This is page numbers 5945 - 5992 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 public.

Topics

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

There is a lot of work that has been going on in this area, particularly since we have done the seniors' planning study. The Housing Corporation are maintaining a $2-million funding level in our fiscal framework for 2020-2021 and beyond for the CARE major program. We did supplement the CARE major program with other new homeownership programs introduced via our strategic renewal, which I have mentioned in the House, and previous Ministers for Housing have also talked about this strategic renewal. This new program for seniors commenced in 2017, assisting 37 senior households, and this assisted 103 senior households in 2018-2019.

Historically, spending over the past few years has been in the range of about $1 million. We expect to have more uptake in the future years as our senior population continues to grow, and we will be making adjustments to reduce the copayment requirements. With any input that we can get from Members, as well as our stakeholders in the communities, to address these needs, we will continue to work and build strong partnerships.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that. At the end of the day, how does the demand for funding for seniors, retrofits, and other kinds of housing initiatives compare with the demand for it? How does the demand line up with the money available? What is the gap between those two? Thank you.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

To be honest, we know that there is a housing issue throughout the Northwest Territories. We have been working and making strides with the co-investment fund that we were able to carve out with our agreement that we signed with the federal government to address housing needs for all of our demographics, populations throughout the Northwest Territories. Of course, seniors is one. We did the Seniors Planning Study. We need to address all housing needs across the Northwest Territories. In this case, we will work with our stakeholders. We will work with our groups and our communities to develop their community plans to address the priorities that they need in housing, and we will continue on that path.

I can say with confidence that the NWT Housing Corporation has done a great job, and we are working on these agreements to address the housing needs right across the NWT for everyone. We will continue to work that, and we will continue to lobby our federal counterparts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. Earlier today I raised concerns about a letter that the Premier signed with five provincial Premiers that threaten national unity. Can the Premier confirm that the document I tabled in the House yesterday is indeed the text of the letter that he signed on June 10, 2019, to the Prime Minister of Canada, and can he table that letter in this House? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I haven't seen the letter that the Member tabled as of yet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Of course, the Premier is under no obligation to actually answer questions, but if he does have that letter, the signed version, it would be great to see it. Can the Premier tell us whether he consulted or informed his Cabinet colleagues about this letter before it was signed and sent?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We all spent about six months working together on developing a mandate for the Government of the Northwest Territories. As part of signing this letter, it was to promote five mandate items that were in the mandate. The work with some of the Premiers related to Bill C-69 also allowed me to advance Northwest Territories interests, including ensuring efficient and effective regulatory process for transboundary projects and in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region; also to promote oil and gas; and also mining and other significant projects. Why it was so critical, I felt, is because it would apply to projects critical to the Northwest Territories' economic future and where major projects could conceivably be subjected to two full assessments.

If the Government of the Northwest Territories wants a pipeline built to Alberta, BC, or north through the ISR, or a hydroelectric transmission line built to Alberta or Saskatchewan, or a Slave Province road connected to Nunavut, the Impact Assessment Act provided for under Bill C-69 will apply. We adhere to the principle of one project, one assessment, and we will continue to work towards that.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Once again, the Premier didn't answer my question about whether he actually consulted with his Cabinet colleagues about this letter before it was signed and sent.

I explained in my statement earlier today that these pieces of federal legislation that the Minister cited have very little, if any, application in the Northwest Territories. Of course, the Premier knows very well that the Mackenzie Gas Project was assessed under three different regimes, and of course, it was done through an agreed-upon arrangement under those three different regimes. I suspect any transboundary project would be done in the same way.

Can the Premier tell us in this House and, indeed, all residents of the Northwest Territories why he signed such a partisan and threatening letter?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

With the five mandate items that directed that we make progress in a number of areas, including oil and gas and also investments in our natural resources, in our view, if the energy sector in southern Canada disappears, then there is very little hope for further investments in oil and gas in the Northwest Territories, and it would affect future developments.

I felt that it was important to make sure that our concerns were addressed. It is very difficult for a small territory to get their interests addressed at a national level, and so I have made it a practice to work with all three of the leading parties in Canada to make sure that our interests are represented and, also, working very closely with my Premier colleagues in Canada to help us advance our interests.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I am glad to hear that the Premier is in such a collaborative mood today. I hope that he can actually start to work with Members on this side of the House.

