Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Health and Social Service.

In February 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that certain provisions in the Criminal Code related to physician-assisted dying were unconstitutional. June 6this the day the Supreme Court's ruling actually takes effect across this country. Medical assisted dying is an option for eligible Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT is ready to ensure residents can access this option if they request it. The Department of Health and Social Services has developed interim guidelines that set the rules for how medical assistance in dying will be requested and provided in the Northwest Territories.

Our priority is to protect both patients and the health care providers involved in the medical assistance in dying. The interim guidelines establish eligibility criteria that patients must meet in order to access the services so that vulnerable people are protected. Patients must be 18 years of age, must be capable of making decisions with respect to their health, and must have a terminal medical condition. Safeguards have also been established to ensure this service is provided in a safe, fair, and caring manner. Safeguards require that patients are assessed by two independent practitioners and that a mandatory reflection period passes before medical assistance in dying is provided. The patient will have explicit opportunities to withdraw their request throughout the process. The interim guidelines also require that patients are informed of all alternatives to medical assistance in dying, such as palliative care, and that they expressly consent to this service before it is provided.

The department has worked closely with the steering committee, which includes representatives from front-line health care provider associations, including the NWT Medical Association, Registered Nurses Association of the NWT and Nunavut, and the NWT Pharmacists Association. We have also worked closely with the Department of Justice in the development of our interim guidelines.

Mr. Speaker, this can be a challenging issue for many of our residents. Medical assistance in dying is a deeply personal subject for many people. I want to reassure our residents that the interim guidelines do not compel health care providers to provide, or assist in the provision of, medical assistance in dying. Health care providers and patients have the right not to participate. The department has set up a central coordinating service that will facilitate a patient's access to willing practitioners so that health care providers have the freedom to respect their conscience and religious or cultural beliefs. Information on medical assistance in dying can be provided, but under no circumstances can this service be encouraged or recommended. If a request for medical assistance in dying is made, it must be made voluntarily.

Mr. Speaker, the guidelines are only an interim measure. The department expects to propose a medical assistance in dying legislative framework for the NWT before the end of this fiscal year. The federal government's future amendments to the Criminal Code will greatly influence our legislative framework and our final guidelines. The department will also continue to work with the Steering Committee as we develop the proposed legislation. We expect the legislative framework will further address concerns raised by the public and allow us to further ensure values and culture are respected, alongside with the right of patients to seek medical assistance in dying if they choose to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ministers’ statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories understands the importance of early childhood development, and has been focused on developing and implementing programs and services for families with young children for the past few years. Healthy development during the first few years of life is crucial for lifelong success.

I would like to share today some of the positive funding changes we are making in early childhood development. In 2014-15, as a commitment of the Right from the Start Action Plan, the department of Education, Culture and Employment conducted a review of the early childhood program. This included engagements with various groups in the early childhood sector to assess what was working and what needed improvement in our approach to supporting licensed daycares and day homes.

The changes to Early Childhood Program funding announced in the recent budget will focus on three areas: the operating subsidies, the Early Childhood Intervention Program, and Supporting New Early Childhood Licensed Operators.

Under operating subsidies, we are revising the operating subsidy model to licensed day care and day home operators to replicate increasing costs to operate these facilities and to ensure the sustainability of the programs. Licensed family day homes and daycare centre facilities will both receive an increase in their operating subsidies. The increase will be dependent on which community they operate in. As an example, the daily subsidy rate for a daycare in Fort McPherson will see a subsidy increase of 145 per cent for infant spaces and 46 per cent for pre-school spaces. The larger increase in the subsidy for infant spaces reflects the need for increased staff for infants and acknowledges this is an area of demand. We are also changing our approach to operators in government-owned buildings who will now receive 75 per cent of the daily rate, which is an increase from 50 per cent of the daily rate that was previously provided. We are significantly cutting the red tape and streamlining the application process for early childhood subsidies. Now one application form and contribution agreement will replace three previous contribution agreements, and an approach to multi-year agreements is being developed.

Mr. Speaker, the Early Childhood Intervention Program will be re-focused on children with identified special needs. One of the items we heard consistently during the review was that the previous program which was to provide additional support to children with special needs was often used to offset general operating expenses. The new approach will include steps to ensure this funding is used to support children with special needs that attend early childhood programs.

Finally, we are changing our approach to supporting new day care operators where a start-up subsidy to offset mortgage or rent costs can be obtained for a fixed period of time, or it can be provided as a forgivable loan. There will also be enhanced support for equipment for new operators. These changes represent numerous meetings, discussions, and feedback from stakeholders across the North. They are necessary to ensure our licensed operators can focus on the needs of children under their care across the territory. With this government's focus on supporting quality early childhood development, we believe this brings us one step closer to making good choices right from the start for northern families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address how the government is applying our important central principle of transparency and public engagement to an issue that is concerning to many residents of the territory. That is hydraulic fracturing.

Mr. Speaker, this Assembly has committed to transparency in public engagement and, to that end, we are also committed to make sure that residents have a voice in assessing the risks and benefits of resource development including hydraulic fracturing.

Fracking is a tough call. We know that my colleague from the Sahtu, among others, cares about the potential jobs and economic growth that development might create in his region and possibly using fracking. We know that diversifying and growing the economy is not a quick process. It is important to hang on to economies that work. We know that opportunities for growth and job creation are hard to come by especially in the smaller communities.

On the other hand, we know that my colleague from Frame Lake, among others, feels that the environmental risks of fracking are very serious and so should we even take the chance? We know that fracking is linked to increased seismic activity but we don't know how much. We know there can be impacts on water quality, but we don't know how much. We know that starting this month, the provincial regulator in B.C. is stepping up its monitoring of seismic activity because of small earthquakes caused by fracturing.

We also know that there is no current industry interest in oil and gas exploration in the NWT, but that is not a reason to drop the fracking subject. We should have the discussion now, while we are not under industry and public pressure to do so. The opposing views about fracking and other resource development are precisely the reason that an open and transparent public debate is important and the slowdown in oil and gas makes now the time to do it, Mr. Speaker.

Residents of the Northwest Territories need to know that the government wants to hear their views. They need to trust there will be an open and constructive public discussion on this issue and they need to be reassured that this Government's commitment to openness and transparency will be upheld. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements, Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about change. As I was doing this statement, I went to the Webster's Dictionary to find the simplest definition of change: “to become different; to make someone or something different; to become something else.” Last October, the country of Canada wanted change and so did the people of the NWT. Change did happen. People in the Northwest Territories elected 11 new Members and eight returning Members to the Legislative Assembly in hopes that change will occur for the betterment of the NWT. Mr. Speaker, two candidates running for the Premier position spoke about change and working together. The two quotes that resonated with me were, "he or she has a critical role in ensuring the collaboration and productive working relationship between Cabinet, Regular Members, stakeholders, and the public." The second quote is, "I welcome commitment and look forward to working with every one of you to give the people of Northwest Territories the kind of government they want and deserve." We need more cooperation and new mechanisms to enable greater input from Regular Members.

Mr. Speaker, I was excited and I was hoping that I was going to be part of the change revolution for the betterment of the residents of the Northwest Territories after listening to these two candidates. Unfortunately, I have not seen much change to date. I am disappointed to say the least. It seems that, once election to Cabinet and Premiers was done, things stayed the same. It has been interesting to see how things have evolved in the past six months. The government stressed we are in a difficult time: excluded members had their wages frozen, rumours about staffing cuts and programs reductions circulated but at the same time the Government was advertising for new hires. This is very confusing for our public service, residents, and NWT, and thus the Ordinary MLAs. Mr. Speaker, I do have to give credit to the Premier. We saw some new deputy ministers come in the system and I thank him for that. As well, we saw some re-alignment of portfolios, but some portfolios stayed the same with the deputy ministers. I guess if you look back at the simple definition of change, change happened. However, it is not what we thought it would be when we came here six months ago. Mr. Speaker, I will have some questions for the Premier to help clear up some confusion over there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members’ statements, Member for Kam Lake.

Mr. Speaker, Ramadan begins this week. Many Muslims in the North and around the world will begin a month-long spiritual journey of fasting, prayer, and reflection to honour the revealing of the holy Koran to Prophet Mohammed. During this hallowed month, members of Islam fast during daylight hours to increase their patience, closeness to God, and generosity towards those less fortunate. This is a time when our vibrant Muslim community here in the North invites their neighbours and friends to share their evening meal Iftar, recite passages from the Koran together, emboldening each other to be at their most charitable.

There are many things everyday Northerners can appreciate about Ramadan, and I encourage all peoples in our great territory to learn more about it from their friends and neighbours in Islam. We can appreciate a universal reminder to show gratefulness for the numerous blessings we enjoy.

Let us take this time, Mr. Speaker, this week and throughout the month to recognize and show appreciation for the most important contributions of the northern Muslim community to our social fabric. I stand in constant awe knowing that all Northerners welcome the continuing diversity of our people, that we not only acknowledge our cultural mosaic as one of our great strengths, but as a key aspect to the future of the Northwest Territories. I advise you, Mr. Speaker and all Members of this House, and wish all those observing this holy month a blessed and peaceful Ramadan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members’ statements, Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The past six months have brought international and federal/ provincial/territorial developments in the fight against climate change. After almost a decade of inaction, our federal government is finally taking its first steps on climate change. In our federation, participation and cooperation of provinces and territories is also required.

At the December COP, climate change conference in Paris, our federal government made ambitious commitments for renewed action on climate change. GNWT representatives at COP21 met with the Nunavut and Yukon delegations to discuss a pan-territorial position on climate change. In March, Ottawa further reinforced its COP21 commitments in a U.S.-Canada joint statement on climate, energy, and Arctic leadership. The Prime Minister met with provincial and territorial leaders including our Premier Bob McLeod in Vancouver in March of this year.

The meeting recognized that a price on carbon is an essential tool in the fight against climate change and that carbon pricing will be "adapted to each province's specific circumstances and in particular the reality of Canada's Indigenous peoples in Arctic and subarctic regions." The meeting also resulted in an agreement to set up working groups to study four main areas of climate change: clean technology, innovation and jobs, carbon pricing, and mitigation. The working groups will report back in October and the findings of those reports will be used to create a Canadian framework for clean growth and climate change.

