Debates of March 10, 2005 (day 53)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about a number of things, including condolences to the family of the late Edgar Kotokak and to send greetings to everyone in the Northwest Territories and my constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I understand the funeral for Edgar Kotokak will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, March 11, 2005, in Tuktoyaktuk. On behalf of my family and constituents, our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the late Edgar Kotokak.

Mr. Speaker, the other day, my colleague Mr. McLeod reported on the IRC Native Hockey Tournament. Today I would like to congratulate the Paulatuk Storms on their victory in the B division. Mr. Speaker, this tournament is of very high calibre. Young and old come out to participate and watch this tournament every February.

Mr. Speaker, Members may recall that during this session my niece Deva Lynn Pokiak watched the proceedings of the House from the gallery. Later that evening, Mr. Speaker, she asked me some interesting questions. She asked, why do they call the man in the front Mr. Speaker? Does he have a name? Referring to the Pages, she asked, why do the young people always bow their heads as they leave the House? Mr. Speaker, my niece found it very interesting and educational.

Mr. Speaker, Jackie Jacobson and I, on behalf of the residents of Tuktoyaktuk, will be hosting the next strategic planning meeting for the Accountability and Oversight committee in Tuktoyaktuk. The meeting will take place the same time as the Beluga Jamboree. I look forward to showing my AOC colleagues our community and I am confident that they will enjoy the warm hospitality of the people of Tuktoyaktuk during the jamboree.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, as we go on our own ways, I would like to wish all my colleagues a safe journey home to their loved ones. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Hear! Hear!

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Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. A reminder that Member’s statements are to be on one topic; but, seeing as it is our last day, the man in the tux will be very obliging to you today.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is indeed, or hopefully will be, the last day of this session.

Yay.

Nay.

I deserved that, but I will try to forge on here. Mr. Speaker, it has been a long four weeks here, a productive four weeks. We have all had a chance to deliver our messages and I would like to return to the one that I believe is very, very high and should stay way up there on the priority list of this Assembly and especially this Cabinet, it is about the theme of housing.

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I have a bit of a message here. Members might be familiar with the tune and they are more than welcome to join me in this.

Ohhhhh.

Mr. Speaker, Trailers for sale or rent...

…taxpayers' bucks are getting spent. Ministers with no plan, we call them Trailer Park Boys. The rent bill takes all my pay. Workers didn’t have a say. Oh well, just another day. We call them, Trailer Park Boys. We tried everything to build a house in every town. Spent all sorts of money, but guess what we found? The market ain’t there, but we'll try again. The nurses and teachers they’ll all be our friends. So I say, trailers for sale or rent…

Let's go.

…taxpayers' bucks are getting spent. Ministers with no plan. We call them, Trailer Park Boys.

Everybody have a great spring and we will see you back here in May. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to start off by officially saying that I will not be singing in any key…

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…but I do wish to rise and continue the spirit of serious disappointment in regard to non-northerners getting serious board appointments, jobs and lost opportunities that rightly belong to our northerners here.

Hear! Hear!

Mr. Speaker, I wish to add my voice to my colleague Mr. Robert Villeneuve, and I want to speak of my support for the affirmative action policy. I am in support of the policy. I am a firm believer of providing opportunities to our northerners, born and bred, to our long-time residents and minority groups, so we can get them involved in the process of governing and running the territory. Mr. Speaker, the NWT is a fine example where policies such as ours are beneficial to the development and prosperity of all regions and our people.

The diverse makeup of our shared territory and the recent developments that will continue for many years to come in our North speak to the needs of having true northerners representing our workforce and our people. New perspectives and unique outlooks can provide many benefits to our communities, especially coming from people we know very well and respect. Mr. Speaker, representation of our people is a defining principle in democracy and I think it is important that we ensure that our affirmative action policy reflects that.

Mr. Speaker, I am a strong proponent for the idea of a hand-up, not a handout. So I believe the affirmative action policy, correctly implemented, will continue to provide great opportunities for young people for employment, people representing their people, young generations seeing true northerners as role models and inspirations for goodwill and accomplishment.

Mr. Speaker, I want to say, in closing, an affirmative action policy is no more simply put than it recognizes our people, community supporting community and finally we’ve got it right. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a band called the Bare Naked Ladies sings a song called If I Had a Million Dollars. I’ve always liked the song, Mr. Speaker, so today I have my own version to share with this House.

---Laughter

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Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the rules of this House do not allow guitars or keyboards or even after hearing these backup singers…

---Laughter

…you’ll have to bear with me.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, I would ask the elders’ council what’s best to do. I’ll fund them for their wisdom and their view. I’ll keep the elders in the Sahtu. I wouldn’t ship them south, cause that’s cruel.

---Laughter

If I had billion dollars, I’d speed up the chipsealing programs so the elders can greet you.

If I had a billion dollars, I’ll contribute to the Chief T’Selehye and Chief Albert Wright schools, install water and sewer facilities in Colville too.

---Laughter

If I had a billion dollars, we’d build log houses, affordable housing so we wouldn’t have to live 10 people to a house, cause that’ll cause a health issue to you.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, I’d buy an all-weather road to wrap around the Sahtu and then I’d buy a sack of potatoes cause I can finally afford to share them with me and you.

Hear! Hear!

---Laughter

Then I’ll clean up the contaminated mountain in Tulita while I’m at it too, because that would be cool.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, I’d build a Mackenzie Valley office in the Sahtu. Cabinet could help with Inuvik too.

But if I had a billion dollars, I’d fund the treatment centres so we can all get well and if we could learn to build it ourselves, wouldn’t that be swell.

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, I’d get energy from the Bear, no more diesel generators, hydro is the way to go.

Hear! Hear!

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If I had a billion dollars, I’d host the International Dene Gathering in the Sahtu. I’d invite all my friends, and the Premier can come too.

---Laughter

Whoa.

If I had a billion dollars, I wouldn’t forget the arts and crafts. Artists need raw materials and supplies and they need them fast because in Yellowknife tourism is getting to critical mass.

If I had a billion dollars, I’d support the trappers and their traditional lifestyle by buying everyone a fur coat, and that really isn’t cruel. I’m not just thinking about the Sahtu, I’d buy for all the MLAs and their communities.

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Hey, hey.

If I had a billion dollars, I’d give Nahanni a real gym.

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Ho ho ho.

Cause they don’t have one yet, and Granny needs to dunk basketballs too.

---Laughter

And Dene K’onia staff would stay in Hay River and feed their children too. If I had a billion dollars, I’d build new courthouses in all the NWT communities.

---Laughter

Whoa, no way!

Mr. Speaker, if I had a billion dollars, we’d all be rich. Mahsi.

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Alright.

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Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Your Speaker is certainly glad that this could be the last day.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not going to sing. I’d like to, but I won’t. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate an aboriginal owned corporation with their offices in Weledeh. This afternoon I was told that because of the efforts of this company, that all communities in the NWT will, by the end of this year, have broadband Internet services.

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Mr. Speaker, the Denendeh Development Corporation is a community champion of the Broadband Business Alliance, and will be signing a contribution agreement with Industry Canada as part of an overall project worth $16.7 million. This is the culmination of two years of effort by Denendeh Development Corporation and its five partners in the Broadband Business Alliance. The other partners in the alliance, Mr. Speaker, in addition to the Denendeh Development Corporation, are the Dogrib Treaty 11, Deline Land Corporation, Tetlit Gwich’in Council, Deninu Kue Development Corporation and Deh Cho Economic Corporation.

The Broadband Alliance will be using state-of-the-art satellite and wireless technology to connect 31 communities across the Territories. The benefits are many. This includes the support of value-added applications such as tele-health, tele-education and remote video conferencing. Training and capacity building will be provided by the Broadband Business Alliance.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like this House to congratulate the Broadband Business Alliance and its community champion, the Denendeh Development Corporation, for its efforts and perseverance in putting forth and making this technology available to the benefit of all northerners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, starting today in Fort Smith we will also be launching our annual carnival, the Wood Buffalo Frolics, and they’ll be starting off with a feast tonight. I’ll be home tomorrow to take part in the festivities over the weekend.

As Minister McLeod mentioned, the weekend after next we’re having the first Northern Games in Fort Smith. I’d like to thank the Minister for his leadership on that issue but, most of all, like every community, I’d like to recognize the many volunteers that work tirelessly to make these events possible, that raise the quality of life for all of us and to give us activities that we would never have if we didn’t have their services. So I invite everyone to come to the first NWT Games next weekend and all of you with your carnivals, have nothing but fun and today was obviously the best Member’s statement day of the session.

Hear! Hear!

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Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Zoe on February 18, 2005, regarding the establishment of the Council of Sport and Recreation Partners.

Mr. Speaker, during the October 2004 session, I tabled the implementation schedule for the establishment of the Northwest Territories Council of Sport and Recreation Partners. I am pleased to report that the implementation process is proceeding as scheduled, and I expect that the council will hold its first annual general meeting in April 2005.

Further, I am pleased to report that all sport and recreation partners are fully involved in this process, and have contributed significantly to the successful steps taken to date.

The Member for North Slave also asked how the proceeds of the Western Canada Lottery Program will assist the council.

Mr. Speaker, in 2004, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in cooperation with Sport North and the Department of Justice, completed a review of the Western Canada Lottery Act regulations. These regulations dictate how the Lottery Program must be conducted.

Mr. Speaker, once the Northwest Territories Council of Sport and Recreation Partners is established, it will implement a process of cooperative budget development, which will result in more resources being allocated to programs and less to administrative overlap or duplication among the various partners. The council will also be responsible for making recommendations on the allocation of the proceeds of the Western Canada Lottery Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Braden on Monday, February 28, 2005, regarding the Workers’ Compensation Board Appeals Tribunal.

How many cases are before the Appeals Tribunal today and what is the average turnover or turnaround in waiting times for those appeals?

The Appeals Tribunal currently has 23 cases before them. The average turnaround time has been 200 working days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I noted earlier today in my statement, we’ve been celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. To mark the occasion, there’s been a conference in town from the 8th through today, and with us today in the gallery we have 20 judges who have been participating in the conference. I’d like to introduce them. We have Justice Ted Richard from the Northwest Territories.

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We have Justice John Vertes from the Northwest Territories.

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We have Justice Virginia Schuler from the Northwest Territories.

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From Nunavut we have Justice Beverly Browne…

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…and Justice Rob Kilpatrick…

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…and Justice Earl Johnson.

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From the Yukon we have Justice Ron Veale…

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…and Justice Leigh Gower.

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With us also is Justice C. Scott Brooker from Alberta.

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Justice Wallace Darichuk from Manitoba.

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Justice Howard Irving from Alberta.

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Justice Arthur Lutz from Alberta.

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Justice Ernest Marshall from Alberta.

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Justice John O’Flynn from Ontario.

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Justice Rejean Paul from Quebec.

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Justice Peter Power from Alberta.

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Justice Joanne Veit from Alberta.

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Justice Randall Wong from B.C.

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Justice Mary Moreau from Alberta…

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…and Justice Vital Ouellette from Alberta.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to welcome all of the judges, especially a friend from my days in the Yukon, Justice Ron Veale. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a constituent, an injured worker and a great advocate on behalf of injured workers, Mr. John Huffman.

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Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a Member of this House and a very proud non-practicing member of the bar, may I take this opportunity also to welcome all of the justices and I have appeared before some of them and I dream about appearing before them in my other times. I’d like to just welcome all the justices. Thank you.

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