This is page numbers 6481 – 6516 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Topics

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with Rule 36(3), I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Minister’s Statement 221-17(5) be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Minister’s Statement 221-17(5) has

been moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration.

---Carried

Minister Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, each year on the last Sunday of September, Canada salutes the men and women who put their lives on the line every day in their role as police and peace officers.

In Yellowknife on September 27th , RCMP, peace

officers, family members and the public came together to recognize and honour the loss of loved ones, friends and colleagues who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Since the 1870s, 222 officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and its forerunner, the North West Mounted Police, have died across Canada. We owe each of them a profound and continuing debt of gratitude.

Police and peace officers include RCMP officers, correctional officers, highway patrol officers, territorial park officers and municipal enforcement officers. Our police and peace officers regularly work in difficult environments and in dangerous situations. In times of crisis, they respond quickly and without thought of personal danger.

As well as upholding the law, peace officers are mentors in our schools, coaches in our arenas and gymnasiums, and neighbours contributing in many ways to our communities.

The fallen officers recognized during the past year were RCMP Constable David Wynn of Alberta, Constable Daniel Woodall of the Edmonton police service, Transport Enforcement Officer Toni D. Kristinsson from BC, and Corrections Officer Rhonda Commodore from Manitoba Corrections Services.

We remember those 56 who have fallen in the Northwest Territories, including the sacrifices of Constable Christopher Worden and Parole Officer Louise Parteger who each lost their lives serving our citizens.

We have been working towards making communities safer and policing more effective in the Northwest Territories

by

building trust and improving

relationships between law enforcement and those they serve.

We will continue to build these positive relations through community policing plans and working with community members on common goals and priorities. These relationships need to be continually nurtured. Great work has been accomplished in the past few years.

I know all the Members of this Assembly will want to be sure that the men and women who work hard and have dedicated their lives to public safety and public service know they have our sincere appreciation.

Selfless commitment, sacrifice and dedication; these qualities were exemplified by each officer we have lost. Every peace officer deserves to go home safely to their loved ones at the end of their shift. To those who didn’t make it back, we will never forget you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 3, Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Dredging In The Hay River
Members’ Statements

Robert Bouchard

Robert Bouchard Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Four years ago we were elected to this House. One of the first statements I made was about dredging of the Hay River and the requirement for this. This issue has been before this Assembly for more than a decade to look at Hay River dredging, and our government

continues

to

ignore

that.

Our

government

keeps

saying,

federally it’s a

responsibility. Again, the Premier makes a statement about key infrastructure today, and he talks about a whole bunch of different highways, a whole bunch of road construction, which is also supposed to be a federal responsibility.

I’m getting very frustrated and it’s very difficult to even speak in this House without getting called on a point of order on the language that I want to use.

This has become a crisis for the community of Hay River. We have veteran fishermen who are not going on the water because it’s unsafe in the springtime to go there. Until the bigger ships take some of the sediment down, they’re not willing to go out on the wa

ter. They’re not creating a livelihood there.

We know that the hub of the North is Hay River. We know that this is key to the Northwest Territories to resupplying a whole bunch of the communities in the Northwest Territories. How can our government sit here for four years, for decades and ignore that concern?

We have all kinds of discussion about major infrastructure here and the dredging in Hay River is ignored. I’ve asked this Minister several times, along with the federal government, to deal with the dredging. I understand millions of dollars are the issue, but we write a $12 million cheque when we have a cost overrun on a project, no problem. We need $12 million for a key piece of infrastructure like the Hay River and we ignore it for more than a decade.

It’s ludicrous that we haven’t dealt with this problem. We’ve been dealing with the Town of Hay River, with NTCL, the shipping company there. They’re interested in being partners, but the GNWT is not interested in being partners. They want to just ignore it and tell us it’s a federal responsibility. Our government needs to take responsibility for dredging in the Hay River area.

Dredging In The Hay River
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Dredging In The Hay River
Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Mr. Speaker, I feel like putting my notes aside and following with the same passion as my colleague for Hay River North, but I’m not feeling well today so I’m afraid it wouldn’t come across with as much gusto.

I’m going to tag team with my colleague here today and reiterate again that Hay River is a transportation hub right on the south shore of Great Slave Lake and at the mouth of the Hay River itself. Once upon a time, the federal government met its responsibility for dredging, but that practice was discontinued in 1994. They sold all of their equipment. Since that time no one has taken up responsibility, even though the waterways have continued to be used. Our harbour is used by tug and barge operators, by the Canadian Coast Guard, by the commercial fishermen and by recreational boaters. Let’s not forget, as my colleague for Hay River North has said before in this House, that the Hay River Flood Mitigation Committee has identified dredging as an option and a proactive approach to the annual threat of flooding in Hay River.