Our northern territorial Premier still appears to oppose carbon pricing, asserting that its impacts on northern costs of living are unacceptable, even though the federal government has promised $2.9 billion over five years to help Canada meet its international climate change obligations. I am hoping the work resulting from Vancouver will sway northern leaders to reconsider carbon pricing. Eighty per cent of Canadians now live under some sort of carbon pricing. Carbon pricing can be made to be revenue neutral and sensitive to the needs of rural and remote communities.

As one of the jurisdictions in Canada most affected by the negative consequences of climate change, we can't sit on the sidelines and wait. The federal government has been clear on the possibility that if an agreement is not reached on carbon pricing a national program can be imposed. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker and thanks to my colleagues. Advocacy for the adoption of a made in the Northwest Territories carbon tax has been underway for some years. I will be urging this government to look again at a carbon price as an indispensable and inevitable tool for decreasing emissions. I will have questions for the Premier as the primary Minister responsible for energy and climate change later today. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements, Member for Sahtu.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Today I will have some questions for the Minister responsible for Human Resources with respect to summer students. Summer students are our next generation. They face many challenges. Endless hours of homework, daily living costs, those are just a few to mention. At the very least, what our government should be doing is meeting them halfway to ensure we are behind them 110 percent during their summer endeavours to seek income, so they can fly back to their respective apartments and school designation to continue their curriculum. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements, Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I now have the economic evaluation of the all-weather road to Whati. I would like to share the findings of this report completed by Nichols Applied Management of Edmonton in March 2015.

To begin with, the request for construction of this road came from Fortune Minerals, a company whose stock trades for pennies a share. The company is making the road a condition of developing its gold, cobalt, bismuth, and copper project 50 kilometres north of Whati. The road would connect Highway No. 3 to Whati. Estimated costs: $152 million.

The road is a gamble, Mr. Speaker. If the 60-kilometre road is built and the mine isn't, the economic costs outweigh benefits by as much as $135 million. The combined net benefit of the road to both the communities and Fortune Minerals, in that case, is just $12 million. The road without a mine is not much of a prize in strictly economic terms. If the mine is built, the net benefit for the NWT goes up to $141 million using the base case price for commodities.

Mr. Speaker, there is no question that this road will have benefits for the people of Whati. Approximately 96 per cent of the $152 million construction cost will be spent in the Tlicho region where residents will be employed in construction and road maintenance. Construction jobs are the real prize, generating $25 million of labour income. But maintenance of the all-weather road will produce less employment income than maintenance of the current winter road. So the benefits are short and sharp over the two-year construction period.

Other road benefits are more difficult to monetize. Whati residents will be able to travel year round to shop, seek medical attention, and visit family and friends. They will spend more on gas, but less on air travel. The cost of living in Whati will probably go down. While some residents see opportunities, others are concerned about an influx of outsiders, a disruption of their traditional way of life, and ready access to drugs and alcohol.

Mr. Speaker, I am puzzled why the government is entertaining the idea of building a road to Whati. The cost-benefit analysis concludes that the direct stimulative nature of the Tlicho road investment is larger than that of the Nico construction project itself. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, please.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thanks, colleagues. The direct stimulative nature of the Tlicho road investment is larger than that of the Nico construction project itself. That is because this contrasts with the Nico project, whose economic impact is most felt outside the NWT because the majority of its mining and milling equipment and all of its smelter and refinery capital expenditure will also occur outside of the NWT, specifically in Saskatchewan. I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my statement is on the need for a cultural area at Moose Kerr School. Mr. Speaker, during my last visit to Aklavik, the school mentioned that they would like to have two buildings removed from the premises of Moose Kerr School's area. One building was built in the 1960s, and the other in the 1970s, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, once these buildings are removed, the school would like to set up a cultural area where students can take part in cultural activities, both in Inuvialuit, Gwich'in classes and other areas that relate to this. Mr. Speaker, this is a great idea, a good initiative the school has taken on. I will have questions for the Minister later today. Thank you.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the young people that are looking for work today, employment in small communities, specifically the Small Community Employment Program centre administered by NCE. Mr. Speaker, as most people know by now, employment rates in NWT small communities are very low. The small communities rely on short term, and casual, and project-based employment in order to provide for their families. The Small Community Employment Program has $1.2 million and that will help put people to work on various projects based in the communities.

Mr. Speaker, the Small Community Employment Program is very important to our communities. With this program, the communities can apply for various pots of money that can also be used to create short-term jobs in the communities. Mr. Speaker, a Small Communities Employment Program can be used on housing projects, community works, road construction, to mention a few where this funding can be utilized. With a Small Community Employment Program, people are able to get off income support program during the time that they are working, and if the project provides them with enough weeks, they can even come off the income support program for a longer period or even permanently. That of course would be dependent upon their eligibility for the federal employment insurance payments or if their short-term work leads to a permanent job. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Later, I will have questions for the Minister of ECE on this matter. Thank you.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.