Debates of May 14, 2007 (day 6)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The RCMP not doing the escorting of prisoners and the correction officers taking over that, that is so yesterday’s news. I’d really appreciate it if the Minister doesn’t keep repeating that. I think that just highlights one of the many things, I’m sure, I don’t know, the Minister doesn’t know, we’re not running the RCMP, we’re not on the street, so can I ask the Minister to take this issue more seriously and answer specifically, would the department undertake a formal comprehensive review on the work of RCMP with the goal to minimize their work and maximizing their time on the streets? Would the Minister commit to that, please? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 74-15(6): Policing Resources Available To Address Criminal Activity In Downtown Yellowknife

Mr. Speaker, I’m trying to be conscious of not sucking up a bunch of RCMP time in an exercise that will bear little fruit. I’d be willing to sit down and talk with the new commanding officer, ask him if he feels there’s some merit in pursuing a formal committee with a formalized mandate and setting up some sort of a structure. If he thinks that that can assist the RCMP in improving their efficiency, then I’m more than prepared to champion that cause. But that’s what I would propose at this point. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 74-15(6): Policing Resources Available To Address Criminal Activity In Downtown Yellowknife

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think I’ve heard a yes or no commitment from him, Mr. Speaker. We have a new change of commanding officer; this is a good time to do it. But, Mr. Speaker, I’m telling you I have information that even though on the books it shows that we have 42 RCMP officers, there are times when we only have two pairs of boots on the street. We need to do something, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, would he undertake to do a formal review? I’m not trying to suck up the time of the RCMP. I’m trying to give them more time. So Mr. Speaker, would he just say yes to this commitment and maybe work with the Social Programs committee, work on the terms of reference? We need to get more serious about this. It’s not a, you know, willy-nilly, you know, leisurely activity here. We need to get boots on the ground. So could the Minister just say yes and we’ll work from that? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 74-15(6): Policing Resources Available To Address Criminal Activity In Downtown Yellowknife

Mr. Speaker, I’m more than prepared to come and talk to the Social Programs committee about such an initiative, but I am concerned that we set up some sort of paper shuffling exercise involving the RCMP, a long, drawn out process that really does nothing, Mr. Speaker. I think we all share the same thoughts, and that is to get as many RCMP officers on the ground and make sure their time isn’t spent frivolously doing unnecessary paperwork.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I would say that I haven’t heard from the RCMP this concern. They have a number of opportunities to bring this to my attention. We meet very frequently. This is not something that has been brought to my attention in terms of two people left in the community to police an entire community the size of Yellowknife. That’s never been raised with me, Mr. Speaker. But I’ll certainly sit down with Social Programs, sit down with the new commanding officer, and we can talk about what might have some merit. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up with the Member’s statement on the Deh Cho Bridge project. I just have some questions for the honourable Premier, Mr. Handley, I think whose court that this bridge is in right now. I just want to talk about some cost recovery initiatives that this government could probably give the green light to and probably should seriously consider giving the green light to since the Deh Cho Bridge sounds like it’s a go ahead anyway. The $6 a ton fee that the Premier was talking about last week that the rates plus the cost of living that’s going to be charged to haulers on that bridge project, I want to ask the Premier if when the bridge is built in 2010, say optimistically, but it could be built a little later, but hopefully around 2010-2011, what that rate, that $6 rate is going to be at then. Is it still going to be at $6 or are we looking at $10 per ton then and if it is at $10 per ton, what is going to stop these private haulers, like the fuel haulers, from building their own ice bridge and just going around the Deh Cho Bridge altogether on an ice road? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll answer briefly. These questions are more appropriate for the Minister of Transportation. The toll is not likely going to be $10. My estimate, I believe, is it would roughly be $6.50 if we apply the inflation factor to the numbers we had when they were first worked out at $6. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I remember correctly, too, that $6 is based on a $60 million project and not 130 or 150 million dollar project. So that just changes everything drastically. I’m just looking at the $2 million over and above the already $2 million that we pay for ferry and ice road operations. So that looks like we’re paying out about $4 million per year out of our government revenues, taxpayers’ money, I guess, to finance the Bridge Corporation. I want to ask the Minister, if we are so hard on seeing this bridge project go through and we give the green light automatically or with not much public input, why can’t we give a green light on a bridge reserve fund today so we have a reserve sitting there in 2010-2011 with maybe $10 million that we could put right down on the bridge right off the get go? Can we get a reserve fund established? Get a toll on the ferry starting today, Mr. Speaker. Why isn’t that an option, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll refer this question to the Minister of Transportation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think, if I understand the question correctly, the Member’s after can we realize some savings and create a fund to pay for the bridge. Fifty percent of the costs that we’re talking about for operating a new bridge is already being spent right now as we operate our ferry and ice bridge there, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the $6 per ton for a truck, that is a new figure that we have been using. That is something that the way it is right now in the financial model, is to become effective the day the bridge starts operating. There is an inflationary factor. If the pressures are there, it may be more than $6 when the bridge opens, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I didn’t get any indication of why we are not charging a toll fee on tonnage in the operations of the ferry or even the operations of the highway. I know there is a fixed rate at the weigh scales that companies pay, but right now, before we hit them with the $6.50 in 2010 or $10 or whatever it may be when the bridge finally opens its gates, why can’t we just start charging them a toll right now? Then when it comes time to charge them a toll when the bridge is open, they won’t take it so harshly and won’t try to think of alternatives to work around it. Why can’t we do that today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Member has a good question and the way that the Deh Cho Bridge Act is set up, it has nothing to do with our current operations. If the Member is looking at a government implementing a toll on our existing ferry systems, we will have to look at different legislation to do that, Mr. Speaker. The decision was made many years ago when we created our ferry system, is for easy, free access for the North and all northerners. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. A short supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, if we need some more marine transportation legislation, fine, let’s just forget about the toll on the ferry. Let’s have a toll on our highway system. How about that? Why don’t we put a toll fee right at the weigh scales in Enterprise where the trucks come in? Why can’t they pay a toll fee right there? I don’t see that charging them $10 extra is going to make any big difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have just been advised that a highway tax was severely defeated a term ago. I don’t think we want to go there. I think the Member’s intention is good in bringing forward that suggestion of creating the tolls and phase it in right now but, legislatively, we are just in no position to do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t see any legislation being a big roadblock to implementing any kind of toll fee on our highway system which really takes a lot of wear and tear over one year. We are just dishing out millions and millions of dollars to keep the highway open free of charge. I know that the mines charge companies roughly about $100,000 a year to use their ice roads. We don’t charge anybody any toll fee to use our ice bridges or any bridges that we have up and down the Mackenzie Valley, so why don’t we consider something like that? If we want to be smart businesspeople here, let’s act like businesspeople here and treat our customers like everybody else treats them. If they have money to spend, why don’t we get some of it? By that, I mean why can’t we put in some kind of a bridge reserve fund starting soon so…

