This is page numbers 6291 – 6330 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, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of poverty is very complicated, as we all know. Like a jigsaw puzzle being put on the table, you must first look at the problem by seeing the big picture, then you tackle piece by piece.

I view the challenge of poverty much in the same way. First you start by looking at the corners and the sides, or some even tackle the middle. Yes, poverty is something we can tackle. If we look at the big picture, we see problems and we must pick away at them piece by piece, whether it’s putting our energies into housing, jobs, affordability, or even other types of necessities, such as affordability of food and their expenses.

There are many organizations out there that take seniors’ poverty very seriously and they put their finger on it. The Canadian Centre for Poverty Alternatives will tell you that the lack of affordable housing is detrimental to many seniors because they can’t afford to pay for their accommodations or their food or their drugs or their transportation or other types of necessities because something always falls off the table and their money never goes far enough.

Research continues to tell us that seniors need supportive living. Many other sources, all through the government, point to the fact that two-thirds of our seniors are not getting enough income in their old-age years through their OAS or CPP to help them meet the bottom line. In fact, seniors are more vulnerable than ever. Poverty among our seniors I wish was a rare occurrence, one we never spoke of, but the reality is, it is the reality.

I could go on with CMHC stats or other types of government stats, but the bottom line is our senior population is growing. In the Yellowknife area alone, if you’re a senior between 65 and 74, in 11 years there’s going to be an almost 400 percent increase in the growth of seniors. If you’re in the age category of over 75 in the Yellowknife area, there is over a 400 percent growth in the next 11 years.

I often hear from seniors about the challenges of affordability, how they live in poverty, how they want to continue to live independently, but this just becomes so impossible. I often, again, hear from seniors that they thought these would be their golden years, but they’re more often described as the lead years, because they’re carrying around the lead weight of affordability and poverty, one that they never asked for but they struggle with day to day.

In short, this may be a puzzle, but I think if we all work together, I don’t think any of these poverty issues are insurmountable. We must pick away at these problems piece by piece. Affordability, housing, food, we can do more. I certainly believe it’s not an impossible task.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Reading the newspaper a couple of weeks ago, I saw some startling images: photographs that showed a skinny moose with tufting fur and grey patchy shoulders crossing Highway No. 3. This didn’t look like a healthy animal. In fact, tufting hair can be a sign of ticks. While moose can carry a few hundred ticks without serious harm, major infestations can cause discomfort and over-grooming, leaving moose underfed and vulnerable to weather and predation. This should concern us.

The moose, Alces alces, is an important animal for Aboriginal people in the NWT, including the people of the Deh Cho. A 2009 study found that moose in this region were productive and in good to excellent condition, but these animals may be subject to new pressures. Cold winters and summer forest fires have managed tick populations in the past, but if winters continue to become warmer and shorter as our climate changes, this problem will grow more severe. When infected animals move north, warmer weather means more insect larvae survive. As Northerners, we’re familiar with annoying bugs, but unlike us, animals can’t seek shelter indoors, spray repellent or use a fly swatter, and insects like ticks and mosquitoes can stress moose, including vulnerable calves, impacting their health and also their birthweights.

The forest fire season brings its own challenges. Fires may help forest regrowth, not to mention bring delicious morels, but they also damage animal habitats.

Let’s think about that skinny, patchy moose again. Fortunately, these ticks don’t threaten humans, and meat from infected moose is still edible. Fortunately, too, we haven’t had to impose hunting restrictions like in some parts of Manitoba. Still, I hope that the GNWT will closely monitor moose health and take steps to ensure that moose populations remain strong and healthy. We must ensure that these important animals get the respect that they deserve.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Robert Bouchard

Robert Bouchard Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you are well aware, Hay River has a long history as being the NWT fishing industry capital. It’s exciting to hear that this government is investing $1.3 million through its Economic Opportunities Strategy to this industry.

Last week, along with members of the NWT Fisherman’s Federation, I was glad to hear a plan go forward on how we’re going to revitalize this industry and how we are going to implement a new fishing plant in the community of Hay River. This is a great renewable resource that we have in the Northwest Territories. We need to take full advantage of it. We need to make sure that all this fish is sold in the Northwest Territories. We need to get fish back onto the kitchen tables of the people in the Northwest Territories. We need to make sure it’s in every restaurant. We need to make sure that it’s in all our institutions, correctional institutions, hospitals, diamond mines, seniors facilities. We need to make sure that this resource is being taken full opportunity of.

