Debates of February 14, 2005 (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 376-15(3): Sale Of Diamond Processing Plant

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development about a consultant that the diamond projects division has in Europe, whose reason for being is to try to achieve our goal of more northern employees in the secondary diamond industry and also to increase the potential of the Northwest Territories as a diamond centre. Mr. Speaker, I could speak of him by name, but I won’t in the House. I am sure the Minister knows who I am talking about, but it is at a substantial cost to this government. If we are not receiving a benefit from having this consultant in place, then why do we retain this consultant? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 376-15(3): Sale Of Diamond Processing Plant

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Members of the House heard late last week the Finance Minister indicate that we had to take stock of our government’s role in supporting the secondary industry, and make some determinations around how we can be most effective as a government to bolster the industry and to support every aspect of the industry. We aim to have that discussion and that analysis going forward. Obviously, we have had the immediate issues of the two factories to deal with here over the summer, into the fall and into the winter. So we have been working through that. But we will have to make some determination around the amount of resources we need, the horsepower we need, the expertise and intelligence we need to draw on from the international community. This is an industry that is very much a global one. We do have to have some understanding of what is going on in Israel, India and in New York in order to effectively understand how we can crack this industry, not only for the Northwest Territories, but for the country. So in the coming weeks and months, we will be taking stock of our resources and making a determination at that point as to what type of resources we need to employ. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Your final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 376-15(3): Sale Of Diamond Processing Plant

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister how many of these so-called diamond industry expert consultants have the diamond projects division and the Government of the Northwest Territories got on stream. Where are they located? How much is it costing the government to retain these consultants? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 376-15(3): Sale Of Diamond Processing Plant

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is a significant amount of detail that the Member is looking for. I will certainly provide that in writing in follow-up. Off the top of my head, the suggestion would be that, internationally, I think we have two diamond consultants who provide us with intelligence and also do some evaluation work for us and administer our certification program which is, as the Member knows, very important to the government. One is located in Israel, the other in Antwerp; and somewhere in the neighbourhood of $200,000 a year U.S. would be my best guess. I will get detailed information for the Member. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. In my Member’s statement, I spoke about some of the inconsistencies that the constituents are experiencing with how the Housing Corporation reviews and applies the level of rent scale. I am just wondering if the Minister can tell me what guidelines we are using today. How do we determine who pays what rent and at what levels, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the rent, it is based on format of thresholds for low income tenants who pay a lot less than people who are in the high income range. So it is based on the amount of income that you receive. It is calculated through a phase-in approach, that I mentioned, by way of the rate scale system that we have, which was supposed to be phased in over four years. We are now in the second year of a four-year phase-in, so we are now looking at readjusting that to phase in over this year and next year, which, as it stands right now, is basically 30 percent this year and 10 percent next year, but I know that is an issue with the Member. That is the process of how we evaluate it. It is based on the amount of income that a tenant receives. The higher the income that you have, the higher the rent you pay.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Your supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. Perhaps the Minister can answer for me, when does the corporation expect to review some of the guidelines that currently exist to make it more reflective of the needs of today, of our constituents, and, indeed, of our clients who are using the Housing Corporation programs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the way the Social Housing Program is delivered, it is a social program that is delivered through CMHC -- which are national programs that are delivered across Canada for social housing -- where, as an agent of CMHC, we, as the territories, along with Nunavut, probably have one of the leaner rate scales in the country. Again, it is a national standard that we follow. Again, this is social housing. It is designated for low income tenants, but also we accommodate people who want to move into social housing with the awareness that, as a high earner, you will be paying more for those units. Social housing is for those clients who receive low income. That is why we have a rate scale that is set through income thresholds. That is how we determine your rates. It is a national program that is across Canada, which is delivered by way of social housing through CMHC. We are delivering the program similar to other jurisdictions in Canada.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m just wondering if the Minister was speaking about national guidelines as well. I guess I was looking more for how we get an appeals process going because that’s the real problem here, Mr. Speaker. A lot of the issues I’m hearing are that the Housing Corporation is not responsive; how do we get them to understand my unique circumstances? Like in the case I was talking about in my Member’s statement, Mr. Speaker, how does that person appeal the process, is the question. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows, rate increases are based on the tenant’s act, which is an act which is enforced through the Department of Justice. At this time, in order to increase any rent, you have to give three months' notice. If you’re not satisfied with that decision, you appeal that to the tenancy officer who is there to oversee the tenant’s act. That’s the appeals process that you go through. You appeal a decision you don’t like or an eviction that you receive through the tenancy officer who is responsible for enforcing the tenant’s act. Again, that follows the Department of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I believe that some of the tenants are aware that if they do have rent problems, that there is a tenancy officer who they can deal with and bring their concerns to. But I was thinking of the Housing Corporation programs in general, Mr. Speaker. Is there an appeal process? I know our current housing act is very old, it’s from about 1978. I believe it’s time to review it. There’s just no room for an appeals system in that current structure. I would just like to get the Minister’s assurance that they will take the time to look at that act and review it and update that act is what I’m really after, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister do that? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 377-15(3): NWT Housing Corporation Rent Scale

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, presently we are reviewing the mandate of the Housing Corporation and this is one of the areas we can focus in. Because we haven’t concluded that review, this is something we’ll definitely bring back to the department to look at and see if there are ways we can revise how we determine rents and rates. I’ll bring it back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise with the question with regard to cross-cultural training. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the day that we don’t have to talk about southern hires versus northern hires, but, with that in note, Mr. Speaker, Alaska has a policy on new teachers coming to their territory to take Alaskan history. The Yukon territory has a policy and statutes that refer to Yukon history as a requirement for teachers to teach in their area. So, Mr. Speaker, more specific to the Northwest Territories, if Alaska and the Yukon government can both do something like this, can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell me if the Northwest Territories has a policy or any type of legislation mechanism that requires southern hire teachers to take a cultural awareness program and training? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment does have a Teacher Induction Program, and one of the goals of that program is to transmit the culture of the system to the new and beginning teacher. So, yes, that is something that we do try and do through the department. That’s also partly the responsibility of the various boards across the Territories. I have spoken to the chairs of all of the divisional education councils and the DEAs in Yellowknife about the importance of cultural awareness and cross-cultural training. In fact, I’ve held up examples of where I have seen good examples of it practiced in the Northwest Territories, and we’ve discussed some of those examples around our tables when we meet twice a year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for that information. Mr. Speaker, my next question would be who funds this training at the divisional education authority level? Who is responsible for that? What consistent approach does the department have in the creation of a module that would lead to a clear definition of cultural training for the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for instance, the Tlicho or Dogrib Community Services Board takes every teacher out on the land before school for a week for a community hunt. Almost all of the regions, in fact all of the regions do some form of cultural awareness. So it’s best handled at the board level because each region has a different culture that needs to be appreciated. Each of the boards take the lead on providing the detailed cultural awareness programming and that’s accommodated through the transfers they are provided to operate the boards in each region.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not every region shows an excellent example, like the Tlicho region, I have to emphasize. Mr. Speaker, we don’t have a mandated policy or module system that looks at the territory as a whole. We don’t have anything that looks at the history of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I am not talking about bringing southern people here and converting them. I just want to make sure they are aware of the cultural issues, aware of our history so they respect it. That’s the issue of getting that base education, so when they go into a specific region they can get that. So, Mr. Speaker, I guess really what responsibility does the territorial government have on this issue? Just a moment ago, you said we do this and now you are saying it’s left in the hands of the education authorities. So who pays for this at the educational authority level in the example you said? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Except in Yellowknife, all of the education authorities get all of their money from the Government of the Northwest Territories. So who’s paying for it? By and large, it’s this government. All of the boards are encouraged to make sure there is relevant cultural awareness training provided to all of their new teachers. They do that and it’s something I have discussed with the DECs largely because we see it as important to retention. I am satisfied that every board in the Northwest Territories is undertaking activities in this area. What we have done is encouraged them to strengthen that area. As part of the Teacher Education Program at Aurora College, one of the modules is about cultural awareness and there is also extensive training done through the Teacher Education Program on the Northwest Territories history and cultures, including land claims and treaties. So we have a system that accommodates this. It’s encompassed in the social studies programs as well, so our curriculum supports the teachers learning and understanding, then passing that on to their students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Your final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister pointing out the fact that it’s included in some of the funding, but essentially it’s a wrap-up of offloading of responsibilities, Mr. Speaker. You could say anything that the education authorities do links back to funding of the Government of the Northwest Territories. Of course it does, but it’s not specific funding derived for cross-cultural training. You also said the city of Yellowknife is exempt from that or I didn’t hear it clearly that they get direct money for our city for our education authorities. Mr. Speaker, in the state of Alaska, they do their training at the college level and they create modules of base training. Would the Minister consider creating a program that would deliver consistent programming so all teachers could access the history and values of the Northwest Territories in the principles of the education system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 378-15(3): Cultural Awareness Training For Teachers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As part of our Teacher Education Program, that is, in fact, done by the college right now. That’s part of the Teacher Education Program. Mr. Speaker, we run a system of education in the Northwest Territories where local control is considered very important, so schools can reflect local culture, the local wishes of parents. So the funding is handed from this government to the boards by way of formula and there aren't a lot of ways in which we control that. We have the Education Act which sets out how things have to be done. We have an accepted curriculum, we have standards, but we allow boards to make their own decisions about how to undertake programs. The Tlicho may think that it’s important for all teachers to go out on the land for a week and do a community hunt. In the Sahtu region, they may have a different approach. We have to recognize that’s the right way to do it. The monies that are provided for this sort of training are given to the boards. It’s part of the formula that is allowed to the boards and we allow them to choose how to best provide that sort of training. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Friday I made a Member’s statement with regard to escorts and patients and the lack of communication between the departments. There have been quite a number of problems between the escorts and patients travelling back and forth to my home communities in my region there. The question I have for the Minister of Health and Social Services is who is responsible for communications for medical travel for the departments for the escort of medical patients outside of their home communities? How does the department ensure that the patients are safely returned home, other than having to wait for being on stand-by when they are supposed to get home? Thank you.

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

Return To Question 379-15(3): Medical Travel Policies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are staff who deal with medical travel in Inuvik as well as at Stanton; as well, we have people on the ground in Edmonton at the Government Health Authority to assist, as well, with patients who go South. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 379-15(3): Medical Travel Policies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the question that I have for the Minister, Mr. Speaker, is I’m really unsure that his department makes sure the patients, when they travel back and forth from their home communities, are taken care of with regard to their travels. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 379-15(3): Medical Travel Policies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate the Member’s concern for his constituents. I want to assure him that the system is designed to try and provide as painless a process as possible for people to travel in time of need. If the Member would be willing to share with me outside of this House the specifics of the cases he mentioned in this House, I’d be happy to check on those with him and on his behalf so we can ensure that we can address some of the concerns that he raised. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 379-15(3): Medical Travel Policies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d be willing to share that information with the Minister. Another thing I mentioned on Friday in my Member’s statement is with regard to a patient who was shortly discharged a day after his…