Debates of August 16, 2007 (day 11)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we look at neighbouring jurisdictions like the Yukon, for example, we always compare ourselves to them when it comes to things like tourism and the arts, and why is it with all the richness we have here in terms of culture and traditions in the Northwest Territories, do we not put more emphasis in this government on the arts? We're going backwards when it comes to the arts in the Northwest Territories. I remember when I came to Hay River 33 years ago, you could buy season's tickets for these different events that would take place, and they would come in, like musical ensembles and we even had the Canadian Brass come into Hay River and set up on a stage in the school and perform. Now we have nothing like that. We had a Hay River Drama Society that put on fabulous shows in Hay River. We don't have that anymore. Mr. Speaker, why would this government find it necessary to turn down an application from the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre for a $50,000 expansion in their core funding that would have allowed them to enhance the performing arts and cultural activities in our communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to make it perfectly clear that their application for increased funding has not been turned down. I think there's perhaps a lack of understanding here on the timing of how our budget process works. An application that was received by this government after the budget was passed this past spring would normally be put into the budget process for the next budget, for the next budget year, and decisions for that budget will be made, of course, by the next government because this government won't be in place to pass that budget. So the application is still in place; it would be considered.

I'd like to also make sure that Members are aware that over the past two years we have found extra money for the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. We're aware of the deficit situation and I have advised them that we are looking for ways to help them resolve their current deficit, and their application, then, for an increase in the budget will be considered as part of the process for developing the next budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a very generous offer on the part of the Minister, that they will look for ways to help, but why hasn't the core funding to the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, even in light of their community emphasis and their Outreach Program, not been changed in 24 years? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue has always been one of finding adequate funds to be able to develop our programs. We're not in a situation where we have ever had excess funds that we could throw around. Over the course of this government, we have been trying to get, for instance, the pupil/teacher ratio back to where it was back in 1984. An important thing like education, this government has been struggling to be able to get back to the standards that we had 10, 15 years ago before we had substantial cuts in our funding by the federal government. So it's been a challenge for us to increase funding. However, over the past two years, the department has been able to find an extra $30,000 a year to assist the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre over and above what their core funding has been. So we're aware of the issue and where we've been able to help out, we have moved to do that. We agree that it's time to move on increasing their core funding and it will be one of the priorities that is brought forward by the department for the new government to consider.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the point that I make…and I'd like to thank the Minister for pointing out that I don't understand the budgeting process of this government, because I have only been here 12 years but I am sure I will get on to it next term. Mr. Speaker, the fact that we are just on an ad hoc basis looking for money here and there to give to this very important initiative, will the Minister just admit that arts and performing arts and cultural activities are just not a priority to this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I won't admit that. This government has invested considerable time and energy in developing an NWT Arts Strategy. After the first strategy was developed and tabled in this House, we also brought the people who helped develop it, along with others, back together to review the strategy and advise us on how to further develop it. Both ECE and ITI have, over the life of this government, increased funding into the arts; ECE specifically into the funding that goes to the NWT Arts Council. That has seen an increase during the life of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicates that this government doesn't have money to throw around and we don't have enough time here today for getting me started on that topic, where we actually throw money around. He brings up the teacher/pupil ratio, something dear to all of our hearts, but that's still no excuse for the limited and measly, meagerly support that's gone into support for arts and culture in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, as a former colleague of ours in this House, Mr. Picco, used to say, a strategy without any funding is just a slogan, and I don't want to hear lip service paid to this important initiative. I'd like to know where's the money? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 130-15(6): Arts And Culture Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have said, the department has consistently over the years found money to provide extra funding to organizations like NACC and we will continue to do that. I have no doubt that the new government will find the resources to increase the funding to the arts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for Mr. Handley as the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. As I referenced in my statement, this Assembly has been very busy with one of the potential outcomes of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, and that being a chance to use the Novel housing approach which is a design put forward by ATCO to potentially convert some camp housing into permanent housing in the NWT.

Bring back Novel.

But we learned a little while ago that due to changes in the project that the Mackenzie Valley pipeline people might not or it's not likely they'll be using this particular idea and it takes off our list of options, Mr. Speaker, potentially several hundred housing units that we had thought could be put into place over the next few years. So my question, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier is, does the Novel housing project remain a viable option for our housing situation in the foreseeable future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 131-15(6): Core Housing Needs Of The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I haven't heard that Imperial and other proponents have dismissed the idea of using Novel housing. They've not told us that. They are reconsidering how they'll build the pipeline, where camps will be located and where they won't. They may use less, but they have not said they will not. So that still remains a viable option. Mr. Speaker, the pipeline is scheduled to begin construction as early as 2010; no earlier, possibly later. We continue to work with ATCO on some technical issues. We still have not received a commitment from the federal government, so it has some challenges. But we're continuing to keep it very much as an option for housing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 131-15(6): Core Housing Needs Of The NWT

Okay, Mr. Speaker. Thanks very much for the answer from the Minister. But my information, and I think it's been quite well noted in the media, is that the camp housing proposals that they were looking at for building the pipeline have changed from building I believe it was five major permanent or semi-permanent camps to ones that are far more mobile, smaller and less sophisticated. So that was the point of my question. Maybe we need to compare some notes on it. But regardless, we put a lot of our eggs in that Novel basket, potentially a lot of money had been talked about from this government, the federal government; some $300 million at one point. What are we doing if this proposal is not going to be coming forward? What are we doing, Mr. Speaker, to replace this plan and continue on to look at the several hundred housing units that our people tell us we need?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 131-15(6): Core Housing Needs Of The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again I want to assure Members that the Novel housing concept is very much on the books. We're working on it; we haven't dismissed it. It may be less houses than what was originally contemplated; I don't know for sure yet because I don't think Imperial have really made a final decision on how they're going to manage the construction of this, but we'll keep it there. In the meantime, the only other major initiative we have is the affordable housing initiative. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to say that out of the estimated 530 or so houses over the next couple of years that we would be building, we're now up to 336 houses that are either completed or in construction or were in design. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 131-15(6): Core Housing Needs Of The NWT

