Good afternoon, colleagues. Members, I would like to thank the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Jackson Lafferty, for providing us with pink carnations, marking our support to end bullying in schools and the workplace, on the Internet and, indeed, in every walk of life. I want to thank Members for wearing these pink carnations today as a symbol of our commitment to do our part to do away with bullying.
Mr. Speaker, today is the official Anti-Bullying Day, a day celebrated during the last Wednesday of February of each year. I am pleased we are wearing pink carnations today, marking a day of protest against bullying. This action was started by two brave young men in Nova Scotia, David Shepherd and Travis Price, who gave away 50 pink shirts after a Grade 9 student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school.
These two young men raised national awareness of a significant societal problem that does not just exist in our schools but is all too common in our society generally. It is a cancer that has spread far and wide and it is up to all of us, not just our teachers in schools, to put a stop to it. Parents, community leaders, co-workers and politicians must stand up for those who get harassed relentlessly, day in and out, for who they are, often just because they are different than the guy next door.
Mr. Speaker, this is not the society Canada is aspiring to be. In fact, Canada is well known for its tolerance and diversity, but if we don’t all protect it, do our part to change attitudes, set clear standards in policy and legislation that bullying is not
acceptable and won’t be tolerated, then we will lose what many before us have fought so hard for and, unfortunately, many have lost their lives over.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that our government, with the encouragement of Members across the floor, has begun the work of developing a comprehensive bullying prevention strategy with the assistance of the best expert this country has to offer and the wise counsel of residents and professionals in our communities. The comprehensive plan will be ready for review in a few weeks and I hope it is the start of a new beginning in our schools, which will provide safe places of learning for all of our children and teachers. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, tourism is a vital industry here in the Northwest Territories. It is our largest renewable industry and attracted close to 70,000 visitors and over $100 million in new spending last year. Of all sectors, tourism presents the greatest likelihood of creating economic opportunities in each region, especially in the smaller communities.
Because of the importance and the potential of our tourism industry, it is critical that we develop effective plans to market the NWT’s outstanding range of tourism products.
Mr. Speaker, with that goal in mind, I am extremely pleased with NWT Tourism’s 2013-14 Marketing Plan, which will be tabled in the House later today.
Partnerships are a cornerstone of our tourism marketing efforts and I would like to thank the Tourism Marketing Advisory Committee for their guidance and leadership. This committee has representatives from the tourism industry and the GNWT, and provides strategic direction to NWT Tourism each year in the development of this plan.
I would like to thank the Tourism Marketing Advisory Committee and the board of directors of the NWT Tourism Association for their direction and advice in shaping this plan.
We have a lot to offer the world when it comes to tourism experiences. Our territory is known for its world-class sport fishing, aurora viewing, road touring, outdoor activities and hunting. As the marketing plan points out, the NWT is increasingly seen as a unique location for hosting small and medium-sized meetings and conventions.
We are also seeing increasing demand for Aboriginal cultural tourism products, a demand that we can satisfy through our strong cultures and natural hospitality of our people.
However, the tourism industry is extremely competitive and we need to continually position ourselves as a travel destination of choice. The NWT Tourism Plan will use the power of our iconic attractions to attract potential travellers to the NWT. The Aurora, our lakes and rivers, our parks and wilderness, our people and culture and our northern realities such as ice roads, and ice pilots all play a central role in the marketing plan.
The core marketing efforts will leverage interest in these attractions in key target markets in Europe, namely Germany; and the Asia-Pacific, namely Japan. Other parts of Canada will also be a major focus – Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan – as well as some areas identified in the United States. Also identified in the plan is the possibility of reaching into emerging markets such as Mexico, Australia and, as Premier McLeod proved last September during his visit to China, casting a wider net is important to help our tourism industry grow.
We are currently proposing to significantly increase the resources allotted to NWT Tourism to market the NWT as a travel destination. Subject to Legislative Assembly approval of additional resources for marketing in the amount of $600,000 for 2013-14, I will be asking NWT Tourism to amend their 2013-14 marketing plan to reach deeper into established markets and broaden the means in which they reach out to these markets. We will also be proposing a further additional $600,000 in marketing funding for 2014-15, which will allow NWT Tourism to expand their advertising promotions, attend more trade events, and increase media promotions in these markets.
