The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Good morning, Members. Every year on the last Friday in October, the Poppy Campaign kicks off to raise funds to support veterans and their families across Canada. Today at 10:30 a.m. marks the Pinning of the First Poppy Ceremony at the Joint Task Force North in Yellowknife. Pages will be handing out poppies to Members at that time, and I invite you all to wear them.

The poppy is a symbol of remembrance to commemorate and honour fallen veterans as we approach Veterans Week. I want to acknowledge that November 8th marks Indigenous Veterans Day, and Remembrance Day is on November 11th. While exact numbers are unknown, it has been estimated that as many as 12,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people served in the great conflicts of the 20th century, with at least 500 of them sadly losing their lives. Indigenous veterans played a vital role within the Canadian military. Thank you, Members.

Ministers' statements. Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories stands with the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments against harassment, abuse, and unethical behaviour in sport. By being a signatory to the 2019 Red Deer Declaration for the Prevention of Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination in Sport, we commit to do our part to ensure a Safe Sport environment for all participants in the Northwest Territories. Canadian athletes and the sport sector have called on all governments to take action to address safety concerns in organized sports in Canada. Ministers responsible for sport answered that call with the Red Deer Declaration and have been leading efforts to develop and advance Safe Sport in Canada. Today I want to provide an update on the progress the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has made through collaboration with representatives of the Northwest Territories sport community.

In August I attended the conference of federal, provincial, and territorial ministers responsible for sport, physical activity, and recreation. This gathering took place in Niagara Falls, Ontario, just prior to the Canada Summer Games. During this meeting, all ministers agreed to establish policies and procedures to protect athletes and to prevent harassment, abuse, and discrimination. This involved expediting a mandatory third-party independent process, including establishing procedures for the reporting and management of allegations for all funded sport organizations starting in 2023.

Also, we will continue to work with the sport sector and athletes to implement training and education on anti-harassment and abuse.

Madam Speaker, since the Red Deer Declaration was endorsed, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has completed an environmental scan of current Safe Sport practices in the Northwest Territories. In November 2020, the department held a Safe Sport summit with stakeholders and partners and has since facilitated several information sessions with sport organizations. There is now an NWT Safe Sport Framework and a Safe Sport Implementation Plan is currently being finalized.

The NWT Safe Sport Framework provides opportunities for territorial and major sport organizations to adopt a series of Safe Sport policies that will address several areas, including code of conduct, discipline and complaints, dispute resolution, athlete protection, volunteer screening, and risk management.

We know that requiring a strong policy base is only the beginning. The department intends to work closely with organizations to facilitate open discussion and understanding of the Safe Sport Framework and include mandatory training requirements within the NWT sport system.

Madam Speaker, having an independent, confidential mechanism to report incidents of harassment, abuse, and discrimination is an important element of Safe Sport. Most provincial and territorial governments are either establishing their own third-party investigation services or are negotiating with the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada to provide those services within their jurisdictions. The department is actively researching options that are best for the Northwest Territories.

In addition to Safe Sport policies, the department will require sport organizations to adopt a Concussion Awareness Policy and return to play protocols. This process will require a collaborative approach with our sport partners as we work towards the goal of implementing these initiatives by the end of 2023.

Madam Speaker, Municipal and Community Affairs is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive sport environment. We will continue to work with NWT sport organizations and our jurisdictional counterparts to make this a priority for our sport community in 2023 and beyond. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the federal government has the National Disaster Mitigation Program which provides communities access to financial support for risk assessment, flood mapping, mitigation planning, and investments in non-structural and small-scale structural mitigation projects. Municipal and local governments, public sector bodies, private sector bodies, Indigenous governments, and non-governmental organizations can make applications to this program.

Madam Speaker, apart from raising the road along Riverview Drive, little appears to have been determined on what mitigation measures, if any, will be in place to prepare the community for spring breakup. Residents who reside in the West Channel, Old Town, Corridor, and Paradise Valley are concerned and are asking what mitigation efforts and solutions have been identified for the area they live in. They are looking for answers and some form of communication from both the Town of Hay River and this government.

Madam Speaker, the flood damage to Paradise Valley was extensive. The only access road was compromised requiring a temporary one to be constructed. The embankment between the access road and river had trees and grass removed which further degraded the stability of an already unstable bank. This, along with drainage, needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Madam Speaker, the Corridor itself was not spared from flooding and will require some form of berm between the river and homes. The downtown core and Cranberry Crescent areas will also require some form of berm for flood protection. The West Channel area situated along the lake requires repairs to the berm between the airport and the residential area. In addition, there is an issue with a watercourse, known as the Oxbow, which allowed water to flow inland from the lake during high water. A flood gate should be installed as a preventative measure. The Old Town itself has minimal in the way of flood protection. Consideration should be given to raising the perimeter road to serve as a berm, along with restoration of the harbour and channel.

Madam Speaker, I will expect this government to work with the Town of Hay River and Indigenous governments to identify and access funds under the national Disaster Mitigation Program to address solutions. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, for the benefit of Hay River and Katl'odeeche residents and businesses, there will be a meeting on harbour restoration and harbour flood mitigation with the Minister of Infrastructure tomorrow from 11am to 2pm at the Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre. Please attend if you can. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Lack of housing in Paulatuk. I've spoken in the House before, simply not enough houses in Nunakput riding. My constituents living in the farthest north of the residents in the territory and yet some families, Madam Speaker, live in cabins or makeshift tents.

Madam Speaker, a young family in my riding in Paulatuk who have been waiting for the Minister to deliver on the commitment on our last visit to get them into a housing unit. The Minister of Housing visited Nunakput riding over the summer of 2020. At the time, the Minister met the young couple that had been taken off the waitlist. At the time, the couple was receiving CERB payments that the Housing Corporation considered income too high. I want to recognize that the Minister did fix the problem where the Housing Corporation was counting CERB payment as income. But the Minister assured the couple two years ago that they would be prioritized and be putting on the waitlist.

Madam Speaker, it's October 28th, 2022. Snow is falling. The ice is starting to form; it's formed already. The temperature's minus 14 and blowing snow. Madam Speaker, the couple's still living in a tent or a makeshift cabin since 2022. It's time where the -- they have a baby, and raising that baby and that with no bathroom, no proper facilities for cleanliness. They've raised this newborn in a community of the Arctic Ocean while they wait for the Minister of Housing to allocate a housing unit to them.

Madam Speaker, there's no private market housing in the community of Paulatuk, no options for housing for residents and the housing units are filled. The government survey showed 311 people in Paulatuk with 90 homes. Madam Speaker, we should be giving out all the extra -- like, the old webber units and giving them to the people of Paulatuk and then being able to put new units in through CMHC. Madam Speaker, how many people in Paulatuk are on the waiting list for homes? How many people are homeless? We need the Minister of Housing to work with our community leadership and the people on the ground to show solutions today. It's 2022. Our people are living in the High Arctic raising their children in tents, Madam Speaker. I'll have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, within the mandate to increase employment in small communities, the GNWT states it will support small communities in developing skilled trades people. But, Madam Speaker, that is the best action this government can do to improve the lives of the residents in the small communities. Just for identifying and stating this objective, this government gets an A grade. Now let's do more in this area to get the A plus rating.

Madam Speaker, when I previously brought up a training program for all settlement maintainers in our small communities, I was met with opposition to the idea. Specifically, I suggested training in the area of maintaining heating equipment such as furnaces and boilers and other required training to do the jobs required of them, all with the intent on saving time and much needed dollars for the department in the long run. This will save Infrastructure thousands of dollars flying or driving someone into a small community from a large centre and most likely, as has been known, only to bleed a furnace.

Currently, Housing NWT is setting up a training program for their housing maintainers. They will do training in all aspects of maintaining a building, repairing components of the building, basic understanding of the heating systems, whether they be a furnace or a boiler system. That is exciting, and I am overjoyed for our Housing employees in the small communities. I really, really, really want to be excited for the Infrastructure department too. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Members', the last I remember I identify as she/her, so Madam Speaker, adjust your speaking notes accordingly. Members' statements.

Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, to begin today I would like to respond to the answers the Minister of Housing NWT gave me during the question period yesterday.

Overall, the Minister did not give me actual answers to my questions. She told me that her department is examining the constituent housing files I referenced in my statement yesterday. She said there are many complex issues within my constituents' situations and that Housing NWT needs to be fair in their treatment to all clients. The Minister said she needed more time to get the facts straight.

Well, Madam Speaker, it's easy for any of us here in this building to say we need more time to accrue the relevant information. However, some of the people whom we were put here to serve don't have the luxury of time. Plus, there are so many channels and barriers for ordinary people obtaining assistance with government programs and services here in the NWT.

Sometimes I feel, as an elected official in this House, there are a couple on the executive side who use every excuse in the book to say no. Madam Speaker, it is very frustrating to see a lack of compassion given towards the suffering of people. I strongly feel that everything that is done by this government should be based on need, not means tested. We are such a small population base. Everybody knows everybody, so we ought be helping our constituents however we can whenever we can.

On another note, Madam Speaker, to end this session week, I'd like to recognize and thank all the leadership and constituents of Thebacha for their continued support in my work as their MLA. I thank them for all their feedback, ideas, and trust they have given me as their MLA. I'd also like to thank all the chiefs who called, that do not belong to my riding, and approached me this week to say hi or hello. I also appreciate remaining connected to my old colleagues and friends as a Member of this House. I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement, please.

---Unanimous consent granted

In addition, Madam Speaker, I would like to thank you and I would like to thank Speaker Blake for making this Chamber light-hearted and fun at times as we go along. That type of attitude is much needed in this building sometimes, since we work through some tough, heavy, and challenging issues. I'd also like to thank all of the staff of this Assembly for their help through this term. I would also like to thank any CA Pascal for all the help and support he gives to me. Lastly, Madam Speaker, I want to wish all my constituents, along with all the people of the NWT, a safe and Happy Halloween. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. One of the bills passed during the legislative avalanche ending the last Assembly was a completely new version of the so-called Environmental Rights Act, the first time this legislation had been reviewed in 29 years. The standing committee of the day worked very hard to improve the bill with 14 successful amendments.

One of the new features of this little-used legislation was supposed to be a statement of environmental values. The NWT is the second jurisdiction in Canada to develop such a statement. This means the GNWT is supposed to consider the principles and provisions set out in the statement when making decisions that may have a significant impact on the environment. Those principles include the precautionary principle, polluter pays, ecological sustainability, intergenerational equity, and Indigenous rights. The problem with the bill was that there was no way to define what might be meant by "significant impact on the environment" and no responsibility for implementation and reporting.

I tried to bring forward reasonable amendments both at committee and Committee of the Whole to address these problems, but they were defeated. Unfortunately, Cabinet did not address the same concerns again when they were brought forward during the review of the draft statement of environmental values that took place earlier this year, or in the apparent approval of a final statement of environmental values on June 7, 2022. Recently I asked officials with three departments - Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Finance, and Environment and Natural Resources, what is meant by "significant impact on the environment" and who has responsibility for implementation and reporting. And guess what? No one knows.

The way the statement has been crafted is totally discretionary, with deputy ministers responsible for its application in setting government priorities; of the development of policy and legislation; and of the development, design, and delivery of programs and services. There is absolutely nothing about use of the statement or principles in Cabinet decision-making, tracking, reporting, or evaluation. You can't even find a signed and dated version of the statement of environmental values on any GNWT website.

What a disappointment and a clear indication that this Cabinet is not prepared to change anything with regard to its "business as usual" approach to the environment. I'll have questions later today for the Premier who according to the Statement is, quote, "accountable to the Executive Council and the residents of the NWT for the implementation of the statement". Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.