Debates of November 28, 2007 (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again I would like to thank the Minister for that. Again, the stress is on the Fort McPherson detachment. I believe they have been understaffed for the last couple of years. They have been short of officers and also with regard to recruitment and retention. I would like to ask the Minister is there any way of increasing the amount of individuals in the Fort McPherson detachment so you can have an officer designated to serve the community of Tsiigehtchic, which is only half an hour down the road, so they can be there three times a week or twice a week, whatever, so at least they can make an ongoing presence than simply 21 days in a matter of four months?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this has been an ongoing discussion and negotiation with our counterparts, the federal government. We do have an agreement in place to share the cost, so we will continue to negotiate with the federal government. At the same time, we are hoping there will be some good news out of the federal government soon enough to deal with the community policing presence and also having more detachments in the communities that don’t have any right now. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to get a commitment from the Minister today to consider going into the community of Tsiigehtchic with myself and talk about the policing problem that we have. I know a letter has been sent to the Minister and I would just like to ask the Minister at this time for his commitment and also if he has any dates that we can look at.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Lafferty.

Further Return To Question 47-16(1): RCMP Detachment In Mackenzie Delta

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I will commit to visiting the community of Tsiigehtchic and the surrounding communities. I did receive a letter from the Member and I am looking forward to that. At this time, my department will be working with the Member to specify a date and time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last few years, it’s been raised in this House numerous times the issue around ambulance services and emergency response services in communities and the areas surrounding communities. Mr. Speaker, I think that everybody probably south of Inuvik is waiting with great anticipation to see what the government’s position is going to be. It was an interdepartmental approach to a review that was done between the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Transportation, I believe. Particularly in Hay River now, we have a critical need for the replacement of our fire hall facilities. If the government is going to take over those services or come up with a different plan, it’s very important for us to know, because right now those emergency response services are all provided in Hay River through volunteers with a very, very small contribution from the GNWT. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, who I believe is the lead on this particular initiative, what the…Maybe it’s Municipal and Community Affairs that was involved in that. Whichever Minister wants to answer it, I would like to know where are we at in terms of that review on how this government is going to support emergency response services in and around communities in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Return To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I could advise the House that the situation on this file is as it was in the last Assembly. There was a comprehensive study done on this issue and the work is being done between MACA and Health and Social Services to enhance what we have now and to be able to expand as the resources permit. So, Mr. Speaker, it is under progress between the two departments and I would be happy to update the Members of the Assembly on where we are with that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the important issues that we raised was in fact that these services are being delivered in Hay River and surrounding area by very capable and well-trained, but, volunteers. We take time away from their regular employment to do this. The level of support from the GNWT to provide that service is very, very limited. One of the areas we were very concerned about was liability, because there is no other response for emergencies on the highway and the surrounding area. So we cover quite a large area. So would the Minister look at, in the interim, increasing the contract for services to the emergency response organizations in Hay River? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, specific to that question, I would be happy to review that with my department and see where we can improve for the Hay River Health Authority. In the larger picture, Mr. Speaker, the need for this study came about because of the fact that this service is provided very much in a patchwork fashion all over the Territories. A lot of municipal governments are in charge of that and have to incur extra cost in delivering those services, much of them based on volunteer services and many communities and many highways are not covered adequately. So, Mr. Speaker, this is a huge project that we need to work more on. So I will make a commitment to work with MACA on the larger picture and then to address the question the Member is raising and I will get back to the Member on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think this is a matter of some urgency. As the Minister herself has indicated, there are areas that are not really legally anybody’s responsibility to cover and if there is a motor vehicle accident or some catastrophe outside of our communities, the pressure is on the communities to respond, but it’s not really within their resources or their ability to do that. I would like to ask the Minister when she refers to the patchwork approach, for example, two comparable sized communities, Inuvik and Hay River, what is the contribution to those communities for emergency services by this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Luckily for us, the communities nearby usually come to the rescue and do provide services and we have to recognize the fact that municipal governments and health authorities are absorbing the costs as they come about for both Hay River and Inuvik. I believe they are covered by the health authority and the level of cost that’s being absorbed by health authorities, either health authorities or municipal governments, are very different and that’s what I mean by a patchwork approach that’s being done that we need to look at. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister has that information at her disposal, would she share with us the kind of inconsistency that we are actually talking about just to make the point? I think Hay River gets a contribution of about $25,000 a year, but I am not sure what Inuvik gets but I understand it’s substantially more. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 48-16(1): Emergency Response Services Study

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be happy to provide the Member with information on what the government contributes to every community that gets money for this kind of service, as well as the legislative changes that are required and some of the resource pressure for us to come up with a plan that works for everybody. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. At the end of the last government, the Premier and the government conducted a trade mission to China. As the industry and tourism file falls under the Minister of ITI, I would like to begin by asking the Minister of ITI where the trip report is from that China trade mission, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Return To Question 49-16(1): Trade Mission To China

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for that question. With regard to the trip to China, which I understand was very successful, the group that traveled to China met recently to report on their views on the benefits of the trip. There was some follow-up activity resulting from the visit. I am still waiting for a report on the trip. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 49-16(1): Trade Mission To China

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Minister; things like this are an important function of government. We should be reaching out and doing what we can for businesses and the tourism sector in the Northwest Territories to expand business opportunities. What I would like to ask is, who is writing the report and are we paying for the report to be produced? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 49-16(1): Trade Mission To China

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is that government tourism staff accompanied the group that visited China and it will be that group that will be writing the report. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 49-16(1): Trade Mission To China

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm just wondering if there is any reason why the Minister has mentioned the group has met recently. Is there any reason why that report is two and a half months after the fact and when exactly can we expect that report?

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 49-16(1): Trade Mission To China

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is there were at least 12 people who went on the trip and it’s a matter of getting all of their different observations together and compiling a report. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is for the Health and Social Services Minister. Upon her visit to the Beaufort-Delta in the early new year, if she’d be kind enough to come to my constituents of Tuk and say hi.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.

Return To Question 50-16(1): Invitation To Minister To Visit Nunakput Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a sneaking suspicion that I might have to say more than hi when I visit the community. I welcome any invitations from Members to visit their communities because I really think it’s a good way to learn about issues, facilities and concerns of the people. I have travelled to every community except for two so far, but not as the Minister of Health. I think I’ve already overbooked myself, because I’m going to Fort Resolution in two weeks and Inuvik, but I’ll try to cover as many communities as possible around Inuvik. I don’t know if I can make it to Tuk, but I will look into that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 50-16(1): Invitation To Minister To Visit Nunakput Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also invite the Minister, then, to come and visit all four of my communities in Nunakput upon her time availability in the new year.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 50-16(1): Invitation To Minister To Visit Nunakput Communities

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be happy to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of industry, trade and investment, Mr. McLeod, and it’s to follow up on the renewable energy statement I made this morning. The Pembina Institute put out a report, “Five Years of Failure,” documenting how volunteer efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions does not work. It certainly didn’t work on its own; we need some regulation. I don’t believe we’ve ever required any industrial project to provide even one percent of their energy needs from renewable energy sources. This obviously is clearly way out of date. Is the Minister’s department working to begin requiring at least some amount of renewable energy development in every project the department has to do with in every development? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Return To Question 51-16(1): Renewable Energy Development Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the honourable Member for that question. This is an area that the government has been looking at for some time and I’m also pleased to report that in the last government there were several initiatives that were looked at in terms of energy conservation and a number of projects that were undertaken with that exact purpose in mind. I think that there have been a number of energy strategies, as well. Looking at renewable energy, part of the problem has always been that they have never been able to come up with an example or where the costs have been lower than fossil fuel costs. Similarly, one of the, I think, the Wind Energy Conference that is looking at wind energy, I guess I hope one of the things that they’ll be looking at is what do you do when the wind stops blowing and they’re relying on wind energy. But certainly I think it’s important to start looking at these alternative energies and planning ways to bring them into practice, because obviously reducing greenhouse gasses is a priority. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Supplementary To Question 51-16(1): Renewable Energy Development Initiatives

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s this concern about costs and lack of full cost accounting that has brought us to this situation where we now have a changing climate leading to the death of millions of people around the world annually, real challenges to our food, while fossil fuel costs are soaring and so on. We need to get ahead of the game. Just on the ITI’s reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, on your recent trip to China, did the department cover carbon offset costs of that travel; something you can do with a click of a button and a fairly minor cost as a way of demonstrating your commitment to reducing climate change and greenhouse gas emissions? Thank you.