Debates of May 31st, 2018
This is page numbers 4103 - 4182 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 going.
Topics
- Oral Questions
- Members Present
- Prayer
- Minister's Statement 83-18(3): National Housing Strategy
- Minister's Statement 84-18(3): NWT Airport Improvements
- Minister's Statement 85-18(3): 2018 Education Hall of Fame
- Minister's Statement 86-18(3): Premier Absent from the House
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
- Rental Office Staffing and Backlog
- Educating Healthcare Professionals in the NWT
- Nahendeh Graduates
- Arctic Maritime Shipping
- Clean Energy and Net Metering
- Upgrade to Kakisa Dock
- Housing Policies for Families
- Sahtu Regional Housing Conference
- Giant Mine Remediation Socio-Economic Benefits
- Mackenzie Delta Graduates
- Acknowledgement 10-18(3): Brian Jaffray - Education Hall of Fame Inductee and Retirement
- Question 334-18(3): Arctic Marine Shipping
- Question 335-18(3): Giant Mine Remediation Project Socio-economic Benefits
- Question 336-18(3): Indigenous Government Consultations on Land Leases
- Question 337-18(3): Housing Policy for Families
- Question 338-18(3): Educating Healthcare Professionals in the NWT
- Question 339-18(3): Rental Office Backlog
- Question 340-18(3): South Mackenzie Correctional Centre Therapeutic Model
- Question 341-18(3): Sahtu Regional Housing Conference
- Question 342-18(3): Aklavik Transitional Housing
- Question 343-18(3): Net Metering
- Question 344-18(3): Upgrade to Kakisa Dock
- Committee Report 8-18(3): Report on the Review of the 2016-2017 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories
- Motion that Committee Report 8-18(3) Be Deemed Read and Printed in Hansard in its Entirety, Carried
- Report on the Review of the 2016-2017 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories
- Motion to Receive Committee Report 8-18(3) and Move into Committee of the Whole, Carried
- Tabled Document 202-18(3): 2017 Annual Report - Office of the Fire Marshal
- Tabled Document 203-18(3): NWT On the Land Collaborative 2018 Report
- Tabled Document 204-18(3): Northwest Territories Office of the Regulator of Oil and Gas Operations Annual Report 2017-2018
- Tabled Document 205-18(3): Letter dated May 24, 2018 from Giant Mine Oversight Board to Honourable Carolyn Bennett and Honourable Wally Schumann regarding the Giant Mine Remediation Socio Economic Strategy Tabled Document 206-18(3): Bill C-262, An Act to Ensure that the Laws of Canada are in Harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Tabled Document 207-18(3): Letter dated May 28, 2018 from President of Union of Northern Workers to Honourable Wally Schumann and Honourable Robert McLeod regarding Dominion Diamonds - Lay offs and Contracting Out
- Tabled Document 208-18(3): Discussion Paper - Temporary Special Measures to Increase Representation of Women in the NWT Legislative Assembly
- Motion 17-18(3): Review of Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project, Defeated
- Recorded Vote
- Motion 18-18(3): Appointment of Members to the NWT Honours Advisory Council, Carried
- Bill 20: Ombudsperson Act
- Bill 21: An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act
- Bill 22: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019
- Bill 23: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019
- Bill 21: An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act
- Bill 22: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructures Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019
- Bill 23: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019
- Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
- Committee Motion 59-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Amendment to Schedule A, Clause 5 - Addition of Subsection 5(1), Defeated
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 60-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Amendment to Schedule A, Clause 5 - Addition of Subsection 5(1), Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 61-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Amendment to Schedule A, Clause 5 - Addition of Subsection 6.1 after subsection 5(6), Defeated
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 62-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Amendment to Schedule A, Section 11 - Addition After subsection (2) DEFEATED
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 63-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Amendment to Schedule A, Addition of Section 19.1, Defeated
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 64-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Amendment to Schedule A - Addition of paragraph 71(j.1), Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 65-18(3): Bill 6: Cannabis Legalization and Regulation Implementation Act - Substitution of subclause 1(4) of Bill 6, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Report Of Committee Of The Whole
- Bill 22: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019
- Recorded Vote
- Bill 23: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019
- Recorded Vote
- Orders Of The Day
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4106
Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Brian and Terry Jaffray. Brian received introduction into the Hall of Fame this year. As well, last year, Terry Jaffray was recognized. Both, I would consider friends and good supporters, so I thank them very much for being recognized, and good job. He is also part of the fire department and very active in the curling club, so thank you very much, Brian. As well, I would like to recognize again my CA, Debra Richards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4106
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
Page 4107
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Marsi cho Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again recognize the two Pages from my riding who are here working for us today. They are Alexa Mandeville-Pasowisty and Santina Vanloon. I would also like to recognize their chaperone, Meghan Adams. Thank you.
