Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week the crew members of Her Majesty’s Canadian ship Yellowknife are conducting a namesake city visit here in the city of Yellowknife. During their namesake city visit they will be conducting a number of civic outreach activities with charities, schools, Aboriginal and government organizations, as well as participating in the Long John Jamboree. I had an opportunity to tour the ship late last fall and it was a great opportunity to meet the crew, tour the boat and thank the members of the crew for all the important work that they do for the residents of the Northwest Territories. Later today I will be recognizing a few of the crew members in the gallery.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my last Member’s statement of this long winter session to pay tribute to a Canadian icon who died recently – as my friend Mr. Bouchard also did – the one and only Stompin’ Tom Connors.
Stompin’ Tom was a friend to all Canadians and wrote timeless songs about our great country from sea to sea. In his honour, I’d like to perform my own version of a song he didn’t write but often performed.
I was walking the winter road from Tulita to Norman Wells
when along came a trucker like a bat out of hell.
If you’re going to The Wells, he says,
with me you can ride.
I climbed in the cab
and then settled down inside.
He asked me if I’d ever seen a goat road
quite so bad as this.
I said, listen, bud, I’ve travelled every road
from Tuktoyaktuk to Fort Smith.
I’ve been everywhere, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Hiking the Canol Trail, man,
I breathed the mountain air, man.
Travel, I had my share of travel, man.
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Where ye have been, he says?
Oh, let me see now, a couple places.
I’ve been to Salt River, Trout Lake, Midway, McPherson,
Taltson, Porcupine, Carcajou, Coppermine,
Detah, Dory Point, Fort Res, Checkpoint,
Behchoko, Gameti, Wekweeti, Whati,
Hay River times two, Boot Lake, Sahtu.
I’ve been everywhere, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Drove the Ingraham Trail, man,
I’ve breathed the mountain air, man.
Travel, I’ve done my share, man,
I’ve been everywhere, man.
Now this truck driver turns to me and says,
Look, buddy, you ain’t the Sahtu George Jones,
you want to get out and walk?
And I say, why? Somebody else wants to talk?
Inuvik, Aklavik, Ndilo, Tsiigehtchic,
Huskey Lake, Kelly Lake, Lac de Gras, Enodah,
Fort Liard, Fort Good Hope, Wrigley, Paulatuk,
Twin Lakes, Colville, up, up, up in Tuk
K’atlodeeche, Jean Marie, Nahanni Butte, Lidlii Kue
Fort Providence, Jean Marie, it’s okay in Lutselk’e.
Now this truck driver says, Look here, buddy,
I’m sick and tired of hearing you talk about all those small communities.
How about a few places from good ol’ Yellowknife?
Like Range Lake, Great Slave, Weledeh, Frame Lake,
YK Centre, YK South, Kam Lake
Two more seats for YK? Give me a break!
---Laughter
---Applause
I’ve been everywhere, man. Everywhere. Ever good, man.
Cross the barrens bare, man,
I’ve breathed the Arctic air, man.
I’ll always be a Sahtu man!
So safe travels to my fellow MLAs, man.
And to you too, Stompin’ Tom.
We’ll miss you.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague from Boot Lake said it well, before me, when he said we have to thank our families for all the time we’re down here. I’ve got my wife, Judy, up in the gallery. I thank her for her support. I’ve also got up in the gallery, my sister-in-law Debbie. Welcome to the Assembly. We also have Ellen McDonald and Melissa McDonald, both from Inuvik.
We have been here for a long time. We’ve been here for six weeks and my grandchildren are watching. I’m coming home tomorrow and, yes, I bought you something.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a couple of individuals from Her Majesty’s Canadian ship, the Yellowknife. When I toured this ship last August, I was reminded several times it’s a ship, not a boat. I had a note from one of the Members who has indicated that I’ve called it a boat already. I apologize for that. With us today are Lieutenant-Commander Cory Gleason, the new commanding officer of the HMCS Yellowknife; Petty Officer First Class Calvin Langager, the coxswain and senior non-commissioned officer of the ship; with us as well is Lieutenant David Connelly, the Aboriginal and Northern Affairs advisor Joint Task Force North and vice-chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council. Welcome, and thank you for all that you do.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to recognize some people from the health authorities and Health and Social Services. These individuals are taking advanced investigations training. We have Cheryl Abraham, Fort Providence, Deh Cho Health and Social Services; Jocelyn MacLean, Fort Simpson, Deh Cho Health and Social Services; Debbie Greenland, Inuvik, Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services; Lisa Norris, Aklavik, Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services; Ellen McDonald, Inuvik; Melissa McDonald, Inuvik; Tasha Lake, Yellowknife; Amanda Neville, Yellowknife; Vanessa Rankin, Yellowknife; Cheryl Armstrong, Yellowknife, all from the YK Health and Social Services; Elaine Sanchioni, Tulita, Sahtu Health and Social Services; Carlie Tucker, Behchoko, Tlicho Community Services Agency; Brian Kolback, Department of Health and Social Services; Anneka Westergreen, Department of Health and Social Services; Lynn Barry from the Canadian Society of Investigation of Child Abuse; and, of course, Judy McLeod, Inuvik, Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services.
Also today I notice Graeme Drew, who is the senior admin officer from Lutselk’e Dene First Nations.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize David Connelly, a resident of Weledeh, here with his colleagues. I would also like to recognize Peter Redvers here representing Sambaa K’e Dene Band of Trout Lake and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation of Kakisa and their considerable work on the Protected Areas Strategy.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the two Colville Lake Pages, Chantell Orlias and Lecy Gully. Both are here this week.
I’d also like to, along with my colleague Mr. Abernethy, recognize the YK ship crew from Vancouver. I appreciate the tour there.
Also some former high school students, Debbie Greenland; of course, Mr. McLeod’s wife, Judy, and the mental health worker from Tulita, Elaine. Also a good friend of mine, Peter Redvers.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to recognize a Page who has been working very hard for us all week. Ryan O’Brien is a Frame Lake resident. He goes to school here in Yellowknife at Sir John. Thank you to Ryan for his hard work and to all the Pages for the work that they’ve done for us.
On behalf of Mr. Bromley, I would like to recognize his constituency assistant who is a resident of Weledeh but he kind of forgot him. Mr. Craig Yeo, welcome.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Mr. Peter Redvers, who has been doing work with the community of Kakisa and also Ka’a’gee Tu First Nations.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a Page that I have from the riding of Kam Lake, Ms. Caleigh Matheson. I also want to thank all the rest of the Pages for all the work that they’ve done for us over the entire session.
I’d also like to recognize Mr. Peter Redvers, a constituent of Kam Lake. Welcome to the House.
Also, the folks in the audience from HMCS Yellowknife. I was there in I believe it was 1996, when the ship was commissioned. Good to see you here. Pleasure for you to be here.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a Page here who is from the Yellowknife Centre riding, Wendy Giang. She is a Sir John Student.
The other thing is, at the same time, I would like to recognize Mr. David Connelly, who has been a friend for many years. I appreciate his conviction and devotion he provides the HMCS Yellowknife. It’s good work he does.
Finally, the same as Mr. Ramsay said, I’d like to thank all the Pages, those from Sir John, Colville Lake, and certainly PWK for their hardworking services here. I’m grateful for it and I certainly hope you enjoyed the time here.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I’d like to welcome all visitors here in the public gallery. Thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings here today. Thank you for coming.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier of the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Premier some questions around the Norman Wells proven area. Specifically, I want to target on the resource revenue issue with the Government of Canada. I want to ask the Premier, in regard to this issue here, if the Government of Canada is holding firm on their stance that this area here is not a resource revenue sharing deal other than they have other interests, such as a commercial venture, and if there are any other type of discussions to see if they will move away from that definition.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have had those discussions on several occasions with the Government of Canada, first and foremost during the development of the agreement-in-principle. We couldn’t resolve it, so it was punted to the negotiations of the final agreement, so to speak. We made some progress by the fact that they have agreed that royalties will be paid on two-thirds of the Norman Wells interest. The Government of Canada remains steadfast, though, that their one-third share is ownership, it’s a commercial interest and that it is not a royalty. On that basis they do not see fit to pay royalties on it, because they are very clear that it is not a royalty.
I’ve done some of my own research and I found a very interesting document that in 1944, July 21st, Imperial Oil and the Government of Canada struck up a management/ownership type of deal with the Norman Wells oilfields and that they’ve been taking a cut in the share of that development fuel since then; even longer.
I want to ask if the Government of Canada is changing the rules as time goes on and because they’re so adamant not to release that definition under what is stated in the research I have that Norman Wells is looked at resource revenue rather than the ownership. Is the Minister looking to see if there are some other leverages that we can use, for example, if Canada is willing to sell their share of the Norman Wells oilfield?
As part of the negotiations process, we were able to limit the extent of the Norman Wells oilfield so that for a period of time they were looking at all of the Norman Wells area that would be covered. We were able to limit it just to the existing oilfield from Norman Wells. We also discussed, and the Prime Minister mentioned it in his response to a question, that from time to time the Government of Canada sells off assets of commercial interest and if it does happen, then there might be a possibility there for royalties.
I should point out that in the ‘80s, or when the Gwich’in and the Sahtu took the Government of Canada to court for unpaid royalties, there was an out-of-court settlement whereby both the Gwich’in and the Sahtu signed an agreement that the Norman Wells payments were not royalties, in order to receive compensation in an out-of-court settlement.
We’re looking at the bigger issue with the Norman Wells royalty regime. I want to ask the Premier, because of the interest now in the Norman Wells area, and not just the Norman Wells proven area, does the Premier see the Husky, the Conoco, the Shell type of structure that could possibly see the federal government looking elsewhere outside Norman Wells to say there’s not millions but there’s billions to be had. Is that something that we have positioned ourselves so that they keep their hands out of our pockets?
We believe we have been able to successfully negotiate that, but recognizing that that field is still being proven. It’s still in the exploration stage but the potential is unlimited. I think there’s tremendous potential in the Sahtu and we’ll see it come to pass.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I say, because, again, in my research, there were regulations, a management regime, and in the time when they were making the deal, Aboriginal people didn’t even have the right to vote in Canada. These were all being done on Aboriginal lands that we’re supposed to have a treaty. Now we’re taking over devolution, and part of taking over devolution is the 24 acts, regulations and legislation that we’re going to take over. One of them is the Canadian Petroleum Act, I think, and I want to make sure that we are set and the federal government is not going to interfere with our type of resource revenue sharing that we need in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Premier, will his department look at some of these things that ensure that the federal government does not poke its hands in areas that it shouldn’t be.
We definitely want to make sure that is the case. That’s why the legal and technical review of the final agreement that we’re doing right now is so important, because we want to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I was asking questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on training for the Inuvik-Tuk highway. I guess you could say I was putting the cart before the horse, but now that we have made decisions on the Inuvik-Tuk highway, I’d like to ask the Minister again, is the department making any plans for training in the Beaufort-Delta starting this spring.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. That is a great question. This is an area that we are preparing. I just met with the standing committee this morning, just preparing for whether it be the Deh Cho, Sahtu and Beaufort-Delta, there is so much activity that will be happening in that area. We need to plan now. I’ve instructed my department and also my senior staff that we need to develop, if there is a committee in place already, what are the training needs and the requirements at the community level and let’s focus on those are let’s have a meeting immediately. We’re forming a steering committee to deal with those matters, especially the Beaufort-Delta now that we just approved infrastructure. We’re going forward on that and we are full force following through with that.
It’s projected that we’ll provide 400 jobs on the Inuvik to Tuk highway. There is a lot of training that needs to be done. A lot of our workers right now are actually travelling to the Sahtu for all the work that’s happening there. There is a lot that we need to do in the communities. Will the Minister use the facilities and the capacity in the communities to provide the training, whether it’s Class 1 and Class 3 and heavy equipment operating?
Those are the areas that we need to discuss with the group, and when I mention the group, that’s the community representatives, the industry representatives. They are the experts that will provide the community-based needs, the human resources. We do have community learning centres. We have the colleges. Colleges are part of the process, as well, and the Mine Training Society, if they happen to be part of the process. I think they should be part of the process, and other industries and organizations that are part of the group. We’re going to have a dynamic discussion identifying short-term, mid-term and also long-range plans on the training needs. My Department of Education, Culture and Employment at the regional level will be actively involved.
When we did do our budgeting process, we didn’t anticipate the added training needs that we are going to need in the Beaufort-Delta. I’d just like to be assured by the Minister whether we will have training in the communities, whether it’s every six months. We do have a lot of training that needs to be done, but I’d just like to be assured.
With the project that’s going forward now, there are going to be various training aspects and that’s what we need to identify. I want to push this forward expeditiously with potential partners that are there in the Beaufort-Delta and, based on their needs, develop plans of action pertaining to training. That’s an area that I’m committing to with my department, working with the regional representatives, and also industry and Aboriginal organizations. We need to plan now.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to ask the Minister if he will work with the Minister of Transportation to ensure that we can find a way around the process, I guess you could say, for the basic driver’s licence. Right now, when a person gets their learners they have to wait one full year to actually get their licence, and I don’t believe that we can wait one full year for our residents to follow that process. We need to speed it up. Will they work on that?
I agree that these types of training should be pushed forward in advance. I will be working with the Department of Transportation on this particular piece of work where we’ve done that in the past in other communities, whether it be a Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3, and even Class 5. There are certain individuals that want to take this training. I will commit to the Member that we’re going to put that forward, and then based on the communities’ needs, if that is the interest, then we’ll definitely fulfil that.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
