Good afternoon, colleagues. Before we get started, I’d just like to wish all my Inuvialuit beneficiaries back home, happy Inuvialuit Day. It’s Inuvialuit Day.
---Applause
Mr. Speaker, this Assembly’s vision of healthy, educated people contributing to a strong and prosperous northern society starts in early childhood, from prenatal to five years. The departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services have worked collaboratively to craft a renewed Early Childhood Development Framework based on best practices and national and international research. We will be tabling this document later today.
From the comprehensive engagement process at the start of the year, the framework includes input from nearly 500 completed surveys, webinars with child and health care practitioners, community focus groups, regional meetings, home visits, and an Elders’ Sharing Circle. A roundtable with more than 100 early childhood experts, leaders, child care and education professionals, health and social services professionals, and policy-makers helped to round out our comprehensive engagement process.
Feedback identified the need for emphasising support to the whole family, improving and expanding existing services, communication and awareness of available services, qualified and dedicated staff, cultural infusion and, in some cases, increased funding. Program availability, affordability and accessibility were main concerns.
Feedback also identified several successful programs, including Healthy Children Initiatives.
Mr. Speaker, we have taken all of this valuable information and built it into the renewed framework. In order to provide the quality supports and services that children and their families need, our front-line professionals must also have access to information, opportunity and training. Our infrastructure options are being explored across the territory.
The Right from the Start awareness campaign that is currently running also received positive feedback. The campaign targets two-parent households and single parents, as well as community members, caregivers, grandparents and other family members. It includes multimedia advertising through print, radio, social media, parental tool kits, distribution of baby bags, and a website with resources and information. A second phase of the campaign will focus on how the government is providing service and support for early childhood development.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward to provide our young children with a strong foundation on which to learn and grow, and supporting our families and communities with information, resources and services. Healthy, educated people sustained by a clean environment and enjoying the benefits of a thriving economy are essential to the future of the Northwest Territories. Our renewed framework is one of several strategies this government is working on to support our people, develop our economy and protect our environment. This includes work like the Anti-Poverty Strategy, Community Safety Strategy, Land Use and Sustainability Framework, the Economic Opportunities Strategy, Mineral Development Strategy and Energy Strategy. We look forward to keeping the House informed on the progress of the Early Childhood Development Initiative. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be joining my colleague, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, in tabling Right from the Start: A Framework for Early Childhood Development in the NWT later today. This framework not only responds to the priorities of this Legislative Assembly, it also answers concerns that are top of mind for the people of the Northwest Territories.
Research informs us about the importance of the first years of a child’s life, and the wisdom of our elders and our communities has confirmed this. The return on early childhood investments has been well documented.
The Early Childhood Development Framework will guide our actions in this area over the next decade. It contains commitments to action in seven key areas. Starting during pregnancy, we need to ensure that expectant mothers have the support they need, whether it’s help to stop drinking, eating a healthy diet, being protected from an abusive relationship, or getting the best prenatal care possible. We can do a better job of providing early childhood assessment services to all families, and we will improve our range of programming to respond to identified needs.
We have heard that we need to help families by providing better outreach and public education initiatives, and this will be part of our commitment to action. We also need to make sure that families have access to quality, affordable early learning and child care programs.
Finally, the Framework includes a commitment to monitoring, reporting and ongoing evaluation of our efforts in these areas.
Over the summer we will finalize an action plan to support the commitments in this Framework. It will outline our priorities for action over the next three years, and will be supported by a monitoring and evaluation framework so that we report on progress and adjust our work in response.
Mr. Speaker, this Assembly has a vision of a strong, prosperous Northwest Territories where our people can thrive and reach their full potential. Achieving that vision takes a balanced agenda that makes progress on not just our social priorities but also our economic and environmental ones. Right from the Start is an investment in our people and it is also an investment in our economy and our environment. Along with the other strategies this Government is putting into place, it will help us ensure our people are able to share in the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. I look forward to updating Members on the success of this strategy in future Sessions. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce a new initiative that aims to promote the Government of the Northwest Territories as an inclusive workplace, a key commitment of 20/20: A Brilliant North, the NWT Public Service Strategic Plan.
The Northwest Territories is proud to be the only jurisdiction in Canada that recognizes National Aboriginal Day as a statutory holiday, and we celebrate on June 21st of each year. To coincide with Aboriginal Day 2013, I am pleased to confirm that the Government of the Northwest Territories will be launching Aboriginal cultural awareness training for employees of the GNWT public service.
