Debates of March 4, 2005 (day 49)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at present we have services for adults the same as we have a characterization on it. It is a special need that is not clearly defined, but, once again, if an adult is diagnosed or assessed with FASD, then it’s a case-by-case basis at this point. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 541-15(3): Availability Of Screening Tools For FASD

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a listing of supports available to persons with disabilities, is FASD listed as a disability for those purposes? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 541-15(3): Availability Of Screening Tools For FASD

Mr. Speaker, I’d have to check, but I don’t think so.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 541-15(3): Availability Of Screening Tools For FASD

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think so either and I think there are a lot of adults out there that are in need of special support related to FASD. I’d like to ask the Minister what he’s going to do to address that deficiency. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 541-15(3): Availability Of Screening Tools For FASD

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are doing a lot of things with the homeless, with services to adults, with the services we buy, our contract for facilities such as the Salvation Army for people that are having difficulty. At this point we know that there’s a significant number of the population that require those services. So there are already some services there. The specific diagnosis of the individuals needing those services has yet to be clearly done in a more specific way so that it is clear what the individuals may be personally dealing with. So we’re going to continue to work on trying to do diagnosis. We’re going to continue to work at services for homeless services to adults, and over time hopefully we’ll come up with an easier and more efficient and effective way to do assessments. So then we can get a clear understanding of why the people that are there requiring those services do require those services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won’t disappoint the Minister of Justice this morning, I do have a question for him, but it is in the area of consumer protection legislation, which comes under this department, Mr. Speaker. As our housing market across the Northwest Territories matures and diversifies, many more people are going into condominium kind of situations and there is a Condominium Act in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. One particularly important part of this process is the issue of whether a condominium corporation is required to have a capital reserve fund to help pay for improvements and up-fits in a facility as it ages. The question that I have for the Minister in this area of consumer protection is whether our condominium legislation addresses that or how does our condominium legislation address the issue of capital reserve funds? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 542-15(3): Condominium Legislation On Capital Reserves

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member raised this issue with me some time ago and in taking a look at the Condominium Act, I had to agree that it looked like there might be some area that we were not looking at. So I’ve asked the department to compare our Condominium Act with those acts across Canada. I think the area that we might be somewhat lacking in is whether or not the reserve fund is considered to be adequate. That’s the area that I think they’re going to have to examine; whether or not we should insist, like Alberta does, that there be an independent review by an auditor as to whether or not the assumptions underlying the reserve fund are accurate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 542-15(3): Condominium Legislation On Capital Reserves

Thank you. I’ll look forward to at least that assessment. Can the Minister give any indication at this time of the number of condominium corporations in the Northwest Territories? Is this something that affects a large number of residents in the NWT? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 542-15(3): Condominium Legislation On Capital Reserves

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not aware of the exact number of condominium corporations in operation right now. It is, though, I know a relatively small number. Condominiums are a fairly new method of housing in the Northwest Territories and that’s one of the other reasons, as we start to see more and more of them, that we need to take a look at our act and make sure that we are protecting the consumers adequately.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 542-15(3): Condominium Legislation On Capital Reserves

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So in connection with this particular issue then, is the Minister prepared to look at the Condominium Act in its entirety to see if it is, indeed, up to standards and a modern piece of legislation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 542-15(3): Condominium Legislation On Capital Reserves

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now the stage we are at is trying to decide how much of the act we need to open up. We are taking a look at our act in comparison to other acts across Canada to get a sense of where we might be lacking or where there might be room to go to the public and say is this an area that you want us to look at. So I’ve been discussing with the department just what the approach would be, whether we’re going to do a full-blown public consultation of the whole act or if we would just narrow its scope to the areas where we’ve had highlighted now that there may be problems. So I can’t answer the question as to what level of consultation there will be and exactly what part of the act will be open at this point. I would certainly welcome the Member’s advice on that issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Transportation and they go back to my Member’s statement where I mentioned the fact that in 2003, the last year statistics were available, 176 million litres of diesel oil and 34 million kilograms of ammonium nitrate went through Enterprise and most of it comes through Yellowknife on its way north to the diamond mines. I wanted to ask the Minister today how many inspectors are exclusively dedicated to this and whether those personnel have changed in number or expertise over the past several years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have 10 officers that deal with dangerous goods in the Northwest Territories located at various scale operations in Fort Liard, Inuvik and Enterprise. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could I ask the Minister why the number of tickets issued have decreased when the amount of dangerous goods being transported on our road system has steadily increased? Why are tickets going down and dangerous goods going up? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to be able to say that it was totally through good enforcement activities and compliance and a good relationship with the trucking industry, but there are also indications that the levels of traffic in the area of dangerous goods have decreased as a result of the Diavik Mine being completed and also the Miramar Con Mine ceasing production. So we had some reductions in terms of the dangerous goods traffic that was going through in the year 2004. We expect it to pick up again this year.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister why we are seeing the increase in spills. We had six in 2001, 22 in 2002, and 25 in 2003 and the number of spills keep going up. I wanted to ask the Minister if he could explain the relationship between the Department of Transportation and the Department of RWED when dangerous goods are spilled. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s a coincidence I guess that I’ll be tabling the dangerous goods report today, as in the report it shows that we have a reduction in the number of spills. This report indicates that in 2004 we had 16 spills reported and responsibilities in the area of dangerous goods falls across a number of different departments and also the federal government. If it is on the truck on the road, there is a responsibility under our act for the Department of Transportation. If it is in a tank in the community, then it belongs to the community government and I guess also MACA. If it’s spilt on the ground, then it’s RWED’s responsibility. So there are a number of jurisdictions involved and we try to work to coordinate all of these. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister, if his department has this information, advise on what types of dangerous goods and the sizes of loads that are going through the streets of Yellowknife? I brought up the issue of public safety. Does his department have that type of information on the amount of dangerous goods traveling through the streets of Yellowknife? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 543-15(3): Inspectors For Transportation Of Dangerous Goods

Mr. Speaker, I can’t say with any great certainty if we have the actual numbers that flow through the city of Yellowknife. I’d have to check to see if we have that information. I’m sure we have some indicators. Our information is gathered at the weigh scales and it’s at those locations that the trucks are inspected and checked for safety and for what their contents are and if they are following all the regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to following up and if we have that information, I will certainly provide it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the status of schools in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, Chief Albert Wright School was built in 1970. Two years ago, they had a serious incident where some of the walls in the school were cracking. The permafrost underneath the building was shifting and they did some work on there and ventilation was a problem. They reported some rotten walls on the foundation. I would ask the Minister if he could give an update on the scheduled repairs to Chief Albert Wright School in Tulita. How soon can the community members expect a new school and have the repairs on the thermostat fixed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 544-15(3): Status Of Schools In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the Member’s last question, I would have to check with my colleague, the Minister of Public Works, to find out if the thermostat has been fixed yet.

---Laughter

I haven’t got that information with me. In terms of the schedule, the planning is proceeding, as I understand it. The whole process of locating the site for the school has proceeded over the course of the winter and the community has been involved in approving that site so that now we can start to prepare. The expectation is that construction will start to take place within the next fiscal year and the school should be ready for occupancy in 2007.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 544-15(3): Status Of Schools In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Speaker, regarding Chief T’Selihye, it was reported in News/North that the students heard a big thump and walls were cracking between the old school and new school. In some reports, you can put a hand in between the buildings and feel the outside. I want to ask the Minister of Education about the status of Chief T’Selihye School in Fort Good Hope. I understand the engineer’s report has been out. What repairs will be done to the school this year? There are 167 students in that school, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 544-15(3): Status Of Schools In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right; the engineer’s report is out. The engineers are confident that the school is safe. It is not in any danger of a situation developing that would be unsafe for the students or the staff in the building. We are going to have to do more work this summer to assess just what sorts of repairs need to be undertaken. It appears that one of the biggest problems was that when the addition was added, they didn’t put an expansion joint between the two parts of the school. So they are moving at different rates, the two parts. How that is going to be handled, we don’t know yet. More work will be done this summer on the piles to determine what is likely to develop in terms of movement of those piles. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 544-15(3): Status Of Schools In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The budget shows the repairs for some work in Fort Good Hope on Chief T’Selihye at $15,000. I wonder if the Minister can expand on what type of repairs can be done for $15,000 in the school with so little money. Maybe the school should be replaced instead in 2007. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 544-15(3): Status Of Schools In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The $15,000 was in the budget for planning money for the renovations to the school. With the situation that’s happened this winter, we are likely going to have to find out for sure what’s happening with the piles before we determine at what rate we move forward with the renovation or replacement. So that $15,000 now will probably be used to study the situation more. If it proves that we need to spend some money for short-term repairs, then we will have to find the money to do that. At this point, that money was in the budget before the issue with the crack at the school and thus before determining that the two parts of the school are moving at different rates. So we will investigate, determine what the problem is and whether or not there needs to be short-term repair or if we can continue with planning for the replacement of that structure. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 544-15(3): Status Of Schools In The Sahtu Region