Debates of June 1, 2006 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that. I’d like to ask the Minister if he’d communicate to the regional board the concerns of the frontline providers and the importance of having that good working relationship with these frontline workers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 27-15(5): Funding For The Inuvik Women’s Shelter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that kind of working relationship is critical at frontline levels and at every level. Once again, I’m aware of the concerns that the Member is talking about and I will, as well, commit to make sure that that’s part of our discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 27-15(5): Funding For The Inuvik Women’s Shelter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during our pre-budget consultations there was a suggestion that the shelters be funded directly by Health and Social Services, because some of the money wasn’t always filtering through to the shelters. So I would like to ask the Minister if he and his department will consider an option like this? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 27-15(5): Funding For The Inuvik Women’s Shelter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a system, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a significant investment in setting up local authorities with representatives from the communities to administer almost 80 percent of the government’s or our Health and Social Service budget. Once again, I appreciate the Member’s concern. While it’s an option we’ll consider, our primary concern is still to try to work with the regions and the communities to ensure that these very valuable resources are supported the best way possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year I talked about the need for citizen judges here in the Northwest Territories. In Yellowknife there’s an annual tradition; on July 1st we have new Canadians sworn in, but through further investigation I found out that there are only 19 citizenship judges across Canada and recently I found out that we won’t be having our citizenship ceremony here on July 1st, which has become quite a tradition here in Yellowknife. I’d like to know what the Minister is doing to investigate this problem about us not having swearing in ceremonies July 1st. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 28-15(5): Need For Citizenship Judges

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have recently written the federal Minister to encourage him to appoint more citizenship court judges and particularly here in the Northwest Territories. I have asked that be done as soon as possible. I have not yet been able to confirm that we will not have a ceremony in the Territories this summer, but my office, when informed by the Member that this was likely, we started to follow up on that and we will pressure Citizenship and Immigration Canada to try and find a way to have citizenship court here this summer. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Time for question period has expired. However, I will allow the Member to proceed with his supplementary question. Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 28-15(5): Need For Citizenship Judges

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing the difficulty of getting a citizenship judge here in the Northwest Territories, I approached the concept of getting our honourable Commissioner to become one of the citizenship ceremony officials. I approached honourable Whitford and he liked the idea. I brought his name forward to the department and I see Minister Dent has written a letter in support to our federal Minister, Monte Solberg. Again, recognizing the problem that I’ve got and the information from the MP’s office, which is they will not be holding a citizenship ceremony, could I get the Minister to say today that he will agree to follow up in some type of a speedy manner? Will they look at processing the Honourable Whitford’s accreditation? Would they look at that possibility of maybe making him a citizenship judge in the Northwest Territories as soon as possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 28-15(5): Need For Citizenship Judges

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right that I have written to the Minister’s office. We have had no response to that letter. So I can’t promise that we will get a response even if we follow up again. I will ensure that we are in contact with Minister Solberg’s office to let him know that it is important that we see access to citizenship courts here in the Northwest Territories and that we would like to see that take place very quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Time for question period has expired. The honourable Member from Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, thank you, and thank you, colleagues. I would like to continue to take up the issue regarding secondary diamond industry with the Minister, Mr. Bell. In our exchange a little earlier today he suggested that maybe I was a bit behind in my homework and my communication with the principals involved in this, and I was no where up to speed on this as he was. Mr. Speaker, I would like to be able to refer the Assembly to an appointment that I had last week, I believe it was last Thursday. I spent an hour and a half with the owners and managers of Arslanian and Polar Ice Works. Mr. Speaker, I spent an hour earlier this week with a senior representative of Aber Resources to hear about things from the miners’ point of view. So I am not at all going to stand here and take a cheap shot from the Minister about my not being up to speed on what’s going on out there. Points that I have raised are valid and certainly come from experienced voices. Mr. Speaker, I’m going to get to my question. If the Minister wants to talk about communications, perhaps he could tell the Assembly why he decided in secret last fall to collapse the diamond projects division and withdraw from the National Diamond Strategy, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 29-15(5): Future Of Secondary Diamond Industry

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll send a copy of the letter to the Member that I sent to the Governance and Economic Development committee about that reorganization. Mr. Speaker, my concern is the suggestion that we’ve abandoned the National Diamond Strategy and a characterization that this was something that was supported by the secondary industry. In my consultations with all of the factory operators, they suggested to me that we needed to move on, move past this and refocus our efforts. In fact, when the issue came up in the House the last time around, I met with them again to ask if potentially they had changed their minds, because there seemed to be an advocacy for this National Diamond Strategy. They said no. We haven’t met with the Members asking the questions about the NDS. We still don’t support it. We are happy you did that. They continue to suggest to me that they applaud the move to move away from the National Diamond Strategy, which they didn’t find very useful. So if there is some miscommunication here, if the Member is hearing something different, maybe he would like to indicate which of the factories is in support of the National Diamond Strategy and thinks it was a mistake. The mines that I am talking to are telling me different. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 29-15(5): Future Of Secondary Diamond Industry

Mr. Speaker, when was the last time the Minister or the department briefed committee on this whole area of the National Diamond Strategy? When was the last time the Minister took the time to speak to individual MLAs with constituencies directly concerned with this? It’s one of the expectations that we have in our consensus system. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. There are two questions there. Mr. Bell, you can answer one or both.

Further Return To Question 29-15(5): Future Of Secondary Diamond Industry

Mr. Speaker, again, I will provide that letter to GED. The last few days, I have talked to the chair of Governance and Economic Development committee about pulling together a focus group that would do some gap analysis of a number of sectors. We talked to specifically about the mining sector, the need to make sure we understand where all of the opportunities are. I am more than prepared to sit down with any of the constituents that the Member has that potentially have been displaced at the Canada Dene factory failing. I can sit down and meet with them, as well with the Minister of Education who has the North Slave career office here. I believe most of them, Mr. Speaker, have chosen to go back to Israel. Many of them were on work permits, but if there are Canadians here who were displaced, need our help, need our resources, that is our first priority. I am absolutely prepared to do that. If there are other issues that his constituents have, other concerns related to the industry, I am more than happy to meet with them. The Member need only ask. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 29-15(5): Future Of Secondary Diamond Industry

Okay, Mr. Speaker. So we have to ask. I will tell you where the gap analysis is, it’s in the communication strategy and the communication attitude that the Minister has about informing committees and Members about things that are going on that are very valid to our jobs and expectations and our obligation to our constituents. Mr. Speaker, why is it that the Minister puts the obligation on me or committees to have to ask to be kept up to speed. The Minister is the one with the resources; the Minister is the one with the mandate; the Minister is the one with the obligation to uphold the principles of consensus government and involve me when and as things are happening. It’s not on my back to do that; it’s on his. When is he going to pick up that responsibility and honour his mandate as a Minister, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 29-15(5): Future Of Secondary Diamond Industry

Mr. Speaker, I think I have a very close working relationship with the Governance and Economic Development committee. We meet quite frequently to discuss issues formally and informally. I am more than wiling to do that with Members as it relates to constituents who have specific concerns. Yes, I do rely on the advocacy of Members to bring those issues forward. In terms of communication on major initiatives, that is my job to come forward to committee and present them with those things. Of course, we had that discussion when we decided to move away from the National Diamond Strategy. I did present committee with that information. If there is a change and we decide we want to get back into national initiatives, obviously I would come back before committee. If there are major departures or changes of direction, I will come back before committee, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Just a question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment relating to the policies and procedures manual for the basic grants that are allowable to students in the NWT. Like I stated in my Member’s statement, a lot of students in this day and age go to university for nine years straight. They want a couple of bachelor of arts degrees. Some want to go for master’s and Ph.D.s. Our 12-semester limitation per lifetime in our policies and procedures manual for Student Financial Assistance to me just seems to undermine the initiative our students have. When was the last time this policies and procedures manual was updated to accommodate the growing number of university students who are going for their master degrees or Ph.D. level degrees in the NWT today? Would he be willing to commit to deleting the “in your lifetime’’ portion of that one sentence in the maximum number of grants available? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 30-15(5): Student Financial Assistance Available For Post-Graduate Studies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am a fan of life-long learning, so I enjoy seeing people getting back into school and continuing on with their education, but the simple fact is we don’t have unlimited funds. That was one of the reasons the limits were put there. Even if we were to take away the "in your lifetime" sentence, still right now we tie the amount of contributions to the years of schooling. So there is one semester of funding for every year of schooling, which means that maximum for somebody who has been schooled in the Northwest Territories for 12 years is 12 semesters, or typically to a master’s degree if they go through in consecutive years.

