Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce that the first class of Aurora College graduates to have completed their Bachelor of Education degree in the Northwest Territories held their convocation in Fort Smith on April 27, 2008. The class included 15 graduates. Thirteen are from the Northwest Territories communities of Deline, Fort Good Hope, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. Two graduates are from outside of the NWT, from Fort Chipewyan in Alberta and Richibucto Village, New Brunswick. I congratulate all of the graduates and welcome them into the workforce. I learned that many of these graduates will be returning or beginning to work in schools across the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring we have a representative workforce in our schools isn’t just about providing jobs for people in the communities. It also makes it possible for Northerners to become role models for NWT students, opening more doors for them. We want our young aboriginal students to pursue skilled professions and trades, so it is important for them to see people from their own communities succeeding in such jobs that currently exist in their communities. What is more, research shows that culture-based education that reflects and respects the students’ heritage, language and life experience enhances that students’ self-esteem and therefore greatly improves educational outcomes. We know how important it is to invest in the quality of our training so that Northerners are ready and able to get jobs. The extension of the Bachelor of Education program to full completion at Aurora College is one great example of how quality training in the Northwest Territories can lead to employment for Northerners in the North.
The Teacher Education Program has existed as a partnership between Aurora College, the University of Saskatchewan through the Indian Teacher Education Program, and the Government of the Northwest Territories for over 30 years. By working together we have made it possible for Northerners to gain a Bachelor of Education without leaving their homes and relocating to the south. This was just an example of more degree programs to come to the North.
The department will continue to work with our partners to find new ways and even better means of providing such opportunity. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May is Speech and Hearing Awareness Month, and today I’d like to highlight communication disorders.
The ability to communicate is our most human characteristic. Speaking, understanding and hearing are essential skills in our society, but most of us take communication for granted. Tens of thousands of people are afflicted with a communication disorder which is defined as a speech, language or hearing disorder which affects an individual’s ability to communicate. Together, speech, language and hearing disorders comprise the largest group of handicapped individuals in Canada.
Some facts to consider. One in 10 Canadians suffers from some type of communication disorder. That means two of us in this room. The first four years of life are critical for speech and language development. It’s estimated that 4 per cent of preschoolers have a significant speech or language disorder. A child should use 200 or more words by the time they’re two or three, and by the age of four and a half their vocabulary should consist of approximately 2,000 words. By age six a child with normal language skills has a vocabulary of 14,000 words. A high school student has a vocabulary of 80,000 words, and an adult has a vocabulary of 80,000 to 250,000 words. We acquire about 5,000 new words a year.
Communication disorders in school-aged children are often misdiagnosed as learning disabilities or behavioural problems, and those disorders can be very difficult to treat later on. Added to that is the fact that children with behavioural problems are ten times more likely than other children to have language disorders.
Both the incidence and the prevalence of hearing loss increase with age — unfortunately for me. The onset of adult hearing loss can start as early as the third or fourth decade of life. That’s all of us, you guys. Twenty per cent of those over the age of 65 and 40 per cent of those over 75 have a significant communication disorder. Six to 12 per cent of seniors and 80 per cent of nursing home residents experience speech, language or voice difficulties. Hearing loss is the third most prevalent chronic disability among older adults, following arthritis and hypertension.
These facts seem rather depressing, but early identification and rehabilitation of speech and hearing disorders is not only possible but can also prevent communication difficulties in school, on the job and in social situations.
Mr. Speaker, I request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Early detection is vital and no one is too young to test, even newborns. Speech language pathologists and audiologists are specialists in diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders. Luckily, we have such specialists in the North, and if you suspect someone has a communication disorder, take them to be tested. Diagnosis and treatment will only improve their quality of life, no matter what their age.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about how the diamond industry has impacted the Tu Nedhe communities. I’m not sure if everyone knows, but the BHP, Diavik and De Beers diamond mines are within the Tu Nedhe riding.
October of this year will mark the tenth year that BHP has been operating, and this past January Diavik Diamond Mine has been in operation for five years. This month it will be four years that De Beers’ Snap Lake project has been operating.
The diamond mine presence has both positive and negative impacts for Tu Nedhe. Economically the diamond industries have increased employment opportunities for many residents living in Tu Nedhe. They have also marginally increased the discretionary spending capabilities of the First Nation bands, as well as providing aboriginal-owned businesses with industry-related opportunities.
Socially the diamond mines have had minimal impact on these communities, but traditional lifestyles have been affected because of the introduction of a wage economy. But members are starting to maximize employment gains and are once again getting back into hunting and trapping. Increased income means more money to buy new boats, motors, Ski-Doos, et cetera. The rotationary work allows them more time to spend on the land.
Environmentally the diamond mines have had a significant impact on wildlife, fish, water and land; however, this has resulted in increased and enhanced awareness of responsibility of land-use management practices amongst all interested parties. This activity is largely responsible for the streamlining of the important environmental assessment process and the environmental monitoring boards.
Industry has committed to working with First Nation groups, demonstrated by many different impact benefit agreements signed. I believe the First Nations are committed to working with industry to maximize economic opportunities for its members and to maximize land issues.
However, many of my constituents feel that we as a government are failing them in the NWT as a whole in the area of resource revenue. They continue to hear of the huge profits the diamond mines are making year after year, yet the communities are….
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
They continue to hear of huge profits the diamond mines are making year after year, yet the communities, our ultimate residents, are not seeing the real noticeable benefits from revenue generated by these diamond mines. With the proposed budget cuts that could impact all of us, why are we not maximizing our participation in this resource revenue agreement?
Later today I will have a follow-up statement and some questions for the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, in the small communities there are many people who are economically challenged and, therefore, end up depending on government to make ends meet for themselves and their families. Government agencies, especially the Department of Health and Social Services, periodically determine what a family might require for the basics and then use these figures to assist their clients. However, there are cost differences in larger, more accessible centres such as Yellowknife, and then there are smaller rural communities in which these differences are dealt with by private and public sectors. For example, one might expect higher wages, higher isolated post allowances and subsidized housing allowances, but that’s only if one is employable.
I wish to explain this a little with a real situation regarding community economics. It was only in recent years that Statistics Canada began studying aboriginal communities, and we are glad that they are doing so. Population figures are used to determine per capita allocation by both federal and territorial governments. The cost-of-living indexes are used to adjust earnings as well as issuing assistance for those who need it.
But these indexes still do not reflect the real costs associated with the smaller communities, which in reality fluctuate during the year. Fall and spring costs are usually higher because of the air transportation in some communities; they have to fly everything in. It is not an unusual sight to see a community person walk out of the store with one or two shopping bags, and with the same amount of money one would see someone else, say in Yellowknife, walking out of the store with 20 bags.
They’re resourceful people, and they are out supplementing their meagre earnings by harvesting country foods.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Foods from the land: caribou, moose, fish, ducks and berries.
Then, again, they are faced with the increasing cost of fuel — $1.64 a litre in the community of Tuk. Equipment such as boats, motors, sleds, et cetera, is getting more expensive. They are good harvesters but just can’t afford to go out on the land.
My generation is in some ways very fortunate. We have access to training, instant communications and many other benefits of modern society. It’s the situation of the older generation and single-parent families that worries us. Do they have enough to make ends meet? Do they feel safe and comfortable? Can they expect a more secure future? The common scenario is to see a person on social assistance or on an old age pension with empty cupboards the second week of every month.
Also becoming common, I know, are several homeless people in the community. It’s sad and ironic that it has come to this — homelessness in our own homeland. Sure there are housing association committees set up to study these situations, but there are still people who have barely enough to eat and others who have no place to call home.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll have questions for the appropriate Minister at the time. Thank you, colleagues.
