Debates of October 13, 2004 (day 19)

It is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Third Session of the 15th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. To our visitors in the gallery and to those of you following along on the Yellowknife CAT channel or later tonight on APTN, I offer you a very warm welcome. It has been an eventful summer and early fall. A recent announcement regarding the Mackenzie Valley pipeline and the federal government’s Throne speech have given us much food for thought. This ensures that lively dialogue will ensue. To assist the Members in maintaining their normal levels of decorum, I welcome our new Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr. Brian Thagard.

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Mr. Thagard brings a wealth of experience to his new position. Brian has served this Legislature in other critical capacities for a number of years. Now his responsibilities have been expanded to include the safety and security of the Chamber. I know his intimate knowledge of Assembly operations will be of benefit to Members and all whom we serve.

I bid a fond farewell to Ms. Nicole Latour-Theede, who served us so well in this post for the past few years. Ms. Latour-Theede brought a sense of pride to this position that befits the office. Her contributions will be sorely missed. On behalf of all Members, many thanks, Nicole.

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Some people have said that the only constant in this Assembly is change. In that light, I would also like to welcome Mr. Darrin Ouellette, our newest table officer.

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Darrin joins this Assembly from the Department of Transportation through the GNWT’s Management Assignment Program. This Legislative Assembly is pleased to support Darrin in his pursuits. We trust he will benefit from his time here at the Legislative Assembly. He will be assisting Mr. Mercer during that period of time that Mr. Andrew Stewart is away from our service pursuing further educational opportunities. Good luck in your studies, Andrew.

At this time, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the families and friends of Louise Pargeter and Lieutenant Chris Saunders who have recently had their lives cut short in their line of duty. They will be sorely missed by their communities and their country. I understand Mr. Pokiak will be seeking your indulgence to observe a moment of silence for the four missing hunters

from Tuktoyaktuk. At that time, I encourage you to also turn your thoughts and prayers to Ms. Pargeter and Lieutenant Saunders and their families.

In the gallery today, I am pleased to recognize the Consul General for the United States of America, Mr. Naim Ahmed.

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It is also my personal distinct pleasure to take notice of the attendance in the gallery of former Speaker, Mr. Tony Whitford. Welcome, Tony.

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It is always a pleasure to see you here. Next to Tony is Senator Nick Sibbeston in the gallery.

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Speaking of familiar faces, greetings to Mr. David Hamilton, long-time Clerk of the Legislative Assembly and our current Chief Electoral Officer for the Northwest Territories.

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Welcome back, David. We miss your smiling face. With Mr. Hamilton today is Mr. Glen McLean, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, whom I am also pleased to welcome to this House.

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We also have other distinguished guests in the gallery who I welcome and who will get personal recognition later on.

Welcome to our Pages. I know Mr. Thagard will be keeping a watchful eye on your efforts. Thank you for joining us here today.

Expressions of thanks also go out to the teachers of our northern schools for doing a fine job. If these young people are any indication, they are doing that.

I would also like Members to note that I have received written communication from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Glenna Hansen. It is dated October 5, 2004, and reads: “Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 2, 2004-2005, and Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2003-2004, during the Third Session of the Legislative Assembly.”

Before we go on, I would like to provide a ruling on Written Question 29-15(3), submitted by Mr. Hawkins on June 2, 2004. Written questions, like oral questions, must be a question. Clearly, Mr. Hawkins’ question to Mr. Dent was not a question and, therefore, I ruled it out of order.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome you and all Members back to the Assembly after a busy and productive summer.

This summer, Members of Cabinet were able to travel to many communities at the invitation of Members to meet with local councils, organizations and residents, or to attend summer assemblies. I had the good fortune to attend many of the summer assemblies, including the Deh Cho Assembly in Kakisa, the Northwest Territories Metis Nation Assembly in Fort Smith, the Akaitcho Assembly in Ndilo, the Tlicho Assembly in Gameti, and the Dene National Assembly at Yellowknife River.

On the invitation of National Chief Phil Fontaine and NWT Regional Chief Bill Erasmus, I also attended and spoke to the Assembly of First Nations in Charlottetown. This continues a strong working relationship we have established with the AFN on issues affecting First Nations people in the Northwest Territories. It also provided an opportunity to encourage AFN to hold their 2005 assembly in the Northwest Territories.

We are now almost a full year into the term of the 15th Legislative Assembly and this is a good time to take stock of our work to date.

When we first met as a Legislature in January, we committed to run an open and transparent government, to find ways to work better with our partners and to pursue the finalization of aboriginal rights agreements throughout the territory. We also committed, as a government, to run a tight fiscal ship, but to consider strategic investments that make sense in light of the priorities we collectively established as a government, as a Caucus and as northern leaders.

Mr. Speaker, we have worked hard to meet our commitment “to work together to make consensus government stronger, to ensure transparency and openness and be more responsive to the people of the Northwest Territories.”

We have moved decisively to deal with concerns raised about the conduct of members of the public service or Cabinet. We have established new mechanisms such as the Joint AOC/Cabinet Committee on Pipeline Planning and the Working Group on Boards and Agencies to work in a more collaborative manner with Regular Members. We have taken deliberate decisions as a Legislature and as a government to work in partnerships with aboriginal governments, municipal governments and other partners through forums such as the Circle of Northern Leaders.

These are important steps in meeting our commitment to run government in a more open, transparent and cooperative manner. We recognize, however, that we must continue to be vigilant to ensure this continues.

Mr. Speaker, the jurisdiction and responsibilities of aboriginal and public governments are in a process of transition that will establish new relationships between people and governments of the Northwest Territories. The completion and implementation of aboriginal rights agreements will change the nature and function of the territorial government itself and bring certainty to shape and structure of governance in the Northwest Territories. This is a positive step for those who live and do business here. I want to highlight a couple of milestones on the road to self-determination.

During the current session, the government will introduce the Tlicho Community Services Agency Act. This bill was developed in consultation with the Tlicho Treaty 11 Tribal Council and is the final piece of territorial legislation required to ratify the Tlicho Agreement. It follows the Settlement Act passed at the 14th Assembly and the Tlicho Community Government Act passed in the spring.

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On September 20th in Tulita, the negotiators at the Tulita self-government table initiated the Tulita Self-Government Framework Agreement and work has already started on the agreement-in-principle. I look forward to signing this agreement on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories in the near future.

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The Government of the Northwest Territories is fully committed to concluding aboriginal rights negotiators and to meeting its obligations to implement these agreements in a timely manner. We do so on the understanding that there is no one-size fits all solution to aboriginal rights in the Northwest Territories. The differences in the governments that will be established under these two agreements, the Tlicho and Tulita, illustrate our determination and commitment to work with aboriginal governments on agreements that make sense to their particular circumstance.

Mr. Speaker, on May 26th, I was pleased to introduce the Government of the Northwest Territories’ strategic plan to the Legislative Assembly. This plan was developed with input from leaders and people in the Northwest Territories and reflects many of the priorities of the Members of this Legislative Assembly. While we intend to provide regular updates on our progress on the strategic plan, I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of our work to date.

When I introduced the strategic plan, I told this House that the government was committed to sound fiscal management. I said we intended to move forward in a manner that ensures our long-term fiscal sustainability. This would require difficult but necessary choices. Under the leadership of the Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Floyd Roland, we have been working hard to solidify our fiscal position. The first budget of this government signalled our intention to live within our means. Since then, we have been looking at many areas of government where we can improve our effectiveness and efficiency. This work is continuing as we develop our business plans for 2005-06 and beyond. Mr. Roland will be providing more detail on his work in his budget address in early 2005.

Mr. Speaker, in keeping with our first goal of the strategic plan, we have been working hard to ensure that northern issues remain high on the national agenda. In early July, I had the pleasure of hosting the Western Premiers’ Conference in Inuvik. At the Western Premiers’ Conference, or WPC, we secured the support from western Premiers for a number of critical NWT issues including: an open letter to the Prime Minister from all western Premiers calling for a strong political commitment to conclude negotiations on a fair devolution deal without delay; support for additional resources from the federal government to address unique challenges of delivering health care in remote regions as part of a long-term health care agreement; support for a northern economic development fund that provides the three territories authority to direct expenditures; and, the creation of a Western Energy Alliance.

As chair of this meeting, I invited a number of regional aboriginal leaders to meet with the Premiers to discuss health care. The meeting was an important first step in the subsequent participation of national aboriginal organizations and the Council of the Federation and First Ministers’ meetings that followed the WPC.

The success of the WPC was a result of the relaxed and enjoyable environment in Inuvik. This would not have been possible without the contributions of many people. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people, the Town of Inuvik, our corporate sponsors and the many volunteers who donated their time and energy to make this conference a success.

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Mr. Speaker, we took a number of important steps at the First Ministers’ meeting in September to address the inequities in our funding arrangement with Canada. We were able to secure an agreement with the federal government to create a health access fund for the three territories of $150 million over five years, starting in 2004-05. This fund will have three components. At least $75 million will be provided for medical transportation; $65 million will be provided to the three territories to target innovative and adaptive strategies for long-term health reforms; and $10 million will be used to create a joint federal/territorial working group to look at policy and program management approaches to health delivery in the North.

As important as this funding is to the Northwest Territories, it is perhaps more important that the federal government has formally recognized that the unique challenges of delivering health care in the northern territories require funding over and above the normal per capita share. The Minister of Health and Social Services, the honourable Minister Miltenberger, will be attending a meeting with his federal, provincial, and territorial colleagues on October 15th to further flesh out the details of this agreement.

In January, I told this Legislative Assembly that a priority of this government was improving our financial arrangements with Canada. At the September meeting of the First Ministers, we made progress on this priority with the commitment made by the Prime Minister to increase the base funding provided to the three territories under our territorial financing agreements. Although the details of this agreement will not be worked out until the northern Premiers meet with the Prime Minister at the October First Ministers' meeting, we expect that the net result will be a significant increase in our grant from the federal government on a go forward basis.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, we secured a commitment from the Prime Minister to work with the three territories and other northern partners to jointly develop a vision for the North. This initiative, the first comprehensive northern strategy in memory, was confirmed in the October 5th Speech from the Throne. Our success in keeping Northwest Territories’ issues on a national agenda is an important step in meeting the first goal of our strategic plan: to build a strong northern voice and identity.

Mr. Speaker, the second goal of our strategic plan is to have healthy, educated people living in safe communities who are able to contribute and take advantage of life’s opportunities. I want to highlight a number of initiatives that move us closer to this important goal.

Family violence is a serious and troubling issue in the Northwest Territories. In response to this problem, the Coalition Against Family Violence released an NWT action plan on family violence last spring. This action plan was developed based on territory-wide consultations and with recommendations from frontline workers, government departments, community groups, and the RCMP. I want to take the opportunity to publicly recognize and applaud the work of the coalition in developing this plan. Later, during this session, the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, the Honourable Charles Dent, will be releasing the government’s response to the action plan.

The problems associated with alcohol abuse in the Northwest Territories are many and one of the most serious is drinking and driving. Last week, the Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Michael McLeod, joined with key stakeholder groups such as SADD and the RCMP to announce new measures taken to help RCMP deter impaired driving on our streets and highways. Amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act providing strict new measures that lower permissible blood-alcohol content to .05 percent and provide for immediate roadside licence suspensions will come into force on December 1, 2004.

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Mr. Speaker, the health problems associated with smoking are well documented. The unfortunate truth is that smoking levels in the Northwest Territories are far above the national average. As part of the health promotion strategy which promotes health and well-being by providing education and awareness about healthy lifestyles, we are working hard to encourage people to quit smoking. Through the Department of Health and Social Services, we are undertaking a number of initiatives including a media strategy and school curriculum aimed at youth. We believe these initiatives, combined with the support of the community leadership and parents, will lead us toward markedly lower smoking rates among young northerners.

The provision of health and family support services is an important component of our health care system. On May 18, 2004, Health and Social Services implemented a toll-free telephone nursing service that increases the ability of the Northwest Territories residents to care for themselves, provide support for health and social service providers and has the potential to decrease non-urgent after-hours call-outs. This service is universally accessible to NWT residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be accessed in English, French and the majority of the NWT’s aboriginal languages.

Mr. Speaker, the education of northerners of all ages is a priority of this government. I want to highlight a number of important initiatives led by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Charles Dent. We are undertaking to improve education opportunities for our residents. This fall, we will be implementing the Dene Kede Grade 9 curriculum for all of our schools. Dene Kede is designed to help students understand their identity as individuals and as members of a community and ensure that they receive instruction that incorporates an aboriginal perspective. Recognizing our cultural and heritage activities and the need to respond to the needs and rights of all of our northern citizens, we are pleased to announce the breaking of ground for Ecole Boreal, a new school providing French-first-language education to students in Hay River. Last week, in Inuvik, we opened a new Aurora Campus facility. The facility is a giant step forward in ensuring that adults in the Beaufort-Delta have access to a modern learning environment. In keeping with our priorities to provide people with tools to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the Northwest Territories, we have formed a unique partnership with aboriginal governments and organizations, private industry partners and the federal government to provide training under the aboriginal skills and employment partnership initiative. This partnership will result in over $50 million going to fund training programs in oil and gas and mining sectors.

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Mr. Speaker, aside from the direct investments in education and health programs, there are many other ways the government contributes to building a healthy and productive society. Perhaps the most important of these is the provision of programming aimed at our young people. One such initiative is the youth summer camps established in 14 of our communities. Through the Pan-Territorial Sports Strategy, a partnership with the Government of Canada, MACA has worked with territorial sports and recreation organizations to offer camps that focus on a variety of sports including softball, soccer, canoeing, kayaking, and mountain biking. These camps have provided opportunities for more than 900 young northerners to develop their skills. In addition to the summer camp program, more than $1 million has gone to fund innovative pilot programs over the past two years. These programs have focused on developing both employment-related and traditional skills for young people in the North. Projects such as the Sahtu and Rae-Edzo Trapper Training Program, the Kakisa and Nahanni Butte Outdoor Education program, the Cole Crook fiddle camp, and the Inuvialuit Development Corporation Youth Leadership Program have helped numerous youth expand their skills and build their self-esteem.

A healthy, educated society requires affordable and adequate housing. The challenge of ensuring access to such housing remains a priority for this government. The Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, the Honourable David Krutko, has been working with housing industry leaders to explore new and innovative ways to deliver housing. Promising technologies include the reconfiguration of temporary units to permanent dwellings.

The third goal of the strategic plan is to develop well-governed communities and regions able to fulfill their potential. An important step in allowing communities to take control of their own affairs is the new deal for community governments announced last spring by the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Michael McLeod. Working with community governments through the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, we intend to build on work already in progress to provide communities with expanded authority to raise their own revenues and take more control over capital planning for community infrastructure. When combined with proposals by the Government of Canada, we believe this will provide communities with the tools to help address their critical infrastructure needs.

In June, this Legislative Assembly enacted the Tlicho Community Government Act. This groundbreaking legislation was developed in partnership with the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council and sets the stage for the four Tlicho communities to assume new authority when the Tlicho Final Agreement becomes effective. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will be working closely with leadership and community staff to ensure that Tlicho communities are equipped to step into their expanded governance role. Work is underway on developing bylaws and preparing for the transfer of land administration and other responsibilities.

Building on capacity at the community level remains a major focus of the government. To achieve this end, we are undertaking a number of notable initiatives. The School of Community Government is working with the federal government with regional and local stakeholders to deliver comprehensive and integrated training to community governments.

We are working with the Aboriginal Finance Officers Association to deliver a nationally-accredited and certified aboriginal financial managers designation.

We are working in partnership with the NWT Association of Communities to certify community government employees under the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations Certification Act. Since last March, 16 employees have been certified in six professions.

We are working with communities to develop fire-smart community plans to minimize the impact of wildfire on them. These plans include land use planning, emergency and fire response planning, public education training and fire prevention strategies. To date, the communities of Fort Smith, Fort Providence, Enterprise and Norman Wells have adopted fire-smart principles and have planning committees in place.

We also set an ambitious goal to develop a diversified economy that provides northerners with opportunities and choices. A diversified economy depends on reliable infrastructure. In partnership with the federal government through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, we are investing $158 million over the next five years to improve driving services on the various highways, including a major reconstruction of the Dempster Highway and completion of reconstruction of Highway No. 3.

