Debates of February 1, 2006 (day 20)

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

Return To Question 310-15(4): Traffic Lights At Behchoko Access Road Intersection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it would be premature for me to commit to installing traffic lights at the intersection of Behchoko at this point. We weren’t aware that there was a safety concern at that intersection. We are doing a review of what roads are public access roads that we have on inventory. We will certainly look at the request from the Member. Other communities have also requested to have lights installed at their intersections. That is something that we will have to take into consideration as part of a review. We will also start looking at what public access roads now maybe should be turned over to the municipalities. There are a number of things that we will be taken into consideration. But as to a specific commitment to install lights, at this point I am not in a position to do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 310-15(4): Traffic Lights At Behchoko Access Road Intersection

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up, if the Minister is not committing today, but I understand he wants to work with his department on this particular issue, will the Minister at least commit his staff to talking to my constituents and other constituents who make heavy use of road and report back to the House with a plan to deal with the safety concerns? It is becoming a big issue in the Monfwi riding, the Behchoko specifically and Edzo that there is a high traffic volume that is coming into play. It has been addressed as a huge safety issue in the community. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 310-15(4): Traffic Lights At Behchoko Access Road Intersection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member has indicated that it is a safety concern for his community. We would certainly commit to talking to the leadership and the residents of Behchoko. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 310-15(4): Traffic Lights At Behchoko Access Road Intersection

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has always been a government’s vision for the NWT highway that includes an operating highway system that provides for improved safety, reliability for people and resource development. Now we are in the process of resource development and new upgraded community access roads, paving the road and whatnot. At the same time, I just have one final question to the Minister. When will he commit to meeting with the Tlicho leadership to deal specifically with the lighting system at Rae access road? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 310-15(4): Traffic Lights At Behchoko Access Road Intersection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can’t give a specific date, but we’ll have our staff go into the community as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Honourable Joe Handley, Premier of the Northwest Territories. I spoke in my Member’s statement about dealing with a new political climate in Ottawa with a new Conservative government and as well here locally with a non-governing party Member of Parliament. So the political landscape in Ottawa has certainly shifted. I guess the big question in my mind and the public’s mind is, how is our government going to work with the new government in Ottawa to get our issues addressed? I guess the first question I have for the Premier is, how is our government going to work with the new Conservative government in Ottawa to address the issues we face here in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 311-15(4): GNWT Work With New Federal Government

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say, first of all, it will be different because we now have our Member of Parliament who represents one of the opposition parties. Our working relationship with the Member of Parliament will be somewhat different. Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged, though, by the Prime Minister’s statements. In fact, on election night, accepting his victory, he did make the statement that he would work with us to realize our dreams in the North. In letters to me, he has been very clear in terms of his position on a number of major issues to us.

So, Mr. Speaker, I have written a letter to the Prime Minister congratulating him. A letter will be going out this week outlining our major priorities, which I’m sure he’s very familiar with; but that will be done. He will be selecting his Cabinet next week and we will be corresponding with the new Cabinet Ministers as soon as they are in office. Mr. Speaker, we also will continue to have a good, strong relationship with the current government. I believe, from his correspondence, he supports what we’re doing.

Mr. Speaker, I want to also emphasize that we will work with all of the Members in this House for advice on how we can deliver the message, what the message should be. I have also opened the door for our business community to participate, as a business coalition, in events if we were to do them, like another Northwest Territories Day in Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, I’ll be meeting with regional aboriginal leaders on February 9th to discuss with them our working relationship, as well.

So, Mr. Speaker, I’m optimistic. The Prime Minister-designate has made some firm commitments to us and I think, as I’ve said earlier, we hit the ground running. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 311-15(4): GNWT Work With New Federal Government

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Premier for his response this afternoon. One of the questions I’d have for the Premier, I know he spoke of priorities, we’ve seen a number of these same priorities kicked around for the last number of years by this government and the government before it and even the government before that. I’m talking about devolution and resource revenue sharing specifically. I’m just wondering, from the public standpoint, and the Premier mentioned a letter that he’s writing to Ottawa listing priorities, I mean, when is the government going to issue a list of priorities to the public so that the public can try to understand what we’re up against in Ottawa and whether or not we can actually deliver on some of these priorities by the end of the life of this government, which is only 19 months away, Mr. Speaker? So I’d like to ask the Premier if, indeed, he’ll make a list of priorities that he’s going to send to Ottawa available to the public and to Members of this side of the House so that everybody knows what we’re asking for and we can try to get some things accomplished? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 311-15(4): GNWT Work With New Federal Government

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will make available to all of the Members a copy of the letter that we’re sending to the Prime Minister. Certainly Members are free to share that with their constituents, so it will very quickly become a public letter.

Mr. Speaker, I did give the Members a quick briefing on what I thought were the main priorities, and asked for input, if anyone has other ideas. If I can, very quickly, Mr. Speaker, they are financing and resource development, devolution included. Both our financing formula and devolution and resource revenue sharing are priorities. Mr. Speaker, another one is the major infrastructure needs we have in the Northwest Territories. That is a priority, particularly our road transportation system, but our airports as well, and municipal infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, another one is on economic development and support for the energy industry, which is just getting on its feet in the Northwest Territories in a big way right now with the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Then, Mr. Speaker, the others are a whole package of social issues, from housing to post-secondary education to health. These are commitments that were made at the First Ministers' meeting that we need to talk with the Prime Minister about.

