Debates of March 10, 2005 (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Premier has already stated in this House, the Government of the Northwest Territories supports the Mackenzie gas project, and a pipeline built down the Mackenzie Valley to deliver NWT natural gas to continental energy markets. Our government is committed to ensuring that the Mackenzie gas project and other resource developments in the NWT are constructed and operated in a manner that recognizes our respect for and unique relationship with our land, water and wildlife resources.

Mr. Speaker, I believe we achieved a significant step in ensuring the protection of significant spaces with the funding of the Mackenzie Valley five-year action plan under the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy. Mr. Speaker, the action plan is the result of a strong partnership, led by communities and land claim organizations and supported by the territorial and federal governments, industry and conservation organizations, including Ducks Unlimited, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the World Wildlife Fund Canada.

The budget currently before us identifies our commitment to provide $1.5 million over the next five years to implement the action plan. This funding, along with a $9 million commitment from the federal government and the $5.4 million provided by environmental organizations means we can continue proper conservation planning in the Mackenzie Valley, and allows us to develop our land in a sustainable manner.

Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2005, Mr. Monte Hummel of World Wildlife Fund Canada presented a keynote address at the Nunavut teachers’ conference in Iqaluit. Mr. Hummel stressed the pressing need to develop and implement protected areas strategies in the North. He drew attention in his remarks to the good work in progress by NWT communities to identify and reserve areas that are ecologically and culturally important to them. We believe this community-driven approach, the partners have embraced, will stand as an example for other jurisdictions.

Mr. Speaker, as we continue to move forward on construction of the Mackenzie gas project, we must also advance the designation of protected areas. The action plan will help us meet our goal of identifying, reviewing, establishing interim protection and evaluating areas for protection in the Mackenzie Valley. It will also ensure the biodiversity and cultural significance of the Mackenzie Valley is protected for all generations.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the commitment of our Protected Areas Strategy partners, particularly communities, regional organizations and land claim organizations, to working for a balanced approach to development and conservation. Together we can ensure the sustainable development of our natural resources. Thank you.

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This week marks the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Before the court was established, justice was administered for the most part by lay magistrates. Serious cases were most often tried in Alberta.

When Justice Sissons became the first judge of the Court, he said that justice would be taken to every man's door and he meant what he said. Before he retired, Justice Sissons traveled an estimated 275,000 miles by plane and dogsled. The practice of the court going to the people so they can see justice being done and accused can be tried by a jury of their peers remains to this day.

Justice Sissons and his successor, Justice Morrow, were at the forefront of what is today an increased awareness of aboriginal rights in Canada.

Perhaps the most important decision from this era, which significantly affected political aspirations of aboriginal people in the NWT, was made in 1973 by Justice Morrow in the Paulette case. A number of chiefs had applied to lodge a caveat with the registrar of land titles claiming an interest in an area of land comprising 400,000 square miles in the western part of the territory. They argued that treaties 8 and 11 did not extinguish aboriginal rights in relation to land. Justice Morrow agreed and so ruled. Although the decision was overturned in the Supreme Court of Canada, the decision had significant political consequences for the federal government and aboriginal people. Prior to this case, the federal government had claimed that aboriginal rights to land had been extinguished by the signing of treaties 8 and 11. Now the federal government accepted that there were serious moral and legal questions that cast doubt on their position and there began a perceptive and positive shift in the federal approach to aboriginal land claims.

In 1961, despite fierce opposition by the federal government, Justice Sissons held that a marriage that took place in accordance with Inuit custom was a valid marriage in the eyes of the law. Later in 1965, he held that Inuit and Dene custom adoptions were valid adoptions recognized by the law.

On the question of our political evolution, in the 1999 case of Morin v. the Conflict of Interest Commissioner, Justice Vertes concluded that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories is "a separate and distinct legal entity" and not simply an "organ" of the federal government. This was an important decision that recognized the establishment of a fully responsible government in the Northwest Territories.

--Applause

Clearly, the Supreme Court has been an important institution in recognizing the rights of aboriginal people and the constitutional status of the Northwest Territories.

We are honoured to welcome a number of our former judges and lawyers back to Yellowknife to attend a conference this week celebrating this important anniversary. As well, legal counsel and judges joined us from Nunavut and the Yukon.

Mr. Speaker, a number of them are in the gallery today and I will hopefully be able to introduce them later.

