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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the Territorial Nominee Program has been greatly enhanced to better meet the needs of employers and to advance the population and economic growth objectives set by this government.

Economic growth in the territory is creating opportunities for employment and investment in many sectors, particularly in the non-renewable resource sector. To continue to build a strong and competitive economy, this government has committed to increasing immigration as a component of the broader economic and population growth work while maintaining our priority to continue to prepare Northerners for future economic and employment opportunities.

This is why we are taking a coordinated and unified approach to enhancing immigration programs and services to attract and retain more skilled newcomers to the territory. Enhancing immigration will help grow and diversify the labour force and support economic growth and prosperity over the long term.

The Nominee Program is a government-wide initiative delivered by two departments. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment delivers two employer-driven streams and the new Express Entry stream. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment delivers two business streams.

The Nominee Program has been identified as one of the pillars of the GNWT’s efforts to support the territory’s population growth objectives. ITI has set

a target of eight nominees formally enrolled in the business related stream. ECE committed to increasing the number of employer-driven applications under the Nominee Program by 25 percent each year over five years beginning in 2014.

To this point, I am very pleased to announce that ECE has already surpassed this target. In 2014 the number of approved nominee applications increased by more than 50 percent. This translates into 48 approved applicants including their 62 dependents, a total of 110 people approved under the employer-driven Nominee Program in 2014. We are also on track to surpass our target this year. This is great news for the territory, and over five years we project more than 800 new residents living in and contributing to the NWT economy. This initiative is a key component of our growth strategy, aimed at attracting 2000 new residents to the NWT over the next five years.

We have made several key enhancements to the Nominee Program. First we have provided a one-stop and seamless program administered by knowledgeable and dedicated staff. We have also engaged with employers and other stakeholders to hear from them firsthand how best to improve the program. With their input, we have revised program procedures and materials to ensure information is accurate, clear and understandable. We have introduced program service standards and launched a toll-free information line for employers across the NWT. All of these enhancements will better facilitate the application and nomination process.

We moved our northern employment services website from Jobs North to Canada’s Job Bank in January to provide employers and job seekers with enhanced online employment services.

The department has expanded the Nominee Program with the introduction of the new Express Entry system. Citizenship and Immigration Canada launched the new Express Entry system for skilled immigrants in January 2015. This new system allows the Government of Canada to select and manage applications for permanent residence more efficiently and faster. Through the Nominee Program, ECE has implemented a new Northwest Territories Express Entry system for skilled workers. The addition of the NWT Express Entry

system provides another 100 available positions for potential candidates in addition to the 150 currently available through the Nominee Program, bringing the total to 250 spots for candidates.

Mr. Speaker, we are also leading the development of an immigration framework. This framework will focus the GNWT’s efforts and strategies to help employers get the talent they need, increase growth and diversification of the economy, and promote the NWT as a destination of choice for talented newcomers.

In the months ahead, the department will be engaging employers and stakeholders to inform the immigration framework and will continue this important work to enhance our immigration programs and services to help keep our economy strong and ensure our residents prosper.

At the same time, ECE is leading a Skills for Success Initiative, to take a hard look at our skills training and post-secondary education programs and supports. We want to improve employment success for northern residents, close skill gaps for in-demand jobs and more effectively respond to employer and community needs. We all recognize that the number one resource in the NWT is its own people.

Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize the importance of these initiatives to the territory. A growing, vibrant economy needs workers and, with our abundant natural resources, there are jobs emerging all the time without people to fill them. A coordinated approach to immigration, our workforce and labour market will help improve economic and population growth, and increase opportunities for our residents. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] We’re going to talk… [Translation ends]

Mr. Speaker, the second winter of construction on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project is in full swing with our contractor working 24 hours a day, seven days a week from both Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. Our contract partner, EGT Northwind, is focused on constructing new embankment and installing needed structures during the 20-week construction season, while continuing to train and employ Inuvik and northern residents on the largest new highway construction project underway in northern Canada.

Engineers with the Department of Transportation estimate that since the project started last February, crews have moved over 1.5 million cubic

metres of embankment material. To put that figure into perspective, it is approximately 62,500 loads of material moved by the 34 rock trucks currently hauling 24 hours a day.

Moving a massive quantity of material requires a small army of well-coordinated, trained and enthusiastic employees. EGT Northwind has almost 600 people currently employed to operate and maintain the heavy equipment and support vehicles, supply and operate the work camps, and manage all aspects of the project from engineering and design to monitoring the construction area for signs of wildlife. I invite Members to join me in thanking the many individuals who are working to build the 120-kilometre segment of highway during the harshest season of the year.

Approximately 70 percent of the workforce is comprised of residents of the Beaufort-Delta region and other NWT communities who have had more than 29,000 person days of employment. That is a substantial contribution to meeting this Assembly’s priority of creating employment opportunities where they are most needed.

Mr. Speaker, delivering meaningful training opportunities contributes to a sustainable future for northern residents who wish to enter the construction industry. The contractor has successfully trained more than 70 individuals as heavy equipment operators and 30 individuals as Class 1 and 3 drivers with airbrakes. These valuable and transferable skills will outlast the highway’s construction and allow residents to take advantage of job opportunities associated with other developments ongoing across the NWT.

The department also collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to produce a workshop for front-line project personnel on protecting water resources and fish habitat.

Mr. Speaker, environmental stewardship remains a priority for the department in the delivery of its programs and services, including the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project. The department employs construction and operational procedures that use the best environmental practices to ensure wildlife, land, fishery and water resources are protected. It also continues to track progress on 286 commitments made to regulatory agencies to ensure the project is delivered in a manner that addresses the concerns, expectations and requirements of all parties involved.

Mr. Speaker, constructing the northern-most segment of Mackenzie Valley Highway to the Arctic Coast was made possible in part by Canada’s strategic investment of $200 million. The Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project continues to be managed within the $299 million budget and remains on schedule, with an estimated 40 kilometres left to be completed at the end of this winter construction season.

An Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project display is set up in the Great Hall of our Legislative Assembly Building and I invite residents to come learn more about the project.

The construction on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway is moving Northerners that much closer to completing a vision of a Canada that’s connected by road from coast to coast to coast. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories has the potential to be an energy giant. We are home to world-class oil and gas reserves in the Deh Cho, central Mackenzie, Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Sea. This territory sits atop an estimated 80 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and seven billion barrels of oil. Estimates indicate the Arctic contains one-fifth of the world’s untapped oil and gas reserves.

