Debates of March 2, 2005 (day 47)

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I guess one of the biggest issues is that things are picking up in the Deh Cho, so that’s what the communities have been asking. They’re saying, look, we’re being overwhelmed by these huge volumes of binders of information that we have to go through. That’s what I was trying to get from the Minister is if there is a specific program designed to help the communities with this need. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 520-15(3): Establishing Community Economic Development Capacity

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There’s no short answer to this, but I do understand what the Member is talking about. In terms of communities’ ability to intervene and the environmental impact statement process for the pipeline, they are challenged. There are reams of information to sift through. I’ve been discussing that with my colleagues, most specifically with the Minister of MACA, but also with the social envelope Ministers. We had a meeting this morning to discuss some of these challenges. We are looking to provide some help and looking to come up with a framework that will have some answers and provide some solutions for communities. In my travels in communities, I’m hearing the same things. We’re hearing that they are challenged in terms of capacity. We want to make sure that everybody can have a meaningful involvement and participation in this process.

To the broader issue of economic development initiatives in general, we hope that this BDIC legislation will be more flexible, less prescriptive, allow for broader partnerships, and allow for communities to not only get access to GNWT programs and services, but be able to lever that with federal money or other money that is available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 520-15(3): Establishing Community Economic Development Capacity

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for that answer. He covered just about everything.

---Laughter

I’m glad for that. I just have one question I’m curious about. I hope there is not an interruption in service when we split RWED in providing service to the communities. If the Minister could assure me of that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 520-15(3): Establishing Community Economic Development Capacity

I can give the Member that assurance. I also want to say to the Member and other Members, if issues do come up and there are things that arise and Members believe it is as a result of the transition process, I want to make sure they bring them to my attention as quickly as possible. We want to work with our regional staff, as I said, to make sure this is a seamless transition. We want to make sure there’s no interruption for our clients and this is of utmost priority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger. During a recent information session with Crack Busters on Monday, there were a few items that the addictions counsellors and Dr. Wheeler, who was there, had brought to our attention that I believe the government should be paying close attention to. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services a few questions. The first question is what type of public awareness and education is this government doing specifically to address the pitfalls of drug use? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have public information that deals with right personal choices, active living, healthy choices, not to use alcohol and drugs. We don’t have anything tailored specifically yet to the new drugs, specifically the one the Member referred to, which is crack cocaine. I also attended that meeting, which I found very informative. We are also intending the target part of $1 million for further prevention with youth in terms of an awareness campaign that focuses on substance abuse, alcohol and drugs, as well as the ambulant concerns that have also been raised. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister didn’t mention the fact that the government had anything specifically dedicated to drug use and the troubles that drug use brings to our youth and our families here in the Northwest Territories. The other item that they mentioned is what are we going to do as a government to address the long-term residential care that’s needed and the treatment that’s needed for these individuals? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as was indicated yesterday by the folks that did the presentation from Crack Busters, they have a program that’s not residential-based. Its success hinges on being able to be in the communities, responsive to people at the community level where they can work through their issues and their support groups that are there to assist them after the 22-week Crack Busters program is completed. Mr. Speaker, I still share the same conviction that our focus has to continue to be working with the communities at the community level, which is why we’ve invested money in community wellness workers, mental health workers, clinical supervisors and why we intend to proceed with year three of that program to get further resources at the community level. As well, we still have the resources, which we are trying to work on and improve at Natse’ Ejee K’eh, and access to southern treatment referral if you need it. We also have arrangements in Yellowknife with the Salvation Army with the program that they offer. As well, we’re going to move ahead on doing a better job and bringing on line a medical detox facility at Stanton. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year the Regular Members on this side of the House brought forward a motion in regard to reinstating treatment centres in both Inuvik and in Yellowknife and I would like to ask the Minister today what progress has the government made on addressing that motion that this side of the House made last year. Has there been any progress made and when are we going to see residential care and treatment centres finally addressed by this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re continuing to work and advance the agenda for addictions and mental health, as I’ve lain out. There was a motion in this House and the intent is to improve the services and we’re working on that. The Member indicates that we need two or three or four new facilities and I’m saying that our energy and funds are better spent at the community level. When we can quantify and demonstrate that we will have facilities that will be fully used and we won’t need any other southern resources, then I’ll be happy to move forward with the project in putting it into the capital plan, but you would have to get in line with other capital projects. But at this point, I can tell the Member that if we built three or four new facilities, they would all be underutilized and we don’t have the numbers to quantify the need for that number of capital projects. I want to maintain, Mr. Speaker, if I could just reiterate, the focus, in my opinion, has to continue to be at the community level to get resources on the ground, working with families, with individuals, with other groups in the community to get people to make the right choices and not just build bricks and mortar and facilities to deal with them once they’ve got an addiction problem. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we need to work with community groups, yes, I agree with that. That type of work should happen, but we’re here today and we still don’t have treatment centres. How long is it going to take for the government to work with the community groups to get us the treatment centres that our communities are demanding and the residential care that our communities are demanding? How long is the work going to take? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 521-15(3): Addressing Drug Use In The NWT

