Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One thing we’re trying to do to increase the employment of Northerners in the diamond mines or other mines of the Northwest Territories is to increase the catchment area for workers. By that I mean we are looking at increasing the number of hiring points in the Northwest Territories and also to look at training more Northerners for specific jobs in the mines. So to do that, as I said, we have an MOU with the diamond mines and we’re working very closely with the Mine Training Society and Aurora College.
I certainly support the Minister in increasing the workforce in the North. I want to ask the Minister what his department is doing with the NWT mining society to get into communities such as the Sahtu to encourage workers in the Sahtu to come to the workplace here and to set up training programs with the NWT society. I don’t think I’ve seen them in the Sahtu. I only hear of them in the Yellowknife area. What is the Minister doing to encourage the NWT mining society to get out of the Yellowknife area and into the Sahtu to set up training programs there for the people in my region?
The Mine Training Society doesn’t have an unlimited amount of funds; they have a limited amount. So generally we work to provide training in the areas of greatest interest and most of the training has focused around the North Slave region. Although, recently there was a training program in Fort Simpson. Generally where there is identified interest, as the Member knows, as part of the MOU initiative we’ve been working through our career counselling offices at Education, Culture and Employment to make sure that all the communities that are serviced by the career centres have information as to the type and number of jobs that are available. In order to set up a training program, we would work through the Mine Training Society and Aurora College.
That’s what I was looking for, was to see if there was more creativity possible. They have a bunch of learning centres in the Sahtu communities that could be available. It takes one or two people from the mines. I’m not sure how it works. They can certainly work with the communities in the smaller centres outside of Yellowknife. I know the funds are limited. It’s funny how working with the diamond mines there’s lots of dollars in diamonds. If this government can get that, they can work with the learning centres to bring the NWT mining society into the regions and I think you’ll generate interest. I think that’s a plus. I’m just looking for some way how we can get them into our communities other than just having residents come to Yellowknife to take the training.
If all the diamond mines money doesn’t go into the Heritage Fund we should be able to have money for training. One of the priorities for our government working with the diamond mines is to make sure the people of the Northwest Territories know what is available to them and what the mines will do if they hire people in the Northwest Territories to work for them, so that they know what kind of benefits are there and whether the travel will be covered and so on. I think that the best thing for us to do, and the diamond mines management have gone and made tours to all the regions and I think we just have to work closely together to identify where there is interest in working in the mines. Through that process we can identify training opportunities.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do want to say to the mines that I appreciate them choosing Norman Wells as a pickup point for the workers coming out of the Sahtu. I want to ask the Minister about new development going forward on diamond mine training. Could he look at one community in the Sahtu bringing in new training programs in the next couple of months to develop a program that would have the NWT mining society work with the Aurora College to look at programs they could have in the Sahtu region?
I would communicate that to our people involved on the training side. I’m sure we can find an opportunity to do so.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve recently been informed that the radiologist contract has ended in some type of dispute. I’m not precisely sure if it was about money or technical expertise but, if I understood it correctly, people were brought up to provide that service. I’m certainly concerned that this may be putting Northerners at risk. It does cause quite a bit of worry, because anybody who goes to a radiologist, this is not an elective type of treatment, this is obviously for very serious concerns.
I’m wondering what the Minister of Health and Social Services can do to update this House as to what accommodative services have been made since this has happened and if a new contractor has been found to provide these services so we don’t have people at risk. If the Minister could inform us of that.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Any position like that, if there were any vacancies for any reason, the authority would be using locums to make sure that those duties are fulfilled. I’m not aware of details of what the Member is raising. That’s the first time I’ve heard of it, so I’ll take the question on notice and get back to the Member.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 11, replies to opening address. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back to item 8.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Item 8, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to ask the Minister of ENR about the issue with the Yellowknives Dene and the news he had yesterday. I want to follow up, this being the last day of the House. I want to ask where the deal is with the Yellowknives Dene. Are they closed or still ongoing?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct; there were arrangements made for a sit-down between some senior staff and Chief Sangris. I haven’t been informed whether they were successful, but I know that contact has been made.
Would the Minister then inform the House and myself as soon as there is a deal that’s going to be satisfactory to both sides on this issue?
Happily. Happily.
Mr. Speaker, I have a return to Written Question 2-16(5) asked by Mr. Ramsay on March 1, 2010, regarding psychiatric assessments at the North Slave Correctional Centre.
From time to time the courts in the Northwest Territories may order that a psychiatric assessment be conducted to assist the court in determining whether an accused person can be held fully accountable for a crime. These assessments must be conducted by a psychiatrist. No psychiatrist in the Northwest Territories does these type of assessments so offenders are typically sent to a specialized forensic psychiatric unit at Alberta Hospital.
As of March 1, 2010, there were no remanded offenders at the North Slave Correctional Centre awaiting a court ordered psychiatric assessment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, March 8, 2010, I’ll move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that this Legislative Assembly requests that the Auditor General of Canada undertake a special audit of the Deh Cho Bridge Project and report thereon to the Legislative Assembly; and further, that this audit investigate the long-term financial implications of the partnership arrangement, compliance with the Financial Administration Act, Deh Cho Bridge Corporation Act and the financial policies of the Government of the Northwest Territories, value for money considerations, control, appropriation authority, reporting and adherence to standard public procurement practices; and furthermore, that the Auditor General investigate and consider any other factors that, in her opinion, she feels are relevant; and furthermore, that all employees and officials actively cooperate with the Auditor General in providing all appropriate documents, papers and information; and furthermore, that the government inform the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and all relevant contractors of the nature and purpose of this special audit; and furthermore, that the Auditor General is requested to complete the special audit as soon as practicable and provide a report to the Legislative Assembly; and furthermore, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and content of our proceedings today to the Auditor General of Canada for her consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS Tabled Document 4-16(5) has been tabled in this House;
AND WHEREAS the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project requires detailed consideration;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Tabled Document 4-16(5) will be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, March 4, 2010, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, May 11, 2010; and further, that any time prior to May 11, 2010, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Veterinary Profession Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Veterinary Profession Act to provide that an applicant for registration in the Veterinary Register who is not already registered as a veterinarian in a province or territory must have been granted a certificate of qualification upon successful completion of examinations set by the National Examining Board of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Provisions pertaining to registration fees are adjusted to ensure consistency, terminology relating to the veterinary profession is updated to reflect contemporary usage, and several provisions are amended to conform with prevailing drafting practices. In addition, consequential amendments are made to the Herd and Fencing Act, the Pharmacy Act and the new Medical Profession Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Bill 1 has had second reading and is referred to a standing committee.
---Carried
The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Dental Auxiliaries Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Dental Auxiliaries Act to provide that an applicant for registration in the Dental Hygienists Register who is not already registered as a dental hygienist in a province or territory must have both graduated from a program in dental hygiene accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada and have successfully completed the National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination set by the National Dental Hygiene Certification Board. Provisions pertaining to fees are adjusted to ensure consistency and several provisions are amended to conform with prevailing drafting practices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Bill 2 has had second reading and is referred to a standing committee.
---Carried
The honourable Government House Leader, Mr. Miltenberger.
