Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now in the communities throughout the Beaufort Delta Region only 30 per cent of the students in grades 10, 11, 12 are going to school. Beaufort Delta District Education Council describes the situation as critical.

Mr. Speaker, I know there are many reasons students skip school; attendance goes down as weather gets warmer, or young people may be staying up late and sleeping in. Sometimes the work can be discouraging too, especially if young people have to leave their home communities to finish their high school education.

Another factor, Mr. Speaker, is the school's capacity, its ability to deliver what the students need. Let's consider Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk. First built in the 1990s, Mangilaluk School was originally built for kindergarten to grade nine, then expanded up to include up to grade 12. It now supports 18 teachers, not including other staff, and 225 students.

Back in the 15thAssembly, the Member of my region raised the first alarm of the concerns about students of all ages having to study and learn in close quarters. Later, in the 16thAssembly, the previous Member for Nunakput said in the House, “at Mangilaluk School we are seriously over crowded. Mangilaluk School desperately needs an extension to accommodate growing needs of the community.” Now here we are in the 18thAssembly and Tuktoyaktuk's population has continued to grow over the past five years with the number of children and young people aged zero to 24 either holding steady and, in some age groups, even growing. Junior kindergarten also means more students, Mr. Speaker. The community will be well-served by plans for a new school and knowing how long these projects take, Mr. Speaker, the time to start is now. I'll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' Statements. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to discuss a subject that's been a sore point with the Town of Hay River for quite some time: the provision of highway rescue services. Highway rescue services involve the extraction of victims from accident scenes and the transport of victims to medical centres.

The governments of the Yukon and British Columbia have assumed the responsibility for providing these services. In Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario the provinces regulate highway rescue through legislation. In the NWT, however, the responsibility for highway rescue is stuck in a perpetual grey area. As far as I've been able to ascertain, no single entity in the territory is responsible for providing this service and, as a result, no one funds it adequately.

A report by MACA in 2006 identified this as an ongoing issue. As a frequent observer of town council meetings in Hay River, I can tell you that it is still an ongoing issue. Despite the lack of funding, the Town of Hay River has taken on the responsibility of servicing 800 km of highway in the South Slave and sometimes into Northern Alberta. Highway rescue vehicles, tools, and training are an added expense beyond what is needed for in-town ground ambulance services. This means that the town incurs higher operational costs and higher recurring capital costs.

Some funding for ambulance service does exist, the town receives about $50,000 annually from the health authority and MACA. However, that is for in-town ground ambulance service. The pot of money MACA does have for available highway rescue is slated to be cut in this budget from $400,000 to $185,000.

To summarize the situation, the GNWT has absolved itself of providing or paying for highway rescue services because they know that the good people of Hay River aren't prepared to let people die on the highway. That, Mr. Speaker, is no way to govern. In addition, it appears that the recommendations from the 2006 MACA report haven't been implemented in the 10 years since. According to the government's business plan, the public safety division of MACA is leading an interdepartmental committee composed of Justice, Transportation, and Health to develop a strategy to support delivery of this service. I'll have questions for the Minister of MACA to see if in fact any progress has been made on this lingering issue and how we can move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Member's Statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President.

Recently in my riding a long-time business was destroyed by fire that might have been controlled by the presence of a modern emergency reporting system. I'm talking about 911, as this Assembly has been discussing 911 for over 10 years.

In the case of the recent fire, media reports indicated that a person new to Yellowknife called 911 to report a fire only to find out there was no such thing. In desperation, the person actually drove to the fire hall to report the fire, but by then it was too late. As I said, 911 has been studied up and down through the terms of at least three Assemblies. The most comprehensive report published in 2015 indicates that a Yellowknife based 911 service could be set up for about $600,000 and run annually at a net cost, after service levies, of about $250,000. This isn't nickels, but territory-wide rapid-response coverage for about a quarter million dollars after the start-up fee seems good value for money.

While we talk as much as we like about how people should learn the emergency numbers and keep them handy, the very existence of 911 call services worldwide shows that just doesn't work, so what is it going to take? The NWT Association of Communities has had a standing resolution on its books since 2009 urging “the GNWT to adopt a phased approach for implementation, beginning in the regions with pre-existing telephone switching infrastructure suitable for 911 services.”

Talks on the introduction of the service have taken place between MACA and the City of Yellowknife as recently as this year. Both parties are still supportive of the service introduction, subject of course to the availability of funds. Creation of 911 capacity would involve the City expanding its current dispatch area at the fire hall and hiring additional staff. Both parties agree a phased roll-out of the service is preferable, starting in Yellowknife and then adding communities. A roll-out to the six tax-based communities, plus Behchoko, would represent three-quarters of the territorial population. What is clear is that we need the introduction of some service, but before another tragedy. I'll have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' Statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I did not talk about mushrooms at least once this session. Mr. Speaker, morel mushrooms attracted a lot of visitors to my riding last year. People from all around the world flocked to the Deh Cho to pick mushrooms. Never before had we seen so many people camped along the road north of Providence and in the bush.

Mr. Speaker, this is the second summer after the forest fires of 2014. Are we expecting a better crop of mushrooms this summer? A buyer has settled in the bush past the Chan Lake Tower and vehicles are parked alongside the road toward the North Arm. I understand there are more harvesters around Kakisa as well. My constituents tell me they had to install last year's signage so that people wanting to pick morel mushrooms do not stampede into the community unexpectedly.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents are concerned about this year's harvest. CBC North recently ran a story on the harvest thus far. It seems prices are down from last year. Other parts of Canada experienced forest fires too and there could be a large supply of mushrooms this year. Residents do not know much about what we expect the morel mushroom activity in the Northwest Territories to be. ITI has not contacted the community. My constituents tell me that when they talk to ITI, the staff people can't answer their questions.