Participants will gain increased understanding about Aboriginal culture; enhanced awareness, recognition and respect in the workplace; and a renewed spirit of inclusion among GNWT employees. New staff will learn about the communities and regions they live in and the residents they serve. They will learn that the land is our life and the source of our wealth and well-being. Healthy people depend on a healthy environment, and our natural resources have the potential to transform our economy, creating jobs and opportunities for all.
Cultural awareness helps to build a shared sense of community and culture among people with diverse backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion are crucial aspects of a strong and stable public service. Ultimately, this training reaffirms that Aboriginal values and partnerships are a key foundation piece for the GNWT, and guide program design and implementation in the spirit of recognition, respect and responsibility.
The four modules cover the importance of culture and cultural awareness – Aboriginal People of the Northwest Territories, History of the Northwest Territories from an Aboriginal Perspective – and present and future issues for Aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories.
The modules are made up of videos, photographs, artwork, stories, audio recordings and interactive activities designed to generate discussion. The training material is relevant, comprehensive and informative, and will promote an inclusive work environment through broadened cultural understanding. Businesses and community groups are welcome to use it if it meets their needs. The modules will be available starting on June 20th on the Department of Human Resources website. Facilitated training sessions for GNWT employees in regional centres and Yellowknife are scheduled to start this fall.
Mr. Speaker, strengthening relationships with Aboriginal Governments is a priority of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Our recognition, respect and commitment for Aboriginal culture and values are strong. Successful initiatives such as the launch of Aboriginal language apps, that were developed by Education, Culture and Employment in partnership with Yamozha Kue Society and the Dene Aboriginal language communities, to preserve and promote language use; the recent Traditional Games Championships highlighting Inuit and Dene traditional games; and the respected Take a Kid Trapping program introducing youth to traditional harvesting practices help all residents gain knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal values and practices. This understanding helps strengthen our communities and governments as we work together to serve the interests of all NWT residents.
Mr. Speaker, the training was developed with the support and involvement of the Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, Deninu K’ue First Nation, Smith’s Landing First Nation, Salt River First Nation, Yellowknives Dene First Nation in both Detah and Ndilo, and Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation. These Aboriginal organizations and governments, along with the Prince of Wales Heritage Museum, provided a significant amount of the audio and video material.
As well, members of the GNWT Aboriginal Employee Advisory Committee and employees from the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations provided valuable input and feedback throughout development.
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is committed to promoting an inclusive work environment, increasing communication and improving working and personal relationships through broadened cultural understanding. As a government, we are also committed to ensuring that programs and services acknowledge and are inspired by NWT Aboriginal values and traditions, and that public servants can carry out their work guided by this philosophy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to say a few words on behalf of the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit support of the draft Devolution Final Agreement. The Gwich’in and Inuvialuit people have called the land in the Northwest Territories home. As a Gwich’in participant, I am proud to stand in this Legislature and say that the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit have a long history of living on the land. It is this history that proves that the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit have a rightful seat at the table when it comes time to decide how the Northwest Territories lands are used.
The Gwich’in did the right thing when they chose to support the negotiations back in September 2012. I would like to emphasize the importance of Gwich’in and Inuvialuit participation in the implementation of the Devolution Agreement. The Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada have to transfer all of the information linked to land management in the Northwest Territories and the GNWT has a responsibility, through the Intergovernmental Council created under the Devolution Agreement, to find effective ways to work with Aboriginal governments.
Devolution should not just bring more power to the Government of the Northwest Territories but it should empower the Aboriginal governments of the Northwest Territories.
In closing, I would like to commend our Premier, Mr. McLeod, and our team here for strengthening the working relationship with all Aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Given the importance of the day here today, I still wish to fight on behalf of my communities and constituents.
I will be doing a statement on Nahanni Butte. It has been one year since the flood in Nahanni Butte but many services have not been restored, such as the store, public radio or the community dump. The main access road that was flooded last year, reconstructed this January, is no longer passable. Sides of the road are collapsing, and the sand fill that was used to repair the road is getting people’s vehicles stuck.