In order to develop the Northwest Territories’ tremendous petroleum resources in an environmentally responsible and economically efficient manner, we need to develop a comprehensive plan. Today I would like to talk to you about this government’s work to create an Oil and Gas Strategy.

Similar to the approach taken to develop the Economic Opportunities Strategy and the Mineral Development Strategy, which were released by this government in 2013, we are drawing upon the expertise and knowledge of regional and territorial stakeholders, Aboriginal governments and industry to develop a strategy that truly reflects northern values and priorities.

Historically, the NWT economy has been reliant on mining. While there has been oil and gas activity in the territory for decades and this sector has made significant contributions to the economy over the years, particularly in the central Mackenzie Valley around Norman Wells, the sector is far from reaching its full potential.

Mr. Speaker, the oil and gas sector currently faces the challenge of low global oil prices. As such, it is an opportune time for the NWT to focus on actions that will make us a more competitive and attractive destination for oil and gas investment and responsible development in the days to come.

The NWT Oil and Gas Strategy will outline how we intend to control the pace of the NWT’s oil and gas development. It will focus on building upon the existing foundation of oil and gas exploration in the NWT and establish a clear path to responsible production of oil and gas across the territory’s

petroleum-rich regions. The strategy will outline opportunities to help people gain appropriate trades and skills for future employment in the oil and gas industry.

Mr. Speaker, the next step towards realizing this strategy is to gather additional public input through an online survey that will soon be released. We have already completed interviews with subject matter experts and held focus groups with key stakeholder organizations and businesses, and Aboriginal and community government representatives in regional centres across the territory.

We will also seek input from the Members of the Legislative Assembly. The consultation process will provide us with an opportunity to increase awareness about the importance of responsible oil and gas development in the NWT, the associated benefits for all NWT residents and the support and infrastructure required to develop this industry. The NWT Oil and Gas Strategy is expected to be released in June 2015.

Mr. Speaker, managing the NWT’s natural resources responsibly will help provide a solid basis to our economy and support the creation of jobs and economic opportunities for NWT residents and businesses. This strategy, informed by the input of the public, Aboriginal governments, MLAs and stakeholders, will help guide our decisions over the next 20 years and ensure that our residents enjoy sustainable benefits from the development of NWT petroleum resources.

I look forward to providing Members with further updates on the Oil and Gas Strategy as it develops. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Premier…Sorry. Minister R.C. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Lands’ inspection services are essential for responsible and sustainable development in the NWT. Their success hinges on building the capacity of the inspections program through training and professional development planning. Inspections services help companies comply with relevant legislation and meet the specific terms and conditions set out in authorizations issued by the department and NWT land and water boards.

In establishing the Department of Lands, a key consideration was a made-in-the-NWT approach to the inspections process, one that would respond to the 17th Legislative Assembly’s decentralization

priorities: building capacity in regional centres and communities.

With resources approved by this government, a training and development program for entry-level resource management officers, or inspectors, is now complete and ready for implementation. I expect that the recruitment process will be concluded this spring.

This program will establish five new resource management officer positions, one to serve each region. These entry-level positions are targeted to provide opportunities at the community level.

This means that individuals with land-based skills can continue to use those skills in the resource management field as inspectors. The length of training may vary with each candidate, depending on the education and experience of the candidate.

A fully trained candidate will have the minimum qualifications for an RMO II position and will have future opportunities for career advancement within the GNWT. These resource management officer positions, along with other resource management and superintendent positions, open career paths and succession planning opportunities for this department.

This is a new structure, one that builds capacity, and one that enables Lands to further support the Aboriginal employment and regional recruitment strategies and priorities of this government. Thank You, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge a long-time Northerner who recently retired from flying 747s and 737s. Mr. Speaker, Cecil Hansen hails from Aklavik, and this Saturday a huge retirement celebration will be held in his honour in Aklavik.

The celebration will be in recognition of his service to his home community and for his service to Reindeer Air Services of Aklavik and also to recognize him for his years of service with Canadian North providing air transportation to the whole Northwest Territories.

Cecil Hansen was born and raised in Aklavik. He was one of 12 children born to the late Hans and Kathleen Hansen. Cecil attended local day school in Aklavik and then went off to high school in Inuvik and further south for more education in the field of flying.

Cecil studied and became the first Inuvialuit to gain his commercial pilot’s licence. Reindeer Services was one of his first jobs as pilot. He worked alongside Fred Carmichael, his long-time friend and mentor.

Not surprisingly, Cecil would become captain of the 747s flying in Australia. Upon his return to Canada, he started flying Canadian North’s 737s. I can only imagine how proud Cecil was upon his retirement. He retired his captain’s seat to his daughter Dawn, who continues to fly today for Canadian North, honouring her father’s air miles. Cecil has become a role model to his home community as well as the entire Beaufort-Delta region. Well done, Cecil. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, good afternoon. The Kole Crook Fiddle Association turns 12 years old this year. It was registered as a society in 2003 and has chapters in six communities and provides a wonderful music program to 12 communities in the Northwest Territories. This fills a void in our education system that doesn’t offer music in all our schools.

Firstly, I want to acknowledge the late fiddler, Kole Crook, whom the association is named for. He shared his gift throughout the North and was known for his gentle ways and selfless generosity. He passed away far too young at 27 years.

He provided inspiration by exposure. The Kole Crook Fiddle Association believes, as I do, that students who study music and arts are more successful and achieve higher grades in school. Children who study musical instruments are more likely to excel in all of their studies, work better in teams, have enhanced critical thinking skills, stay in school and pursue further education. Schools with music programs have an estimated 90 percent graduation rate and 93 percent attendance rate compared to schools without music education.

In the NWT we have many remote communities and the Fiddle Association’s philosophy is to get out there and teach this music skill to our youth, a skill that they simply cannot get in their home community. These repeated visits and continuous teaching is beneficial to the students as they grow and learn. They have a four point strategy: an annual fiddle camp, an annual teachers workshop, travelling Fiddle Teacher Program as well as to the students most interested, they are sponsored to attend fiddle camps throughout Canada.