Mr. Speaker, it seems the GNWT is taking a laissez faire approach. The draft Forest Management Act, which should have included a provision respecting non-timber forest products to help regulate vegetation, such as mushrooms, was not included, thus sent back to ENR for further study. Mr. Speaker, while the people of the Deh Cho are working on governing our land area, the people of Kakisa feel there is no respect for what they are working toward. KTFN leaders are always dealing with conflicts, particularly related to land and resource use. They are aggravated by the absence of mechanisms to legally recognize Indigenous rights and title, and an apparent disregard for the Dehcho Interim Measures Agreement.

Mr. Speaker, we understand the interest in the mushroom harvest and, to a certain extent, appreciate the opportunity and activity it brings to our region. But as a government, we must address some serious underlying issues around land use and the logistics of having so many people camping in the area. We must respect the rights of First Nations people, protect the land of the NWT, and respond effectively so Northerners can benefit from this industry and First Nations' land interests are upheld. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' Statements. Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I'd like to discuss later and address my questions to the Minister of ECE with respect to daycare facilities and daycare homes. As you know, these facilities and supports really play a vital service to the working class families and there's a growing need in the riding that I represent. I'm very encouraged by the Minister's statements of yesterday on the restructuring or redesigning to eliminate some of the red tape related in processing subsidies to that service. I'll have questions later, Mr. Speaker, thank you.

Masi. Members' Statements. Member for Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to take this opportunity to tell the House about a man who has played an important role in the lives of many in the Northwest Territories.

My uncle, Jim Schaefer, was born April 7, 1937 and spent much of his early years on the trap line. He spent the early years of his adult life working for Northern Transportation Company Limited and Northwest Territories Power Corporation, travelling to many communities up and down the valley and east to Gjoa Haven, building generator stations and putting up power lines.

Jim met his wife in Fort Resolution and raised his family in Fort Smith. In 1966 Jim became a journeyman electrician, earning his certificate in Fort Smith, and being only the 11thperson in the North to get his certificate. From there, he started his own business in the early 1970s. Jim was not only a hard-working entrepreneur and a dedicated family man, he was involved in the community, particularly in sports like broomball, baseball, and curling. The latter he excelled in, going to the Canadian Brier twice. Jim was also heavily involved in the local fire department and was a two-time winner of the Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship in his four trips to the national competition.

Mr. Speaker, his accolades didn't stop there. He was involved in the Metis Association, Caribou Management Boards, Hunters and Trappers Association, and youth justice. At the age of 41 Jim wanted to reconnect with the land, and went back to trapping for five years while teaching his children to live off the land. When he returned, he started his business up again, a better man.

He then became Chief of the Salt River First Nation and played an integral role in the signing of its Treaty Settlement Agreement in 2002. He was also the first president of what was once the NWT Hunters and Trappers Association and a committed advocate for trappers' rights.

Mr. Speaker, Jim was a family man through and through, and in the later years of his life, he spent much of it with family, especially his grandchildren whom he loved dearly. He never recovered from the loss of his wife Edna of 52 years, who passed away in 2014 from cancer. On June 2, 22 months after he lost his life partner, he also succumbed to cancer. Jim lived life to its fullest and has left us all with memories that we will cherish. He helped build the Northwest Territories we know today and, for that, we are all grateful. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Our condolences to the family as well. Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Betty and Rocky Simpson from Hay River South. Welcome.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 7, acknowledgements. Member for Nahendeh.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the retirement of three individuals from Echo Dene School in Fort Liard: Kiatch Nahanni, who has taught for 30 years in the Dehcho; Dianne Nelson, who has taught 29 years in the NWT system and 14 years at the Echo Dene School; and her husband, Kevin Nowoselski, has 29 years within the NWT system and 14 years at the Echo Dene School. All three teachers have been great supporters of youth in the community and have done a great job impacting the youth, whether it's in the school or personal life. They will be sadly missed. I wish them all the best on their next adventure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Acknowledgements. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I spoke about the state of Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk, and my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, my first question is: in the past the department has said that Mangilaluk School was not at capacity and, yet, we are seeing overcrowding. How does the department evaluate school capacity, Mr. Speaker? Quyanainni.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We look at the capacity and the utilization rates, enrolment rates, we take everything into account, space needed in the classrooms to allow the students and the teachers to do their work in a safe environment. Mangilaluk School: it is a priority for our department and moving forward with the capital plans in the fall. We did just go do a tour in the Beaufort Delta and Tuk was one of the communities we visited. We did speak to the leadership there, we spoke with the education council chair as well as staff and faculty, and we did get a tour of the school and we do understand the issues that are with Mangilaluk School. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, my second question to the Minister is: when was the last time the Mangilaluk School's capacity was evaluated?

As I mentioned, the Mangilaluk School is on our priority list. We did go and do a needs assessment of the school. What we're looking at proposing is an additional 1,000 square

metres

in order to respond with our capital standards and criteria for NWT schools. We're also looking at upgrading to existing program areas to accommodate current program requirements and also do a mid-life technical retrofit that'll include an energy-efficient exterior building envelope.

As everything that comes through the government, whether it's hospitals, schools, roads, it does have to go through a capital budget review, and that's going to happen in the fall. We are going to be working with the Member to try to see how we can get this on the books for Tuk. Initially, when the school was built, it was built for kindergarten to grade nine. Now, they've started offering more courses, specifically junior kindergarten as well as the secondary schools. Now we've got to look at reviewing it for junior kindergarten to grade 12, and that's what we plan on doing and hopefully get these in the capital budget in the fall time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that answered my last and final question. More of a comment and I look forward to working with the Minister on this.