Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to talk about the current energy strategy and climate change strategy coming on-stream for a 10-year plan here in 2017 developments.

Now that the gas is turned off in Norman Wells, we must seek alternative energy options for supply to the residents, commercial customers, and the community. Both Tulita and Norman Wells have potential for alternative energy sources.

Colville Lake has taken the lead with their solar panel project, which is proving to be quite a vital operation and is a prime example that there are alternatives and initiatives out there, funded jointly between the federal and territorial government.

Mr. Speaker, we must also look at some of the previous studies to collectively substantiate and justify best value for dollar. Back in April of 2010, there was a study done by ENR saying that there is potential down the Mackenzie Valley corridor, in the areas of Deline, Tulita, Norman Wells, and Fort Good Hope, that could supply geothermal heat for the buildings above. Later I will have the appropriate questions for the appropriate Minister. Thank you.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am continuing with my Member's statement from yesterday. I want to talk to you about the Aboriginal Head Start program.

There has been a lot of information flying around the House, so let me give you a quick refresher. Aboriginal Head Start, or AHS, is a federally funded program with the mandate to serve preschool-age Aboriginal children. It was founded in the belief that children are a gift from the creator, who have the right to live proudly as Aboriginal people in the land of their ancestors. In 1995... [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, how does this relate to junior kindergarten, a GNWT-run program?

As it stands now, ECE's proposed rules would see schools get the option of either half-day or full-day junior kindergarten, with the other half-day meant to leave room for AHS. ECE has also suggested that AHS redesign their programming for children aged three years or younger.

For some communities, this partnership works well, with strong results.

For others, Mr. Speaker, it doesn't.

When we passed a motion on junior kindergarten back in October, we affirmed that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work and that ECE should accommodate existing programs. In Yellowknife and the other regional centres, that means working with the existing daycares and preschools. In our small communities, that means working with AHS.

Unfortunately, talks between ECE and AHS are moving into a non-productive "us versus them" stage.

I am not here to lay blame, Mr. Speaker, but instead to highlight the questions and concerns of my constituents. This must not be lost.

Supporters of AHS, including parents and educators, are worried. They are worried about changes to existing programs, they are worried about quality programs for Aboriginal children, and they are worried about AHS' survival when its federal funding ends in 2020, especially if four-year-olds are enrolled in junior kindergarten instead. Program changes to support younger children would not be easy or cheap, or even desirable. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi, colleagues. Like I said yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the confusion we have seen in the House doesn't address these worries.

Regular Members are still waiting on the government's response to Motion 26-18(2), including a fully costed implementation plan. Meanwhile, parents are trying to plan for their children's education this fall, while schools are rapidly approaching their budget deadlines.

We can chart a course through this confusion, but we must all be up-front, and we must be all on the same page. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. People in the Northwest Territories who want to choose cremation of human remains -- that is currently about 30 per cent of all deaths -- cannot access this service from a Northwest Territories supplier. A local funeral home would like to expand to provide this service, and it's just down the road from me, Mr. Speaker; but in seeking a way to support the expansion of our economy and of services for our residents, road blocks have been encountered.

All Canadian jurisdictions except the Northwest Territories and Nunavut have legislative regimes for cremation. In the Northwest Territories there are a variety of laws touching upon the legalities of cremation, but no single law overseeing or enabling cremation.

A review of crematoria legislation in other jurisdictions found that a comprehensive framework for cremation services is the preferred approach. Typically, health departments regulate such matters as sanitation standards and air quality. The Public Health Act would likely govern these matters. The Vital Statistics Act outlines the requirements for issuing a permit allowing disposal of human remains by any means. More work needs to be done to ensure that there is no legal prohibition under the current legislative framework to prevent cremation services here in the NWT. That includes determining what other public health concerns may exist.

An important outcome of this internal review was the observation that the commercial operations of crematoria are typically regulated by community affairs departments.

I approached Municipal and Community Affairs -- and that's where progress seems to have come to a halt. I was told by the Minister that development of this legislation is not on the priority list for the department, primarily due to other pressing needs. It's not clear what these other pressing legislative changes are and how regulation of cremation will fit in or not.

We're almost into the bottom half of this Assembly's term. Again, I have to question this government's ability to move legislation forward. After all, we are supposed to be a Legislative Assembly. Here's an opportunity for local economic expansion, an improvement of services and reduction of costs for our residents, an increase of the tax base. It's all wins, Mr. Speaker, and there is proven law across the country to start from and shape to meet our needs. I'll have questions for the Minister on how to move forward on the issue of regulation of cremation. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Members of this Legislative Assembly have committed to improving government transparency and accountability as one of our top priorities. This commitment came about in part because of an historic election in which 11 first-time Members were elected. Residents of the NWT were clear that they wanted a change in the way business was done.

In response, Premier McLeod created a Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency and bestowed that title upon the honourable Member from Thebacha. The Minister is developing an open government policy and strategy to set consistent direction that will apply to all government departments.

