Debates of November 30, 2007 (day 6)

Mr. Speaker, for the past several years we have been measuring the strength and steadiness of the winds in Beaufort-Delta communities. This was done in collaboration with the Aurora Research Institute and the Government of Canada.

The data collected to date shows the feasibility of this technology. We must now work with communities to determine how best to proceed towards establishing wind generation in remote High Arctic communities. This topic, along with others, is being discussed in detail at the Wind Energy Conference in Tuktoyaktuk this week.

More than 100 delegates are attending the conference. About half the delegates are representing Beaufort-Delta communities, which are home to the most promising wind resources.

Delegates from Alaska and Atlantic Canada are sharing their experiences and successes integrating wind energy into diesel electric systems in several small communities.

Mr. Speaker, this remote wind conference provides a great opportunity to develop long-term strategies, synergies and partnerships. It is bringing together community and business leaders, government officials, and technical experts on wind-diesel systems.

The conference will assist in educating community decision-makers on wind energy opportunities and options, and in building a strong knowledge base about the potential of wind-diesel systems. It will assist in establishing Tuktoyaktuk as a hub to initiate the development of remote wind power and to gain the expertise and practical knowledge required to do this. Other Beaufort-Delta communities can benefit from the knowledge developed in Tuktoyaktuk as they move ahead with their own plan to incorporate wind power.

This conference has captured a lot of attention and media interest. A report will be developed on the results of the conference, which I will share with Members at our next session in February 2008.

Mr. Speaker, given the increasing price of conventional fuels and concerns about climate change, we need to be innovative and find new ways to use renewable resources. We are committed to this process, and this conference will help to move us in that direction.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank those who have contributed to making this conference a reality. While the list of participants and sponsors for this event is long, I would like, in particular, to thank the Territorial Wind Energy Committee as well as the hamlet, administration, and the entire community of Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise in the House today to inform Members that next week, December 1st to 7th, is National Safe Driving Week across Canada. The first week of December is designated annually as a time to recognize and acknowledge the need to drive safely over the coming holiday season and throughout the entire year. It is also a time to reflect on the progress we have made on improving driver safety here in the Northwest Territories.

The Government of the Northwest Territories has accomplished much to improve the safety of the travelling public. These included the reconstruction of road surfaces, the Strategy to Reduce Impaired Driving Initiative and other awareness campaigns related to bison collisions and snowmobile safety, to name but a few. These have all contributed to dramatic reductions in collisions over the past few years. According to the 2006 Traffic Collision Facts Report, which will soon be released, collisions in 2006 were reduced by 16.8 percent over the previous year. Collisions involving alcohol were reduced by 15.7 percent and, as a result of factors such as the increased use of seatbelts and helmets, collisions resulting in injuries were reduced by 40.4 percent from the previous year.

However, Mr. Speaker, much more can, and must, be done to improve driver safety in the NWT. While collision numbers are down, many of the collisions that did occur could have been prevented. Everyone can take steps to reduce their risk of collision, injury, and death on the highways, trails and frozen waterways of the Northwest Territories.

To help improve driver safety, I am very proud to announce that the department is launching a new consolidated road safety campaign called Drive Alive! This initiative will maximize the effectiveness of each driver safety program in the NWT by reinforcing common key safety messages. Drive Alive! will serve as a "brand" to reinforce the public information component of the Department of Transportation's road safety framework.

Drive Alive! aims to inform the public of ways in which they can improve their own safety through clear, coordinated, and concise safety messages which will help raise public awareness of road safety issues. The Drive Alive! initiative will promote partnerships and collaborations to increase the scope and effectiveness of road safety campaigns and to leverage additional resources.

Mr. Speaker, in a sparsely populated region such as the Northwest Territories, where distances are great and the environment is harsh, driver safety is an essential element for survival. While I'm confident that all the Members here today drive with caution, I'll use this opportunity to reinforce some of the key messages of Drive Alive!:

Reduce speed, and drive according to conditions;

Prepare for the unexpected;

Maintain and use safety equipment, particularly helmets and seatbelts; and

Driving deserves your full attention; do not drive while impaired, while talking on a cell phone and minimize driver distractions.

