Debates of June 1, 2005 (day 6)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier what exactly his government is doing to address the high cost of living to the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Premier Handley.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That’s a bit of a different question, Madam Speaker. Rather than get into the detail of what we are doing in the taxation area, I think the question deals with a whole list of things that have been included in our first budget and in the last budget. Madam Speaker, taxation and tax benefits are one piece of it. Our government did make changes, the last government, the 14th Assembly, to the way personal income tax is handled. I think that was beneficial to everyone. We have increased the cost of living allowance. We’ve made those kinds of changes.

Madam Speaker, there are also issues that we think are much broader. For example, we’ve done a lot of work on promoting hydro development as a way of getting the cost of living down, as another example. Madam Speaker, it’s a very broad question and I could stand here for two hours and list the things we have been doing, but I don’t think that’s what the Member wants right now. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am sure the Premier and the Finance Minister do get the point that I am getting at, which is the fact that anything in this Northern Strategy and anything I have seen since becoming a Member of this Legislative Assembly, the only thing I have seen is us raising taxes. I don’t believe we have taken a good, solid look at how we can decrease the cost of living on our residents. I know other countries around the world have identified certain areas of their country as economic areas of development and things of that nature. I don’t know why the federal government wouldn’t look at Northern Canada as having a similar feel and take a look at us as being different and respect the fact that it does cost more to live in the Northwest Territories and in the other two territories, as well. I would like to ask the Premier if he will take this issue seriously. I do believe the Premier will take it seriously and take it up with the other two northern Premiers and at least start a dialogue on what the federal government can do to help reduce the high cost of living in the three northern territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Premier Handley.

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

Madam Speaker, yes, I will take that very seriously and so do the other northern Premiers. I will raise it again with them. I have to say that the Prime Minister has shown a lot of personal interest in the Northern Strategy and I know that he is also interested. Yes, I will follow up with this, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education. I was at a briefing today with respect to tobacco addictions, Madam Speaker. I was thinking in addictions overall, how much of a role does our Education department play in the curriculum of teaching our children about addictions? How much time do we have set aside in our education system, Madam Speaker, with respect to teaching our children about addictions?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 71-15(4): Role Of Education In Addictions Programming

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can’t answer the question as to how many minutes or hours might be involved, but I can say that our curriculum includes the teaching of issues around additions starting from the earliest grades. There is a much heavier emphasis in the health curriculum by the time students get to the junior high level and then it carries on into the high school. It is something that is included in all levels of schooling in the discussions. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 71-15(4): Role Of Education In Addictions Programming

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am aware of some of the initiatives, particularly by the RCMP or the Justice department in terms of the DARE program. I am just wondering about some of the content about what is available to our youth in the schools. I recently quit smoking cigarettes…

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….and many years ago I had a personal battle with alcohol and I was able to deal with that by myself. I was just thinking does our curriculum or some of the things we are teaching our children help them know where to turn for help. Is that within what we are teaching them, Madam Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Dent.

Further Return To Question 71-15(4): Role Of Education In Addictions Programming

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The curriculum focuses on helping young people understand how to make healthy choices. Healthy choices include how to make choices around issues of alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Yes, there is a discussion included around where to get assistance and how to get assistance if that is needed. Many of our schools have incorporated counselling, not just career counselling, but counselling within the schools to help young people so they have a resource, a person they can talk to about making those healthy choices. For instance, in Norman Wells they have brought a regular counsellor into the school system and it’s really made a positive change in the behaviour in the schools, they have found, including how children are interacting with the law. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 71-15(4): Role Of Education In Addictions Programming

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Is it the priority of this government to continue with the expansion of these programs if they feel it’s necessary? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Dent.

Further Return To Question 71-15(4): Role Of Education In Addictions Programming

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I said, this is definitely part of the curriculum already. It’s something we can work on with our partners in the education system to find out if we need to strengthen the resources that are available. If they do, we will certainly look to do that. We do encourage the schools to take advantage of partnerships with the RCMP, Health and Social Services and other caregivers in the communities to make sure the resources are brought into the classroom to help with this whole process. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in my statement, I quoted John Diefenbaker’s vision to the northern frontier, building roads. In John Diefenbaker’s roads in the past 30 years of that vision being voiced in Ottawa, I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation if he could outline a brief strategy of his department’s intentions to move on building an all-weather road in the Sahtu region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, like the Member, we share Mr. Diefenbaker’s vision to see an all-weather road along the Mackenzie Valley.