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been involved directly or indirectly in this business dealing with alcohol and drugs now for over 20 years, and I’ve been involved that long in trying to advance the agenda dealing with alcohol and drugs. As Minister, I’ve been here for over three years and made significant strides, especially moving from the Chalmers report and we’re going to continue to do that. We have a plan and we intend to stick to it and it’s not just a case of banging up residential facilities all over the place when we know that a few years ago we did that and we ended up closing most of them because they were underutilized. We have not yet focused properly on prevention at the community level on getting people to make the right personal choices and to invest the resources at the community level, and not just have centralized facilities that are going to take up all the staff and resources we have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m going to rise with a question in regard to what I talked about earlier in my Member’s statement, Mr. Speaker, which is the Quebec deal on parental leave and their ability and control over that program. Mr. Speaker, the federal government has basically kicked the discussion door wide open and said come talk to us, and I believe Quebec has their priorities in line with their people. I think we need to ensure that, as well, in a meaningful way. I think this government needs to make tracks to ensure we do have those priorities in line with the people. So, Mr. Speaker, my question for the Premier of this government is, is he supportive enough that we will engage in a discussion with our federal counterparts to take upon this opportunity to see if we can implement parental leave in a fair way in the Northwest Territories, such as Quebec has been fighting for since the '80s? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 522-15(3): Quebec Parental Leave Program

Mr. Speaker, the Member has raised a very interesting development in Quebec. Certainly they have the richest plan now on parental leave in Canada. We are talking with the federal government on devolution, and, along with that, resource revenue sharing and we feel that we need to have a fair revenue arrangement with the federal government that allows us to be able to afford what every other Canadian can afford, and that is clearly spelled out in the Constitution that all Canadians, no matter where they live, should have benefits that are roughly equal. I note that the federal government has provided $750 million to Quebec to manage this program. So if they would give us $750 million, I tell you we would have the same programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 522-15(3): Quebec Parental Leave Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know all of us are listening on this side. That certainly sounded like a commitment to look into that, but maybe if I could get the Premier to reaffirm that in a commitment he’d open up the door to discussions. I don’t think its part of a devolution deal. This sounds like a sidebar deal on the parental leave issue only. So if the Premier could address that by saying today he’ll look into that and commit to just following up to find out if the Northwest Territories can implement this policy, heck, I don’t need my next two questions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Further Return To Question 522-15(3): Quebec Parental Leave Program

Mr. Speaker, I will look into this one. I know it will be on the agenda for the next Council of the Federation meeting of all the Premiers, because we’ll all be looking at it, because often Quebec has its own arrangement with the federal government and the rest of us have a cooperative arrangement. I will certainly look into this one. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of RWED, Brendan Bell. Mr. Speaker, I heard on the reports that the communities may have a difficult time in terms of the National Energy Board or the Joint Review Panel in terms of the social impacts of the pipeline. I understand that the report is evidence-based in terms of the impacts of the pipeline. I wanted to ask the Minister of RWED is there anything that his department is doing in helping the communities get this information to the boards that gives them more weight on the impacts that pipeline would have on the communities in terms of the social impacts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of RWED, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly apologize to the Member; I’m not aware of the specific report that the Member is speaking to. But let me say generally that we recognize that despite the fact that we consider this development boom to be a blessing and would much rather have employment than unemployment, we recognize that there are going to be challenges for communities with this level of employment. There will be, Mr. Speaker, and we can’t deny it. There will be social impacts that need to be mitigated. It’s important that communities are able to come to the table in the EIS process and make presentations, probably most specifically to the JRP environmental assessment. I think that’s the most appropriate vehicle as compared to the NEB, but able to articulate their concerns and make credible presentations. They need resources, Mr. Speaker, in order to be able to do that.