You may recall last October, when people were driving their trucks through the water and ice that was forming all over the sunken road. Once again, travelling is risky and it’s unreasonable to expect community members to take that risk. They cannot get to the river to travel to the other side. It is unsafe and unreliable as so many people are getting stuck. The road to the community dump was inaccessible again this spring due to a wet road that was never properly reconstructed. Now, as things dry out, the fine silt deposited by the flood produces dust that is easily inhaled and can be a health hazard.
The government must move forward on plans to continue to reconstruct both the access road and the road to the dump. The longer we allow these issues to go unresolved, the more it will cost to fix the situation in the future. Solid waste disposal is a challenge in all of our remote communities and if the dump is inaccessible, it only makes matters worse.
With the access road in such poor condition, it is difficult for the community to rebuild, provide for itself and properly accommodate visitors. Last year the community was evacuated and people returned to the soggy remains of the place they were proud to call home. The community needs adequate resources to continue to support and rebuild. Nahanni Butte does not want to be forgotten again.
The community’s needs are important, especially a transportation link they are so proud of. The first priority is a reliable access road. From there they will be able to restock the store, repair the buildings, use the dump, tune into their radios, and make great progress on rebuilding this summer. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we sit in here today, over 1,000 youth throughout the Northwest Territories are converging on Hay River at the 23rd Annual Track and Field.
There are 33 teams representing 16 communities. Obviously, Hay River, Yellowknife, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley, Fort Good Hope, Rae-Edzo, Colville Lake, Fort Providence, Fort Res, Fort Liard, Jean Marie, Inuvik, Kakisa and Ndilo.
It is with great honour that we represent the Northwest Territories and host these youth. We wish them all the best of luck.
The youth are at different levels. Some are there just to have a good time and compete. Some of them are trying to set records. So, good luck to everybody and safe travels to everybody. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s high time we overhaul our education system in the North. I’m so glad that’s finally happening today. The Minister has done a lot of public consultation that will go on throughout the summer. It is especially important that we listen to the small communities, both parents and leaders.
I want to talk about what is at stake. We’re talking about the future of our children, our future as a territory where our children have the skills and knowledge they will need to live well in this world. Will they have the tools to solve their own problems and create their own future?
Every one of us cares deeply about our residents back in our ridings at home and even here in Yellowknife. Our education needs overhauling. If left unchecked and have the attitude that it’s good enough, I say no. I believe our children are better than good enough.
A few years ago a study was done for Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, as it was called then, to show the financial benefits of improving the education of Aboriginal people. Here is what they found out. If an Aboriginal student reaches the same level as other students, benefits and savings would be huge. Huge! Over 20 years, tax revenue in the Northwest Territories would increase by $666 million. Savings in program spending would be about $1.2 billion. That is a $2 billion benefit, my friends, plus the improvement of many, many lives. That is the federal government talking, not me.
Our own government research shows that this is true. When we improve the education, we improve the people’s health and the cost of health care. We increase employment, we create business and jobs, reduce the number of children in the care of child and family services, we reduce family violence and all sorts of crimes. We save a lot in the justice and correctional system and this is good.
There are reasons we need to succeed in overhauling our education system. It must work well for everyone in the Northwest Territories and that means fixing it where it’s failing: in the small communities. I have said this for years and we have to do the right thing. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s time to take the next formal step in the development of our arts industry and culture through the creation of a professional fine arts school. As the Economic Opportunities Strategy report pointed out, people want increased government emphasis on the arts. The sector is broad-based, including literally thousands of producers in the NWT. It gives back huge multipliers in spending and employment, far higher than, for example, the oil and gas industry. People, and especially youth, prosper more fully in all realms of life when they receive arts training. It makes better citizens.
Despite realization of the need to support the arts industry, our efforts to date have been piecemeal and unfocused. A fine arts school would establish the locus of artist excellence in the NWT. With major reductions in federal support for the arts, there is both a need and an opportunity to step in to fill this gap.
I’m talking about the creation of a formal, independent fine arts school, professionally run and affiliated with one of the major southern fine arts institutions such as Emily Carr School of Fine Arts or the Ontario College of Art and Design. It would need a residential capacity for students from communities attending courses and to house instructors from elsewhere. It could start as a summer school, progressively building programming and faculty.
We currently have a surge of vacant space coming forward in Yellowknife now with the Bellanca Building and the Department of Transportation and other government offices being vacated as they move to their new building downtown. Much of this space is in Weledeh, an ideal location for an institution.
We have an opportunity now to take action. Our first step would be carrying out a feasibility and marketing study. I’ll be pushing for that in our next round of business planning. We need to look at this not as a new cost to pay but as a new revenue to reap.
An arts school, no less than a trades school or college, is a factory for economic production and an incubator for new taxpayers. By pulling together and focusing our efforts, untapped artists across the territory would have access to professional development support, a place of excellence and inspiration.
Our artists are ready, willing and waiting. Mr. Speaker, I’ll be looking for Members’ support in carrying this board and getting this done. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak to the Auditor General of Canada’s report on the Northwest Territories income security programs.
This audit identified systemic problems in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in their delivery of core programs: Income Assistance, Student Financial Assistance, the Senior Home Heating Subsidy, and the Child Care User Subsidy. A majority of files reviewed by the auditors did not comply with key legal and policy requirements for these four programs, 90 percent of the files in the case of income assistance. The Auditor General’s staff considered the errors were significant and said so in their report.
This government spends $30 million annually on income support programs. That’s just in the Department of ECE. That figure would be much higher if we considered the cost of all 16 subsidy programs to the government. But I digress.
The Auditor General of Canada’s report tells us that Education, Culture and Employment is failing to run these four programs properly. There were three key recommendations from the AG’s report: The lack of monitoring of programs, the need for more and better training for staff, and the lack of assessment for programs.
Is the $30 million we spend on these programs reaching the people who really need it? My experience with constituents suggests it is not. My experience suggests that income support staff try very hard, but they are not able to meet their clients’ needs.
Mr. Speaker, behind the numbers and statistics are real people who need help and who deserve respect. I’m talking about the Income Security Program staff and the Income Security clients. It’s very telling that the Department of ECE has a 50 percent annual turnover rate for client service officers. It indicates a work environment that is much less than optimum. It indicates a work environment where staff are not supported or assisted.
The Auditor General’s report points out that many client service officers struggle with vague program guidelines, a lack of monitoring and supervision, and inadequate training.
The report also called attention to client service officers’ caseloads which, in some cases, are more than 100 per month; overworked managers; and employees’ safety concerns. Such a staff cannot effectively serve their clients’ needs.
Thankfully, the department has accepted all of the Auditor General’s recommendations. In our meetings with them, ECE officials listened closely to the Members’ concerns, and they’ve told us they have started to act and will continue to act until the system is reformed. I certainly hope that is true. Only time will tell and Regular Members will be watching carefully. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to follow up on something that was alluded to in my colleague from Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard’s, Member’s statement when he was talking about the renewal of health care cards and the length of time it’s taking. I’m going to talk a little bit more about something he referred to at the end of his statement, and that is a satellite health insurance office for Hay River.
The division of heath care services located in Inuvik is called health services administration and has 22 positions that deal with health care card registrations, renewals, vital statistics, births, deaths, marriages, and ensured service benefits administration – for example, medical travel, extended health benefits for specific diseases, seniors benefits, Metis benefits, non-insured health benefits – and some of these benefits are partially administered by Alberta Blue Cross and are non-insured health benefits.
There are parties in Hay River, persons in Hay River that would like to see a satellite office for health care services located in Hay River. There are a large number of patients that come in from the Deh Cho and South Slave regions to attend medical appointments in Hay River, have testing done, blood work done, ultrasounds, mammograms, et cetera, and these patients would then have an opportunity to visit a health care office, health insurance office in Hay River rather than trying to contact the Inuvik office to file a claim or obtain assistance.
Inuvik is a very busy office, and it takes too long to respond to the claims and inquiries, and there have been numerous complaints about the time involved for waiting for claims to be processed and reimbursed. An office in Hay River could relieve that backlog and take the pressure off the Inuvik office. This would alleviate some of the waiting time and reduce the frustration of communicating long distance, as well as provide on-site communication with patients. Health insurance workers could meet face to face with patients, providing more effective and efficient services to clients.
The delays in receiving claims causes emotional and financial hardship on some people, especially seniors and small business who cannot afford to carry the cost in the interim. An office in Hay River could work directly with the people involved and provide efficiencies in the system.