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However, the final decision is not ours to make. We continue to seek funding to improve the road system, extend the season and put the bridge into the Mackenzie Valley winter road. However, we need the federal government onside to provide the dollars to bring it to the point where it is an all-weather road. It’s something we strive towards. We’ve used every avenue that we have to bring that message to Ottawa. We have included it in our long-term strategy. We have a document called Investing in Roads that was put together in 2000 that has the strategy in there to include the Mackenzie Valley winter road, the Tuk road and all other roads that are needed in the NWT.

We are also dealing with this road when we discuss the resource development impacts that are happening in the Northwest Territories. We have raised it with the pipeline proponents. We have increasing meetings with all developers in the area to see if we can partner with them to raise some funds.

We are also developing a new proposal that we will be sharing with committee that looks at putting a request in to the federal government again along the same lines as the Corridors for Canada.

We also had our Premier raise this issue at his Western Premiers Conference. So we are using every avenue we have out there to bring the message to the federal government and we certainly agree with the Member that this is a well needed structured road that has to be continued to be improved to the point where it’s an all-weather road. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Maybe this government can do one for old Diefenbaker’s vision here and push it over the hill, so we can get an all-weather road in the Sahtu and have the federal government give us full support and attention to this matter. Can the Minister advise of any type of public consultation that his department has undertaken with the people of the Sahtu to build an all-weather road in the Sahtu region?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Further Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Madam Speaker, we have had several meetings in the Member's riding. We have been there on a very regular basis over this past year. The issue of an all-weather road or the condition of the Mackenzie Valley winter road has come up on more than one occasion at every meeting. It’s a huge concern. It’s a significant cost factor. That’s something that we recognize. We’ve also, as part of our consultation, contacted the stakeholders with our proposal, our new draft of our proposal, including the Member. He will be receiving a copy of this proposal. We are also contacting the chamber of commerce and the trucking association. So we are trying to contact as many people as we can to get some feedback to see if everyone is in agreement that we are on the right track. So that consultation process is ongoing and we will be packaging it up sometime later on this year to bring it forward to the federal government for consideration.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, regarding the consultation, is there a specific forum that the people in the Sahtu can get together and talk about the strategy and an all-weather road in the Sahtu? I appreciate the Minister’s steady trips into the Sahtu and the people appreciate that. What I am looking for, Madam Speaker, is that the Minister can have a specific forum so people in the Sahtu can get together and talk specifically about an all-weather road strategy into the Sahtu so the Minister can take notice and put it into a package for the federal government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Further Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Madam Speaker, we are in the process of updating our long-term strategy. The document Investing in Roads was put together in 2000 with consultation with all regions. It’s something we would like to update this year. As part of that, we will be talking with the community leaders and we are also hosting a conference, or we just recently hosted a get together with the contractors and some of the people who work for us and do the maintenance on it to see what we can do in terms of improvement.

As for the Department of Transportation to hold a conference, I don’t think that’s something we were planning to do and I don’t know if that’s something I would be interested in doing at this point. We have gathered a lot of information over the years. We know the different costs that are required to build roads in the Dogrib region, in the Sahtu or in the Beaufort-Delta. So we have the information. We know there is a need there; we just need to find the right avenue to get the federal government to agree to fund it. That’s what we are doing. If there is a need by the Member for us to have a meeting or specific community meetings, we would be happy to do that as we continue to travel into his riding. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With the Minister continuing to travel into the communities, hopefully one day he will be able to drive into our communities. The Sahtu is having an annual gathering in August in Colville Lake. I would invite the Minister to that meeting and have a meeting there with the people. Would the Minister consider looking at this type of meeting with our people in terms of bringing the solution to the Sahtu who know the solution: Build the road that can be done over a number of years by using a community approach method and connect all the communities in the Sahtu before connecting down south? This year, I understand there is going to be about $60 million going into the economy of the Sahtu with oil and gas. I think it’s about time the federal government, through the Minister, pays high attention to building an all-weather road in the Sahtu. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I think it was a question in response to an invitation to come to a gathering in the Sahtu. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 72-15(4): All-Weather Road For The Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we are always very interested and happy to go into the Sahtu, as we have demonstrated over this past year. Anytime we go to the community, many issues come up and the road, I am sure, will be at the top of the list. We have heard the message from the Member. We have heard the message from his communities that connecting the communities is a very important role. There are other areas in the NWT that need also to be given some attention to be able to connect and improve transportation links within the community. That is an area we will be focussing on as we draft our proposals. We will keep that in consideration. Rather than focus strictly on reconstruction as a result of high pressures from resource development, this time around we will take into consideration the need to have good transportation links amongst our communities and that will be part of our focus. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My questions this afternoon are for the Minister of Finance and this is in relation to the decision to move the Territorial Treatment Centre to Hay River. Madam Speaker, this Assembly in the last fiscal year, 2004-05, approved an expenditure for the Territorial Treatment Centre here in Yellowknife. I wonder if the Minister could give us a bit of background. What was the amount of money that was approved and what was the status of that project as approved by this Assembly for the last fiscal year? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The money that was approved in 2004-05 for the Territorial Treatment Centre and subsequently brought forward this year would lapse and as we are doing now, the money has now been identified through the supplementary appropriation that is going to come before this House and will be dealt with in that fashion, requesting the Assembly to approve the change in designation of those funds. Those funds were identified for the facility, Territorial Treatment Centre, in Yellowknife. To move that money now to upgrade that facility would require approval of this Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. When a plan is brought before the Assembly and approval is given, there is an expectation that it will happen or that at least an explanation will be provided in a timely manner why it’s not happening. Until a few days ago, Madam Speaker, this House was not aware that the plans to invest that money in the TTC here in Yellowknife had been changed. Can the Minister explain why this Assembly, and certainly at least the Members for Yellowknife, were not made aware of the stoppage of a major program approved by this House? Why didn’t he tell us about it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Minister Roland.

Further Return To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the project as was outlined in the budget and as the budget is approved, there are expectations from communities and those who have been working on the project of that project moving ahead. There are many projects we can use as examples of a project being on the capital plan and even to the point where you see identified for the next fiscal coming up is then deleted from that program because of other issues that have come up. In this case, the Department of Health and Social Services came forward to FMB and Cabinet to identify changes in plans and had brought forward the material to request the change and a designation. That has been given and now we are following through as required by the process that we have in place of informing the House as well as seeking approval for moving those dollars that were approved. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We are about two months into the new fiscal year now. There must have been some months in the past fiscal year that the government had new information and changed its mind about something but didn't tell us. Will the Minister tell this Assembly today what was it, several months ago obviously, that caused Cabinet to change its mind about the investment in the TTC here in Yellowknife? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Minister Roland.

Further Return To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the process that we use as a Cabinet and FMB when Ministers would come forward with plans or changes in plans, they would have to come and address their changes to us and seek our approval. In this case, a facility was being considered for a major retrofit or replacement and the estimates that are put into the document, in the budget we vote on, are class D estimates and are still subject to change.

As another facility had become available in the territory and looking at the decentralization aspect of government as well as how we conduct our business, this was brought forward and approval was sought through FMB and we received it. That is why we find ourselves as we are today with the request coming forward through a supplementary for a change in designation of that money. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre

Okay. I have the picture on the process here, but I am really looking for the substantiation, Madam Speaker, and the reason that Cabinet accepted the proposal from Health and Social Services, Madam Speaker, without looking for other options or other viable proposals for the use the Dene K'onia facility; obviously a good building, but we have learned requiring substantial new renovations. Was there no thought of looking for other options by which this facility could be utilized? Why was the TTC centre seemingly, Madam Speaker, automatically chosen for this task? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Minister Roland.

Further Return To Question 73-15(4): Status Of 2004-05 Funding Approval For Territorial Treatment Centre