Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In inquiries from constituents of Aklavik one of the issues that came up is in regard to problems we’re having with docking the barges for NTCL’s resupply to the communities. They depend on that transportation connection to resupply the communities with goods and services.
I’d just like to ask the Minister of Transportation: is it possible that his department can assist the community by providing gravel or grounding materials? There is a stockpile of gravel in the community. They are having problems docking the barges and unloading them. I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation: is it possible for the Department of Transportation to assist the community in regard to a landing for the barges in Aklavik?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In our Marine Division we do have a program for marine docks and supplies. I would be happy to talk with the Member and the community of Aklavik in terms of how we could access that program to address some of the concerns he’s raised today.
Mr. Speaker, there is some urgency to this problem, because the barges are coming in, and they’re having problems docking to unload the goods and services.
I’d like to ask the Minister: is there an emergency program that’s out there that the community can access now? It is that season when the barges are coming in. Also, with these barges having problems docking, they’re not able to get their goods and services off.
I’d like to ask the Minister if he could look into this and put some urgency to finding a solution to this problem.
Mr. Speaker, at the rise of the House today I will speak with my DM and look at the issue of the Aklavik landing site and see what we can do within a short period of time, hopefully before the barges land in Aklavik.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of our isolated communities still depend on barging as an essential way of moving goods and services. It is part of the government’s responsibility. The Minister mentioned that the marine division is responsible for this. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can also try to find a long-term solution for dealing with docking problems, not only for the community of Aklavik but for other communities that depend on that barge traffic. We need a plan in place to deal with these types of problems so we won’t have to continue to raise them here in the House. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, we’ve been very fortunate with the federal government in terms of having money available for communities for issues such as Mr. Krutko has raised. We certainly will have a discussion with the communities and see what the long-term solutions of this docking issue might be. Other communities use the barging system for re-supply, and we certainly would encourage communities to take advantage of this program so we can fix their long-term problem and so, as Mr. Krutko said, it wouldn’t be coming back up for discussion in the House. I certainly will look into that. I’ll ask the marine division to do an assessment of all the communities that do need this type of support.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister, if after his inquiries I could possibly have an answer at the end of this week so that I can also mention to the residents of Aklavik that we are working on something here and will hopefully have a solution by the end of this week. Thanks.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve indicated I will speak to my deputy as soon as possible at the rise of this House, and hopefully I’ll have an answer for Mr. Krutko before the end of this week.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ITI, and they relate to the issue of campgrounds and camping services in the Northwest Territories. Summer is just around the corner. I think it’s going to arrive this weekend, and a lot of people want to use our parks and campground facilities.
I understand that the Minister may be conducting a review of the rates, and I’d like to ask if any consideration has been given to giving seniors a reduced rate to use our camping facilities. We would like our seniors who retire in the Northwest Territories to stay in the Northwest Territories. We do give them reduced rates on some other things. I had a constituent approach me who said that he and his wife and another couple went to one of our territorial campgrounds for one weekend, and the camping fees were $160. That’s a lot of money when you’re on a fixed income and you’re on a pension.
I’d like to ask the Minister: would he consider having a reduced rate for NWT-resident seniors? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you Mr. Speaker. We are just undertaking a review of our rates for parks, and we’ll certainly consider having a reduced rate for seniors.
I’d like to thank the Minister for that answer. My constituent will be listening.
The other thing I had raised with the Minister but wanted to put on the public record is the use of the facilities at Escarpment Creek. Escarpment Creek is a unique geological area. It is in a park that was designated for camping. Now it is gated off, and it’s available only for group activities at a rate of $300 per event.
I’d like to ask the Minister if, when considering the facilities, the rates, and so on, he’d consider Escarpment Creek being opened up again so that people driving by could stop in and take a look. Right now, they can’t. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. We’re going into a bit of a different line of questioning here, but I’ll allow the Minister to answer. Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Escarpment Creek is part of a park that includes other falls in the area, and we use it for group activities. In our efforts to improve services and enjoyment of the use of our parks in the Northwest Territories, we’ll certainly review the designation that we’ve given to Escarpment Creek. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would appreciate that
It’s a long, straight, boring road when you’re driving north. People are so glad when they get to those big blue signs as they cross over the border that say, “Twin Falls Highway” and there’s actually something to stop and look at. Escarpment Creek was always one of those places, but now there’s a big gate across there. Thanks, Mr. Speaker. That’s it. No question there.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. In doing some research on another topic, I came across a couple of programs that they have in the Yukon. One is the Home Repair Program, which provides $35,000 in financing to homeowners at a zero per cent interest rate amortized over 12 years. Another interesting program they have there is an Alternate Energy System Program, which provides up to $30,000 to residents in the Yukon to install alternate energy systems in their homes.
I’m wondering if the Minister can just comment on what comparable programs the Government of the Northwest Territories offers our residents.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.
