Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back to the Chamber. Welcome to our guests in the gallery today.
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in February, this House passed a motion calling on the government to develop a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy for the Northwest Territories. This motion also noted the need to work with key stakeholders to develop a definition of poverty and to include measurable targets and mechanisms for cross-departmental coordination.
As Members know, addressing low income in the Northwest Territories is a complex matter that is linked to social, economic and cost of living conditions that exist in our communities.
Poverty strategy from jurisdictions in Canada often focus on activities that improve education and literacy, support people in finding employment and continue to improve access to child care and other factors that create barriers for individuals trying to improve their living conditions. The reality is that several of the strategic actions that have been advanced during this Assembly have been designed with similar objectives including strategic activities aimed at:
improving skills for living and working;
supporting economic diversification and working to maximize benefits from development;
expanding programming for children and youth;
encouraging healthy choices and addressing addictions;
taking steps to address factors that impact cost of living;
undertaking activities to improve shelter; and
ensuring support for families and individuals in need.
These actions build on many existing programs that are aimed to address low income and focus on the underlying causes of poverty. Our programs to support individuals in need are based on the Income Security Framework which emphasizes that programs should be designed to help ensure individuals in greatest need are able to meet their basic requirements for food, shelter and clothing and are in position to participate in community life.
Mr. Speaker, we are prepared to undertake the work required to develop an overarching discussion paper that would address issues of defining and measuring progress on poverty, summarize current programs and strategic direction related to reducing poverty and identify areas for further action.
This work cannot be done alone. We will establish an advisory committee with representatives from key stakeholder groups that will help guide this work. In addition, we will need to develop approaches for broader input from residents on issues associated with poverty. We also need the advice and input of Members of the Legislative Assembly and we need to ensure significant interdepartmental cooperation to reflect the complex nature of the subject matter.
I believe that this government’s priorities and actions are already focused on addressing the underlying causes of poverty. However, our fiscal environment requires us to continually examine our approaches to ensure our resources are being used in an effective manner. I am hoping that the work we are proposing will help identify areas where we can improve on our current activities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today I will be tabling the NWT State of the Environment Report – 2010 Special Biodiversity Edition. The report celebrates the value of biodiversity and is part of the Northwest Territories contribution to the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.
The State of the Environment – Special Biodiversity Edition presents the latest findings on the status and trends of biodiversity, ecosystem integrity and the status of traditional knowledge, growing trends in the sustainable use of biodiversity and trends in threats to biodiversity. The report is in collaboration with the Government of Canada, the Wildlife Management Advisory Committee (NWT), the Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board, the Sahtu Renewable Resources Board, the Wek’eezhii Renewable Resources Board and the North Slave Metis Alliance.
This initiative, as outlined in the department’s framework for action, will help keep residents and decision-makers informed on the state of biodiversity in the Northwest Territories. Compared to other places in Canada, the Northwest Territories diversity of plants and animals is essentially unchanged. However, disturbing trends such as widespread declines in some bird species are of concern.
Biodiversity is the web of life. It is the diversity of plants and animals that make the NWT’s forests, tundra, mountains, lakes, rivers and skies their home.
Biodiversity in the NWT is a combination of healthy ecosystems, the variety of our northern species, and the sustainable use of our genetic resources. A loss of biodiversity can threaten the health of people and the ecosystems that we live in.
The environment is of great importance to the people of the Northwest Territories. Residents are fortunate to have clean air and water and productive forests, land and wildlife, but pressures on the environment, including climate change and fragmentation of our landscape, exist and must be monitored and mitigated. Loss of biodiversity reduces nature’s capacity to adapt to a changing environment, reducing its ability to provide the vital services we require to survive. By monitoring the changes in biodiversity we can be better prepared to mitigate them and adapt to a changing environment.
In response to the United Nations’ 2010 Biodiversity Targets, the report is divided into six sections: status and trends of NWT biodiversity, ecosystem integrity, status of traditional knowledge, sustainable use, threats to biodiversity, and a section on planning, programs, and partnerships for the future.
The Northwest Territories continues to meet the 2010 United Nations’ Biodiversity goals and targets. The State of the Environment – Special Biodiversity Report provides the required information to help us understand the complexities of the NWT’s biodiversity, how it’s changing, and why. Up-to-date revisions to the full NWT State of the Environment Report are available on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources website and will continue to be updated annually. We invite communities, aboriginal organizations, industry, and interested individuals and groups to review this report.
In honour of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, I hope this report helps teach NWT residents and all Canadians about the importance of biodiversity in our changing environment. By monitoring and reporting on the status and trends of biodiversity we can better mitigate environmental changes so future generations can enjoy a healthy and prosperous future.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last weekend our territorial parks were opened to the public in every region except Inuvik where those parks will open on June 1st. This kicks off the summer tourism season here in the Northwest Territories. We will also celebrate NWT Tourism Week from June 7 to 13. With these events taking place and with this being the last session until the fall, I think this is an appropriate time to highlight the importance of the tourism industry to our Territory.
That importance is demonstrated in dollars and cents. Last year tourism contributed $130.3 million to the Northwest Territories economy. It is also demonstrated by the fact that tourism is a sector that can be viable in all 33 of our communities. With the right idea, enthusiasm, and hard work, tourism can succeed almost anywhere.
The fact that tourism can be viable anywhere makes it an important contributor to the 16th Legislative Assembly’s goal of diversifying our economy and providing all regions and communities with opportunities and choices. In every corner of the Northwest Territories there are wonders to be seen and experienced that you won’t find anywhere else. These wonders provide business opportunities for our residents.
Tourism is also a renewable, sustainable business sector. It takes advantage of some of our greatest attributes: our people, our unique culture, our beautiful scenery, our wildlife, and our traditional arts and crafts. These attributes have staying power. We can depend on them year after year.
The Government of the Northwest Territories recognizes the importance of our tourism industry. That is why we are investing $5.5 million into the industry this coming fiscal year.
We are supporting the industry in both big and small ways. The big ways can be seen in our efforts to promote the Northwest Territories as a place to visit during the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics Games. It can also be seen in the programs like the Tourism Diversification and Marketing Program, which provides funding for Northwest Territories operators to enhance or expand their products and operations in this competitive and ever-evolving industry.
The Government of the Northwest Territories supports the tourism industry in many ways, including regional product development workshops and the Marine Safety Training courses. Last year these courses were delivered to 59 tourism operators and their guides. As well, we have provided assistance to improve infrastructure across the Territory such as the conference facility in Inuvik, airport signage and displays in the Sahtu.
Mr. Speaker, the success of our tourism industry relies on the success of our partnerships with tourism operators. The board and staff of Northwest Territories Tourism share with the Government of the Northwest Territories a commitment to the development of the industry and I would like to recognize this important and valued partner, which promotes the Northwest Territories through their marketing activities. We appreciate their ongoing engagement and commitment to keeping the tourism industry vibrant in the Northwest Territories.
Of course, no mention of our tourism industry would be complete without tipping our caps to the hardworking men and women who make up the Northwest Territories tourism industry. The determination and strength of these individuals have built our industry, and they are not only valued businesspeople, but also ambassadors of the Northwest Territories, bringing the warmth and wonder of our Territory to the world.
Mr. Speaker, as we enter what we hope will be another busy summer tourism season here in the Northwest Territories, I ask all the Members of this Assembly to join me in saluting our tourism industry and the men and women involved in it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share with my colleagues the great success stories about all 33 community governments in the Northwest Territories.
As Members know, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is the lead department working with community governments to implement the requirements for funding under the Canada-NWT Gas Tax Agreement.
One condition of this agreement is that all 33 community governments in the Northwest Territories complete an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan, or ICSP, by March 31, 2010. The ICSP includes a community strategic plan, as well as three sub plans: a capital investment plan, a community energy plan, and a human resources plan.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that all 33 community governments successfully completed and adopted their ICSPs by the required March 31, 2010, deadline.
As we all know, good planning is an essential requirement for success. Through the development of an ICSP, a community government has created a roadmap that outlines where it wants to go and how it is expected to get there.
Between November 2009 and January 2010, 26 of the 33 community governments worked with MACA and its partners, the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and the Arctic Energy Alliance, and attended regional workshops to assist with the completion of their ICSPs. The workshops were deemed a great success. The remaining seven community governments took the initiative to work with external consultants with expertise in the field, and also completed their ICSPs by the March 2010 deadline.
Mr. Speaker, because of the hard work of all 33 community governments to complete their plan by the required deadline, I am pleased to inform Members that the Gas Tax Agreement will flow $60 million to community governments in the Northwest Territories over the period 2010-11 to 2013-14. During this period, community governments will be putting their hard work to use and in implementing their ICSPs.
With the success of community governments in approving their ICSPs, they are now better equipped to focus on priorities, analyze their opportunities, and implement any needed organizational or operational changes. The ICSPs will also provide community governments with information to correct any poor performing areas, give a clear sense of direction to community government staff, and provide a frame of reference for their budget.
To support community governments with the implementation of their plans, MACA and the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, the Arctic Energy Alliance, and the Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories will support communities with the ongoing development and implementation of their existing ICSPs, and will assist community governments in facilitating larger community engagement and citizen involvement. MACA and its partners will also provide technical advice and assistance related to all aspects of ICSPs; engage partners, both government and non-government, to advance broad community goals and strategies; and assist community governments with required tools and resources.
Mr. Speaker, with completed strategic plans for all 33 community governments, a clear path forward has been laid out that will bring great results in the areas of capital infrastructure development, increased energy efficiency and the investment in building local capacity, which is an integral part of the 16th Legislative Assembly’s priorities to create sustainable, vibrant and safe communities for all residents of the NWT. Congratulations to all 33 community governments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to clarify my response to Mr. Hawkin’s question regarding summer students yesterday in this House. There are two categories for hiring summer students. Summer students are provided with hiring priority between April 15th and August 31st.
The first category is students hired within the progressive experience and relative experience programs. These programs are specifically designed to provide students with job experience related to the student’s field of study where the emphasis of the job is on providing relevant work experience.
Priority 1 is an indigenous aboriginal student and priority 2 is an indigenous non-aboriginal student or resident disabled student. No priority is all other student applicants.
Mr. Speaker, the second category is students hired outside the progressive experience and relative experience programs.
Outside the Progressive Experience Program are jobs that fulfill a specific departmental need but are not necessarily related to the student’s field of study.
Staffing priority is granted to the designated groups specified in the Affirmative Action Policy. Priority 1 in this category is considered an indigenous aboriginal student or an indigenous aboriginal person (non-student). Priority 2 is an indigenous non-aboriginal student or resident disabled student or an indigenous aboriginal person (non-student) or resident disabled person. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a new chief and council of Lutselk’e. Chief Antoine Michel and a new council were officially sworn into office on May 7, 2010. Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to speak with Chief Michel about various issues and projects in Lutselk’e. We talked about many things we want to see for Lutselk’e. It was especially good to hear that he wants to improve programs and services for the people of Lutselk’e.
Mr. Speaker, Chief Michel has been the Lutselk’e First Nation chief in the past and more recently a councillor at Lutselk’e First Nation. He has a strong background in local politics, and is also a lifelong resident of Lutselk’e and has seen the community through many changes. During our discussion, Chief Michel mentioned that he wanted to see a new productive relationship with the GNWT and would like to see the Lutselk’e First Nation become more involved with delivery of GNWT programs and services.
Mr. Speaker, in Lutselk’e, the First Nation is a local government and the only government. In addition to overseeing programs and services in Lutselk’e, they must also be involved with equally important issues outside the community within the Akaitcho Territory Government. One can say they are doing double duty. Often many people don’t realize that of the chiefs.
With respect to a new band council, the community elected Gilbert Abel, Ron Desjarlais, Terri Enzoe, Ron Fatte, James Marlowe and Emily Saunders. Of the six council members elected, only Terri Enzoe was an incumbent.
Mr. Speaker, the new chief and council represents a new direction and leadership for the community. However, at the same time, they acknowledge the work of the previous chief and council. They look forward to continuing the good work that they have done.
Mr. Speaker, Chief Michel would welcome the opportunity to foster a positive working relationship with the GNWT for addressing the various community issues and concerns. I look forward to working with Chief Michel and his new council. I am travelling there next week to meet with them. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Chief Michel and the Lutselk’e Dene First Nation Council. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided]
Mr. Speaker, this summer the Deh Cho Hall in Fort Simpson will be demolished. The building that dates back to the late 1950s has housed many different activities over the years.
The Deh Cho Hall was originally named the Lapointe Hall. It was part of the residential school system. Many Northerners were students at this facility. Until recently it was the home of the ECE support office and the Open Door Society. It also housed Aurora College, and several other local organizations benefited from that space. Most notably, I should add it was the John Tsetso Memorial Library, which still needs a home. It is a monument to the past and a symbol of the era of residential schools.
Many aboriginal people have been working on healing in order to find closure to their personal residential school experience. It is a very interesting parallel that as reconciliation is about forgetting the past, taking down the Deh Cho Hall seems to be a way of literally taking down walls and shaking off the past. Taking this building down is a means of moving forward. On one hand we are removing a legacy and on the way out creating new positive ones.
Fort Simpson did get a new ECE administrative building to house all our education needs and is now becoming a central place. The demolition is turning out to be a huge employment opportunity. A local company, Nogha Enterprises Limited, has been awarded a contract to demolish the building. This contract will provide 25 jobs to the community and these jobs will give a lift to our economy. They will have the ability to learn new skills, and employability in other areas.
Every time I hear about new jobs in Nahendeh, I know that constituents and the community will be happy. This will remove a very big building and change the face of Fort Simpson, and I am hopeful we can use the space for new future infrastructure. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Monday morning I was contacted by a constituent who was very concerned about a recent Department of Health public tender. Their business received a fax Friday afternoon from Inuvik Health to which they only noticed Monday morning and, by the way, Mr. Speaker, it closes this Thursday. To understand this situation and appreciate the complexity, I will describe it this way.
The tender was faxed to this office Friday, May 14th. The fax was examined on Monday morning, May 17th, and the tender closes on May 20th. Simply put, this business is only allowed four business days to reasonably respond to a complex tender. So is it reasonable, or is it fishy, Mr. Speaker? I’ll let the public decide on how this process will roll out.
However, if the problems stop there I’m sure we can simply chalk this up as an oops or an oversight. But when you read the tender document, a chill of unfairness starts to roll down your spine. When you read the details of the 13 pages of request on the tender document you will see that they use one name of a local competitor against another here. The Department of Health uses the spreadsheet of a local business, which can only cause you to wonder who actually wrote this tender, but if it only stopped there, the story would probably end. But, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health then uses specific product numbers from this one local business in their public tender, which really can only be attained from this private business. So how is that fair competition?
As opposed to using industry standards and product names that everyone knows and understands, like Johnson and Johnson and Phillips as an example, they decide to use product numbers, descriptions and product names you can only guess came from one company. Mr. Speaker, if you get into the product description now, the wording is very vague and ambiguous, which causes you to be forced to guess on what the Department of Health reads.
So if you’re a northern business and you want to compete on this public tender, you actually have to call your local competition to ask them for pricing so you can compete. Is that fair? I would definitely say not. Mr. Speaker, again, it causes me to wonder what’s going on.
Mr. Speaker, this process is kind of a strange stage of many things that arise and surface as to what is really going on. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister of Health and Social Services is forced with only one option which, I brought to her attention, is to cancel the tender, issue it fairly and make sure northern competitors aren’t competing each other in such an unfair, blatantly biased manner, which I think brings disrespect to this government and it can be corrected today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about the proposed changes to the supplementary health benefits. I’ll begin by stating that I am encouraged that Premier Roland and Cabinet Ministers actually were listening to what Regular Members and the public were saying about the proposed changes.
We’re looking now at a joint working group formed between Cabinet and Regular Members to come up with a plan to move this forward and I appreciate Cabinet wanting to work through the issues with Regular Members. I’m hoping for positive results from this effort. In the spirit of consensus government we do need to work together.
However, I do remain sceptical of the timelines. We have an opportunity before us to get this right and make decisions based on solid analysis. As a government we cannot afford to deliver a haphazard, inferior product for our residents. It will be up to us to ensure that it does get done right.
Having the ability to move the implementation date until after Members come back here in October will give us the opportunity to question the Cabinet. For me this is very important as it will give us the ability to ask more questions on behalf of our constituents. September 30th was solely a political date intended at avoiding another round of questions. I want to thank those Cabinet Members who agreed with having some flexibility.
Over 3,000 Northwest Territories residents signed one petition or another voicing their displeasure with the actions of government in regard to this policy. We had over 150 protesters in front of the Legislative Assembly. A motion passed unanimously in the recent Elders Parliament. A motion passed at the recently held NWTAC. Hundreds and hundreds of e-mails, letters and phone calls from concerned residents. And finally the government has listened.
Politics is a serious business. I recall a former political science professor of mine stating that in politics there are two things you cannot fool around with. The first is health care and the second is education. If you must do so, it will require much finesse and diplomacy. To date we haven’t done this. Can we not find a way forward without unnecessarily infuriating the public? The first step in this process is listening to people.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
In her handling of the issue, the Health Minister has shown a propensity to be narrow minded and not listen to the arguments put forward by Members on this side of the House, and I want to go on record today as saying she has got to improve her listening skills. Thankfully some of her Cabinet colleagues understand what consensus government means and what it means to listen to the Regular Members of this House and the public of the Northwest Territories. I want to thank them for that.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not sure if I should thank the Premier or chastise him for stealing my statement today.
Just before Christmas a group of concerned, socially conscientious organizations came to the Legislative Assembly and gave us all a Christmas present. It was a gift of 14 reports detailing the causes and effects of poverty. In addition to their presentation, the group had but one request and, to quote them, “All we want for Christmas is an end to poverty.”
Just this past weekend the NWT Association of Communities passed a resolution which urges the GNWT to proceed with the creation of a strategy for eliminating poverty. It’s a follow-up to a motion to develop an anti-poverty strategy passed in this House on February 11th. As the Premier mentioned, it’s a motion which asks the Premier to initiate discussions with the Anti-Poverty Alliance Partners and requests a response to the motion in 120 days.
In a Member’s statement in February I made the following comment: that present, the one made to the Assembly, an end to poverty for members of the alliance and for our residents is one that this government needs to start work on. I was going to upbraid the government for not having done anything, but now, some 90 days after the motion, I’m very pleased to hear that the government is ready to move forward towards an end to poverty. But I have to wonder how the government will provide the requested comprehensive response less than 30 days from now if we are only just starting the process.
As the Premier also mentioned, all Members, Regular and Executive alike, acknowledge the huge impact that poverty has on our residents. The effects are evident in our schools and in the overloading of our health care system. Poverty in the NWT is exacerbated by our isolation, the high cost we pay for food, shelter and fuel, our housing shortages and inadequacies, and just the logistics of living in the North. To counteract those effects, our government spends quite literally hundreds of thousands of dollars on income support programs for our residents.
An effective anti-poverty strategy will be financially beneficial to the GNWT as it will reduce the dollars needed for income support programs. Our people will be better off. The GNWT bank balance will be better off. We all win in the long run.
The Premier spoke of establishing an advisory committee, but I feel that’s not enough.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
We have an offer of assistance from community partners to develop an anti-poverty strategy and it’s a great opportunity that must not be ignored. We have organizations concerned for the welfare of NWT residents willing to donate their labour and advice and considerable experience to this project, but we must engage them in a meaningful manner. They want to work, not advise, and we have to take advantage of that.
I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to use my Member’s statement today to welcome the Grade 6 students, teachers and chaperones from the Princess Alexandra School in Hay River. Recognition of visitors in the gallery is supposed to take less than 15 seconds, but Members’ statements are two and a half minutes, so I’m going to take my Member’s statement to recognize them. I would very much like to welcome them here and I do apologize if I do not pronounce your name right.
Teachers today: Rita Moizis and Jennifer Tweedie. Students: Kaed Blake, Novi Bordeny, Tia Buckley-Cayen, Nick Buth, Tristan Cross, Ashley Felker, Dawson George, Amber Lamalice, Meagan Loutit, Josely Mabbitt, Robert MacLeod -- and if you’re ever interested in politics, you’ll have a very good chance of getting into Cabinet.
---Laughter
Shanise -- and I suggest you get a picture taken with two other Robert McLeod’s here -- Shanise Mandeville, Shalaine Moore, Larissa Nekurak, James Pennell, Janna Roach, Uzair Sipra, Kira Tatti, Will Tonka, Danna Webster, Don Wilson, Bret Allinott, Anastasia Antony, Michael Beaulieu, Arry Bertrand, Russell Bouvier, Susie Chambers, Chelsea Dumas, Kendra Gaede, Sara Gibbons, Tristan Graham, Rachel Harder, Alex Huang, Christian Laboucan, Darwin Lawrence, Jared Leblanc, Kierra Mandeville, Jaymar Marzan, Daniel Melanson, Elliot Pinto, Ruby Lee Powder. Our chaperones here today: Rodger Blake, Allan Buth, Doug Lamalice, Linda Antony, Kelly Allinott, and Cheryl Melanson.
And I’d also like to recognize my constituency assistant and thank her for her help in organizing this today: Wendy Morgan from Hay River South.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is dealing with the Business Incentive Policy. I think there’s a major problem with the policy. I’ll just go through some of the principles of the policy that are supposed to be applied.
The Government of the Northwest Territories adheres to the following principles when implementing the policy: the government referential practices should maximize benefits for the residents of the Northwest Territories to the government policy and procedures; should enhance the Northwest Territories business environment, ensuring sustainable economic growth; and the policy should not prejudice any present or future self-government treaties or land claim-based rights.
I have a problem with (3). I believe that this policy undermines the land claim agreements and undermines the whole objective of the land claim agreements to have stable and subsistent businesses in the land claims agreements. Ensuring that we have self-relying people and self-relying communities by making capital investments to develop the economic liability of those businesses to be sustainable, when you have businesses located in two communities… I’ll use the illustration of Inuvik. You have two hotel companies in Inuvik. One is owned by the Gwich’in Development Corporation in partnership with a company. They spent $12 million to put this facility in place. Now we’re finding out that the Government of the Northwest Territories is only using one hotel for government employees, which is the Mackenzie Hotel. For one reason or another they are not using the Gwich’in business in Inuvik. This totally undermines the whole principle of land claim agreements.
Why should aboriginal companies invest their monies in the Northwest Territories to provide an economic benefit to their benefactors by these types of businesses? Yet again this shows the disregard for land claim agreements, land claim corporations, from doing business in the Northwest Territories, especially in the Inuvik region.
I don’t know what it is, but it seems to me there’s a line drawn in the sand and this government is doing everything it can to undermine those land claim agreements and the Gwich’in Tribal Council and these business arms by trying to do business in the Northwest Territories.
This has drawn a wedge in regard to the aboriginal business…
Mr. Krutko, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
This totally undermines the whole concept of land claim settlements in the Northwest Territories and for aboriginal groups to develop an economic base so they can provide for their benefactors and the people in communities so that we are able to be self-reliant people. When this type of practice is done by the government to undermine those land claim agreements, the policy itself is in question. This policy, as far as I see it, shouldn’t be put forward to the implementation of the land claim agreements and see how it draws up to the land claims agreements. Are they exactly undermining those agreements by these types of policies?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday in the House the Minister of Health and Social Services announced that the Legislative Assembly has created a working group of Ministers and Regular Members to assist in the review of specific items that Members and the public would like to have reviewed prior to the implementation of the new Supplementary Health Benefits Program. The intent of this working group is to improve upon the program that the Minister has already presented.
According to the press release from yesterday afternoon, the working group will consist of three Regular Members and three Ministers, one of which will be the Minister of Health and Social Services.
For the record, I am supportive of this group. I have a significant amount of confidence in my Regular Member colleagues as well as any additional Ministers that are appointed to this committee. I believe that they will listen to what Regular Members and the public have to say and attempt to incorporate those comments and concerns into any future direction that the Minister of Health and Social Services may take. I’m supportive of this group and I’m optimistic that this could result in a new Supplementary Health Benefits Program that is in the best interest of all people of the Northwest Territories.
However, I am concerned that the Minister is limiting the discussion to three key areas: personal third-party coverage responsibility, which is important; approaches to limit employer and individuals from dropping third-party insurance, which is also important; and the issue of accumulated high cost and capped threshold, which once again is also important.
These are clearly areas which need to be addressed. However, I feel that addressing these fairly could necessitate the need to modify much of the Minister’s current plan. This could mean that other areas outside of the scope of the committee must also be considered. As such, the Minister must be open to making changes to all aspects of the plan if the committee directs her to do that. If the Minister is open to these, this process could easily work and result in a fair and equitable supplemental health care plan. If past predicts future, I’m worried that the Minister will remain committed to her existing plan.
I encourage the Minister to have an open mind and listen to and work with this working group. No options should be disregarded without reasonable consideration.
Lastly, I’m concerned with the implementation date presented by the Minister yesterday. Yesterday the Minister indicated that a program will be implemented on or before November 1, 2010. On or before means that the Minister may, or could, still implement the program on September 30, 2010, as she originally intended, which is prior to the next sitting of the next Legislative Assembly. To me, this could undermine the intent and good work of this newly established working group.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage the working group to take the time needed to do the work required and develop a reasonable and appropriate Supplemental Health Benefits Program. Mr. Speaker, it’s more important that we get it done right as opposed to get it done right now. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for three years there has not been a resident social worker in Tulita. How can that be? Don’t you think or feel that people should have help and support when they need it? Don’t you think or feel that all communities should have a solid social safety net? Don’t you think that three years is just too long, far too long to not have a social worker?
People in my home town of Tulita deserve better. Every community in the Northwest Territories deserves better. Right now people are thinking when this government or our board follow through on their commitment to get a social worker in Tulita, or better yet, how about giving the responsibility to the communities to get their own social workers, because all we get are excuses as to why we don’t have a social worker there today. People are having to deal with tough issues over the phone or having to wait a long time until the social worker comes to the community.
How can anybody have trust in such a system? It’s a system this government has put in place. We created this dependency and now we abandoned them. I believe we must allow the community to take control of this position, because here’s what a representative of the Sahtu Health and Social Services Board told me or implied to me: We can’t put a social worker in Tulita because they’ll get culture shock, there’s no housing available, you have to maybe even fly a worker in and out of the community of Norman Wells. He also implied that if we had a social worker that went into Tulita, the spouse got a job in Norman Wells, so we can’t split the family up. Well, how about helping the people of Tulita being front and centre? Shouldn’t that be the most important consideration, Mr. Speaker?
We need a resident social worker in Tulita right now. Mr. Speaker, don’t you think communities like Tulita should be treated equally and fairly by this government when it comes to the health of our people? Or don’t you think 1,995 days without a resident social worker is long enough? Would you accept any more excuses, Mr. Speaker? Please help us.
