Debates of February 11, 2005 (day 34)

No back room wheeling and dealing.

But the sad fact remains that they don’t have their one-third contribution even today. In fact, there’s some old contribution money that they don’t want to give up, and they are still trying to match dollar for dollar from old water and sewer funding that they currently have. They are just trying to match that and now we’re asking them to match another one-third. So we’re going to have to take a good hard look at that infrastructure, as well.

In terms of capacity building, several Members brought it up and in terms of pipeline capacity issues and that still has significant concern for me. The latest statistics that we have out there is that 53 percent of our aboriginal workforce is employed, 83 percent of the non-aboriginals are employed as well. So the non-aboriginals basically have full employment, and in our communities only half of the aboriginal people are working. It’s no wonder that communities in my riding particularly are not giving overwhelming support to industry, because they don’t stand a chance of getting any of the good jobs. So if they are not going to benefit, it’s like I’ve always been saying, why support it if I’m not going to get anything? I’m not going to bother supporting this, and that’s what’s going on out there.

So in order to give them a unique opportunity, one of the things to do, of course, is to raise their skill level, their marketable skills, and that’s why giving them a chance when they’re young in school or even, indeed, the young adults that are out there. Recently I was made aware of an education program where the success down south…It’s based out of Calgary, they’re running it in the small reserves around Rocky Mountain House. There are about 10 communities that they’re using this program on and it raised their course completion rate from 30 percent right up to 80 percent, and their graduation rate has increased, as well, to about 80 percent. Even nationally that is unheard of; an 80 percent graduation rate. But if you really think about it, once you are completing your courses, then you have a good chance of graduating.

So those are some of the things that are on my plate for this year is to say alright, can we take that course, can we bring it up North, can we have a look at it, can we even pilot it out there? I know how hard it is to chance our Education, Culture and Employment bureaucrats’ thinking on how to best educate our children and I think if anybody knows best, it's ourselves who have been through the system and live in the communities. So we’re going to have to really look at that. That’s important to the people back home and it’s something new and I’d like to try it and I would like government support in giving us an opportunity to try that, even if the people don’t like it and it fails. But I think the basic thing here is that we saw something, we tried it and we don’t know if it works or not, but I think our people and our children and our youth deserve an opportunity to at least try it to see if it fits our unique way of doing things.

In terms of the pipeline, I made an extra special pot of coffee this morning to listen to the pipeline recordings, especially with Judge Berger being there, and I was quite curious. I believe overall -- I was kind of trying to keep score -- people are in support of it, but they don’t like the way it is happening and there are great concerns. That’s the same way I am. I said cool, I stand with these people. I’m concerned about how it’s being implemented. If the people and the communities are going to gain or lose really concerns me, because we know what happened the last time and I will keep saying it, is that we lost. This time around is no different. There are court cases and all that happening. Some are beyond our control, but at the same time, as a Legislature and as a government, we still have a unique opportunity to have input with this socioeconomic agreement. We learn every time. The first time, our socioeconomic agreement with that first pipeline was a dismal failure. It didn’t even last a year. We gave it a bit more teeth with the diamonds; maybe not as much as people like, but there were some teeth there. We can take it one step further for this new mega project. It’s $8 billion and I believe our government can make a difference for our communities and say look, if you’re going to work around here, you’re going to have to leave something behind and help our communities. At the same time, the claimant groups have to do their share too. They have to do their due diligence and take care of their people, but I believe that we don’t have to be rubber stampers either. Yes, we’re in favour of it. It will be a boom to our revenues if and when we get to that point, Madam Chair, but at the same time we still have to make sure that our people in the communities are taken care of, because these are multi-national corporations. They are not going to give us anything. It’s their job to rape and pillage, Madam Chair. So we have to do what we can in order to protect our people and that’s part of our mandate, each and every one of us as MLAs.

With that, Madam Chair, I would just like to conclude that in terms of the budget I really like the way it was responsive to some of the community needs. It didn’t address all the needs, but I believe we’re getting there. With that, I remain. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. I’m glad you remain. Next on the list I have Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I want to follow up with the comments I made yesterday in terms of the mortgaging of the Northwest Territories and the interest of oil companies and other resource development, such as mining and potential hydro happening in the Northwest Territories. The Northwest Territories is being looked upon as a wealth of resources. Some are referring to us as the last frontier. Our road now to becoming self-sufficient, independent and working with the federal government in terms of negotiating a resource revenue sharing deal and the devolution of programs, it’s been 17 years that I’ve heard the negotiations for devolution have been ongoing. I think with all that’s happening in the Northwest Territories, that might be an advantage for us to have these devolution programs and services come into the Northwest Territories.

I’m saying this, Madam Chair, in terms of our mortgaging, because Mr. Roland said yesterday it’s like a family mortgaging a house. If you’re going to mortgage a house for the long term, there are certain commitments and there are some uncertainties there. You never know what’s going to happen in two years or five years or 10 years. You go with the good intentions of mortgaging a house and you hope you’re going to do well. It’s a good house; the Northwest Territories has a lot of wealth here. People are after our resources and, as owners of our house here, I’m happy to see that he said we have to put our house in order. We have to build relationships with other organizations.

Like Mr. Menicoche, I was up very early this morning and on my second pot of coffee when I was taking notes of the interest of Thomas Berger and CBC’s staff. They were talking about the pipeline and the number of issues that we are facing as a government in terms of dealing with the pipeline and the uncertainty of it for sure coming down. There are no guarantees. The United States government is fiercely pushing that agenda to go through Alaska. I heard that we might be taking a big risk if we don’t continue supporting this in terms of waiting another 10 or 15 years. Berger said we should take our time, but I agree with the Minister in terms of putting our house in order to make sure that what is ours stays ours and that we can be self-sufficient.

