This is page numbers 1653 - 1688 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 indigenous.

Topics

Recognition of Jack Penney
Members' Statements

Page 1659

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Madam Speaker. [Translation] There are a lot of workers in the Northwest Territories. There are approximately 5,000 employees. Not only that, but we have a lot of workers all over the place, Indigenous and Inuit, Metis people. They are hired by who they are, and sometimes in the Northwest Territories, people are hired differently. [Translation ends] [Microphone turned off] ...single source of work in the Northwest Territories. It is the largest single employer of the Indigenous people. That makes our government absolutely essential for informing the policies of Indigenous people. No matter how you look at it, our Indigenous people look to our government for work and opportunity.

Madam Speaker, it's not only to keep food on tables of our Dene, Inuvialuit, and Metis people. It's also to ensure that our government reflects on the values and cultures of our people. This is why I'm so troubled by the current underrepresentation of the Indigenous people of our government. Indigenous people make up 50 percent of this population of the Northwest Territories, but they make up only 30 percent of the GNWT workforce. It's been stuck at the low rate for so long, Madam Speaker, decades and decades. It's time that our government got serious about fixing this disparity. It's time that we tackle the root cause.

This talk about education, because education is the key to employment and, as we all know, Indigenous Northerners trail behind non-Indigenous on the education front, both in high school and post-secondary. Until we deal with this education gap, the deck will remain stacked against the Indigenous seeking work in our government. Some people think the education gap will not be solved in our lifetime. They think it's big, too big, too complex, but Madam Speaker, they're totally wrong. Break a big problem down to component parts, it's not a big problem at all. The education gap is no different. It is underrepresented of our people in our government.

Madam Speaker, here is a real example drawn from this government's stats. The problem of underrepresentation is really a huge challenge of male representation. Female representation in the GNWT is within acceptable limits. In fact, Indigenous male employment, that's the culprit. They have half the employment rate of women. Indigenous men make up nine percent of total GNWT workforce. Nine percent, Madam Speaker. I will have questions to the Minister of Finance pertaining to this. Masi.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Members' statements. Member for Range Lake.

Eulogy for Max Ward
Members' Statements

Page 1660

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Madam Speaker, Max Ward was born on November 22, 1921, in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1940, Max joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and received his pilot's wings in 1941. Max worked as an instructor at various training bases during the Second World War until its end in 1945. After being discharged from the air force, Max received his commercial pilots licence and began his flying career as a bush pilot in Yellowknife.

In 1946, Max started Polaris Charter Company Ltd., carrying passengers throughout the Arctic, including prospectors and supplies into mining exploration camps. In 1948, Max and George Pigeon formed Yellowknife Airways, combining their two aircraft into one company. Max moved to Alberta after liquidating his share in 1949. It wasn't the last the North saw of Max, Madam Speaker. In 1953, he acquired a 14-passenger single-engine Otter and launched Wardair Ltd. into commercial service.

Madam Speaker, Max Ward revolutionized the aviation industry in Canada's North. Wardair expanded every year, and in 1957, he purchased the company's first heavy aircraft, a Bristol Freighter, and eventually made the first landing of an aircraft on wheels at the Geographic North Pole. In 1966, Wardair became the third major Canadian carrier to offer a pure jet aircraft when they purchased the Boeing 727, the first ever in Canada. By 1973, they had become Canada's largest international air charter carrier, but times change and Max sold the company in 1989 to Pacific Western Airlines, bringing an end to one of the greatest chapters in the history of Canadian aviation.

The impact Max had on the Canadian aviation industry has been immeasurable, Madam Speaker. He was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame in 1974, was awarded the Order of Canada in 1975, and was inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 1989, amongst a host of other awards. Max helped blaze the trail for generations of pilots to explore the world around them and to find a home in the North, where they could fly one of the most unique aviation experiences in the world today. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Eulogy for Max Ward
Members' Statements

November 4th, 2020

Page 1660

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Max passed away peacefully on November 2, 2020, in Edmonton, Alberta at 98 years of age. His contribution to the Northwest Territories will forever be remembered. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Eulogy for Max Ward
Members' Statements

Page 1660

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors of the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today, my question is for the Minister of Infrastructure in regard to the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway. Would the Minister commit to meeting with the mayor and the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation chair to come up with a plan to address the concerns in the letter that was sent to the Minister's office? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am travelling with the Infrastructure team to the Beaufort-Delta the week of November 17th. I will get in touch with the Member to see if we can make some time to be able to discuss the letter that was sent to me on Friday. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

We'll invite you to Tuktoyaktuk on November 18th. The GNWT is currently sitting on $450 million capital plan that seems to have trouble getting out the door. Why can't the GNWT look at projects that are to be done by the local contractors around the territory, to prioritize them, help them stimulate our regional economies during this pandemic? The ITH would be a great place to start. What is the GNWT planning to find the necessary funding?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

We are currently doing some assessment on the condition of the road. Once we get that back, we will be able to determine and perhaps even build a case for the project and then determine what is the next step. I understand that the letter from the community identifies a bunch of specific areas along the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway that do need some work. That is something that we can build a case for once we get the report.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

With our new regional energy project going to get underway, M18, IRC, we will have many heavy loads on the ITH. Wear and tear from tractor-trailers, 18-wheelers coming with LNG into Inuvik to service community. Having no budget and funding in place to get that road ready prior to that happening, that needs to be done. We could to studies, it's studied. We had the former Minister there in the community herself come and do the road, so we've seen some potholes and lost -- you see it's low and the grade is level with the highway. I think there are certain places, and it's probably between $5 million to $10 million worth of work coming up. February, coming up in the budget sessions, I'm asking for $10 million for the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway to get that service done. Is the Minister willing to work with the community and myself to get that project started?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

The process would be to define the scope and the need, then come up with a plan and then cost it out and then come forward with a supplementary. That's the process of looking at some funding for this work. I don't know how much it's going to cost, but it's something that we can work with the Member on.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. In 2015, when we got that road approved in this House, I could tell you, when we had the Prime Minister attend, in the day it was Stephen Harper who came and told us that we were getting the funds. The GNWT said it was the ITH, the Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik Highway, but he corrected everybody that it's the Dempster Highway. It's an extension of the Dempster Highway. The funding that we get for the Dempster, it would be easier to keep it as just the Dempster Highway, not unless the community wants to rename the road. I think the investment of the federal government in regard to all the oil and gas they have up there, we could get out of debt. Just help me help you. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister, did you have any comments? Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. The geography of the Northwest Territories is made up of the different representative land areas of First Nation, Metis, and Inuvialuit groups. This demographic representation should dictate how the Northwest Territories is governed, and for that matter, the workforce should be representative of the people the public service serves. My question to the Minister of Finance is: what commitment can the GNWT make to increase representation of the majority demographic of the Northwest Territories into the public service and, most notably, into senior management? Mahsi.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are quite a number of programs already in existence that are meant to support and encourage applicants to the public service and growth within the public service. One of the newer things that is being rolled out imminently is a framework that will address exactly the question of the Member, which is to create some targets department by department, including into the management ranks. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi to the Minister for her answer. I just want to say this with no prejudice or disrespect to my Yellowknife colleagues: what is noted is that the majority of the public service jobs are in Yellowknife, and the many new positions that are being created are being located in Yellowknife. Can the Minister explain why this arrangement continues with no regard for the outlying communities?

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

One of the other commitments of the 19th Legislative Assembly, of course, is to increase employment in regional centres. That is a commitment of the 19th Assembly and of this government and is certainly one that the Department of Finance also plays a role in. There are ongoing efforts to ensure that, when new positions are being created, efforts are made to consider whether they have to, in fact, be centralized in the capital, which sometimes is the case, depending on the nature of the work, depending on the nature of the role to be played. If it is not the case, then it need not be centred here. For instance, recently, ISSS had some positions created within the last year, and they were all located in Fort Smith because it was recognized that they did not have to be located in the capital. Those efforts are ongoing.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi to the Minister for that. I didn't hear of any positions going to the small communities. I recall a program in the GNWT that is to promote residents, or I believe only current employees, with an option to move up in the ranks. The program is the associate director program, where an employee can job shadow an existing director for two years to eventually take over as director. I believe it's in the event the director is planning on leaving the GNWT workforce. The program had real ambition as a succession planning success story. Can the Minister review the number of directors' positions in the GNWT and how many are actually First Nations?

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

I certainly do have those numbers and can provide those numbers to the House and to the Member. I don't have them at my fingertips, as I wasn't expecting to be called on to give those numbers here, but I would be more than happy to provide that. I just would note that, certainly, succession planning has been and remains a challenge for many organizations, and the government is no different. I certainly appreciate bringing some attention to the need to continue our succession planning here in the GNWT.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I know first-hand, working for the GNWT for over 11 years, that this program was in place. As an employee of the GNWT, I had a problem even gaining access to this program. Nobody wanted to recognize it. There may be many succession planning documents out there. The last one, I think, was the 2020 A Brighter Future, which probably expired this year, and no actions have ever been taken for any planning documents. Where I was getting just lip service -- and I'm telling you first-hand that I had problems even trying to move up within the GNWT. I wonder if the Minister can commit to reviewing the associate director program and ensure that these will be filled by First Nations residents of the Northwest Territories? Mahsi.