I can tell you what’s happened in terms of dredging in the Hay River port since the federal program was discontinued more than 20 years ago. Nothing! Basically, we walked off a cliff. We went from annual dredging

– annual dredging – to absolutely nothing.

Meanwhile, responsibility for the dredging is passed around like a political football. That response no longer cuts it with the residents of Hay River. We need to see decisive action taken.

The town is looking to this government for some assistance. If I said it before, I’ll say it again, it’s affecting our people and it’s affecting our industry, and even if it is not technically or hasn’t technically

been our responsibility, it’s having real impacts on the people, the livelihoods and the supply chains out of Hay River.

Lack of action on this issue undermines the spirit and soul of our community. The harbour in Hay River is the lifeblood of why that community is there. We’ve continued to press for action

, and we’ve talked about

pushing and partnering with the federal government and about taking action as a territory, and we’ve talked about accessing funds from the National Disaster Mitigation Program. In the life of this Assembly alone, we’d hoped for a new federal plan in 2014, heard promises of territorial budget commitment, but this plan has still not come through and still the harbour hasn’t been dealt with. The Department of Transportation’s new 25-year plan barely even mentions dredging.

Hay River is the second largest community in the Northwest Territories. Surely it’s time to do something. When it comes to question period, I’m going to ask questions but also throw in a few suggestions.

Dredging In The Hay River
Members’ Statements

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been receiving many concerns on the ferry services in my riding on the ferry landings to the Peel River, which are very soft from weeks of rain and high waters. Earlier this summer a fuel tanker had a puncture in its tank and thousands of litres spilled into the Peel River. This was due to the landings, soft landings, the gravel there, because of the high water and rain we’ve been receiving. For about three weeks solid we’ve had rain every day.

My constituents would like this government to construct something, whether it’s solid landings made of concrete, rig mats, anything that would make these landings more safe for fuel trucks.

Also, the ferry schedule in Tsiigehtchic, which operates from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. The last ferry service is 11 p.m. at the Inuvik landing, 11:25 at the Fort McPherson landing and 11:45 at the Tsiigehtchic landing. If you wanted to travel to Fort McPherson from Tsiigehtchic at 11:45 for the last ferry service, you’ll be denied. So, in fact, the last service from Tsiigehtchic to Fort McPherson is actually 10:30.

A number of my constituents have had to overnight at the ferry landings due to the hours that are in place. We need to provide a better service for the residents of the Beaufort-Delta region.

I will have questions for the Minister later today. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise today dismayed by the sudden prospect of up to a $32 million claim to the GNWT for the construction of the Inuvik-

Tuk Highway. We’re

not talking about nickels and dimes. This is a massive potential expense that the GNWT has not kept Regular Members up to date properly.

The GNWT press release last Friday says the contract claims are a normal part of the process, but the amount of the claim is not normal.

This is a potential absolute blow for our small communities. If the GNWT picks up the tab for this kind of contract over-expenditure, it eats into the money available for other projects. That means essential community infrastructure projects in our small communities suffer. In Nahendeh alone, that kind of money could have been spent on a school for Trout Lake, the Fort Simpson Health Centre and Highway No. 7.

On a territorial level, the recent CBC News report states it would cost $21 million for universal child care. Imagine that was possible or could be possible, but these claims are interfering.

Without a doubt, the Inuvik-Tuk Highway has made big improvements in employment in the Inuvik and Beaufort-Delta region, contributing to our NWT economy, and the project promises vital all-weather road connections, but it is unacceptable that other projects throughout the NWT could suffer.

As the GNWT evaluates these claims and because we’re so close to the election, Members must be regularly updated and there must be a full and fulsome debate here in the Legislative Assembly before any decisions are made.

I will be asking Cabinet to ensure that they do not proceed without consulting with Members or, and if needed, to discuss this fulsomely in the 18th Assembly. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we approach the final days of the 17th Legislative

Assembly, it’s only fitting that we take the time to evaluate the fiscal performance and accountability of the McLeod government.

Some may say things are going well; others may posture that this post-devolution government has the worst performance record since the modern era of consensus system of government. No matter what

one may think, it’s about what you can measure. So, it’s really about the numbers; it’s about our operational spending; it’s about our capital spending; it’s about our limited revenue options; it’s about our tax regime; it’s about our debt and borrowing capacity; it’s about growth in our public workforce; and finally, it’s how we wrap all this information and report to the very people who give us their votes every four years.

