This is page numbers 4705 - 4730 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 work.

Topics

Nahendeh Region Sporting Events
Members' Statements

Page 4709

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, last month the Nahendeh hosted a number of exciting sporting events for youth and adults. I had the opportunity to volunteer, be a spectator, and even participate in a number of those.

On January 11th and 12th the Hamlet of Fort Liard hosted the 5th Annual Four on Four Soccer Tournament. They had over 60 athletes from Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Hay River, and Fort Liard participate. There were four co-ed divisions, ranging from the 12-and-under division and ending with the 19-and-under division. Spectators enjoyed the weekend with lots of amazing soccer. I would like to thank the cooks, recreation department, and coaches for making this event a great success for the athletes and families.

On January 18th to 20th we witnessed amazing sportsmanship and enjoyment during the annual Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament. The community of Fort Simpson saw over 80 athletes participate in five co-ed divisions, ranging from the four-and-under division and ending with the 12-and-under divisions. The four communities of Fort Simpson, Wrigley, Sambaa K'e, and Fort Liard participated in this event. As in the past, the high school students coached the teams and Chris Stipdonk, son of Paul, refereed the majority of the games. Along with soccer, the youth were able to attend a movie night, skills competition, and free gym time.

On January 25th to 27th the Fort Simpson Recreation Center hosted the 32nd Annual Fort Simpson Men's Senior Hockey Tournament, with five teams registered. Fort Simpson, Deline, Hay River, and Fort Providence were represented. The Deline Braves emerged as the tournament champions, with the Hay River Huskies coming in second and the Nahanni Inn Flyers placing third.

The organizers would like to thank all of the volunteers who helped out with the adult dance and family dance, in keeping score, and the Moosehide Mammas in providing the little extras that make this tournament successful. They would like to thank all of the platinum and gold sponsors; Rowes Construction, Simpson Air, Nahanni Inn, Village of Fort Simpson, Liidlii Kue First Nation, Dehcho Friendship Centre, and Aurora Ford.

Finally, to bring the weekend to a successful close, the Fort Simpson Curling Club hosted the 29th Annual Merchants Bonspiel. There were 13 teams competing in three events. There was a team from Hay River and a junior team that participated. The winning team of Marc Bertrand, Dani Thompson, Troy Hardisty, and Anastasia Panshyna were the single undefeated team. The club had a special recognition for Ted Grants for his support throughout the years. The organizers would like to thank the cooks, volunteers, corporate sponsors, and the teams who helped make this a successful event. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, this past weekend we saw the annual Wolfpack Invitational Basketball Tournament, with teams from Fort Smith, Fort Nelson, and Fort Simpson participating with 12 teams in five divisions. There was a lot of great basketball played that weekend.

In closing, I would like to congratulate the Nahanni Inn Flyers for winning the annual Hay River Rusty Blades Hockey Tournament, where there were 12 teams in three pools. In the end, we played Yellowknife in the final and won 3-2. Special recognition goes out to Shawn Gillis for being the youngest player on the team and scoring his first old-timer's goal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Nahendeh Region Sporting Events
Members' Statements

Page 4709

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about a resource development project that has been in the works for the last several years within the riding of Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. The project that I am referring to is the Nechalacho Rare Earth Elements Project, which is located 100 kilometres southeast of Yellowknife at Thor Lake.

Mr. Speaker, this project is a unique economic opportunity for not only the NWT, but for our country and our global allies. I say this because currently there are no such resource development projects that exist anywhere in North America. That is because the vast majority of the world's rare earth reserves lie in China, who currently supplies 86 percent of global rare earth demand. However, China's dominance in this industry will not be eternal because, if the current rate of production is maintained, they have about 10 to 15 years' worth of estimated supply remaining. This opens the door for a more competitive market for other countries to supply this ever-increasing demand for this resource.

Mr. Speaker, for those who may not know, let me share with you some of the many uses where rare earth elements are used throughout the world. Generally, rare earths are manufactured in small quantities by large industries and placed in such products as televisions, cell phones, computers, automobiles, jets, and medical devices. Rare earths are also widely used within renewable energy resources, such as turbines, electric cars, energy-efficient lighting, and rechargeable batteries. Given the ongoing global transformation of energy systems, analysts predict that the demand for rare earth elements will continue to grow in the foreseeable future.

In addition to these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I also point out that the project has great potential for helping to alleviate the growing economic woes the NWT is experiencing due to the receding life of our diamond mines. Not only would this project help employ local people during the construction period, but Avalon, the company building the project, will have many jobs available during production.

Overall, Mr. Speaker, I think the project will open many doors for the NWT because I believe the new emerging industry growing within our territory has strong potential to attract spin-off industries and will benefit the entire NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Adequacy of Moose Kerr School
Members' Statements

Page 4710

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with this recent cold snap, several schools across the Northwest Territories have closed because of extreme cold. Even when these closures only last the morning or a full day, they remind us how important one's environment, both inside and outside, is to the students' ability to learn successfully.

Families and community leaders in Aklavik remain concerned about the adequacy of Moose Kerr School, not our dedicated teachers, not our hardworking students, not the many groups that also use the school, but the building itself.

This winter alone, the school has shut down a handful of times, not because of the weather, but because of building issues. Although the GNWT has done various maintenance projects over the years, that work does not seem to have caught all the problems.