Mr. Speaker, I invite and encourage Members of this Assembly and the public to use this special week as an opportunity to learn more about safe driving. In the coming week, I will make some additional announcements to kick off Drive Alive! These will be the first of many planned throughout the year.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. I encourage Members and all motorists to keep their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road, and their minds on driving safely. Mahsi cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members of ongoing work in the administration of the Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program, PHRS.

As Members are aware, the 15th Legislative Assembly placed an emphasis on helping northerners to move forward on self-reliance. The income security policy framework was developed in 2005 to help us move in this direction and to provide a coordinated approach to the delivery of programs and services. As part of the larger income security reform project, in April 2006, administrative responsibilities for the Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program were transferred from the NWT Housing Corporation to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The primary objective of placing all subsidies under one department was to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all residents, and increase awareness of, and access to, the programs and services that support self-reliance.

Like any large-scale transfer of this magnitude, there have been some challenges for all parties involved. These challenges include establishing new relationships between tenants, ECE and local housing organizations, ensuring sufficient cash flows for local housing organizations, training staff for new responsibilities and helping clients adapt to new administrative procedures.

A number of actions were taken during and since the transfer of the PHRS to mitigate challenges. Tenants were provided with information on the change in administrative arrangements for the program, and income security officers adjusted their monthly schedule to meet with tenants applying for the subsidies and have adapted flexible schedules to accommodate the varying income levels of tenants throughout the year. Training has been provided for income security officers so they could effectively and efficiently administer the PHRS Program. A Public Housing Rental Subsidy Steering Committee made up of representatives from Education, Culture and Employment, the NWT Housing Corporation and the local housing organizations was formed to provide ongoing support and guidance on the administration of the program. Policies for the program inherited from the NWT Housing Corporation have been retained to help people with the transition. ECE also continues to cash flow the PHRS to the NWT Housing Corporation to help the LHOs meet their operating costs, and cash flow has been adjusted to address vacancy rates.

Since the transfer of the program, there have been a number of other actions taken. The assessment period for income was shortened from two months to one month; data collection processes have been developed to improve the monitoring and reporting of Public Housing Rental Subsidy information; and condition ratings of public housing units have been updated to allow eligible tenants to receive a reduction in rent based on the condition of their unit.

There are a number of challenges that require further work to ensure the program works smoothly for all parties, including clients, local housing organizations, the NWT Housing Corporation and ECE. For example, more work is needed to implement the government service centres that support the delivery of income security programs, including the PHRS Program, in a number of communities. Ongoing work is needed to develop and establish relationships between tenants and the income security officers so assessments can be completed in a timely basis to avoid tenants building up unnecessary arrears with the LHOs. Different clients have varying needs when they access income security programs from the government to fulfill their aspirations. As such, we need to ensure our program supports can be flexible to meet the needs of different client groups such as seniors who may need different support systems.

Where possible, we also need to identify ways to streamline procedures and systems for the program to operate smoothly.

To address the challenges that remain and to ensure quality service in this area, Education, Culture and Employment and the NWT Housing Corporation have initiated a review of the Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program. Regional consultations have begun with staff, tenants and interested key stakeholders, and the program will be reviewed in light of the new income security model. Additional issues may be defined through this process that will need to be addressed.

I look forward to sharing the results of this review with you in the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly in February 2008 and the plan of action being taken to address the issues in our ongoing commitment to making improvements for the Public Housing Rental Subsidy. I also look forward to hearing from Members about how we can make improvements that support the needs of northerners, respecting their need for support and their desire for self-reliance.

In the meantime, we acknowledge that there are definite challenges that need to be overcome. I’m sure that with a collaborative approach between all parties involved, we can achieve a suitable and workable solution. This can only be achieved by using a team approach. I, therefore, look forward to working with all Members of this House to assist in improving the program, as it affects every community in the NWT. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to comment on the state of day care in the NWT. During our discussions over the last few weeks, many Members have expressed concern about the lack of day care in our communities. Some communities are unfortunate enough to have absolutely none. There is a number of issues that plague our day cares in the NWT: low wages for workers, lack of funding for day cares, lack of adequate labour force, lack of affordable day care, staff recruitment and retention issues. The list could go on for a long time.

In the NWT, we do have programs to assist day cares either to help them get established or subsidies to help them stay in operation. Those programs are appreciated, Mr. Speaker, but they are not adequate and they do not provide the level and the quality of day care that our territory needs.

Recently, the Yellowknife Day Care closed its doors for a day due to extreme staff shortages. As a result, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment advised the day care that the number of children using the facility had to be reduced until staffing levels could be increased. The day care chose to implement a schedule denying children access to day care one day at a time on a rotating basis. That decision certainly makes sense from a safety point of view, but under the current ECE subsidy program, this creates a huge difficulty for the day care. The daily per child subsidy supplied by ECE is based on whether or not the child is in attendance. It has nothing to do with whether the child is a full or part-time subscriber. If the child is sick, stays home with Mom or Dad to get better and does not go to the day care for the day, the day care does not get the $12 subsidy for that child.

It seems a rather cumbersome way to provide program funding and day cares must have great difficulty tracking and reporting child attendance, not to mention the cost to administer the system at the ECE end of things.

To quote a constituent regarding the recent YK closure: “On November 22nd, my son could not attend day care, along with 10 other children. There were other children every day of that week who could not attend and this process will continue until more staff are hired. On November 22nd, because those 11 children were not at the day care, the GNWT subsidy was reduced considerably." I see I’m running out of time, Mr. Speaker. May I have unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. The GNWT subsidy was reduced considerably. Whether or not a child is sick, whether or not the children are away at Christmas visiting grandparents, the day care must still maintain their operation and the expenses that go with it: heat, power, water, building maintenance, staffing and so on. The way the subsidy is currently applied makes no sense and it hampers the effective operation of the day care. It seems to me, and to many parents who need to use the day care for their children, that ECE needs to change their subsidy program. A consistent level of funding is necessary to ensure consistent operation of day cares. I will be asking some questions of the Minister of ECE during question period. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the most important priorities facing this 16th Legislative Assembly is developing a plan to improve northern infrastructure. This plan should help facilitate our economy and improve mobility so we can improve the quality of life for a lower cost of living for our people. This is particularly true in the more isolated and remote communities, many of which currently lack year-round road access. For example, my home community of Tuktoyaktuk has no year-round road access but is served in the winter months by a 187-kilometre ice road constructed by the Department of Transportation.

Mr. Speaker, the construction of an all-weather link to Tuktoyaktuk has been talked about for as long as I can remember. It started far back in the 1960s by the federal government. This road is linked to the rest of Canada, the Arctic Ocean to connect the country from coast to coast to coast. It was an important priority in previous transportation strategies prepared by the Government of the Northwest Territories, such as the road could form part of the system running down the Mackenzie Valley from Wrigley to Tuktoyaktuk. That would provide an all-weather road access for the communities to facilitate resource development in the Mackenzie Delta, the Mackenzie Valley and the Delta. Mr. Speaker, this road would have many positive benefits for the people in the Northwest Territories. It would eliminate costly reliance on air transport, winter ice roads, barging, shipping of supplies and materials for development of projects and community resupply. It would provide more efficient, reliable transportation systems to explore and develop gas deposits in the Mackenzie Valley, the Sahtu and the Beaufort regions. It would dramatically increase tourism potential to the beautiful part of the country. The first phase…Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to proceed with my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I’m here today for my 22-kilometre access road to 177…

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

...stretched from gravel road to the community of Tuktoyaktuk and to gravel deposits, which is greatly needed. An important benefit of the access road to the people of Tuktoyaktuk is it would provide the community with year-round access to gravel, would open new land for the community as a backdoor for safety issues with regard to global warming, expansion would allow the new infrastructure developments to deal with existing issues such as access to land. I need a new graveyard for the community, which is full; water source; sewage lagoon; dumpsite. A great deal of work has been done for the community by the Department of Transportation, for which I’m very grateful, and others to update engineering, economic, environmental land issues associated with Tuktoyaktuk’s access road. Now it is time for the government to show financial commitment to this project. Mr. Speaker, it costs $15 million…

Mr. Jacobson, could I get you to wrap up your statement, please.

Later today I will have some questions concerning my access road for my people of Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin, I wish to make special mention that today is Red Friday and I continue to wear red to honour our troops and the families, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, I spoke about the need to introduce and pass the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act in order to support the police and communities in getting rid of those drug dealers and bootleggers. Mr. Speaker, we need, of course, as many tools out there to clean up those streets for our families.

However, Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the other side of the equation. I wish to talk about supporting those who are addicted to the alcohol that they consume and the drugs that they get from these people who sell these things through their illegal activities. I do not believe we are doing enough to support these people with addiction problems and the fact is we’re not doing anything to help support families and youth.

Mr. Speaker, our current state of affairs in the Northwest Territories only has one treatment centre and it’s located in Hay River. The reality is, though, the Hay River Reserve treatment centre specializes in traditional treatment for aboriginal people, Mr. Speaker, but we still need, again, we’re lacking treatment for youth and families. There is nothing wrong with that approach, but where are we helping the other people that need help? I’m sure we’re getting a lot of money sent down south by sending people to those southern placements, Mr. Speaker, but we must be getting to a point where we are able to reconstitute these people and start offering these programs here through detox and regular treatment.

Mr. Speaker, community-based treatment programs only help so much in the aftercare but, Mr. Speaker, we need, finally, dedicated strategic investment into treatment facilities in the North. The last Assembly passed, on this side of the House, a unanimous motion of saying we want a treatment program in Yellowknife and in Inuvik because we want to start to put an end to this problem. Mr. Speaker, residential treatment programs help people get back on their feet. I’d like to see this government start to realize that and show some action. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to use my two and half minutes today as an opportunity to speak about the youth, and to the youth, of the Northwest Territories. We have some of the best programs as far as education goes and post-secondary education. I encourage the youth to take advantage of these opportunities. There’s a whole world out there, that a lot of us didn’t see when we were growing up, of opportunity and it’s a chance for youth to get some education and contribute to the leadership of the Northwest Territories. I’d also like to see, in all the regions, youth camps, dedicated youth leadership camps. I would like this government to take not a lead role, but partner up with the aboriginal governments in supporting getting the youth out on the land. Take the elders with them, have them tell them about when they were growing up and all the hardships that they faced. Have a veteran go out with them and talk to the veterans about some of the sacrifices they made. A lot of veterans that didn’t come back, Mr. Speaker, are younger than a lot of our youth today. Those would be the proper role models to have, Mr. Speaker.

If we use this as an opportunity to get the youth out in the camps and the leaderships camps, then it would give them an opportunity to stay out of town, stay away from TV. Too many times today the youth are using the wrong people for role models and they’re starting to imitate them and that’s leading to a lot of the trouble that we face today with our youth. If they can go to the camps with elders, if they can talk to veterans and use them as their role models, use people who have overcome hardship as their role models and not people that they see on TV.

I think this government should undertake to support a lot of the regions that want to have camps, get the youth out on the land. I remember as a young man, as a kid, actually, we had, we called them opportunity for youth camps where you would go into the camps all summer and stay with the elders and just….It kept your summers occupied, Mr. Speaker. Then you would go back to school again in the fall. I think we have to have a look at supporting all these initiatives that are trying to come forward and I’m not saying take the lead from the whole thing, but we should, as a government and as MLAs, support any opportunities we can for our youth as possible. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the NWT has enjoyed the benefits of a pristine, natural, regulated environment as a sustained traditional lifestyle for centuries. A very large impact is about to make dramatic changes to the northern environment as we know it. This is climate change. The time frame for this change is very short.

