Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure today to recognize a constituent of Frame Lake, Ms. Barb Wyness, who is up behind me in the gallery representing the UNW, I believe. If there are any other constituents of mine up there who I can’t see, welcome to the Leg.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last while we’ve heard many comments about the number of McLeods in the House. So I’d like to welcome a few more reinforcements. Two of my sisters-in-law are here. I’d like to welcome them both: Melody and Evelyn. Thank you for coming. I’d also like to recognize Rocky Simpson from Hay River. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize my constituent, Mr. Rocky Simpson. In a time of economic downturn, he’s fighting the odds and expanding his business at a great pace in Hay River. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Byrne Richards, a constituent, who is with us in the gallery today. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take the time to recognize one of our Pages, Ms. Paige Elkin. She’s a constituent in Yellowknife Centre as well as my kids’ favourite babysitter. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Blake Lyons, who is president of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society. I’d also like to recognize Byrne Richards, who is executive director of Aurora Osprey Society, and Heidi-Ann Wild, who is a constituent of Range Lake.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
I’d like to recognize Baptiste Foisey, who is…Many people have seen migratory birds returning; we also have our students returning. So welcome back to Baptiste. I’m told he will be on the job today.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. I’d like to recognize a couple of constituents in the gallery. I’d like to recognize Roy Courtoreille, regional vice-president for UNW, in the gallery. Also Kathy McBryan is in the gallery today. Welcome to the gallery. If we’ve missed anyone else in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Environment in regard to the biomass initiative in Scandinavia. I think it took them 30 years to get to where they are today. We don’t have 30 years. I’d like to ask the Minister, in light of the efforts by this government to look at biomass, which are mostly taking place in larger centres, what is this government doing to ensure that we are able to put biomass projects into communities such as Jean Marie or other communities who have resources or have the assets in those communities and expand those systems so that we can cut down our dependence on fossil fuels during the term of this government?
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has earmarked and this Assembly has approved a significant amount of money, for the first time ever, towards alternative energy, one of those sources being biomass. And, yes, we have on the books a pilot project that we’d like to look at. In Jean Marie, we’re looking at expanded waste recovery. We’re looking at wood pellets both in institutions and in communities. We want to move that plan forward. We’re waiting, with considerable interest, on the specific recommendations that the Member is going to bring forward with his colleague Mr. Bromley as a result of their fact finding trip to Scandinavia where they learned very many valuable things that they can share with us that will help us set our policy base and direction going forward as a government.
I believe that this government has to consider pilot projects of some sort. We have two budget cycles left to go and I think it’s important that we get some of these projects off the ground and show the smaller communities that they also are part of the equation of this biomass strategy that this government is considering. I’d like to ask the Minister if there is a possibility of seeing some of these projects, such as Jean Marie, put forward by way of pilot projects so that we can move on it before the next budget cycle. I believe it’s this fall.
Yes, there have been millions of dollars voted for this year, in the neighbourhood of $15 million or so, to get us started on the very many projects, both in biomass, wind, possibly geothermal, mini-hydro. There is a whole host of areas that we want to do work. Now it is incumbent upon us to roll out the work plans and the implementation, to get as many of these projects towards the construction stage as possible.
I also believe that this is a project that can stimulate a lot of our small, aboriginal communities by way of development and by way of developing for a sector around our communities. I’d like to ask the Minister in regards to looking at the forest management strategies that we have and considering the usage of these wood products in our communities, around our communities, so that we can get more usage out of those wood products and depending, continuing to use fossil fuels.
As we move as a government on our very ambitious alternative Energy Strategy on the area of biomass, very clearly one of the issues for us as a Legislature and a government is the pursuit of the secondary industry that would see us be able to manufacture wood pellets, set up communities and regions to be able to do the chipping or the pelletizing that may be necessary, to look at the employment opportunities, to work with communities as well to combine some of the value-added benefits of biomass with the concern in communities in the boreal forest to be better fireproofed when it comes to wildfire where we could set out bands of forest around the communities to be managed and maintained over the years, to offer protection as well as a source of energy. There is a whole piece of work here that has to be done. The frame has to be put in place. This is a long-term commitment. This is our very first steps. We want to make sure we set the right foundation. We agree with the Member; this is very important.
Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
As we all know, nothing gets done in this government without some sort of a policy. I’d like to ask the Minister, is there a policy being developed that can basically enhance the use of biofuels in the Northwest Territories and also ensure that the programs and services this government delivers considers that as a means of meeting the goals of the Northwest Territories by way of reducing greenhouse gases and our dependency on fossil fuels?
Work is being done by ENR. The work has been done and supported by the Climate Change Committee and the Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee as well as Managing This Land when it comes to these various issues of the biomass strategy, moving forward with the technology, the issue, the impact on greenhouse gases, all those are part of the variable that we are considering as we deal with this issue as a government.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The need for an independent and permanent Yellowknife Campus for Aurora College has been an issue that’s long overdue in our city. It’s a demand and something that people want. I’d like to reference the Slave River Journal, our fine Premier just the other day, it says that a northern university is something that needs to be looked at. I can reference the Globe and Mail, our Excellency Michaelle Jean said forcefully that we need a northern university. Even going back to 2006, the Minister of ECE said he will do a cost-benefit analysis to constructing a new college campus, and certainly their lease has been renewed in 2007, which expires in 2012. My question, with also the support of the board of governors and the former education Ministers suggesting we need an independent campus in Yellowknife for Aurora College: What has the Minister done to date or will he be able to update this Assembly on where this process is about establishing an independent Aurora College in Yellowknife?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. First of all I think we need to be proud of our northern college that we have here in the North, the three campuses that we have. I would consider them as a college and also a university because we do deliver university programs, degree programs that we’re actively pursuing and other programs as well. So with the standalone university, I think we already see that in the Northwest Territories. Every time we meet with the board of governors, certainly that topic of discussion has been discussed and it’s part of a long-term planning basis for the whole Northwest Territories. So whether it be in Yellowknife, Inuvik or Fort Smith, those are the discussions that are ongoing.