I like the budget that he brought down. For me it’s like Christmastime in February. The Minister is Santa Claus and we’re all sitting around asking what are we going to get. At Christmastime, sometimes we’re disappointed because we didn’t get what we want from the man from the North Pole. He’s from Inuvik, so I guess he’s up that way.

---Laughter

I was thinking about that and I think that we get a good deal with the resource revenue sharing from the federal government that in time we wouldn’t be asking for too many things in terms of governance for our communities. The trust that we have to have in terms of asking the bank to mortgage our place here, they’re going to want some securities and that’s where the whole complexity of putting this deal together and what we have to deal with in the Northwest Territories.

I think I want to just end on that, Madam Chair. As MLAs in our communities, we were asked to come to Yellowknife and sit in the Legislative Assembly. There are lots of concerns and needs out in our communities that people are asking us to get for them and work on. There is lots of money they see that maybe could be spent elsewhere. There are opportunities. The Mackenzie gas pipeline is a real big opportunity for our people. There are lots of opportunities out there; however, you have to balance them with the environmental and social impacts. Is this really going to be good for us? Economically, I heard that it’s viable, prime for economics in industry. However, does that outweigh the needs of the communities, our government, the aboriginal governments and the other interest groups? I’m not too sure. I speak for myself as an MLA, to come and see what we can do for our communities. I think there are ways we could help the communities, listen to the communities, start giving the ownership and the authority back to the communities. Sometimes as government we need to step out of the way, and that’s kind of hard sometimes. There are lots of resources there and sometimes we don’t get what we want. We see the needs really increase in the communities and they look to us as helping them live a better life. I know some of them tell us we’re not their government. You’re not our government. Yet we still work with them.

I think this government is very unique because it’s the people’s government. Sometimes we have to think about that. It’s the people’s government. You’ve got a tough job over there. As MLAs we bring concerns to you that hopefully you will satisfy our requests. There are ways to work around it. The pipeline is one; the hydro is another that people are concerned about, but they’re also looking at the greenhouse effect. The Kyoto agreement is going to be discussed in a couple of weeks in Ottawa. I heard this one on the radio in Fort Good Hope about the social impacts of the pipeline.

A lot of these issues are going to be discussed on the 15th. I think the Minister’s budget address, that I heard yesterday, is positive. I’m happy to see the surplus. I’ve always said that you have my support to get whatever you can out of Ottawa to make sure it stays here. That, Madam Chair, is what I’d like to comment on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Next on the list I have for general comments is Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’d like to thank Mr. Roland for his budget speech yesterday. I didn’t have a chance to shake his hand until this afternoon. Just a few general comments I’d like to make with regard to the budget speech.

I agree in looking at the $300 million debt limit, but I agree that if we can show that we can finance the debt, I think it’s a good move to make.

A couple other things here, too, are with regard to the expenditure measures. One of the things I found interesting was how government has prioritized what’s important in terms of where spending should go. To me it’s going to be important because there are quite a few issues in my riding that I will address during the main estimates review.

With regard to the devolution/resource revenue sharing, I think it’s very important that we have something in place. Hopefully the deadline for 2006 will be reached. Let’s not forget that the federal government will have their budget speech either later this month or early next month. Depending on that, Madam Chair, I think it's going to be important.

Excuse me, Mr. Pokiak. Unfortunately, we were very close to 2:00 when you started your general comments, but I've been enjoying this so much I didn't take note of the clock. I'm sorry, I should have probably taken a break, but I need to recognize the clock. I will assure you you're name will be at the top of the list on Monday in Committee of the Whole, and we'll make sure you get your full 10 minutes on Monday; and longer, if you like. Sorry about that. Committee, I will rise and report progress, recognizing the clock, the hour being 2:00.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Seconder, the honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee. There is a motion on the floor and it is non-debatable. All those in favour? Opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. Before we go to orders of the day, I would like to just take a moment to recognize and thank the students from Mildred Hall and Weledeh schools in Yellowknife here for paging for us through the week. It has been a great job that they've done here.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, there will be meeting of the Board of Management at adjournment of the House today. Orders of the day for Monday, February 14th, at 1:30 p.m.:

Prayer

Ministers' Statements

Members' Statements

Returns to Oral Questions

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Oral Questions

Written Questions

Returns to Written Questions

Replies to Opening Address

Replies to Budget Address

Petitions

Reports of Standing and Special Committees

Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

Tabling of Documents

Notices of Motion

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Motions

- Motion 26-15(3), Appointments to Standing

Committees and Board of Management

First Reading of Bills

- Bill 20, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3,

2004-2005

Second Reading of Bills

- Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act

- Bill 22, An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Bill 15, Tlicho Community Services Agency Act

- Bill 16, Northwest Territories Business

Development and Investment Corporation Act

- Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act

- Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006

- Committee Report 9-15(3), Standing Committee on

Accountability and Oversight Report on the Review

of the Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates

- Committee Report 10-15(3), Standing Committee

on Governance and Economic Development

Report on the Review of the Draft 2005-2006

Main Estimates

- Committee Report 11-15(3), Standing Committee

on Social Programs Report on the Review of the

Draft 2005-2006 Main Estimates

Report of Committee of the Whole

Third Reading of Bills

Orders of the Day

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until February 14, 2005, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 2:04 p.m.