Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two Pages from Yellowknife South: Monique Chapman and Stephanie Thibault, and also all the Pages who have worked here through this session. Also a constituent of Yellowknife South, Mr. Barry Taylor.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure today to recognize two Pages who have been working on and off with us for the last six weeks. They are members of the Frame Lake riding: Martha Hamre and Kevin Huynh, and I’d like to thank them for their service and again thank all the Pages for the work they’ve done. They’ve all done a great job.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Chamber. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and one of the options we can look at to get feedback from the public through a plebiscite in regard to the devolution agreement that was signed by the Government of the Northwest Territories and federal government, also to try to get input from the general public. I know we’re putting a lot of advertisements out there, there are radio announcements and whatnot, but again it’s how do you measure the public insight into this issue. I’d like to ask the Premier if he has considered the possibility of having a plebiscite on this issue at this fall’s general election.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We haven’t considered a plebiscite as part of the general election. I’m not too familiar with the territorial plebiscite process. I know we do have them for different parts of our legislation. For example, under the Liquor Act in our communities, that type of thing. I’m not sure on the territorial side, but we haven’t given it consideration as our signing of the agreement-in-principle begins the negotiation process towards a final agreement.
Again, we do have a Plebiscite Act in the Northwest Territories and it is being administered by the Chief Electoral Officer who is in charge of the election which will take place this fall. By having these two events taking place simultaneously, I think it’s important that we do get feedback from the general public on this important policy and political issue in the Northwest Territories. I think it’s important that we do allow the public to give us a sense of exactly where they stand on this issue. I know as politicians sometimes the only time we seem to get direction is during an election. I think this also gives the public an opportunity to have a say on this important issue. Again I’d just like to ask the Premier and his Cabinet colleagues if they will consider that as one of the options to get feedback in regard to the announcements and the important issue of devolution in the Northwest Territories.
It’s difficult to come up with a response or an answer that would be clear on this, because the fact is, as we’ve signed the devolution agreement to begin the process of negotiations towards a final agreement, I guess looking at the future as towards a final agreement is that something that can be considered at the time, I think the government-of-the-day would have to have a look at that. Our process in this fall election... What would a question be? The fact is we have signed an agreement and we’re beginning the process towards negotiation.
Mr. Speaker, just on the issue of what the question should be, I just sort of wordsmithed a little bit of that in regard to: Do you agree the Government of the Northwest Territories have signed the Northwest Territories lands and resources devolution agreement in January 2007? Do you agree or disagree? Yes or no?
Again, the process I can see is we usually in plebiscites are seeking direction going forward on something and we have signed the agreement-in-principle. We are beginning the work of preparing for negotiations, where the advertisements, as the Member has spoken to, are to get information on the AIP out to the public for direction going forward. I guess that is something to be considered by a future government as a final agreement and should the GNWT sign depending who’s all at the table, in a sense. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, a plebiscite is to get feedback from the general public in regard to how they perceive a particular issue such as devolution. I know we’re spending $16,000 on radio announcements, we’re spending a lot of money on full-page ads. We’re doing all the advertising out there so how do we get the feedback from the public in regard to how do they see a particular issues? Do they support it? Don’t they? I’d like to ask the Premier, in order to allow the public to give us that feedback, would you consider an option such as a plebiscite?
The processes we have available to us both as the Members of the Assembly and, of course, from the Executive side and looking at the devolution process, one, we count on feedback from Members of the Legislative Assembly, when they go back home to their constituencies, to provide feedback on that level. As well, from our departmental workings with Aboriginal governments and groups across the Northwest Territories, we seek their input from time to time on whether it’s a piece of legislation or a piece of policy work. The way we’re doing it now, providing information out there, again, from a plebiscite side of things, is it to ask about should we have signed it. The fact is we have signed it. I would say maybe more forward looking a government-of-the-day could ask the question of the people should we agree to a final agreement once we know what it might look like. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services. The Minister has responded in writing to my previous oral questions on midwifery and the answers are not inspiring. The reply says, “analysis to develop an expanded NWT model of midwifery care will be undertaken in 2011-12.” Unfortunately, the exact same promise precisely mirrors a November 9, 2009, letter from the department’s deputy minister. That work was to be completed in three weeks, Mr. Speaker.
When is the Minister going to get serious on this? Is the work starting now? Next month? When is the work starting? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is quoting two different letters and without knowing the specific context of what we were speaking to in 2009 and 2011, I think it’s unfortunate that he’s making such a generalization.
I want to just state for the record that I, as the Minister, and the department have been very clear that we support expansion of the Midwifery Program in the Northwest Territories. The program has been under stress because we had to go through renewing the THAF funding, which is from the money that we fund the Midwifery Program now. The next phase that we are working on for 2011 and 2012, we are doing an in-depth analysis to see how much money will be required to expand the Midwifery Program and what the accepted standard is in the industry.
Mr. Speaker, the work that we did in 2009 is different than the work that we are doing in 2011 and 2012. I believe 2009 has to do with finding the money immediately to fund the positions in Fort Smith. Thank you.
The Minister says she is serious, but her written reply to my question goes on to say that the now 2011-12 analysis will be brought forward for the 2013-14 year business plans. Review promised this year, now in the coming year, not even in the business plans until the second year after that, Mr. Speaker.
The Minister has almost carried this baby to full term…
---Laughter
...the full term of this Assembly. Why does she think expanded midwifery should go into the incubator for yet another year before we even see it in the business plans?
Because, Mr. Speaker, we have to be serious about the complexities of the budgeting process, the business plan process and the work required to give birth to a full-fledged Midwifery Program. As that letter indicated, we are reviewing the Midwifery Program and analyzing the cost requirements for 2011 and 2012 with a view to putting it into the fiscal year 2013-14.
Mr. Speaker, our department is doing the work that’s required to see what kind of resource requirements that we need to undertake in order expand the Midwifery Program we have. Thank you.
That response is pitiful. We have people out there, having babies, that are demanding this service. To take four years to do this, Mr. Speaker, is, well, unacceptable. Mr. Speaker, we need to get on with this. The Minister could take a page from her colleague, the Minister of ITI, who designed a film industry review with the full participation of industry in devising the terms of reference, participation from the ground up. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to including the informed and committed midwifery advocates and an early start on terms of reference for this analysis? Thank you.
I hope the young debaters watching us in the House can carry their debates without using a word like “pitiful” and some silly words like that, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we take this work of reviewing the Midwifery Program very, very seriously. We only fund two positions in Fort Smith, which is not an ideal situation. We also have a situation in Yellowknife where we have one midwife. Mr. Speaker, I can assure the House that we are doing an in-depth review of this and we believe that we need a comprehensive, wide-ranging program to make a real business case for real dollars. We believe that we need at least four midwives in a program, for example.
Mr. Speaker, we’re doing a full review and, yes, we will consult with groups outside of the department. I would also like to advise the Members that we have a lot of knowledge in-house, as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Your final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not talking about groups, I’m talking about people with real experience. I would just like to say a personal note, Mr. Speaker. I’ve recently become a proud great-uncle for the second time.
---Applause
My nephew and his wife report the following experience: With her first baby and under the care from a midwife, benefits were clear. With the second baby and no care from a midwife, they were in hospital on repeated occasions. My niece reports these hospital visits would not have happened had she been under the same midwifery care as with her first child.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to tapping the wisdom and experience of midwifery clients by including interviews with parents in the terms of reference? Thank you.
We have lots of anecdotal statements from those who use midwives to tell us how well that works, but we also believe that the Midwifery Program we have right now is too heavily medically-based, so we are going to be looking at the experience and examples of Nunavut, where they have come up with a model that is less medically based.
We also, as the Minister and the department, would like to see the Midwifery Program expand outside of Yellowknife, because Yellowknife has a lot more service from physicians and health care providers, but we would like to explore a model in regional settings where we could do more traditional and less medically-based midwifery programs. I can assure the Member that we will consult with the clients who have used the system as well as the midwives, but we are going to look beyond that because we want to come up with an original NWT-based and community-based Midwifery Program. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By supporting curative shows here in the Northwest Territories, we are opening local artists to significant opportunities of a national level through Canada Council sponsored shows, training opportunities and international events. Mr. Speaker, these, by default, increase the national and international awareness of the NWT, which is great for tourism. Support for artists is a win-win scenario. As such, I would like to thank the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for committing to begin the work on facilitating curative shows of northern arts and crafts here in the Northwest Territories.