Just last week the Inuvik Learning Centre had their completion ceremony, which is a ceremony that I usually try to take part in, because I’m very proud of these folks. A lot of them dropped out of school years ago and decided that education is the key to their future. They decided to go back to school and try to upgrade so they can possibly get into college or get into a trade. It’s always a good time for celebration for these people.
This year, Mr. Speaker, I think that celebration is a little bit more magnified, because this may be the last year that they’re celebrating their completion ceremony out of the Learning Centre. The facility that they’re in now is another facility being proposed to be closed down in Inuvik. This is a very important facility to these people. They have as many as 70 students taking part in the courses that they offer there. I’m not quite sure how many completed last week, but I understand there were quite a few.
The students there had written a letter to the previous Minister of Education, and to quote a couple of lines from their letter, they talk about how everybody always talks about education and how important it is. These folks have realized that education is important to their future, their children’s future, and that’s why they decided to go out and try and further their education. They also go on to say that they need to be respected, that they are the future of self-government, the future of government. I know a lot of these folks personally. They’ve overcome a lot of adversity to get to where they are.
It’s just another example of a facility being closed down in Inuvik. I’ve said it before — Inuvik’s being hit hard. We lost both ball fields last fall; we lost our tennis court; we lost our soccer field because of the supposed planning of our new school, which is behind schedule. Inuvik’s going to have to go the next year, possibly two, without these types of recreation facilities. They have a very serious concern with the closure of the Learning Centre. They want to know if there’s anything that we can do to make sure that this centre stays open.
At the appropriate time later on I will have questions for the Minister of Education.
Today I want to talk about the support, or lack thereof, for members of our public service by our Department of Human Resources. In recent months I’ve continued to hear from my constituents about their frustration in securing the most basic information, such as records of employment, information needed to initiate retirement benefits, and the list goes on. This is peculiar to me given the millions of dollars that we’ve invested in the best and most current communications in HR management software. It’s also peculiar given the 125 positions at headquarters in the Department of Human Resources.
We're all familiar with the software rollout fiasco which cost managers an unquantifiable amount of time and resources to manage pay, leave and benefit tasks for people who worked under them.
Today I will specifically have questions for the Minister of Human Resources about the support that is offered to those employees wishing to make plans and decisions regarding their retirement options. These are very important decisions for people who serve the government, and they should be shown the respect that they are due.
Recently, through the routine broadcast of training opportunities on the government e-mail, there was a course called Pre-Retirement Planning. The cost of this course was $400, and my question to the Minister is going to be: do we expect retiring members of our public service to pay $400 to take a course so they can plan their retirement? Or perhaps this is just a course for managers who work in the various departments. But I'd like to focus my question today to the Minister on what support is given to members of our public service who are trying to plan their retirement options.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
During the February session I spoke of the need for the government to establish a territorial nomination system to help speed up the immigration process for foreign skilled and semi-skilled workers who wish to become permanent residents of the Northwest Territories. Most provinces and the Yukon have an agreement with the Government of Canada that allows them to play a more direct role in selecting immigrants who wish to settle in their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, the response from the Minister indicated that the government did not see a role in facilitating the recruitment of skilled immigrants to the NWT.
Like other jurisdictions in Canada, we face serious challenges in finding and attracting skilled workers to meet the employment needs and demands of our booming economy. Our unemployment rate is at an all-time low, and both large and small employers are struggling to recruit and keep qualified employees.
The current federal immigration process is not well-equipped to respond to the need for skilled and semi-skilled workers in a timely manner. We need to find a proactive way to assist employers in recruiting qualified immigrants for jobs that cannot be filled by our local residents. I believe we can provide this type of service and maintain our commitment to training and employment opportunities for northern residents, including our possible new ones.
This is not an either/or situation. An effective labour force development strategy for the Northwest Territories would include a balanced mix of training, recruitment and employment of both skilled residents and semi-skilled foreign workers.
Again I ask the Minister to establish a support service program to our employers of the North, to help hire people and keep their businesses contributing.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd like to speak today about Stanton Territorial Hospital. There continue to be many issues at play at Stanton that throughout this session I will be addressing in an attempt to get some answers from the Minister as to what exactly is happening at that hospital.
