Debates of August 23, 2011 (day 16)

Mr. Speaker, one of the key goals of the 16th Assembly is having a diversified economy that provides opportunities and choices for our residents. I believe this Assembly has made tangible progress toward that goal.

The past few years have been challenging. Our territory did not emerge unscathed from the global economic recession. However, we are recovering from the recession, and although our economy faces challenges, we know these challenges come with opportunities.

Through the life of the 16th Legislative Assembly, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment promoted the development of mineral and energy resources, particularly through the work of the Northwest Territories geoscience office. Over the past four years, in partnership with Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) and Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), we provided over $6 million to better understand the Northwest Territories mineral and petroleum resources.

Projects emerged across the territory, which ensured residents reaped these benefits. We have also seen record sales of oil and gas parcels over the last four years.

Mineral development and exploration potential is high. Our diamond mines in the North Slave region continued to hire Northwest Territories residents and support Northwest Territories businesses, facilitated through socio-economic agreements with this government. Just yesterday the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canadian Zinc Corporation signed an agreement on the proposed

Prairie Creek mine that will ensure benefits of development go directly to the community level. We will continue to build Northwest Territories employment at the diamond mines through the Workforce Memorandum of Understanding.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most significant achievements of this government was the development of an updated Diamond Policy Framework. The update demonstrated this government’s efforts to build a sustainable diamond manufacturing industry, and we will continue to work to develop this industry.

Another major accomplishment is the progress made with the Mackenzie Gas Project. Earlier this year the National Energy Board issued a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. We will continue to engage with the federal government and the proponents to move this important project forward.

More than any other industry, tourism has the greatest potential for sustainable development in just about every area of the territory. The Government of the Northwest Territories has made significant investments to grow this industry during the past four years.

Our government wants all business sectors to flourish and has taken many steps to diversify our economy, support our small businesses, and assist residents and communities to become more sustainable.

Over the past four years the Government of the Northwest Territories has:

introduced the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED). Interest in the policy continues to increase and this year ITI provided $3.6 million in SEED policy contributions.

approved $100,000 in dedicated annual funding for the Northwest Territories film industry.

raised the profile of Northwest Territories art and artists at Canada’s Northern House at the Vancouver Olympics.

helped to increase local employment and provided support to small businesses through annual support for community economic development officers and Community Futures development corporations.

launched BizPal in Fort Smith, Hay River, and Fort Simpson. This on-line service provides entrepreneurs with one-stop access to the information they need to start or expand their businesses.

ensured the traditional economy stayed strong in our smaller northern communities by doubling our contribution for the Community Harvesters Assistance Program.

expanded the Take a Kid Trapping program due in large part to the support of this government, elders, educators, and Government of the Northwest Territories staff. Over 10,000 youth have enrolled in the program since it began.

increased fur sales and supported over 700 Northwest Territories trappers a year through the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program. During the past five years trappers have garnered an impressive $5 million in sales.

dedicated additional programming and funding to develop community gardens, agriculture infrastructure, and support the harvesting, processing, and marketing of locally produced fish and meat in the Northwest Territories.

launched a successful awareness campaign in 2010 to promote the Northwest Territories as a place to live and work. “Come Make Your Mark” is still running in partnership with 77 businesses in the private sector.

Mr. Speaker, I am confident the investments made over the course of this government have diversified our economy, provided our residents with opportunities and choices, and helped build sustainable, vibrant communities consistent with the plans of the Government of the Northwest Territories and this Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is committed to enhancing accessibility to post-secondary education for all Northerners. Through a Student Financial Assistance review and the development of northern university options, we continue to strive for a strong, prosperous, educated society.

The primary objective of the Student Financial Assistance program independent review is to determine whether the program benefits adequately support students with rising living costs, how the program contributes to the government’s objective to develop a healthy educated workforce, and providing skills development and resources to meet the needs of our northern communities.

In May 2011, Members of the Legislative Assembly were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the terms of reference for the review. The department has since completed the request for proposal process and hired an independent consultant to complete the review.

After completing initial research on student financial assistance, the consultant will contact current and previous students, Aboriginal organizations, and various other interested parties to consult on the program. The department has formed a steering committee to lead the project and established a working group to assist the consultants with the review process.

Once the review is complete, final recommendations will be developed for consideration.

Canada’s three northern territories share the same interests with post-secondary opportunities for northern students and what opportunities are available. In June the governments of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut signed a memorandum of understanding to explore various models for northern university development.

An appointed working group examined models from around the world to learn about what other countries have done. Based on this research, the working group is preparing a discussion and options paper for the three territorial governments to review and discuss in the fall.

Our goal is to increase northern students’ access to local university-level programming in the North by building on existing resources. A university model has the potential to build capacity for all Northerners, including First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we move into the last session of the 16th Legislative Assembly, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight some of the significant progress this Legislature has made toward achieving its goal of an environment that will sustain present and future generations.

During the past four years we developed a Water Stewardship Strategy and Action Plan for the Northwest Territories. The strategy has been acclaimed by water managers and experts from around the world. Our focus must now shift from planning to implementation. This will include a number of initiatives such as negotiating transboundary water agreements with neighbouring jurisdictions, establishing community-based water monitoring programs, and developing community source-water protection plans in the NWT.

All NWT residents and Members of this Legislature can be very proud of the work we have collectively done to ensure our waters will remain clean, abundant, and productive for all time.

We have developed a new Greenhouse Gas Strategy for the Northwest Territories that will be tabled later today.

The 2011-2015 strategy sets out actions governments, communities, and industry can take to control and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels in the next five years. The Joint Climate Change Committee, made up of Members of Cabinet and Regular Members, was instrumental in guiding our work to meet the challenges and impacts of global climate change.

The continued success of our waste recovery reduction programs highlights our residents’ commitment to our environment. This has been demonstrated by the overwhelming success of the expanded Beverage Container Program and reusable bag programs. We have recycled over 150 million beverage containers since 2005. We have moved away from single-use bags and have made milk containers eligible for a deposit refund. The expansion of these programs is dramatically reducing the amount of litter in our communities and garbage in our landfills.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most critical issues we dealt with during the past four years was the decline in our barren-ground caribou herds.

By working together and making tough management decisions, today we have seen increases in the Porcupine and Bluenose-East herds, the Cape Bathurst and Bluenose-West herds have stabilized, and the Bathurst herd may have stabilized. Other herds, the Tuk Peninsula, the Beverly and Ahiak, have yet to recover. But by completing harvest management and implementation plans for the Porcupine herd and the draft management plans for the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West, and Bluenose-East, we are well on our way to establishing plans for all our herds. The efforts of renewable resources boards, Aboriginal governments, communities, and residents allow us to take this vital step in conserving and protecting this valuable resource for current and future generations.

Mr. Speaker, this is the most environmentally conscious Legislature in the history of the Northwest Territories. Many communities, businesses, and residents are taking advantage of the energy efficiency and alternative energy technology programs and services available through the Arctic Energy Alliance and our government. Biomass, solar, and wind are all being used to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. Recent research on mini-hydro, wind, and geothermal energy sources indicate these could be viable alternative energy sources for some communities and businesses.

Mr. Speaker, during the past four years we have embarked on efforts to review and update our forest management policies and legislation.

Recommendations from a recent wildfire program review are being implemented with communities to ensure the program is addressing the needs of communities and residents, particularly in determining the values at risk and the value placed on wildlife habitat. In addition, wildfire protection plans have either been completed or will be completed this year for all communities in the forested areas of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the highlights of the past four years. We have seen progress in a number of areas including energy and climate change, governance, wildlife and forest management, the Protected Areas Strategy, waste reduction and reuse, and water stewardship.

During the life of this 16th Legislative Assembly we’ve learned how important it is for all Northerners to work together to deal with the important issues facing us.

The progress made to date could only have been accomplished by working with our many partners and forging collaborative and cooperative relationships with Aboriginal governments and organizations, renewable resource boards, communities, industry, academic institutions and, of course, residents.

As a department, Environment and Natural Resources has employees in almost every community. These men and women are very passionate about their work, about conserving and protecting our natural environment, and about working with communities and organizations. I would like to thank them for their unwavering dedication and hard work over the past four years.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Members of this Assembly. Your advice, recommendations, questions and suggestions have helped us make sure our environment will sustain present and future generations.

Conserving and protecting our environment is a shared responsibility and it is encouraging to know that so many organizations and people are accepting and acting on this responsibility.

The progress made through the collaborative and cooperative management approach we have used with our many partners provides a solid foundation for the work of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the May sitting Regular Members made it very clear to the government that summer students are a priority to us. While I’m interested to hear the number of students the government was able to hire this year, I’m even more interested to hear what, if any, lessons were learned so that we can make improvements for the next year’s wave of summer students looking for employment.

Mr. Speaker, improvements are clearly needed, not glossy reports or strategic documents, but real-life practical improvements to the practices and hiring procedures, because I still hear stories that some departments are ignoring candidates who are studying relevant programs and instead they are in favour of hiring students because they feel like it, who don’t study relevant programs. It now begs the question: what’s the point of having Human Resources responsible if the department just ignores what HR does by them trying to help?

Mr. Speaker, to date I don’t see any plans to ensure that we’ve figured out how to organize early hiring, how to identify jobs early, and how to get this organized so students know what’s going on. I know it’s been a long time since many of us were summer students looking for work and, Mr. Speaker, it’s been a long time for many of us in this building, and I think that people have a tendency of forgetting what’s important when you’re a summer student. I think our Members have to remember that these are important jobs and these students are very anxious for these opportunities. So they’re waiting for phone calls, but yet nothing comes. They’re waiting for direction and hope, but yet nothing comes.

Our government is ignoring a huge opportunity: our young future workforce. So here’s an idea: what about taking all of the bilingual students and using their efforts to help improve service delivery? We often hear about how important languages are. Well, why aren’t we taking advantage of our bilingual students? What about helping students with their job search skills, which is real-world networking and tailoring skills for their resumes that need to be done? But right now the Government of the Northwest Territories discourages that practice. So they say just put all your resumes into a pool and we’ll figure it out from there.

There are real practical solutions out there and I certainly hope that Human Resources does a huge review at the end of this summer student season to ask themselves are we doing this the best way possible. I can tell you, I don’t think we are at this time.

So the summer students will be going soon and they will be back next year looking for opportunity. So let us not treat our young students, who will be the workforce of tomorrow, so badly, and let’s give them the best experience and opportunity they so rightly deserve. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve been in the Legislative Assembly for the past eight years and throughout the years there are programs and services that continue to be front and centre in our work. For example, the ever pressing matters of housing, education, and health seem to be the core ones.

Today I’d like to speak about the access to appropriate health care assessment in our health centres.

Too many of my people have been diagnosed with cancer in my region. Something is not right, Mr. Speaker. In the Sahtu we have four health centres and one nursing station. At these health centres we are limited to the type of assessments that can be done, even more restrictive to the care at our nursing station in Colville.

You would think that with the number of people in my region recently being diagnosed with cancer and other related terminal diseases, there would be a shift in the Health department to begin the early detection of cancer, or have a policy in place to send people out to Yellowknife or Edmonton for assessments when the nurse does not know what’s going on with that person. Usually it’s too late, far too late for the families.

Mr. Speaker, in our health centres we are not yet at the same level of other health care in other regions. We can only go so far with programs and services. I’m often told why didn’t the health centre send this person out or do a more thorough check. Some are told to take Tylenol or aspirin, or simply because symptoms of their living are directly related to drinking or smoking too much or whatever. It’s like taking your car to the garage and a mechanic saying you’re driving too much or using too much oil without really checking it. Our health centres are only as good as the tools and resources we provide them.

You see, whether in Yellowknife or in Colville Lake or in Fort Good Hope, we should be treated equal and have equal access to health care. No more, no less.

Mr. Speaker...

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for your Member’s statements has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Health costs continue to rise, meaning that it will come to a point where money to maintain it will be a serious question in the North and the future Legislative Assembly.

With so many changes to our diet, changes to our water, and changes to our lifestyle, we are seeing a real need to provide health care workers and our people with early detection programs start assessing our people right now for cancer.

I will ask the Minister later on what types of programs are in place to start saving lives in our communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to once again stress the need for daycare and preschool programs along with the facilities to operate these programs in Tu Nedhe.

In Lutselk’e there are many parents who wish to work but because there is no daycare, they have no choice but to stay at home. There are also times when parents had to give up jobs because they had difficulty finding a sitter for their children.

As for children who have no preschool experience, they start kindergarten not being school ready. This is a fact and in the screening process for school readiness for instruction in school environment, a lot of children fall way below the necessary basic literacy and math skills. These children would benefit tremendously from daycare and preschool.

A preschool prepares children for primary school and teaches these children socialization skills, interaction skills, motor skills such as to dress themselves and tie their own shoes. It teaches them how to recognize colours, learn their ABCs and numbers. These skills make the transition from preschool to kindergarten a lot easier.

Some children have none of these skills upon entering kindergarten, and when this is the case, it becomes a conflict with the teacher who has to juggle between concentrating on pre-ready and non-ready students. It can also become very frustrating in different areas for the children themselves who do not have the benefits of preschool.

Although Fort Resolution presently has a daycare preschool program, the facility, staff, and funding in place can only accommodate eight preschoolers. There are currently 16 children on the waiting list in order to accommodate a total of 24 children. There is a definite need for a larger facility, more staff, and more government funding. Fort Resolution could use at least one more preschool teacher and possibly a daycare worker.

Good support for daycare and preschool will assist students to enter kindergarten on a more positive note and these students will benefit from the programs right through high school. Not long ago I read a story about families in the suburbs of Vancouver who believe in having their children in preschool, and that they would drive across the city for three hours to get their children into preschool. Along with the extra four-hour drive they spend their day travelling to the preschool...

Mr. Beaulieu, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Along with the extra four hours a day they spend on travel to get their children to and from preschool, they would even pay up to $1,200 a month to have their children attend preschool.

I believe this government has made a commitment to increase high school graduates. Let’s start at preschool and I’m sure the benefits will be there in the future.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the last couple of years I and some of my colleagues have worked hard to highlight to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and his department the significant advantages supporting a home-grown film industry will bring to the Northwest Territories. I believe that this multi-million dollar industry is good for the people of the NWT in many ways.

First, it employs a significant number of Northerners, and with support will potentially employ more.

Second, film and media produced and developed by our talented Northerners highlights the cultural diversity and unique aspects of our great territory: the people, the places, the events, and our environment; all things we should be very proud of.

Third, it helps circulate money throughout the Northwest Territories as film and media producers travel to different locations within our territory and engage other small local businesses for assistance in their productions.

Fourth, it creates an awareness of the territory as a whole. It makes the realities of the Northwest Territories accessible to all people, both inside and outside of the Northwest Territories, and both within Canada and around the world. Clearly, this industry is and should be a real and sustainable portion of our economy.

I was very pleased on July 18, 2011, when the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment announced that his department, recognizing that the filming industry has become one of the territory’s most promising sectors, has restructured the Film Commission to provide support to the NWT film industry to better serve aspiring northern filmmakers. In addition, the department announced that $100,000 in new dedicated annual funding has been made available to NWT film industry projects. It’s clear that the Minister was listening to the industry. This is a great first step, and I thank the Minister and his department for their hard work and dedication.

Recently I was talking to a filmmaker who indicated that he has been working closely with the newly organized, efficient, and very helpful Film Commission that is helping to put Yellowknife and the NWT on the map as a place where high-level, professional, and economically rewarding film production can happen. Clearly, the northern-grown film industry, with government help, is going in a positive direction.

I would like to once again thank the Minister for his support on this file and hopefully this kind of open-mindedness can be seen within other sectors like agriculture and biomass production in the territory in our future.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we are all aware, there is a major proposed amendment to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and again the process seems to be driven from outside in, from the big boys in Ottawa. Again the legislation, regarding the drafting of legislation, was done by land claims organizations in the Northwest Territories along with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the federal government to come up with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act made in the North, for the North, and designed for the North.

Just reviewing the information that I’ve had access to, I believe that the changes will very much undermine the intent of the drafting that took place, especially in the area of duty to consult, as we heard from a lot of small communities, whether it’s Trout Lake or the Aboriginal organizations not being consulted, especially when it comes to the changes and the developments that are taking place in northern Canada.

The duty to consult is clear. The Aboriginal consultation recommendation, under guidelines of the federal officials, fulfill duties to consult and recognize that there’s a need for policies that need to be working and also through regulatory boards in northern Canada to work with First Nations governments to ensure that takes place.

I think it’s important to realize that the Government of the Northwest Territories, who seem to be now in the driver’s seat, is now suggesting their own changes in regard to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act without even consulting Members on this side of the House on what those changes are going to be, more importantly how they will affect our constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories.

I believe that the Government of the Northwest Territories has to fulfill its obligation to consult, but more importantly, understand that we have rural and remote communities that don’t have the resources to fully participate in the regulatory systems in the Northwest Territories, and we have the right to accommodate, regardless through financial means or allowing them access to legal advisors and people that understand the legislation, and to ensure that their rights and communities are protected socially, economically, and culturally by these developments that are going to take place.

At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister questions in regard to where the government is coming from on the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to try to address an important and somewhat complicated issue. That is providing services to small and remote communities from our regional centres. Situations such as these are a result of fairly complicated charges but the same premise is simple.

When there are shortages, especially doctors, therapists, counsellors, and nurses, the first things that are cut are small and remote communities. This is wrong. According to the community leaders of Nunakput, every time there’s an expected shortage, we just accept it. They will get cut off of services for an indefinite period of time. What does this government allow? Our small and remote communities always get the shaft on services that are in jeopardy.

I went so far as to say that for recruitment of officers, these departments don’t have to replace vacant medical positions, because they never know where they’re living in small and remote communities. They don’t know what it’s like to have medical appointments cancelled time after time for elders and people on dental and just different surgeries.

The equalities between the major centres and small communities are huge and it seems to be getting worse. The regional offices get funding to provide services to our communities, but the cuts have been made. It’s always on the backs of our communities. In addition, I don’t think all of the staff with these offices realize that they’re supposed to service from remote communities. Many community leaders have said the same staff even think their first priority is the servicing of the major centres first, the small communities second. It’s a real shame. However, if the case of servicing the small communities is second place, then this government needs to come clean and state that. This government needs to ensure that the shortages of experienced small and remote communities aren’t always bearing the brunt of it all for these positions. This government needs to devote resources to ensure problems such as administrative policies and procedures...

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Like I said, this government needs to devote the resources to ensure that the problems such as administrative policies and procedures are not hindering our medical and administrative staff from providing the services that we desperately need in all of the communities; not just Yellowknife, not just Inuvik, but all.

I will have more questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak about the quality of health services delivered in my riding of Nahendeh. Specifically I want to speak about how these services are provided to our elders.

I share my colleagues Mr. Yakeleya and Mr. Jacobson’s concerns that people are not being examined properly and are being misdiagnosed. We know that as we age, our bodies require more care, we need to see the doctor more often, and we need health professionals to take us seriously when we say that something is wrong. We may not be able to diagnose ourselves, but we know our bodies. If something is wrong, we need to be taken seriously.

