Debates of November 27, 2007 (day 3)

November

27

2007

Day

3

Speaker

Word

Members Present

ITEM 1: PRAYER

Assembly Members

Member Default

Hay River North

Member Default

Member Default

Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Member Default

Member Default

Member Default

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Yellowknife Centre

Member Default

Jackie Jacobson

Member Default

Mackenzie Delta

Member Default

Jackson Lafferty

Member Default

Member Default

Yellowknife South

Member Default

Member Default

Robert C. McLeod

Inuvik Twin Lakes

Member Default

Kevin A. Menicoche

Member Default

Michael Miltenberger

Member Default

Member Default

Inuvik Boot Lake

Member Default

Norman Yakeleya

Topics

Member’s Statement On 2008 Arctic Winter Games

Member’s Statement On Announcing The Arrival Of New Son Malachi

Member’s Statement On Day Care Matters

Member’s Statement On Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Member’s Statement On Federal Government’s Regulatory Improvement Initiative

Member’s Statement On Free-Roaming Bison Near Fort Liard

Member’s Statement On Government Support For The Voluntary Sector

Member’s Statement On Passing Of Respected Nunakput Elders

Member’s Statement On Provision Of Wheelchairs For Quadriplegics

Member’s Statement On Recreational Opportunities For Youth In Tu Nedhe

Minister’s Statement 1-16(1): Sessional Statement

Motion 13-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Economic Development And Infrastructure

Motion 13-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Economic Development And Infrastructure, Carried

Motion 14-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Government Operations

Motion 14-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Government Operations, Carried

Motion 15-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Rules And Procedures

Motion 15-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Rules And Procedures, Carried

Motion 16-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Social Programs

Motion 16-16(1): Appointments To The Standing Committee On Social Programs, Carried

Motion To Move Minister's Statement 1-16(1) Into Committee Of The Whole, Carried

Petition 2-16(1): Public Housing Costs In Fort McPherson

Question 14-16(1): Obligations Under The Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act

Question 15-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Question 16-16(1): Transfer Of Volunteerism To The Department Of The Executive

Question 17-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Question 18-16(1): Bison Management Plan For Fort Liard

Question 19-16(1): RCMP Detachment For Sachs Harbour

Question 20-16(1): Day Care Services

Question 21-16(1): Provision Of Wheelchairs For Quadriplegics

Question 22-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Question 23-16(1): Community Infrastructure Block Funding

Question 24-16(1): Approaches To Government Infrastructure In Response To Climate Change

Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Question 27-16(1): GNWT Programs For Canine Companionship

Question 28-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Tabled Document 3-16(1): NWT Public Accounts 2006-2007

Tabled Document 7-16(1): Proceedings Of The Hay River Public Meeting To Discuss The Loss Of Constable Christopher Worden

Statements

Member’s Statement On Provision Of Wheelchairs For Quadriplegics

Speaker: MR. MCLEOD

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, providing a quality of life to the residents of the NWT so they can become independent, self-reliant individuals has to be a priority of the 16th Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, on November 15th, I had an opportunity to meet in Inuvik with some families of people that are confined to wheelchairs, quadriplegics. As I sat there listening to their concerns and the frustration that they had with some of the programs, lack of services and lack of support, I felt their frustration, Mr. Speaker. I truly felt their frustration and when constituents have that and they come to you, it is something that you have to bring forward.

Coming out of that meeting, I planned on speaking to a certain individual in particular and the challenges that she faced being confined to a wheelchair for the last four years. I had documentation that I was going to bring forward to present on her behalf. But, sadly, Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, this individual passed away. I feel, Mr. Speaker, like I owe her and her family…I have to bring their concerns forward because we have other quadriplegics living in Inuvik. I feel like I will let them down if I don’t bring their concerns forward.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we have to listen to the concerns of the people. The only thing that I know of that is written in stone is the 10 commandments, Mr. Speaker. Everything else can be changed. If it is programs that have to be changed, if wording has to be changed, then I think we should be flexible enough to change them. If the delivery of the programs is the problem, then that might be something we may have to look into, Mr. Speaker, to make sure that the delivery of the programs is benefiting those across the Northwest Territories, not just in Inuvik.

We have made a commitment, and I will make it my personal commitment to these families that I will continue within the next four years to bring their issues forward and have their issues heard. Cabinet, you have made that commitment to hear these issues and between you folks and us on this side, we should be able to address these issues, because the bottom line is the well-being of the residents of the Northwest Territories. It has to be our top priority and nothing else. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause