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Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Crucial Fact

  • Her favourite word was hay.
Historical Information Jane Groenewegen is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly November 2015, as MLA for Hay River South

Lost her last election, in 2015, with 35% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Report of Committee of the Whole March 10th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 42, An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act; and Committee Report 13-17(5), Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act; and would like to report progress with one motion being adopted and that Committee Report 13-17(5) is concluded and that Bill 42 is ready for third reading. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice March 9th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I just want to make a few brief comments on the Auditor General’s report on Justice and corrections that was tabled, and there was a press conference last week with the folks from the Auditor General’s office.

The work of any of the departments in our government, including the Department of Justice, is an ongoing work in progress. We all know that none of these departments is everything they can be, but anything that we’re trying to build and trying to improve is a work in progress.

We elect Members of this Assembly from amongst ourselves to represent us on the other side of the House to take on responsibility for various aspects of the work that this government does. Many of them are not just representing one area; many of them are representing many areas. So, in the Minister’s comments yesterday, he mentioned we cannot support change by ourselves, it takes support by our leaders, our communities and other

service providers and it also takes the support of Members on this side of the House.

The spirit and intent with which the Auditor General’s report was delivered, I believe, was to point out and identify things that can be done differently and that can be done better. The way this report was received by our Minister of Justice, I believe, was in that same spirit and intent. It was received humbly and it was received with dignity and admission that there’s more that we can do.

Sometimes we do have to stop and celebrate some of the things that have occurred, some of the things that Members on this side of the House are very interested in such as a Wellness C

ourt. That’s

something that we, together with the Minister of Justice, worked towards and we made progress on during the 17th Assembly and we need to celebrate

that as well as another specialized court, a Domestic Violence Treatment Court, and some of the healing programs that have been initiated out there.

Mr. Speaker, we have many challenges before us in all areas of work that we do as leaders and as legislators. When criticism is necessary, I think it should be constructive criticism. I think that we, at the same time, need to admit that no one on this side of the House or on the other side has a magic wand. It is a work in progress that is building on the work of former Ministers of former governments of former leadership in departments and we advance the goals and the outcomes of these departments as we work together.

I would like to say that I appreciate the work of the Auditor Genera

l’s office and sometimes it isn’t

always good news, but I would be reluctant to politicize it, as sometimes the media does, by referring to it with words like “scathing” and that somebody should be taken to task. Mr. Speaker, we need to advance the cause of justice together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Motion 38-17(5): Establishment Of A Special Committee On Transition Matters, Carried March 8th, 2015

WHEREAS, the role of Caucus is fundamental to the effectiveness of consensus government;

AND WHEREAS Caucus provides a venue for all Members to set broad strategic direction for a Legislative Assembly and discuss matters of widespread importance to the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS the priorities established by a Caucus form the basis for government business plans and budgets prepared over the course of an Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Caucus of the 17th Legislative

Assembly agreed upon the vision, goals and priorities for action under the theme of Believing in People and Building on the Strengths of Northerners;

AND WHEREAS transition to a new Assembly is an appropriate time for reporting on matters of ongoing action, discussion and consideration;

AND WHEREAS Members of the 18th Legislative

Assembly may wish to consider how to build on the direction and deliberations of the 17th Legislative

Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, pursuant to Rule 88(1), the Legislative Assembly hereby

establish a Special Committee on Transition Matters;

AND FURTHER, that the following Members be named to the special committee: • the Member for Sahtu, Mr. Norman Yakeleya,

Chair;

• the Member for Hay River North, Mr. Robert

Bouchard;

• the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Alfred

Moses;

• the Member for Kam Lake, Mr. David Ramsay; • the Member for Range Lake, Mr. Daryl Dolynny;

and

• the Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Tom Beaulieu.

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Special Committee on Transition Matters be established by the terms of reference, identified as Tabled Document 211-17(5).

Report of Committee of the Whole March 5th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 188-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2015-2016, and would like to report progress. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Recognizing The Contribution Of Women In The Legislative Assembly March 5th, 2015

I’m pleased to see that there is interest from women. May I say that even if you’ve run before, don’t be shy to try again. You can look through history and see that many, many people did not get elected the first time they ever ran and they should think about doing it again. If you do want to serve in this House, it is good to have the support of families and a close network of support. It is challenging being away, and that is for men or women, but you would think about the support of your family and a close network of people supporting you. It doesn’t hurt to be a little opinionated and it certainly helps if you’ve got a lot of energy.