The Sissons-Morrow carving collection is on display all this month at the Yellowknife Courthouse. It is representative of the most important cases from the first two decades of the Supreme Court. I would like to invite the Members of this House to visit our courthouse to view the collection. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Dent, I just want to mention that I recognized you as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It would have probably been more appropriate as the Minister of Justice.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today and share with Members information on the inaugural Northwest Territories Games being held in Fort Smith, March 18th to 21st.

This exciting pilot program will provide an opportunity for youth from all communities to participate in and experience the benefits of a multi-sport games competition.

Host organizers are expecting close to 400 participants from all Northwest Territories communities. They will be participating in curling, cross-country skiing, ski and snowshoe biathlon, snowshoeing, snow soccer, Dene games, Inuit games and some ice sport clinics.

It is our hope that they will enjoy this experience and take away from it a lifelong interest in physical activity and making healthy lifestyle choices. Some may even choose to go on to higher level events such as the Arctic Winter Games or the Canada Games.

The total Government of the Northwest Territories contribution to the NWT Games is $100,000. The departments of Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, Justice and the NWT Housing Corporation, along with Municipal and Community Affairs, have contributed financially because each recognize the future benefits to supporting events like this. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to each of those Ministers for agreeing to support this worthwhile event. The balance of the funding for the games has been derived from Western Canada Lottery revenues and the Government of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the tremendous effort put into organizing the Northwest Territories Games by the Sport North Federation. Within a short time frame, they have managed to coordinate and plan this event and have partnered with us to make this happen.

For those Members of the Legislative Assembly who have decided to attend the games, I am certain that you will see youth from communities have a great experience that they will treasure for the rest of their lives.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize the outstanding contribution from Fort Smith. The community, their volunteers and businesses and many local organizations have all come together to make this event a reality. Without their efforts, these games simply would not have been possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to give the Assembly a status report on the progress of the Deh Cho Bridge project.

It was a little over three years ago, in February 2002, when the Fort Providence Combined Council Alliance first brought forward its proposal to form a public/private partnership that would build a bridge across the Mackenzie River near Fort Providence. The government of the 14th Assembly gave the proposal a careful review and found that the proposal was not only feasible but, in many ways, quite attractive. First and foremost was the prospect of a permanent, all-weather highway link across the Mackenzie River that would eliminate, once and for all, the seasonal interruptions in highway service.

Secondly, bridges are expensive pieces of infrastructure. Amongst the many competing demands on the public purse, the government could not have considered a public expenditure of that size for many years to come. The mechanism of the public/private partnerships offered a way to raise the capital for the bridge without adding to the government’s debt. The government was definitely interested in the alliance’s proposal and authorized the beginning of negotiations to work out the proposal in greater detail.

By November 2002, the partners had turned the initial proposal into a memorandum of intent that spelled out all the steps that would have to be taken to form the public/private partnership that would finance, design, construct, operate and pay for the Deh Cho Bridge. Having signed the memorandum of intent, work then began on the Concession Agreement. The Concession Agreement is the legal document that actually establishes the public/private partnership and, in every aspect of the project, defines the respective duties, responsibilities and obligations of the partners. The Concession Agreement is a long-term, 35-year agreement covering the initial planning and design of the bridge through to the last payment and the transfer of ownership to the Government of the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the partners have agreed to the Concession Agreement and, subject to final approval, we have a document to govern the bridge project.

In April 2003, the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation made formal application to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board that initiated the regulatory approvals process. On its part, the 14th Legislative Assembly passed the Deh Cho Bridge Act in June of 2003 authorizing the Minister of Transportation to enter into a Concession Agreement and to collect the tolls that would pay for the bridge.

The Mackenzie Land and Water Board referred the Deh Cho Bridge project for an environmental assessment in January 2004. This has caused a delay in the original project schedule, but I am pleased to report that the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board has provided a positive recommendation. It is hoped that in the next week or two, the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development will approve the project proceeding to the regulatory phase. This issuing of permits and authorizations should proceed in relatively short order.

