Debates of June 1, 2005 (day 6)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, Senior Citizens’ Week will be celebrated in the NWT from June 5 to 11, 2005. This year, the theme is Stay Active, Be Healthy. Seniors that stay active within the community and remain as healthy as possible set an example for our youth and contribute to their communities by sharing their wisdom and life experience.

In the past few years, as part of the celebration of Senior Citizens’ Week, an annual seniors’ tea was held at the Great Hall in conjunction with the NWT Seniors’ Society annual general meeting. This year, the NWT Seniors’ Society has graciously offered to help many communities organize events to celebrate Senior Citizens’ Week. I am pleased to announce that festivities will be held across the NWT in the Beaufort-Delta, Sahtu, South Slave, North Slave and Deh Cho regions.

Madam Speaker, as Minister responsible for Seniors, I would like to recognize and thank all seniors in the NWT for their contributions they make to our families and communities. I ask that we join in recognition of seniors throughout the NWT and each one of us take the opportunity to participate in celebrations during Senior Citizens’ Week. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would like to speak today about the important role of community firefighters and fire departments. Not only are firefighters our friends and neighbours, they are also essential volunteers who contribute to the public health and safety of our communities.

Firefighters are held in high esteem for the dangerous work they do on our behalf. Because of recent events in Yellowknife, where two community firefighters lost their lives, we all have an increased awareness of the risks firefighters take to protect us and our loved ones.

To recognize the essential work done by community fire departments and firefighters, every year the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs sponsors the NWT Fire Service Merit Awards. As part of the nomination process, communities in each of the five regions are asked to nominate one person from the fire department in their community as a candidate for this award. Communities are also asked to nominate their local fire departments based on their improvement in community-based fire protection services.

A selection committee comprised of representatives from communities and Northwest Territories fire services review the nominations and select one person from each region for the award. The committee also selects one individual from this same list of five regional nominees who is recognized as the overall outstanding individual in the Northwest Territories.

The committee then selects one fire department from among the nominations. That fire department is then recognized as the most improved in the Northwest Territories.

The Fire Service Merit Awards give communities the opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the dedicated people who give so generously of their time. Nominations for the awards close on June 30th and I encourage all residents of the Northwest Territories to submit a nomination form and take an active role in thanking the brave firefighters and fire departments that help to keep our communities safe.

In addition to encouraging the residents of the Northwest Territories to submit a nomination form for the Fire Service Merit Awards, I would also encourage residents to volunteer with their community fire department. Depending on the community, the time commitment required from individuals is not large, but the benefit to individuals and to the community is invaluable. Madam Speaker, firefighters are the first line of defence when fire threatens our communities. Notably, local residents who volunteer their time to keep their communities safe deserve our respect and thanks. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good afternoon. Today, I would like to inform Members about the NWT Literacy Council’s community book drive.

We all know children who are read to at home do better in school. Reading is one of the best things we can do at any age to increase and maintain our own levels of literacy. With this in mind, for the last several years the NWT Literacy Council has held an annual book drive.

Those who have books to spare may drop them off at locations throughout the city of Yellowknife or at Government of the Northwest Territories offices in Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Hay River and Inuvik. In fact, there is a drop-of box here at the Legislative Assembly. All books donated will be distributed to smaller communities to use in a variety of literacy programs, including family literacy events.

This year, the community book drive has expanded to include books for all ages, not just children’s books. This is an excellent approach because as we often discuss in this House, northerners of all ages need to work to increase their literacy skills.

I would like to encourage everyone to donate their spare books to the community book drive before June 17th. I ask all Members to join me in thanking the NWT Literacy Council for their work on the community book drive. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Today I rise in the House to raise an issue that’s been ongoing for quite some time. I am talking about the outstanding issues of property taxes in smaller communities in the Northwest Territories. Madam Speaker, this issue requires cooperation and coordination of two GNWT departments, Municipal and Community Affairs and FMBS, to find an amicable solution that many of the homeowners and ratepayers can live with. I hope this challenge does not impede the process and that the delays in finding an agreeable approach to tackle this issue are dealt with before the end of this taxation year.

Madam Speaker, during my constituency meeting in Deninu Kue, there were many concerns raised about the threatening letters residents received from FMBS stating that their outstanding taxation amounts and the actions they may face like the seizure of their homes that may be publicly auctioned off by this government should these people refuse to abide by the Financial Administration Act and clear their outstanding accounts as soon as possible.