So with that, to any women considering running for this territorial election this fall, I wish them all the best. Thank you.

Recognizing The Contribution Of Women In The Legislative Assembly March 5th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As our Premier has just so eloquently outlined, International Women’s Day is coming up this Sunday and you will see that many Members in the Chamber today are wearing purple in recognition of International Women’s Day. Today I would like to talk a little bit about elected leadership at the territorial level.

As the Premier said, we have strong women in leadership at all levels in all of our communities. Mr. Speaker, 1975 was the first fully elected Legislative Assembly. It was the 8th Legislative Assembly and

since that time, in that past 40 years, I would like to recognize some of the women who served in this Chamber, starting with Lena Pedersen, who represented the Central Arctic for four years, elected in 1970; Lynda Sorensen, elected in 1979, representing Yellowknife South for five years; Eliza Lawrence, representing Tu Nedhe from 1983 for four years; Nellie Cournoyea, representing the Western Arctic and then renamed Nunakput for 16 years, starting in 1979; Jeannie Marie Jewell, representing Slave River and then later renamed Thebacha, from 1987 and spent eight years in this Legislative Assembly; Rebecca Mike, from Baffin Central, starting in 1991 representing for four years; Sandy Lee for Range Lake, elected in 1999 and served in this Legislature for 12 years; Manitok Thompson, elected in 1995 from Aivilik riding, and she served here for four years prior to division and I believe may have served in the Nunavut government after that; and, of course, in 1995 I was elected and honoured to be elected to this

Chamber, and we won’t talk about how long I’ve been here.

---Laughter

There have only been 10 women ever elected in 40 years of elected government, and number 10 is my colleague Ms. Bisaro, who was elected in 2007 and has served two terms in this Legislative Assembly.

I also had the honour, along with Ms. Bisaro and the Premier, to attend the Campaign School that was put on by the Status of Women Council and had a few words to say there. With an election coming up, Mr. Speaker, if I can seek unanimous consent, I’ll have a few comments on what women might think about the upcoming territorial election. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Report of Committee of the Whole March 4th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 188-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2015-2016, with one motion being adopted, and would like to report progress. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Motion 38-17(5): Establishment Of A Special Committee On Transition Matters March 4th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, March 9, 2015, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, pursuant to Rule 88(1), the

Legislative Assembly hereby establish a Special Committee on Transition Matters;

And further, that the following Members be named to the special committee: • the Member for Sahtu, Mr. Norman Yakeleya,

chair;

• the Member for Hay River North, Mr. Robert

Bouchard;

• the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Alfred

Moses;

• the Member for Kam Lake, Mr. David Ramsay; • the Member for Range Lake, Mr. Daryl Dolynny;

and

• the Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Tom Beaulieu;

And furthermore, that the Special Committee on Transition Matters be established by the terms of reference, identified as Tabled Document 211- 17(5). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 755-17(5): Financial Management High School Curriculum March 4th, 2015

Thank you. I just think that we have a really golden opportunity with our young people in the school system to learn something about this, because it is a life skill that is extremely important and will stand them in good stead as they go out into the work world.

Has the Department of Education ever considered inviting banking institutions into the school where they could also provide some information and perhaps help students with something like setting up bank accounts? I know there aren’t banks in

every community; but there is online banking and most kids these days have access to the Internet.

So I’d like to ask the Minister, have they ever thought about involving any of the major banks in coming and doing some awareness and some teaching and perhaps even helping young people set up accounts? Thank you..

Question 755-17(5): Financial Management High School Curriculum March 4th, 2015

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I was having a chat with my 25-year-old daughter the other day and not that she was a top student, but she was bemoaning the fact to me that she’s 25 years old, she’s a young adult, she’s living here in the North and she doesn’t know much about savings, budgeting, credit, banking and that she feels that she should have maybe learned something about that in school. Now, I know there’s a role for parents to play, too, in teaching these things, but I’d like seriously to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, is there anything in the curriculum of our high schools where students learn about financial management? Thank you.