I am also pleased to report that the Department of Transportation has accepted the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation’s conceptual design for the bridge. It remains to produce detailed engineering plans from the concept that contractors will use to prepare their tender bids and ultimately to construct the bridge. TD Securities has indicated that it is prepared to finance the project. The sum of the tender bids, the corporation’s development costs to date plus the financing charges will put a final price on the bridge. It is on the basis of this final price that the Executive Council will decide whether or not it is in the best interest of the Northwest Territories to sign and enter into the Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement.

That decision, Mr. Speaker, is still some months away. If all goes well, we hope that actual work on the construction of the Deh Cho Bridge might begin as soon as this summer. I know from everyone I have spoken to about the bridge, we are all looking forward to the day when it opens for traffic and the disruptions of freeze-up and breakup are a thing of the past.

Mr. Speaker, it may seem like we are taking our time in formally entering into the Concession Agreement, but we need to ensure that the agreement is the right one for all parties. The three years it has taken to get where we are today have slipped by quickly. Consider for a moment that the alliance first brought forward its proposal in the term of the 14th Assembly. If we commit to go ahead in the next few months, it will take until the term of the 24th Assembly to pay for the bridge. We want to be sure that between now and then, the people of the Northwest Territories will agree that the government of the 15th Assembly made the right decision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to provide this House with more details about the NWT justice system and in particular how this government works with communities to meet their needs and aspirations.

One of our guiding principles has always been that an effective justice system is one that is accepted by the communities it serves. Community involvement leads to acceptance and a justice system that meets the needs and aspirations of these communities.

The department encourages communities to increase their involvement in the administration of justice through community justice committees and by using local justices of the peace. We also maintain effective management of offenders using the least restrictive measures possible and promote community involvement in offender rehabilitation and reintegration through such programs as wilderness camps, spirituality programs and elder counselling.

Our community justice committees work with elders and community leaders to develop innovative solutions. Over the past three years, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases being diverted to the 30 active community justice committees. In 2001-02, there were 186 cases diverted. This number grew to 250 to 2002-03 and 373 in 2003-04.

These committees make decisions that directly affect residents in their communities. Justice committees are engaged in dealing with a wide variety of cases and have many options for innovative solutions at the community level. They deal with youth and adult cases using a restorative approach to justice. They promote abuse-free and crime-free lifestyles and activities that lead to healthier relationships between individuals and their communities. They may also administer the Fine Options Program, Community Service Order Program and after-care programs.

This next fiscal year, 2005-06, funding will be available to every community in the NWT to hire a part-time justice coordinator. Additional funding will also be available for program delivery. These funds will assist communities in developing a justice system that meets their unique needs and provides them with a safer environment.

Our justices of the peace have seen their roles expanded over the years. We now have 42 JPs in 19 communities and they are being utilized more and more. JPs will play a key role in taking preventative measures to protect victims of family violence under the Protection Against Family Violence Act.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the continued cooperation between communities and the Department of Justice as we develop our NWT justice system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, North American Occupational Safety and Health, or NAOSH, Week will be held from May 1st through 7th this year. The goal of NAOSH Week is to focus the attention of employers, workers, the general public and all partners in occupational safety and health on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace and at home. NOASH Week was first launched in June 1997 marked by an agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

For many years, responsibility for NAOSH Week activities in the North fell to the WCB. Six years ago, the WCB extended an invitation to several parties in business, labour and government to join them in promoting this important event. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that this partnership has proved to be very successful. These organizations, along with members of the youth committee, have brought new perspectives and fresh ideas to the event and it continues to grow in importance.

The theme for this year's NAOSH Week, "Equip, Educate, Empower" draws attention to the ever-present need for ongoing safety and training in the workplace. This is especially critical in the North with our young and ever increasing workforce.

The 2005 NAOSH Week organizing and youth committees have several events planned: an employer contest, video launches and safety demonstrations, to name a few.

This year will mark the first national launch north of 60. We are proud to announce that the ceremonies will be held here in Yellowknife at the Great Hall, May 2nd. I encourage all Members to get involved in NAOSH Week this year and strengthen their commitment to occupational safety and health. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my questions and comments in the House yesterday regarding the appointment of a chairperson for the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, we heard on the 5:30 news that our concerns were too little, too late; the appointment was made and announced.

Shame! Shame!

This is the second time that I am aware that an appointment of a chair has been made to a very significant board and the nominations of the board itself have been ignored.

