This is page numbers 105 - 162 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 going.

Topics

Yellowknife City Charter
Ministers' Statements

Page 108

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.

Aurora College Board of Governors
Ministers' Statements

Page 108

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I want to make a statement on the Aurora College Act. It is stated that the Aurora Board of Governors make a decision. It is written that we say, the Aurora College Act, it's a big act for us. If we were to take a look at that act, we need to all work together in order to go forward. [Translation ends.]

The Aurora College Act gives the governance of Aurora College to our board of governors to guide the college's overall direction and supervise the college president in the exercise of his or her duties. Mr. Speaker, that act is based on a very important philosophy. The college should be run by an arm's-length representative body of qualified citizens, separate from the government bureaucracy.

Mr. Speaker, under such esteemed board members such as Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Kathy T'setso, Yacoub Adam, Ted Blondin, and Paul Andrews, and many, many others, the college prospered for many years under the arm's-length philosophy.

Then suddenly, on June 5, 2017, with little explanation, the Minister of the day, Minister of education, dissolved the Board of Governors of Aurora College. That was some 32 months ago, almost three years without operating from a board of governors or committee representatives.

The Minister at the time described the board's suspension as a temporary measure. Now, we find out from the Premier, just a few days ago, that this temporary measure may last for another 18 months or so. That makes for a total of four years or more, four years of government-by-bureaucracy at Aurora College.

Mr. Speaker, this is hardly a "temporary measure." I will have questions for the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Aurora College Board of Governors
Ministers' Statements

Page 108

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

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

Page 108

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I'd like to recognize my constituent from Inuvik Boot Lake, Arlene Hanson. Thank you.

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

Page 108

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber, and I hope you are enjoying our proceedings. It is always nice to have members in the audience. Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgments. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Oral Questions

Question 57-19(2):
Child and Youth Advocate

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

Page 108

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. In my statement today, I talked about the need for a child and youth advocate in the NWT. Given the two reports from the Office of the Auditor General, which both feature concerns about children not being heard and not being in regular contact with authorities, I'm wondering if the Minister is ready to discuss having an independent, arm's-length agency that is an advocate for children and youth. Mahsi.

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

Page 108

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Health and Social Services.

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

Page 108

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our department is working with Executive and Indigenous Affairs to look at some options. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thanks to the Minister for that concise answer. Could she talk about some of the options that are on the table, just to give us an idea of what might be considered?

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

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Again, this is a broader government issue, rather than I alone as the Minister can have a position on. However, as Minister, I would like to share some observations. We need to ensure that any steps we take to protect and support the rights of children do not come at the costs of taking away existing resources for children, especially preventative services. Another observation is, given that 99 percent of our children in care are Indigenous, we need to ensure that the advocacy, as the Member is stating, model is not colonial and works with Indigenous governments. Communities are in the best position to know what issues affect them and identify the proper solutions. Another observation is, now that we have federal legislation, it creates a mechanism for First Nations, Inuit, and Metis governments to enact laws that determine what's best for their children, including accountability and advocacy measures.

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

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you to the Minister for that. I would certainly agree that nothing should be established at the expense of any of the current funding. It would have to be in addition. I see that other jurisdictions with even more significant Indigenous populations than ours, such as Nunavut, have made this work, so I wonder if the Minister sees a model elsewhere in Canada that might be useful in the Northwest Territories.

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

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Again, I mention to the Member that I am working with the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs on this issue, as it has been brought to our attention in the previous government that it's something we need to look at, so we will be working with the EIA.

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

Page 108

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Yellowknife Centre.

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

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that. Let me state clearly to the Minister that I expect her to be an advocate for this role within government because of the importance of the rights of children, especially with so many children in care in the NWT. I also am prepared to be an advocate for this position, and so I would be interested to know how I can help you, as a member of the Standing Committee on Social Development, explore options and bring this idea to fruition. Thank you.