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In many of the jurisdictions across Canada, that is what in effect they do for reconstruction, rebuilding the highways, their bridges. They do slow the traffic down and provide tolls. They then recover some costs for those repairs because it is the travelling public that use it. But here in the North, our traffic volume just cannot sustain something like that, especially the smaller vehicles. Once again, we have to introduce new legislation to collect tolls. If that is something the Member wants to put forward and that is something the public wants, they are going to have to let the government know and we can pursue that kind of legislation. But up to now, Mr. Speaker, we are not considering any tolls for the travelling public on ferries or highways at this time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a single student going to school gets $700. If you go to school in Lethbridge, you get $700. If you go to school in Inuvik, you get $700. The cost of living, Mr. Speaker, between Lethbridge and Inuvik, I am sure is just a little bit different, slightly different. You would need at least $1,260 to offset the difference in the cost. And heaven forbid if you are a young mother from one of the communities with two kids, goes into Inuvik, wants to take nursing access so you can make a better life. Heaven forbid. It is difficult on these people that try to attend school. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if the department has any plans to review and adjust the SFA to reflect the high cost of living? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Student Financial Assistance Program is constantly under review. We have made revisions to the program in the past few years. We are planning further revisions to the program in time for this fall’s semester. What the Member is talking about in terms of a difference in the cost of living based on the different costs in the Northwest Territories is another area that we are looking at. We probably are not going to get that one done this year, but we are taking a look at it because we have, Mr. Speaker, a significant investment in our Aurora College campuses. We want to make sure that we are encouraging northern students to attend college in the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister makes a good point as we want to keep our students going to school in the North, but the high cost of living…It only makes sense that you may want to go to school south. Mr. Speaker, they are doing an income support redesign to reflect the high cost of living in some of the communities. Will they do the same thing with the Student Financial Assistance Program and have it implemented this fall? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, the repayable loan limit for student financial assistance is $1,100 a month. By this fall, that will be increased to $1,400 a month. So there will be a change. There will be needs assessed. So depending on the need, if students need it, that money will be available. We are also going to be increasing the lifetime limit for loans to ensure that northern students don’t run up against that limit. Mr. Speaker, the kind of change, that is the indexing, that the Member is asking about, we have just started the research on that right now. We know that, for instance, British Columbia does do some limited indexing. We are taking a look at how they do their program to try and see if we can find a way to make it work here in the North.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have done some researching, too. Students say it does cost less to go to school south than it does in Inuvik. That is all the research you need, is what they tell us and that is what we should be listening to. The $1,925 per semester, is that figure also going to be adjusted when they redo their rates? The cost of tuition in some of the institutions is going up but I don’t know if our rates have increased at all, so I would like to ask the Minister if that cost will be increasing also. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The tuition and the book allowance were both increased within the last two years. Right now, the tuition costs easily cover the amount of tuition that is charged by the college at all the campuses here in the Northwest Territories based on the programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It has to do with the health centres in the Sahtu, particularly the one in Tulita where it is lacking air conditioning. I understand from last year speaking to the community that it was unbearable for some of the patients, especially the elders to sit and visit the health centres and be treated at the same time, sit there while the centre is boiling, I guess, and not being safe to have the services in our community. Is the Minister aware of these health conditions and these working conditions in the Tulita Health Centre?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are aware of issues in our health centres across the Territories. There are a number of facilities that do not have air conditioning in them for the summer months. Normally, this area would be looked at through our small capital program. We are hoping to have that improved throughout this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to shape the Minister’s response to this issue, some of these areas are similar to other communities that do not have RCMP in their communities. They don’t have air conditioners in some of these small health centres. In terms of this simple situation here to be resolved for people in the small communities, this is fixable. It is reasonable. It is also doable. It is a crying shame that, in this day and age, these health centres do not have air conditioners, Mr. Speaker. What does the Minister plan to do to improve the situation like this in the health centre in Tulita?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what we have done, as we go through our capital planning program, is we, through the small capital needs assessment, put our request in for money for health centres throughout the territory that don’t have this type of equipment. We try to make it through that avenue to have equipment installed as the money becomes available. That is the process we are using this year, as well. We have made requests through the small capital needs assessment area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre