Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have responded to a number of parents. I intend to respond to all parents who contact me. I call tell the Member that most of the parents with whom I have spoken one on one generally I have been able to answer their concerns and their questions. They have often come to a different point of view than when we started the conversation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister to find an alternative solution because he talks about all of this work he has done for over the last two to three, even almost four years by striking out a report and striking out a committee and getting a mediator for the committee. You can only drag one school board to the committee discussions if they came with the point of view that they were going to get a school or else they didn’t want to participate. Why is the Minister not putting forward the shared solution so this community can more forward? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 35-15(6): Yellowknife School Facilities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, it seems like the Member has adopted one point of view and that is the only way that things can move because that is the only proposal that I have heard. I still think that we have options that we can consider. I have suggested some in my letter. We have enough space in this community. I am prepared to, if necessary, make sure that we have a broader discussion among stakeholders. I hope that those stakeholders will then talk to the boards. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if my question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment or the Minister of ITI. I would like to ask the question on the Mackenzie gas pipeline. We heard in the news that 2007 is going to be a construction date. That is seven years away. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier how we will get our people in business or training into the workforce. There are diamond mines down south in the region. We have seven years to get our people here and some people may just get fed up and leave the country. Some people will have to possibly claim bankruptcy. What is he doing for the people in the Mackenzie Valley to take part in some the economic activity that is happening now, rather than waiting for seven years to get involved in the economy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will refer that question to the Minister of ITI. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Member is very well aware, coming from the Sahtu, regarding the concern in the region about the pipeline delays. The new date we are talking about is 2014, Mr. Speaker. It is a concern to all northerners. This project will be a pillar of our economy in the future, we believe. It will spur additional exploration and development in these regions. But the Member is right in that we need to ensure our people are ready to take the jobs that will come their way. We have always insisted this project must do a number of things, but, first and foremost, it must benefit northerners, Mr. Speaker. We have negotiated a $21 million training fund in the socio-economic agreement. Mr. Speaker, we know those funds don’t start to flow until the project is a go; so in the interim, I am working with the Minister of ECE. We have an Aboriginal Skills Employment Partnership program that marries up industry, government and aboriginal organizations to roll out some training not just for pipeline construction, Mr. Speaker, that is in a few years, but we are more interested in developing a workforce that can take advantage of the 50 or 100-year industry we are creating around oil and gas exploration. So it is on us collectively as northerners to meet this challenge. Yes, we will work to put the programs in place to make sure northerners are the beneficiaries of these jobs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly would support the Minister in terms of the initiative that his department is doing. Mr. Speaker, people in the Sahtu, the Gwich’in, the Beaufort-Delta and other parts of the North here are seasonal workers. They are limited in terms of what they can do. They have huge payloads in terms of the work they have to do. What is the Minister doing in terms of how do we get these people, these companies here, involved in the type of work that is happening in the diamond mines? Where are the numbers that show that we are going to get these people here? Seven years is a long time. Maybe it is called a seven-year itch.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the foundation has to be a good, basic education. I think Members in the House I know are proud to see that our graduation numbers are coming up. That will stand us in good stead. But from there, we know that we have to focus on post-secondary education. We have to focus on developing trades and making sure more people, boys and girls, are interested in entering these fields, because there will be a number of jobs in this new economy that we are creating throughout the Northwest Territories. We are still very optimistic that this project is a go, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t other ongoing oil and gas exploration. We need to continue to send the right messages to industry that there is certainty here. We recognize that there are some challenges around this federal regulatory regime. We need to force and insist that the federal government make improvements to that. But, Mr. Speaker, the North is a good place to do business. We can work with our people to ensure they get the benefits of these jobs, but we will work diligently over the next coming years to roll out the required training programs to make sure that in areas where there are high unemployment numbers, sometimes 30 and 40 percent, we have more than just seasonal employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is certainly right that the North is a good place to do business. Can the Minister provide to me the numbers in terms of employment for people in my region, the Beaufort-Delta and the Gwich’in, the number of businesses that are used in Diavik and BHP? What are the numbers? Show me the numbers so that we can increase those numbers. We certainly want to work with these diamond companies. We certainly want it fair in terms of working with the different companies to improve our skills in terms of preparing for the pipeline. Can the Minister show me these numbers? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Mr. Speaker, I think we can do that. I know in his region, because we are working to sit down in the Sahtu to talk about some cooperation and the signing of an MOU, that part of the work was an accounting of the businesses that were able and eligible to do work. I know that, because of the pipeline, regional businesses have stepped up and made sure they have been accounted for and are in a position to take advantage of work that can come their way. I think this information is available. We can put it together. We can pull this together, and I can share that with the Member. I agree; as was responded to earlier, I think last week in the House, as it relates to the diamond mines, we have asked and encouraged the diamond mines to go farther in the field and to look throughout the Northwest Territories to do business with operations and people in other regions over and above the North Slave, Mr. Speaker. They have agreed to start attending trade fairs and trade shows throughout the Territories. We are going to accompany them. I think there are still a large number of opportunities in that respect. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, sometime in April, the Sahtu will have a career fair that is happening. I believe some of the diamond mines will be there. Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister in terms of between now and 2014 or 2011, can the Minister work with the communities up in the Deh Cho and the Sahtu, Gwich’in and Beaufort-Delta in terms of providing opportunities for these people, the people in the Northwest Territories, to work in Ekati, BHP and Diavik and stop the influx of workers coming from the South to work in those mines? I see planeloads of people coming in and flying to those mines. It should be northern people. Northern people should be the primary beneficiaries of these workers. It should be northern people that we should be helping. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 36-15(6): Maximizing Resource Development Employment Opportunities

Mr. Speaker, I couldn’t agree with the Member more. The challenge has been laid out before us. We have to find ways to get more of our people employed in all industries, including the diamond mines. We have had a number of discussions with committee. The mining companies, De Beers, BHP, and Rio Tinto, have come in front of us to talk about this and talk about the efforts that they are making. I really do believe that they are making some good effort. Let’s face it; it makes good business sense to hire northerners who are closer to home than it does to go scouring the country and flying workers to and from the corners of this country, Mr. Speaker. So they have an incentive and a vested interest in making this work, as do we. It is about collaborating and coordinating our efforts and we are prepared and expect that we should be doing that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Time for oral questions has expired. Before we go to the next item on the Order Paper, the Chair is going to call a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Can the Minister outline the different GNWT programs that support traditional economies?

Can the Minister outline the shares of these programs accessed by residents and organizations of the Sahtu region?

Can the Minister provide the percentage of sales realized by trappers from the Sahtu region through the Genuine Mackenzie Valley Fur Program (total of over $800,000 for 9,000 NWT pelts sold since January)?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Written questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My written question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

In 2003, the Aurora Research Institute convened a workshop on social and cultural issues in the Northwest Territories. Participants included representatives from all the regions in the Northwest Territories, including both governments and community groups. Some southern Canadian-based researchers who had experience in the social and cultural research in the NWT were invited, as were members of the three Canadian research funding agencies. The research addressed the following questions: How does research conducted in the Northwest Territories meet the needs of NWT residents? How can northerners participate in and include research in the communities? How can northern capacity for conducting social and cultural issues be enhanced and how can northern and southern researchers work together respectively and productively?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I am going to rule that question out of order as a written question. It’s not a question that requires a lot of in depth detail.

---Ruled Out of Order

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to report on the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight’s Report of the Review of the Human Rights Commission 2005-2006 Annual Report.

The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on February 14, 2007, to review the 2005-2006 Annual Report of the NWT Human Rights Commission. The committee would like to thank Ms. Mary Pat Short, chair of the Human Rights Commission, and Ms. Thérèse Boullard, director of human rights, for appearing before us.

The 2005-2006 annual report does not include any recommendations, however, the committee would like to take the opportunity to comment on other issues that were discussed during our public meeting.

The 2005-2006 annual report was the second report of the Human Rights Commission since its establishment on July 1, 2004.

The committee was pleased to hear of the progress the commission has made in raising awareness about human rights through its website, public service announcements and community meetings. In particular, we would like to congratulate the commission for the success of their public service announcements in partnership with the Yukon Human Rights Commission, one of which won an award at the Houston International Film Festival.

We acknowledge the commission’s efforts to bring education and awareness workshops on human rights and the NWT Human Rights Act to all regions of the Northwest Territories. The committee supports visits to smaller communities, as they will give commission members a chance to increase their understanding of traditional approaches to human rights and to ensure residents of smaller communities are aware of their rights under the act.

The committee was pleased to hear that the commission met with elders from the Deh Cho region and suggests further work with elders from other communities will assist in building valuable bridges.

We encourage the commission to continue expanding its efforts to make the public aware of human rights issues and underline the importance of making it as easy as possible to obtain information and to make complaints in all official languages.

In last year’s report, the commission made two recommendations for amendments to the Human Rights Act, one regarding systemic remedies, the other regarding discrimination on the basis of unrelated criminal convictions. In its response, the government provides reasons why it considers both recommendations inadvisable. The committee was interested in hearing the commission’s opinion on the GNWT’s reply. Due to the timing of the tabling of the GNWT response and the 2005-2006 annual report, it was not possible for the commission to evaluate the reply before appearing for the public hearing with the committee.

The commission indicated that their members will discuss the response soon and that they would be happy to share the outcome with Members. We are looking forward to a follow-up and further discussions with representatives of the Human Rights Commission.

The committee commends the commission’s work and achievements to date and looks forward to monitoring the continued evolution of human rights in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Committee Report 1-15(6) has been received and adopted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to report on the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures. This is our report on referred matters.

On October 26, 2006, the Speaker referred two issues to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures.

The first issue related to the amount of time available for Members’ statements by a Member speaking in more than one official language.

The second referred issue was the addition of a section entitled “Acknowledgements” to the daily order of business in the Assembly.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures held an initial meeting on December 4, 2006, to review background information and parliamentary practices in other Canadian jurisdictions.

The committee agreed on the need to address these issues and provided direction to staff to prepare changes to the rules and a motion for the House, implementing the proposed rule changes.

The proposed rule changes and a draft motion were reviewed and approved by the committee at a meeting held on February 14, 2007, and presented to Caucus for their input at the February 20, 2007, meeting.

A review of the practices in other Canadian jurisdictions revealed that the current time allotted to Members for Members’ statements is, along with Nunavut, the most generous in Canada. It was noted that every Member, including the Ministers, is afforded the opportunity to make a statement if they wish. Most other Canadian jurisdictions limit the number of Members who may make a statement each day, or put a set limit on the time period available for Members’ statements.

The committee recognizes the right of any Member to use any of the official languages of the Northwest Territories in the Assembly. The Member for Monfwi made a solid case for the need for increased time to make a Member's statement when speaking more than one official language. Mr. Lafferty pointed out that it was difficult to express complex ideas in two languages within the time allotted and to do justice to the statement in either language.

It was determined that an extra thirty extra seconds of time, thus allowing a Member speaking in more than one official language three minutes to complete a statement, would be sufficient. Further discussion determined that for the Speaker to be able to manage appropriate time allocations, he would require advance notice of a Member desiring to give a Member's statement in more than one official language. In addition, to ensure the rule change was used for the purpose it was intended, a Member making a statement in more than one language must speak for at least thirty seconds in a second language.

There are provisions in some Canadian jurisdictions, notably New Brunswick, that allow “messages of condolence,” with prior approval of the Speaker. As well, some jurisdictions provide an item entitled “congratulatory messages.” The Yukon has an item on their Order Paper entitled “tributes” that allows for the recognition of special days and accomplishments in the lives of Yukoners.

The committee discussed the need for an item called “acknowledgements” on the daily order paper. It was agreed that Members need a way to recognize the significant accomplishments and milestones in the lives of northerners. It was determined that thirty seconds would be sufficient time. The committee was also of the opinion that any recognition must be directed at a Member’s own constituents and that advance notice of the content and focus of the acknowledgement be provided to the Speaker. The use of “acknowledgements” would be allowed at the sole discretion of the Speaker.

The committee decided to focus “acknowledgements” on the Member’s own constituents in order to avoid duplication. Should a Member wish to acknowledge a northerner who is not a constituent in the Assembly, opportunity already exists by way of a Member's statement.

In order to ensure that the process is managed properly and reflects the decorum of the House, guidelines were developed to assist the Speaker in administering this item.

These guidelines will allow acknowledgements for the recognition of:

birthdays at the age of 80 and every five years thereafter;

anniversaries at 50 years and every five years thereafter;

death of constituent;

graduations; and

significant accomplishments or awards.

Mr. Speaker, committee makes two recommendations.

Recommendation 1

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended to allow people speaking in more than one official language three minutes to conclude their Member’s statement.

Recommendation 2

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended to include an item on the daily Order Paper entitled “acknowledgements” and that appropriate guidelines be developed to assist the Speaker and all Members.

The committee wishes to express its appreciation to all Members for their thoughtful insights and feedback. The committee is confident these changes will better serve the needs of all Members and this institution.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Committee Report 2-15(6) has been received and adopted.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a document entitled Workers’ Advisor Office, Northwest Territories and Nunavut 2006 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled NWT Liquor Commission and NWT Liquor Licensing Board 2005-2006 Annual Report.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Public Service 2006 Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table this document entitled Science Meets Traditional Knowledge, Water and Climate in the Sahtu.