Our quota that we have is a renewable quota. We are basically protecting ourselves. I understand that this is a multi-staged process. We need to find more federal funding to do this. We need to increase the prices for those fishermen. Some of the prices they’re currently getting are the same prices they got back in the ‘40s and ‘50s. We need a plan to go forward to get this industry revitalized.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, on May 28, 2015, in question period with this Member, the Finance Minister took certain liberties

to talk about this new special relationship the government has with NWT Power and its Hydro Corporations. In the Minister’s own words, “that relationship has become very close,” and that, “we should look at how we should change our reporting relationship.”

Upon review in edited Hansard, the Finance Minister mentioned not once but three separate occasions to the Member’s questions, one of them: “the fact that the Auditor General himself has pointed out that we need to change.”

Now, let’s validate these comments to what was actually said by the Auditor General of Canada during the formal public audit review of the 2014 NWT Public Accounts and let’s see if indeed the Auditor General told this government the need for a relationship change, or simply some cleanup in their accounting practice.

On January 22, 2015, the Auditor General of Canada met with Standing Committee on Government Operations and on January 23rd held

an open public review. In both presentations the Auditor General stated the NWT Power and Hydro Corporations were not self-sustaining and required ongoing financial support. This merely prompted the management to adopt proper Canadian Public Sector Accounting Standards, or PSAS, and a change of classification for the hydro corporations from business enterprise to what is referred to as “other government organization.”

In the Auditor General’s own words, “NWT Hydro will be accounted for on a line-by-line basis as opposed to a summary basis in 2015.” That’s all. There was no suggestion by the Auditor General about the GNWT’s relationship change with NTPC, other than simple accounting cleanup. Nothing more.

So, the Finance Minister is spinning this to sound much different than what the Auditor General has presented to standing committee or the public. The question is why.

This goes back to my earlier questions last week. What is the secrecy behind this Cabinet, this Minister and this new hidden energy policy, but ultimately, when is this Minister going to come clean from behind the iron curtain? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Tribute To George Doolittle
Members’ Statements

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have the honour of speaking about a great Northerner and a great human being. George Doolittle was born on August 11, 1944, in Edmonton, Alberta, to Jane and George Doolittle Sr. He attended Colorado Springs College for a year and then went to the University of Alberta to

pursue engineering. However, George decided to seek adventure after a year of engineering. He travelled to several American and Canadian cities before settling in Inuvik, where he acquired a stationary engineer certificate.

George met Violet in Norman Wells in the fall of 1965. They fell in love and were married on June 10, 1967. He was welcomed by and became part of the vast McDonald family and had three children, Roy, Yvonne and Charlene. George and Violet raised their family in Inuvik, Fort McPherson and Norman Wells.

George has many grandchildren and several great-grandchildren whom he inspired and treasured. George was very proud of his family and all of their accomplishments.

George worked for the NWT Power Corp for many years and then for the Department of Transportation of the GNWT. During this time he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree by correspondence. He then retired, only to become busier than ever. He taught computers, which he himself was self-taught. He was a liquor inspector, an RCMP guard, a coroner and a commissionaire. Education and work ethic were very important to George. He was also not one to shy away from getting involved. He ran for the MLA for Inuvik at one time and was also on town council for many, many years. He really loved all the people that he worked with.

George had a great and unique sense of humour. He often told jokes, sometimes corny, accompanied by an expression, gesture or even a dance. He also enjoyed comics such as Dilbert and especially The Far Side.

If anybody knew George, they knew George enjoyed his coffee and coffeeing with his buddies. In Inuvik he could often be found at the Cafe Gallery, in Yellowknife at the Tim Horton’s.

George had a triple bypass in 1992 and struggled with heart disease later in life. He passed peacefully on May 26, 2015, surrounded by his loving family in Edmonton at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. The family was happy to have those last few days together to laugh, to talk, to share, to comfort and to say anything else that needed to be said.

George lived a full and beautiful life. He was many things: a gardener, a carpenter, a techie, a car and motorcycle enthusiast, an endless volunteer, a traveller and an adventurer. But most importantly, he was a beloved son, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, teacher, mentor and friend. George had touched so many people’s lives over the years.

George was a mentor to me when I was first involved in politics, when I had the opportunity to serve with him on the Inuvik town council. He has

left a great legacy to his family and will be truly missed by many, but continues to live in all those he touched with his kindness and wisdom.

Today the Doolittle family will lay to rest George Doolittle in the community of Norman Wells. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this great man. Mahsi.

Tribute To George Doolittle
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

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

Yellowknife South

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize my niece Kathy Makela, who is visiting from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Kathy is a lawyer with the Native Law Centre there.