Hay River is a large enough community that experienced and skilled staff could easily be recruited to such a satellite office. Opening an office in Hay River would also provide an economic benefit of the jobs that it would create. There are local businesses and much community support for an office such as this to be opened in Hay River, and I want to say that I do believe in decentralization. I’m glad that the current office is in Inuvik, but we would like a small piece of that in Hay River.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is a very important day for the Inuvialuit people of Inuvik and the Beaufort-Delta region; in fact, throughout all of Canada. On this day 29 years ago, June 5, 1984, in the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, the Government of Canada and the Inuvialuit gathered on the shores of the Beaufort to sign the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.
The Inuvialuit Final Agreement was built in the hopes and hard work of the many involved, and its continued success is attributed to the ongoing dedication of the Inuvialuit. The IFA was the first comprehensive land claim agreement signed north of the 60th parallel, and only the second in Canada at that time. Approved by the Canadian Parliament as the Western Arctic Claims Settlement Act, it took precedence over the acts inconsistent with it. The act was also protected under the Canadian Constitution, in that it cannot be changed by the Parliament without the approval of the Inuvialuit.
Today marks the 29th anniversary of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. I would like to take this time to wish the Inuvialuit people of Inuvik and throughout the Beaufort-Delta region, the NWT and Canada, a great day of celebrations and a happy Inuvialuit Day. I would also like to thank the Inuvialuit regional leadership for their ongoing commitment and the support to the development of the Beaufort-Delta region.
The Inuvialuit are a very integral part of what makes Inuvik Inuvik and the Beaufort-Delta what it is. They have a world-renowned dance group, world-renowned arctic sports demonstrators, and strong ambassadors that continue to meet at the international level. They have a culture that is thriving as we see both the youth and elders continue to practice traditional ways of life. They have a strong language program, and that is proven with the launching of the book “Taimani” in February of 2012, which illustrates the timeline of the history of the Inuvialuit, and actually goes to support the development of the Inuvialuit as a culture and society.
I am very proud and very honoured to stand in the House today to wish the Inuvialuit of the community of Inuvik and the Beaufort-Delta a very happy Inuvialuit Day and I wish them all the best in the future. I wish them all successes that they are pursuing in the future, as well as greater achievements and successes in their future endeavours. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Before we continue on, colleagues, I’d like to welcome back former Member Sam Gargan, former MLA for Deh Cho; and Leon Lafferty, former Member for Monfwi. Welcome back to the House.
---Applause
Also, I’d like to welcome Yellowknives Dene First Nation Chief Eddie Sangris – welcome to the House, Eddie – Chief Clifford Daniels from Behchoko, our Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus, welcome. From the Tlicho, grand chief, and the Gwich’in Tribal Council vice-president Mr. Norman Snowshoe. Welcome to the House.
---Applause
The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Back in mid-March, during the review of the Public Works and Services 2013-2014 Main Estimates, I asked many questions about the new downtown Yellowknife office building. The reason for these questions is that this $30 million project was being built over a number of business plans and it is important to understand the different costing schedules that taxpayers would be on the hook for. In fact, MLA Robert Hawkins also asked a number of questions regarding the terms and conditions and holdbacks of the project as well.
Following that session, there was a series of e-mails from my office of Range Lake to Minister Abernethy’s office asking for the right to review the construction contract for the building, the building schedules, amendments and, of course, the costs. What my office received from the Minister’s office was the following statement: “The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act creates a mandatory exception to the public’s right to access information that could possibly harm the business interests of the contractors/businesses. This mandatory exception does not allow public bodies the discretion to disclose such information, such as “completed copy” of a contract without undertaking a required third-party consultation with a contractor or business, as required by the act. As such, completed copies of contracts will not be distributed. If you are interested in an individual contract, please let me know and we will seek third-party consultation to release the contract as required under the act.”
Sorry, I thought I was an elected official of this government, and the people of Range Lake have elected me to be a steward of the public purse and watch out for accountability and our government spending.
The plot thickens. My office received another statement from the Minister’s office and it said, “We have reviewed the act, and there is no exception that allows a public body to provide this information to an MLA without proceeding through the formal ATIPP application. As such, we are unable to provide copies of contracts without there being a formal ATIPP application on a specific contract. Should you have concerns about a specific contract, you can file an ATIPP application with the Department of Public Works and Services.”
Of course, I complied to the Minister’s request, and I had my office pay the fee for an ATIPP application with the Department of Public Works.
