Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I will be supporting this motion today and as a result of Mr. Bromley’s and Mr. Yakeleya’s interest in this topic, it certainly identifies a gap that we must address.
Throughout the last couple of weeks we’ve talked about poverty and helping our people, and giving them access to education by filling this one gap is one of the most positive and beneficial ways that our government can give our people the hand-up and not a handout.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to speak to this motion, but, unfortunately, I can’t support the motion the way it is written. I’ll explain why.
I certainly believe strongly that the path of independence is sought through education. I think independent people who are self-sufficient through their education and that gives them the strength to go on and take care of themselves and their family and their future. I feel very strongly that the benefits of education help people in every generation. Education does not hold a single person back once you get that.
As the program is designed now, post-secondary education funding is for post-secondary education. It’s not to replace high school. People who decide not to complete high school, people who do not decide to complete high school in the right way -- and that means the upper level courses to qualify for university. This motion says that we should be funding high school, in essence, in another location through the post-secondary process. I disagree with that.
I would ask the mover if he has done any work in the Social Programs committee. He has told me no. If he wants to change his answer today, I’m curious if his answer is new today. I recently asked him this question not two days ago. I’d like to know what the demand is of this particular case that people, whether they’re aged 25, 30, 35, 40, have decided that they want to go to university at this stage and that they need high school upgrading.
There are options out there. I’ll tell you the options and I’ll start with the free ones. If somebody wants to go back and do upgrading, they can go to the high school; the local high school that this government and past governments have worked very hard to ensure are in every community. I believe they exist. Why aren’t we taking up that option first? Someone may say that they may be too old. Okay. I’ll buy that. If they’re aged 21 or older perhaps and they feel uncomfortable going back to Grade 12 in their home town. I’ll respect that. There’s an age factor there. What about using one of our 33 learning centres in the Northwest Territories? What about accessing one of our three campuses in our major communities? You can go back there to take high school upgrading so you can pursue those post-secondary education dreams, which I support. Right now with the existing pillars we have right here is a fantastic Aurora College that provides us access to anybody who wants to proceed.
Now, is the cost burden too heavy to go to Aurora College? Well, I’m glad I put that question out there, because I went to the Aurora College program and I noticed the heavy burden of the cost to pursue Aurora College programming is $40 for an application fee -- that seems overwhelming -- $25 for student fees, $40 for computer lab, and the $20 fee for recreation; $125 is not considered a burdensome levy that somebody now has to create a new program through Student Financial Assistance that we have to create to provide high school.
I feel very strongly about our Aurora College. I feel, clearly and unequivocally, that they are going in the right direction providing opportunities for our northern students. Certainly the ones that come along a little later can be defined as mature students. They are the pillars of our education and they are an access point.
There are a couple of other options. If a person happens to be down on their luck and working through the income support system, income support will support them as a productive choice going back to the learning centre and accessing it that way. Amazingly, that’s not all.
A person can access the distance education system while they’re at home here in the Northwest Territories. Yet again more options for these people. And they’re not very expensive, because I’ve pursued to find out the cost of some of these things.
Lastly, but not least, is if a person is of the age that they feel a little uncomfortable again approaching the schools... And by the way, the schools do welcome students who want to return to high school to do upgrading. As a matter of fact, I’ve helped constituents in my riding in this school year to consider those options and look at those options. But you know, someone of an older age may feel uncomfortable pursuing that option, which I respect. They could apply as a mature student at a college. That opportunity exists for them.
I don’t think this motion has been well thought out. I’m not convinced in any manner that the work has been done to consider options that exist on the table. I think if we pursue this option, what this is, is creating an incentive to either drop out of school early and know that the system will pick you up through distance education later or not provide motivation to focus in on the right courses.
I feel very strongly about the existing process we have. I feel strongly that our school systems are good. They provide good education and good guidance to students. I believe Aurora College is a strength that we should be continuing to embrace. Certainly in every single community we have here there’s an access point.
The motion, again, speaks to education. I support the concept but I don’t think it’s well thought out. I’m very disappointed that we’re not treating our Aurora College...
Mr. Jacobson has a note for me here. Perhaps I’ll table it. Thank you, Mr. Jacobson.
You’re welcome.
So we have enough access points in this system that exist today that anybody who wants to increase their education can access them without any sort of denial.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’m not going to repeat what the Member for Yellowknife Centre had to say. There are a lot of things that he touched on that are working in the Northwest Territories; the facilities we have in the Northwest Territories and the benefits of living in the Northwest Territories, the amount of benefits that we have here in the Northwest Territories.
Just touching on something that Mr. Bromley alluded to, the UCEP, the INAC funding is there. The free horse, the programming that’s there for the Northwest Territories that do not qualify for Student Financial Assistance. They are there to assist as well when they’re down south. There are a number of different programs outside SFA programming.
At the same time, there are certain programs such as the NWT Labour Market Agreement that provide incentive and assistance to NWT residents. I think we really need to be careful in dealing with this particular subject. We are currently dealing with the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, as you know. We have been to the Sahtu region already. We heard over and over about the students that are upgrading. We are dealing with that right now.
I don’t know why this motion is before us as we pursue a new initiative that will come out with a solution at the end of the discussion that we’ll be having. It will be addressed here in the House, as well, as we move forward.
I’m afraid that there will be a number of students out there that are just waiting for us to say yes to sponsor SFA on upgrading. We’re not talking about 10 or 20 students. We could be talking about over 100 students. Students that are down south currently already.
There is also a disincentive where school boards will lose their money as well. The money that’s been provided to them, the funding and investment is based on enrolment. Those students, once they leave school they lose the funding as well. If the students return to the schools or the community learning centres that are there as well in the communities that can provide various programs. Once you leave the Northwest Territories, there are cost factors. Where you live, tuition, you have to eat. Here in the Northwest Territories we have that advantage.
I just want to reiterate that there is a new initiative that’s underway. I think we just need to be patient with that. We are currently reviewing our SFA program as well. That will reflect on what we’ve heard from the students, the parents and the community members. There are other things that are on the way within the Northwest Territories that we are pursuing and reviewing different perspectives.
With the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative we are going to cover all regions. We’re going to share with all people, people of the Northwest Territories giving us solutions, guidance and suggestions as we move forward. This is the very topic of discussion that we’ve had in the Sahtu and that we will have in other regions as well.
With this as a direction to our government, Cabinet will abstain on the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. I’ll go to the mover of the motion for some closing comments. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the comments of all my colleagues who chose to speak today. Of course I think it’s well established that UCEP does exist out there, but it runs out early every year and is insufficient to meet the need.
Mr. Speaker, I realize that because of our failed educational system and our lack of adequate counselling so even parents don’t realize that their students are getting an inadequate education or diploma until long after they graduate, this situation where we have been responsible creates a responsibility for dealing with it. The Minister has made some reference to upcoming action, which I think we all look forward as a solution and in response to this motion, but there are clearly gaps out there. As those of us that listen closely to our constituents have heard repeatedly, Mr. Speaker, I assure the Minister and all in the House that we have not picked this motion out of the air.
We have slowly achieved greater graduation rates. We are now up to 55 percent in the Northwest Territories, and I think that shows that we are working hard on this. We still have a long ways to go. However, if our students are graduating with certificates or diplomas that are hollow in terms of their potential to pursue post-secondary, it’s not getting them where we want them to be able to go. That’s exactly what this motion is attempting to address.
We need an extra effort and a fund specifically to address this. I’m not expecting that we’re going to be able to fund all those 100 students in the first year, Mr. Speaker. What I’m saying is we have a gap here. We do not have sufficient funding for the demand that’s out there. Let’s improve that. We have this bolus of people… I’m hoping that the department will actually deal with this problem so we don’t have it any longer. In the meantime, we do have this situation where we have perhaps half a generation of graduates with inadequacies in terms of their ability to pursue their goals.
As the motion recognizes, there are some options out there, as we’ve heard and as the motion points out, but these are insufficient options for a number of reasons: financial capacity issues, barriers to accessing programs, young people who are starting out with their families and facing unique problems associated with that. Those that would speak out against this motion show a lack of insight into the issue that people in our small communities are facing and are bringing to our attention. This motion is specifically to respond to that.
Mr. Speaker, this is particularly good timing in recognition of the Minister’s comments that he’s conducting a review of student financial assistance, so I appreciate his mentioning that fact. I would expect that solutions will be included in that review to this situation. I look forward to those solutions.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, this motion is all about giving people the opportunity to pursue their goals in terms of learning and the opportunities to fulfill their potential as human beings and members of our communities. I appreciate the support of the House. Mr. Speaker, I do request a recorded vote. Mahsi.
Mr. Bromley, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you. All those opposed to the motion, please stand.
Mr. Hawkins.
All those abstaining from the motion, please stand.
Mr. Lafferty; Ms. Lee; Mr. McLeod, Deh Cho; Mr. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Results of the motion: In favour of the motion, 8; opposed, 1; abstaining 5. The motion is carried.
---Carried
The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, November 4, 2010, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February 2, 2011.
AND FURTHER, that any time prior to February 2, 2011, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
WHEREAS the people of the Northwest Territories share common values and aspirations, including the belief that the authority to govern stems from the people to their institutions of government;
AND WHEREAS aboriginal governments are intrinsically linked as partners in designing, implementing and participating in the development of government institutions;
AND WHEREAS respect for the Northwest Territories’ diverse cultures and the desire to live in balance with the land are cornerstones of our future and those of our governments;
AND WHEREAS the recent draft Agreement-in-Principle on Devolution of Lands and Resources underscores the need for public and inclusive consultation on a northern management regime for lands and resources;
AND WHEREAS the early establishment of a northern management regime for lands and resources is integral for a seamless transition when the final devolution agreement is ultimately implemented;
AND WHEREAS this would be an important step toward constitutional development in a united Northwest Territories;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Premier immediately commence a public consultation process, in partnership with the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning, to determine the shape of a northern management regime for land and resources;
AND FURTHER, that recommendations on the proposed implementation of this regime be included in transition documents and planning for the 17th Legislative Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people of the Northwest Territories, from my stories from the elders, have traditionally been self-reliant and have governed themselves for thousands of years. More recent arrivals in the Territories have been fiercely independent also. All of us believe that our government should be of the people and who can work out things together. Our system of government has grown, Mr. Speaker, and it has taken on more authority over the last 50 years. Aboriginal peoples have settled land claims and have actually set up their own governments based on both tradition and the needs of today’s world. The various levels of governments in the Northwest Territories are now partnerships working together on unique systems built in the North for all northern people.
Mr. Speaker, we have always lived in balance with this land. People from many cultures have been drawn to the Territories, have fallen in love with our pristine land, largely unscarred and free of pollution. People of the various cultures in the Northwest Territories have had differences from time to time, but we learn to respect each other and take the best of all and forge on with our future together.
The draft agreement-in-principle on land and resources could be a very serious step towards becoming masters in our own land. We all want to take the authority that is rightfully ours that has long rested with the federal government in Ottawa. It is an issue that concerns every person in the Northwest Territories and every level of government. The people must be informed about this process. The people must have a say in how we manage our land and resources. So far there has been no real process to consult with the people of the Northwest Territories on this and this needs to be done.
We know that the AIP calls for the existing system of managing lands and resources to simply be moved from the federal government to the Territories under similar legislation. This is the first step so things run smoothly. But in the long run, Mr. Speaker, we want better management of lands and resources. We want a system that is made in the North, taking the best parts of the old system and improving on it. If there is a final agreement on devolution of lands and resources, we should know where we’re going. We should have the plans of our own for a better system of management that works at all levels, including the aboriginal governments.
Unfortunately, this work could be a big step towards constitution development in the Northwest Territories. Many of us in this room remember the work done in the past decades by the Western Constitutional Forum, the Constitution Alliance and the Bourque Commission for constitution development. There have been a lot of good ideas but very little has been done to implement them. I hope we will now start the process of building on the best work in the past. We can, and should, work on the system in which aboriginal governments and public governments can work together.
These are some of the reasons, Mr. Speaker, I am asking the Premier to start a public consultation process working with all Regular Members through the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning. The goal is to determine the shape of our future management regime for land and resources. Mr. Speaker, we need to do this if this AIP is to produce an acceptable final agreement that works for all Northerners.
Mr. Speaker, all Members of the next Legislative Assembly will have to work hard on these issues. That is why we need to get started and make recommendations for the next Assembly. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak briefly to this motion. I think, first of all, I want to thank my colleagues for bringing this forward. I think the House knows that I have spoken a number of times on this issue, so I will be voting in support.
Mr. Speaker, this is really all about values and capturing those values as we go forward in our development as a jurisdiction. We need a comprehensive process, a process that is of the people, for the people and by the people and that strives to get at those values and capture them in a way that shows how they will be incorporated into our management regimes in the future.
Hopefully this can be done in a process once the AIP is signed and before final agreement. That is what we are calling for here. If not, if we don’t sign an AIP now, then this should be the basis for a new AIP as negotiations proceed.
I think we need to subscribe to the principles that we already established in the North, perseverance, patience and high standards as we go forward in our development, and particularly inclusivity. That is everybody at the table and in support. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. To the motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I clearly support this motion and I think it is a good thing. I believe strongly that the public inclusion and collaboration on future development of land and resources and our management regime are critical.
Mr. Speaker, I think the public needs to be involved and we need to find a way that does involve them in the appropriate way that we do business. Mr. Speaker, that does not mean we advocate or I should say I advocate that we negotiate in public with our devolution agreements through our AIP being posted on the web or who knows how they get there, but the reality is that public consultation and collaboration needs to be done and enshrined in our process that we show and demonstrate that we are working towards a final outcome someday, representing their values and aspirations. That is what needs to be done. It can’t be soon, but it needs to be clearly demonstrated.
This motion speaks to the process of working towards a method that includes our public and showing that we don’t just care for them, we also hear their concerns. We are working with their dreams.
Mr. Speaker, again, I will be supporting the motion. I am not sure if the seconder usually asks for a recorded vote, but in case it gets missed at this time, I will make sure I request it this time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the motion. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, we all want to make a better land and resource management regime for the people of the Northwest Territories. This is one of the reasons we support devolution efforts. This motion runs counter to the intent of the draft agreement-in-principle which proposes a Government of the Northwest Territories to aboriginal government relationship that contemplates a political forum related to resource management and its regulatory regime in the Northwest Territories that respects all governments’ authorities. It would be disingenuous of this government and the Assembly to launch out on a separate initiative. Further, the land claim agreements already provide for land use plans to be developed for claimant regions that will reflect the values and principles of the citizens of that region. In fact, as Members are aware, a number of plans are already in various stages of development and approval. We find the motion to be well intentioned but fails to consider the current negotiations and existing mechanisms related to land management.
The motion would also require an investment of significant resources that are simply not available. However, resources will become available as a result of devolution, which will lead to the overall review and renewal of the land and resource management regime in the Northwest Territories within the context of a government-to-government relationship.
We must also recognize that the transition of regimes under a federal system to a territorial system will have to be carefully managed to allow for as smooth a transition as possible. The fact that mirror legislation may be put in place as an initial step should not discourage anyone. Such a process would allow the Government of the Northwest Territories and aboriginal governments to collaborate with all stakeholders, and future legislators will be able to manage the necessary legislative changes as they deem best. The Member’s motion, inasmuch as it supports the goals of devolution, is positive; however, it is our view that it is not practical in this point in time. For this reason, Cabinet will be abstaining from the motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I will go to the mover of the motion for his closing comment. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thought about this motion and due to the sudden developments of the draft AIP, I said there is something missing here. There is something seriously flawed with this process here. That is why I asked to have this motion come to the House for some discussion.
We need to look at a public consultation process. Mr. Speaker, I have been in the negotiations business for a bit before I became the MLA for Sahtu. Any type of drastic changes to our communities or the way we will run our communities, when we come to a process of putting an agreement together and having the people look at it and discuss it, we make sure that we have public consultation either be the Sahtu Dene-Metis claim or the Tulita Yamoria Secretariat self-government agreement. We do it in an open fashion. We talk about our values and how do we incorporate aboriginal community values, traditional values, Dene-Metis values into a government. We have our discussions with the parties, be it the federal government, territorial government that is there, and we come to an agreement. Then we have the public consultation that we go house to house to say, do you agree or not?
This is the farthest we have gone. This I did not see in this process here. We have to do that. I want to see this government here look at it. The AIP is also a constitution process, a process that we could have discussions with people in the Northwest Territories. People are going to be affected by it and get ready for the 17th and have the discussion also on the 17th.
Mr. Speaker, I want to know that this motion did not say no to the AIP. It says how do we go about going forward. Right now we’re kicking and screaming. Some of the aboriginal groups are kicking and screaming and saying come on, we’ve got something good for you. We’ve got to have some serious discussions on consultation and the process, because right now that is not happening. There are some significant changes that need to happen, significant changes that need to be discussed and, really, we need to talk about the values of working together in the Northwest Territories. If we cannot have this discussion, then really we’re truly fooling ourselves to say that we can work together on some issues.
This one is the big one. This one is the framework of the type of house we’re going to have in the Northwest Territories, and it’s going to be built by all people in the Northwest Territories, aboriginal and public government. We’ve got to have that.
This negotiation, certainly this draft AIP does not speak to that. There are some key components that are not in there in the framework. So I wanted to say that to the Premier and to Cabinet, that we really need to look at what we mean by partnership, and not to use that word very lightly in terms of developing the North together.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour of the motion please stand.
Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Abernethy, Mr Ramsay, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Hawkins.
All those opposed to the motion please stand. All those abstaining from the motion, please stand.
Mr. Lafferty; Ms. Lee; Mr. McLeod, Deh Cho; Mr. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South; Mr. Jacobson.
The results of the recorded vote: all those in favour, 7; those opposed, 0; those abstaining, 6.
---Carried
---Applause
Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Tabled Document 62-16(5), Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy; Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future;” Table Document 103-16(5), GNWT Contracts Over $5,000 Report, Year Ending March 31, 2010; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; and Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights, with Mr. Krutko in the chair.
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Mr. Chairman, I move to report progress.
---Carried
Can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please, Mr. Krutko.
Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. A motion is on the floor. Do we have a seconder? The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, good afternoon.
To our friends in Gwich’in country: Good afternoon. To our francophone friends: Good day, bonjour. For our friends in Chipewyan country: Good day. To my Cree friends and relations: How are you today? To my friends in the Slavey communities: Good day. To our friends in the Beaufort-Delta who speak Inuvialuktun: How are you today? And last, but not least, to our Tlicho friends: Greetings.
---Applause
Although I was sworn in as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories just over five months ago, I feel very honoured to be here in the House in an official capacity for the very first time. I will work very hard to serve all Northerners with pride, courage and dignity.
I was invited to the high school graduation ceremony in Behchoko -- the day after I was sworn in -- followed by the Sport North Annual Awards Banquet the same evening. You could say that “I hit the ground running!”
At the end of June I attended an event in Ottawa, where I had the privilege of meeting Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, and His Royal Highness, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, when they visited Canada on their Royal Tour. I was a proud Northerner and a proud Canadian that day.
On October 1st I had the pleasure of representing the people of the Northwest Territories at the installation ceremony for our new Governor General, His Excellence, the Right Honourable David Johnston. I had a brief conversation with him and his wife, Sharon, and have written to him with an open invitation for them to visit the Northwest Territories.
During my term as Commissioner I hope to visit every community in the Territory at least once, and to attend as many cultural events and school graduations as possible. Of course I would welcome invitations to accompany the Members of this House in visiting their communities and constituents in my role as Commissioner. Over the next five years I look forward to working with each and every one of you, keeping in mind there is an election on the horizon.
Now, as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories I am pleased to asset to the following bills:
Bill 8, Social Work Profession Act
Bill 9, An Act to Amend the Tourism Act
Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act
Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2011-2012
Bill 21, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2009-2010
Bill 22, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2009-2010
Bill 23, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2010-2011
Bill 24, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2010-2011
Thank you, merci beaucoup, mahsi cho, quanami.