Although the climate change issue has been in the public for some time, people are still unaware of the predicted consequences specifically for the NWT. Even if people worldwide were to stop pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere today, we face very serious changes in the North over the next 40 years. This is because greenhouse gases do not break down and remove themselves from the atmosphere for hundreds of years. Scientifically developed computer models indicate that by year 2050 Yellowknife would have a climate similar to Calgary. That means the plant and animal species now living here will not survive or will move to the far Arctic islands, including caribou.

A key concern is that the world has never, in a billion years of history, seen such a rapid pace of warming. The fast pace of change will not allow for movement of some species north, meaning that many species will become extinct. The climate here will be very dry in the summer with large amounts of precipitation in the winter, causing havoc to riverbeds and fish populations. The dry, hot summers will increase, the pressures from massive forest fires and invasive, destructive pests like the Pine Beetle, which has already crossed the Rocky Mountains into the Great Boreal Forest, and predictions for continued existings of our boreal forest is dire indeed.

We will be left with vast areas of barren rock and little vegetation to support wildlife. Even our parks and protected areas cannot survive the changes and will succumb to the destruction of fire and infestation. I want to emphasize that these are not Nostradamus-type dreams of some doomsayer. These are scientifically based predictions developed by many worlds predominance for science. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, agriculture is a renewable resource sector activity which needs this government’s attention. Since 1995, the Territorial Farmers' Association has been asking this government to develop and adopt a comprehensive agriculture policy. Many things affecting agriculture fall within the mandate of the territorial government. It’s fine to tell communities to take the initiative to develop their own policies, but the GNWT has the responsibility to create a policy as a framework within which municipal jurisdictions can operate.

Agriculture has met with relative indifference, lack of interest, and unapologetic ignorance for the most part. That’s been made clear by some of the most absurd comments of Ministers past, like the infamous statement defining his understanding of agriculture from a certain Minister who said, "What’s agriculture in the North? Some guy growing two potatoes in Fort Smith?"

The Territorial Farmers' Association has worked very hard to bring attention and awareness to the potential and challenges for agriculture in the North, but it seems like we still have a ways to go, as evidenced by a comment from one of my colleagues this morning when I shared the topic of my Member’s statement who said, "What’s that? Two farms in Hay River?" Interestingly, in fact, the membership of the TFA is from many communities, including as far away as Inuvik where they have a thriving greenhouse operation.

The benefits of producing agri-foods in the Northwest Territories are extensive. It creates economy in the renewable resource sector; it lends to our commitment to a diversified economy; it achieves a level import substitution and, consistent with environmental stewardship, reducing the cost of importing food as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with getting that food to us. Agriculture gives us control to ensure that we consume healthy food when we control its production. Agriculture is also a key component in our ability to be self-reliant and self-sustaining.

I look forward to working with our new Minister of ITI, who already has a considerable knowledge of this industry through his previous involvement as a deputy minister. I also feel encouraged to have Mr. Bromley as an ally in these efforts, who is such an advocate for measures which address responsible stewardship of our environment.

Three specific things that our government could do to support agriculture would be: developing a policy for farm equipment to use our public highways without having to be licensed and insured under the Motor Vehicles Act; the revision of our Property Assessment and Taxation Act that would enable communities to tax properties which are used for agriculture and residential purposes at an affordable rate; and…Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. A third thing would be a program for a tax rebate for fuel purchased for agricultural pursuits. We have fertile tracts of land, long growing seasons, proponents willing to participate, and ready local markets for agricultural products. All we need now is the serious support of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to discuss an issue that I spoke of on Wednesday, November 28th, in which I was questioning the Minister of Transportation on the Building Canada Fund. During the last federal budget, an announcement was made of a $33 billion infrastructure plan known as the Building Canada Fund. The Government of the Northwest Territories will certainly be able to subscribe to this fund over the coming years and will need to start identifying projects that qualify for this federal funding.