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

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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

That is great to hear, that the Member is willing to participate in this important subject of child and family services, and as we sit in front of standing committee, we will bring that attention forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Page 108

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Question 58-19(2):
Aurora College Board of Governors

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

Page 109

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] I made a statement on the Aurora College. I think it's a very important issue. We have a College Act with board members. It's been three years since they've been without a board. [End of translation.] Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, with the recent internal senior appointment within Aurora College, why does this government deny an arm's-length philosophy that this Assembly, through the Aurora College Act, wisely believes that is the best way to run Aurora College? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Page 109

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

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

Page 109

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university has been identified as a priority of this Assembly, and we are in the midst of that process. That process calls for the board to be re-established at a point in the near future, a couple of years from now; 2022, right now, is the plan. Before that is going to happen, we'd like to make some changes to the Aurora College Act because, you know, the act isn't quite as arm's-length as one would think. It states that the Minister may give direction to the board respecting the exercise of its powers and performance of its duties; the Minister shall determine the policy respecting the operations, programs, and practices of the college; the Minister may remove board members at any point during their term; board members need approval on many things to create policies.

We have an act, but it does not create a board that is free and clear of government interference. In fact, the power essentially lies with the Minister; the act makes that pretty clear. I want to make some changes to that act so that we do have an act that requires an independent board because, if we want to become a university, we have to meet national standards, and right now, we're not there. Over the coming years, we're making the decisions that are going to put us in that position so that we can reinstate a board, and that board is going to take control and carry us the rest of the way to the creation of a polytechnic university.

I will just apologize right up front, Mr. Speaker. When I was a Regular Member, before I was the Minister, I was frustrated by not knowing what was going on with the college. Nothing was clear to me, what was happening. I felt that one day, ECE was going to say, "Now, we have a university." That's not what is happening. You know, there is a lot that's been going on, but we haven't been getting that information out there, so I've told the department, I've told the college, "We need to expedite that. We need to get information out there so that people can see."

There is a plan. There has been work going on, and there are things to be excited about, and so I've expedited that. Tomorrow, I hope to make a Minister's statement -- I've basically just committed myself to making a Minister's statement tomorrow on this -- to get some of that information out there, because the public deserves to know what we're up to and they deserve to be as excited as I am about this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

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Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Obviously, we're looking forward to the statement. As the government has stated, we need to be open and transparent, and, if we have nothing to hide, let's lay it on the table. It's going to be almost five years, in 2022, without a board of governors. During the polytechnic university transition period, we need that expertise, which we don't have today; until 2022, 2024, 2025, whatever the case is. Why does the Minister believe a duly appointed, arm's-length board, as envisioned by the Aurora College Act, is incapable of transitioning the college to a polytechnic university? This is a very important question that I would like to have answers to.

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

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

The type of board that the Member is describing is exactly what will complete this transformation. Right now, based on the foundational review and the government's response to the foundational review, we have moved to a public administrator instead of a board, and that is to ensure that this process is streamlined, so that everyone is on the same page and that we're moving in the same direction while we strengthen the foundation, because that's what's going on right now, is we're strengthening the foundation. We're identifying the issues that occurred in the past, that I spoke about in the last Assembly as a Regular Member, that everyone is concerned about, and we're fixing those so that we can institute a board and we can move toward having this world-class university that we're all waiting for.

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

Page 109

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

My third question is: how does the government justify turning a temporary measure into an ongoing four-year suspension? Now, I'm hearing it's going to be five, or potentially six years. Is this going to be an ongoing discussion that we're going to be having? Define the term "temporary measures." We heard 2022, the last time. Is that the final date that the board members are going to be appointed?

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

Page 109

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

This is why I'm excited to get the information out there, because, right now, that's the plan. I don't like to say we're going to get something done regardless of whether we're ready or not. I've seen, when government tries to do that, things don't work out well. There are also legislative changes that need to happen, and that means the Assembly is involved. Right now, that's the plan, 2022. That's temporary, that's during the life of this Assembly, and that is going to lead us toward the creation of the university.

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

Page 109

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.

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

Page 109

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. I certainly hope that is the plan, 2022, not 2023 or 2024, when our term is up, here. My final question is regarding the polytechnic transition period. I'm just curious to know, because I haven't seen any of these areas, if we have any Aboriginal or Indigenous persons or resource people who are involved as part of the management team during this transition period. Masi, Mr. Speaker.