We have a fairly extensive list of programs, especially on the alternative energy side, working with the Arctic Energy Alliance and through ENR, where there are funds available for different type of things: energy-efficient applicants, vehicles, woodstoves — those types of things. We have some funding programs available to assist with home repairs for those people whose income meets the test. We have home repairs for seniors as well. I would be interested to see the information that the Member has picked up from the Yukon.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I wanted to follow up on that. All those programs that the Minister talks about are good. We’ve also had a discussion in this House about a biomass strategy. If you get up to a level of $30,000, that’s a substantive amount of money that would allow homeowners to look at wood pellet technology and at switching over.
All I’m looking for is a commitment from the Minister — and it sounds like he has given that — to take a look at the programs offered in the Yukon and maybe relate those to our situation here, and to include those in a discussion when we’re developing a biomass strategy here in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, I’d be happy to make the commitment that we’ll look at the information from the Yukon. When we come forward with the business plans, as we talk about a strategy for biomass, especially for the diesel communities, we want to look at every option in terms of how we can best cut costs and reduce dependency on oil.
The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Recently the Minister issued a directive with respect to enrolment in French first-language schools in the Northwest Territories, stating that those admitted for enrolment in these schools will be entitled under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and/or by Ministerial approval.
I’d like to ask the Minister: how does this directive differ or vary from the practice that has been in place in the past with respect to enrolment?
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The directive went out to the Members and the communities requesting their input by the 20th of this month. One of the directives is to have the right-holders only allowed in those particular schools: the French schools. Right now it is an open door policy, where any individuals from the community can access their school and take pre-schooling and then a French immersion program. From there they are considered right-holders at that facility.
With respect to the proposed directive — it doesn’t sound like it’s been adopted yet — I was just wondering about consultation with various stakeholders on this issue and if this proposed directive met with the approval of or agreement from the French first-language school board for the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, my department has been meeting with the Francophone School Board, the citizens of the French group and the Hay River DEA. We’ve been working with them to find solutions to the additional space problem, another area we are working on. The discussion on the right-holders-only enrolment part was also raised at those meetings.
There’s been some consultation in the community of Hay River. From there it also has an impact on the Yellowknife perspective. Like I said, we’re waiting until this coming Friday the 20th to seek some input from the Francophone communities and the communities of Hay River and Yellowknife. The community members will provide input into what’s been directed.
Specifically to Hay River residents, how would they be made aware of their ability to comment or participate in this consultation with respect to this directive?
The letters have gone out to the Hay River MLA and to the schools. They are made aware that this is a directive that has been proposed. In return they can certainly write to the department — to me — identifying their concerns or issues or providing any feedback. which will certainly be taken into consideration. We’re expecting some response from the community members.
The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of our problems with our capital projects is that they quite often will go over budget and run over the time schedule. Some of the things that have been identified are making amendments to our policies and trying to figure out how to run it a little more efficiently and certainly spend better dollars. I’d like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services: have they done any work on developing a policy to meet that end?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Michael McLeod.
We’ve indicated to the House that we are reviewing our whole contracting process. We are reviewing the way we do business and deliver our infrastructure. We’re going to look at all the concerns that are being raised and all the concerns that have caused issues over the years. We are looking at all the issues that have been of concern.
It was important to get that on the record, because I want to ask the Minister: what is he doing for public consultation to ensure that we’re getting good products out there? Has he made any efforts to contact the Association of Architects, the Maytag organization, the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, as well as the NWT Construction Association and finally the Arctic Energy Alliance? What work has he done to consult with these organizations to help work in partnership to deliver better product, more efficient product and certainly less expensive product?
That’s quite a list that the Member has rattled off. I’d have to go back and check to see if we have indeed talked to each one of them. I would have to see which organizations he’s referred to, but all the organizations that have concern regarding our infrastructure and our delivery are in contact with us on a regular basis. We are members of the Arctic Energy Alliance. We usually take very seriously all the recommendations that come from these organizations so we can incorporate them into this review we’ve undertaken to have with the Regular Members over the next while. I guess the answer to that question is yes.
I wasn’t sure what part of the yes was part of the answer. The issue really is infrastructure projects under the Government of the Northwest Territories. If they go over time or over budget, the construction groups that usually develop those projects are the ones that get the bad rap. I think they can be part of the solution. I just want to make sure, when we look at this aspect of timing, from design to implementation and development of these infrastructure projects, that these groups are included.
If the Minister could just make it clear that, before any policy is set in stone, he will contact those associations I talked about: in short, the engineers, architects, energy and construction associations. Thank you.
We didn’t develop our recommendations in isolation. We did contact the different organizations that have interest, concerns and professional advice they could offer from the different sectors. We will continue to do that as we move forward. We have a pretty good indication of where each organization is on the different issues, but we will stay in contact. I will make that commitment to the Member, as he’s requested. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
Would the Minister provide all the details and information garnered by way of consultation and research use to develop a policy specific for treatment offered to children with autism?
Would the Minister provide such policies developed and used by the Department of Health and Social Services specific to the treatment and care of children with autism?
Would the Minister provide all details specific to working arrangement and agreements with service organizations and other governments that we use to provide treatment and assistance to children and families, specific to autism?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Written questions. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