Earlier I cited how, in my view, this was a breach of the guiding principles of consensus government. I will just quote again: "Except under extraordinary circumstances, Members of the Legislative Assembly should be made aware of and have opportunity to discuss significant announcements, changes, consultations, or initiatives before they are released to the public." I would like to know from the Premier why he breached this guiding principle of consensus government in signing such a letter. It sounds like he may not have informed his Cabinet colleagues, and he certainly didn't inform Regular MLAs. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

There was no breach involved whatsoever. Five mandate items were all agreed to by this Assembly. It is in the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories. I will be tabling the mandate document before the end of this sitting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my statement earlier, my questions are directed to the Minister of Education. My first question, Mr. Speaker, is: my constituents are concerned about the low student achievements in the Sahtu. Indigenous government leaders in the region are interested in working more closely with ECE and other education bodies towards improving education achievement and outcomes. What is the department willing to commit to in regards to engaging with local leadership on the direction of education in the region? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that most people know by now, after four years, that I try to consult with stakeholders as much as possible. I believe that the best service is done when we do work together, in all honesty. That's not just in this House; that means with everybody.

Indigenous governments actually have a real role in education. As we move towards self-governments, they have even more and more of a role. They have the right to actually draw down education. I think we have an obligation within GNWT to actually work with them and to actually provide the supports. I know that within the Sahtu, there was a change in superintendent there. My understanding is that the Aboriginal governments want more feedback.

I know that the Sahtu District Education Council has put out an offer to meet with them more, to engage them more in planning. I am watching it carefully, and I support that. I actually asked that they would do that. I am urging all district education councils out there. It is time. It is time to start engaging with our Aboriginal governments. It is time to start working better. They have a right. They have a concern.

We can't solve this on our own. We need to have more. Everybody needs to be at the table. As far as I am concerned, we need to engage with Aboriginal governments more in regards to our education services.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for the answer, assurances of collaboration and partnership and working together, which leads me to my next question: I am aware of the education initiatives which are in place to support student achievements. Yet, one measurable, graduation rates, continue to be lower than other parts of the jurisdiction of Canada. Is it possible to conduct a review of education in the Sahtu to better understand what is needed to support our students and families?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

We have three weeks left in this Assembly. I am not going to make big commitments to actually doing more projects. I recognize that we have to leave room for the other ones. I can't commit to doing a full review of education in the Sahtu. What I can say, though, is that it is needed. It is not only needed in the Sahtu. It is needed right across the Northwest Territories. I don't know who will be in the House, but I am hopeful that one of the Regular MLAs or Cabinet will actually grab this the Assembly and bring it forward because I think it is time.

It is time that our whole Education Act and our whole system was looked at with the understanding that self-government have the right to draw down. Indigenous governments have the right to have a say in how their services are provided to the people. I do think that we have to look at the structure. We have to look at the act in the next Assembly would be my preference, to make sure that we are engaging as appropriate.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minster for the response. My third question is: what actions are temporarily being done for the department to transition education or improvements, recognizing the gaps to the 19th Assembly?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

As stated, again, we can't really say what the 19th Assembly will take on. That is not our role, but I am hopeful that education will be on the priority list for the next Assembly. We need to work better. We are failing at our children. Our graduation rates are low. Our early developmental index is coming in low. It is not okay. Our children are our future. We keep saying that. If we really believe that as a society, we have to put our energy, we have to put resources behind that and the next government has to focus more on that.

I just recently learned, actually, that not all district education authorities actually have long-term plans. Some of them just have annual plans. That is not okay. How can you actually do a strategic plan if you don't have long-term plans? We have a lot of work to do. I am the first to admit that. Every day I come across, I am finding more and more issues. I am hoping that education will take a strong focus in the next Assembly. If I am here or any Members are here, please put it forward on the priorities because we need to do better. We can do better. We need to do better. Children are our future. We owe it to them.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the response from the Minister. This leads me to my last question. We did a number of consultations these past summer months, in particular, a conference forum we had with the leadership of the Sahtu and Deline, at which time, we had learned a number of weaknesses and gaps in the current delivery system.

Recognizing those weaknesses or needs for improvement, will the Minister commit to issuing a letter or issuing a suggestion in a transitional report from the department to the 19th Assembly to have the 19th Assembly revisit the reform of the Education Act so it will be brought up to today's standards compared to its incorporation back in 1996? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.