Music provides children with a means of self-expression. Self-esteem is a by-product of self-expression. We spoke yesterday about mental

health and wellness. This effort and dedication by the Kole Crook Fiddle Association has and will continue to foster positive attitudes in our children. Success like this comes when people work together, teachers in our schools, volunteers helping with the events, parents encouraging their children, the fiddle teachers themselves and the hardworking board of the Kole Crook Fiddle Association.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

Gratitude for financial supports also has to be extended to the departments of Municipal and Community Affairs and Education, Culture and Employment, the NWT Arts Society and the Dehcho Divisional Board of Education and the many other boards whom I did not mention. I am proud that the government is funding this worthwhile program and should certainly continue at the same level or even increase the contributions. The benefits to our youth, our education and our future far outweigh passive restraint. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Someone once said to me, “Hey, Norm, how come you keep bringing up the need for residential school survivors to get treatment and the need for the Sahtu to become an independent region?” Well, Mr. Speaker, I was thinking, what’s the connection?

Well, in both incidents we want freedom, or to be free from the shackles of being dependent on others. For the residential school survivors, it is the freedom of not being hurt, feeling the pain and knowing there is a better life, knowing that God didn’t create a person to live this kind of life and how can I break free and be a positive contributor in my family and in my community.

Now, for a region, we want to be a contributor to the North. Learn to make decisions for ourselves, learn to stand on our own, learn to walk and, even more importantly, learn to make mistakes and to learn to accept these temporary failures and move on in life.

That’s the connection between the two. At the same level, we want freedom, nothing more, nothing less, to lay the foundation for our families and our region. We want to know that our children will have a region of wealth, success and tradition, no less than a residential school survivor who comes from a rich culture, a rich family, a rich tradition of their way of life, and to break free and to go back to that way of life. Only then they will truly know who they are and

why God chose them to live here in this land. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Developing a fair recreational land leasing policy is challenging and of considerable interest to our public. The Minister of Lands is holding public meetings to gather public input, and I have heard that from constituents who attended the meetings in Yellowknife last week. They report their experience was positive, with 35 to 50 people attending each. The World Café format seemed constructive, with facilitators at five different tables guiding participants through five different questions. Thanks to the Minister for holding these meetings. I look forward to hearing the results from these and the gatherings held in other communities.

Topics of apparent concern overlapped with ones I have raised in the House before. Constituents felt the rules and regulations focus needs to be on enforcement, that rules mean nothing unless they are rigorously enforced. This concern is reflected in the proliferation of illegal squatters on public lands. No surprise given the department’s ongoing refusal to fully enforce the law.

Another concern was the selective focus for the current moratorium on recreational leasing restricted as it is to the highways leading into Yellowknife. This left Yellowknife Bay, which is being colonized at yet further loss to the Commons. With no restriction in this area, no recreational land use plan and no opportunity for public input on applications, leases are still being granted and the Commons eroded.

Many constituents felt that it was important to extend the moratorium on recreational leases to this area and to even consider a blanket moratorium on all NWT lands with respect to recreational leases until a proper publicly vetted recreational leasing management plan is in place.

Constituents felt there was consensus at the meetings that any recreational land management plan needs to be transparent and fair. Squatters everywhere must be dealt with justly, with zero tolerance moving forward. A ballot draw system was the preferred method for lease allocation, with special rules for First Nations and a need to protect ecologically sensitive areas. The Commons must be protected for use by many. People do not want popular sites developed into recreational leases at the expense of public access. They want a real opportunity for public input into what areas should be left undeveloped.

Many of these points have been raised in the past with no acceptance from the Minister, but I’m pleased that the Minister is doing his consultation. Will he hear the voices raised and ensure the policy reflects their concerns? The answer to this question will indicate whether we have a sustainable, fair and transparent recreational lands policy or not. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On January 9th to 11th , the community of Inuvik

welcomed about 25 out-of-town visitors for the annual Sunrise Festival. I don’t know of any other place in the world that puts that type of events and activities into an event like this where the community is welcoming back the sun after about a month of darkness.

There was about three days of activities and events that were planned in Inuvik. The Town of Inuvik and its partners, organizations and businesses in the community came together and developed a really great three days of events and showcases. I just wanted to highlight a couple of them.

One was A Taste of Inuvik and an old-time dance that showcased local and traditional northern foods. About 450 people attended, and performances were also put on by the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers and the Inuvik youth jigging group, who always do an excellent job and are actually great ambassadors for the Inuvik and Beaufort-Delta region and even for the Northwest Territories.

There was also a community pancake breakfast with about 400 people who got served. All donations were given to the Inuvik Food Bank, which was great.

They also had a snow park, an Arctic market and, this was a big one, the Inuvik ice road village, which was something new. I would like to take the time and recognize all the people who put that together, but there are so many names, so many volunteers and people who did such a great job that gave the real, true northern experience to people who came up from down south.

The Town of Inuvik and their tourism department did a great job in developing packages that could be delivered from Yellowknife, Edmonton, Vancouver, Kelowna, Whitehorse and Dawson. What I also wanted to talk about was the funding that they got from NWT Tourism where they were able to get some marketing and promotion on things like Destination Think!, which put on a contest and had over 1,900 contest entries and two winners from Vancouver and Whistler attended. Rogers Media radio and television also held

contests and there was a family and others that were able to go into this contest with, again, about 3,000 entries in there as well. So it really got Inuvik on the map and the Northwest Territories as well.

I will ask the Minister of ITI some questions later about how we can support this event. Thank you, M. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As far back as 1969, through a federal Order-in-Council, land has been withdrawn and plans in the works for a national park at the eastern end of Great Slave Lake. After that initial land withdrawal, there were long periods of inactivity until 2001, and then from 2004 to 2013 talks were held in earnest to try to develop the park concept.

In reviewing the budget last week, Premier McLeod advised the House that we “expect to have some results by the end of March or early April” so that we would know “whether we were moving forward or not.” He also stated that the feds have paused and there are active discussions as we speak.

I support the establishment of a park. I support Thaidene Nene and there is considerable support in my riding and throughout my community. To quote one of my constituents, “Polling data from 2013 shows that 80 percent of Yellowknife and Hay River residents support establishing Thaidene Nene.”

There is support to preserve the area and support for the economic development and stability it will bring to the Lutselk’e Dene First Nation.

Another of my constituents has said, “There are strong ecological, cultural and economic reasons for protecting the entire area, which have been documented by Parks Canada and the Lutselk’e Dene First Nation.”