Mr. Speaker, what is the point of having establishment policies and rules surrounding these appointments if they can be so easily and callously set aside? Mr. Speaker, this is about far more of the appointment of a non-resident, non-nominated chair to a powerful federally appointed board. This is about a lack of respect for process…

Hear! Hear!

It’s about a lack of respect for the people who sit on our boards and represent us on decisions around development and it’s about lack of respect for the North and its people.

Hear! Hear!

Mr. Speaker, I thought we had moved beyond the days of colonialism and Ottawa knows best. We talk about political evolution, devolution of authority and powers. It’s a sad day in the life of the Northwest Territories when blatant political patronage and disregard for process is handed down to us from some Liberal, crony, retread Minister who, to my knowledge, Mr. Speaker, has never even stepped foot in the Northwest Territories since becoming the Minister responsible for Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Maybe Mr. Scott would like to appoint the Premier and the MLAs too, and I could be sure I wouldn’t get reappointed.

---Laughter

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Mr. Speaker, we get our hopes up that we are on the federal radar, that they care about the input and aspirations of northerners and then something like this.

Well, Minister Scott is coming to Yellowknife next week and he wants to have a town hall in our Great Hall. The media suggested he might get a cool reception. I think we should give him a warm reception right on the hot seat where he belongs…

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Hear! Hear!

…to give account for his actions. How disrespectful that we found out about this appointment on the news. I guess it was more important to call the CBC than it was to call our government and discuss this appointment.

Shame!

Mr. Speaker, I invite as many northerners as possible to show up at Mr. Scott’s town hall and tell him what we think. He will have our MP, the Minister of Northern Development, sitting right beside him and maybe it would be a good time to also ask her if she still represents the constituents of the North who elected her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, after my previous statements and statements by my colleagues over the past few days, it was with great disappointment that we heard on the 5:30 news last night that the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs has gone ahead and named a British Columbia resident who was not nominated by board members as the new chair of the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board.

Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act says very clearly that the Minister shall appoint the board chairs from among persons nominated by the board members unless the board members failed to nominate someone acceptable to the Minister within a reasonable time. In this case, the board did nominate three people, Mr. Speaker. Is the DIAND Minister going to explain to the board and to the people of the Northwest Territories why, in his opinion, none of these three nominees, all northern residents, were acceptable? Where is the accountability, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, this entire Mackenzie Valley Resource Management regime was set up as part of the implementation of the Sahtu and Gwich’in land claim agreements. The federal government just finished ratifying the Tlicho agreement, which will make us part of that regime too. These agreements were signed in good faith by our people with the understanding that the federal government would honour the spirit of its own laws and respect wishes of board members.

Mr. Speaker, the board structure was carefully designed so the interest of aboriginal people, the Government of the Northwest Territories and Canada were all balanced. The fallback provision allowing the Minister to appoint a chair who was not nominated by the board is the exception, not the rule. I don’t believe it was ever intended, at least from our side, that this would be used except in extreme cases; for example, if the board was unable to come up with any nominations at all. Yet the Minister has gone ahead and appointed a chair who doesn’t even live in the Northwest Territories. Is this the kind of total disregard and the wishes of the board and northerners what we have to look forward to?

What kind of message…

Mr. Zoe, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, what kind of message does this send to the NWT residents, to the Sahtu people, to the Gwich’in people and the Tlicho people, not to mention the groups out there who are still negotiating?

I don’t know what to think anymore, Mr. Speaker. With the ratification of the Tlicho agreement and the recent progress on devolution talks, I was feeling very optimistic about our future. Finally, it seems like we are getting somewhere in our struggle to take back control of our lands and resources, and then the federal government comes out with this colonialism action, putting someone who doesn’t even live here in charge of a board that is going to make some critical decisions for the Northwest Territories in the next few years; decisions that will affect many generations of northerners, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, Minister Scott will be in the North next week, and I will urge the Premier to tell him how strongly we object to his decision and ask him to rescind the chair’s appointment and appoint one of the board’s nominees. It is what he should have done in the first place. If the Minister can’t or won’t fix this, then maybe the Premier needs to go over his head to the Deputy Prime Minister or even to the Prime Minister himself. Mr. Speaker, we can’t just stand by and let the federal government drag us back to the 19th century. This colonialism has to end. We need to send a strong message that these are our lands, our resources and our future. We live here and we know what is best for ourselves and for our territory. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use my Member’s statement today to talk about the recent appointment of a new chairman to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. In January, the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board recommended three candidates for the job; all of them residents of the Northwest Territories. Territorial MLAs were not informed in advance of the appointment to the board, and many of us had even written recommendations for those who were passed over.