I appreciate the Minister for answering every question, but the one I asked is: Where is the cost-benefit analysis on the process of looking at putting the Aurora College that’s downtown on its own independent campus to establish itself in its own right?
I do believe I answered the Member’s question on the college itself, the university that he is referring to. As I stated, we are still…It’s all preliminary right now. We’re working with the facts that we have before us. As the Member alluded to, previous Ministers have been discussing this. It was a discussion item at that time. We are working on that with the communities, with the board of governors as well. Because we can, certainly on that portion on our end alone, we continue to strive to make that part of the capital plans for the next few years.
Would the Minister be willing to supply that information provided through that cost-benefit analysis that was committed back in 2006 to be done, that would establish a view of establishing a long-term, permanent campus here in Yellowknife that’s independent?
Certainly I can provide…My department can provide the information that’s available to the Members, not just from the Yellowknife Centre Member but all Members as well. We do have the facts in place, the discussion paper that’s been discussed at that time and where we’re going with it. Also, the board of governors meeting that we had, the minutes of the meeting, there’s been a paper trail that’s been documented, so we can certainly provide that to the Members.
Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
The Minister said this issue is raised every time he meets with the board of governors and he’s certainly said that this is a long-term plan of, I assume, his department or the focus of this government. What exactly is the long-term plan and what is his response to the board of governors in reflection of that long-term plan about establishing an independent campus here in Yellowknife on its own property and its own facility to help our students?
Certainly part of the long-term plans that we talked about within our department and also with the board of governors with Aurora College is strengthening our program delivery through Aurora College. The three campuses that we have here in the Northwest Territories, we need to strengthen that and make it exposed to all the students that are here in the Northwest Territories. Also, we have students from outside the Northwest Territories that attend our college as well. It has been a northern college recognition also going on to national recognition as a college. We do offer university courses as well. But this will be part of our strategic direction going forward. How can we develop a plan where we have a university in the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and, as I mentioned in my statement, the Government of the Northwest Territories was a full participating member on the City of Yellowknife’s 911 Management Committee. Given our government’s participation on that management committee, I would like to ask the Minister to articulate the government’s position regarding the need and urgency for 911 service in the NWT.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government’s position is they recognize that there is a need to provide a service across the Northwest Territories. I remember for a few times in the seven communities…We oversee all 33 communities in the Northwest Territories. This speaks well to the wide range of services offered across the Northwest Territories. We have so many small communities that would just like to have the cell phone service to be able to go to the next level. This is something that we have to sit back and have a look and make sure it’s something that benefits all 33 communities and if it’s the desire, and I still have to bring the report to Cabinet. It was my intention to bring it to Cabinet within the next week or so to get Cabinet’s feedback and then come up with a position and the next step as far as we’re concerned.
I thank the Minister for his remarks. I can’t argue with the Minister’s statement that we have communities that are lacking such things as basic cell phone service. However, the report recommends that the seven communities -- and I’ll mention them: Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik, Norman Wells, and Yellowknife -- that those seven communities should start the implementation of 911 and then we move on to other communities later on. Those seven communities comprise some 77 percent of our population. That’s more than three-quarters of our NWT population. They will be targeted with 911 if we implement it in these communities. So I would like to ask the Minister whether or not the funding of a 911 for these seven communities will be a priority for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs or any GNWT department in the 2010-2011 budget.
I appreciate the Member’s comments that these seven communities make up 77 percent of the population in the Northwest Territories. That’s one of the reasons I need to bring this to Cabinet and get Cabinet’s opinion on the report and see where we can go from here. If it’s partial implementation, then we would have to consider if it’s the desire of this Assembly. Of course, it would have to go through the whole budgeting process and have approval from this Legislative Assembly to implement partial service.
I appreciate where the Minister is coming from. I realize that there is a budget process that has to be gone through. I am hoping that we will get some certainty on funding to at least start 911. It’s been said many times: Presumably our government is all about partnerships. Even today our Premier has stated a strong and independent North is going to have to be built on partnerships. So I’d like to know whether or not MACA is willing to consider a partnership with the City of Yellowknife to start the much needed implementation of 911 service.
Absolutely. Again, not only just with the City of Yellowknife. The Member talked about seven communities. So if there’s a possibility of partnering with the seven communities to put together a plan for partial implementation and figuring out the costs and making sure that goes through this Legislative Assembly, then it’s something that we would seriously consider.
Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks to the Minister. At the risk of debating with the Minister, I’d like to suggest that a partnership with the City of Yellowknife is required to get this process started. I’d like to know if the Minister will agree to start a partnership with the City of Yellowknife and expand that to other communities as the project gets rolling. We certainly can start a project with seven communities.
We’re going to have a chance to look at the report and analyze the report and cost figures and how it would be best to implement this. But, of course, once we do that, we would be willing to -- seeing as it was the City of Yellowknife that put together the report with some input and participation of the GNWT -- sit down with them and try to roll out the next step. Hopefully this can carry on to the other seven communities, which is a start, then hopefully get the rest of the communities in the NWT on board with this.