We continue to make the point to the federal government that they will reap the lion’s share of revenues from this development. They should be helping communities get to the table to intervene. However, as I’ve said, social envelope Ministers met this morning with our deputies to discuss a GNWT approach to bringing the federal government to the table on this issue. We want to lay out a strategy and a framework and invite the federal government to plug in and participate and fund part of that approach, because we think it’s that important. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the people in the small communities will appreciate the employment opportunities and also the business opportunities, but there will also be significant impacts even in the communities. However, the question I’m asking the Minister is that the communities need help in terms of putting together their presentations to articulate to the two panels, and the National Energy Board mentioned that they wouldn’t just go on opinion. So I’m asking what is this department going to do to help the communities articulate the social impacts of the Mackenzie gas pipeline. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Specifically to social impacts, which I think is really outside the NEB process, which will be focused more on technical issues, on tolling issues, those kinds of questions specific to social impacts, we want to work with communities. We are certainly going to find some dedicated resources to coordinate this government’s approach to that. I know that the social envelope Ministers are going to sit down, and one of the first steps is to take an inventory of programs and services currently available in communities and then to sit down and recognize that different communities will be challenged in different ways. Some are directly in the pipeline right-of-way. Others will see camps set up right on their doorsteps. So there are different levels of impact. We want to talk about that. We want to better predict, recognize and understand what those impacts will be. I think only then can we engage in a meaningful discussion and debate with communities about how we mitigate that, but part if this we'll certainly be discussing how we can help communities come to the table and participate in the CIS. As I’ve said, we believe the federal government has to be involved in this and is key, but we’re going to do what we can to bring them into the fold and ensure that they meet the commitments that they should rightfully be making. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, three communities in the Sahtu are going to be directly impacted by the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline. They are very afraid in terms of the social impacts. There is increased exploration activity in my region right now and we are seeing the impacts. We are also seeing the benefits. However, the people are really concerned about the social impacts in terms of family violence and alcohol. So again, Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister what specific things is his department going to do to ensure that people in the Sahtu will see some benefits in terms of participating in hearings and letting people know about the social impacts? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think one of the most important steps is to make sure communities registered as interveners in the JRPEA process and I think that that has been done. They are challenged though to have the resources to have meaningful involvement and that will be the real problem here. We also need to understand from communities exactly what their hopes and aspirations are in terms of benefits and opportunities, and we need to work that into our socioeconomic agreement negotiations with the producers. But I’ll certainly give the Member my commitment that, as lead Minister on this file, I’m working with the social envelope Ministers to ensure that we have an approach that we can sit down and articulate, and we will work with communities to better understand this issue and this challenge and help them better be prepared and equipped to represent their interests and aspirations and concerns, acknowledge their concerns through the EIS process as interveners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister inform us about the socioeconomic agreement? Does it have enough clout or teeth in terms of using it to benefit the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 523-15(3): Social Impacts Of Pipeline Development

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we believe it’s the most effective tool. It will build on many of the access agreements that are being negotiated right now. I think it will fill gaps and it will provide some certainty for all NWT residents and all businesses, beneficiary and non-beneficiary in the NWT, and that they will, in fact, see tangible benefits and opportunities from this pipeline development. That’s important. We want to make sure that there are benefits that stay here in the North because that really is what will make this development worth it for the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this afternoon are for the Minister responsible for the Workers’ Compensation Board. In my statement earlier, I gave a bit of a five-year snapshot, Mr. Speaker, of the incidents and the rise of claims by injured workers. It’s up about 10 percent in five years and it’s quite understandable, given the level of activity in the NWT. But our claims division has rejected two-and-a-half times the number of claims filed from 1999 to 2003. Mr. Speaker, this would certainly seem to indicate that we’re taking very much an adversarial position decidedly against injured workers. Can the Minister explain, Mr. Speaker, this disturbing trend in our rejection rate of workers’ claims? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.