In speaking to health care professionals on the front line, I find there seems to be a constant disconnect between the positions that are available at the hospital and the continued reliance on agency nurses. Are we not interested in hiring more nurses who live here? Why wouldn't we look at increasing the float pool at Stanton? And, Mr. Speaker, why is there so much money being spent on overtime?
Let's talk about money, Mr. Speaker. Let's talk about how it is that Stanton has been allowed to approve an $11.5 million deficit. It was only two years ago that Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly approved, through supplementary appropriation, close to $4 million to address the deficit that was building at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
What are the Minister's plans to deal with the $11.5 million and the other millions of dollars of deficit that our other health authorities find themselves in?
There continues to be little in the way of accountability, whether it's from the hospital, the department, or the Minister.
We are talking about a substantial amount of money. We need to address whether Stanton is chronically underfunded or completely and utterly mismanaged. And where in the world is the Stanton master plan after years and years of planning? We are set to spend millions of dollars at Stanton in upgrades and renovations, and yet there is no master plan.
Again, Mr. Speaker, where is the accountability, and where does the responsibility lie? For me, it rests squarely on the Minister's shoulders, and I believe she has some explaining to do to the public and to the Members of this House. She has been the Minister now for several months, and she should have a very good understanding of what is happening at Stanton Territorial Hospital.
There are many, many outstanding health care professionals and employees at that hospital, and I really am getting tired of hearing from people who have just had enough of working at Stanton. They're throwing their arms up in the air, and they're saying, “I've had enough. I need out of Stanton,” and they're leaving the North.
We need to address this. We need to address it head on and come up with some solutions. Mahsi.
[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to speak to you today about the shortage of housing for our teachers in our small and remote communities.
On two occasions this year and every fall in my riding I have at least one or two teachers who are affected by the shortage of housing, by issues with housing.
Our North, our communities really do welcome the professionals willing to come up to our small, remote communities and into the North. I know government has been working on solutions, and they have indicated there's a program to assist businesses to build and provide these homes. But right now the program that's designed will work in the larger communities but not in the small communities. Even if they did, in a small community like Jean Marie or Nahanni Butte, if a private homeowner built a home for rent, the rent would be so far out of reach, because it's very expensive.
I know that these barriers and these limitations are something we've got to work with, and I do believe that government still has to be involved here.
The stability of our teachers will benefit our children, our communities and our North. There are studies to show and prove that as the teachers remain in the community and become members of that community, there's a direct relationship to the children and to them graduating and learning.
I know that government doesn't want to circumvent the no-housing policy of 1992, but we must face the reality that maintaining this status quo affects our children and the quality of our education. So I, too, add my voice. Government must revisit the no staff housing policy and consider that our essential professional staff must be treated equitably and provided with fair living quarters. This must be resolved soon, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi cho.
In a time of fiscal restraint it's important that the government is responsible with the money and that every dollar spent is spent well and for maximum benefit. I'd like to talk to you right now about an example of where I found government funds are not necessarily being spent in the most logical or responsible way.
On April 28 I was in Fort Res with the Standing Committee on Social Programs doing some public hearings. Prior to our public hearing we went on a tour of the community. As we were walking down the street from the band office to the school, we passed three really nice, brand-new homes — well built, well constructed, nice lots, nice property — all three of them completely vacant.
We went around the corner and we found another house, a nice little house. Apparently it was built by students from the school as part of a trades development program — also vacant. In talking to the people from the community, it became obvious that these houses were actually built by the NWT Housing Corporation as part of the home ownership program. Unfortunately, upon completion of building these houses, the Housing Corp found that there was nobody eligible to purchase the homes. So for two years those homes have been sitting vacant in Fort Res, unused, getting older, and the government continues to maintain them, continues to heat them, continues to make sure that there's water. To me, this isn’t necessarily a logical way to spend our money.
I understand the value of housing. I think housing is important and we need to make sure that there’s available housing. But if there are no eligible candidates in the community, I’m not sure why we would build the houses themselves. It would probably have been a lot better to actually go to the community, find out if there are eligible candidates, and if there are eligible candidates, work with those candidates to construct homes. Once again, I believe this is a poor use of funds. I think we need to solve this problem. We need to find some way to use those houses in that community to the maximum benefit of the people in Fort Res.
Later today I’ll be asking the Minister Responsible for the Housing Corp. some questions concerning these houses and the government’s program with respect to home ownership and how they decide where they’re going to build houses and when. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I’m concerned about more and more instances of news reports about the supply of oil, which we all know is also getting more and more expensive.
Mr. Speaker, the International Energy Agency is the energy forum for 27 industrialized countries, including Canada. They share energy information, coordinate their energy policies and cooperate in the development of rational energy programs. One of the objectives of the organization is to maintain and improve systems for coping with supply disruptions.
On Thursday, May 22 — the very day that our Minister of Finance was presenting the budget to this House — the International Energy Agency announced that it is studying depletion rates of oil at about 400 oil fields around the globe in its first-ever study of world oil supply. Our Chief Economist Birol said, “We are entering a new world energy order.” The study will be released in November but was prompted by concern about the volatility of world oil markets and uncertainty about supply levels.
Obviously, we know what’s happening to the price here. It was recently $135. I’m not on top of it this week. It’s of great concern and relevance to our residents. We currently depend on oil for the transport of our food and energy supplies and, really, for the basic survival of our residents and the systems of support we provide to them. I’m concerned about the planning we have done to ensure that our capacity for dealing with significant disruptions in oil supply is in force. I understand there’s an energy planning coordinating committee in most communities but that we have done in the coordinator positions.
I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA some questions about this, this afternoon. Thank you very much.
Mr. Speaker, the government must do everything it can to ensure the protection of those among us who have disabilities, by way of mobility, wheelchair bound, from accessing public facilities to accessing public housing. The government must do everything it can to improve the quality of life of these individuals, as they are the ones that we are here to protect.
Mr. Speaker, I watched a young man struggling to push his wheelchair down the street in Fort McPherson by way of the mud and the gravel, thinking “That’s a challenge.” After talking to his dad, I found out this individual had nowhere to live, so he had to access public housing. The housing authority had to build a ramp for this individual to get into the unit. Yet after talking to his dad, I learned that this young man had to struggle and pull himself in and out of his wheelchair to get into the washroom because his wheelchair was too wide and he couldn’t get through the door. He had to get out of his wheelchair, crawl into the washroom, crawl back out, get into his wheelchair, wheelchair his way down the hallway, go to his bedroom, crawl off his wheelchair, crawl into his bedroom and vice versa.
Mr. Speaker, in this day and age individuals with disabilities should not have to struggle to go to a washroom or have to struggle to get in and out of a public housing unit in our communities. This government and the Housing Corporation must develop a policy that allows for disabled housing in our communities, and also by way of seniors’ housing in regard to our aging population. I think it’s critical to have to hear these stories from parents in regard to their struggling children who are in wheelchairs. Also, by way of access to public housing, the individuals have to wait three months before they are allowed into public housing because they have to move to another community.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Again, Mr. Speaker, the individual had to move to Inuvik with his dad, because his dad got a job in Inuvik. Now he wants to move back to Fort McPherson, because his dad’s job will expire June 31. Yet it’s been less than a year since his dad left Fort McPherson, and now he’s being told by the housing authorities, “Sorry; you cannot get into a public housing unit, because you are not a resident of Fort McPherson.” If anything, a person with a disability should be our top priority and go to the front of the list for housing.
With that, I will be asking the Minister of housing questions on this matter, because I think it does need some urgent attention. These people struggle enough as it is to get through life without us as government putting barriers in their way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
[English translation not provided.]
This year marks a significant recognition for one of my well-respected community members of Behchoko, Father Pochat.
Mr. Speaker, considered a young man among the Tlicho Nation, Father Pochat celebrated his 80th birthday on April 18. Grandon College alumni held a special celebration event as well on May 17 to 18 to recognize Father Pochat for making positive changes in their lives.
Mr. Speaker, Father Pochat was the head administrator of Grandon College in Fort Smith from 1950 to 1970. Under his leadership the college produced many of today’s Northerners, the leaders, including former Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrews, former Premier Stephen Kakfwi, Tlicho Grand Chief George Mackenzie and, of course, two MLAs sitting here with us, Mr. Bob McLeod and Mike Miltenberger.
Father Pochat received the Order of Canada in 2006, one of the highest honours in Canada, for over five decades of lifetime achievement.
Mr. Speaker, we thank Father Pochat for all the years of service. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.
It gives me great pleasure today to introduce a constituent and good friend of mine; Dawna O’Brien is in the Chamber today. Also, my constituency assistant, Deb Mageean, is in the gallery today.
We also have, visiting us here at the Legislative Assembly, students from grades 5 and 6 from École Boréale in Hay River, doing a tour of Yellowknife and the Legislative Assembly. I’ll introduce a few of them and then turn it over to my colleague from Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
I’d like to introduce Kelly Rose Hiebert, Jasmine St. John and Desiree Bouchard, and special recognition to my oldest grandson, Logan Gagnier.
It is also my pleasure today to welcome the grades 5 and 6 students from École Boréale to the Legislative Assembly. I’d like to recognize my constituency assistant and thank her and your assistant, Mr. Speaker, for their help in planning this event today. I’d also like to recognize the teachers of these students: Kim Ivanko and Patrick Poisson. I’d also like to recognize the students — and give us a big wave — Mason Bruneau, Paige Kruger, Andrew Payeur and Andrea Walker.
I’d like to recognize in the gallery a constituent, Mrs. Candy Brown, from Fort Simpson.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize a constituent and all the good work he does in the community in the area of addictions: Mr. Bern Richards.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me pleasure to recognize somebody who’s travelled down from Inuvik, Mr. Norm Snowshoe, as well as my executive assistant, Bobby-Jo Greenland.
I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Norm Snowshoe and Bobby-Jo Greenland, formerly from Aklavik and Fort McPherson, who are now living in Inuvik.
I as well have the honour to be able to recognize two constituents from Fort Smith, members of the Seniors’ Society, Mrs. Bea Campbell and Mr. Leon Peterson. Welcome.
I’d like to recognize Blake Lyons, the president of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society, an ex-city councillor and a constituent.
I want to recognize a couple of people. First of all, Blake Lyons, former president of the NWT Association of Communities, and also a guy I went to college with: Norman Snowshoe, with whom I spent many long nights… studying.
Laughter.
He has now decided to enter the political arena and is running for the presidency of the Gwich’in Tribal Council. I’d like to welcome him here and also wish him the best of luck.
I’d like to recognize, down from Inuvik, Lillian Elias. I’d also like to recognize my sister-in-law, Bobby-Jo Greenland.
I’d like to recognize Joseph Lanzon. I believe he used to work here in the Legislative Assembly in a previous life and now lives in Ottawa.
Mr. Speaker, it’s my honour and privilege to recognize Ms. Jean Gruben, one of my constituents from Tuktoyaktuk, in the House.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great honour to recognize from the NWT Seniors’ Society board of directors Leon Peterson from Fort Smith, Bea Campbell from Fort Smith, Eileen Collins from Hay River, Terry Villeneuve from Fort Resolution-Deninu Ku’e, Florence Barnaby from Radilih Koe’-Fort Good Hope, Lillian Elias from Inuvik, Jean Gruben from Tuktoyaktuk, Blake Lyons from Yellowknife, and Barb Hood, of course, the executive director.
I’d also like to recognize Norm Snowshoe. When we were going to school, we really did study hard.
I also wanted to recognize Barb Hood, the executive director of the NWT Seniors’ Society.
