Debates of February 3, 2006 (day 22)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie gas project is critical to the long-term strategic interests of the Northwest Territories and to the social and economic future of our people and our communities. This project will provide significant opportunity for residents of the Northwest Territories to take control of their economic future.

On February 14th, the Joint Review Panel on the Mackenzie gas project will begin its public hearings to evaluate the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of the project in the project area.

The Joint Review Panel is one of two hearing processes being undertaken on this project. The GNWT has already filed evidence and will also be participating in hearings being held by the National Energy Board.

Yesterday, the Government of the Northwest Territories filed a general submission with the Joint Review Panel. Copies of our submission can be obtained through the Joint Review Panel’s public registry.

The Government of the Northwest Territories wants to ensure that if the Mackenzie gas project proceeds, it is undertaken in a manner that is environmentally, socially, culturally and economically sustainable. Our submission to the Joint Review Panel is based on the premise that this may be achieved if:

the proponents implement commitments on project-related impacts;

the project is subject to ongoing monitoring, mitigation and reporting; and,

the proponents complete a socio-economic agreement with our government.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories maintains qualified support for the Mackenzie gas project based upon the information currently available. We intend to continue working with the proponents, other interveners and aboriginal organizations throughout the public hearing

phase of the environmental review of the project to ensure our concerns and issues are addressed.

During the hearing phase of the environmental review, the Government of the Northwest Territories will provide presentations and evidence to support the recommendations contained in our general submission.

Our participation will allow us to learn more about the project, the concerns of others, and to consider adjustments to our recommendations. We fully expect the issues we have identified to be resolved during the hearing process as the proponents provide further information and make additional commitments.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories will make our final recommendations to the Joint Review Panel at the conclusion of the public hearing phase. These recommendations will be based on the commitments made by the proponents, the recommendations made by other interveners and any agreements reached with the proponents during the hearing phase. We are confident any outstanding issues will be addressed by the Joint Review Panel in its final report to the federal and responsible Ministers.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories’ qualified support for the project, as outlined in our general submission, opens the door for the proponents to address our recommendations. We look forward to participating in this process. Thank you. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am proud to announce that this week the NWT is hosting its first ever STOP TB conference. The aim of this two-day conference is to educate our frontline health care providers about diagnosing, treating and preventing the spread of this infectious bacterial disease.

The tuberculosis rate in our territory has remained five to 10 times above the national average over the past decade. It is especially troubling that TB rates are highest among our aboriginal population. The disease spreads through the air and can infect anyone. As Members know, this can be very serious.

In 2001, the Department of Health and Social Services developed an action plan to strengthen TB management and control in the NWT and this includes increasing public awareness about TB, enhancing training for primary health care workers, and ensuring public health resources are available to support the TB Program.

The Department of Health and Social Services and the NWT Medical Association are co-sponsoring this conference and over 160 physicians, nurses and other health care providers from the NWT, Nunavut and Yukon are in attendance.

This conference is an opportunity to educate all of the attendees about the disease of tuberculosis, the NWT TB Program infrastructure and specific northern resources for diagnosis, treatment and community efforts towards TB control.

One of the key speakers at this conference will be Dr. Anne Fanning, a TB expert, who has done two external reviews of our TB Program. Dr. Fanning recently concluded her second evaluation of the TB Program and indicated while there are still challenges for the elimination of tuberculosis in the NWT, such as the need to diagnose the cases in the early stage of disease, significant improvements have been made. Dr. Fanning’s report notes, “The recommendations are made in the light of the excellent progress to date and the likelihood that the NWT will soon enter the era of TB elimination. They address two areas of need: education and staffing. They recognize the need to use resources efficiently, but to sustain and strengthen surge capacity for TB control”

As such, this conference will allow the opportunity to present evidence of recommended standards of practice, thus informing clinicians how to diagnose disease and intercept the continued spread of this airborne infectious disease.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the work that is being done to fight this disease and the need for continued vigilance. We are providing training and orientation to health care workers at all levels, including doctors, nurses, community health representatives and TB workers.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that has been done, but it is clear that we still have a long way to go. With this important TB conference, I hope we can continue this work and lower our TB rates to zero. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to speak today about our budget process and how I feel that Regular Members need to have more input into major decisions, especially considering the constant state of flux that our funding arrangement is in with Ottawa.