Madam Speaker, one can only imagine the undue stress that this can cause for many of the elders that are receiving these letters. People who are unemployed are receiving these letters and families that are receiving these letters are struggling to make ends meet. I realize that this government cannot wipe the outstanding amounts from the books as this would be deemed unfair to persons who are already paying their share in these communities, but I also realize from my experience that the assessments and the levy of taxation to many of these delinquent accounts cannot be deemed as equitable and fair according to the Property Assessment and Taxation Act.

Madam Speaker, this is the first step that must be taken to rectify this problem in order for this department to conduct an assessment that reflects the true value of the properties, an assessment which is fair and equitable in all aspects, a process that would indeed be agreeable by all parties involved.

I am willing to work diligently with both Ministers to assist them in developing a plan to see some closure to this issue before the new deal rolls out and before the smaller communities are left with this dilemma to deal with; a fair deal that is acceptable, not an approach that conceals the underlying issues at hand.

I am glad to know that the Municipal and Community Affairs Minister has made a commitment in this House to developing a working group to conduct the workshops in the affected communities so that this issue can be concluded by the end of the taxation year 2005. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Out of the $37 billion the federal government collects from the goods and services tax across the country, it is estimated the Northwest Territories pays about .002 percent of that. That amounts to about $60 million; $60 million that would certainly go a lot further here in the Northwest Territories than it does in Ottawa.

Madam Speaker, in order to keep the hard-earned dollars of territorial residents in the northern economy, I think the federal government should exempt us from paying the goods and services tax.

The goods and services tax is rumoured to cost about as much to administer as it is to collect. The Liberal government in 1993 even promised to abolish this tax, but here we are 12 years later still paying our hard-earned money in support of this tax.

Madam Speaker, we have a very high cost of living and minimal services in many of our communities, so we have a hard time attracting and retaining a qualified workforce. The doctors are leaving the territory faster than we can ever hope to recruit them. Mines like Diavik say they can't find qualified staff because no one wants to move up here. Our own government is having an extremely difficult time in staffing our pipeline office in Hay River. Exempting the Northwest Territories from paying the GST would begin to help us level the playing field.

I think we should explore joining forces with both Nunavut and the Yukon territory, who may also wish to seek exemption from the GST. The population of all three northern territories, Madam Speaker, is roughly 85,000; about the same size as a city like Red Deer, Alberta. It would not impact the federal government's bottom line if they took a serious look at exempting the three northern territories.

The high cost of shipping products to the North already raises the prices in taxes in our stores. The price of shipped goods is even more expensive because the GST applies to shipping as well as the cost of goods. What happens is our residents pay the GST several times over. The Yukon government has even looked at eliminating the goods and services tax on heating fuels and electricity in recognition of the colder climate faced north of 60.

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Kam Lake is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? Mr. Ramsay, there are no nays. You may conclude your statement.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Yukon government says that eliminating the GST on fuel would put $200 back into each and every Yukon household and, therefore, back into the Yukon economy.

Madam Speaker, the federal government considers basic groceries, music lessons and even false teeth important enough to be exempt from the GST. Well I believe that we need some kind of competitive edge, some incentive to attract and retain a skilled workforce. The Northern Strategy has to recognize the fact that Northern Canada is a very expensive place to live. We have to try to find a way to give northern Canadians a break. If the federal government's true intention is three strong northern territories, northern development, sovereignty and social growth and development, then a very good start would be to have the federal government exempt the three northern territories from paying GST. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I rise to talk about transportation for health patients in the riding of Nunakput. For the past number of years, Nunakput residents have experienced a lack of transportation services for patients.

Madam Speaker, a concern was raised by constituents, in particular in a letter to the Minister of Health and Social Services from the Hamlet of Holman, that both elderly and patients in general have to find their own ride to either go to the health centre or report for medical reasons outside of their community. The hamlet operates a handy-van for purposes such as this, but it is outdated and costly.

This, Madam Speaker, causes problems in smaller communities where there are no taxi services. Although there may be taxi services in some communities, it is not a solution because some taxi services are not reliable. As an example, Madam Speaker, Reindeer Point residents in Tuktoyaktuk live about 10 kilometres from the hamlet. The local taxi will not respond to taxi calls from residents of Reindeer Point. Imagine if a resident or patient needs to go to the health centre for medical reasons and cannot find a ride, what can happen to these individuals. This concerns me as well as my constituents.

In closing, Madam Speaker, the elderly and patients in general should have access to transportation services to health centres as well as translation services. How can the Department of Health and Social Services address this concern? Maybe, Madam Speaker, one option is to allow other government departments in the communities to have access to their vehicles. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I will be addressing the request from the community of Jean Marie River for their log home building training program. Jean Marie, along with Wrigley and Nahanni Butte just to name a few, do not have economic development officers and are not home communities to large economic development initiatives. They are small communities with limited economic activities and opportunities. When the community of Jean Marie embarks on a log home building initiative and needs assistance with training dollars, we should be giving special consideration when evaluating their training and economic development requests.

