Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Today I would like to pay tribute to the late Michael Eugene Bridgman of Lutselk’e, who passed away on March 31, 2014. Mike was the husband of Debra Bridgman and had two daughters, Chantyle and Sarah, who lived down south in Ontario. Mike had six grandchildren, a brother named Randy and two stepsons, Michael and Paul.
Mike was born in St. Thomas, Ontario, July 6, 1951, and spent the majority of his working years working for the Ford Motor Company where he was a welder and in assembly, and he spent 30 years doing that.
Mike believed in education. Towards the end of his career he got a degree in psychology and then applied for a job, when his wife became a teacher in Lutselk’e, as an adult educator and was an adult educator from 2010 until his passing last March.
Mike was a very dedicated person to the community. Debra was transferred to the Beaufort-Delta and had many conversations with Mike, asking him if he was interested in finding work in adult education in the Beaufort-Delta, and he was. He wanted to join his wife, but at the same time he was torn because he loved Lutselk’e.
Mike had joined the Rangers there, and he was very well liked and a popular individual in Lutselk’e. The community misses him, and last Friday they held a memorial, which the majority of the community showed up for.
Mike loved Lutselk’e. He was always out on the land, and because of his background in mechanics and welding and so on, he taught of lot of technical skills to even adult students in Lutselk’e. Recently, when the Department of Education built a new adult learning centre he was very excited. He was the first teacher to be in there and he’d indicated that really helped a lot of his students.
Again, Mike will be very sadly missed by his family and the community of Lutselk’e. Everyone that had encountered Mike always thought he was a great guy. Thank you.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker…[English translation not provided.]…
I’d just like to recognize and also welcome Education Hall of Fame inductees that are here with us for 2014. They are as follows: first, from the Beaufort-Delta Region, Lorna Storr. Lorna Storr is with us today. Welcome.
From the Deh Cho region, Martina Norwegian.
From the North Slave region, Liz Baile.
From the Sahtu region, George Cleary.
Not with us here today, but Celine Marlowe is another one from the South Slave region.
Also here with us as Minister’s Choice Award is Valerie Carter. Mahsi and welcome. Congratulations.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a few people in the gallery today from the NWT Seniors’ Society and the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society: Dawn Lacey, Barb Bromley, Esther Braden, Yvonne Quick, Martha MacLellan and Kim Doyle.
I’d also like to recognize and congratulate all of the inductees into the Education Hall of Fame. In particular I’d like to recognize Val Neville Carter. Everybody in their life has somebody who’s had a positive impact on their life, and if they hadn’t known that person, they might not be where they are today. For me one of those individuals is Val Neville Carter, who was my Grade 5 teacher. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank her for everything that she’s done for the people of the Northwest Territories and for me as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to welcome everybody who is in the gallery with us today. I also wanted to recognize two Pages that I have working in the Assembly from the constituency of Kam Lake. I have a Ms. Sahara Lafferty and also Ms. Hayly Soares that are with us. They both attend Ecole St. Joseph School, also located in Kam Lake. They are in Grade 8 and I would like to welcome them and also thank all the Pages for the good, hard work they put in for Members during our session. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Premier McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome all the visitors in the gallery and Gordon Graydon, who walks with me occasionally in the fieldhouse. I also want to recognize a Page from Yellowknife South, Chris Sangris, and also thank all the Pages for all the good work they do here. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. R.C. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Lorna Storr, a well-deserved induction into the Education Hall of Fame. I’ve had the opportunity to know and work with Lorna for a number of years. I don’t think she has missed an Arctic Winter Games since they’ve started in 1970. I look forward to seeing her at many more.