I point out, Mr. Speaker, that we do have very, very good scholarship programs available, particularly for those who are taking master’s in Ph.D. programs; $5,000 and $10,000 per year. So we do have other ways that we support students who are following up on post-secondary education. But to do what the Member is asking, which is to provide even more grants than the 12 semesters that we provide for right now, would take a significant increase in funding. As the Member will be aware, that is a bit of a challenge. As we have more funding available, I would be happy to review the regulations and look towards changing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 30-15(5): Student Financial Assistance Available For Post-Graduate Studies

I know the Minister just raised another real concerning issue for me. Northern residents schooled in the NWT 12 years, you live here in the NWT, you go to school here in the NWT, and you are only eligible for 12 semesters of funding. What’s the rationale on that? I just don’t see how they come up with some kind of an eligibility requirement like that. I think if you go to school 12 years here in the NWT, you should be eligible to any unlimited amount of funding for Student Financial Assistance to carry on and go ahead, over and above the scholarships and loans available. That’s one of these policies that I would like to see reviewed and probably taken out of the whole policies and procedure manual. I just want to ask the Minister how much of the basic grant funding that the government allocates in their Student Financial Assistance Program has been spent this year so far. Do we have to use it all up? Do we use it all up every year?

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 30-15(5): Student Financial Assistance Available For Post-Graduate Studies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This being early in the fiscal year, I would expect that we haven’t used very much yet of our Student Financial Assistance allocation since the budget was only approved to be effective April 1st. Most of the money goes out in September for the rest of the year. We do typically use almost all of the Student Financial Assistance. In fact, many years we have gone over what we put in the budget and have had to reallocate from other budget line items or else come back to the Assembly for an increase in funding. This Assembly has never turned the department down when they needed more funding to put into that line item. I think we do see the importance of funding education.

I think we’ve also recognized that there is a certain amount of money that we can put into a program. The decision was made that to go to six years' worth of funding was a reasonable allocation. I would certainly be happy to expand on that, but then we would have to be looking at taking money from some other programs or we are going to have to be successful at winning in our arguments with the federal government that we should have access to resource royalties and revenue sharing because we need a new source of revenues to put into important programs like Student Financial Assistance.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Short supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 30-15(5): Student Financial Assistance Available For Post-Graduate Studies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know we are kind of stretched thin on education funding. I know the Minister has said typically we use all the funding. I know that, right off the top of my head, I know three students who are carrying on with law degrees, over and above the BAs they have and they can’t ask the government for any money because they have used their 12-semester limit. Can’t the government make the exception to the small number of students that we do have as it is at the university level to provide them with some sort of basic government grant, so that they don’t have all these financial woes that you hear about every day? Can we take exception every year and look at each individual on a case-by-case basis? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 30-15(5): Student Financial Assistance Available For Post-Graduate Studies

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have probably the most generous Student Financial Assistance Program in Canada at this point. It is one that this Legislative Assembly has agreed we should invest in because of the importance of ensuring northern residents are well educated. It is a shared program. There is responsibility on students and their families to contribute as well. The expectation is, particularly for those who are going into programs like medicine or law, we know they are going to have tremendous earning power. It’s not that they are cut off from Student Financial Assistance; they can access repayable loans. There is an expectation that they will invest in their own future and be prepared to borrow some money in order to pursue their goals. In spite of having said that, both Health and the Department of Justice offer tremendous bursary programs, as well, to help people who are pursuing those kinds of expensive degrees to continue. So between what we offer with the scholarships, the bursaries that are available and the repayable loans, we think we still have the best Student Financial Assistance Program in Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to follow up on my request or my Member’s statement of yesterday wherein I spoke about the leasing of community health services. In recent correspondence with the Minister of Justice, he indicates to me he is working in tandem with the Department of Health and Social Services in trying to address how we best service the needs of our very small communities and one of the success stories is the operation in Gameti this year. The Department of Justice is touring the North. Is the Department of Justice going to tour the NWT? I know they are in Nunavut this week, but will they be coming to the NWT to look at our small communities, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 31-15(5): Need For Permanent Nursing And Policing Services In Small Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have a group of officials from my department, from the RCMP who are working on a small Community Policing Strategy. I am not sure if he’s referring to the federal Justice officials who are touring Nunavut. I don’t know their schedule, but if that is what the Member is referring to, I can certainly find out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 31-15(5): Need For Permanent Nursing And Policing Services In Small Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is absolutely correct; there is a federal tour happening in Nunavut. I am just wondering if that tour is going to come to the NWT and look at our small communities and our challenges, which I am sure the Minister has been lobbying for in Ottawa. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 31-15(5): Need For Permanent Nursing And Policing Services In Small Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will certainly find out. The Member is right that I have said the department’s foremost priority is to get additional resources on the ground in our smaller communities. Members know there are 13 communities that currently don’t have a permanent police presence. Of course, they are served out of the larger centres and I think we do a very good job with the resources we have, but I have made the case to the federal government that we have pressing needs. There are pressures coming from development. We need a strategy, we need more resources and we will continue to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 31-15(5): Need For Permanent Nursing And Policing Services In Small Communities