I’m also pleased to recognize the presidents of teachers’ federations from across Canada here today. Carol Jolin, president, Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-Ontariens; Mark Ramsankar, president, Alberta Teachers’ Association; Dianne Woloschuk, president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation; Susan Swackhammer, first vice-president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario; Norm Gould, president of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society; Peter Fullerten, president of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association; Guy Arseneault, vice-president-elect of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association; James Dinn, president of Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association; Shelley Morse, president, Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union; Gayla Meredith, president, Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association; James Ryan, president, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association; Ann Hawkins, first vice-president, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association; Rian McLaughlin, president, Ontario Teachers’ Federation; Gilles Arsenault, president, Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Federation; Bethany MacLeod, president-elect, Prince Edward Island Teachers’ Association; Colin Keess, president, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation; and Carol Sherlock, acting president, Yukon Teachers’ Association. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. 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 the members of the Minister’s Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty who have joined us today. They’re the individuals who have worked together, worked hard to consolidate all the information from residents across the Northwest Territories in the development of working together on an action plan to reduce and eliminate poverty in the Northwest Territories. So, I’d like to

take this opportunity to both recognize and thank Bronwyn Watters and Julie Green as well as Mark Heyck.

June is also Senior Citizens Month and June 15th is

World Elder Abuse Day. Although today is not June 15th , Members of the House have joined me in

wearing purple today to recognize this important issue, and I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize a few members of the NWT Seniors’ Society who have joined us here today: Merlyn Williams, who is the president; Joyce Williams – both Merlyn and Joyce are constituents of the Great Slave riding; Margaret Marshall; Bill Reid; Joan Hirons; Bill Adkins; Darryl Bohnet, who is also a resident of the Great Slave riding; Dick and Loretta Abernethy, who happen to be my parents, welcome; Joe Walsh; Carole Robinson; as well as Jeff Renaud, CEO at the Avens, A Community For Seniors; and Kimberly Doyle, the executive director of YK Seniors. Thank you all for joining us today.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. McLeod.

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

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Gerry Wood. Gerry is an MLA from the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in Australia, representing the riding of Nelson. He’s been the MLA since 2001. He’s been visiting, sharing some of his stories, and we had an opportunity yesterday to visit and tell him about how we conduct business here in this Legislative Assembly. So, welcome to Canada and welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

I’d also like to recognize Mayor Mark Heyck. Welcome, Mark.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Ramsay.

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

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize all the visitors that we have in the gallery today. I guess our tourism numbers are going to continue to rise, as a bunch of folks are visiting us from across the country. Welcome to Yellowknife and welcome to the Northwest Territories.

I also wanted to recognize Merlyn Williams, the president of the YK Seniors’ Society. I also wanted to recognize a former Bantam and Midget hockey coach of mine – he was a real inspiration for me as I was growing up – and his long-time involvement in minor hockey in Yellowknife, Mr. Joe Walsh. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. 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 recognize some constituents from Weledeh today: Joe Walsh, who has just been mentioned; also Lois Little I see up there, and Carole Robinson,

Joan Hirons. There may be others. Welcome to the House.

Mark Heyck, our mayor. It’s always great to see him here when he can get here. I’d also like to recognize the MLA for Nelson, Mr. Woods from the Northern Territory. It’s really great to have him in the House as well. Mahsi.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Ms. Bisaro.

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to see so many seniors here today. I would like to recognize specifically one from the riding of Frame Lake, Yvonne Quick. It’s always good to see Yvonne here. I want to just mention, as well, Carole, Loretta, Wendy, Joe, Darryl and there are many more up there who I can’t see.

As an ex-teacher, I would also like to specifically welcome the presidents of the teachers’ associations across the country. Welcome to our home. Welcome to our territory. I hope you have a grand time. I’m sure that Gayla will show you a grand time. Gayla Meredith is the president of our NWT Teachers’ Association and is hosting all the other presidents.

Lastly, I’d like to recognize the mayor of our fair city, Mr. Mark Heyck. I think that’s about it. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Hawkins.

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

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are so many people out there to recognize, I just want to say welcome to the majority of them, and I’ll focus my specific recognition to our seniors. For seniors from the Yellowknife Centre riding, I would first like to recognize Ms. Margaret Marshall, Mr. Bill Reid and Mr. Bill Adkins as well as I believe I see Ms. Wendy Carlos up there as well. If I happened to miss any of the seniors who are up there, I’m sure they can understand. I can’t quite see that far anymore. My eyes are starting to give up on me as the days go on. Welcome to everyone and thank you very much for coming today. Thank you.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7 oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.