Our elders are not receiving the quality of care they require. Many elders in the Nahendeh riding don’t understand the medical system. They don’t speak English well enough to communicate what is happening with their body. They also don’t understand what health professionals say to them about their health. As a result, I believe a late constituent passed away as a result of late diagnosis of cancer. He said people are dying before their time because they cannot convey their ailments properly and are being misdiagnosed.

Also people are being turned away at our health centres not once or twice but three times in a row. There is no one advocating for them to tell them that their ailments are real and they must be treated properly.

Adding to this situation is the inability to develop a relationship with doctors in the region because doctors change every six months or so and elders do not have the opportunity to build trust with the doctor before they have to explain their health situation all over again.

We require trained translators to accompany our elders to their doctor appointments; trained translators whose role is to ensure that the elders are receiving what they require. This means that they need to be fluent in the Slavey language and have some health training as well. They need to understand medical terms, be able to aid an elder in understanding what the diagnosis is and what they have to do to stay healthy.

We also need doctors that come to our regions for longer periods of time and ideally be permanent residents of our communities.

During question period I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services questions that pertain to this statement.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to bring attention today to a very slow moving government project. That project is the development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy.

As early as February 2010, I began urging the government to recognize the need for a government-wide comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy and to take action on it. I’ve made statements in the House many times since. To its credit, the government has taken some action in the last year and a half, but it’s been too little and taken much too much time to get going.

A motion was passed in this House on February 11th last year which called for the development of a comprehensive NWT Anti-Poverty Strategy, and on May 19th the Premier in his statement that day said, “Mr. Speaker, we’re prepared to undertake the work required to develop an overarching discussion paper that would address issues of defining and measuring progress on poverty, summarize current programs and strategic direction related to reducing poverty areas for further action.” That was 15 months ago, Mr. Speaker, and we have yet to see that paper.

As of October last year when no action had been taken to start the promised work, concerned NWT residents, the No Place for Poverty Alliance, organized and held a very successful workshop, the results of which were published in the No Place for Poverty report. That report again urged the GNWT to begin development of an Anti-Poverty Strategy. Another period of inaction followed until the Premier, in February of this year, announced the establishment of a GNWT working group which would produce the discussion paper he’d promised a year before. As of today, Members have not seen that paper and indications are the report on the development of a strategy will be handed off to the 17th Assembly.

I have to ask, Mr. Speaker, when will we see that paper, because it is long overdue. I can only interpret the government’s delay as a stalling tactic; that the hope is the issue will go away if they wait long enough. Well, that’s not about to happen, Mr. Speaker. The benefits of such a strategy to the government, to our staff and to our residents are immeasurable. This issue is supported by the No Place for Poverty Alliance, a group comprised of 29 diverse organizations who represent people right across the NWT. An Anti-Poverty Strategy is important to me, as well, Mr. Speaker, but how important is it to other Members of this House? Well, we will soon know.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

At a press conference this morning the alliance launched its anti-poverty election tool kit. They will be asking each candidate in the October 3rd election to take a pledge to make an Anti-Poverty Strategy a key priority for the 17th Assembly. The Alliance will then publish the results for voters’ consideration.

I have to commend the Alliance for their election initiative and fully support their stand. The development of this strategy must be a top priority for the next Assembly. It’s an issue which will not go away. Our residents need it. Our NGOs and local governments want it and are asking for it. I have to ask: will the Assembly rise to the challenge brought to us by the people? We shall see. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Colleagues, before I go to the next Member for Members’ statements I’d like to draw your attention to the gallery and the presence of a former Member of the House, Mr. Henry Zoe is with us today.

The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise with enormous sadness today to offer words of sympathy to the families and friends of Yellowknifers who lost their lives in the tragedy of First Air flight 6560. I offer these condolences in concert with my colleagues and in the absence of a sitting Member for the riding of Range Lake where they resided.