In the Northwest Territories, we are supposed to operate in a consensus, consultative way. The Finance Minister advised us two years ago that, according to the formula his department has, it was in the best interests of the Northwest Territories to raise the corporate tax rate from 12 percent to 14 percent. Logic and common sense would dictate that if you raised your tax rate, corporations would file outside the Northwest Territories where they would get a better rate. Some of us even tried to tell the Minister that, but the Minister basically said to committee that day that this had to happen and that they were not afraid of big corporations filing elsewhere; a risk that they were willing to take.

The problem is that corporations did file elsewhere, and the first indication of this was the $30 million restatement of corporate tax revenue that the Finance Minister advised Regular Members of in the fall, and hopefully the decision in this year’s budget to reduce the rate from 14 percent to 11.5 percent will be an incentive for corporations to keep their tax files here in the Northwest Territories.

The problem I have is that the $30 million mistake, I mean reinstatement, hits the government hard. The Finance Minister only advises us that this is happening. As Regular Members, we have had no input or discussion regarding the reductions that were required. Cabinet and the Finance Minister send the various departments scurrying around trying to identify one percent reductions. As Regular Members, we only get the finished product. Our ability to give advice or be consulted is overlooked. It’s funny how it works when government comes forward with supplementary appropriations, we go through them and approve the spending. However, when it comes to reducing government spending, we don’t get a chance to debate or discuss these reductions and how they should take place. I would like to see the Regular Members consulted on government-wide reductions at the earliest opportunity, so that perhaps we can make suggestions to the government and to the Finance Minister. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Finance Minister at the appropriate time.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past few months, it’s become quite clear that there is a lack of a comprehensive and consistent policy in place to deal with the provision of fire emergency and ambulance services to NWT communities and surrounding regions. This was very recently raised by myself in the context of liability and appropriate levels of funding to the volunteer ambulance and fire services in Hay River. I have been informed that an interdepartmental response on this issue is in the stage of being developed.

Hay River emergency services received a record number of calls during 2005, and I can only surmise that the anticipated economic activity and growth will place increased demands on the Hay River fire and ambulance services for the immediate future. A comprehensive plan would allow us to access resources, perhaps even from industry. But, Mr. Speaker, we need a plan. I have met with the chief and officers of the Hay River volunteer fire department. After discussing a number of current priorities and imminent future demands on services, we agreed that Hay River needs to commission the development of a proposal regarding fire and ambulance services. We want to contract an independent consultant to undertake this work. We would work with the Town of Hay River, the Hay River Health Board, various government departments and agencies and, most importantly, the volunteers of the Hay River fire department to develop the terms of reference for such a proposal.

I am requesting that the GNWT contribute the cost of a consultant for the preparation of this comprehensive proposal. This proposal would indicate adequate capital, equipment, infrastructure, operations and maintenance funding for the Hay River fire department. I presume this amount would be in the neighbourhood of $10,000. I will have further questions on this matter for the appropriate Minister in question period today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk about Highway No. 3. That is my statement today. Improvements on Highway No. 3. We are thankful these improvements will be done soon because we always use this highway, which is important to us. This highway that is there, there is a lot of people who live along the highway. Sometimes some of these elders and people live along the highway, but since the highway was created, some of them are experiencing hardship because their cabins are a ways from the highway. I am talking about the access road. I am talking about the Department of Transportation. Although they maintain the road, they don’t maintain the access road to their cabins. So the elders and people of the communities that live along the highway, they hunt on the road, they trap. They live a traditional lifestyle that they still hold onto. If they are transporting things to their cabin, it’s hard for them to do that. Some elders are not able to walk a long way.

So the access road is a long way. Sometimes they have to go through a lot of snowdrifts on the road, which makes it hard for them. They do maintain the road, the highways. I will ask questions later regarding the access road. I am going to ask whether they can plough their access road once or twice a month. This is a unique situation in the NWT. So this is what we are asking the government. Later today, I will ask the Minister to see if he can prepare to do this to help these people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, mahsi cho. (English not provided)

In the beautiful communities of the Nahendeh, many people, groups and organizations work diligently day after day, year after year, to make it a safe, friendly and exciting place to live and visit. Today I want to recognize such individuals. The first is a very respected elder, Mr. Edward Jumbo, from Trout Lake and the youth from Nahanni Butte. A guardian angel is watching over the lake is how our honourable Commissioner Tony Whitford described elder Mr. Edward Jumbo when he came and visited and presented Mr. Jumbo with a certificate from the lifesaving society. In the summer, 2004, Mr. Jumbo saved the lives of two tourists from Calgary who capsized their boat on Trout Lake. This wasn’t the first time. Previously, he saved a man who accidentally fell out of his boat that was going in circles.