Mr. Speaker, residents in and around Yellowknife and Hay River have been using the East Arm area of Great Slave Lake for recreational purposes since the communities were established. It is also home to the Denesoline people of Lutselk’e and has provided for them and the surrounding communities for thousands of years. It is a great idea to mandate the Lutselk’e Dene First Nation be the keepers of Thaidene Nene. It is their traditional land, after all, and a park can provide much needed employment in the areas of conservation and tourism.

There is good reason to preserve the land, but any agreement for a park must ensure that it will still be accessible to all of the current users of the area. This project has been proceeding at a snail’s pace for far too long and this is where I see the GNWT

can affect progress in working out an agreement for a park.

With devolution, the NWT presumably gained power over our own lands and resources, so we should take on this task.

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

---Unanimous consent granted

We should take on this task, and one of my constituents said it best, “The time has come for the GNWT to exercise its new authority under devolution in favour of this park and the people of Lutselk’e and the entire NWT, establishing this park and making the appropriate arrangements with the community.”

I will have questions for the Minister at a later time. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve often heard that addictions can be best described as the insatiable thirst that can never be satisfied. Some folks struggling with addictions tell me it’s a lifetime struggle.

It is a long struggle. Certainly one that must always be fought, but never be fought alone, even when one’s friends and family may be frustrated watching this. Addictions isn’t an individual problem; it’s a community problem that we all need to help and we must remind ourselves that addictions is a fight worth fighting.

Let me remind this House that everyone who is affected, be it friends, be it family, are lost and they just need help finding their journey home. Whatever process, whatever the addiction is, we must fight with them. Everyone needs assistance to help carry this burden and finally someday, hopefully, to set this burden down.

It affects families and friends, old and young. No culture, no gender or even economic background is exempt from this cruel experience. Who gets labeled with it? It’s difficult to say. But when a person picks it up, it’s a terrible one to put down. Many words have been said to warm our souls about actions on addictions, but the real actions come when we are measured and judged by what we do. I’ve often heard about how much we’re going to do. I’d like to see us start doing it.

I certainly support on-the-land programs, and that won’t change. I believe that there are many journeys to the healing paths that many souls need to take. There is the formal side, which we all talk

about from time to time, where we talk about addictions treatment centres, detox and even hospitals. There’s also the spiritual side, equally important, which includes community-based programs such as on-the-land, support through community groups by the community, in the community. But sometimes when we see people sent away to those southern treatment centres, they come back with mixed results. Sometimes with only just a small respite while they’re away, but to be tossed back right into the same circumstances they had left from. But they should not be left alone when they return. We cannot leave them in what some can be described as up the creek without a paddle. We must make sure we arm them with friendship, support, programs, all the tools they need. Sometimes that means through community-based programming.

Let me remind this House about a great initiative that’s happening right now in Tulita. It’s found its way without help from the government. This Tulita program, Helping People Heal Themselves, is getting support from the federal government and even a Movember foundation without the help of this government. That is really sad.

I’ll continue this subject during question period with my questions to Minister Abernethy about where is our government standing up to help people fight their addictions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In recent years the forest industry has been in decline across the country, but this does not mean the industry is inactive. In fact, right here in the NWT things are looking up.

In the past few months here in the House and in our communities we’ve seen a lot of excitement. I’m excited about the two new forest management agreements signed last year with Aboriginal development corporations in Fort Resolution and in Fort Providence. I hope to see more of these in the future. I’m also excited about the potential for new economic opportunities encouraged by these agreements.

Business initiatives like the wood pellet mill planned to be located near Enterprise can provide job opportunities for residents as well as business opportunities for these corporations.

Forest management agreements have the potential to spur on all kinds of new opportunities, not to mention encourage new business and social partnership between First Nation organizations.

In this we are building on a rich history in the NWT. For instance, firewood for everyday woodstoves collected around the NWT communities already produces about 65,000 megawatt hours of heat every year. We also have a history of community-rooted forestry work, like at the Jean Marie River and the Fort Resolution sawmills and, of course, a diverse history of First Nations engagement and interaction with our forests.

Aboriginal forestry and integrated forest management – managing resources to achieve the best results for varied kinds of users – have flourished across Canada. While forestry in the NWT is at an early stage in new development, we can learn from First Nations and success stories across the other regions, regions that have been at work in this industry since the early 1980s, like the Tl’azt’en Nation and Lax Kw’alaams Band in British Columbia. The Government of New Brunswick has held forest management agreements with each of its 15 First Nations communities since 1998.

I look forward to NWT communities joining the ranks of these success stories both for managing forest land and for branching out into biomass industries like wood pellet production, continuing to incorporate our Aboriginal heritage into our business practices. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Energy is now a new activity within the Public Works and Services department which combines fuel service functions of the former petroleum products division. Fuel services manages the purchases, transportation and storage of petroleum products in NWT communities not serviced by the private sector. As such, these fuel services also established the credit, invoicing, collection and financial planning for these communities.

In essence, the consolidation of the energy functions within the GNWT Public Works and Services department was to have the goal of effective and efficient government, or so they say.

Recently, to reduce the administrative cost and increase petroleum products accuracy and control, improvements to the point of sale in communities were established to enhance security of GNWT assets and improve loss prevention measures. Again, I repeat, these GNWT fuel services only operate in NWT communities not serviced by the private sector.

The private sector, it appears, is on a program of self-reporting, much like how we deal with our control of tobacco products in the NWT. Be that as

it may, I find on one hand the GNWT appears to have proper inventory control and taxation of their own petroleum products and, dangerously, on the other hand, leave the policing of inventory control and taxation at the mercy of a loophole to all other sectors. This loophole is a self-reporting of taxes on petroleum products.

For years now I’ve brought before the House the concerns of self-reporting tobacco tax credit memos. While the GNWT, recognizing there may be now a problem, and in attempting to reach over to pick up these nickels, has inadvertently stepped over the dimes of opportunity in the proper collection of self-reporting of petroleum tax revenues.

How big of an issue do we have? Unfortunately, we may never know. Of course, the GNWT has the opportunity to close this door of all self-reporting taxation, but unfortunately, they prefer to roll the dice year after year with our money. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I read someplace recently that governments need a department of common sense, and occasionally I have reason to believe that may be a good idea.