As returning Members will know, I have stood up in this House numerous times over the past four years questioning why the Government of the Northwest Territories was not moving forward with partnering with the City of Yellowknife to construct a secondary access or bypass road from Highway No. 3. With the construction of a combined services building and an expansion of the Yellowknife Airport, the government has a role to play in partnering with the city on the construction of this road.

Mr. Speaker, every day that passes, public safety of my constituents and those here in the city of Yellowknife is being compromised. There is only one route into Kam Lake Industrial Park. Given the nature of businesses located there, the potential exists for a spill or an accident at the top of Kam Lake Road that would cut the industrial park off, and those who reside there off, from necessary emergency services. Mr. Speaker, an accident at the Yellowknife Airport, as was evidenced with the dropping of a missile from an F-18 and another F-18 sliding off the runway, cuts emergency access for people from Highway No. 3. If there was an accident on Highway No. 3, emergency vehicles would not be able to get there. So obviously a secondary access to the capital is urgently required.

I asked the Minister of Transportation on Wednesday whether or not the bypass road was on a list of projects to the federal government. The response was that there was no list. I told the Minister on Wednesday in question period that I didn’t buy the fact that there wasn’t a list. The Minister said he’d be working with Members to formalize a final list.

Mr. Speaker, I have some questions about how the Minister proposes to do this when it would appear that Cabinet is already making decisions in isolation of input from Regular Members. Every Member of this House has the right to have input on competing infrastructure priorities in this territory, especially when our projects -- and Mr. Jacobson spoke earlier of one in his riding -- mean so much to the people we represent.

Mr. Speaker, I will have questions today at the appropriate time for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs on the Building Canada Fund. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about a science fair that was held at our Bompass Elementary School in Fort Simpson. They had their science fair held on November 21st, 2007. They invited all parents in the community to view their display of knowledge and, I would venture to say, Mr. Speaker, to show us why it’s hard to be smarter than a fifth grader.

---Laughter

I regret not being there and I was invited to judge, as I have had in the past, and this is an event that happens all across our great land. I have read, with great interest, the reports in the Deh Cho Drum and once again commend all participants and members of the community who attended and supported the efforts of our youth by showing up and speaking with the youth about their particular projects.

I can only give examples of a category and that is in Class 6. In first place was Alicia Norris, who researched quite extensively why we change our vehicle motor oil from summer to winter, and, second, Katrina Browning, who explored why plastering and drywalling needs reinforcement. They seem quite basic, but to young exploring minds, that is something that gives them a lot of learning for a lot of new things, Mr. Speaker. There were many categories and many winners. I congratulate them all and say, indeed, that all participants are winners in this event. I would also like to say a big thanks to teachers and educators for their interest in mentoring as well as their involvement in this initiative and continued encouragement of lifelong learning in our students. I would like to thank you, the parents, and keep up the good work. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the mandate of the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre is to expand its operations throughout the Northwest Territories. Annual core program funding from GNWT was established 25 years ago at $30,000 and it has not changed a whit as of today. Today’s board includes members from Inuvik and Hay River as it expands its programs.

We have an incredible body of artists in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. They contribute much towards healthy communities, but with a modicum of investment such as our neighbour, the Yukon, is doing quite progressively, this contribution could be so much greater. In September, Mr. Speaker, the previous Minister of ECE committed to finding additional core funding to NACC, part of which is to be directed to outreach programs. I urge this government to consider this additional support and confirm it as it is long overdue.

Arts programs such as those provided by NACC help create and empower healthy communities. They build community capacity and community leadership. The arts provide important and imaginative feedback on how our people are doing, what their concerns, difficulties and joys are. They contribute to quality of life, a key factor for retaining northern residents and professionals despite our high cost of living. They celebrate and strengthen diversity of our many northern cultures. The arts are an effective tool to engage youth in healthy and innovative ways.

Community identity and pride are enhanced by the arts and contribute to a collective northern voice. As an appreciator of the environment, I frequently see artists reuse waste materials and turn them back into useful and even stunning creations. Through all of these means and by capturing additional support from businesses and other entities, they contribute significantly to our local and territorial economies.

Mr. Speaker, over the years, I have watched as NACC and its many dedicated volunteers have provided inspiration, support and entertainment for all parts of our society. I have watched youth, elders and women bloom through NACC’s programs, often going on to contribute to the North and even nationally in many ways.

Mr. Speaker, we know what has happened to operational costs over the last few years, let alone the last two or three decades. Let’s give support where it is clearly due. Let’s support the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, its Outreach Program and the amazing services it provides to our people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is in regard to, from my understanding, an agreement that is in place between this government and the Gwich’in Tribal Council and a similar agreement in the Sahtu. Mr. Speaker, there was a meeting over a week and a half ago in regard to the review of the MOU between this government and the Gwich’in Tribal Council’s community leaders and business community. But yet, Mr. Speaker, there was very poor attendance by Ministers on the opposite side, deputy ministers and, more importantly, sending no senior staff to partake in those discussions.

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General of Canada reported in the assessment of the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim a number of years ago which clearly identified the objectives of the land claims were not being met, the lives of the Gwich’in people were not being improved and the social conditions in regards to making self-sustainable people a reality. Mr. Speaker, within four months, this agreement will be up for renewal. Mr. Speaker, it is important that this government does an assessment, but also take into account the recommendations of the Auditor General of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, there is an evaluation of the MOU which has to be concluded by April of this year and which includes the MOU. We will look at the objectives of the agreement, looking at the targets that were set and try to meet those targets and look at what we have done to fill Gwich’in business capacity, providing benefits to Gwich’in beneficiaries and, more importantly, meeting with stakeholders to express their concerns and issues. Again, Mr. Speaker, like I stated, there was a meeting scheduled, but yet this government did not have any Ministers present.

I think it is riding on this government to ensure that we do have a system that government-to-government relationships continue to be explored, especially with the Gwich’in agreements, agreements we have with aboriginal groups, land claims and, more importantly, what are we, as government, doing to improve the lives of people in those land claim areas by way of these agreements.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we, as government, not only live up to the obligations, but do whatever we can to improve our agreements to make them workable. So, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will have questions to the Minister of ITI in regards to the Gwich’in MOU and the evaluation that this government is undertaking. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my brother Harris and my niece Jolene Russell in the gallery today.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize in the gallery today a constituent, a friend, a board member for Sport North, Mr. Shannon Cumming.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize one of our fine staff members from the Department of Transportation, Mr. Harris Beaulieu.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement today, I talked about the need for residential treatment programs here in the Northwest Territories that focus in on youth and family. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health and Social Services was on this side of the House last term, so she is well aware that a motion that went forward that supported the treatment centre built in Yellowknife and in Inuvik and, of course, underlying all of that, not only being the Minister now, she had the experience of being the chair of the Social Programs so she understands the need of these treatment centres. Can the Minister tell this House how many people this government is sending south for treatment, specifically to youth, families, etcetera? Thank you.

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

Return To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that I listened to the statement very carefully, and I could not agree more with the Member on the things that he would like to work on as a Member and he would like the government to do. I would love to see all that he has mentioned there. I am hoping that he will be the champion for this cause on the other side of the floor to get this done, Mr. Speaker. As the House is aware, we are in the process of doing the strategic planning. I think the need to do some comprehensive strategy and more focussed resource and attention on this matter is very important. I look forward to working through that process and getting the help from the Member to achieve that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I wish the Minister would be the champion of this program as opposed to the Member having to be the champion of this program. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me how much money are we spending each year, every year, for the last several years sending people down south for treatment? I want to make sure we could maybe put this investment in the Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 72-16(1): Northern Addictions Treatment Centres

Mr. Speaker, we do have a consensus government, and we need to work together to achieve this. Mr. Speaker, I don’t have an exact dollar figure on the money that we spend down south for the treatment. I will be happy to get that specific information and get back to the Member. Thank you.