This is page numbers 4497 - 4544 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 know.

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, spring is a beautiful and powerful time of transition, both in season and in the lives of many Northerners. Our pride of northern graduates and the anticipation of summer adventures are putting bounce in our step so this feels like an opportune time to work with housing to make some of our own transitions.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Minister identified the delay of the 2018 commitment of a homelessness strategy was a needed all-of-government approach and to avoid any unintended consequences. I agree with the need of government integration, shared accountability, and mechanisms for a person-centered approach. In addition, I agree that good policy means considering, weighing, and evaluating unintended consequences.

The Minister also said the delay was due to a desire to bring forward an approach that can be resourced but later said "once the document is implemented, we need to find resources."

Mr. Speaker, as a Regular Member, at this point I have no idea what this strategy will include or the action it will compel from the government but I know that after four years of drafting and redrafting, my expectations are big. One of my biggest frustrations, Mr. Speaker, is that in the four years of drafting this strategy, the government has not made efforts to evolve policies with unintended consequences of homelessness.

The Housing NWT Community Residency Policy as unintended consequences that do cause homelessness. It requires an NWT resident to live in a community for a predetermined number of months before they can then add their name to the public housing waitlist.

Mr. Speaker, if implementing the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the MMIWG Calls for Justice, and the TRC Calls to Action are a priority of this government, they need to flip policies and ask if the unintended consequences are justifiable. And they need to do that now, not sitting with them for four years. If the government spends its entirety reviewing, reflecting, and strategizing without the action, nothing will change.

Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to listen to NWT residents during the anti-poverty round table focused on housing and homelessness. One resounding theme was a call to action to stop researching and planning and to start listening, acting, and then evaluating, because then we have at least tried to change.

This policy keeps people from jobs, family, and autonomy. But even more jarring, Mr. Speaker, it prevents Northerners from accessing resources, prevents parents from leaving violent relationships, and jeopardizes a parent's ability to keep their children out of the child welfare system.

This policy, Mr. Speaker, causes homelessness. Housing NWT needs to stop upholding a policy that limits a person's self-determination in health, economic, and social sufficiency through housing. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Minister of Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement is on a summer message to my constituents and others.

Mr. Speaker, I want to say thank you to all the pages here, especially to Nate Simpson, Alexis Kotchilea-Judas, from Alexis Arrowmaker School, for a job well done and to have a good, safe summer.

Mr. Speaker, I want to wish all the students in the Tlicho regions and in NWT for completing this school year. Also a big congratulations to Grad 2022 from Chief Jimmy Bruneau school in Behchoko, Jean Wetrade in Gameti, Alexis Arrowmaker School in Wekweeti, and Mezi Community School in Whati for reaching this important accomplishment in their lives. I know it was challenging at times due to COVID. I wish them all to have a good, safe summer.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend my congratulations to all Tlicho citizens who are college and university graduates for the Class of 2022. It is important to recognize the success of all Tlicho citizens, no matter how big or small they may seem.

I would also like to extend my thanks to all the family, friend, educators, and staff who help support all graduating students get to this milestone moment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to wish all the Tlicho citizens, all our elders, they are the true knowledge-keepers, they are our teachers and professors; I want to wish them all to have a happy, safe summer.

I would also like to wish all my colleagues here in this House and all the staff, the interpreters of the Legislative Assembly, to have a good summer break as well. May God bless you, keep you and your family safe on your journey. I look forward to continue my travel to all the Tlicho communities over the summer and attend the Tlicho Annual June Assembly as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker; you, as well too, have a good, safe summer.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Mahsi cho, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I first came to serve here, I was proud to continue the tradition begun by the honourable men and women that came before me. I was just as proud of the consensus government that has set us apart from the rest of Canada. This institution has incredible strengths for its foundation, our people, and aspirations. Yet somehow we have forgotten this strength and instead have turned our Assembly against itself.

We find excuses instead of action. We carry out infighting instead of cooperation. We choose to establish core order ambition for the future.

Mr. Speaker, I have remained steadfast in my belief that our consensus system is the best way to govern our people, lands, and resources. However, when our government's resolve was tested by a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, sadly our consensus government has demonstrated its inability to move past its flaws and build a future that will lead to growth and opportunity and wellness.

If our system is truly rooted in Indigenous traditions, then why do Indigenous people bear a disproportionate burden of social ills and economic depression compared to the rest of the territory? How can this be our system was designed to elevate Indigenous people who have been the stewards of the NWT since time in immemorial. How can we claim that this is partnership within these walls and truth are deeply-divided.

Between Indigenous and non-Indigenous, Yellowknife and small communities, Cabinet and Regular Members, instead of stepping up and coming together to solve problems, we keep our heads down, our mouths closed, and think I'm just here for my riding, I don't need to worry about anything else.