As Members of this Legislative Assembly, we take our jobs very seriously. This appointment was seen as being a pivotal one, given the amount of resource development that is taking place here. Regular Members were planning to move a motion asking the Premier to call Minister Scott to register our concerns. Yesterday afternoon, during a break in our proceedings here in the House, we were shocked to find that a non-northerner, a non-nominee, was appointed, and that the three northern candidates were passed over.

Mr. Speaker, in the year that I have been here, I have listened quite intently to the statements made by our Premier and our government regarding how our relationship with Ottawa is progressing. The action taken yesterday by Minister Scott is nothing but regressive and gives me no comfort in his or the governing Liberal Party of Canada’s intentions in dealing with northern Canada. The colonialist approach has to stop.

We have to take control of our own affairs. Why do we continue to allow ourselves to be made the fool by Ottawa? Is it too much to ask for Minister Scott to pick up the phone and call our Premier and get a read on the politics of the appointment of a non-northerner, non-nominee? I don’t think so. Politics is a funny business, Mr. Speaker, and I must admit, I had a good laugh when I watched Rick Mercer’s Monday Report just six short weeks ago in which he made light of the fact that he and his comedy show had been to the Northwest Territories twice and that the Minister of DIAND, Mr. Scott, had not been here once. It has been 10 months since the federal election. Thanks to Rick Mercer, Mr. Scott is finally going to come north next week.

We will have many questions for Minister Scott when he visits us next week: Where is the economic development money announced in the Throne Speech last year? Where is the money to clean up Giant Mine? Are we expected to just stand by and watch DIAND govern and run our territory?

Mr. Speaker, right out of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, it states quite clearly in section 12(1)...Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It states quite clearly, “The chairperson of a board shall be appointed by the federal Minister from persons nominated by a majority of the members.” It would appear obvious that Minister Scott didn’t get a chance to read this act. Where was our Member of Parliament in all of this? Does she work for us, the constituents who elected her, or does she work for Minister Scott in DIAND? Certainly, these are questions that all northerners have, and they should ask Minister Scott and Ms. Blondin-Andrew next week when they are here. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, quite clearly we are developing a theme here but, if I may, I just would like to use my Member’s statement to speak about a very important program in Yellowknife. I support my colleagues in what they are saying about the other topic. But, Mr. Speaker, there is a very important program for women and children that is on the chopping block. I am hoping that, through this statement, the Minister of Health and Social Services will do everything in his power to make sure that this program not only survives but thrives.

Mr. Speaker, the program I am talking about is the Women and Children’s Healing and Recovery Program being administered by the YWCA in Yellowknife. This program is a product of years of effort on the part of the women’s community, started by the Status of Women with their document, Keeping Women and Communities Strong, where community women struggling with addictions ask for help with trauma, the root cause of many self-destructive behaviours. This eventually led to a pilot of three years which was recently evaluated, in July of 2003, by Four World Centres for Development Learning, a group that has evaluated many aboriginal healing programs.

Based on their recommendations, the YWCA changed the model of program delivery to give program control to aboriginal women so that the program could be truly culturally appropriate and the aboriginal staff at this program are now asking why is it that when all these improvements were made, the program is being considered for cutting.

Mr. Speaker, I could tell you that I had the privilege, by invitation, to visit the safe home where the women and children live while they undergo this program and treatment. I sat there and talked to a woman and her family over tea and bannock. They told me how this program is helping them heal and work out many issues that they have to deal with and they need to have a safe place to do it in. I could also tell you that, Mr. Speaker, women that come to this program come from all over the North, and the majority of the women are aboriginal. We know that we don’t have a program for women and especially not one where women can go with their children. We know that treatment works better when women and children stay together. So, Mr. Speaker, I am sure that the Minister agrees that this program is worth keeping and worth fighting for. I would like the Minister to reconsider funding for this program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Hear! Hear!

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Fort Simpson long-term care facility. The department recently completed a review that supports my argument. The review identified the growing senior population of the Northwest Territories and the need for additional long-term care beds although they insist this need is in the long term. Mr. Speaker, in the long term is not good enough for me.

There are currently 16 residents in the Fort Simpson long-term care facility: one resident from Fort Liard; 12 residents from Fort Simpson; two residents from Jean Marie River; and one resident from Wrigley. As you can see, Mr. Speaker, the facility is being widely used over the entire Nahendeh district. The maximum capacity of the facility is 20 beds, which are shared with elders and physically disabled individuals. That leaves a grand total of four beds to meet the growing seniors population’s long-term care needs of the Nahendeh district and, in fact, the entire Deh Cho region.

Mr. Speaker, there are already 16 occupants at the facility and an increasing seniors population in Nahendeh. Where does this government think to put the elderly when they require long-term care? Does this government believe they can ship the elderly all over the Northwest Territories to access other underutilized long-term care facilities? I don’t think there is one Member sitting here that would appreciate being shipped to a different community with people you don’t know, far away from your family, if you should ever need long-term care. Mr. Speaker, it is the responsibility of this government to support the physical, mental and social well-being of the residents of the Northwest Territories, and this includes the elderly.

Mr. Speaker, I am not asking for a new facility but to expand the existing facility to meet their future needs. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later this week I will be going back to Inuvik and everyone in the Beaufort-Delta will be gearing up for the carnival season. Carnival season is a great opportunity for residents of the area to gather, meet old friends and make some new ones. It is also a chance for bragging rights to see who has the fastest dogs and the fastest snowmobiles. There will be many feasts and old-time dances. This has always been a special time of the year. It announces the passing of a very long winter and the coming of spring.

Carnival season, Mr. Speaker, includes the Mad Trapper Rendezvous held in Aklavik and the Peel River Jamboree in Fort McPherson; the Mackenzie Jamboree in Tsiigehtchic; the Beluga Jamboree in Tuktoyaktuk; and, finally, the Muskrat Jamboree in Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, the Muskrat Jamboree is dedicating this year’s carnival to the victims of family violence and accepting donations on their behalf. They will also be making a donation to the Inuvik Transition House Society. Members of the Accountability and Oversight Committee -- or AOC, for short, which I hope to be a part of today -- will also be in Tuk…

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…for part of the Beluga Jamboree. We look forward to watching some of the festivities and if given the chance, we will get to see some Members of AOC doing some fancy footwork in an old-time dance. Thank you.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is about the application of the affirmative action policy in the GNWT. Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue several times during this Third Session and feel the need to continue to raise this issue, given the circumstances around this issue and that the consolidation of the human resource function in the government is currently in the development stage and I cannot see a better time to address this ongoing concern.

Mr. Speaker, the affirmative action report published in 2004 says that corporate human resources implemented the Management Assignment Program, or MAP program, in June 2003, and goes on to say that this succession program will provide an opportunity for employees to demonstrate management and leadership skills. The MAP program will prepare affirmative action employees for progressive roles at the management level.

Mr. Speaker, Minister Roland invited me and others to let him know if there is a breach of policy taking place. The evidence of a breach of policy of the affirmative action policy is clear; it is supposed to apply to all programs in the GNWT and it does not. The application forms for the Management Assignment Program -- or MAP program -- do not even mention affirmative action status. Minister Roland stated that the MAP program applies to everybody in the GNWT workforce.

I have to question this and I feel that the MAP acronym should more appropriately mean missing aboriginals program.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

As the 2004 affirmative action report gives us stats for the first round of the MAP program, of the 101 applicants, 26 were accepted into the program. Of these, seven were female, three were aboriginal and six were indigenous non-aboriginal. The remaining 10 that were not mentioned must fall completely outside of the affirmative action policy and it appears that there are no other indigenous aboriginal persons qualified for this program.

Mr. Speaker, given this information and the fact that we have some departments that have no indigenous aboriginal senior mangers like Aboriginal Affairs and Transportation, and the public statement from officials that the affirmative action policy is on its way out, and the failure of the people responsible to form the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee as required, and the recent comments from the Minister that affirmative action is still going to be there but we are just going to call it something else, tells me, Mr. Speaker, that the affirmative action policy is all but dead already and that we are just being asked to sit back and watch that happen.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Your time for your Member's statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude you statement, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Well, Mr. Speaker, I cannot sit down and allow this to happen and I will be asking the Minister responsible for the FMBS more questions at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause