Mr. Speaker, by all means I would like to see more people and a population increase in the Northwest Territories. Based on that, it does fluctuate. People leave, people come, depending on the opportunities. When there’s an increase in the caseloads for, let’s say, the Beaufort-Delta, then have a monetary mechanism. If it’s higher than what is expected or budgeted, then we have to come back to this House. We’ve done that in the past, so we’ll continue to work in that regard. We do have a budget for the Income Security Framework overall. Again in 2007 there was an increase. If there needs to be another increase, that’s an area that we need to look at.
I have instructed my department to look seriously where we’re at with income security overall. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, through my office I’ve had a lot of constituents come and express their concern about not being able to work or find contracts, and have to refer to looking at other social programs that can help them assist. I’m asking the Minister if he’s seen an increase in the amount for my community. If he has seen an increase, he kind of alluded to it in his last statement, but is there an action plan to address the higher costs of income dollars going into Inuvik specifically, so that more residents are actually having to, not by choice but having to, because of the economic downturn. Is there an action plan to address the high rates of applications? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, there is additional or higher caseloads, then those areas are continually monitored through my department. It’s not only Inuvik or the Beaufort-Delta, it’s all 33 communities that we service.
As I stated, there is a fluctuation in the population in the communities and the caseload does go down as well. Of course, we’d like to see the caseload go down. There are opportunities and activities happening in other regions, whether it be the Sahtu region, and in the Beaufort-Delta there’s the road that’s been discussed. So there are going to be opportunities there.
At the same time, we are working closely with the regional representatives. The number has increased a bit in the various areas, but I can share that information with the Members for their information. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess my final question – the Minister did mention that it’s high throughout the Northwest Territories – what is the Minister doing to address it? I know they have the pro choices program, but what else is he doing to address this? He’s also the Minister of training and education. What is he doing to address and reduce the number of applications to get our people back into the workforce and off income assistance? What is the Minister doing to address these high rates of incidences of applications and dollars that have been going into this program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Member for that particular question. Those are the key areas that we are focusing on. We want to have a trained workforce, whether it be from the Beaufort-Delta, Sahtu or other regions. If there are opportunities and activities that are happening, we need to be ready for them.
We are working closely with industries. We have the productive choices part of the program through income security. I’ve told my department to seriously look at the productive choices, how we can improve and have the programming we have now, so it’s sort of like incentives where individuals can explore training and explore other opportunities out there. So those are areas that I will be talking to Members, as well, and standing committee. I want to bring that forward to the standing committee if there are going to be changes and options that we need to work with. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. We are in the earliest stages of learning about fracking. The policy development needs are huge and the time frame urgent. We know the drive for fracking is underway in the Sahtu. Funds and time are needed to determine the basis on which to make good management decisions.
Recognizing that the resource will not disappear, will the Minister of ENR commit to ensuring that we dedicate both the funds and the time required to develop a policy on fracking that will protect both our people and our land? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct; this is an important issue. It’s a practice that we need to look at carefully. We’ve already invested considerable time and effort. We intend to come forward by this coming spring, early fall at the latest, with some guidelines built on best practices. We’ve had some very interesting meetings with the National Energy Board, as well, who’s going to be working in conjunction with us, especially at post-devolution, about the way to manage our way through this.
The Member raises a lot of issues that we are working to address and we will be sharing, of course, and involving committee in all the work that we do. Thank you.
Thanks for the comments from the Minister. It’s good to know that we’re on this.
Regulation of the exploration and production process is another critical matter. I mentioned the particular threat of failure of drill casings and contamination of massive amounts of water. We need a review of other jurisdictions’ regimes and evaluation of their suitability for our needs, then action to develop and put in place our own regs. Perhaps that’s part of what Mr. Minister was referring to.
Upon the release of the government response to our EDI report, will the Minister move quickly to contract and manage a review of regulatory options toward development of appropriate law for the Sahtu situation? Mahsi.
We are committed to working with committee. We are going to share the work, we are going to come up with best practices, we are going to do the regulatory review from across not only the country but we’re going to look around the work to see how it’s being dealt with in other jurisdictions that haven’t had moratoriums but are actually engaged in managing this process as they look at resource development. We will come forward and we’ll map out the next steps as we do that. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, thanks again to the Minister. Some jurisdictions have banned fracking. That isn’t something they do lightly, so we need to understand the serious concerns that led to this.
As I mentioned, our so-called EDI fracking tour didn’t include a visit to even one fracking site. As part of this information gathering, will the ENR Minister work with the Industry Minister to ensure the promised southern tour of regional leaders includes a visit to a no-fracking jurisdiction and to meet with the Aboriginal leadership with extensive fracking experience in northeastern BC? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I will commit to work with the Minister of ITI. I can appreciate the Member’s concern about meeting with the Aboriginal governments and going to an actual fracking site. I would think we could probably gather the information about those jurisdictions that have decided to go ahead with fracking, by looking at what is available and having those conversations. But we will do a full review of all those particular positions as it pertains to fracking. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Minister is committed to water quality preservation, so he will understand how little we know about the state of our surface waters and the potential impacts of fracking contamination. We can’t permit fracking without knowing how it will eternally affect our waters.
Will the Minister commit to commissioning the research necessary to understand the threats and prepare for the need to act fast with supplementary budget requests if required? Mahsi.
We all have a common concern not only about not only surface water but groundwater baseline information and wildlife baseline information. We have funds put aside in the budget to put money on the table. We are working through the Environmental Studies Research Fund, as well, which is funded by industry. There’s going to be dollars available to work on the groundwater mapping, the surface water and the wildlife baseline information as well.
All the wells that are being drilled and have been drilled have to do well monitoring sites, water monitoring sites. That information is going to be collated and pulled together so we can build a map of this central Mackenzie, the Sahtu region, as it pertains to the status of the groundwater and surface water. So that work is being done. It is a critical piece, as the Member has indicated, and we are fully involved in getting that work done. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is Education Week. It’s very important that we give the Education councils the resources that they need to provide a quality education to our students.
I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment how much funding is currently provided to the Beaufort-Delta Education Council for the e-learning program and how much is projected over the next couple of years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The detailed information, which I can provide to the Member, I don’t have in front of me. The breakdown of the funding that the Beaufort-Delta Education Council receives on an annual basis that pertains to e-learning, I can provide that to the Member and also the forecast, how much it will cost the organization. It’s all based on the enrollment and also the programming. I can provide the breakdown to the Member. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Beaufort-Delta could actually lose positions in the next school year. Given that it already cuts costs per student in the Sahtu and Deh Cho regions, will the Minister ensure that no positions will be cut in the Beaufort-Delta next school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, that’s a tough question to answer, but at the same time, I as Minister responsible provide funding to the school boards based on enrollment. If enrollment goes down, unfortunately, the funding is less than the previous year.
However, e-learning is a very interesting program itself. My department has been working closely with BDEC and other organizations, how we can enhance in that area, where it can be a teleconference, having a discussion as opposed to having a teacher there. Those are discussions that we are currently having as a resource tool. I believe there is a plan for a meeting with BDEC. I’m very interested and curious to know where they’re going with this, and other organizations as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I’m aware that funding is based on enrollment, but we need to ensure that it’s based on the needs of the communities.
Will the Minister commit to expand funding for the Beaufort-Delta Education Council for their e-learning program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, this is an area that we are at the present point exploring. We’re seeking input from the general public, the stakeholders, on the renewal. Part of the renewal process is talking about the funding. Because it pertains to a small community, professionalism is part of the pillars, and there are six of them. I just touched on two. It will be capturing the small, isolated communities. The opportunity is here before us for the next business planning cycle. That is part of the process that we want to tackle. We want to complete that by this fall so we can put that as part of the business planning cycle. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services questions related to my Member’s statement earlier about freight costs for the fuel hauled into the remote communities. How does the petroleum products division currently set its fuel rates in the remote communities? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The petroleum products division works on a cost-recovery calculation. We don’t actually make profit on the fuel; we intend to actually cover the total cost. The price is determined by the product cost when we purchase it in the South, transportation costs to get it to whichever the 16 communities we provide fuel in, a sales commission that’s provided to a local vendor who adds that. Those commissions are determined based on an RFP process where they submit their potential costs, some O and M expenses, some taxes and a little bit of evaporation loss. It’s a complete cost recovery, no profit to the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Can the Minister tell me how often these fuel prices are reviewed?
Mr. Speaker, we do fuel hauls into the different communities depending on their location. In the summertime we provide fuel by barge to some of the communities in the High Arctic. In some communities, we bring it in by ice road. Prices are reviewed every time we bring new fuel into the community.
Once again, it is a full cost-recovery program based on the cost of the fuel that we purchase and have provided to the communities. Mahsi.
What happens to the money that is collected when fuel prices go down after the rate is fixed in the communities served by the petroleum products division?
Thank you. I’m not sure I understand the question completely. The fuel in the tanks in the community was set on a fixed price in the community and we don’t bring more fuel in for most of these communities other than once a year. So there is no variation of price. The price in the tank is what we paid for it. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll make it as brief as I can. Does the Minister agree to look at ways to make fuel prices more fair and reasonable in small communities, such as a freight subsidy or another form of subsidy? Thank you.
Thank you. Obviously we’re committed to try and get the lowest prices for fuel in the 16 communities that we provide fuel to and we’re always looking for ways to decrease the cost. As far as subsidy on transportation, I’m not sure that that would actually lower the cost, because the GNWT would still have that cost on them, but I’m interested to have a further conversation with the Member and possibly with committee to get their thoughts on this. But we’re always looking for ways to control the cost of fuel in our 16 communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I made reference to a tragedy in the Yellowknife community this past summer. Again, it’s important to share our thoughts for the Hardy family as I continue with this conversation.
The community and the NWT have been debating about helmet legislation and who should spearhead such legislation. I agree, as I said in my Member’s statement, it might be a bit premature to consider this legislation in the House, but I do encourage municipalities to further this process.
I believe this government could have more impact and effectiveness in the education and prevention by supporting the proper programs. So the rest of my questions today will be for the Minister of Transportation on this subject.
One of those programs, as I refer to it, is the Use Your Head Program. Can the Minister of Transportation indicate to this House his department’s commitment on this program’s continuance for the remainder of this calendar year? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, getting back to the head injuries, DOT does not regulate the use of helmets for uses like with snowmobiles, bicycles, skateboards or ice skates, in-line skates or skis. That is left up to the municipalities to deal with and that’s how that’s completed.
On a going-forward basis, DOT has initiatives under the Healthy Choices Framework. I know the Member talked of the Use Your Head Campaign that was used last year with a commercial with an Aboriginal elder wearing a helmet, a public awareness campaign. We also help with giving out funding to communities outside of Yellowknife for bicycle helmets. There’s seasonal safety messaging, including helmet use while operating and riding of ATVs and snowmobiles, annual helmet funding to the SideDoor Skateboarding Program in Yellowknife, safety advertisements, including those showing an Aboriginal elder, like I spoke of, wearing his helmet. We also collaborate with Parachute Canada, formerly Think First Canada, to promote helmet safety in schools, and we also support community helmet safety initiatives and communications with youth centres respecting helmet safety programs around the Northwest Territories and we will continue to do that. Thank you.
Thank you. I do appreciate the Minister’s recant of all the initiatives I believe the government is working on here and I applaud their actions.
Can the Minister elaborate as to what other initiatives that we’re now doing currently as a result of this recent tragedy? Is there anything else that the department could consider doing in promotion and prevention of head and brain sports injuries on our NWT roadways? Thank you.
Thank you. I certainly do believe the Department of Transportation has a role to play in educating the public, and especially young people on the use of helmets and the safe use of helmets.
As far as future activities go and initiatives go, we’re looking at a release of an animated public service announcement on helmet use to be aired during Northbeat programming on CBC and also that would be available on demand on You Tube. We’re looking at the organization of a Take Your Helmet to Work Day, and perhaps that’s something that Members of the Legislative Assembly could in fact bring a helmet to work at some point in time. We’re looking to increase involvement with Parachute Canada, as well as with the TD Think First for Kids and the Scotiabank Think First Smart Hockey programs, also safety advertisements featuring some NWT politicians and leaders around the Northwest Territories promoting the use of helmets around the territory. Thank you.
Thank you. I’m strongly encouraged with what I’m hearing today, and I applaud the department and the Minister for sharing those great initiatives with everybody here. A lot of the initiatives may not have an educational overtone or an affect in our school system.
Can the Minister indicate if there has been collaboration with the ECE Minister to work on educational programs through the Department of Transportation, which we can touch the lives of more of our school children out there in the Northwest Territories?
Thank you. I’m sure our staff have talked to the staff at ECE and that dialogue will have to continue. I think getting the message into schools around the Northwest Territories is very important, and we will continue to work with ECE to make sure that any programs that we do have, any educational component reaches out to schools and young people across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again great news and thanks for sharing that information from the Minister.
We know that it’s pretty hard to argue that a bicycle or a skateboard helmet will not save lives. We know they do. Unfortunately, as I indicated earlier in my statement, we might be a bit premature to bring in the legislation to debate into the House. But in order to assist municipalities prepare for their future agenda on this topic, would the Minister of Transportation provide municipal and territorial data on head and brain injuries due to road sports in the past five years and would he table such information in this House? Thank you.