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President. I, too, would like to recognize Gerard Landry. I have the pleasure of playing hockey with him. I am not sure I would describe him as having a calm demeanour on the ice, but he is a great teacher, so I want to congratulate him for that. I would also like to recognize Michael Le, who is a Page here in the Chamber with us this week and thank him for his service to us all. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
Caroline Cochrane Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would again like to recognize an illustrious group of educators in the gallery today, the 2018 inductees into the Education Hall of Fame, celebrated earlier today in the Great Hall: Mr. Chris Gilmour from Inuvik; Bella Kay from Inuvik; Brian Jaffray from Fort Simpson; Lois Lafferty from Fort Smith; Jean Marie Mariez from Yellowknife; Gerard Landry from Yellowknife; and Rosa Mantla from Behchoko, an incredible group of teachers, educators.
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Page 4107
The Speaker Jackson Lafferty
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed anyone in the gallery, thanks for being here with us. It is always nice to have an audience as part of our proceedings. Masi. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Rental Office Staffing and Backlog
Members' Statements
Page 4107
Kieron Testart Kam Lake
Merci, Monsieur le President. I rise today to speak to a matter that is very familiar to the floor of this House. That is the backlog of cases that exist with the rental officer of the Northwest Territories. The honourable Members for Hay River North and Yellowknife Centre have risen to attempt to get some sort of resolution to this matter. I commend their work on this important issue.
The rental officer exists as the final arbiter between the various tenants, both public and private, in our Territory, resolving matters pertaining to rent arrears but also property damages, disturbances, and the obligations of the parties to their lease agreements. The rental office does great and necessary work for the people of the Northwest Territories, and they should be commended for their dedication and professionalism in the face of two of the most personal matters in the lives of citizens: money and shelter.
However, Mr. Speaker, the continued short-staffing of the office has caused delays, pushing the majority of cases from being seen within 60 days to over 90 days. When the cases involve the owing of rent arrears, this causes the amount owing to often compound, snowballing further into an amount that is even more difficult to recoup while still sacrificing the income-generating potential of the unit.
To give an example, Mr. Speaker, one of my constituents just recently went through the proper process of trying to evict a tenant who was months in arrears and filed the notice to terminate the lease with the rental officer. At the time, he was informed by the rental officer that it will be three months before he could get a hearing. Three months after that, he was informed the hearing would be pushed back another two months, costing him thousands of dollars more in unpaid rent. Northerners shouldn't have to go broke because of the under-resourcing of an already overworked office. Any delay in seeing the rental officer to resolve these matters can have a huge negative impact on the livelihood of a landlord, in addition to causing an undue amount of stress and anxiety on all parties involved.
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of interest to all citizens of the Northwest Territories because, in the end, someone will have to pay. In the case of small-scale landlords, they often have to eat the loss while waiting for an eviction to be processed. In the case of larger landlords, that loss has to be made up somewhere else, which will result in higher rents for other tenants. All in all, delays of the rental office affect us all. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice regarding what is being done to alleviate the pressure felt by the staff of the rental office. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Rental Office Staffing and Backlog
Members' Statements
Page 4107
Educating Healthcare Professionals in the NWT
Members' Statements
May 31st, 2018
Page 4108
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during our last sitting, on February 7, 2018, I made a Member's statement on the benefits of turning the existing Stanton Hospital into a school for nurses and other workers in the field of homecare. Such an initiative, among other things, will extend the time in which seniors can remain in their homes and their communities. Investing in ideas like this is something I have long advocated for, and it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
Today, the Minister of Health announced the use of the existing Stanton Hospital. However, Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of ECE tabled a report, Aurora College Foundational Review, with some findings that I very much agree with regarding higher education in NWT. The review states that now is an opportune time for the GNWT to step back and reconsider the vision of post-secondary education.
Mr. Speaker, I share with you my vision of what some high education in NWT should look like in the future. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken many times in the House the need for the NWT Housing Corporation to invest in retrofitting seniors' homes to remove physical barriers so that seniors can remain in their home as long as possible. I have also spoken many times in the House about the government's need to spend money strategically. Well, Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that investing in a nursing school or homecare training centre, our Territory will see considerable long-term returns.
Mr. Speaker, imagine what benefits a training centre like this could have in the NWT. Not only would our seniors benefit from the pool of northern workers, but also the long-term care facilities and a homecare program in all 33 communities. We would have the NWT residents gaining both education and employment in a field of high demand in our territory. It has potential to eliminate many of our social ills, as I have talked about many times in this House.
Mr. Speaker, in 10 years that I have been an MLA, I have asked the government to spend more strategically, but the government chooses to do the same thing over and over, which is spend money on certain items that have minimum positive impact on the NWT and its residents and slide further and further into debt. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Educating Healthcare Professionals in the NWT
Members' Statements
Page 4108
Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want Cabinet to pull out all stops so that we can start seeing our most respected citizens, our elders, remain in their homes, in their communities, whether it be Fort Smith, Colville Lake, Yellowknife, Lutselk'e, Fort Resolution, or Detah. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Educating Healthcare Professionals in the NWT
Members' Statements
Page 4108
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