Debates of November 28, 2007 (day 4)
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. McLeod.
Further Return To Question 51-16(1): Renewable Energy Development Initiatives
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What the Member is referring to is a fairly new concept and part of the problem with living in the North and travelling on airplanes and other means as we do, I’m not aware of any readily available companies whereby you can take advantage of these carbon offsets. Perhaps upon further investigation I might find that it’s quite easy to buy carbon offsets at the same time as you book your ticket, but I’m not aware if it’s that readily available. I guess that’s an area that we would have to look at to see how that would fit into the policies of this government for travel purposes. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Supplementary To Question 51-16(1): Renewable Energy Development Initiatives
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be happy to provide the Minister with some information on that. You can, in fact, buy it at your local travel agency as well as on the Internet.
I realize that renewable energy is new and complex. The wind does stop; the water flows seasonally and so on. Is the department, in recognition of that complexity and the need for a comprehensive approach, working to deal with those complexities right from encouraging Aurora College programs on renewable resource technology through to tying domestic systems even to the grid such as solar panels that you can mount on your home and provide energy into the grid when the sun is shining and so on? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. McLeod.
Further Return To Question 51-16(1): Renewable Energy Development Initiatives
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague at the Department of ENR is dealing with energy conservation issues and there are a number of projects that are looking into this area. I guess the best example is the Fort Smith electrification project whereby the government is converting a number of government facilities from diesel to electric heating and power. As a government, we are getting organized so that we are better coordinated to deal in all areas of energy. It will be an area that I will be working very closely with my colleague from the Department of ENR and also the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation to ensure that we look at all of these different areas. Thank you.
Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Transportation. Could the Minister please share with us the status of the ferry crossing at Fort Providence today? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Yakeleya.
Return To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for Hay River South. The ferry is in suspension as we speak and right now the department is checking the time as to when we can have that opened up in terms of continuing our services across the Mackenzie River. Of course, our department is doing all it can with its resources to ensure that we have this ferry up and running as quickly as possible.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Supplementary To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Why isn’t the ferry at Fort Providence running today? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Yakeleya.
Further Return To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The situation here has been determined by the low water we have in the Mackenzie River and that’s why the ferry isn’t operating now; it hit the bottom of the Mackenzie. We’re assessing it and will see how soon we can have the ferry up and running in terms of ensuring that traffic is flowing on a more consistent basis.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Supplementary To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Is this a common occurrence at this time of year, Mr. Speaker, or is this low water something that is unusual? I was wondering how the Minister is planning to raise the water level in the Mackenzie River. Thank you.
---Laughter
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Yakeleya.
Further Return To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I had the power to raise the water, I would raise other things in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, this is an annual issue with the low level of water in the Mackenzie River specifically around the Fort Providence crossing, and certainly other seasons have seen better times. Of course, this season we’re dealing with this issue here and hopefully that, again, I thank our staff for doing a wonderful job at this crossing to ensure that we do have our ferry up and running as quickly as possible. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Supplementary To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of those people who may be waiting to cross there, and for the information of the public and for their convenience, does the Minister have any projections as to when the ferry will be re-operating or the ice bridge will be ready to take traffic? Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Yakeleya.
Further Return To Question 52-16(1): Status Of Fort Providence Ferry Crossing
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re working, the staff is working to its greatest potential in terms of opening the Mackenzie ferry at Fort Providence. We’re hoping that it will be done as soon as possible, Mr. Speaker. I’m reluctant to give a specific time because I will be held to it. We have to have the weather on our side in terms of the water, the level of the water, and if that can be resolved, then certainly the Member will be notified through my office as soon as the ferry is open. Thank you.
Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I spoke to people with disabilities in Inuvik and a lot of people with disabilities have to have people care for them, take time off work, look after them. I’d like to direct my questions to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland. I’d like to ask Mr. Roland if there are tax breaks for those that have to be at home caring for people with disabilities. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Return To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that information available. I will have to contact the department to get that information and make it available to the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.
Supplementary To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to also ask the Finance Minister, when he contacts his department, would he ask them if there are any tax breaks available for businesses who want to make their places of business wheelchair accessible? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Roland.
Further Return To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m aware that, for example, there are criteria for people with disabilities and companies are expected to follow that. I don’t believe we have anything in place at this time for tax breaks for businesses who would comply with the building codes. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.
Supplementary To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Those that have to comply with the Building Code, in some cases, have no one to enforce the Building Code. So I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, or Mr. Roland as Premier, would he direct the Department of Public Works to have a building inspector in Inuvik so he can enforce codes and regulations? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Roland.
Further Return To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m aware that a municipal inspector can do those inspections and make those requirements, or orders in place, as well as the fire marshal’s office. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short supplementary, Mr. McLeod.
Supplementary To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A concern from the Town of Inuvik, again, is the lack of a building inspector in Inuvik to enforce codes and regulations. How do we go about getting an inspector in Inuvik? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Roland.
Further Return To Question 53-16(1): Tax Incentives For Caregivers Of People With Disabilities
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has worked with municipalities and communities and I’m informed by the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs that they will continue to work with communities to try and work with them to come up with some solutions. Thank you.
Question 54-16(1): 2008 Arctic Winter Games
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, an issue has come to light here, and I know the Arctic Winter Games is coming to Yellowknife here in March of 2008 and the trials are going to be coming up here. There’s been an issue with the selection process as it pertains to soccer teams and rules being changed mid-stream. There were rules in place and the Department of MACA has made a decision to waive rules that were in place governing the selection process. I do want to thank the Minister for taking the time to get me some background material and meeting with me on this, but I really do think that we need to come up with a better explanation for the governing bodies out there who make the rules for sport in the Northwest Territories as to why rules were changed mid-stream. So if I could ask the Minister why were the rules changed mid-stream to allow players to access regional teams? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Return To Question 54-16(1): 2008 Arctic Winter Games
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I should correct the Member that MACA did not overrule the decision to extend the deadline for sporting events for Arctic Winter Games; that decision was made by the sports partners, including Sport North and the regional recreation associations. I believe the deadline was extended to allow for more participants. This year there were several changes made to the Arctic Winter Games process. There was a creation of a new region; the Sahtu region was created. There was also the decision made to allow for the Mackenzie region to make decisions on behalf of the Mackenzie region and the South Slave; also that the Beaufort-Delta Sports would also make decisions on behalf of their organizations; and the Sahtu and Sport North would be making decisions on behalf of Yellowknife. So those decisions were made and after the deadline of April 1st, they got together and recognized that there was low turnout because…Oh, the third…I’m sorry, Mr. Speaker. The third decision was to have the trials set up a year in advance of the Arctic Winter Games and after the April 1st deadline there was recognition that there was low turnout, there wasn’t good communication, there were other things that were happening at the same time, the Canada Games, and they decided to extend the deadline. It was an agreement among all the sports partners and not MACA. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Supplementary To Question 54-16(1): 2008 Arctic Winter Games
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response, but it just begs the question if you have rules in place, especially when it comes to our young people out there in our communities who are entering into a selection process with deadlines and time frames, not to mention the amount of volunteers that provide their time to sporting endeavours, I’m wondering why, if we have rules in place, why would we forget the rules and change those rules to allow people to apply after a deadline that was set before that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.
Further Return To Question 54-16(1): 2008 Arctic Winter Games
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the agreement was between the Sports and Recreation Council and all the partners, that if there was consensus that a policy had to be adjusted or changed and everybody agreed, that they could do that. In this case, there would have been a very low turnout for Arctic Winter Games because the changes made for selections, they decided that they need to encourage more people to take part. I don’t see what was wrong with that decision, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.
Supplementary To Question 54-16(1): 2008 Arctic Winter Games
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Rules are set up for the issue of fairness and integrity and that’s what sport is based on. If you are going to what appears to be a double standard for regional participation as opposed to athletes here in Yellowknife, then somebody has to explain that to the soccer community here in Yellowknife on how that happens. It has to be explained to everyone. The question I have is, why have rules if they are going to be broken, Mr. Speaker?
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.
Further Return To Question 54-16(1): 2008 Arctic Winter Games
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t see how there could be a double standard with every organization agreeing to it. The rules were changed; I agree. There was an extension of the deadline. Everybody agreed to it, including the representatives from Yellowknife. Sport North represents Yellowknife. They agreed to the change. I agree that there should be a better interpretation of the policies. Maybe they need to be tightened up. But in this case, Mr. Speaker, there was an attempt to involve more participants, more of the youth, and that has happened. We have increased the participation level up to 900; 150 athletes more than the last time around have taken part. I think that is a good thing, Mr. Speaker.