Later today I have the privilege of tabling an extensive 14-page report, a report that was researched by the office of Range Lake and was fact checked by our very own legislative research staff, a report that talks about the numbers. Numbers don’t lie, they

don’t hold prejudice, but they certainly tell a

story, a story that I’ll share over the next couple days in this House. This will be a story of fact, not fiction, a story that started 15 years ago and ends in dramatic fashion with a McLeod government cliff- hanger. So stay tuned as we hear this story might not end, that a gripping box office sequel is in the works with potentially many of the lead characters returning to the 18th legislative stage.

On top of all this excitement, we know that over the coming days various committees of this House will be tabling their transition reports as we pass the torch to the future Assembly. These transition reports will also tell a story where many of the committees have found frustration or the lack of resolve on many of the issues that matter to all Northerners.

So, Mr. Speaker, no matter how you look at it, it’s report card time. So brace for impact, because I can tell you right now, this could be a bumpy ride. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find myself again having to address the House about problems in Education, Culture and Employment. Today I have to highlight shortcomings in the Student Financial Assistance program, unfortunately more than just one.

Over the summer I learned of two situations involving NWT residents, their desire to further their education and a Department of Education, Culture and Employment unwilling to adjust policies to accommodate them. Now, I realize and I accept that we have to have policies and that we have them for a reason, but they should not be so rigid as to defy logic.

Case number one: an NWT student at school in Alberta, a single mom with her children. At Christmastime she wished to return to the NWT to

be with her family, and being with family at Christmas is apparently a policy that governs SFA travel for students. The student’s children were provided airline tickets by their father and came back home for the Christmas holiday. The mom, of course, wanted to be with her family, her children at Christmas, but her request to Student Financial Assistance for travel funding was denied. The policy is that students with families can only travel at the beginning and the end of a school year, not at Christmas. The reason, because Education, Culture and Employment has a policy to keep families together. Single students can return at Christmas and at the beginning and the end of a school year, but not so students with dependents.

So this student, who could not afford a ticket to come home, spent Christmas by herself without the company of her kids and other family members. I struggle mightily, Mr. Speaker, to see the logic in the Student Financial Assistance decision in this case.

There are other options. The department has to think outside the box, has to provide some flexibility to their staff to make decisions in the best interest of the student and their family, and here’s the solution for the Minister: put a dollar limit on student financial assistance travel per student or per family, allow the student to travel when they like, spending only to the predetermined limit. In the case I’ve described, it would allow the mom to travel home at Christmas but then have to make some adjustment for her family’s return travel at the end of the school year.

I said two cases, didn’t I, Mr. Speaker? Well, case number two, stay tuned for more to come tomorrow. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What say we head out for coffee and a visit? Oops! Sorry. You have a role defined by this Assembly that you

’re

required to discharge here in the House right now. In theory that applies to my colleagues and myself, too, but in practice it would appear that our presence here is superfluous as it’s apparent that Cabinet neither requires nor welcomes our input into matters of state, that we are an annoyance to be swatted away like a mosquito, or we are to be best treated like mushrooms, kept in the dark and well fed. You get the idea.

Recent examples of this attitude towards Members on this side of the House exemplify the situation. First, the recent revelations of cost overruns on the Inuvik to Tuk Highway amounting to $32 million estimated. Before the recent discovery of documents stating otherwise, we were told the project was

moving along splendidly, on time and on budget. Clearly, this is not at all the case and hasn’t been the case for some time.

The government had plenty of time and ample opportunity to keep us apprised of the situation, most recently during committee meetings leading up to this session, but they chose not to. They only came clean when they were forced to through an accidentally distributed document. I wonder if we would still be in the dark if that document had not come to light.

Then there is the Stanton Hospital P3 upgrade. Oh, wait. I just

read in the newspaper that we’re getting

a whole new hospital with a whole new budget. That was news to me. I suspect it was news to all Regular MLAs not in the Cabinet loop. We have no plans for the old and sturdy building that will be vacated after renovations, or do we? Who am I to know?

Add to these $50 million worth of diesel going up in smoke with a one-time momentary benefit, not a peep from Cabinet until the decision was done, timed just before the election and, of course, no opportunity for input from MLAs. All of this happening while we are in committee meetings to deal with these very subjects.

Cabinet had the opportunity and responsibility to inform, but again chose not to do so.

There appears to be clear and deliberate intent to bypass any involvement of MLAs in the decision- making process that the principles of consensus government define and all of us are sworn to uphold.

It seems that we on this side of the House could make better use of our time by raising our caffeine levels. I expect that Cabinet will let us know if we take cream and sugar.