Mr. Speaker, have you ever gone looking for a cardboard box at a store? You know, our government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to implement a policy so that we don’t end up with plastic bags on our landscape and in our landfills because they do not break down. But at the same time they want retailers to charge 25 cents for a plastic bag to discourage the use of plastic bags and to encourage the use of a reusable bag or reusable container of some kind. But a lot of those same stores crush perfectly good cardboard boxes practically faster than they can unpack them.

You know, cardboard boxes are a great thing. I know this might sound kind of light-hearted, but they are great things. Think of all the things you can use cardboard boxes for. You can move things, you can store things, you can write on them with a magic marker, you can cut if up and use it for a winter front in your vehicle, you can store…

---Interjection

Yes, that’s what they say. Give kids a playroom full of toys and give them a pile of cardboard boxes and which are they going to go for?

You can use it to confine your new litter of puppies or kittens in a cardboard box. You can use it as kindling. You can start your fireplace in your house. You can start your fire at the beach or out on the

land with cardboard. You can fold in the flaps and keep things cold or keep things warm in them. But our government has never said anything to retailers who crush, bundle the energy and the material that it takes to make a cardboard box. Yet, I tell you, a lot of times you couldn’t find a cardboard box to save your soul.

But I want to take my hat off today to those retailers, and I was at a grocery store in Yellowknife this morning, and I know in Hay River the grocery stores are the same way, they have a big bin at their checkout full of all various sizes of cardboard boxes. What a great thing. There is a recyclable, reusable thing. I know that when they get bundled up and hauled away they get recycled, as well, but not without a tremendous amount of energy being consumed to do that.

So I would just like to send a shout out to all those retailers who have the common sense to let customers use those cardboard boxes as containers to haul product away from their stores and don’t so quickly rush to crush them up so that we have to spend 25 cents on a plastic bag. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Richard Letourneau, who is here with us as the president of the Federation Franco-Tenoise, FFT. Welcome. Mahsi for being with us.

Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Pages from one of my smaller communities, the community of Wrigley, and I’d like to thank the Page Program for allowing the smaller communities to come to Yellowknife and be our Pages. I’d like to recognize Mr. Christian Moses and Kayden Antoine. I do want to say that the Nahendeh Pages are getting taller and taller. I’d also like to recognize their chaperone, Ms. Lisa Moses, and her husband, David Moses, who are in the gallery today. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to welcome Mr. Richard Letourneau. He’s a constituent of Inuvik Boot Lake and I just want to thank him for all the work he does in Inuvik at the school. He’s also with the French society. I hope you enjoy the proceedings today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. I’d like to welcome everybody here in the public gallery. Thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings here today.

Item 7, acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I was speaking about funding supports from our government for the Kole Crook Fiddle Association. I think some of it’s done through the NWT Arts Council, so I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about continuing the same level or even increased funding.

What type of funding guidelines are there with the NWT Arts Councils? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Kole Crook Fiddle Association has been very successful to date, since its inception in 2002. Since 2004, Education, Culture and Employment supported with funding through the NWT Arts Council, a Support to Northern Performers cultural contribution with a total of close to $250,000 since 2004. This averages $20,000 a year. We will continue to provide that valuable contribution to that organization. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I’m very pleased to hear this and, of course, the association is very pleased with the annual contributions. With the words of “passive restraint” going around, of course I’m up here advocating on their behalf that their annual funding doesn’t get cut back.

I’d like to ask the Minister, hopefully the NWT Arts Council isn’t impacted by our Passive Restraint Policy this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT Arts Council and the Support to Northern Performers contribution is based on the applications they receive. More specifically, the Kole Crook Fiddle Association has submitted one on an annual basis and they’ll continue to do so.

This is an area where we feel we should continue to support the youth, especially the youth who we sponsor over the years. As far as the 2,100 participants that benefitted from the workshop, even within a three-year timespan there have been 300 participants on an annual basis. This is a very successful project and we’ll continue to deliver that

message to the organizations that are funding it as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I’m very pleased that the Minister recognizes the fact that certainly the music component that they’re delivering enhances and increases the ability of our students to learn and, therefore, is making our education system that much better. I’d just like to ask the Minister if he can evaluate that.

Is there another way that we can continue to support them as well?

This is a contribution through the organization that I spoke of earlier, and we can certainly look at those options as well. My Department of Education, Culture and Employment works closely with the NWT Arts Council and we will continue to support those organizations that submit their applications for these particular activities.

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

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m very pleased to see the Minister support the efforts of the Kole Crook Fiddle Association.

I just want to ask the Minister, are there any other funding areas within the department that continue to support the association, as well, besides the NWT Arts Council?

We contribute to the NWT Arts Council to effectively contribute towards these highly successful projects or activities within the Northwest Territories, and there has been an increase in that funding over the years as well. We also evaluate on the funding, the criteria, the contribution we contribute on an annual basis. Like I said, it’s been increased over the years, so we can certainly look at those as well.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve talked about the Sahtu region and I want to follow up, and it’s in regard to the hopes and aspirations and visions of the Sahtu people. I want to ask questions to the Minister of Transportation in regard to doing the small steps for our region to look at, hopefully, one day becoming a stand-alone, breakaway region.

I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, given that we have a winter road and the airport is operating out of Inuvik and the winter road is operating out of Simpson, can the Minister look within his department to see if there is any way of

creating some programs and positions within the department to move some of these authorities into the region out of the other regions?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. The department has reviewed the possibility of placing a regional office in the Sahtu. However, at this time, at the point of the last review it was determined that considering that there were not a lot of positions at airports that it was most feasible economically to keep that under the regional office in Inuvik and that there was no all-season road/highway activity in Norman Wells. The winter road season was only, well, as long as winter is, a couple of months, three months in some seasons, so we thought that it would be better to continue out of Simpson at this time.

However, as I indicated, we are starting to do reviews and we were very hopeful when we were finally moving to a point where there was a federal pot put aside where we could apply to build the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Because we’re sure that once that highway is built that we will have a regional presence in the Sahtu.

The Minister is well aware of the Sahtu’s aspirations, and with the Mackenzie Valley Highway we’re hoping that we have some good news out of the federal government’s office. Also, the Sahtu, specifically the Tulita leadership, district leadership put a proposal in front of this Minister to look at a small proposal.

Would this small proposal be sort of an indication to say we need to get ready for the Mackenzie Valley Highway? Can you move towards creating the positions in the Sahtu with Transportation with the support of the proposal that’s in front of the Minister’s desk now?