This is very troubling to the community, who want their concerns to be heard and for the students to have a reliable, high-quality environment for their education. Right now the GNWT has said that small repair initiatives over time will make the building last another 20 years. I appreciate that those important repairs have been happening and that capital planning must address the needs of the whole territory, but there is still a disconnect between the government's assessment and the needs of the community.

The GNWT has also said that, with the current utilization rate, any future replacement of Moose Kerr School, which was built 50 years ago and last had a major retrofit 20 years ago, would be smaller than the current school.

I'm hearing from the community that a smaller school in better condition is preferable to the current situation. You will not be surprised to hear, Mr. Speaker, but I'll have more to say about Moose Kerr School as this session continues. Thank you, and I'll have questions later today.

Adequacy of Moose Kerr School
Members' Statements

Page 4710

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by the Member for Yellowknife Centre on October 19, 2017, regarding Northwest Territories Housing Corporation modular units construction.

In terms of modular versus stick-built construction, experience has shown that costs can be comparable in more northern communities due to shipping and transportation costs. Where a community can be accessed through the road system, savings are expected from a modular approach.

The original calculation of construction cost savings did include the payment of a cash advance to Concept Energy Services Ltd.

The amount of the advance was $1.34 million and was supported by the signed legal agreement requiring partial recoveries from subsequent progress-draw payments as the work is completed. This advance has now been fully recovered from Concept Energy Services Ltd.

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation provided Concept Energy Services Ltd. with the advance in order to assist with up-front material purchases. This is consistent with practices in the modular home industry, where up-front capital is required. This advance was provided in accordance with Section 99 of the Financial Administration Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by the Member for Frame Lake on February 12, 2018, regarding resource royalties in the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.

The Diamonds, Royalties and Financial Analysis Division of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is responsible for providing the Department of Finance with the mineral and oil and gas royalties forecasts used in the Government of the Northwest Territories budgets. The Department of Finance is responsible for all tax revenue forecasts, including tobacco tax revenues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Returns to oral questions. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by the Member for Yellowknife Centre on February 22, 2018, regarding the housing core need action plan.

The estimated $20 million of planned activities for 2018-2019 will be resourced from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's 2018-2019 Capital Plan, the base funded programs included in the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's 2018-2019 Main Estimates, and available internal cash resources realized from sources such as the sale of housing assets, mortgage collection efforts, and any residual budget surpluses. A current assessment of the available internal cash resources was undertaken during the development of the 2018-2019 Corporate Plan and will continue to be assessed as part of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's annual business planning process.

The planned investments set out in the "Towards Level Ground: Addressing Persistent Core Need in the Northwest Territories" report were identified, taking into account the feedback received from the Housing Engagement Survey and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's available resources.

Specific areas of core need will be addressed through a variety of Northwest Territories Housing Corporation initiatives and programs. The following are approximate projected numbers of households to be assisted by initiative: emergency repair - 348; seniors Aging in Place retrofits - 150; new unit construction - 135; major homeownership repairs - 84; rent supplement programs - 100; policy renewal - 40; lease-to-own repairs - 90; public housing portfolio rebalancing - 30; new seniors' housing - 40; housing support pilot - 20; new home program - 11; community housing support initiative - 10; Habitat for Humanity - 3; Sahtu homeless shelter - 4; and Northern Pathways - 12.

Recognizing that a number of the planned investments set out in this plan involve territory-wide application-based programs as well as a draft future year capital plan, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is unable to provide an exact regional breakdown of these investments at this time. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is planning to include in its annual corporate plan a status report of each of the plan's initiatives, including actual spending by region.

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's 2018-2019 Main Estimates includes a $600,000 funding allocation to the Rent Supplement Program. Recognizing that the historical utilization rate of this program has been approximately 40 percent of that amount, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation considers the current base budget adequate at this time. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation will continue to assess the results of the new program and explore opportunities to align with upcoming federal programming. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Returns to oral questions. Minister of Finance.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by the Member for Kam Lake on October 31, 2018, regarding the Union of Northern Workers and the Government of the Northwest Territories' negotiations.

The GNWT and the UNW received correspondence from mediator Mr. Vince Ready on November 15, 2018, confirming the views that he expressed to the parties on conclusions of mediation on October 26, 2018. He confirmed that, in his view, further mediation talks should be scheduled to explore terms of settlement. Additional mediation dates have been scheduled with Mr. Ready for early February 2019. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4710

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a constituent who has joined us in the gallery today. She is here as a chaperone for the Pages from the Deh Cho. She is a generous volunteer, a beloved teacher, and my aunt, Ms. June Simpson. Welcome.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4710

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

Page 4710

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to welcome the many UNW local presidents who joined us in the House today, but in particular I want to recognize president of Local 11 and Yellowknife North resident, Mr. Frank Walsh. Thank you.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4710

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4711

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to recognize the employees from Fort Providence, the Department of Infrastructure, plus the president of the local GNWT employees of Fort Providence, Mr. Darrel Gargan. I believe he is somewhere in the gallery. Mahsi.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4711

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

Page 4711

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Sean Whitcomb, chief steward of UNW Local 3. Thank you for joining us today.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4711

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4711

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a constituent, Ms. Arlene Hansen, who is joining us here today and chaperoning our Pages this week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4711

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

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

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Page 4711

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Ernie Bernhardt, who said the opening prayer of the Legislative Assembly, and also, his wife, Mrs. Beatrice Bernhardt. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.