To help develop the policy, he is holding public meetings around the territory. This Monday, February 13th, the Minister will be in Hay River to hold a public meeting to gather input on what this strategy should look like. This gives residents a chance to have a hand in changing the way the government does business without having to wait until the next election to do it.

Some people may be asking: what is an open government policy, and why should I care? To me, open government is a way to allow citizens to hold government accountable by making government data and information accessible and easy to understand.

As an MLA, I can attest to the importance of access to data and the need for this policy. I have to make decisions based on the best information I have, and it's a constant struggle and time consuming for me to find that information.

Just imagine if you wanted to know how much infrastructure money flows to Inuvik or to Fort Smith. An effective open government policy would allow you to go onto a website and pull up that information. Then, you could send that information to your MLA to hold up on the floor of the House and question the Ministers about why there seems to be such a disparity between funding to regional centres. That’s just one example, and there are many more.

I encourage all residents of Hay River who want to change how the GNWT does business to attend the public meeting this Monday at 7:00 p.m. at the Ptarmigan Inn. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to move item 11 on the orders paper, replies to budget address. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Unanimous consent granted

Item 11, replies to budget address. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, to start, I'd like to take you on a virtual tour of life in the Mackenzie Delta.

Say you were from Aklavik, Fort McPherson, or Tsiigehtchic. You'd likely be Aboriginal, often Gwich'in or Inuvialuit, and chances are you were actually born in Inuvik, where the closest hospital is.

Life wouldn't be cheap, Mr. Speaker. Maybe you'd be one of our residents making less than $15,000 a year. That's 41.9 per cent of people in Aklavik, 33.3 per cent of people in Fort McPherson, and 36.4 per cent in Tsiigehtchic.

If your family income hovers around the local average of $70,957 a year, that's still little more than half the territorial average. Your parents might get worried, thinking about expenses. For food bills alone, for every $100 they might have spent in Yellowknife, they'd spend $158 to $170.

As you grew up, Mr. Speaker, you'd start to learn the language and traditions of your people.

When the time came to enter daycare, your parents might have options, like the Aklavik Childhood Development Centre, or they might not. If you were in Fort McPherson, you might join Aboriginal Head Start. Come this fall, you might enroll in junior kindergarten. One thing's for sure: like all NWT children, you have the right to quality education and a safe place to learn and grow.

Next, you'd make your way through the education system. Thanks to government investment in the Beaufort Delta e-Learning Program, students can access a wider range of course options, though you'll still have to be a strongly motivated self-starter. Last year, the Beaufort Delta Education Council reported that high school attendance had reached a "critical" low.

On the subject of education: have you ever heard of the organization Cuso International, Mr. Speaker? This non-profit sends volunteers all over the world to improve the lives of people living with poverty and inequality. I mention them because Cuso International is looking for volunteers to serve in schools in the Beaufort Delta and the South Slave.

Mr. Speaker, we need to take a long, hard look at our priorities if we want to make reductions to a K-to-12 system that's drawing the attention of international aid workers.

Back to our virtual tour. Remember, right now, you're a student in the Delta.

In the evenings and on weekends, you might be out on the land, learning from your elders, or you might be back at school. Because like I said yesterday, our schools aren't just schools -- they're also important shared spaces where people of all ages gather for public meetings, talks, feasts and dances, games and movies, and sports competitions.

Without a high school diploma, though, your chances of finding a job later drop. Adults have a hard enough time right now. Tsiigehtchic has our highest employment rate at just 49.7 per cent, compared to an NWT rate of 65.6 per cent.

Time flies, Mr. Speaker. Now you're an adult, working and raising a family of your own. Long waiting lists keep you out of public housing, while condemned units block new construction. You're also trying to take care of your elderly parents. Fortunately, new investments from the Housing Corporation mean they'll have grants to renovate their homes for safety, and dedicated seniors' units, too.

Because you're a Mackenzie Delta resident in this little exercise, Mr. Speaker, that means I'm your representative.

To prepare for today, I considered the concerns and priorities of my constituents. I listened closely to the replies of my colleagues. I thought back to the work we've done in committee and to pass budgets.

First, I'm going to draw out a few highlights. Then I'd like to go over a few places where there is still work to be done.

When it comes to our economy, we are dependent on the federal government. That is a simple fact. Outside that, our major employers right now are government and the diamond mines. When we face these facts, we can start to make real progress.

Because we have made progress with this budget, thanks to the hard work of Regular Members challenging some proposed reductions, and the hard work of Cabinet incorporating some of these changes into the main estimates.

I am pleased to see continued investment in the Community Access Program. Projects under this program create valuable jobs and real benefits for communities.

I'm also pleased to see new investment in the Small Community Employment Support Program. Regular Members were champions of this program in the last Assembly, and it shows sound judgment to build on that legacy. Jobs mean food on the tables, fuel in tanks, and clothes on backs. It's as simple as that.

The progress we have made together on junior kindergarten is a good start. There are still some wrinkles to iron out, but we're on our way.

When it comes to working together across the floor, I'm glad the Premier has suggested the joint committee on rural and remote communities.

