This is page numbers 43 – 82 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 review.

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Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has recently come to light through an unprecedented letter-writing campaign by the inmates of the North Slave Correctional Complex that things are very wrong with our correctional system. A number of my honourable colleagues have spoken about this already today, and I think it is important we shed light on this because it is an area of public interest. The foundation of our justice system has always been based on rehabilitation and giving Northerners a second chance after they take responsibility for their actions. However, inmates are now telling us it is becoming harder and harder to successfully rehabilitate themselves. We have heard reports of program cuts that have removed opportunities for basic education, recreation, and healing programs.

To make matters worse, I have recently been provided with new information that reveals a similar situation for our correctional service. Officer training, equipment, and staff budgets have been cut. Officers are being forced to work exhausting shifts without relief, required to provide recreational support without proper training, and the programs offered to inmates are being rushed to boost participation numbers. Overcrowding remains an issue, and morale among staff is low.

Mr. Speaker, our peace officers are the front line of our justice system. We owe it to them to ensure they are safe, supported, and respected in their roles, just as we must ensure inmates are allowed to seek the help they need to become productive members of society. We cannot continue on supporting a system that is not properly resourced, where budgetary constraints seem to be the driving force. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice to see if fiscal considerations are withdrawing support and services for inmates and support for our correction officers. We owe it to them to give them the support they need to do a very demanding job. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. On October 11, ITI released a study. I consulted Andrew Bauer with the Natural Resource Governance Institute. Mr. Bauer conducted a review of the NWT mineral sector under a contract from GNWT and how we should best manage mining in the interest of good governance.

The study was based on a review publicly available and internal GNWT documents and interviews with some NWT and Aboriginal government representatives and the mining industry. Noticeably absent were non-governmental organizations. Sixteen areas of governance and regulation were evaluated against internationally recognized criteria. The outcome of the evaluation was dismal for our government. In six of the 16 areas evaluated, existing practices do not meet international standards or significant gains could be made by adopting alternative policies. In only two of the 16 areas do our existing practices meet international standards.

A few highlights from the study, Mr. Speaker:

• Rio Tinto paid zero royalties on Diavik diamond production in 2015;

• ITI's Client Service and Community Relations Unit was viewed as "biased toward industry";

• There are potentially many missed opportunities when negotiating socio-economic agreements;

• Corporate income taxes paid by the industry are described as "paltry";

• The NWT "has one of the world's most charitable fiscal regimes for the mining sector" that captures only 20 to 30 per cent of economic rent while South Africa collects 30 to 35 per cent, Peru 45 to 60 per cent, and Western Australia 50 to 80 per cent; and

• Diamond mining has the lowest labour multiplier of any industry or sector in the Northwest Territories.

It is not clear when the study was completed as the title page is missing, but there is a June 19, 2017 interview with Mr. Bauer on the study. This raises the question of why it wasn't released any sooner to assist in the public engagement on the Mineral Resources Act. What other studies or reviews has ITI done on the subject and not released yet? Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues. The discussion paper released at the outset of the Mineral Resources Act process presents virtually no best practices or lessons learned from other jurisdictions, no analysis, and no recommendations for changes. The late release of Mr. Bauer's study throws into doubt how ITI can have a meaningful and informed Mineral Resources Act delivered in 2018. There are many questions for our Mining Minister and I will start later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the end of this sitting, our last of the 2017, I am looking to the winter ahead of us. For residents of the Mackenzie Delta, that means a winter without ferry services. I have spoken to the Minister about this before. We have been told that Inuvik won't run short of fuel, that frequent closures on the Dempster made ferry operations too pricey, and that lighter equipment will help the Department of Infrastructure accelerate ice road construction, but the reality of our concerns about the cost of living, travel between communities, heavy commercial traffic, and potential fuel shortages haven't gone away.

Mr. Speaker, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is going to open also on November 15th. Many Members here will be here to mark the occasion. Well, Mr. Speaker, it would be more than a little ironic if NWT residents and prospective tourists couldn't access this momentous day because of a lack of marine and ice road options barred their way. I will be monitoring ferry use for the rest of the season and keeping an eye on the private and commercial traffic that makes use of the ice road. If the Department of Infrastructure intends to proceed on its course, then it must also be prepared to see the effects its cost savings have on the people on the ground.

As I have said before, in a time where the government wants to be seen investing in infrastructure, in community connections, where the government wants to grow tourism, and where the government says it wants to help small communities, a decision like this sends the wrong message. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 2015 the Auditor General of Canada released a report on corrections in the NWT. It stated that both the North Slave Correctional Complex and the Ford Smith Correctional Centre suffer from serious deficiencies in case management, which limits efforts to rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for release back to the community. This was again highlighted by a recent letter writing campaign. About half of the men in custody at NSCC wrote to their MLAs and described the lack of programs and activities available to them which would assist them to steer their lives in a better direction.

Some people might say that, "Well, if you are convicted of a crime, you deal with the consequences, end of story." I would respond to that by first noting that most inmates at NSCC haven't been convicted. They are actually awaiting trial in remand. Second, sitting around for days, weeks, or months on end doesn't address the factors that caused the person to wind up in jail, and that is precisely what we need to do. We need to help inmates get their lives on track and ensure they don't return to jail.

It costs over $100,000 to house an inmate for one year in the NWT. Imagine if the government developed, funded, and delivered programs that helped even a handful of residents from reoffending each year; and better yet, what if those programs helped people gain skills that allow them to gain meaningful employment? That is an investment in our people that would pay significant financial and social dividends. I think we all know, Mr. Speaker, that the primary reason we have so many residents in jail is because of the high rate of substance abuse in the Northwest Territories and its underlying factors. That is why I was encouraged by the recent visit to the Guthrie House in Nanaimo by the Minister of Justice and his departmental staff. Guthrie House is a therapeutic community located on the grounds of the Nanaimo Correctional Centre.

The therapeutic community model considers substance abuse as a symptom of much broader problems in a residential setting and uses holistic treatment approaches that have an impact on every aspect of a resident's life. The main goal is to change established patterns of negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that lead to substance abuse and criminal behaviours. Mr. Speaker, this type of program, adapted to our unique situation, is exactly what we need in the Northwest Territories. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice about what he learned during his visit to Guthrie House and suggestions about where we could locate this type of facility in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recently spoke to the Members of the Canadian Parliamentary Association about sustainability in Arctic communities. As we look ahead to the months and years to come and in the Northwest Territories, from the opening from the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway next month to worrying and accelerating erosion along our Arctic coastline, sustainability, Mr. Speaker, real, practical sustainability, is also part of the conversation we need to be having here in the Legislative Assembly.

My message to the Canadian Parliamentary Association is the same today. It is core to my beliefs and to my life as an Indigenous person and as a public servant. It is that ensuring healthy, sustainable Indigenous communities must begin with self-determination and sovereignty. Indigenous people have historically suffered from the twin burdens of colonization and dispossession, these contriving to keep us from living full, free lives and from pursuing our full potential. Our traditional territory sustained us for millennia, yet today, under modern governance, many of us are housing and food insecure, Mr. Speaker. The Auditor General of Canada's report on climate change in the Northwest Territories will be tabled today.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that will prompt not only some hard questions, but some serious actions from this government on what it will take for this government to lead our territory and each of our 33 communities to a viable, sustainable future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to visitors in the gallery. I am pleased to recognize that we have with us Mr. Neil Frank Ferrer, Consul General of the Philippines. Welcome to the NWT. Masi for being here with us. Also, of course, our very own Carmen Moore, Chief of Protocol. Thanks for being with us. I cannot forget Mr. Anthony J. Whitford, who is with us here at the table, the man of many roles; former Commissioner, former Speaker, former Minister, former Member, former Sergeant-at-Arms, honorary Clerk at the Table, and Member of the Order of NWT. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Anthony J. Whitford to the House this afternoon. Masi for being with us.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today we held the Ministers' Culture and Heritage Circle Ceremony in the Great Hall, and joining us in the gallery are some of our reward recipients. I would just like to recognize our youth recipient Mr. Dang-Dang Gruben, our individual recipient Ms. Kiera-Dawn Kolson, our elder recipient, Ms. Catherine Bell Sanguez, our group winners the JBT Dance Group out of Fort Smith, and our Minister's choice Dene Nahjo. Members, please join me in recognizing and thanking our award recipients and their families for their contributions, commitment, and leadership to culture and leadership in your own communities and throughout the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendeh.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a number of constituents from my riding, Aggie Hardisty from Jean Marie, Catherine Belle-Sanguez from Jean Marie/Trout River Fort Simpson, as well as April Bell, who is now a corporal. Congratulations on your promotion. As well, Dang-Dang Gruben who is one of my youth ambassadors I used to work with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize some folks here as well. I would like to first recognize our interpreters from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh: Mr. Tommy Unka in the Denesuline language; Mary Rose Sundberg, Wiilideh; and also I would like to recognize the two pages from Lutselk'e, River Marlowe and Ashton Catholique, and their chaperone, Hanna Catholique; and James Marlowe, I believe is also in the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize two constituents of the Great Slave riding, Brendan Kolson as well as Kiera-Dawn Kolson, one of the award recipients today. Welcome to the gallery.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce my constituents Kyla Kakfwi-Scott and Amos Scott and congratulate them on their award. Thank you.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like you, I want to recognize a man of many hats, also a resident of the Yellowknife North riding, Mr. Tony Whitford, and hopefully he never becomes a former resident of the riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize my friend Corporal April Bell of the RCMP. Thank you for your service, Corporal. Also my constituent Deneze Nakehk'o, who has done great work with Dene Nahjo. Thank you.