Mr. Speaker, a prosperous tourism industry builds on what the NWT has to offer in abundance: a beautiful landscape, rich cultures and a willingness to share these with the world. The 2013-14 Tourism Marketing Plan continues to focus on and support NWT tourism development. Marketing the spectacular range of tourism products and experiences in our territory helps to ensure a diversified and healthy economy that provides all regions and communities with opportunities and choices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to confirm that the Government of the Northwest Territories’ new Reservist Leave Policy allows public service employees to take unpaid time off to serve with the Canada Reserve Force, part of the Canadian Forces.
The Canadian Reserve Force is made up of volunteers who serve with the Canadian military while maintaining civilian jobs or studies. Reservists have made substantial contributions to Canada’s domestic and international operations and the number of reservists in service has grown significantly across the country. The number of NWT reservists has increased almost ten-fold since the C Company, the primary army reserve unit in Yellowknife, was established in 2008.
Northerners have had a long association with the Reserves, particularly through the Canadian Rangers. Easily recognized by their red sweatshirts and caps, the Canadian Rangers have played an important role since 1947. They assist with sovereignty and surveillance patrols, search and rescue operations, responses to emergencies, and advancing public recognition of the North’s First Nations, Inuit and Metis people.
Mr. Speaker, this government recognizes the valuable skills that Reservist employees bring to the public service. Their military training provides them with unique experience in leadership, planning, management and in specialized technical fields. Public service employees who volunteer with the Reserves are able to take up to 15 days of unpaid leave for training with the military, and longer periods as required for domestic and international deployments. These entitlements are consistent with those provided to private sector employees through amendments to the Employment Standards Act made during the 16th Legislative Assembly.
Our government will support members of the public service to serve with the Canadian Forces. I would like to thank our Reservists for their contributions to the public service, to our communities and to Northern Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What is the science of measuring bullying? Actually, I scoured the Internet, I Googled medical reports and I used Wikipedia for everything out there and there isn’t a science name for measuring bullying.
So today I have the luxury of presenting the newest term in the English language for the science that measures bullying, and that name is “bullyology.” I have an audition later today with the CBC’s Dragon’s Den.
---Laughter
There have been almost two decades of data on bullyology on our children. Even last week, the JAMA published findings that are most definitive in establishing long-term psychological effects of bullying. The analysis of these recent findings took into account a sample of 1,420 children from North Carolina. The kids were nine, 11 and 13 years of age.
The objective of the study was to test whether bullying or being bullied in childhood predicts psychiatric problems in young adolescents. The children, their parents and caregivers were interviewed each year until the youngster turned 16, and then periodically thereafter.
The findings clearly show that those who have been bullied, plus those who were both victims and aggressors, were at higher risk of psychiatric disorders compared to those with no history of being bullied. The ones identified solely as victims had a higher level of depression disorders, anxiety disorders, generalized anxiety, panic disorders and agoraphobia.
These bullyology results should be of no surprise to anyone, and it is clear that the psychological damage doesn’t go away as you mature, as the effects of being bullied are direct and long lasting.
Today is one day we give victims of bullying our attention, but it should be noted we should give every day to these victims and it will only happen through community support and future legislation.
Let me say again, legislation will only be one tool in our anti-bullying tool belt. Together, parents, educators and communities will still need to stay active and take an active stand on our kids’ behaviour at school, at play and on social networks.
Mr. Speaker, I have said this now a number of times in this House, but it is worth repeating. It won’t be easy, but together we must change behaviour and together we must. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can see from the pink glow in the Chamber today that it’s Pink Shirt Day here and across Canada. For the second year in a row, NWT MLAs are acknowledging the importance of this initiative and, for the second year in a row, we’re not alone. Last year we were joined by Ms. Carrie Heldman and her Grade 5 class from N.J. Macpherson School. Ms. Heldman is back with the entire N.J. Macpherson Grade 4 to 6 student population to join us today and to highlight anti-bullying awareness along with the MLAs.
Since last year, the Anti-Bullying Campaign has gathered momentum across North America and across the NWT. NWT students, educators and education councils have developed and implemented strategies, awareness and resources to deal with the issue of bullying in our schools.
It’s tempting to put all the responsibility for addressing bullying onto the schools and educators, but we must accept that bullying takes place in all kinds of environments and all kinds of situations, not just schools. Bullying has to be considered in the larger context, the bigger picture. We cannot ignore the importance of addressing bullying in our society as a whole.
One area not spoken about where bullying does occur is in the workplace. Research tells us that at least 40 percent of all employees are affected by workplace bullying. According to the Workplace Bullying Institute, “Many places of work, consciously or unconsciously, endorse, perhaps even encourage bullying behaviour. In fact, workplace bullies frequently get promoted or they are not dealt with directly as the workplace culture does not know how to address such behaviour.”