We had received one proposal for sure going from Norman Wells south and also we have to discuss another proposal in Tulita going south again. Then there’s also another proposal for Fort Good Hope also heading south, so sort of on the Good Hope… With the exception of the Good Hope line, everything else would be on the Mackenzie Valley alignment. If we do fund those, it would be a substantial amount of summer work for sure, but right now we’re not in a position to fund any of those proposals. We’re looking at them and we’re talking with the federal government about the possibility of maybe funding those proposals as well. Thank you.

The department has a proposal that’s written with substantial numbers on there. It’s in front of the Minister. The two other ones the Minister talked about are from Tulita and Fort Good Hope. It’s a concept idea and they are hoping that their proposals will be on their way.

I’m asking the Minister, given that we have one substantial proposal from Norman Wells south on the Mackenzie Valley Highway to start preparing for the Mackenzie Valley Highway – it is coming – given this, hoping we get favourable responses to create a position in the Sahtu, that would be a start of having a regional office come into the Sahtu. That’s what we’re asking for.

If the proposal that the Member speaks of, the Canyon Creek proposal, that is to bring the very first access to gravel for the beginning of the Mackenzie Valley Highway coming from the north south, so if that does get funded – it is a substantive proposal – that would certainly be work enough in the Sahtu for a position to be in the Sahtu. However, at this time there is a little bit of planning money that’s been approved to start looking at that, and that’s a positive sign, but at this time we don’t have approval for the whole proposal. It would be kind of hypothetical for me to commit to putting a position in Norman Wells at this time. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s discouraging to hear that from the government. It’s no different than me fighting for the residential school survivors to get some decent treatment in the North or for them.

We are penalized because we don’t have an all-weather road. When we did have heavy equipment going with the oil and gas, there was lots of activity, yet we’re still not having any type of support from this department or this government. I am asking if the department could think outside the box; create a position, even if it’s temporary. Don’t shut the door in our face and say no, not until you get an all-weather road. This is not fair. It’s against our region and we are looking at something that would look at having some authority in the Sahtu region with transportation. That’s what we’re asking this government for and right now we’re hearing no. That’s discouraging.

I will ask the Minister again if he would consider it, look at it to see if there’s a possibility of taking advantage of this position and create a superintendent position in the Sahtu region. We want to have the decency and authority to look after things in our own region. Why do we have to call outside the region to do things inside the Sahtu region? It’s ludicrous. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The positions that are in Norman Wells are positions at the airport and airport operations. We could go back to the department, look at the airport operations. Right now, as the Member indicated, the individuals in Norman Wells report to the Inuvik office. So, if we looked at the reporting relationship from the airport in Norman Wells reporting to the airport division

here in Yellowknife, if that’s the simple change that could be made without losing any efficiencies, we’ll look at that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up with questions from my Member’s statement to the Minister of Lands, and I appreciate the Minister’s consultation with our public as part of the process to craft a recreational land management plan. I’m sure that plan will be much better because of this discussion.

Can I ask the Minister, can he say when the consultations will be complete and how long will it take to put together the draft plan for public review after that? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Lands, Mr. R.C. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a few more communities that we need to visit, to do our consultations. Once we do that we’ll work on putting together a bit of a draft consultation and the overall policy is expected to be fully completed in mid-2016. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. Many constituents are concerned that recreational leases are now being let without this vital planning tool to guide the process. The current leasing process is not seen as clear, consistent or sustainable, and they would like to see a hold on all leases until the rules are in place.

Will the Minister commit to extending the moratorium currently in place to all new recreational land use requests in the NWT, or at least to the islands in Yellowknife Bay, so valuable for public use and desirable for cabin leases, until the new policy is in place?

Thank you. The focus area in and around the capital here is our highest usage and the most demanded for the recreational areas in and around the focus area that we have around the capital.

So we’ve heard some concerns, such as the Member raised there. As far as all of the NWT, the demand out there is not as great as it is here within the focus area. But I’ll have a discussion with the officials and we’ll see if there’s any movement that we can make because we have heard the concerns from not only the Member but a few of the constituents from Yellowknife. Thank you.

The Minister’s response is much appreciated. Absent extension of the moratorium to the valuable lands mentioned that are under ever-

increasing pressure, both by the seekers and legitimate leases and squatters, what mechanism does the Minister propose to give the public some say in identifying those lands that should be preserved for the use of all versus those to be leased for private use in the areas where there are not moratorium? Mahsi.

The consultation process that we’re going through right now will give a lot of people the opportunity to raise their concerns. I think the Member raised in his Member’s statement, there was a lot of good feedback from the people that had taken part in the consultations here, and I think he even mentioned some of the areas outside of the focus areas. So we use this consultation, and it’s been a great opportunity for folks out there to let us know their feelings as we continue to develop our policy. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. Once the lands are identified to be offered for lease to people wishing to build cabins, they must be allocated in a transparent and fair fashion. One method proposed is through ballot draws. Another is to auction them off to the highest bidder.

Once these lands have been identified for offer to the public for leasing, what equitable and clear process does the Minister propose to allocate them? Mahsi.

Thank you. Again, that would be part of the feedback from the consultation, but our initial plan is if we’re going forward in letting any leases out there, a ballot draw we’ve heard is the fairest way to do that. We respect that and we would take that into consideration, but our plan now is if any lands were to be disposed of I think the ballot draw would be the fairest process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of ITI in regards to some of our tourist investments and some of our tourism supports. I mentioned in my Member’s statement the Inuvik Sunrise Festival and the support and interest it got from media campaigns and Facebook. I was just looking at the numbers here, but this very creative group in Inuvik used an organization on Facebook and they garnered over 1,800 contest entries and then on the Rogers Media on the radio show they had over 2,600

entries. So, over 4,500 contest entries to get up to Inuvik to welcome back the sun.

I’d like to ask the Minister of ITI, is this in the planning or marketing planning strategy that we can start utilizing social media, but also utilizing some of these radio stations down south such as Rogers and teaming up with them to develop some type of marketing strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Sunrise Festival is an important event in Inuvik and certainly efforts to market it is something that the Department and NWT Tourism is interested in and will continue to be interested in. Last year ITI supported the festival with a $10,000 contribution and also NWT Tourism provided a $20,000 contribution for a total of $30,000. If the Member wants to have a look, I know that number hasn’t been increased, the contribution from ITI, in some time. That’s a discussion that can take place between the Town of Inuvik and our regional office in Inuvik.

