEDS…

---Interjection

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

We’ll get this sorted out. In the meantime, notices of motion, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, March 10, 2014, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move,

seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Legislative Assembly request the Government of Canada to propose to Parliament an amendment to the Northwest Territories Act that would authorize this current 17th Legislative Assembly to extend its term to a period not exceeding five years; and further, that the Premier communicate this request to the Prime Minister; and furthermore, should federal legislation be enacted as requested, the Board of Management of the Legislative Assembly propose a bill at the earliest opportunity to defer the next NWT election to October 2016. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, March 10, 2014, I will move that Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2013-2014, be read for the first time.

I give notice that on Monday, March 10, 2014, I will move that Bill 21, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2014-2015, be read for the first time.

I give notice that on Monday, March 10, 2014, I will move that Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2012-2013, be read for the first time.

I give notice that on Monday, March 10, 2014, I will move that Bill 23, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2013-2014, be read for the first time.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 17, motions. Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

WHEREAS there are 10 communities in the Northwest Territories without resident RCMP officers;

AND WHEREAS there are nine communities in the Northwest Territories without resident nurses;

AND WHEREAS both policing and nursing services are critical to the health and safety of all communities and their residents;

AND WHEREAS the lack of these services has continued for many years despite ongoing pressure from communities and Regular Members to expand them;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the government identify at least two priority communities for new nursing and/or policing services and provide those services within the 2014-2015 fiscal year;

AND FURTHER, that by December 31, 2014, the government complete long-term plans, working with community governments and including timelines for implementation, to expand police and nursing services into communities now lacking those services;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the government provide a comprehensive response to this motion within 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This motion speaks about this government, past governments and the state of our communities. Ten communities in the Northwest Territories do not have a resident RCMP in their community and I happen to represent one of those communities. Other Members also have their communities. But more importantly it talks about nine communities that do not have resident nurses.

In the Northwest Territories, safety and health are very important to our people and we have have and have-not communities in regards to policing and nursing. So, I’m calling on this government to bring forward some type of business plans to look at how we start putting RCMP and/or nurses, because they kind of go together with the new policy, into our smaller communities where communities can enjoy some level of safety and comfort and security like other communities that do have full-time nurses,

full-time RCMP and they can be in the same situation.

We have a two-tiered type of operation, services of communities in the Northwest Territories. I have been asking this government for the last 10 years, and Members who have been here longer, we’ve got to make a change. We’ve got to start investing in some of these critical, essential services in the communities with RCMP and nursing.

I’m looking forward to seeing something come forward from this government. So far we have 577 days to the next election. We’ll find out if that’s going to change in the next couple of days, but I wanted to say that there were many suggestions from this side on who we can work with on this issue and I’m bringing this motion forward, looking for Members to support and work with this government and have this government come forward to say yes, we have a plan, we have a plan in place and we want to. Let’s put the smiles of safety and security on those communities without RCMP and without nursing. Let’s modernize our communities and say you’re important to us, we will do this for you so they don’t have to continue to hear all the reasons why they can’t do it. Let’s do something about that. That’s what this motion is speaking to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. I’ll allow the seconder to the motion, Mr. Dolynny.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank Mr. Yakeleya for bringing this motion forward. First of all, I want to deal with the elephant in this room and that is why is a big city MLA concerned about a small community issue. This is important to me and it’s simple. This motion is an issue of equality, it’s an issue of accountability and it’s also an issue of class management. I will try to address these three ideologies in support of Mr. Yakeleya’s motion.

First of all, equality. Why are we allowing certain communities to be considered a tier 2 or second class to what is considered norm in larger centres in the Northwest Territories? Why should certain residents not feel secure or have access to basic health care needs? It’s clear you’re tethering on a human rights issue and ignoring the obvious will cost us more in the long run than just doing nothing, and this will cause a great divide of northern unity.

Second is the issue of accountability. Earlier this session the Minister of Justice alluded to the cost of setting up an RCMP service and new committee could run the government approximately $11 million a community and it would cost us to operate about $40 million if we were to implement all these communities. Yes, I think everyone would agree this is a costly ask within the shadow of this motion. However, this motion only speaks to the identification of two communities and, furthermore,

that the government complete a long-term plan, work with community governments and include timelines for an implementation program, nothing more.

Finally, I’d like to deal with the subject of cost management. It’s clear the cost of set-up of implementation and ongoing operations for RCMP and nursing stations is modest. However, I’d like to equally challenge this government to question the long-term ongoing costs of unneeded medevacs, or on police, bootlegging and other elements of crime or health related issues which are eating away at precious dollars in our budget.

The question of maybe having an RCMP and nurse program could save us money in the long run; we really don’t know. So we need, as this motion indicates, a proper cost analysis and incorporate all of our stakeholders so that we can find out whether or not this is truly, indeed, a cost savings.

In the end, this motion speaks to the softer ask of this government to do what is fair and reasonable for all of our communities, especially for their health and their safety. This is why it makes sense for this big city MLA to support this small community motion. Thank you.