My questions are to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and are specific to timing. During the review of the budget, I didn’t identify or I was not able to identify any specific funds put towards this initiative. I am wondering if the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment could tell me what we can expect to see with respect to support for curative shows in the Northwest Territories in 2011-12 and ongoing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Our curator initiatives involved various partners, as well working closely with the northern artists, as the Member indicated. We need to work with the museum as well, Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Museum, the NWT Arts Council and also Canada Council of Arts. In the meantime, what we are doing now is we are working closely with ITI and my department of ECE. We are committed to working together to implement the NWT Arts Strategy action related to enhancing the profile of the northern arts regionally, nationally and also internationally. In addition, Mr. Speaker, in coordination with NWT Arts Council, my department will examine current funding criteria which supports travelling, visual arts exhibits, displays and also curative shows in northern and southern venues. Mr. Speaker, we are working closely with ITI also in collaboration of new initiatives that are underway as well. We will be sharing that information once we make progress on these venues. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for that response as well as the Minister for ITI for agreeing to work with the Minister on this initiative. I am curious. There is a lot of good work being done, but can we actually expect to see at least one officially curative show just as a trial during the 2011-12 fiscal year? Do we expect those to be in subsequent fiscal years? I would like to see one, at least a small one, to show that we can do it sometime during the 2011-12 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, those are the discussions that we need to have with the NWT Arts Council and other partners as well. If we need to do a pilot project, those are discussions we need to have as we move forward. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for that and thanks to the Minister for his response once again. I have a quick thought. The Minister was talking about working with the NWT Arts Council. The NWT Arts Council has spent significant amounts of money over the last 10, 20 years, whatever the case may be, to support our northern artists to have the new initiatives. I would like the Minister to talk with the NWT Arts Council to see if there is an opportunity to do a curative show on the history of the NWT Arts Council and all the projects they supported. Will the Minister consider that as an option for a pilot on one of our first curative shows? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in coordination with the NWT Arts Council, those are discussions that we are currently having and how we are going to roll out the program, if we are going to enhance our program with the existing funding that we have, so those are the discussions that are ongoing. Once I get that information, more information on the new initiatives and also the research that we have done on the curator shows in northern and southern venues, we will be sharing those with the Members as well. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really look forward to seeing the documents and the research that they pull together. As they move forward, I agree wholeheartedly that involving the NWT Arts Council is incredibly important, but I know there are other arts organizations and other arts associations out there. I would like to encourage the Minister to engage these organizations like the Aurora Arts Society as well as representatives from the Great Northern Arts Festival up in the Beaufort-Delta. I think there are a lot of individuals who could add some real insight to this. In moving forward, I would like the Minister to commit to working with some of these other organizations in addition to the great organization that is the NWT Arts Council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I did commit to working with various northern artists and also the potential partners that would be out there such as the Member indicated. There are a couple more that could be added to the list. Mr. Speaker, we will be working closely with the museum, NWT Arts Council, Canada Council of Arts, Aurora Arts Society and also working very closely with the northern artists as well. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to continue my debate with the honourable Minister of Transportation on Highway No. 7. That highway is a gateway to our North, Mr. Speaker, but I would like to speak about the barriers and bumps that it has. I spoke time and time again about getting it into the capital planning process. In fact, just recently, Mr. Speaker, residents of Fort Liard did hand in the petition that I will action later on in this session. It is a very important document. They are going to get lots of support from all the communities in my riding. What stage are we at in the capital planning process for more resources and more maintenance money for Highway No. 7? Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We just recently approved our capital planning budget and there has been money allocated for Highway No. 7 as there has been money allocated for the last three years. Mr. Speaker, there are also some carryovers from previous years as we had to do further assessment. That has been done and we have committed to doing the work that has been identified through our planning system. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, in the past the work has begun late in the season and with the early fall they were unable to complete it. I would like to get the commitment from the Minister that the work on Highway No. 7 will begin as soon as possible when they can begin construction and use that operating and maintenance money and use some of the new capital dollars to fix our Highway No. 7. Thank you very much.
Mr. Speaker, we don’t expect the money for Highway No. 7 to go anywhere except on Highway No. 7. I have to agree with the Member that there is a lot of investment that is going to be required over the next while to continue reconstruction of the road. The whole road needs to be reconstructed. It also needs to have a hardtop surface of some sort to protect it. That is going to require further investment.
I know the Member is trying to get some response from me as to what is in the upcoming budget. Mr. Speaker, that is in the process of being drafted.
There are huge needs right across the Territories in terms of infrastructure and highway rehabilitation. At this point we are just gathering information and it would be dependent on the different filters that we have to go through as to what remains on the drawing board and how much money will be available for investment across all our departments. Those things would have to be taken into consideration. Mr. Speaker, I can reassure that the Member’s concerns are heard and we recognize that there are needs for Highway No. 7. We will move forward accordingly. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister points it out correctly that, yes, I am looking for a commitment for the future year coming up, because we finished this year’s budget but I am looking forward to the next one. It is not good enough to say that because we are coming to election we can’t really plan for the future. I think we can. The people want us to. I would like to ask the Minister if he can commit to that. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, that is what I plan to do. Thank you.