Mr. Speaker, included in that list, I want to say as well, are other commitments that have been made, for example, to residential school survivors that we need to know where the current government stands on that as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 311-15(4): GNWT Work With New Federal Government

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Premier for his response. I’d like to, as well, ask the Premier, and I know he mentioned it briefly, but how is the Government of the Northwest Territories going to involve aboriginal governments here in the Northwest Territories in dealing with the federal government? During the election campaign there was a lot of negativity in some camps towards the Conservative government coming into power and dealing with aboriginal people. I’m just wondering, has the Premier got a strategy so that he can lay to rest some of these fears that were out there to the aboriginal governments here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 311-15(4): GNWT Work With New Federal Government

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have not had opportunity to speak with all the aboriginal leaders. I will have a meeting with the regional leaders on February 9th, but I have talked to many of them and all the people that I have talked to recognize that Canada has voted in a new party as a government. The North has voted in a new Member of Parliament, and everybody is going to work positively to achieve what we can. We have many common agenda items right now and I have no doubt, as we discuss this further with aboriginal leaders, that they’re going to approach this very positively, in spite of comments that may have been made earlier on. We all want to move forward on the pipeline, on continuing that strong economy, on self-government, on devolution and so on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I have been finding that often the women of Nahendeh who will be giving birth have to stay at length in Yellowknife. Typically, at the most, up to a month, maybe even six weeks away from their loved ones and their family, Mr. Speaker. I also note and commend the constituents of the honourable Minister’s riding who have lobbied and created a midwifery act and program. This enables women to have their babies in their communities. Can the Minister tell me what steps are being taken to move this program into other regions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 312-15(4): Access To Midwifery Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have legislation and policies and regulations that now apply across the Northwest Territories. We have midwifery services in Fort Smith and Thebacha. As well, we have a midwifery position in Yellowknife and in the business plan for 2007-08. We’re going be making the case to expand those midwifery services outside, or further, to other regions. I know the Member has indicated his riding of Fort Simpson is interested, and they are on our list to move into in the coming business plans. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 312-15(4): Access To Midwifery Services

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the honourable Member for that response. I wasn’t quite sure, was that this coming business plan will the contact be made, this coming year? Will it be in the workshop forum? I know that it has to interest some people who want to be qualified and expressed interest and get training. Is that the type of information that will be shared in the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 312-15(4): Access To Midwifery Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the key is to identify the resources to in fact be able to hire the required midwives, nurses, hopefully nurse midwives, but midwives that can work in the community. As well, as the Member has indicated, we have to consult with the region and communities and ensure that there’s an interest, look at the statistics and what kind of infrastructure there is going to be necessary to in fact have that service. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 312-15(4): Access To Midwifery Services

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Again, I wasn’t too clear if it was going to happen this coming fiscal year. If the Minister could answer that for me. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 312-15(4): Access To Midwifery Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Member is talking about the budget and business plan or budgets we’re currently reviewing, it’s not in this particular business plan or budget. We’d be looking at the subsequent year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to address my questions to Premier Handley. This is in respect of communication with proponents of the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline. Mr. Speaker, we have been seeking a fair share of our resource royalties for years in the NWT. There was a golden opportunity to really get somewhere; that is to bargain with the gas producers’ need for certainty on tax and royalty regimes, to translate that into certainty for our own need here in the NWT for fiscal fairness from Ottawa. Mr. Speaker, why didn’t the Premier and the Finance Minister stand up and fight for the future of northerners, instead of giving into the demands of the gas producers and the pipeline companies? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 313-15(4): GNWT’s ‘Letter Of Comfort’ To Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Producers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We, as a government, have to be able to balance a number of issues at one time. We can’t deal with one issue at a time. So there are a number of things in play, and I don’t know if the Member can keep up with all the things that are happening here or not.

Boo.

I can suggest that while we are looking at creating a fair fiscal environment and a good balanced fiscal environment, we’re also looking at resource revenue sharing.

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that Mr. Braden’s implication in his statement earlier on that somehow creating this instability would somehow help us to make a better deal on resources revenue sharing at a time when the federal government is in an election, I just don’t quite understand his reasoning there. I want to take this opportunity to assure all businesses, whether it’s a big pipeline business, a diamond business, the mom-and-pop grocery store on the corner, that we, as a government, believe in a good, fair, balanced fiscal environment as being number one. If you don’t have that, you don’t have business, you don’t have jobs and you don’t have programs. So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t follow Mr. Braden’s logic. If there is one there, I don’t follow what it is.

Boo.

Mr. Speaker, what we agreed to with Imperial is an agreement that said we are going to be fair. We are a responsible government that we’re taking over through devolution responsibilities, and we’re going to be fair with you in the same way we’re fair with every other little business in the community. We’re not going to hold you hostage or use you for a pawn to achieve some other objective we might have. We’re responsible; we’re fair; we’re good government. We’re not some banana republic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Interjection

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

That’s it; the gloves are off.

Supplementary To Question 313-15(4): GNWT’s ‘Letter Of Comfort’ To Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Producers

I’ll be putting in a requisition for a pair of new running shoes to make sure that I can keep up with this government and this Premier on the breakneck speed in which they fail, Mr. Speaker, to consult with us. This is a consensus government.

Hear! Hear!

Consultation is an enormous need and an expectation that we have and that we’re going to be able to do our job over here. But this was, among many, the greatest example, the worst example, Mr. Speaker, of how this government has failed to consult with the Members on this side.

There is a major policy position at stake here -- huge -- potentially affecting millions of dollars in future revenues. Why did the Premier and the Cabinet not consult with MLAs until hours before they released that letter?

Why?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 313-15(4): GNWT’s ‘Letter Of Comfort’ To Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Producers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope Mr. Braden gets those running shoes, because he’ll need them to keep up with us.