As far as marketing the Northwest Territories, festivals are a big part of that, opportunities for people to come here to the Northwest Territories and go to a festival. We just tabled our marketing plan for ‘15-16 in the House, I believe it was last week, and I’d encourage the Member to have a look at that. There are ways to plug those festivals into our marketing efforts both domestically and internationally. Thank you.

In regards to the Sunrise Festival, I know the department really does a great job in promoting our northern lights, and we do see that. It’s pretty evident here in Yellowknife when we see all the tourists here. But like I mentioned in my Member’s statement, there’s no other place that I know of in the world that has a celebration of welcoming back the sun. This is huge and I think that it’s something that we can market as well. Also, the Minister had mentioned in his Minister’s statement before about the Oil and Gas Strategy. We know the economy is slow and that oil and gas activity is not very active at all in the Beaufort-Delta region, so investing in a different type of industry such as tourism.

I’d like to ask the Minister, when he’s going out to promote our northern lights and Destination NWT, would he also promote the welcome back Sunrise Festival equally as the northern lights? Like I said, no other place in the world does something like this.

NWT Tourism obviously is an industry-driven organization that does our marketing. They have representatives from all regions of the Northwest Territories. We do our best, and I’ve mentioned before in the House, on promotional videos having images from across the

Northwest Territories. I understand what the Member is saying and we will try to incorporate festivals and, in this case, the Inuvik Sunrise Festival. I know the commercial that they had with orange juice company, I won’t mention the name but they were very successful in showcasing that festival through a commercial. So other efforts like that through social media and things of that nature certainly should be encouraged, and I’d be happy to promote opportunities in Inuvik for the Sunrise Festival on any promotional trip that I have. Thank you.

I think the concept of having a contest to get Southerners up to our regions in the NWT shows that people are interested in coming up to the North. They had over 4,500 entries just from the Facebook site as well as the radio contest. I didn’t get any statistics on how the TV program showed up.

The active group in Inuvik, the Tourism Stakeholder Committee, is also looking at doing something similar for the Aboriginal Day, Summer Solstice, as well as the Great Northern Arts Festival and our annual reindeer crossing. Would the department look at funding or look at supporting contests of a similar nature for other events like that not only in Inuvik but right across the Northwest Territories? All regions are doing really great things. Is this something that he would look at, a contest type of marketing strategy for the Northwest Territories?

Contests are a good way for us to promote what we have here in the Northwest Territories in terms of tourism product. I know when we launched the Aurora Capital of the World in Vancouver there was a trip giveaway. Just recently at NWT Days in Ottawa we had a grand prize for a trip for two to the Northwest Territories. People like to enter contests. They like to have a chance to come to a place they normally wouldn’t get a chance to come to, and certainly the Northwest Territories is a place people want to try to get to.

Incorporating contests is important and we are continuing to work with Inuvik, with the Town of Inuvik, through Destination Inuvik, new promotional materials to better target potential visitors to the Beaufort-Delta, and we will continue to do that, because really, and the Member mentioned, this is a good opportunity for the Town of Inuvik, for the region, and with the highway going to be completing construction here in two years, there is tremendous opportunity in the Beaufort-Delta to get more tourists in there, not only in the winter but in the summer, and we could be looking at campgrounds, service stations and maybe even more restaurants in the region as well.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister, how do we promote one of our other big attractions, the Mackenzie River? We can look at possibly providing some kind of package for the Mackenzie River. I’d like to ask the Minister, are we promoting our Mackenzie River expedition?

The quick answer to that is yes. The Mackenzie River is one of the great rivers of the world. It’s in our backyard. It’s really the backbone of the territory, historically, culturally, and we do certainly promote the Mackenzie River.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I want to follow up on my Member’s statement about Thaidene Nene. I’d like to start off by saying the Premier advised on Tuesday… No, the Minister advised on Tuesday in response to Mr. Dolynny, that we hoped to have a northern position in the next few months. I appreciate the info from both the Minister and the Premier, and I also am really glad to hear about the work that we’ve been doing. I think the Minister said we’ve compressed 18 months of work into about six, and that’s awesome. It is time we started moving on this particular project. But there are lots of questions out there. There are lots of gaps in information and there are a lot of people who are interested in this particular development.

I’d like to ask the Minister first of all, how can any interested people, whether they be in Yellowknife, whether they be in Hay River, whether they be down in the East Arm, how can they find out what is going on?

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A forum such as this will aid in that process. We are at work right now, as I indicated to Mr. Dolynny earlier this week in the House, that the government see Thaidene Nene as a priority. We see a combination of a small federal footprint supplemented and complemented by various northern tools as a way to maximize the benefit and keep the maximum amount of land in northern control. We also recognize this area as one of immense riches and wealth, both in ecological values as well as the various and many blessings in terms of mineral resources. It’s an area that’s very concentrated. There are lots of issues to deal with, and we see this as a priority, as I indicated already.

Thanks to the Minister for that. As I mentioned, there are a lot of rumours, I guess, currently going around about what kind of

developments, what kind of agreements, what kind of negotiations are taking place. I’d like to know from the Minister whether or not he would put in place some kind of consultation or education process with the public so that the work that is happening is being learned about and it would be not necessarily the details of the negotiation but that people can find out what it is that we’re doing.

The idea and the issue of a communication plan is an important one and one we’re looking at. We are going to be having a full briefing to Cabinet here in the next couple weeks and then we want to have a chat with committee. Then, once our thinking is clearer, at that point we will be looking at a more formal process of communicating with the public, but first we have to do our own work internally to get to that point.

I want to thank the Minister for the information. At some point there will be public consultation. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment on that. But in the meantime, while Cabinet is considering what’s going on, while committee is considering what’s going on, there are a lot of people who still want to provide their input. To the Minister: Is there any way that the public can right now provide input into this process and get their views known?

Once again, forums such as this, talking to your MLA. I know, for example, some groups like CPAWS have already mounted a campaign getting their members to start calling their Members of the Legislative Assembly and such. I’ve had meetings, as well, with concerned citizens. I know there is lots of interest in this and we will be coming forward with a clear plan of what we intend to do as a government and Legislature in the next few weeks. Until then, people will have to be patient, but they do have to know that we see this as a priority. We see fundamentally this is a very important area. A small federal footprint complemented by various northern tools to maximize and protect the various interests and to make sure that we don’t cut off or limit any potential economic development related to resource development, and keeping the maximum control with the people of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I’m really glad to hear his description in that answer is very close to my own consideration of what the park should be, that it is able to accommodate all the interests of the people that are wanting to use that land.