Well, on May 29, 2013, my office received a reply from the office of Public Works and Services and I was shocked to find the department wanted to charge me $1,477.75 to photocopy a whopping 1,992 pages of documents. All I can say is this is nothing more than a document dump and a ridiculous…
Mr. Dolynny, your time for your Member’s statement is concluded.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
…charge to ward off a Member of this government the right to get answers to simple questions and to protect the public purse.
Strangely enough, this is a recurrent theme that I as a Member see all too often when I assist constituents who want to gain access to information from this government. It almost appears that this government has a history of document dumping and fee shock to scare off would-be inquiries. This now appears to be the tactics used on an elected Member of this House.
I will be tabling, later today, my bill from the Department of Public Works and Services. Yes, I will have a few questions for the Minister later today. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is World Environment Day. It is the biggest and most widely celebrated day for positive environmental action. It is perhaps fitting that this day we chose to vote on a motion to support devolution on the management of public lands and resources from Canada to this government. I hope that this is a sign of our strong determination to respect our land and environment.
We Dene people are part of the land, the land is part of us, it is integral to our lives. We thank the moose or caribou, it gives us life to feed us, to keep us strong and healthy. We thank the land for feeding the animals and for our safe travels on it. This is what the elders teach. The elders have also prophesized that the land would change, that the deer will come back, that water will be valuable, that the sun will get hotter. We have seen all of this happening.
In our lifetimes, the weather has turned much warmer, there is more rain, the pattern of caribou migrations have changed, and permafrost is melting. I guess it’s not permanent. We must be aware of all of these things as responsible stewards of the land. The elders teach us to be observant when we are out on the land. It is key to our survival and to the health of the land.
There are many pressures on our land today. We’re building roads to new mines; we have oil and gas development and pipelines; we’ve been called upon to allow fracking to spur the flow of oil and gas to the surface. We have to balance consultation and resource development. We have to make some hard decisions. We have to base them on good scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge. It is the only way we will succeed.
In the Deh Cho this has always been the goal of our land use plan. Twelve years ago and $6 million later, we should have more results. It is not easy to balance the wishes of industry and the elders’ advice for a sound, effective management system. If governments were more serious about it, we’d soon be able to implement a land use plan we could all be proud of.
On this World Environment Day, we should celebrate the good work we have done, but also recognize that we have much more to do. Our world’s environment depends on what we do every day. That is what the elders teach. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to rise on a point of order based on rules of debate 23, subsections (h) and (i) with respect to the statement made by Mr. Dolynny.
Mr. Dolynny made reference to the fact that the department has encouraged him to submit an ATIPP request and has then filed or suggested that he’d have to pay some fees to get the information that he has.
Mr. Speaker, as MLAs and as Ministers we have to balance the rights to privacy versus the release of information. In this particular case, the Member has been seeking, through the House and during debate in Committee of the Whole, a copy of a contract. We have an obligation to protect the rights of third-party interests in all situations, but in this particular situation, before information on a contract can be released, we would need to go to a third party to seek that additional information. We’ve encouraged the Member to do that. To date, we actually do not have a letter or an application from the MLA requesting this information.
Do you have a point of order?
We do. The point of order is that the Member for Range Lake has suggested that we are impeding his ability to get detailed information to do his job. The fact is, we have encouraged the Member to submit an ATIPP request. The Member has not submitted an ATIPP request. We only have one ATIPP request on this information and it’s from a third party, from an individual who hasn’t identified himself to be working in any capacity with the MLA, and it has been from a home address, not a government address.
I’m concerned, Mr. Speaker, that the Member is suggesting that we are intentionally trying to keep information from him, which is not the case. We have rules, we have procedures, and I’ve encouraged the Member to follow them. I am waiting for the Member to follow them, and when the Member follows them, we will deal with them accordingly.
As far as fines as according to ATIPP, any person can ask to have the fees waived, and in this case nobody has asked for any fees to be waived. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. At this time I’m going to allow a little bit of debate on this point of order. Mr. Dolynny, would you like to respond to that point of order? Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in defence of this point of order. The allegation that this request, this ATIPP request did not come from the office of Range Lake is absolutely absurd. Mr. Grant Pryznyk is a constituency assistant of mine and I think everyone in this House knows he is a constituency assistant of mine. He is the one who submitted the ATIPP request.
So the fact remains that this came from the office of Range Lake and the Minister is clearly aware of this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