Thank you for the update, Mr. Speaker, on the affordable housing project. One of the aspects of the Novel plan that had come under some discussion was that we would be, in effect, exporting a lot of jobs and a lot of value to factories in southern Canada that would be prefabbing this, and it caused some of us ask, well, why couldn't we create that kind of an industry here in the NWT for ourselves, knowing that housing is, of course, a perpetual need. So I'm wondering to what extent the Housing Corporation is looking at enabling the creation of a viable housing manufacturing facility here in the NWT that we know is going to be something that we will need all the time every year and it looks like in an increasing way, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 131-15(6): Core Housing Needs Of The NWT

Mr. Speaker, while the concept of a housing manufacturing plant has been debated and discussed for a long time, some community corporations have looked at it. Without a steady confirmed market, it's very difficult to set up such a factory. We have to look at the benefits of doing it that way and moving modular homes or houses that are pre-built into communities versus building in the communities and building up the capacity of the development corporations. Up to now, the Housing Corporation has received more pressure to work with communities to build up the corporations in each community so that they can build their own houses. So that's the direction we have been taking up to now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke on the condition of Highway No. 8, also known as the "Dumpster Highway." I closed my statement by saying we deserve to drive on a nice highway. That was wrong, Mr. Speaker. We deserve a highway that's not dangerous. Some of the most beautiful country in the world you can't really look at it because you don't want to take your eyes off the road, otherwise you'll have a building named after you.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation has been on that highway. I'd like to know his honest assessment of Highway No. 8. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Return To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was very happy to take the opportunity to go to Inuvik and to the northern reaches of our great territory and drive on the infrastructure that we do have over there. My opinion, it would be moot at this point but I can give the Member some facts, and the fact is that we have spent $35 million on the Dempster Highway over the years, and the last two years, Mr. Speaker, we have spent $5 million upgrading that piece of infrastructure and we've been very happy with the contractors that work there and work hard on our highways. We are working towards safe transportation infrastructure and that’s important to our communities and the regions and our people, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell you where that $35 million is and the $5 million they spent recently. It’s in the ditch.

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Because they are not getting the work done properly and it’s no fault to the contractor; they are given a contract to go by. So they go by that contract and I agree with the Minister, they do work hard, and that’s not what I’m getting at. What I’m getting at is the money that is going into the Dempster Highway has to stay on the Dempster Highway and not go into the ditch, because that’s the way it’s happening and the highway is still dangerous. I’d like to ask the Minister if he’s instructed his department to look at ways they can improve the highway and allocate more funds into it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. No, we are extremely happy to be using our resources and the money that we do have allocated to the Dempster Highway for culvert replacement, road widening, geometric improvements, improving the sight lines around the corners, and a lot of the money too has been expended on our passing zones by the application of calcium. So we are working hard to improve this piece of infrastructure. I have driven it, Mr. Speaker, and I can appreciate the frustration of the residents of Inuvik and of the Mackenzie Delta riding as well. There is a long piece of road that goes all the way to the Yukon and it's 670 kilometres long and I can appreciate the frustration of people driving for long hours on gravel road, but our section, Mr. Speaker, is 270 kilometres long and we’re spending as much money as we can on that highway and upgrading and improving it and I did receive many, many positive comments during my tour. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

I think the positive comments on his tour were coming from the fellow Minister. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister, with business plans coming up, if they can commit 125 kilometres from Inuvik to Tsiigehtchic. My colleagues were with me on that road; we’re still wondering where the dust control is. It was dusty all the way. I’d like to ask the Minister if he could commit his department to doubling the amount of money they put on the Dempster and in particular fix the road between Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic, because it is a dangerous little stretch of road and it’s not very wide, there are no sight lines. Would he commit to that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our priority right now is to do the 44 kilometres from the border towards Midway Lake and that’s where we’re expending our efforts. We’ve got regular O and M funding that does, as well, address some of the issues of that particular section the Member is talking about, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know it’s difficult right now for the Minister to commit any extra funding to the Dempster Highway, but I would like to see him make a recommendation to the department to double the amount of money that they allocate to the Dempster Highway. Would he be able to do that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 132-15(6): Condition Of Dempster Highway

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The challenges of my department and many other departments is how to best allocate the resources of the Government of the Northwest Territories. I can tell the Member that my personal experiences on the Dempster are leaning toward extra recommendation of funding for that portion. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it goes back to my Member’s statement from earlier where I was making mention of the fact that the surgery ward at Stanton Territorial Hospital has been closed on and off now for the past three years. It recently closed again for the summer and, as well, recently the patient lounge in that surgery ward was turned into a four-person office room. I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services if it’s the intent of the department and the hospital to turn that ward into an office wing of that hospital? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 133-15(6): Operational Issues At Stanton Territorial Hospital

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know we’ve worked with Members of this Assembly around our territorial facility here in Yellowknife at Stanton Territorial Hospital. I must say that maybe sometimes I need to get the information the Member is getting to help me do the job a little better. He seems to have a very good source.

Mr. Speaker, the area of the Stanton utilization is something we do when we work with all authorities in the area of master development plans and that is something that we will continue to do. In this situation, through the Stanton territorial facility, we’ve had an additional 11.5 physicians that will work throughout the territory in some of the rehabilitation areas. Because of our shortage of office space in a lot of our facilities, we’ve had to make some changes in there and those are just interim. We’re hoping that we can go forward and put a submission into the workplace shortfall fund and look at making the necessary changes from that point on. Thank you.