I asked if there’s a way for people to get any information. The Minister didn’t really advise. I know there is a website for Thaidene Nene. Is there any other place that people can go to, any information

on the GNWT website or any other website where people can get information on this project?

There will be as soon as we get the key information together and our thinking clearer. We’ve been doing some preliminary work. As I’ve said, we’ve compressed a significant amount of negotiating, about 18 months into six, and we will be coming forward here in the next few weeks with an update and an ongoing portal for folks to stay tuned as to what’s transpiring.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s certainly a pleasure to be able to ask some questions today, and I want to focus in on my Member’s statement. The Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness Healing Voices report was tabled almost two full years ago, and it had 67 recommendations in it. Some of them I thought were good. Some of them I thought were fantastic. But the point was about doing business differently. That’s what the key to me certainly was.

Recommendations one to four I will not read, but certainly the first four recommendations were based on community-based community goal setting, on-the-land programming, engaging traditional knowledge. It speaks and screams volumes about engaging the community.

Recently a program called Tulita On-the-Land Healing Program had asked for money and there was no money given to them by our territorial government. They got financing and funding from the federal government and Movember Foundation.

Why has our government not stepped up to support our organization that is doing healing that is necessary in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

The Member has indicated that that particular organization asked us for money and I have checked with the Sahtu Health and Social Services Authority and they indicated that they never had a request and I’ve never had a request to my office asking for money for this particular program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

They told me even today they had applied, and I looked towards my good colleague, Mr. Yakeleya, Member for Sahtu, who has even signed support letters for this organization to get help. Maybe the Minister can answer how many organizations have applied for community-based funding such as on-the-land programing that engages traditional knowledge and experience. Are we ignoring elders who can bring great things? How many have asked or money and how many have we supported? Thank you.

Earlier in the Member’s statement, he talked about communities and working together and that everybody needs to work together to solve this problem. We have the Aboriginal health and community wellness division of the Department of Health and Social Services who’s worked with every community in the Northwest Territories to develop a comprehensive community wellness plan. These community wellness plans do have some common themes. Housing is often one, mental health and addictions is often another. We have given money to every community in the Northwest Territories to pursue these initiatives, including activities such as this particular program where they wish to have community-based, community-designed or community-driven opportunities.

Also, we have provided significant money to the Sahtu for development of on-the-land programs and the Sahtu Dene Council will be offering two 10-day camps near Deline for families from across the region, including Tulita.

I don’t recall seeing the request the Member is talking about. I understand that the Sahtu Health and Social Services Authority also has not seen the application or the proposal the Member is talking about. I will, once again, ask the department to confirm. I will ask the department to get in touch with Tulita to see where this application is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I consider it a shame that the government isn’t playing a role in this and is not a partner. We have the Tulita On-the-Land Healing Program, headed by Bessa Blondin, Lawrence Neyelle, Dean Green and Margaret McDonald doing things, connecting with the youth, connecting with the elders and making programs on the land and connecting with the people who need help.

What is this Minister willing to do today, knowing that we have had the federal government and the Movember Foundation come forward to help? Where is our own government in our own backyard helping on this one? Is the Minister willing to roll out the red carpet and show them that they matter? Thank you.

I have had a conversation with a couple of the individuals that the Member just indicated and I do remember some conversations around some interest in getting a program they would like to propose. We are looking at applications from a number of those individuals. I don’t recall the title or the name, the Tulita On-the-Land Healing Program, but as I’ve indicated, we will look at our files and look for this application and give it due consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The name is irrelevant. The fact is people need to be helped. That’s what matters most, Mr. Speaker. How we get there, what vehicle we use, it doesn’t matter. How many on-the-land programs have been applied for and how many have been funded? The Minister was very articulate explaining how many divisions have been set up and how many people have probably been hired and how many organizations such as regions have been set out money, but I want to hear how many applications have been received and how many have been funded. Thank you.

I don’t have that information at my fingertips, but I will commit to getting that information to the Member. I will remind the Member that there is community wellness money available to all the communities and Tulita, by way of example, did receive $156,880 to run programs that are designed for the people of Tulita by the people of Tulita. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I talked about the Forest Management Agreement. Recently, in October in Fort Providence, there was a very historic and momentous occasion and the Forest Management Agreement was signed between the GNWT and the community. I want to ask the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources if he could update this House in terms of dealing with Fort Providence and the next few steps we can expect. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was, indeed, a good news day. There have been resources provided to the community, both in Res and Providence, by the government to the tune of about $200,000 for each community to help give them the SEED money to hire a manager, and the big other critical piece is negotiations that have to take place between the community and the proponent for the business, Aurora Wood Pellets, to negotiate their economic arrangements, which is well underway, I understand, in both communities. Thank you.

The forest industry in Canada and the NWT is something that has a lot of potential based on the idea that the forest industry, if one would take the task and lead the initiative in creating a business opportunity that’s sustainable and renewable. Can the Department of ENR, Environment and Natural Resources, speak to

whether other communities have expressed interest in establishing a forest management agreement? Thank you.

Jean Marie River, as well, has indicated an interest as well as Kakisa, I understand.

What is this government doing to facilitate future resource management agreements with local Aboriginal corporations? I understand there’s been movement to work with Kakisa and Jean Marie River. Are there other communities down the valley that have stated an interest, and what’s this department doing to help those communities? Mahsi.

We are breaking trail here and we’ve done a significant amount of work over the years to get the first two major signings between Fort Resolution and Fort Providence. We’ve had some additional expressions of interest which we are following up on with Kakisa and Jean Marie River, which are tied into the current project of Aurora Wood Pellets with Mr. Mapes. So we’re going to pay attention to those and make sure the ones we have signed are going to have done what they need to have done and be as supportive as possible in the areas we need to be as this business interest takes off as well as start those preliminary discussions with Kakisa and Jean Marie. If there are other interests of expression over time, we will get to those as we work our way through the next focus in line, which will be Kakisa and Jean Marie. Thank you.

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

I have no questions.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.