Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. The honourable Premier, Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to read this statement on behalf of the Premier who is currently attending a government business matter.
Mr. Speaker, later today the chair of Caucus will be tabling a results report for the 16th Legislative Assembly. It highlights activities this government has taken to support strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories.
I will not try to list all these activities, but rather would note that we all should take some pride in the achievements of this Assembly. There have been considerable investments and strategic actions that have been undertaken to support our goals of:
healthy, educated people;
sustainable, vibrant, safe communities;
an environment that will sustain present and future generations;
a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices;
a strong and independent North built on partnerships; and
effective and efficient government.
We were able to make significant progress on these goals, while managing our way through a major global economic recession that significantly impacted our economy and the government’s fiscal capacity.
Mr. Speaker, the work of government is not always easy, and as Members we do not always agree on the best approach to move the Northwest Territories forward. However, I would like to thank all Members of the 16th Legislative Assembly for their contributions over the past four years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of this Legislative Assembly, Members clearly signalled energy policy and programming as priorities and directed this government to pursue initiatives that reduce the cost of living and, in particular, energy costs.
Our government responded by an unprecedented $60 million multi-year commitment towards energy programs and initiatives. This investment was geared toward reducing imported fossil fuels, mitigating the environmental impacts of our energy use, and reducing the cost of living in the Northwest Territories.
We reported on the results of this investment in the Northwest Territories Energy Report that I tabled during the May session of this Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, consider the following results of these investments:
The Northwest Territories leads the country in the installation of commercial-sized wood pellet boilers;
The Arctic Energy Alliance now has more resources than ever before and has established three regional offices;
Energy use by the Government of the Northwest Territories has declined considerably. We have met our target established in the 2007 Greenhouse Gas Strategy, a 10 percent reduction in emissions;
There are many ongoing projects aimed at using local sources of energy. These include wind, geothermal, hydrokinetic, biomass, and solar. For example, the Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation has just issued a request for proposals for the installation of up to 70 kilowatts of solar panels in Fort Simpson. This will provide a source of renewable energy for the local grid for the next 30 years; and
We have made more significant changes to our electricity system than had been made in the past 20 years. Working together, this Legislative Assembly was able to bring about real change that benefitted families as well as local businesses. We cut electricity rates in many communities while increasing the level of support for affordable electricity for our residents.
This Legislative Assembly has provided a solid foundation for the future. There has been a tremendous amount of work accomplished and capacity established that will serve the people of the Northwest Territories well.
Where could the future take us? Ideally towards:
a future where every community is using, to some degree, local, renewable sources of energy;
a future where our homes and businesses use as little energy as possible, reducing costs as well as our environmental footprint;
a future that includes the Mackenzie Gas Project, which will provide our northern communities and industry with a secure source of clean and cost-effective energy. This project has the potential to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 30 percent in communities now consuming diesel fuel as their main source of energy. It can also supply southern markets with the natural gas that will be required in the transition to a low carbon economy; and
a future where we have developed our hydroelectric resources, in partnership with Aboriginal governments, for our own use as well as for export, contributing to the national effort on climate change.
In short, we envision a future that includes very little, if any, imported oil. That is the challenge for the future. I am confident that we have provided the foundation for the 17th Legislative Assembly to work towards this goal for the benefit of our economy, our environment, and for future generations.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today I will table a draft Legal Aid Act and consultation paper. The Department of Justice is developing a new Legal Aid Act and is seeking comments from the public.
The proposed new Legal Aid Act will provide greater clarity on governance and processes, and a more client-focused, service-oriented approach to our legal aid system.
Feedback from consultation will help to create legislation that strengthens service for all clients and ensures independence, accountability, and transparency in the delivery of legal aid services in the Northwest Territories.
The draft legislation and consultation paper are also available on the Department of Justice website.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Honourable Bob McLeod on behalf of the honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to read this statement on behalf of the Minister of Health and Social Services who is currently attending to a personal matter.
This Assembly has heard repeatedly that the cost of delivering health and social services programs are rising and that sustainability and funding are a continued and growing issue for all jurisdictions.
We all know that the delivery of health and social services is complex. The system and the people that work within it must consistently respond appropriately to and balance the needs of individuals, families, communities and the overall population against the resources available.
Mr. Speaker, the people of the Northwest Territories receive excellent health and social services. We continue to provide a range of programs and services either close to home or through medical travel. However, we must strive for better services, greater efficiencies, and make appropriate use of new technologies to improve our services.
Our health and social services system is challenged by issues that other jurisdictions do not even contemplate. We have worked hard to meet these challenges and build on our successes to improve the quality of services to people, families, communities, and strengthen our health and social services system to achieve efficiencies. Some of the successes achieved over the past four years under the Foundation for Change include:
adding telehealth sites across 29 communities. The final seven telehealth units have been installed and will go live by this fall. Telehealth is one of our HealthNet solutions.
the successful management of the first pandemic flu outbreak in decades. Our joint GNWT response received a Premiers Award, as well as being the envy of other jurisdictions.
reducing our reliance on agency nurses. We have a float pool of NWT nurses and are hiring as many Northwest Territories nursing graduates as our system can absorb.
moving to a team-based, client-focused approach. This approach ensures people across the Northwest Territories will have better services and more equitable access. We’re also looking at finding ways to incorporate virtual teams to better support clients and staff in communities. This is consistent with our Integrated Service Delivery Model.
Mr. Speaker, in an effort to build on our work done to date, a renewed strategic plan has been developed. This plan clearly lays out the key goals, objectives and actions the health and social services system will follow to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of health and social services.
We have worked closely with the Joint Leadership Council and the CEOs from the Health and Social Services Authority, and we appreciate their valuable input into the design of a new 2011-2016 strategic plan for the health and social Services system.
Later today the Minister of Health and Social Services will table the 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Building on Our Foundation.
This strategic plan builds on actions established under A Foundation for Change and our commitment to improve the health and well-being of all Northerners. Leadership and commitment to achieve the goals of the plan comes from the Minister and the Joint Leadership Council who are the stewards of the system.
Mr. Speaker, one of our top priorities will be to strengthen the primary community care system by ensuring community providers are making progress on managing chronic conditions in the community and also by integrating mental health and addiction services into existing community services and the larger health system.
Providing services to remote communities requires a medical travel system that provides people with access to appropriate services not available in their community and acts as an air ambulance in emergencies. This is a significant cost driver to the system and we all need to ensure it is used properly. This requires both system and user responsibility. The plan will identify ways to improve the system to ensure patients receive appropriate services in an efficient and effective manner.
Mr. Speaker, new technologies such as telehealth, digital imaging and picture archiving systems and an on-line patient’s record system will also assist in strengthening our service delivery. All of these initiatives are intended to provide a higher quality service while reducing the overall system cost.
We have also been challenged to ensure we have the right staff in place to provide services. We now have trained northern nurses, social workers, home care workers, mental health workers and other allied health professionals. We must continue to train Northerners and encourage our youth to enter into health and social services careers. We face the ongoing challenge of provider shortages in a global market and all of us need to ensure a safe and desirable work place for health care and social services staff.
This strategic plan will be our roadmap for the next five years. It provides high-level actions that will be supported through the annual business plan and budget cycle, and includes actions, deliverables and targets that hold the Minister, the Joint Leadership Council, and every person in the health and social services system accountable to deliver.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that change cannot happen quickly. In some instances it will take years to see the effects of these changes. Government alone cannot improve health and social outcomes. We all have a role to play when it comes to our health and wellness. This includes accepting responsibility as individuals for maintaining our own good health through actions like proper diet and exercise or by stopping smoking and excessive use of alcohol.
The next few years are sure to bring significant challenges to the process of service delivery. We have every confidence that we can respond to these challenges and continue to provide quality health care and social services consistent with GNWT priorities and the needs of the population.
The health and social services system is also facing significant capital and operations needs that will continue to represent the largest part of the GNWT budget. Health care costs are continuing to increase and there are concerns about the long-term sustainability of health care systems across Canada, including the Northwest Territories.
The 17th Legislative Assembly will be faced with significant real and immediate fiscal pressures for the NWT health and social services system. Some are non-controllable -- external price/volume pressures -- some are the result of policy decisions and public demand and expectations. Adding to those pressures, the lifespan of most of our health and social services facilities is running its course.
As a result, our current and future capital needs for hospitals and health centres will more than likely outstrip our capital resources and yet are a necessity.
However, planning in response to these fiscal challenges provides an opportunity for innovation and collaboration. Today’s announcement by Prime Minister Harper to extend the Territorial Health Systems Sustainability Initiative funding to Canada’s territories is a welcome first step.
The road ahead, as outlined in this strategic plan, Building on our Foundation, will require innovation, flexibility, adaption and continued support for change and for making the best use of our limited resources. This is our commitment and we invite all Northerners to join us in building healthy communities and a healthy Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission’s mission is to promote workplace safety and care for injured workers. This mission is more than a statement. It is the foundation for commission employees’ work; building on the belief that through prevention, we can eliminate workplace injuries.
To achieve its mission, the commission requires solid leadership. Earlier this summer the Governance Council of the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission selected a new president and CEO. As of July 25, 2011, Mr. Dave Grundy accepted the position of WSCC president and CEO. Working with the commission for nine years, Mr. Grundy enhanced its focus on stakeholder service. His strong leadership skills and northern experience will assist the commission as it moves forward helping northern employers build strong safety cultures.
I extend my congratulations to Mr. Grundy on his new position and to the commission for its continued efforts to improve workplace safety for all Northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We hear a lot about the riches of the Northwest Territories by way of our resources, but we are poor by way of the people that live in poverty in the Northwest Territories.
The social and economic standards of people throughout the Northwest Territories, regardless if it’s native people who live in the North with an average income of $18,000 or people in the North who are having health issues because of their diabetes or liver disease or ailments by way of poor health care or the lack of health care services in a lot of our communities. The challenges we have by mental health and addiction challenges all stem from poverty.
I believe that as a government we have to realize that poverty is a man-made element. It is man-made and can be prevented by man. Poverty in the Northwest Territories can be overcome by ensuring that the levels of services to people in the Northwest Territories who are in poverty by increasing the cost of living and increasing the services that’s being provided regardless if it’s health care or in the area of education, ensuring that the services that we are providing is getting them out of poverty and keeping them out of poverty and not continue to put them into a justice system that they continue with the revolving door scenario in which they get into jail, they get out of jail, they end up at Salvation Army or they end up on the streets or being homeless.
All I ask of the 17th Assembly is to make poverty one of their top priorities and ensure the next Assembly really deals with the problem in northern Canada and get the potential that we have, who are the people. One of the most valuable assets we have as a society is people. Everyone has the right to housing, to food, and to dignity. Only then will we see the richness of the Northwest Territories by way of the richness in our people.
With that, I would like to leave by stating I would like to thank yourself, Mr. Speaker, and Mr. Roland. I look forward to seeing you on the golf course. More importantly, thanking the other Members for serving with you over the last number of years, and I wish you all the best in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Politics were new to me and I want to offer some brief and random comments on the experience of the past four years.
People ask me, so, Bob, do you enjoy it? I always reply that I am not sure “enjoy” is the right word, but the job is fully engaging, it uses whatever you can bring to the table.
Another motivating aspect is that being at the table, your voice must be heard. People can choose to ignore your input or disagree with it or use it to modify their own thoughts, but fundamentally the electorate has provided you with a voice and this must be fully valued.
First, as Stephanie Nolen, a Globe and Mail foreign correspondent speaking on CBC’s program “Ideas” last night said, you must show up. This is equally true in politics. You must be at the table to use the privilege the electorate has provided you.
With this in mind, I want to deeply thank the citizens of Weledeh who have given me this opportunity and this trust. It has been an unimagined honour to serve as MLA for Weledeh and all people of the Northwest Territories. I thank the constituency assistants who have worked so hard for me and you, starting with Mr. Craig Yeo, my longest serving CA. We are a team. I thank Lani Cook, Julian Morse, and briefly Jaya Bastedo served early in my term. Similarly, I have found the Legislative Assembly staff the most extraordinary workers I have ever seen.
The late leader of Canada’s official opposition, the Honourable Jack Layton, has been a mentor to many politicians. On the business of doing politics, his fine last words serve us all: “My friends,” he said, “love is better than anger; hope is better than fear; optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful, and optimistic and we’ll change the world.” I thank Mr. Layton for his service to the country and especially for his championship of those most in need. I offer my condolences to his family, friends, and comrades, and give thanks for his contribution to improving Canadian society.
Finally, with much love, I thank Marianne, to whom I owe so much, and all of my extended family for their support.
Mr. Speaker, to you and all my colleagues I say mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Sport North Federation is a recognized leader in sport development in the Northwest Territories. It is dedicated to the development of sport at every level of participation throughout this territory. Today Sport North consists of 27 sports organizations, or TSOs, and regularly partners with a number of NWT sports organizations in the NWT for the benefit of youth and sports at a territorial level.
Sport North is accessible to all residents of the Northwest Territories and provides valuable support in most communities in the Northwest Territories through TSO development in sport, as well as by offering coaching clinics in other sports-related activities.
On Monday night I attended an information session put on by Sport North where they outlined some concerns and problems they’ve been experiencing this year with regard to funding that they have been allocated by the Sports and Recreation Council, or the SRC. The SRC is a body assigned by the government to allocate lottery funding to the different sports organizations throughout the Northwest Territories. The problem seems to stem from the application process utilized by the SRC. According to many, for the 2011-2012 fiscal year the SRC application packages were distributed to interested parties prior to the conclusion of the SRC’s own strategic planning process. However, the SRC assessed the applications based on the strategic plan that was issued after the applications were submitted.
Sport North applied for funding in 12 different areas. They were approved for six of these areas, at a total of $1.683 million. As a result of the confusion with the process and lack of clarity as to why certain aspects of their proposals and important program areas were declined, they felt that they had no choice but to appeal the process. They’ve been waiting for over four months for the appeal to be heard and to date have had no response on their appeal from the SRC.
The problem here is that while waiting for the results of their appeal, they’ve been uncomfortable signing their contribution agreement for the six other areas they were approved for by the SRC. They fear that if they sign, they will lose their right to appeal and forfeit their appeal and will lose all ability to obtain additional funding for things like their coaching programs, their Canadian Sport for Life program, and their community support opportunity programs. The loss of these programs will have dramatic effects on sport in the Northwest Territories.
While waiting for the appeal process to run its course, they have been using cash on hand plus a transitional payment made by MACA of $149,000 to cover costs including payroll and contributions to the TSOs.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
In 30 days Sport North will be out of cash and unable to meet their payroll. This could be the end of Sport North. As a result of the long and confusing appeal process, the life of this important organization is on the line. This is unacceptable. Sport North has an important role in sport within the Northwest Territories and a solution must be found.
Later this afternoon I will be asking the Minister of MACA some important questions on this file.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Over the last eight years I have spoken often and determinedly on many issues, but today I will speak on the very reason I am here: the people of Nahendeh.
It has been an honour and a privilege to serve my constituents and I thank them for the confidence they have shown in returning me for a second term. I believe I have carried out my duties to them with energy, commitment, and dedication, and that I have worked hard to bring their issues to the attention of Ministers and this House, and that I have responded promptly to their inquiries and requests for assistance.
This October I will be asking the voters of Nahendeh for a third mandate, and should I be re-elected, I want to assure them that I will continue to be reliable, approachable, and to work hard on their behalf using my experience that I have gained as MLA for the last eight years.
We have won many improvements to our community services and infrastructure, but there’s still a long way to go. We need schools in Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte. Our highways, with their bathtub-sized potholes, need attention. Better housing with an appeal system. Better delivery of our health care. I hope to be back here this October to continue these battles on behalf of the Nahendeh people.
I wish Mr. Premier, Floyd Roland; and Mr. Speaker, Paul Delorey; and MLA David Krutko their best in retirement from public life. They have done well to serve their constituents and the people of the NWT. It was indeed an honour to serve with them in this Legislature.
I would also like to thank my children, Candace, Diedra, and Keone, for their love and support to me as a father and understanding the work as an MLA has sacrifices for a personal life.
I would also like to thank my constituency assistant, Pearl Norwegian, whose support I am very grateful for.
Also to all my family and friends, mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this is the last day we will all be together in this House, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank some people.
First of all, thank you to the constituents of Kam Lake who four years ago returned me to the role of representing them, their families, and businesses here in the Legislature as the MLA for Kam Lake. It continues to be an honour and a privilege to serve you.
To my colleagues -- and I will start with those I know have decided to pursue other ventures -- Mr. Speaker, it has been a pleasure working with you over the past eight years. I have enjoyed our time together on the Board of Management, and your dedication and devotion to this House and the role of Speaker is to be commended. I wish you the very best, Mr. Speaker.
To our Premier, Mr. Floyd Roland, whom I firmly believe got into politics for all the right reasons: to serve the people of his riding of Inuvik Boot Lake and eventually all the residents of this territory.
Most recently, that role as Premier -- the “Big Job,” as he called it the other day -- even though we were at odds on some decisions over the years, I want to say to him that I admire his ability to stand up for what he believes is right. He’s been at this for 16 years and I want to thank him very much for the service not only to his constituents but to the people of the Northwest Territories, and wish him well in all his future endeavours.
To my colleague Mr. Krutko, who has served this House in many capacities over his 16 years of service, I want to say that committee meetings will not be the same without you there, sir.
---Laughter
---Applause
Mr. Krutko is a devoted champion for his riding of Mackenzie Delta, to his constituents, and in fact the small communities across the Northwest Territories. He’s going to be sorely missed.
To my other colleagues in this House, I thank you for all you have done to help improve this great territory of ours. Shortly we will all be out on the campaign trail in our respective ridings and I want to wish you all the best.
None of us would be able to do what we do here in the House without the help and advice of our staff, and I want to thank, first of all, Mr. Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, for the professional team he has assembled here in the Clerk’s office, corporate services, research, and library services. I also want to thank the Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Brian Thagard; our security staff; and the staff in our cafeteria.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
In closing I must thank my constituency assistant, Ms. Lynda Comerford. Lynda has been with me since the day I was elected in 2003. I believe she’s the second-longest serving CA in the building. She puts in a great deal of work for me, my office, and the constituents in Kam Lake. I want to thank her very much for her eight years of service to my office.
Once again to everybody, it has been a pleasure and an honour.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I took the opportunity to thank my colleagues on the Cabinet side of the House and I have a few more people I’d like to thank today.
I’d like to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the 12 years that you have served and contributed to this Assembly and the people of Hay River and the Northwest Territories. They say you don’t get to choose your relatives, you don’t get to choose who your other partner’s going to be from the community you serve from if there are two, but I am pleased to say that we have become friends and you have done an amazing service to this Assembly over the years. I thank you for that.
Also, I would like to thank my colleague Mr. Krutko, one of the four in this Assembly who have now served 16 years, for his unwavering commitment and giving a voice to Northerners in this House. I had the privilege of serving as Deputy Speaker when Mr. Krutko was the Speaker. We travelled a little bit together. It was a little bit confusing to people, because everybody thought I was his wife. They didn’t understand that he was the Speaker, I was the Deputy Speaker, and we tried to get them on the straight and narrow on that.
Mr. Speaker, to my colleagues on this side of the House, it was a privilege. I thank you for allowing me to serve as the chair of the Priorities and Planning committee. We laughed this morning about that. We said there were a couple of times when they wanted to throw me out, but we persevered together and I do thank them for that very, very much.
Also, to the staff, Mr. Ramsay has articulated the staff under Mr. Mercer’s guidance. I would like to especially thank the Deputy Clerk, Mr. Schauerte, who was a smiling face when I entered this building 16 years ago, and has served as the clerk to the committee that I chaired of Priorities and Planning. Mr. Schauerte has not seemingly aged a day, in spite of all the stress we’ve put him through, which is remarkable in and of itself.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank my constituency assistant Wendy Morgan. We have been a team for over 12 and a half years, and she has been such a support to me. They say that a constituency assistant is someone who helps the Member in the performance of their duties, and Wendy has gone way above and beyond the call of duty in supporting me in my role as the Member for Hay River South, and I thank her very much for that, as I know do the constituents of Hay River South for her generosity and concern. When I have not been around, she has listened to their issues and helped me to convey them on their behalf.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank my family. My husband, Rick, is in the visitors’ gallery today. Last weekend we celebrated 34 years of marriage. When you do the math, 16 of those I’ve been here, and some people would say that’s the success of the whole thing, right?
---Laughter
That’s nearly half of my 34 years of marriage I’ve been doing this, but he has been my biggest supporter and I do thank him very, very much for that.
To my constituents of Hay River South, I’d like to thank them for the honour of representing them in this House. I am proud of what we’ve accomplished. We’ve got a few more things to do and I will be offering my 16 years of service back to the people of Hay River South again in the upcoming election on October 3rd. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I will be addressing the elders of Tu Nedhe in my language.
[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
[English translation not provided.]
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use my final Member’s statement to thank a lot of people over the last four years.
Firstly, as I entered this building I thanked the citizens of Yellowknife Centre, and I’d like to begin the same way by finishing this term by thanking the constituents of Yellowknife Centre, the many friends and the seniors who constantly provide advice and support through the years. As we all know, we deal with challenging issues and sometimes very emotional and stressful issues, and many of my constituents have provided much needed advice and support through those and have been the guiding light and certainly the compass rose to many of the issues that I’ve had to seek advice, to get direction and make sure I’m responding appropriately.
Mr. Speaker, it’s very important to me to thank my best friend in the world. That would be my wife, Susan. She’s always been there through and through. She is the ear I bend at the end of the day, sometimes explaining what happened at work, and I ask, like, what the heck is going on. And she says the same type of response, but she’s been the pillar of the whole reason why I’ve been here. Without her on the team, I mean, it’s tough to do this job as it is.
To my two children, who I was able to get in their seats sitting attentively today, that would be McKinley and Hudson. You know, being an MLA is a difficult challenge as it is, but I think it goes unspoken many times about how challenging it is on the families and the children. Sometimes we don’t spend enough time together, but I do try to spend as much time as I can with them and I try to be as good a dad as exceptionally possible. It doesn’t mean I can’t spend more time, but I do promise that we do try as much as we can.
Mr. Speaker, some of the most memorable days this term I would say all started here working with some of the people in this Assembly. Ironically, some of the most stressful days have been working with the same people around this room in this Assembly. But to that, I won’t spend a lot of time thanking everyone individually, but I would just say that it’s been challenging; but I would also say, in some respects, it’s also been rewarding working with everyone.
Mr. Speaker, just highlighting a couple things: It’s been a privilege to see what we’ve been able to do on supplementary health benefits, the dementia centre, e-petitions, the downtown clinic, and even distracted driving, to name a few. But it’s been great that we’ve been able to move so many initiatives forward.
Mr. Speaker, the work needs to continue. There’s a fair bit of work left on the agenda to do, even though our days are short, so I just want to say and end with this, Mr. Speaker, as I see my time coming up, I just want to say thank you to the citizens of Yellowknife Centre and I look forward to seeing you on the doorsteps very shortly, and I appreciate every bit of advice, support and direction you’ve given me to date and in the future.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my last Member’s statement is what we need for Nunakput.
---Laughter
Well, I’ve got my list here. Three pages.
Mr. Speaker, projects are the Darnley Bay diamond mine exploration project and an all-season road to Tuktoyaktuk must be jeopardized or injured due to the election. These economic projects are important for the NWT and the region. The executive needs to ensure that progress continues to the next team, the necessities to get the job done.
Mr. Speaker, we need the jobs in the Beaufort-Delta.
Building the infrastructure of the roads is critical to growing capacity and the building of northern regions such as Nunakput. Without continuous investment, more opportunities will just merely pass us by. Companies will go and invest their resources in other countries such as our friends to the west, Alaska.
Mr. Speaker, like I said, the future is in the North. The Mackenzie Gas Project could provide so many jobs to my home community of Tuk and the surrounding Nunakput, and in Inuvik with the offshore drilling programs if they were to go forward.
We have to tell the oil companies that we are open for business and we need to get people working and not rely on ECE so much for handouts.
Mr. Speaker, the all-weather road to Tuk, I hope to get something going this year so we can have jobs in the communities of Inuvik, Tuk, Aklavik and other communities because we need the work. There is nothing going on. There are no diamond mines. Let’s get something started. A few million dollars, I think, would go a long way for that to happen.
I hope to include in the community of Tuk a deep sea port. The LNG plant could create so many jobs for all of Nunakput and the people. When we come back, when we have jobs, the health care and so many other nurses and doctors at the camps are able to help people in the communities like they did before. We won’t run into people being evicted because of the housing programs, because people have jobs to pay their rent.
Mr. Speaker, we need the jobs. ECE programs, we’ll revisit them when we come back, Mr. Speaker. We have to promote the NWT that we’re open for business to the oil and gas companies so we can get something started for all the people of the Beaufort-Delta and the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