Three key actions that could stop bullying are recognizing bullying behaviour, speak out at the time that you encounter bullying, and stand by those who are being bullied and support them. Over the last couple of years we have spoken a lot about bullying of our young people at school or in cyberspace, but much needs to be done to highlight and profile workplace bullying as well. Strategies that work well in schools can be transferred to the workplace. To mention two possibilities: one, create a policy that allows employees to file a complaint about any workplace bullying that they are either experiencing or witnessing; two, create an anti-bullying program to teach employees how to recognize bullying behaviour and teach them about what their rights are under the new policy. By implementing an anti-bullying or safe workplace policy the GNWT can lead by example. In doing so, we will improve not only our own workplaces but all workplaces in the NWT.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I, too, rise to speak on bullying or, as Mr. Dolynny’s new word, bullyology. I would like to say a special welcome to all the students in the gallery here today. I just want to say that I, too, have a phrase or words as well. I like to call it Bully No More. This is the cry from this Legislature today and it’s supported by all our MLAs, Ministers, students and all our constituents.
I would agree that this is a people’s movement or constituents’ movement to have safe schools and safe students. As I speak to parents in my constituency of Fort Simpson and the small communities about bullying, they feel that nothing, or hardly anything is being done and there is no punishment for the offender.
For example, recently, within the past two days I was contacted by a parent who was very upset because there was a boy in her daughter’s class who poked her in the eye with a pencil. I’m so happy there was no physical damage done at all. The mother advised her daughter that the next time that happens to yell loudly, stop bullying, but her daughter said, but we’re not allowed to yell in school. The mother replied, I don’t mind you breaking a school rule as long as you stand up for yourself and stand up for other people. I’ll give you that permission, she said. This same boy bullies other girls in that school and only gets a few recesses taken away. Bullying has to be dealt with.
Also, some parents have advised me that they actually keep their kids at home for home schooling so that their children are safe. We need schools that are safe for our children to learn freely. We as MLAs have to come up with solutions by working to find ways to make sure that people are not allowed to hurt others in school. That is not acceptable to behave as a bully. Those days are long gone. I say, bully no more.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Bullying and its behaviour are unacceptable and should not be tolerated. There are deep root causes of bullying and its effects on the education system. Therefore, I want to highlight bullying in my language to encourage parents to be aware of bullying behaviour and its effects.
[English translation not provided.]
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to use my Member’s statement today to talk about bullying. First of all let me say how happy I am that this much attention is being drawn to this very important topic. It occurs, as Ms. Bisaro said, in many forms and in many places. We most often think of it in the context of children, though, because hopefully, you know, we think that when people grow up they might stop acting out in a way that’s inappropriate. But on that matter, we, as legislators, have to do our part to put in place policies and regulations and legislation to back up the anti-bullying efforts of our constituents to ensure that the seriousness of bullying and its effects receives the attention that it deserves and, as Mr. Dolynny so aptly shared with us today, some of the long-term effects that bullying can have on people, and I have absolutely no doubt that those findings that he cited were absolutely true.
Very importantly, parents and family have a very strong role to play in not only stopping bullying but supporting a member of their family, a child in their family who is being bullied. I think that a lot of times parents have come to me as an MLA in utter frustration and despair over their children being bullied and not knowing how far they should go to intervene because they don’t want the situation to get worse. I know it’s very, very difficult for teachers too. It’s difficult for everybody, but we do have to take action. We cannot stand by and allow it to continue.
Strong families, a place where a child and an individual knows that they have unconditional acceptance and love goes a long ways to diminish the effect of what the schoolyard bullies and the classroom bullies do. I believe that and I certainly found that to be true in our family. It’s like the old adage, you know, siblings fight amongst themselves but when somebody is bullying your brother or your sister, well, then you’re all right there together. That family protection and sanctuary and closeness is something that I think parents need to be aware of. Also, I think that when I’ve heard parents sharing their frustration, I really feel for them. It is a very difficult thing to deal with when your child is being bullied. But I think that parents need to take the opportunity, as well, to make some extra time and become the friend, maybe, that their child needs at that time.
I’d like to pay my respects to this group here. This is the generation that will change our society’s attitude towards bullying. Congratulations to them.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say today that I’m very honoured to be wearing my pink shirt on Pink Shirt Day. I would also like to thank Minister Lafferty for providing us with this pink carnation for Anti-Bullying Day. I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank the children and their educators for coming out today and showing their support, creating awareness in bringing this very hot topic to the forefront of Members here in this House as well as residents of the Northwest Territories. You should be very happy and very proud of what you did today.
Last night, when we were done here at the House, I went home and I did do my homework. I did the homework that was given to us by Member Dolynny. That homework was watching the You Tube video To This Day. After watching the video, I was very impressed with what I saw. It was very well done, very well documented.
I continued on watching other videos that dealt with bullying. There are a lot of very educational videos out there that not only tell you what bullying is, how to stop it, how to speak up, but there are a lot of personal stories out there that also are very effective in trying to get the message through to people on why we should be creating policies, why we should be creating legislation, why we should be protecting our people in the workforce.
While watching those videos, I came across this one quote. The quote stated, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” The children in here, they look on and they are doing something. Members here in the House are looking on and we are starting to do something. We are discussing this type of legislation and creating these policies.
My message today is for people to speak up and let people know what they’re dealing with on a daily basis.
I know my time is running out, but I really wanted to get into the elder abuse. I have been getting a lot of e-mails and concerns of elders in my community and surrounding communities who are dealing with elder abuse, whether it is financial, physical, verbal, or emotional. It is not fair to the elders later on in their lives not being able to live a healthy, independent lifestyle. When these elders pass away, a lot of people who turn their ear, who turn an eye, decide not to listen. When they pass away they always say at least they are not going to be suffering any more. Now it’s time to speak up to allow our elders, our seniors, to live a good end of their life. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning was a beautiful day outside, and when I took my little son to school I said, look at the day, it’s Pink Day today.
It is beautiful today, even in our gallery. Thank you very much for the teachers and the parents and the children for being here. I, too, did my homework last night and early this morning. I was looking for the magic pill for, as my friend would say, bullyology. I looked through the old school of reading and listening to what the elders have that talked to me about, and I think I have the magic pill. The pill is free. It is be nice and be respectful, and that’s free.
We don’t wear pink to make a statement. We don’t wear pink to be different. We don’t wear pink to say we are here. We wear pink because we value who we are as people.
We live in a value system of life. We were taught throughout life how to deal with life, which means bullying at times. We carry these experiences throughout our life. Bullying comes in many different shapes and sizes. It comes in various forms. It comes very simply to very complex words and actions. Yet, the common denominator to bullying is the same: It hurts. It hurts people.
Have we not yet learned to accept others as we would like to be accepted, to acknowledge and respect our differences and make our mark in our life by saying thank you?
We won’t be bullied in life. Just as nature has its own laws of the land, we learn by nature. But bullying is a teacher. It teaches us to be different. It teaches us to stand up. It teaches us to say to the world, bully no more, accept us. We want to stop this bullying now.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague indicated, today is a beautiful day. It’s nice and pink out there, but I’d also like to talk about the days getting longer and spring is around the corner.
Often in the North that’s an exciting time, but one of the difficulties that we have in Hay River is this brings on the discussion of breakup. One of the issues that we have in Hay River is an annual breakup and the Hay River has been filling in, getting silted up and for years now, since the late ‘80s, early ‘90s, they’ve quit doing the dredging in the Hay River area.
I’ve brought to this House, a few times, the dredging issue. In the springtime the residents of Hay River, often the ones that live in Vale Island, are very concerned and very nervous. They have to consider what they’re going to do come late April when the river breaks up and the potential for a flood happens.
The residents there have to consider whether they want to stay there or are they going to move. I know some that move away for two weeks with their families into the higher areas of the community. Every year this is an issue and we need to do something about the dredging.
Today I will have some questions for the Minister of Transportation on dredging. We’ve talked about some of the issues, now we need to put some dollars to this great difficulty in Hay River.
I will keep bringing this issue to this House for the residents that live in the Hay River area. As well, I will keep bringing this issue to this House for the industry, for the fishing industry, for transportation. Dredging is required in Hay River. The Hay River is blocking off and our residents and our industry are being affected. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s great to see all these students out here today in pink, and for those of us who caught the flash mob, we realize we’re in the presence of a bunch of great dancers, both students and teachers. Mahsi.
---Applause
During this budget review, I’ve been examining the startling figures for travel by GNWT departmental employees. For example, Aboriginal Affairs will spend over $13,000 per employee for travel in ‘13-14, or $520,000, over half a million for 39 workers. MACA anticipates $18,000 per employee, over $2 million for 115 employees. ENR projects $2.5 million in travel costs, or $8,000 per employee – a big department – ITI, $7,000. In fact, the cost per employee for all 2,500 GNWT workers is $7,000, totalling $17.3 million. Note that these projections do not include travel for the 2,300 other employees of our boards and agencies who travel under separate budget.
