Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May 18, 2008, marks the four-year anniversary of the Tele-Care Health Line service. This 24-7 telephone service provides family health and support information to the residents of the NWT through the Tele-Care Health Line call centre.
The volume of calls through this service has steadily increased in four years, from 4,019 in 2004–2005 to 5,923 in 2007–2008. A total of 20,374 calls have been received since the service first began. As a result, we can statistically assume that 5,417 individuals have participated in self-care activities that may have reduced the pressure on our health centres and emergency departments.
The service name is undergoing change — from Tele-Care to Tele-Care Health Line to, eventually, Health Line. The service is also undergoing changes. A new smoking-cessation line will be the third enhancement to the service beginning this September, following the addition of sexually transmitted infection and poison control information added last year.
An addictions line has also been included in the resource database at the call centre. Callers can be transferred to a community counselling program. Residential school survivors can call the Tele-Care Health Line, and they will be referred to a wellness worker on the addictions line.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the people on the Tele-Care Health Line advisory committee for their hard work in contributing to the promotion and marketing of the Tele-Care Health Line service.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister Mr. Bob McLeod, Chair of Managing This Land Strategic Initiative Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity today as the lead Minister to provide an update on actions associated with the Managing This Land Strategic Initiative.
The Managing This Land initiative is one of five strategic initiatives that form the backbone of our government’s plan to advance the priorities of the 16th Assembly and advance us toward our vision and goals. The actions planned under this initiative are: continue to develop governance, protect territorial water, work to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts, improve environmental monitoring efforts, and environmental stewardship.
To effectively manage the land, a top priority must be to gain responsibility for the management of land and resources in the Northwest Territories through a devolution agreement with the federal government. We all agree that Northerners should be making decisions about northern resources.
While significant progress has been made on an agreement-in-principle, the structure of the current offer for devolution has a number of issues that we need to resolve before it can be finalized. For example, the resource-sharing component of the agreement has to provide capacity to address the impacts of resource development; capacity to make necessary investments in infrastructure, geosciences and research to facilitate further development; and it has to provide adequate financial resources to carry out the devolved responsibilities both now and in the future. The agreement cannot be structured to provide a disincentive for further development by limiting our ability to benefit from the development of NWT resources.
The action to continue to advance governance also focuses on our government’s commitment to finalize and implement land, resource and self-government agreements. Completing these agreements is an important part of our priorities and is a major component in achieving our goal of a strong and independent North built on partnerships.
A major activity within this initiative is the development of a government land-use framework during 2008–09. There is considerable development activity and conservation initiatives currently taking place in the Northwest Territories, and decisions made today will shape the NWT economy and society for generations to come.
The land-use framework will serve as a guidance document to facilitate consistency in decision making by the GNWT in land-management activities. The framework will identify overall territorial land interests, specific territorial interests in key processes and mechanisms related to land management, and provide strategic direction with respect to advancing and asserting those interests. It will be critical to work with our partners in land management as we define our territorial land interests and clarify our roles and priorities.
Mr. Speaker, the land-use framework will need to align with the NWT water strategy that is a central component of the action to protect territorial water. Protecting our water is a significant priority for the 16th Legislative Assembly. Pressures on the quantity and quality of water resources both within our territory and in surrounding jurisdictions continue to increase, and as a result, the NWT must play a greater leadership role with regard to water-management issues and influencing future management actions.
The development of the water strategy will help identify the actions that need to be taken to properly manage the water resources of the territory and will provide guidance for negotiations on transboundary water-management issues. In addition to this work we are making investments in 2008–09 to improve and upgrade community water-supply systems and provide additional training and support for water treatment–plant operators.
This government is also making significant investments as part of our action to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts. The planned joint committee on climate change will play an important role in advising on our activities in this area in support of this Assembly’s priorities. Alternative energy projects such as wind energy, mini-hydro developments and further use of wood pellets and solar energy are all being advanced.
While also in support of our cost-of-living initiative, there are further activities being pursued by this government to support energy efficiency and conservation. The Ministers’ Energy Coordinating Committee supports the implementation of energy-related actions by the government and is an important component of this initiative’s actions.
An important component to mitigating the impacts of climate change is research to better understand and assess the effects of climate change on NWT transportation systems and community infrastructure. This research will help us to protect existing infrastructure assets, maintain transportation service levels and direct infrastructure needs into the future.
