Debates of March 29, 2004 (day 10)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member for Great Slave knows the history of this new NWT council of sports and recreation partners; it is going to be established next month. We have interim people who are helping us to establish this new sports partners. They are going to be in full operation maybe in the fall time. As I indicated during my opening comments, I was in a hot seat all day. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 99-15(3): Rationale For NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Mr. Speaker, I am afraid I am going to have to use my second question to repeat my first one. What are the issues or the problems that require the creation of yet another governing body in support of recreation? I would really like to know why this organization has to be brought forward. Thank you.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Zoe.

Further Return To Question 99-15(3): Rationale For NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many communities, recreation associations and individuals identify the need for improved government structure for the management of the NWT sport and recreation programs and services. So we initiated the full process of gathering all the partners together and had a discussion paper. That particular group made recommendations to the previous Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Through their recommendations, they created this new Northwest Territories sports and recreation partners. These partners, Mr. Speaker, are the Aboriginal Sports Circle of Western Arctic, Beaufort-Delta Sahtu Recreation Association, Mackenzie Recreation Association, NWT Recreation and Parks Association, Sport North Federation and their territorial sport organization. These are the people who are going to be forming this new council.

As I indicated, we have primary goals for this particular group: to provide a forum so communities and partners can have a voice in sports and recreation planning and decision-making; to initiate a discussion with sports and recreation partners and regional representatives on how we can streamline decision-making, improve program coordination and identify new ways to act as resources; to promote opportunities for all NWT residents to access sports, recreation and physical activity programs that are integral to improving health in community development. Those are our three primary goals of this new council. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 99-15(3): Rationale For NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that information. I am going to see that I get a couple more details on this. How many people are involved in this? Is there a budget figure given? The point I am getting at, Mr. Speaker, is that existing organizations, and especially the territorial sporting organizations, are concerned that meagre levels of resources are going to be further eroded by this new organization. I don’t want to take away from the purposes the Minister has outlined. But I am looking for some securities and some stability so that our existing organizations are going to be able to continue. Can the Minister give that assurance? Thank you.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Zoe.

Further Return To Question 99-15(3): Rationale For NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Honourable Member for Great Slave realizes, this new council is going to use their existing budget that they have under Sport North. By getting all of these people together, it is to streamline the decision-making of that whole group. Therefore, when I met with the Sport North Federation, there was no concern raised pertaining to this new council. I indicated to the Member when he asked the question of me, if the president of Sport North has discussed any concern pertaining to this new initiative. When I met with him, he didn’t raise any concerns. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 99-15(3): Rationale For NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister advise what performance measures or what indicators of performance? Is it going to be meeting its objectives? How is this new council going to be measured for its success? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Zoe.

Further Return To Question 99-15(3): Rationale For NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, time is going to determine how effective this group is. Once we have them into operation, our department will be working very closely with this new council so that we will monitor them. They will be making recommendations specifically to different programs and services that our department provides. They will be initiating other types of programs for the benefit of all the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my Member’s statement, the issue of name change for the Northwest Territories seems to have surfaced again, this time with our Senator, the Honourable Nick Sibbeston. I would like to ask our Premier if our government has a position on this issue, considering that we have heard from the public at least twice on this issue. Does our government have a position on whether we want to see a name change or not? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Mr. Speaker, our government’s priorities are determined by the discussions we have here in this House as well as by other groups and agencies who provide us advice or direction on what should be our highest priorities. Mr. Speaker, to date, I have not had anyone tell me that the name change should be on our short list of high priority items we need to achieve as a government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the Premier say that, that he does look at priorities. Is the Premier prepared to look at what Members’ priorities are as far as name change is concerned, what their views are on that and relate those views to the Senator? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Mr. Speaker, when the Senator first raised this issue, he did contact me. At that point, I did tell him that I had received no advice from Members that this should be a priority. We have other things that we wanted to focus on. Unless I hear otherwise, then I will continue to give him that same message whenever I speak with him. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been before us before. We have heard talk about it before. I am wondering if the Premier could tell me if government does know how much it would cost if the government should change the name of the Northwest Territories to something else. Has there been a cost analysis done of what it would cost this government if that should happen? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Mr. Speaker, in spite of the suggestion of the other side that we do a study on it, I will not do one on this. There is no estimate that has been done on it. It would depend on how we did it if it was a name change, whether we did it in all one sweep or whether we did it over time. But, at this point, the issue has not reached the point in its importance that I would even think about doing any kind of study at this time. I realize the Members were joking in asking that we do a study on this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Supplementary To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess we can look at it as a joke, but from the people’s perspective out there, that is one issue that they talk about all the time. We talk about changing the name of the Territories and what we have spent to get the Territories to where it is today and what it would cost to change the name. I am going to ask the question to the Premier on process. The Senator mentions, in his pamphlet that he put out, "that eventually I would introduce a bill to change the name of the territory in the Senate, perhaps as early as this fall." Could that possibly happen that way, that now the name of the Territories would change at the federal level and where we wouldn’t even have an input into it? Is that possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 100-15(3): Issue Of Name Change For The Northwest Territories

Mr. Speaker, I believe that, technically, that is a federal decision. It could happen that way, but I would be amazed if there was ever an effort on the part of the federal government to change the name of the Northwest Territories without consulting with the people in the territory. So I don't believe for a minute that that would happen by fall. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to ask some questions today of the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. I will take up where my colleague, Ms. Lee, asked some questions in the House on Friday. I read through the Hansard and, to be quite honest, I was not satisfied with the responses the Minister provided. So I would like to ask some further questions, Mr. Speaker.

I am just wondering how long the Minister and the government have known about the need for market housing at the community level in the Northwest Territories. I would suspect I could almost answer that question for the Minister, that they've known for a long time, Mr. Speaker, that it is a need. I want to know what efforts the government has made to work with the manufacturing industry here in the Northwest Territories to get this project going, or if they've even done it at all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. I heard two questions, Mr. Minister.

Return To Question 101-15(3): Supporting The Manufacturing Industry In The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the initiative for market rent housing in the communities has been around for some time, as the Member has answered in response to his question.

---Laughter

The issue has been raised in a number of different reports, and the Special Joint Committee on Non-Tax-Based Community Affairs had heard this concern in their consultations in the different communities, also the Members of the Social Programs committee of the 14th Assembly raised it and stressed that something had to be done. So the issue is not a new one. It is something that we are finally attempting to rectify. We know there is a huge need out there. As to consultation with the manufacturing community, I don't have that detail. I will commit to finding out who was contacted and see if I could release that information. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 101-15(3): Supporting The Manufacturing Industry In The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would suggest that the Minister undertake to find that information out. If I could quote the Minister from Hansard last Thursday, "Our time frame right now hasn't allowed us to deal with the value-added, built-in-the-north issue." That's a direct quote from the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. They haven't worked with the manufacturing industry here in the Northwest Territories. Are we supporting the manufacturing industry in the Northwest Territories or aren't we? By waiving the BIP I don't believe we are. I want to know, Mr. Speaker, how much has this government spent on propping up our fledgling manufacturing industry here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 101-15(3): Supporting The Manufacturing Industry In The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have an answer to how much was spent in the manufacturing industry over our history. However, Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that we are looking at and we are meeting with developers that have come forward. We have talked to the Construction Association that is willing to look at this as an opportunity to look at a made-in-the-north solution.

We have a number of different ways we can attempt to deal with it. The bottom line, however, does not change; that we have to have units in the communities that we can provide at affordable market rate, competitive rent. Failing that, we would not be able to move forward. We have done a survey with many boards and agencies in the communities, we had questionnaires sent to the private sector companies in non-market communities to assess the size of the dwellings needed, the type of structure, the number of units required and other housing factors. We have to realize that there is a need.

There is more exploration needed in this issue. We certainly have heard the Members in Committee of the Whole about their desires for this to be handled within the Northwest Territories, and we will continue to talk to the developers, the Association of Communities and the Construction Association, and look at different ways. If it means going with smaller units, if it means pilot projects, we're willing to look at that. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 101-15(3): Supporting The Manufacturing Industry In The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his response. I don't agree with the Minister. I think the government hasn't done enough to work with the manufacturing industry here in the Northwest Territories, and I want to ask the Minister will he put the brakes on this tender that closes this Friday so the Housing Corporation can in fact work with the manufacturing industry here in the Northwest Territories, so the jobs stay here and the money stays here, instead of going south? If it closes on Friday, it will go south. We'll lose the money, we'll lose the jobs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

----Applause

Minister of the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 101-15(3): Supporting The Manufacturing Industry In The Northwest Territories

Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to make the Members aware that if I go through the request that the Member is making, to stop this process, that would mean no units in the communities for this year. We have huge pressure from the different organizations, from the different communities, to do something and do it quick. I would also like to point out that the tender process is open to northern bidders, and if it comes down to me saying whether or not I would defer these units, these modular homes into the communities, I would have to say no. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier, with respect to some power-related issues. Mr. Speaker, in the 14th Assembly, this government undertook something that has become known as the Robertson report, which covered quite a few different areas. The report ultimately contained 22 recommendations, and I think was quite a good and comprehensive piece of work that was done. I would like to ask the Premier if he has an idea, just in a ballpark, what we might have spent on that report in the 14th Assembly. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Return To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Mr. Speaker, I don't know exactly what we spent on the report, but the preparation of the report and a lot of related and subsequent research that was done on that report cost the government, I believe, somewhere in the neighbourhood of $700,000. But that included more than just preparing the report itself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am also wondering how many of the 22 recommendations that were contained in that report have been acted on to date. I think there were some good recommendations that came out of that work. Specifically, one of the recommendations related to the protection of the asset of the Power Corporation as it relates to the franchises for providing power in the NWT communities.

At the time, we were going through an interesting scenario where other people were coming in from outside and trying to bid on what they thought were profitable communities in the North, to come in and just pick one community and provide diesel-generated power in that community. So one of the recommendations related to franchises, and it related to grandfathering the existing franchises and then forming a monopoly for the remaining communities so that it would create some surety and some ability to plan on the part of the Power Corporation. So I would like to know what was the decision that was made with respect to the recommendation on franchises. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Further Return To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report

Mr. Speaker, this goes back before this government, to the 14th Assembly, but at that time there was a decision to not have any franchise changes until we had looked at all the recommendations and created more of a strategic plan for the generation and delivery of energy throughout the Territories. So there have been no franchise changes in the 14th Assembly. The government did not support what was referred to as cherry picking and take what's profitable. To this date, our government also has the same view. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 102-15(3): Community Franchise Recommendations Of The Robertson Report