Travel is a crucial element of many departments’ duties. Circuit court and prisoner movements, for example, are surely a big chunk of Justice’s annual $2.9 million in travel costs. Some face-to-face meetings are indispensable. Our public servants need professional development, which may be in the provinces, and deputy ministers are to be vigilant reviewing all requests for southern travel. Still, with these numbers I have to wonder whether the technological alternatives to travel are even being considered before the costly last resort of travel and person is chosen.
Human Resources spends the least on travel, about $2,000 for each of its 189 workers, and the PWS, Public Works and Services, comes in modestly at under $3,000 per employee. I’m assuming these departments achieve this partly by relying on doing staffing interviews by telephone and contract management by electronic contract.
The often wasteful practices of full costs and first-class travel, expensive ticket changes, repeated trips to Ottawa for two-hour meetings and trips to distant destinations, not unusually overseas or in the deep south, are well known. The public is aware, travel agencies are aware, and many are disgusted at such waste of taxpayer dollars.
I have no problem with necessary travel adding to an employee’s travel point collection, but how are we sure a travel decision…
Mr. Bromley, your time for Member’s statements has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
I have no problem with necessary travel adding to an employee’s travel point collection, but how are we sure a travel decision isn’t influenced by travel points rewards?
Perhaps there are lessons here for all departments. Video conferences and teleconferences are not the same as meetings in person, but at $7,000 in travel per employee across the entire government, I know that every travel authorization is not being critically reviewed before signing off. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin, I too wish to acknowledge our fantastic students that are here in the gallery today. I was very impressed with their flash mob as well. It was clearly a statement that this generation is standing up to bullying and they’re certainly saying, in their own way, bully no more. I want to thank them for that.
I’d like to follow up on some concerns I expressed last week about the northern workforce at our mines. The Government of the Northwest Territories has negotiated and signed a total of five socio-economic agreements with industry over the last 17 years and this progress, in the sense of negotiation for Northerners, is a good thing.
Oil and gas exploration and new mineral development strategies are opening up the North, and there will be increased opportunities and developments and, potentially, jobs for Northerners. There is one particular problem. The only one out there who knows if these are Northerners working in the North is Revenue Canada because they’re the only ones empowered to audit the residency. Are we supporting paper Northerners or, as they are they commonly known, ghost Northerners?
I’m calling for more accountability and reliability on this particular reporting these mines must do. We’ve all heard the story about someone cashing in and getting that great job at the mine and then moving south. It’s time to deal with myth and fact. What is the reality before us? How many Northerners are truly northern hires and how many of the Northerners they’re reporting are true residents of the Northwest Territories? How many maintain a post office box and only check it here once every two weeks when they fly into the North to go to work and then they fly south to go live? Do we have a senate problem here in the Northwest Territories? Let’s get some health care cards, driver’s licences and tax information. Let’s prove it once and for all. True accountability for these jobs that are being reported. This is not about putting the spotlight on good behaviour, this is about emphasizing bad behaviour.
Several years ago the mining workforce was surveyed on residency issues but we need more solid information, clear reporting, consistent reporting, honest reporting, and perhaps maybe the only way to do it and make sure it’s done right is to get third-party reporting to ensure the mines are living up to their contractual agreements that they signed with the people of the Northwest Territories, not just the Government of the Northwest Territories but the people of the Northwest Territories.
I’ll be asking Minister Dave Ramsay, does he stand with Northerners or does he stand comfortably in the good arms of industry? Is he protecting their interests or is he protecting northern jobs that belong to northern people?
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
I’d just like to welcome the N.J. Macpherson students that are here, all the students that are wearing pink. It’s a great day to wear pink. And all the supporters who are here with us in the gallery as well, mahsi cho for coming.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I represent the riding of Kam Lake in this Legislative Assembly and it’s a great riding full of great people, but it certainly has two great schools and one of those schools is well represented here in the gallery today, and that’s N.J. Macpherson. I just wanted to thank all the students, staff and parents that are up there for coming out here today to support Anti-Bullying Day.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize my constituency assistant, Ms. Leah Ipana, who is here chaperoning a couple of young ladies from Inuvik who are working as Pages, Ms. Chantal Grey and Ms. Lauren Cockney. I want to thank them and all the other Pages for the work that they do on our behalf.