It has been said that if you don’t measure, you cannot manage. The action on improving environmental monitoring will support efforts to monitor the impacts of development on our environment and wildlife. Support for ecoregion mapping will provide a foundation to identify areas for protection and will help guide economic resource activities while ensuring minimal impacts to forest and wildlife resources.
The Western NWT Biophysical Study helps ensure availability of baseline data necessary to assess, mitigate and monitor the environmental impacts of proposed developments and focuses on wildlife, wildlife habitat, forests and air quality.
Investments are also being made to support caribou studies and provide further support to our caribou-management strategy as part of the environmental stewardship action. Further work in this area will include expansion of the waste-recovery program, and consultations have already started on other products that should be included in this successful recycling program. Our plans for this action also include completing and implementing the Species at Risk Act, and work will be undertaken to develop a Wildlife act.
Finally, as lead Minister for the Managing This Land initiative, I recognize the complexity and challenges in the area of land management and the environment. We believe the balancing required for the actions in this initiative are critical as we work together to achieve our long-term vision and goals.
I would also like to thank my Cabinet colleagues who are members of the Managing This Land committee: the Hon. Floyd Roland, Premier; the Hon. Michael Miltenberger; and the Hon. Michael McLeod. I look forward to our ongoing work with this important initiative.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week during the review of the Main Estimates for the Department of Justice we discussed the government’s plan to eliminate the law bursary program for aboriginal students.
Mr. Speaker, the department’s reasoning for the reductions centred on the reality that very few of the students who had received the bursary returned to the North to work after completing law school and that the department would not be able to guarantee articling positions and summer employment opportunities.
I’m aware that the Standing Committee on Social Programs accepted at face value and reluctantly supported the department in phasing out the law bursaries for aboriginal students. Since then, Mr. Speaker, I’ve been contacted by one of the recipients of the bursary, who raised some interesting issues with me that indicate there may be more to the story than the department has indicated. My constituent pointed out to me that upon receiving the bursary, he was promised communication with the Department of Justice as to summer employment and articling opportunities. As he put it: “I went eight months without hearing from them. They just tossed money at me. I do not know if they are even looking for lawyers in the NWT government. On the other hand, I know that the Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nunavut, Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta governments are looking for lawyers, because they advertise on my school’s web site.”
So it appears, Mr. Speaker, that one reason the program was unsuccessful in encouraging bursary recipients to article and practise law with the GNWT was the apparent total lack of effort in keeping lines of communication open with their bursary students.
Mr. Speaker, I’m also concerned with the lack of effort put forward by the Government of the Northwest Territories to recruit law graduates to the North. If other small jurisdictions like Nunavut and the Yukon can make this effort, and obviously have available articling and employment opportunities available to law school graduates, I have to wonder why we don’t.
There are many examples of programs in government that have failed because a department’s priority has changed, and this may have been what happened with the law bursary program for aboriginal students. It is apparent that the department may have, through its own inattention, contributed to the lack of law bursary recipients returning to the North. Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a shame, and I will have further questions for the Minister of Justice at the appropriate time today. I am particularly concerned about my constituent, who is an aboriginal law bursary recipient now just in his second year. By pulling this out, what other opportunities will he have to continue in law and graduate and come back to work in his home territory?
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like today to speak to yesterday’s statement from Minister McLeod, Chair of the Ministerial Subcommittee on Infrastructure. While I agree with the Minister that we face significant challenges in the GNWT capital planning and delivery process, I was dismayed to hear the Minister state that, and I quote, “Some of the more important changes we’ll be implementing are....” What struck me when I heard those words was the finality of the statement. The Minister is advising the House and the public that changes will happen, that the decisions have been made and the GNWT is moving forward, full steam ahead.
For me, it’s not a matter of the substance of the changes. Changes are needed, and at first glance the proposals are good ones. I’m saddened by a public announcement from the government, yet again, about actions of which Regular Members are not fully aware. As I’ve stated before, maybe my naïveté is showing, but I’d hoped that the subcommittee would have advised Regular Members of the changes they were about to announce before the announcement.
The Minister will respond, correctly, that Members were advised of the intentions of the Ministerial Subcommittee on Infrastructure in April of this year. We were, Mr. Speaker, but I for one didn’t perceive the changes mentioned in that briefing as a done deal. In fact, one slide from the briefing states, and I quote, “Consider suspending the BIP.” I presumed, obviously wrongly, that Regular Members would have an opportunity to comment on the final proposals before they were set in stone and announced. As well, the letter from the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning to Minister McLeod following his presentation stated, quote, “Please advise us of the next steps to be taken and when we can expect a follow-up discussion.” There was no reply to that request that I’m aware of.
Mr. McLeod said yesterday that the Business Incentive Policy will be eliminated, new options developed and implementation plans set, and then Regular Members will be advised as to how the plan will be put in place. Where in this scenario is the opportunity for us to comment on the proposed options and implementation? That’s assuming that we even agree on the options.
This side of the House represents many diverse communities, and we have excellent, wide-ranging ideas and suggestions in regard to the removal of BIP. I know with certainty there’s no agreement over here with the ministerial subcommittee’s statement that BIP should be cancelled altogether. I spoke in a global sense about communication disorders last week, Mr. Speaker, but maybe we have a communication problem here in the 16th Assembly. Did the Minister expect a response from Regular Members to his briefing?
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Did the Minister expect a response from Regular Members to his briefing? Did the Members not hear the request for a response if there was one? Why do we seem to have such difficulty understanding each other? Where is the notice from the Minister that was requested in our letter?
Yesterday’s announcement to me is, unfortunately, another example of the high-handed attitude of this Cabinet. They seem to have little regard for the input of Regular Members, as evidenced by their actions.
All I want is a chance to hear, and comment on, what the government is going to do, before my constituents do.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to speak to the statement made by the Minister of ITI yesterday, and it’s more in line with the Business Incentive Policy that has been established since 1984.
A lot has happened since then in the Northwest Territories and in North America. More apparent is the North American Free Trade Agreement — better known as NAFTA — which was negotiated between Canada and the United States in regard to free trade. Also, as part of that agreement there were exemptions allowed for jurisdictions in Canada that would have been grandfathered — programs we’ve established in the Northwest Territories by way of the Business Incentive Policy, the negotiating contracting policies, sole-source contracting policies and other policies this government has implemented to benefit northern businesses and also the residents of the Northwest Territories. We have to realize that by making these changes we may lose more than we gain by losing that exemption, which, again, I feel is very valuable.
Since then we have negotiated land-claim agreements with First Nations government, in which they have negotiated a section called the Economic Measures section, which clearly identifies that those negotiations took place under the emphasis of these economic policies this government had in place when those negotiations were happening.
Again, Mr. Speaker, this government has an obligation to negotiate with those aboriginal organizations and make them aware of any economic development programs and services they offer. If they’re going to alter any of those programs, they have to consult with those affected aboriginal organizations that have those agreements in their land claims.
I know there’s an opportunity here to revisit and refocus and look again at our policies and make sure they are working, and where they’re working and where they’re not. These policies may have helped a lot of businesses in the larger centres, but we’re struggling in our communities with the small business construction companies that are struggling to compete against the contractors in the larger regional centres. We have to look at that item.
With that, I will have questions for Minister on this matter later.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about municipal services and infrastructure needs in smaller communities like Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e.
Those of us in the larger centres enjoy many municipal conveniences that we take for granted. In smaller communities, like Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e, municipal services are limited. For example, in larger centres paved roads and concrete sidewalks make it easier to get around. In many small communities there is no pavement, no sidewalks. What there is, is mud and dust. With dust there come health concerns, especially for the elders. This is a real concern, because in smaller communities many elders move about daily.
In larger centres residents have a real sense of security with the presence of RCMP. On the other hand, in many small communities coverage is a concern. A local detachment is almost always overburdened with calls. In larger centres the RCMP can response within minutes. However, in communities like Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution calls made after hours are rerouted to Yellowknife to the Yellowknife detachment, and this contributes directly to a delay in response. The RCMP in small communities is doing the best they can, but with limited resources they are handcuffed.
Residents in larger centres enjoy the luxury of long showers or doing laundry two or three times a week. In smaller communities this is not a luxury but, rather, a restriction, especially for larger households. Water is trucked in once or twice a day and has to be rationed as well as checked daily to see if there’s enough. The same goes for sewage disposal. If the tank is full, the water pump is disengaged, and there is no longer water available.
We all know the benefits of physical activity and keeping in shape. In larger communities residents have a variety of sport and recreation facilities to choose from. In smaller communities this is not so. Many communities do not have an arena, do not have a swimming pool or even an outdoor basketball court. Many youth and residents don’t get a chance to participate in sports or join in positive activities if they happen to live in small communities.
I’ll have questions for the Minister of MACA during questions. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish everyone a happy Canadian Environment Week.
June 1 to June 7 is Canadian Environment Week. Here in Yellowknife it coincides with National Wildlife Week. There are a variety of events being held around the city to promote sustainable environmental decision making and to celebrate wildlife.
Today is National Clean Air Day. It marks the middle of Canadian Environment Week. I’m sure a lot of us walked to work today. The home-grown organization Ecology North’s Transportation Issues Committee invites you to promote clean air and healthy, active transportation options with a one-hour bicycle tour of the diamond capital’s crown jewel: the beautiful Frame Lake Trail. To participate, please meet at the Yellowknife 1 Education District office parking lot, on the corner of Franklin and 53rd, at 5:15 p.m. The group will cycle to the Co-op and back, checking out the trees and birds and, also, trouble spots along the way. The Ecology North Youth Club will be participating in the bike ride and would love to have you join them.
National Wildlife Week this year focuses on pollinators. Environment and Natural Resources is hosting school group activities and displays at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Displays are open to the public from 3:30 to 5 p.m. daily. Check it out and learn about the crucial role of pollinators in our daily lives.
Let’s celebrate Environment Week by taking some positive action to appreciate and protect our natural environment.
As part of the continuing series of workshops on local food production and composting held by Ecology North, there also will be an evening workshop on how to build your own backyard composter. This free workshop will be held at the Ecology North office, next to the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, on Thursday, June 12, from 7 to 9 p.m.
Looking at the bigger picture, on Monday the Quebec and Ontario Cabinets held an historic joint meeting to discuss a cap and trade system for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Incredibly, the federal Environment Minister publicly opposed these provinces that are setting their own agenda. Clearly, provincial and territorial jurisdictions must be leaders on this issue and show the progressive response our public is demanding.
Mr. Speaker, the need to understand the environment and to respectfully ensure its well-being must become an integral part of all our activities — from the education of our youth through the delivery of health services and transportation infrastructure.
To all the people of the Northwest Territories: Happy Canadian Environment Week. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about the government’s intentions in regard to the Business Incentive Policy, and I thank Ms. Bisaro for her statement earlier today.
Since its inception there have been numerous debates, motions and discussions surrounding the Business Incentive Policy in this House. I listened to Minister Michael McLeod’s statement yesterday, where he suggested that the government’s intention is to scrap the BIP from GNWT contracts.
This is something the government cannot simply cut. This action would have far-reaching impact on all of our communities. I am surprised — well, then again, maybe not that surprised — that Cabinet would reference it in a Minister’s statement before having had a full discussion with Regular Members.
It is nice that the government proposes to advise us on the revised approach and its implementation. However, at that stage of the game what meaningful input could we really have into the process? I get a really uneasy feeling that it will be much like other government initiatives, where Regular Members will continue to be just an afterthought in the government’s overall plans.
If the government does follow through on scrapping the BIP, have they given any consideration as to what will happen to existing businesses and their future in our communities? I can’t help but think that given the hot economy in Western Canada and the lower operating costs, businesses would simply relocate to Alberta. Instead of having an office or a warehouse here in the Northwest Territories employing 20 people, they might just need one employee with a phone number and a BlackBerry.
If anything, Mr. Speaker, we need to improve and enhance the BIP. We need to ensure that truly 100-per-cent-northern–owned businesses are able to have an advantage, and let’s be realistic. It does cost more to do business here. The money we do spend stays here in the North, and we protect the 100-per-cent-northern–owned businesses that we do have.
As a government we have to do more monitoring and take the guesswork out of who is northern and who isn’t. I don’t want to see us lose more companies, people and economic opportunities to the south. We have to protect our own. If we don’t, who will?
I certainly look forward to asking questions of the Minister of ITI at the appropriate time. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve made it clear that I do not support the cuts in the Justice programs in my home community of Tuktoyaktuk.