From Nahanni Butte, I wish to recognize Breagh Ingarfield, 14; Kayla Betsaka, 15; and Kyra Tanche, 14, who were in the news this week for opening an animal shelter in Nahanni Butte.

---Applause

As well, Mr. Speaker, the youth from Nahanni Butte were recognized by Mr. Wayne Rostad from On the Road Again and did take time to show them on his show last night. It just goes to show the exceptional abilities of our youth from Nahanni Butte.

Hear! Hear!

Once again, I commend my constituency and indeed all NWT residents who take the time and effort to help others. It’s interesting, Mr. Speaker, that these individuals are elders and youth who are going out of their way to provide service to people and animals.

Once again, I would just like to commend these individuals from the Nahendeh communities and all the other people in the North who are taking time out in their busy lives to improve the lives of others and animals as well. Mahsi.

---Applause

(English not provided)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I rise in this House to raise the issue of a 22-kilometre access road from Tuktoyaktuk to gravel source 177. Mr. Speaker, in the 1990s, one kilometre of the road from the source to Tuktoyaktuk was constructed using GNWT funds. As I have indicated in previous Member's statements, this access road is in alignment of Tuktoyaktuk’s proposed new landfill, sewage lagoon and an airport. Perhaps more importantly, Mr. Speaker, the access road is also in alignment with the Tuktoyaktuk-Inuvik highway.

I would like to thank Premier Handley, Minister McLeod and out-going MP Blondin-Andrew for meeting with the Tuktoyaktuk Working Group in November. At that meeting, Mayor Jacobson briefed the governments on the need for gravel and why the access road is so important for the future infrastructure requirements of the community. The government was very receptive to the need for a year-round source of gravel and to starting the Tuk-Inuvik highway.

Mr. Speaker, at the last meeting of the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers of Transportation, it was agreed to support the construction and completion of an all-weather road up the Mackenzie, ending in Tuktoyaktuk. I understand that the Minister of Transportation has released two documents: Corridors for Canada II and Connecting Canada from Coast to Coast to Coast. The document Corridors for Canada II has identified a requirement of $15 million to build an access road to gravel source 177.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, this government must vigorously pursue the implementation of these two plans with the new Conservative government. The access road is essential to the continuing economic growth in the Beaufort-Delta and needs to be started as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was inspired by our Members to start beginning to use our mother tongue, so I want to use part of my language here.

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(English not provided)

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In my language, Mr. Speaker, I want to just let the Members know that I said to thank the good Lord, thank the Creator for today, and that I will speak today on behalf of my people who put me here. I know life is difficult for all of us, and I will do my best to speak for you. I'll give you a voice in the House today. So that's what I said in my language.

I want to say that, Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement that an elder has told me that if you know the land, you will know the people. I really didn't understand what the elder was saying: to know the land you would know the people. It was not until I started working in this job here as Members, and also scarce and previous Members, that you get to know the people. But when you go into your small communities and meet people from different regions, you get to know the land, you get to see the beauty of the Northwest Territories and the resources and the richness in the values and the way of life they live and the hardships they've come through. They always look at us for work and they call us…(inaudible)…big boss. So they always look to us to give them a better life, and I think that's the whole essence of people sending us here.

I want to say in the Sahtu it's a little different in that you're paying the high prices and that we know what is best for us, and I think this government is starting to work in that direction to give us that type of respect and dignity to elders to have a life that we deserve, like the rest of Canada and the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with today being Friday and the weekend, coming up, I want to speak on a subject that's been a problem with the people, especially the youth, across the Northwest Territories for years. That problem, Mr. Speaker, is alcohol and drugs.

We've been battling that problem for years and it goes way back. With the pipeline coming, there's going to be more money, more chances to get alcohol and drugs, and too many families across the North, Mr. Speaker, have buried loved ones because of alcohol and drugs. Start making some good choices; and this is a message to the youth out there that may be listening. Start making some good choices. If your parents are going out on the land, go with them.

Hear! Hear!

If they don't want to go out on the land, ask them to go. If they're the problem, take them on the land with you. It's just too big of a problem to keep ignoring. Kids nowadays have a whole world of opportunity in front of them, a whole world. If they want to go to school, they can be anything they want and this government will support them. I've seen that firsthand. As long as you don't apply 24 hours too late.

---Laughter

Those out there that supply the alcohol and drugs to these young children, you've got to be ashamed of yourself. I'm real curious to know what the view from the bottom of the barrel is.

I was watching TV one time and I heard this elder, I think he was from Saskatchewan. He was singing a song. He had battled abuse his whole life, and alcohol. In his song he said he woke up one morning and he realized that his life had passed him by, and I think that's a sad statement. I don't want that to be the theme song for not only our youth, but some of the older people, too. They have to set good examples. So I urge all of you young children out there, and not so young people, to not let this be the story of your life. You won't regret it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Fundamental to the interest of democracy is the people's access to see our debates on TV. So it is essential that the people have the ability to see what the representative MLAs are doing on their behalf. The media, which we can only rely so much upon, that delivers one of the pillars of democracy -- the stories and the truth that we tell here today -- but we can't put the burden strictly on the media themselves. So it is crucial that a public broadcasting system is available so our proceedings can be maintained at the highest level possible for access to all northerners.

For these reasons, it's regrettable that APTN will no longer be carrying our public debates of this Legislative Assembly. I see it as a great cloud hanging over the democratic process. This will be a significant disappointment across our Northwest Territories, mostly probably held in small communities who look forward, I know personally, to see their MLAs during session.

But this goes further. The loss will also affect the broadcasting of some of our northern aboriginal languages. It, too, will be a great disappointment in Yellowknife because if you only subscribe to satellite, you won't be able to watch it on your regular cable TV.

Mr. Speaker, on a number of occasions I've talked to several constituents and they always talk about how they enjoy watching our proceedings on television and how they say that the flair of our debates are quite classy. Mr. Speaker, but as you know, all has not been lost. I want to personally applaud the efforts of those involved in this Assembly, working with CKLB, the other local radio stations and cable stations, to make sure our coverage gets out to the people, even though in the short term we are struggling with finding quick solutions.

Mr. Speaker, you mentioned the other day that web casting is a new reality, and I applaud that type of thinking. In addition, I want to thank CKLB and again the local radio and cable television stations that are working to make sure the people's business is out there for access to everyone in their homes, so it's quite classy that they're doing that. I hope in the long term we can restore television coverage to all communities, from Yellowknife to our smallest communities all throughout our Territories. I believe a northern television station, Mr. Speaker, truly is our long-term solution. I would like to see this Assembly work with Nunavut and the Yukon to create a northern television channel that could carry our proceedings of all three Houses and allow for better broadcasting on northern issues and northern languages with the northern flair that we all have learned to love.

Mr. Speaker, the possibilities are endless. In closing, I'd like to encourage this Assembly to work through these short-term hiccoughs and I thank everyone for that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today will be about this government's growing public service again. Mr. Speaker, I know this public service has many people who do very good work and are dedicated to making improvements in the lives of many northerners, be it in our large or small centres. Sadly though, Mr. Speaker, I can also stipulate with conviction that there are many who just don't give a hoot.

Some of the main reasons why I raise this issue is because of the many calls I receive from many of the smaller communities. Issues such as long-outstanding land issues; issues of land tenure, land transfer and property taxation, which have been going on for years without much progress; housing materials that are still in the crates because land transfers have not been completed to begin construction. Mr. Speaker, I understand there is a process in place, but I don't believe that it should take two years.

Issues of infrastructure deficiencies that have been ignored or buried in our bureaucratic cesspool. Why do children in Colville still have to use a honey bucket in school, Mr. Speaker? The upgrade to this was to put fur on the seat, Mr. Speaker. We are in the 21st Century and this is totally unacceptable. Infrastructure in our small communities are valued much more than in our larger centres, because people do not have as many options or programs readily available like they do in our larger centres. We cannot continue to ignore or put these concerns on the bottom of this government's priority list.

Mr. Speaker, I can go on and on about the little plights of our small communities, many of which can be resolved if only we have a responsive and responsible government that can wake up this public service and get them to look outside the box called Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is the first Friday of the month of February, and February is Heart Month. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the statement on the web site on the Heart and Stroke Foundation that it takes a village to build heart health, and I am also pleased to announce that I will once again be joining thousands of people across Canada and the Territories going door to door to collect donations for vital Heart and Stroke Foundation research, and distribute health information over the next two weekends.

Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to tell you that the NWT raised $34,000 in a door-to-door campaign in 2004, the latest stats available. This is quite a feat, given how cold and blusterous our weather can be.

Mr. Speaker, it should be known that cardiovascular diseases account for the deaths of more Canadians than any other disease. In 2002, the latest year for which Stats Canada has information, cardiovascular disease accounted for 74,626 Canadian deaths, placing more burden on our health care system than any other illness.

Mr. Speaker, 32 percent of all male deaths in Canada in 2002 were due to heart disease, diseases of the blood vessels and stroke. For women, the total was even high. Thirty-four percent of all female deaths in 2002 were due to cardiovascular disease.

Mr. Speaker, the Stroke and Heart Foundation research funds more than 60 percent of all the heart and stroke research money in Canada, and it's work that I'm proud to be doing a little part of it. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to just take this opportunity to thank all the volunteer canvassers, and encourage everyone to open their pockets a little wider when they see the canvassers show up at their door, some of them very young volunteers and some of them may even be their MLA as I will be canvassing in Ward Crescent, and Jeske Crescent, and Jeske Court is in my riding. So I look forward to engaging with my constituents over the next two weeks for this cause. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Finance. I've stood up in the House before and questioned the Minister on consultation with Regular Members, and this is similar to that. I'm suggesting that consultation has to take place with the Regular Members on reductions. The $30 million reduction in the corporate tax revenue is a pretty substantive reduction. I'd like to ask the Finance Minister why is there no discussion with Regular Members on proposed reductions? Why do we, as Regular Members, approve extraordinary spending, but we have no say in extraordinary reductions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 328-15(4): Consultation On Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad the Member has raised the issue of consultation again, specifically in highlighting in his Member's statement the fact that I've, in the past, presented our fiscal situation and the strategies we'd have to work with, and how I guess he would put it, has selective memory of what I've stated. For the record, Mr. Speaker, when we've put the case before Members about where our situation was, I've also informed them why our arrangements were the way they were. So just for the record, Mr. Speaker, it wasn't the fact that we would say that we did not care if large corporations would file their tax outside the Northwest Territories. Our fiscal arrangement of the day impacted how we made our decisions.

Further to the question, Mr. Speaker, about consultation, is through the process of building the budget that's before the Members, through our supplementary appropriations for new expenditures, we undergo quite a rigorous process unlike any other jurisdiction in Canada -- the only one similar to us would be Nunavut -- in how we share the information and what our plans are. With the reduction scenario that the Member has raised, that was an area that we were informed of. I informed the House of our reduction in corporate taxes back in October, and that forced us to look at the overall budget and look for reductions. When you look at the amount we had to reduce, the target I sent to departments, in consultation with my Cabinet colleagues, was a one percent reduction. When you look at that scope of one percent over the whole budget of $1 billion, it's a fairly small amount and Ministers felt that they could take that amount and work it within the departments they were managing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 328-15(4): Consultation On Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my memory is fairly good on this and I know that the decision two years ago to go from 12 percent I think to 14 percent was the wrong decision at the time. The mistake has come back to haunt this government now for $30 million. I'd like to ask the Finance Minister if he's got any idea or indication of what that decision two years ago is going to cost the government going forward. Is it another $60 million? Is it $70 million? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 328-15(4): Consultation On Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, the Member's memory and his comments are accurate about how he felt the decision we were making would have an impact. The impact that we've given, we've highlighted already in October. Now, the difference of our loss of corporate tax falls on two areas. One, the approximate amount of companies shifting where they would pay their taxes; two, probably more significantly, was how companies would refile their corporate income taxes. They have a three-year window where they can write off profits to previous losses so they can reduce the amount of corporate tax that they would pay, and that's what has hit us quite significantly in this fiscal year that we are in today. So it's not all about just having a higher tax rate; it's how companies can use the corporate tax system in their favour. What we've highlighted for loss for our corporate tax rate has been highlighted in the document that's going to be before Members for this year's upcoming budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 328-15(4): Consultation On Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Finance Minister for that. But I want to get back to the consultation. I think a $30 million restatement of corporate tax revenue is a pretty substantial thing. I think that it's incumbent upon the government to come back to Regular Members and ask us for an opinion, or consult us on where we think these reductions could happen, instead of just making decisions to go for a one percent across-the-board cut in all the various departments. Sure, the Ministers can handle it, but we had no idea or indication of where those cuts were going to come from. I think it's important, in our style of government, that that consultation take place. So I'll ask the Minister, in the future when there are reductions of that size or magnitude, will he at least just consult with us, ask us what we think? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 328-15(4): Consultation On Budget Reductions

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In line with our consensus style of government and being an open and transparent government, gladly I would seek the Members' input on any reduction scenarios that may come up in the future. Hopefully as we're building our position and our case before the new federal government, we will be able to instead be talking about where we invest more dollars, not how we reduce the expenditures we're in. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today, I talked about support for the Hay River volunteer fire and ambulance service. Members will remember I raised the issue of the inconsistency of support by this government to various fire and ambulance services across the Northwest Territories. In response to that, I know that there is a comprehensive strategy underway between the departments of MACA, Transportation, and Health and Social Services. But specifically to Hay River, what we have is a very well-trained volunteer fire department; we only get a $25,000 contribution to the local health board to operate that fire department. As resource development proceeds, our fire department not only serves the municipality, they serve the highway system east towards Fort Resolution and Fort Smith, south towards the border, and to the west towards Fort Providence, and this is quite a major undertaking. We need to be proactive in preparing for the amount of traffic and the demand that's going to be put on this volunteer ambulance and fire service in Hay River.

To that end, Mr. Speaker, we would like to come up with a plan specific to Hay River. I understand there's an overall overview plan being done for the Northwest Territories, but we want a plan specific to Hay River and we need money to commission that plan. There are five Ministers involved: Health and Social Services; MACA; Justice, under public safety; Transportation; and ITI, because a lot of this will be resource driven and we need $10,000. So any Minister of those five that I named, those five departments, that wants to give us $10,000, we'd greatly appreciate it. Perhaps I could direct the question to…I don't know who the lead is on it. Is it Mr. Miltenberger? Okay, Mr. Miltenberger. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 329-14(5): Support Of Volunteer Fire And Ambulance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is an issue of some concern for the Northwest Territories, the government, and all the communities in the North. We are working, as the Member has indicated, on a plan. In fact, Minister McLeod and I and our staff met yesterday, and we're looking at bringing a document forward that hopefully, over the next number of weeks, we'll be able to review the committee as well, that lays out some of our initial thoughts and recommendations in the interim as we look to how to rationalize the whole process.

In regards to the Member's request for $10,000, if the Member wants to give me her question, then I would be happy to sit down and we would look at it to see how we could best work with the community of Hay River within the work that we're doing, keeping in mind that they are doing a very important job, as well, to see how we could address that request. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 329-14(5): Support Of Volunteer Fire And Ambulance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize it's not always possible to give a yes or no answer on this particular day, but I perceive a positive response there, so that's good news. We're hoping that we would use such a plan even to perhaps leverage some money from industry, as well. Hay River is not often mentioned when we talk about affected communities for the pipeline. But when you look at the presence of industry that's going to be in the community, we feel a document like this could perhaps even alleviate some of the costs on this government for supporting of all it. Obviously, it's cheaper to support the existing infrastructure that's there and enhance that, than it is for industry to go out and create a stand-alone kind of support service for emergency services while they're in our community. So in taking an answer back to the community then, I guess, for the $10,000 that's required, does the Minister see that as a reasonable amount, and is this something that he sees being done by an outside consultant, or does he have any other options on how he might achieve this plan? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 329-14(5): Support Of Volunteer Fire And Ambulance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the community of Hay River is to be commended for their proactive attitude. We're working with communities, for example, that do energy plans for all communities because it's a very important area that has a huge impact on communities. As we go forward with this particular initiative, we are going to be working with communities and regions on a community-by-community basis as we look at how services are structured in their particular region or community. So I would ask if you'd bring forward the detail of what you're asking, we will look at it, we will give it our best look with the folks that are involved and have experience in this area, of how best to proceed. Can we assist you with money, support, services in kind? Is there the talent in house? Those are questions that we can address. But I will assure the Member that this will be given very serious consideration, and it's a process that we're going to be engaging in from the 60th parallel right up to Holman.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) As I said in my Member's statement, we have people living along the highway. There are cabins along the highway. A lot of our elders are practising their traditional lifestyle, and I'd like to ask the Minister a question. Will his department, the staff in Fort Rae, would they be able to plough the access roads to these people's cabins at least once or twice a month? That is my question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.