Furthermore, the funds requested were minimal, Madam Speaker, not even equivalent to the postage cost of any one of our departments. This government has previously expressed support for this initiative in Jean Marie River, however, their response today is no. This seems to be a contradiction. Concerns and initiatives in small communities seem to be overlooked by this government, with our administration only responding to what they think we want to hear or with a generic commitment.

The full-size recreational facility in Nahanni Butte and adequate and regular medical services for the community of Wrigley seem to be an ongoing promise by the GNWT and never seem to solidify to anything an MLA can take back to their home communities. The stimulation of economic development is critical to the future of all communities. Industry, Tourism and Investment say they recognize the value and the importance of adequate financial resources going toward community-based initiatives, so this lack of support is unacceptable for a government who prides themselves on being a government of the people.

I strongly support the training request from Jean Marie River. Small communities seem to be left with what other larger communities have decided and as each department, organization and regional office deduct their administration costs, we are left with a minimal trickled down amount. This government must have continued and consistent resources for our smaller communities, Madam Speaker. Thank you very much.

Hear! Hear!

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. At the start of the 15th Legislative Assembly, we all came here to debate and work for our constituencies and the entire Northwest Territories on the issues of today. Madam Speaker, over the course of this Legislative Assembly we, as legislators, initiate, amend and debate matters brought forward by Cabinet and government. Most importantly, we bring forth our vision for the North and how we can thrive under the unique circumstances of living up here in the North.

Madam Speaker, we, as legislators, work towards building our NWT nation. Mr. Diefenbaker's quoted vision for the North was to build a road that connects the North with the rest of Canada and that builds a foundation of brotherhood, vision and faith. Madam Speaker, unfortunately that vision of a road was not fully realized as I thought it would be.

Madam Speaker, the Sahtu region and other regions have vast resources of wealth. We have witnessed an increase in resource development activities. There’s also the Bear River hydro dam. This is the largest potential project, next to the Mackenzie gas pipeline. We have also great potential for tourism, Madam Speaker. We have world-class fishing available to us in Great Bear Lake.

Madam Speaker, our region is an area with great potential for economic growth and development, but we need the roads to get there. The Sahtu needs the government to put a high priority in developing an all-weather road strategy for us. We want to be connected by road to the southern parts of the Northwest Territories. That is the Sahtu solution to this matter.

Finally, Madam Speaker, a road to the Sahtu is no pipe dream. We, as legislators, must do the right thing and start working with our people in the Sahtu so we can support the NWT Canada highway proposal that will include an all-weather road to the Sahtu. Thank you.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have to state once again that the proposed transfer of the Territorial Treatment Centre is not a wise decentralization move, but a reckless dismantling of a very fragile and crucial service for children, not only at the Territorial Treatment Centre but all over the North, who increasingly require highly specialized care. Rather than building up on its fragile strength, the government is proposing to start from scratch just because it’s politically expedient. I would like to ask the government to hold off this plan until a substantive assessment has been done. Further, the government should look into maintaining the current specialized services at the Territorial Treatment Centre in Yellowknife and at the same time placing at Dene K’onia another level of youth treatment centre because there is a huge waiting list and I know there is a need for this.

Madam Speaker, as I already stated, the insistence on the part of Ministers Dent and Miltenberger, however sincere, that the extraordinary special needs of these children are going to be taken care of in Hay River as well as they do in Yellowknife is hollow. I’m telling you this because this is simply not possible. I have to state for all the good people in this Assembly and out there that it is not because Yellowknife thinks it is the biggest and the best because it’s large. It is because that even as a big city, these services in Yellowknife, the services for pediatricians, psychiatrists, audio therapists, speech therapists and ENT specialists are in terribly short supply and they have been carefully stitched together for the whole of the Territories. It is because these children are located in Yellowknife that they are now able to have regular treatment that they need.

Already in Yellowknife this summer we are losing an ENT specialist and psychiatrist. We have already had to rely on a visiting child psychiatrist from Edmonton who comes here only once a month. I’m told that he gets four to five files each time he comes and he has almost 100 files of children on his mandate.

Madam Speaker, the information the Minister provided to us yesterday in our mailboxes shows that in every category, the services available for children in Hay River fall short to what is available in Yellowknife. This is not about Hay River or anything, but it is about the reality; the reality of the difficulty we have all over the country in recruiting and retaining very specialized service providers.

Madam Speaker, we have to understand that there are in the NWT an alarming statistic of children with severe cases of behavioural, emotional and mental health needs. Whether they be caused…

Your time for your Member’s statement has expired, Ms. Lee.

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Ms. Lee. You may conclude your statement.

Thank you, Madam Speaker and colleagues. May I just conclude by saying that, Madam Speaker, we have to understand that all over the NWT we have an alarming statistic of children with severe cases of behavioural, emotional and mental health needs, whether they be caused by FASD, a dysfunctional home environment or clinical issues. This centre in Yellowknife is the only network of specialized care we have and surrounding it are a web of highly specialized services that these children desperately need.

The right thing for the government to do is to strengthen what we have so that you can serve all of the North and that we are ready for the increasing needs in future. This decentralization move is nothing short of a destruction and dismantling of something very fragile that we need to have for the children of the North. If we could for one moment forget that this is in Yellowknife, I know that everyone here would agree that there is no need to move it or change it or dismantle it or fix something that is not broken. I believe there are lots of other issues of the fiscal matters that we’ll be discussing throughout the day today. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Minister of Health and Social Services and, I believe, the Premier yesterday did indeed offer to provide Members with further substantiation of the move of the Territorial Treatment Centre to Hay River. Without getting into it in detail, Madam Speaker, it was quite an extensive document, but did not provide me with the substantiation that I was looking for, Madam Speaker, and that is the consultation, the collaboration, the cooperation of the many stakeholders that this community has in providing services to the children with severe behavioural problems who are the residents of the Territorial Treatment Centre.

The core of this issue is the confidence of the community to know that a relocation will not disrupt or disturb what is already a very significant part of the lives of these children, of their families, and indeed of a number of other organizations in the city of Yellowknife that have over the past decade, collaborated, cooperated, and worked with each other to build this very vital service.

I just wanted to comment, Madam Speaker, that despite receiving, I don’t know, almost 200 pages yesterday, it is void of any evidence that they have really thought this plan through and that is why I am one Member, and I know there are others on this side, who will continue to seek the deferral of this program at least until there is a consultative plan that can restore the confidence of the communities and the families and the kids involved in continuing this plan. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. The City of Yellowknife is under a lot of pressure and has increasing demands for more residential lots and subdivisions in the city of Yellowknife. The residential areas are needed to add to the city’s quality of life, allowing the city’s increasing economic growth and to accommodate the city’s future workforce, the workforce that we are desperately trying to attract with initiatives done by this government. However, there is a very low supply of available residential lots and subdivisions at a reasonable cost to develop within this city.

Recently, the City of Yellowknife developed a residential study prepared to evaluate the feasibility of in-field development opportunities on 15 sites within the urban area of Yellowknife and some of these sites are nature preserves and parks and recreation areas. Some of these sites and green spaces which are now slotted for development are, for example, the Taylor Road area, possibly even the community gardens area and maybe even behind the Avens area. These could disappear in our city forever because there’s a lack of available land and affordable land to be developed in a reasonable way.

Madam Speaker, the hallmark of any capital city or any city in Canada, for a fact, is the abundant amount of green space in that city. Look to the river valley of Edmonton and the park systems of Ottawa and you’ll know exactly what I mean. Not to mention about what the abundant green space does for the quality of life, as well as the community atmosphere in that particular area.

I don’t want the city to unnecessarily feed on itself because they have no support for future residential subdivision development and I don’t want to see the Yellowknives Dene not being given their right to ascertain lands that belong to them. But, Madam Speaker, we have a role here to play and it needs to be played by our Premier, a Premier I would like to see work with the City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknives Dene to work out opportunities so everyone can be happy to get what they need and definitely deserve. I think there’s an opportunity here so we don’t have to go back and eat up our valuable green spaces, our parks and recreation areas or even our nature preserves so people don’t have to fight over those areas just to build houses.

Madam Speaker, an affordability role needs to be played and I think our Premier can work as a great mediator to help solve some of these problems we have here in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’m honoured today to welcome to our Legislative Assembly the Consul General of Indonesia, Bunyan Saptomo…

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…and Consul for Consul Affairs for Indonesia, Bebeb Djundjunan.

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Madam Speaker, they’re accompanied today by our protocol and communications officer, Carmen Moore, and summer student working with Ms. Moore, Anne Marie Summerfield.

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Madam Speaker, I’d also like to recognize my loyal constituent, Major Karen Hoeft.

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Thank you, Premier Handley, and welcome to our visitors in the gallery today. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it’s with pleasure I get to introduce in the gallery my constituency assistant who is down on training, Brenda Dillon.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I was saying in my Member’s statement today, I am concerned that possibly we could be reaching an area of stalemate between the City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknives Dene. I firmly believe the Yellowknives Dene have a right to land, and land that belongs to them and their personal development, so do I believe in the growth of the city of Yellowknife and I’d hate to see that impeded in any way. My question to the Premier is would he use his mediation skills, talents and abilities to help mediate the situation before a stalemate reaches an untimely death? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 69-15(4): Role Of GNWT In Land Negotiations Between The City Of Yellowknife And The Yellowknives Band

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is a process, an agreed to process, for dealing with transfer of land between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the City of Yellowknife, and there’s also an interim measures agreement with the Yellowknives Dene on how we will do that; the Akaitcho, sorry, more than the Yellowknives Dene. That is managed through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and, Madam Speaker, I believe that Municipal and Community Affairs along with Aboriginal Affairs are working very effectively and cooperatively with both the city and with the Yellowknives Dene. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Premier Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 69-15(4): Role Of GNWT In Land Negotiations Between The City Of Yellowknife And The Yellowknives Band

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I do recognize the process and it was set up by this government many years ago. It was a one-year moratorium on land so we could settle the land claim process. But, Madam Speaker, the Yellowknives do have an entitlement to land, as does the city of Yellowknife have an entitlement for growth. Unfortunately, I would never like to see them conflict. That being said, would the Premier assure me that he’s working towards a mediation process or even just being there to help assist this process, so no stalemate ever exists between these two groups, so the City of Yellowknife is not forced to go back to gobbling up their nature preserves for residential development? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 69-15(4): Role Of GNWT In Land Negotiations Between The City Of Yellowknife And The Yellowknives Band

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is no need for a mediation process. It’s working effectively now. To my understanding, all the parties are working in accordance with the agreements that we have and I’m optimistic, in fact I’m fairly certain that there will be an agreement of how to accommodate everyone’s needs; the needs of the Yellowknives Dene and their rights to land, as well as the needs of the city.

Madam Speaker, I might add that even though the city has prepared and had approval of a general plan, I don’t know of them ever asking for residential land. I wouldn’t want people to believe that somehow things are being held up here, because I don’t believe there has been a request for residential land from the city. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Premier Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 69-15(4): Role Of GNWT In Land Negotiations Between The City Of Yellowknife And The Yellowknives Band

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I guess what I’m getting at is the City of Yellowknife may feel the pressure of the Yellowknives Dene and their right to entitlement of land, so maybe they haven’t applied for those particular lands, recognizing there is a right. Yet the City of Yellowknife is going back and looking seriously at its nature preserves and its green space. I’m looking for the Premier to make sure he plays a role in this process. I’m asking the Premier in his capacity of possibly Minister of Aboriginal Affairs to make sure that the selection process goes forward and we can get that moving along again so the city of Yellowknife isn’t impeded in its growth. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 69-15(4): Role Of GNWT In Land Negotiations Between The City Of Yellowknife And The Yellowknives Band

Madam Speaker, I wouldn’t want the public to believe that somehow the city is doing an in-fill study, if that’s what it’s called -- and I’m not familiar with the detail of it -- because they can’t get any land for residential development. The fact is they have not applied to us for more residential land. I believe the in-fill study they’re doing is simply a study they’re doing as part of their planning for the city and that’s something that’s totally within the mandate of the city. It’s something we wouldn’t get involved in. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My questions today are for the Premier. Madam Speaker, the Northern Strategy that we’ve talked numerous times about in this House and in the Great Hall of this Assembly sets out some guiding principles and it does recognize the fact that we have unique challenges here in Northern Canada. I’ve mentioned, in this House, tax credits, trust funds, and, today, exemption from the GST as ways that we can get a competitive edge on attracting and retaining residents. We’ve been waiting quite patiently some 13 years for the federal government to come up with this Northern Strategy. I’d like to ask the Premier today if he could start a dialogue with Ottawa on exempting the Northwest Territories from paying the goods and services tax. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 70-15(4): NWT Exemption From Goods And Services Tax

Madam Speaker, either myself or, more appropriately, the Minister of Finance may want to raise those issues with the federal Finance Minister or with the Minister responsible for the CCRA. The point is an interesting one. It has implications that are good. It also has implications that are not something we would welcome necessarily. But, yes, I think we’re always open to doing that, whether it’s with GST or different ways of doing taxes or whatever it may be that is more beneficial to northerners. We recognize the high cost of living and doing business and the need to attract people to live here and do business here. So creative ideas we take very seriously. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 70-15(4): NWT Exemption From Goods And Services Tax