Mr. Speaker, I know what happens in my community. I know the amount of work the court worker does for the people of Tuktoyaktuk every day. Unlike the bureaucrats in the courthouse, I don’t need the government report that tracks the number of applications received and processed to tell me what goes on at the community level. I’m sure it’s easy when they establish a person’s worth to the Justice system by the number of transactions they’re involved in.
Access to justice and the legal aid programs for those people of Tuk should be right and not looked at as statistics to justify reducing programs and services.
Mr. Speaker, the Tuk Justice Committee has a difficult time hiring permanent employees because of the low wages they’re able to offer using available funding for the Community Justice committees from the Department of Justice. Without dedicated staff it’s virtually impossible for a Community Justice committee to properly prepare, administrate and report on any local justice initiative they apply the contribution funding for. Mind you, that doesn’t matter anyway, Mr. Speaker, because the department cut most of the contribution funding.
If we allow these cuts to proceed, I can tell you how justice will be administered in Tuktoyaktuk and in Nunakput. The court party will come into the communities and the court worker will be travelling with the court party. The court worker will take legal aid applications for the next time court comes into town. There will be an increase in the number of no-shows, because there’s no one to remind them to appear. Courts will be forced to make circuits into Tuk, meaning that more gas and more electricity will be wasted keeping the plane warm on the tarmac so they can get back to Inuvik to watch the latest episode of Lost.
If anything, Mr. Speaker, we should be increasing the amount of money spent on local justice and legal aid in the smaller communities. Sadly, this government has chosen the opposite approach in order to satisfy the financial bottom line.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
A real government would be more concerned about the real bottom line: the health and the well-being of northern residents.
Later today I’ll have questions for the Minister of Justice about this.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the week of August 1 to 3 École Sir John Franklin High School will be hosting a homecoming in celebration of 50 years of service to Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories.
Sir John Franklin High School and Akaitcho Hall opened and settled into their annual routines in 1958 and quickly became an important part of our life in Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories.
In 1962–63 both needed to be expanded in order to accommodate unexpected demand. After Yellowknife was declared the capital of the NWT in 1967, another major expansion was required in order to address the increase in the number of students. In 1981 the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre and its 300 seats took over the original gymnasium. In 1982 the school began welcoming international students under the AFS banner and has been hosting eight students every year since then. In 1994 Akaitcho Hall officially closed as more schools were constructed in smaller communities throughout the North. In 1999, after 40 years, the school went through a major renovation, which incorporated modern technology and made it a state-of-the-art education facility.
Plans are well underway for a weekend celebration. It’s an opportunity to reminisce and catch up with everyone and anyone who has had a connection with Sir John Franklin High School since 1958, including teachers, staff and students — including a number of MLAs who have gone through this Assembly, both current and previous — and friends. Technically, this isn’t a reunion of graduates but, rather, a celebration of education, and everyone is welcome.
The celebration will kick off with a meet-and-greet on Friday, August 1, 2008, starting at 7 p.m. It will be followed by musical presentations by current and past alumni and a dinner and dance during the evening of August 2. To wrap things up, there will be an afternoon picnic on Sunday, August 3, at Fred Henne, complete with water sports, campfires and plenty of sharing of history and memories.
Tickets are available for the homecoming through YK1 Board Office, École Sir John Franklin High School, Weaver and Devore, Overlander Sports, JJ Hobbies, and committee members themselves. To get more information and get involved, contact the committee at @email or visit their web site at www.sirjohn50.com. As a graduate of École Sir John Franklin High School 19 years ago, I encourage all alumni and those connected to the school to come out and share in the memories.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Independent, self-reliant individuals are a goal of the 16th Assembly. I’d like to speak today about a group of people who continue to try to be independent and self-reliant but are sometimes overlooked by us. The group of people I’m speaking about is the seniors of the Northwest Territories. Most seniors have paid their dues and contributed to the rich fabric of the Northwest Territories. It’s time we as a society paid them the respect they deserve.