Ute Merritt was a flight attendant who perished in the Resolute Bay disaster. Daughter Samantha of Weledeh has noted that in every picture of her, Ute is smiling. Ute’s prowess as a sailor is well known, and she and Jim were virtually unbeatable in the regular races on the bay. My heartfelt condolences to Ute’s husband, Jim, and to their children, Victoria, Nicolas, Devan, Carl, and Samantha.

Dave Hare, a well-respected first officer with First Air, was a former Weledeh constituent. Dave put priority on spending time with his children and was an outdoor and hunting enthusiast. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Jane, and to their children Lily, Adelyn, and Genevieve, and to Dave and Jane’s parents who are in Yellowknife supporting their family.

Anne Marie Golding was purser and flight attendant on the First Air flight and was a long-term nurse at Stanton Hospital. She was very highly regarded, with many friends in the community. To Anne Marie’s children, Ashley and Bradley, and to her parents, Linda and Harry of Yellowknife, I extend my deepest sympathies.

While we mourn the loss of these parents and community members, let’s also give thanks for the miraculous survival of Nicole Williamson and Robin Wyllie, both of Yellowknife, and seven-year-old Gabrielle Eckalook.

The service and sacrifice of those in our aviation industry should also be recognized. In our small and tightly-knit northern society these losses hit hard and sadness ripples throughout our community. Though we may not have been personally acquainted with these lost, we know they were our community partners and fellow citizens. This kind of tragedy cuts deep.

I know all Members join me in expressing the most profound regret at these families’ losses and our prayers that with the help of their community and loved ones they will find comfort in their grief. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to speak today about a new sports organization in the Northwest Territories called Golf Northwest Territories. This organization was spearheaded by a group of individuals from a number of communities across the NWT. The founding members of Golf NT are Carl Bird and Gordon Brayton from Yellowknife, Quinn Groenhyde and Mike King from Hay River, Jean Soucy from Fort Smith, and Conan Donahue from Fort Simpson.

Their idea was to create a territorial organization that would help promote the benefits of the wonderful game of golf.

The main goal of Golf NT is to encourage youth to participate so that we can continue to see the growth of our game in our territory amongst our youth.

In April of this year Golf NT applied to become a recognized territorial sport organization, or TSO. With this status, Golf NT will now have access to funding to help promote the game of golf, develop junior golfers, and oversee competitions around the territory. Current membership is over 650 and is concentrated in the four communities that have well-established golf courses: Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Smith, and Fort Simpson. There are also members from Gameti, and interest has been shown from golfers in Norman Wells and Inuvik.

Golf NT held its second annual NWT championships where an under-17 team was chosen to compete at the recently held Western Canada Summer Games, a first ever for the NWT. The NWT golf team consisted of Brandon Tuckey from Fort Smith, Jeff Groenhyde and Kieran Kipling from Hay River, Devon Hinchey and Emily Hamm from Yellowknife. Gord Brayton, the general manager and pro at the Yellowknife Golf Club, acted as the coach, and Nicole Hamm of Yellowknife was the team manager.

I want to take this opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to wish Golf NT every success in the future. The growth of the game amongst our youth is a direct result of the dedication and determination of the coaches, parents, and other golfers that help our youth get involved in sports and in golf in particular, and grow this sport here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my leadership: Tlicho Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus is here with us; also Chief Alphonse Nitsiza of Whati; Chief Charlie Football of Wekweeti; and also an elder from Gameti, Louie Zoe is here with us. Also staff members along with the leadership: John B. Zoe, Bertha Rabesca-Zoe and Henry Zoe.

Also, I’d like to recognize another lady that came from outside the territory: Bonnie George. She’s a...(inaudible)...chief of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation of British Columbia. She’s visiting Yellowknife as part of a practicum towards her master’s degree curriculum developing Aboriginal studies and she’s here to witness how this government operates. I’d like to welcome everybody here. Mahsi.