Mr. Speaker, it has been only three months since I've been elected to this House. I was sad to learn that there's no (audio). Our government seems ready to pass on along our most pressing issues as our territory to the next Assembly. We only need to look at the most recent report of the Auditor General of Canada into addictions to see the costs of continued inaction and passing the buck. Despite continued advocacy for better mental health, our leaders then and now insist there's nothing more that we can do.

The latest report provides otherwise a report that joins along this stuff escaping audits. This serves as a solemn reminder that despite repeated inquiries to long-standing problems, consensus politics hasn't been able to muster the collective political will to solve them.

Mr. Speaker, I ran for office for my constituents to help and be part of this institution that's greater than some of its Members. Something must be done to change how we work in this government because what we have isn't working well. We risk leaving our people a little more than frustration and despair if we do not act. I, for one, keep the promise I made to my constituents and find the best path forward for my people even if it means leaving old traditional ways. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Social networking or social media are a great way to keep in touch with friends, family, or just a way to keep up with the social life of everyone around you. Unfortunately, as we all know there are consequences to our online networking such as cyber-bullying.

Mr. Speaker, cyber-bullying is bullying with the use of digital technology. It can take place on social media, game platforms, gaming platform, and mobile phones. It is repeated behaviour aimed at scaring, angering, or shaming those who are targeted. Examples include:

  • Speaking half-truths or opinions that may or may not support the evidence out there;
  • Sending harmful, abusive, or threatening messages via various messaging platforms;
  • Impersonating someone and sending mean messages to others on their behalf or fake accounts;
  • Saying and implying comments about the person without using the person's name.

Face-to-face bullying and cyber-bullying can often happen alongside each other but cyber-bullying leaves a digital footprint that can be seen for a long time or can be reproduced.

Mr. Speaker, cyber-bullying is one of the worst things that we live with today, not only for teens but for society in general. It is a very stressful and dangerous way to deal with issues and can have some very bad consequences including, mainly, such things as depression, even suicidal thoughts.

Mr. Speaker, as we all have experienced, there are individuals out there using Hansard as a platform to get their opinions across and saying things without consequences. As a politician, we get individuals out there that don't agree with your decision or of this government. I once asked an individual why they took to social media to express their frustrations and their response was it is a way to say things that are on my mind without no one arguing with us. I tried to explain that this was not the best approach to go about. The response I received is you should be doing the same thing. You should be out there disagreeing with and arguing with the people on that platform. At this point in time, we agreed to disagree and move on to another topic.

Mr. Speaker as Bono says, be kind to one another. I hope and pray people actually follow through on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife South.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is the one year anniversary of the release of the national action plan to address the crisis of missing and murdered women, girls, and 2SLGBTQ and QIA+ peoples.

I chose this day to acknowledge the work of Yellowknife South Youth Parliament participant Aubrey Sluggett. Aubrey stood in this Chamber on May the 12th and gave a Minister's statement. As the representative of Yellowknife South, she was able to pick any topic she felt was important to her and the youth of the North and within the portfolios of Finance, Industry, Tourism and Investment, or Status of Women.

Mr. Speaker, Aubrey used her words and her platform here to bring attention to the national inquiry movement in the Northwest Territories, the public benches that the Yellowknife Women's Society has placed in honour of missing women, and the monument that we built on the Legislative Assembly grounds. She also spoke to what she felt we could be doing further to enhance the work that we are already moving forward on.

Mr. Speaker, further to this, she spoke of the importance of women in political office and how happy she was to point out that our legislature is a majority female and that the Youth Parliament had 14 female parliamentarians and one nonbinary parliamentarian.

Mr. Speaker, I was very proud to be a resident of Yellowknife South on May 12th represented by Aubrey Sluggett. It is not only the future that is in good hands, it is our present leadership who are pushed to live up to the example and the expectations of those who will ultimately inherit these roles. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife South. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past week, I received many emails from teachers, parents, and students complaining about a long-standing issue with the plumbing at the Ecole Boreale portable in Hay River.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of ECE confirm if his department has looked into the issue and determined what the cause of the problem is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also received dozens and dozens of emails from students, staff, parents, perhaps other people in the community who were concerned about this issue, and I appreciate those emails because it brought it to my attention.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment became aware of this issue just prior to the flooding in Hay River, and that was really the first time that we knew about it.