We get calls from seniors back home. They face many issues. A lot of them are trying to get by on a fixed income. The cost of living goes up and their income stays the same. Seniors also deserve to feel safe in the supposed security of their own homes. They shouldn’t have to worry about being kept awake by constant partying and noise going on around them.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of seniors still own their own homes, and they try to maintain their own home, but it’s becoming too expensive with all the utility rates going up for them to continue to stay there. Like I said, they’re on a fixed income. This has caused a lot of seniors to do something they don’t want to do: move out of their homes and go into public housing, where they’re guaranteed that if they’re over 60, they’ll get free rent. I think a lot of them don’t want to do that, but they’re almost forced into that situation.
It causes me a lot of concern, Mr. Speaker, when I see able-bodied young people continue to live off the government while seniors struggle to get by. In this government we do try to assist seniors as much as we can, which is a good thing. However, there’s more we can do to ensure that seniors know we are listening to them. Seniors have contributed and still contribute to the Northwest Territories. I’d encourage young people to sit down and chat with them. They have much history to share. It would also give an opportunity to the young people to truly appreciate what they have today, by listening to the stories of hard times the seniors had to go through. I would encourage that.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was very pleased to have the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Hon. Sandy Lee, accompany me on a tour of my constituency May 4 to May 7. I appreciate her going with me to hear first-hand the concerns the residents of Nahendeh have with the NWT Health and Social Services system.
One of the concerns that was brought up several times in our travels, Mr. Speaker, was the lack of emergency dental care in that community. When the residents I represent get a toothache they are expected to wait for the next time the dentist comes to town. The current guidelines state that persons can travel to other communities for dental care only in emergencies. I’m not sure how emergency is defined. Does the tooth have to be broken, or does there have to be an obvious abscess? If I had a bad toothache and the nurse was only giving me Tylenol 3 and I was expected to wait a couple of weeks for a dentist to come, I would certainly classify that as an emergency.
In Yellowknife and a couple of the other larger centres if you have a toothache you can get to see a dentist the same day. Some of the dental clinics even have after-hours and on-call dentists you can call in an emergency.
Mr. Speaker, people are suffering needlessly. It’s a pretty simple solution to allow people with dental emergencies in Nahendeh to travel to Hay River or to Yellowknife. The nurses or CHRs in the community can make a determination of how much pain a person is in and balance that need against how long they will have to wait for a dentist to come to the community. To allow people to suffer needlessly because they live in smaller communities is not right. The department needs to develop or improve the policies that address this issue. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act was a groundbreaking initiative brought forward during the 15th Assembly in an attempt to deal with the drug trafficking and crimes devastating our communities. Although the SCAN bill died an unfair death, the problems it was meant to address still continue. Law-abiding citizens continue to be intimidated by crack dealers and bootleggers in their neighbourhoods and are frustrated by the inability of the police to shut down these operations, not to mention the time it takes to do that. With drug houses next to our schools, our seniors’ homes, et cetera, the days of it being a spectator sport needs to end. It’s time this government creates laws and enforcement tools that finally push back on this problem.
Mr. Speaker, the saying “taking back our streets” is certainly not new, but it deserves the recognition that this government needs to support that. Meanwhile, other jurisdictions, such as the Yukon, have had significant success using SCAN-type legislation that allows the authorities to close these drug and crack houses down and stop the other illegal activities that continue to destroy our communities.
Mr. Speaker, SCAN was a leap forward in protecting our citizens. It should come as no surprise to this government, to this House — to anyone — that for everyday people their quality of life is being stepped on, and they’re being taken advantage of. This government’s job, principally, is to protect its citizens and to ensure they are safe. But the image out there is that the government’s more worried about those creating illegal activity than those who are trying to live everyday, law-abiding lives. Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories as a whole would benefit from a Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act. I would encourage the Minister of Justice to bring forward a bill at the earliest opportunity to finally put our citizens first.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize my youngest daughter, Janesta, who is down visiting for a couple of days. Welcome to the Assembly.
I’d like to recognize a former resident of the Northwest Territories, Denise Lockett, who is here in the gallery with a bright orange jacket up there. You can’t miss her. Welcome, Denise.
I’d like to recognize a constituent of mine, Roy Courtoreille, regional vice-president for the UNW, in the gallery.
If we missed anyone else in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I spoke about the need for the SCAN legislation to be returned in some form or another. As far as I’m concerned, our law-abiding citizens’ quality of life is still put in jeopardy.
My question for the Minister of Justice is: what is his plan in regard to potentially bringing back this bill, bringing it back to life to ensure that our citizens’ quality of life is protected?