Mr. Speaker, I envy you your opportunity to fulfill the job for which you were elected and the support you receive from all Members of the House to do so. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this Assembly rolls closer and closer to its final days, I can honestly say, “Thank goodness.” The problem I see now is not watching the journey of the four years that have come and gone but it’s what is in store for the next four years.

Take for instance when I returned to the House in 2007, only then we learned about the Roland government’s butchering and contriving of cutting 135 jobs and $135 million out of the budget of the day, not to mention the bridge surprise which, of course, all came out of nowhere.

So where did it come from? Well, the simple marching orders created by those in power around the Cabinet table in the absence of Members. So, decisions were made behind the scenes, the deed was planned and, rather, schemed or certainly plotted and pitched to returning Members under the context of fiscal accountability. So, in other words, they were looking for confederates in the cutting and slashing, not to forget also the blame.

I raise this not as a reminder of the past but, rather, days yet maybe to come. We must always continue to be relentless in our efforts to provide efficient and effective government, one that meets the challenges of our day and, at the same time, one that is responsive to the needs of the people by being relevant. But while this government struggles with this last statement, more often than not I continue to be nervous about what surprises they hold for us next. All of this while I hear over and over that this government’s departments are drawing up lay-off lists to be rolled out in the next government, a plan to perhaps hit the Members early while they’re largely unorganized and green.

The government most likely will deny it, and who would be shocked if they did? So, as their metal is tested today, I can only hope that they will have the courage of their convictions and be honest to whom we serve.

But the undeniable fact is,

I’ve been talking to

different members in the public service in different departments and they have all been saying the same things. These proposed lists for trimming are already drafted. So, if you’re a young family out there trying to get ahead with you

r first mortgage, if you’re a

seasoned employee trying to reach your numbers for retirement, if you’re someone planning a big holiday or one of those special purchases that you have that aligns with your hopes and dreams, I can honestly say be cautious about what steps you have and you’re about to take because I certainly hope our government will show you the same respect and honesty you absolutely deserve. Thank you very much.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Regional Economic Development And Diversity
Members’ Statements

September 28th, 2015

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin, I’d just like to welcome everybody back to the House. I hope everybody had a good summer. I can tell everyone is really eager to get right into the issues that affect the Northwest Territories here and our Northerners.

Earlier today we heard in our Premier’s sessional statement that we do have a very slow economic

growth, and now in order to be effective we need to acquire effective partnerships with everybody.

I think this is a great time for this government to embrace, focus and support other types of industry that we’ve ignored or haven’t given them the full support to really grow our economy in the Northwest Territories. One in particular is tourism.

In Inuvik alone this summer, being there most of the summer, I did see that we had a significant number of tourists coming up the Dempster Highway, and when I look at some of the statistics, it was about 300 more people than last year who travelled up the Dempster Highway to Inuvik. In fact, more people are going up the Dempster all the way up to Inuvik then they were stopping at some of the Yukon tourism facilities.

Inuvik does have something to offer, something to give, but I think it goes beyond that. What’s going on in Inuvik is we have a great stakeholders grou

p that’s

doing some really great work for the region, for the community, and they’re bringing in the numbers. They’re meeting on a regular basis and they’re helping our local businesses, our local tourist operators and some of our local community people getting jobs in the tourism industry. Some of the areas that they’re working on developing are things around developing of packages and experiences around cultural practices, looking at developing a heritage festival. Sales went up in carving and other artwork. As I said, locals are being employed in the service industry and more work is being done on things such as tourist training opportunities such as customer service, helping people pursue business licences that focus around tourism, and more importantly,

I think they’re trying to create something

that’s more sustainable not only during the summertime but all year round.

I will have questions later for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment on how we can help support our regional economic development community groups to increase our economic diversity throughout the Northwest Territories.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] It is a sad occasion when I rise in this House to mark the passing of one of our esteemed elders. It is my privilege today to honour the late elder Mary Rose Sabourin, who passed away on September 16, 2015. She was 94 years old.

Mary Rose Sabourin was a valued elder of K’atlodeeche First Nation reserve who was loved by many people. Mary Rose took great pleasure in her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I want to

send my heartfelt condolences to her family at this difficult time and thank them for giving me permission to honour their mother today.

Mary Rose was laid to rest in the Hay River Reserve cemetery after a church service held in Hay River at the Roman Catholic Our Lady of Assumption Church. Her daughter Angie Sabourin gave a touching eulogy for her mother at the service.

The seasons and life moves on. This is something we all must accept; however, whenever we mark the passing of an elder, I cannot help but reflect on the rich contribution that she has marked on our community. Mary Rose Sabourin was a special lady of great age and wisdom, and her loss is deeply felt.