Infrastructure projects are also key. I'm looking forward to the Mackenzie Valley fibre optic link, and I'm hoping that increased traffic through Inuvik, thanks to the expanded satellite stations, will spread benefits to nearby communities. People in my riding don't want to wait any longer for real opportunities for the Gwich'in contractors.

Moving on, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, the Member for Great Slave said that while the budget was not "the best," it was "good."

Well, it's my view that good is the enemy of great. All Members have been working for months. Wouldn't it be a shame to call it a day, after all this work, simply because we'd reached "good enough"?

---Applause

There are a lot of positive things in this budget. I've highlighted just a handful, but there are also several issues that we still need to address.

When it comes to transportation, we want to be more connected, not more isolated, dependent on outside workers and supply lines.

It troubles me greatly that this budget proposes to eliminate two well-used ferry services at two points in the Mackenzie Delta during winter months.

Cuts aren't as easy as just lining up the numbers, trying to make up $150 million or even $100 million. They have serious ripple effects. Residents of the small communities rely on access to Inuvik for food, fuel, and other supplies, as well as medical appointments and skilled labour. Frankly, a lack of access would put communities, including Inuvik, at risk.

To me, it is an opportunity of growth not for cutbacks. When the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is completed, our fellow Canadians -- not to mention international visitors -- will come. Cutting off easy access to the Mackenzie Delta hardly seems the way to encourage connections or investment.

In fact, this ties in with the Mackenzie Valley Highway project. In the 17th Assembly, we talked about that road extending all the way to Inuvik. For now, that dream is waiting.

Now, a few words about position reductions in the NWT. Mr. Speaker, nobody wants to see positions cut. I believe the government has tried to protect current employees from its reductions, transferring them where possible.

That's important, and it is appreciated, but preserving an individual's employment status is not the same as protecting a position, and the government's actions have led to uncertainty. Members of the public service don't know if their jobs will survive. Parents are uncertain of junior kindergarten and when it will start and how it will impact existing programs, and how we will pay for transportation, after-school care, and inclusive schooling needs.

The Aurora College -- I know we have students in the gallery today -- students aren't sure if they'll be able to pursue the teaching and social work careers they've dreamed of. Three young Gwich'in ladies in my riding worked hard to earn their certificates in early childhood education. They wanted to give back to their community by working for Aboriginal Head Start. Now they're not sure what's going to happen with Aboriginal Head Start.

We can't blame Northerners for wondering just what is going on.

While the government's $150 million reduction target has gone down to $100 million, it was already the basis of past reductions, including some spread over multiple years. Its impacts still linger.

At the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, MLAs are sent here by our people to represent those people and to serve their best interests. We have heard concerns about hard lines drawn between Members. We have seen news articles about conflict and head-butting, but the reality is that we agree on 98 per cent of this budget.

That's right. The programs and services Regular Members are pressing for -- like truly fully funding for junior kindergarten, essential ferry services, youth suicide prevention, homecare services, and minimal position cuts -- represent 2 per cent of the overall budget. We're a small territory with a small population: small investments can make a big difference.

Today is the last day for replies to the budget address, but we're heading into the first day of budget review -- the days that will determine the fate of that 2 per cent.

My colleague described the budget preparation as a marathon. Well, Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleagues for their endurance and their dedication. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Replies to budget address. There appear to be no further replies to budget address today, so we will return to item number 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I get to recognize a few people here today. Kristen Tanche, who is a student in the social work program here in Yellowknife. I actually had the opportunity to almost marry her and her husband, but they got smart and got an official somebody else to do that. So I'd like to recognize Kristin.

Then I have to recognize my two daughters: Jacqueline Thompson, who is a teacher, and my daughter Jenny, who is part of the social work program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize all the students who have come out to join us today and watch our proceedings. They were out earlier raising their voices, which is an important part of democratic participation, and I commend them for that. I encourage them to never stop, and one day perhaps seek an office in this House. We always need more representation from our Northern population.

Also, I'd like to recognize my good friend Fran Page who is visiting the Northwest Territories from Ottawa. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to recognize all the students who have come and taken part today and welcome them to the House. I also want to take this opportunity to welcome Yellowknife North's Amanda Mallon, who is also here representing the NWTTA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a few visitors in the gallery. One of them is Trisha Landry, my constituency assistant and also chaperone extraordinaire, who is here to accompany two students who are pages from Detah, and also the students from the Northern People for Northern Education program who are here in terms of their protests against the cuts to their program. Also -- I saw her earlier; I don't know if she is still in the House -- Laura Boileau from the New Day program. Mahsi.

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

Merci, monsieur le President. I, too, would like to thank all the students for coming out and watching the proceedings in the House today. I also have two pages who are serving us in the House today. Ethan Horn and Mia MacInnis are from the Frame Lake riding. Welcome to the House, and thank you for your service. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize Bella Jean Stewart, one of my constituents from Aklavik; also Lauren Ross, the daughter of Richard and Sally Ross from Inuvik. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.