So the issue that we've learned, in consultation with the Department of Infrastructure, is that there have been ongoing sewage backup issues. This goes back to -- the original issue goes back to when the portable was installed. The sewer line was hooked up to an abandoned sewer line. The sewer line from the building was hooked up to an abandoned sewer line instead of the newer sewer line which it should have been hooked up to. There has been a temporary fix in place for many years and from what I understand, it had been working but over the last -- over this year in particular, and perhaps over the last few years as well, there have been increasing issues. Thank you

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been a long-standing one, as the Minister said.

Can the Minister confirm how and when this plumbing issue will be addressed to the satisfaction of the Ecole Boreale staff, students, and parents, as those students, staff, and parents accessing the building have a right to a safe place to learn and work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I agree, students need a place to learn that is supportive of that learning. And in a supportive learning environment, staff need a safe supportive workplace as well. And so as soon as we learned about this, we started working with the Department of Infrastructure, and there will be a permanent fix in place over the summer. So in the next school year, it will no longer be an issue. It would be great if we could fix this issue before the summer, fix it now, but it's a very disruptive process. I believe it involves digging up the parking lot and, you know, the smell of sewer would be far beyond what it is now. So we have to wait until the summer to get it done but it is getting done. Thank you.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if there are issues other than the plumbing, such as heat and cooling, as those were mentioned as recurring issues that need to be addressed as well.

Will the Minister also commitment his department to following up on these issues and remedy any issues found before the start of next school year? Thank you.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And there have been concerns about the classrooms being too hot in the late spring/early summer. As a result, Infrastructure has installed portable air conditioners. There isn't a plan to connect the portable building to the main air handling unit but we do have the portable air conditioners in place. And I will say that, you know, this issue brought to light the fact there needs to be a little better communication. So I've reached out -- or I've had conversations with the president of the CSFTNO, the French language school board, and I've had conversations with the Minister of Infrastructure, and we are going to ensure that if there is an issue that the school board is encouraged to bring it forward. I want to hear from the president when there's these issues, and I told the department they need to have that discussion at the officials level as well because we don't want these to become long-standing issues; we want to get them fixed as soon as possible. I'm here to advocate for those education bodies and advocate for the students, and I need to know what's going on in order to do that. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when this portable was first put in place, I think it was supposed to be a three-year fix. It's probably been ten years since it was actually, you know, installed. So, Mr. Speaker, when the portable was constructed, like I said it was a short-term solution to address lack of space in the main building, is it the department's intent to look at an expansion of the main building to eliminate the requirement for the portable? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So currently there is nothing on the books to build a new permanent facility at Ecole Boreale. As the MLA, I advocated for, you know, that in the past, advocated for a gym, advocating for all of these issues as the Member is doing now. Unfortunately, there was a decision made, you know, 15 years ago that we are now dealing with. It would have been great if they had just built a permanent building at that point. But now we're at the point where we have many schools that are in need of repair. There's 49 schools in the territory, you know, over 50 years old some of them, in desperate need of repair, and so it's a very competitive environment. So there is nothing on the books. But I hear about those issues. I hear about the desire for a gym at Ecole Boreale. And I would love to give them one. I'd love to give a gym to Jean Marie River as well, to N'dilo, to Dettah - to a number of different schools - but the fact is it's tough to get together the money to serve all the needs in the territory. But I am going to work with the Minister of Infrastructure and with my department to determine what the needs are at Ecole Boreale and see what we can do in the future. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement I talked about transparency in infrastructure budgeting, and I want to use the Whati Transmission Line as an example.

The Whati Transmission Line has been debated for years in this House. It's clear that millions of dollars have been approved because it appears in the main estimates debates year after year. It's clear that millions of dollars have been spent because there's talk of geotechnical and reporting and a feasibility assessments being done. Some Members have oft-repeated that it would be cheaper to introduce three hydro projects as opposed to one transmission line, which is a statement you can't evaluate because there's no public figure telling you how much the transmission line actually costs.

So my question is, after years of talking publicly about this line and the different costs and weighing the benefits, can we finally have an estimated cost of the Whati Transmission Line? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Whati Transmission Line is a key initiative, and I'm going to keep saying this, under our 2030 Energy Strategy. This proposed project will occur 100 percent on Tlicho lands, and the GNWT and the Tlicho governments are committed to advancing this important project together.

The Department of Infrastructure and the Tlicho government recently began working together to be able to determine an acceptable routing corridor for the transmission line between the Snare Forks hydroelectricity facility and Whati. The tentative date for the completion of this part of the work is in fall of 2022. Once this routing corridor for the project is known, infrastructure and Tlicho will collaborate on preliminary engineering and design. This work will include internal preliminary capital costs estimates that reflects the design work and the routing corridor. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, a "no" would have sufficed. I actually don't have any idea how much this project costs, and what we're talking about.

Can the Minister tell me how much money we've spent to date on this project and how much money this Assembly has approved? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.