I also want to congratulate the other recipients for being inducted into the Hall of Fame. It’s very important that we recognize the contribution that our educators make across the Territories. Judy also sends her congratulations. She asked where your clipboard was. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Lorna Storr from Aklavik, one of the longest serving teachers in the Mackenzie Delta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, want to extend my congratulations to the winners of the Education Hall of Fame awards today. Congratulations to every one of them. I also can’t see them, but I want to mention the seniors who are here with us today. I am wearing my purple jacket specifically to raise awareness of elder abuse. I do have three Frame Lake residents I want to single out amongst the crowds up there, so to speak: Kim Doyle, Yvonne Quick and Gordon Graydon. Welcome, everyone, to the Assembly. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to recognize the Hall of Fame inductees who were honoured today. I want to recognize Mr. George Cleary from the original workplace of ice hockey in Canada.
---Laughter
Also, Mr. Cleary being one of the architects of the Sahtu Dene-Metis Land Claim negotiations along with my cousin and his wife, Doreen. And also the other inductees, thank you very much for your hard contribution to education for the people of the North.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to, as we begin Seniors Month, recognize the NWT and Yellowknife seniors, in particular a couple of Weledeh residents, starting with my mother, Barb Bromley; Barb Hood, president of the NWT Seniors; and I would like to join my colleagues in recognizing all the inductees of the Education Hall of Fame today. I listened to their comments and their commendations, astounding dedication and service on behalf of the people, especially the wee people of the Northwest Territories, which I know the seniors will appreciate too.
Could I just mention Val Carter? It was great to see her – I haven’t seen her for a long time – and her number one teaching assistant, of course, John Carter. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome Martina Norwegian to the gallery and congratulations on your induction into the Education Hall of Fame. Hopefully, you will see the test run of the Lafferty ferry this summer. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been given a long list of seniors to recognize, so I will go through them quite quickly and I will even re-recognize a few. We’ll make sure we get them all. I’ve got Barb Hood, NWT Seniors; Kim Doyle, YK Seniors; Yvonne Quick and Carol Robinson; Mrs. Esther Braden; Dawn Lacey; Martha McLellan; Barb Bromley; Patricia Jasper; and, finally, I would like to make special mention to Mrs. Marlowe and Mrs. Carter for their educational contributions. I would also like to recognize George and Doreen Cleary, who I know. The first thing Lorna Storr said to me this afternoon was she is still scarred from the jigging contest I did with her in Tuk a few years ago. Martina Norwegian from Fort Simpson and Liz Baile, who’s not only a friend but a constituent and a neighbour in Yellowknife Centre. Congratulations to one and all. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I would like to welcome all our elders here today. It’s always good to see Mrs. Bromley in the House. Come watch your boy, Mrs. Bromley.
---Laughter
I would really like to congratulate all our hall of famers for teaching. You have done so much for the Northwest Territories. Thank you so much for the contributions you’ve made for our youth. They are so precious with regard to their learning. Keep up what you’re doing. Keep up the good work.
Lorna Storr, congratulations. You are one of the best coaches. I took a lot of her coaching style, which is a winning style, of course.
---Laughter
Thank you so much for what you’ve done for everybody in the Beaufort-Delta. You are still going to be coaching. You’re not going to get away from us.
I’d also like to welcome into the House today, I was happy to have Kaydence Storr, the granddaughter of my uncle, Vince Steen. If you could stand up. Let’s welcome her into the House.
I’d like to welcome everybody here today. Thank you for taking an interest in the proceedings here today in the House.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge Mr. George Cleary, originally from Deline. Today George received a 2014 Education Hall of Fame Award.
George began his career as an educator in his early years of life. Although he moved to other professions, George continues to support educating his people in leadership roles and the importance of self-reliance and self-responsibilities.
Congratulations to George and his family on this worthwhile award.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement today, my questions are for the Minister of Public Works and Services.
Can the Minister confirm that a recent competition was held to attract and recruit an electrical inspector for Hay River? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I can confirm that that competition was held.
As a result of that competition, can the Minister confirm for me that the position of electrical inspector with Public Works and Services will continue in Hay River as it has been for many years? Thank you.
