Mahsi. Members’ statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Mr. Speaker,

I started my career in the public service as an excluded employee, working as an administrative assistant. I can confirm to this House that I was not in a position that earned a high salary, and given the high cost of living and working in the NWT, my family often struggled to save for our future. In challenging times it is important that our government show decisive leadership. I fully support a pay freeze for myself as an MLA and for public servants in management positions. However, I find it difficult to support a pay freeze that may unduly burden public servants at lesser positions who have less in their pockets as costs for everyday expenses continue to increase. I have often before cautioned this government on rushing ahead with cost-saving measures without considering the full range of consequences of those actions, and again, I share my concerns that this decision has unintended consequences for many hardworking Northerners. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance on the impacts of this decision later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Members’ statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our country has invited 25,000 refugees to live in this wonderful country of ours, but our federal minister indicated that should not be at the expense of the poorest people in Canada and also that would include the Northwest Territories. We need to take care of our people first. Refugees will need a place to live and they will need a place to work and they will need a place for their kids to go to school. What I think is an important thing for the people of the Northwest Territories, especially people in the small communities, is that they need a place to work. We need jobs for the people in the small communities. Over the next four years, I would like to see this government work with the small communities to increase employments rates in the small communities to 55 per cent, Mr. Speaker.

Fifty-five per cent, to put it in some context, is a number that is manageable by small communities. Right now, most of the small communities' employment rates are in the 40 per cent category, some just slightly over 40 per cent. Overall in the Northwest Territories we're at about 66 per cent. It's not an insurmountable task to get to 55 per cent, as an example, in Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. In the four communities that I represent, that means about 80 jobs. I'm not asking about 80 jobs from the Government of Northwest Territories, I'm asking the government to spend strategically and use its infrastructure money and help other local governments and so on to put people to work. Right now, as opposed to putting people to work, what's happening is that our social spending continues to increase. It's a known and acceptable fact that employment rates and health outcomes are directly correlated. The lower the employment, the higher the health indicators we have in communities. That's also true for graduation rates, the rates of addictions, and the need for social housing. Employments rates in NWT are pretty good, as I indicated, but in the communities that I represent it's about 46 per cent, and I have done some work and I can see that it is very easy to achieve higher employment rates which will give us the numbers that we need to move forward.

Mahsi. Members’ statements. Item 4, reports of Standing and Special Committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased to recognize in the gallery Mr. Darrell Beaulieu, the recipient of the Skookum Jim Award this year, and also a constituent of Yellowknife South, Mr. Peter Vician. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Darrell Beaulieu, a constituent from Wiilideh. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Quyanini, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Mr. Darrell Beaulieu. I remember when they started Det'on Cho Diamonds; I was a diamond polisher there. Welcome, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Nancy Vail. She’s a constituent in Frame Lake. Thank you.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also wanted to acknowledge Nancy Vail, a tireless volunteer in our community working on a number of different files to improve our lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Darrell Beaulieu and Peter Vician, members of our strong support Northern community leadership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my constituency assistant, Garett Cochrane. He’s one of the hardest working individuals I know. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. For those individuals in the gallery that we may have missed, mahsi for being here with us. It's always great to have an audience in the gallery. Item 7, acknowledgements. The honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge a man who embodies leadership, innovation, and dedication. Loyal and committed to the public service for 35 years, Peter Vician will retire as deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Since its inception in 2005, Mr. Vician has guided the department through its evolution and has been a leader in the development and diversification of our economy. Mr. Vician was a key player in the Government of Northwest Territories achieving devolution, helped build our diamond industry, led the development of the Economic Opportunities Strategy and played a key role in numerous socio-economic agreements. I could go on about the accomplishments he has had in his career, but in the interest of time I would like to say this: Mr. Vician truly believes in service above self. He has dedicated to making the Northwest Territories a great place to live and do business, and for that, Peter, we thank you.

I too would like to thank Mr. Vician for all the years of service with the Government of Northwest Territories and I wish you best of luck in your retirement. Mahsi cho.

Acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 9, 2015, right after the federal election, Prime Minister Trudeau wrote a letter to our Premier. I would like to ask some questions of the Premier on that letter. In the letter, it indicated that the northern residents tax deduction that was announced and was part of the campaign was going to be something coming into effect and increase in the northern residents tax deduction. I would like to ask the Premier if he knows when that comes into effect. Thank you.

Mahsi. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did meet with Prime Minister Trudeau about a week ago, and I raised the matter of the cost of living and he reconfirmed that he had committed to doing something about it, specifically, the northern residents tax deduction. He did not specify a timeframe or timeline, but we all know that Minister -- the federal Minister of Finance has committed to filing his first budget in March, and we will wait and see if it makes that first budget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.