As the Member indicated, there was a competition held. We had offered the position to an individual who was in another community. The individual had requested a desire to remain in their community. We had looked at the numbers to see if something was possible for the individual to remain in the community. Initial numbers we had looked at indicate that the position would be best to remain in Hay River. Thank you.
So, in response to the constituents who have raised a concern to us as MLAs about the availability of an electrical inspector in Hay River, and back to my question in my Member’s statement about what shall we tell them, can today we tell them that the electrical inspector’s position will continue to be located in Hay River? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the position of electrical inspector will remain in Hay River.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past weekend marked the end of an era of the territorial Dene Ko Day Shelter located in Yellowknife. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I said territorial day shelter because that is exactly what this shelter provided: a home, a refuge and a place to feel human for over 300 homeless people from all over the territory.
Sadly, this era has come to a close with little information from the Department of Health and Social Services nor its Minister as to its return. Before I ask my questions to the Minister, I would like to take this moment to recognize the long-standing operators of the John Howard Society for their tireless efforts and, of course, to the temporary contractors of the NWT Disabilities Council that hung in there.
The debate of lack of funding for the shelter has been, for many years, a baseline of discussion in this House. Now that it is officially closed and our downtown streets are once again facing the rigors of homelessness and poverty, we have heard absolutely nothing from the Minister on this subject.
Can the Minister indicate to the House what he is doing about this? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the winter session I think I clearly articulated that we are intending to open the shelter in September. But before we do that, we have a significant amount of work to do.
The shelter just about closed down earlier this year, and we worked really hard with Yellowknife Health and Social Services to find a provider to keep it open until May. That provider has provided us with some additional data that’s going to help us figure out the best course of action for the day shelter.
A couple of things: the building that the day shelter was located in has shut down and it will be torn down, so we have to find a new location and we have to look at the model, but these are all things that I said in the winter session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister is right; it was discussed in the winter session, but we don’t know where to find a lot of this communication. It was just mentioned in Hansard.
Communication is key to transparency and accountability. As of this date we’ve heard or seen little in the way of communication since the winter session.
Can the Minister shed some light on what form of communication we can expect to see as we anticipate the reopening of the shelter? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve been talking to the chair of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority and the CEO, and I’ve asked them to find a solution to the upcoming September. They are working very closely with a number of NGOs in town, trying to find alternate providers, alternative locations.
When we are closer to having a decision with respect to where that location might be and who the provider will be, we’ll be advertising that information throughout Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories,. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate the Minister’s response. Homelessness, poverty, mental health and addictions, all these programs require significant investment. As my grandfather always said, talk is cheap, whiskey costs money.
Can the Minister indicate to the House what level of funding his department is willing to invest to properly find a suitable operator and facilitator for the shelter once it is open? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services and Yellowknife Health and Social Services aren’t in this alone. We do have a relationship with the City of Yellowknife who has, to date, contributed $50,000 per fiscal year. On top of that $50,000, the health and social services system here in the Northwest Territories contributes an additional $250,000, $175,000 from the mental health and addictions budget and $75,000 from the anti-poverty budget. So, combined with the city, there’s a $300,000 budget to operate this facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know very well that $300,000 isn’t going to be sufficient to run this shelter, as has been proven in the past.
We have learned from our past that merely providing four walls is not in the best interest for those who use this shelter. Many MLAs have demanded that we offer rehabilitation options and hope for our homeless.
What is the Minister doing specifically to address required enhanced services and proper funding for such services as we await the opening of this new territorial day shelter?
Mr. Speaker, we’ll have a better idea what the costs will be and how far $300,000 will go once we’ve actually completed the review. As I’ve said, the provider who has helped us out for the last two months – the NWT Disabilities Council – has pulled together some really good information that’s going to help us inform the way we move forward and as far as what the design will look like and what types of services, if any, are provided in that facility. At that time I’d be happy to come to committee and the public with that information so everybody knows what we’re talking about. But until that time, we don’t know if we’re going to need additional money. Plus, we’re always looking to partner with other organizations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