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Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Minister’s statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through this program and other cost-shared agreements with the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, we are continuing with the Mackenzie Valley winter road bridges program. All in all, the program includes the installation of 22 permanent bridges over water crossings and great improvements to the winter road itself.

Transportation continues to work with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation in a public/private partnership towards the construction of the first highway bridge over the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence. The proponent of this project is presently engaged in securing the required regulatory approvals. Public hearings before the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board are scheduled to begin on Thursday, October 21st. The current construction schedule anticipates the opening of the Deh Cho Bridge to traffic in late 2006.

With a growing, buoyant economy it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that businesses have access to the capital required to grow and produce jobs and economic benefits. During the current session, the Minister of RWED, the Honourable Brendan Bell, will introduce a new Business Development and Investment Corporation Act. The new act will consolidate GNWT business assistance programming under a business development and investment corporation that will provide the necessary focus and flexibility to meet existing and future business needs in the territory.

Mr. Speaker, resource development, particularly diamonds and gas, continues to be the engine that drives the Northwest Territories economy. Since the conclusion of the last Legislative Assembly, we have successfully negotiated a comprehensive environmental agreement and socioeconomic agreement with de Beers regarding the development of their proposed Snap Lake mine. These agreements help ensure that the environment is protected and that northern resources are developed in a manner that provides meaningful, long-term benefits to northerners.

At the national level, we have been working with our provincial and territorial colleagues to develop an action plan for the National Diamond Strategy. The action plan focuses on three fundamental issues that must be taken into account if the diamond industry in Canada is to be developed in a sustainable way: the supply of Canadian-sourced diamonds, the demand for diamonds processed in Canada and the regulation of the markets. The importance of the Mackenzie gas project to the long-term strategic interests of the Northwest Territories and the socioeconomic benefits of our people in the communities cannot be overstated. The Government of the Northwest Territories remains fully committed to this project, to the joint panel process established to review it, and into ensuring northerners fully benefit from this development.

We are encouraged by the announcement last week that the Mackenzie Delta Producers Group and the Aboriginal Pipeline Group have filed the environmental impact statement and detailed federal applications for the Mackenzie gas project. This filing represents major progress towards the construction of the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline and associated gas field facilities in the Mackenzie Delta of the Northwest Territories. Much of the credit for the progress we have made to date must go to Fred Carmichael and Nellie Cournoyea from the Aboriginal Pipeline Group, and the former president of Imperial Oil Ltd, K.C. Williams.

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Mr. Speaker, there has been a great deal of coverage in the media over the past several weeks and months about some of the possible impediments to this development; issues concerning aboriginal rights, the regulatory regime and a need to ensure our natural environment is protected. These issues are of real significance. We recognize the challenge this project presents to our natural environment, to traditional economies and the traditional culture of the peoples of the Northwest Territories, and we are committed to working with the leadership in the Northwest Territories and interested groups to find solutions. We also believe that these issues must be considered in tandem with long-term interests of the Northwest Territories.

One of the most important of these long-term interests is an equitable division of the revenues among the federal government and northern governments, both the GNWT and aboriginal governments, and it is a critical missing link as we move closer to the devolvement of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. It is for this reason that we have proposed to the federal government that we consider an interim arrangement on revenue sharing that allows northern governments to receive a benefit immediately from these developments.

Hear! Hear!

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As I noted earlier, we have established a Joint Cabinet/Accountability and Oversight Pipeline Planning Committee to ensure our preparations and planning are as inclusive as possible. This committee will provide guidance and advice as we move forward in planning for the pipeline and negotiating a comprehensive socioeconomic agreement with the proponents of the Mackenzie gas project.

Mr. Speaker, our goal of a diversified economy goes hand in hand with our goal of caring and protecting the environment. We have a keen commitment to environmental stewardship. We have taken a proactive approach to this stewardship by creating and implementing initiatives that will protect our natural environment; initiatives such as the protected areas strategy.

Working with our partners in the Protected Areas Strategy we have advanced interim protection for Sahyoue/Edacho, Grizzly Bear Mountain and Scented Grass Hills, in the Sahtu and for Edehzhie, Horn Plateau, in the Deh Cho. Our staff have also been working with communities on various information requests regarding protected areas.

We are also working on other important initiatives, such as the air quality code of practice for upstream oil and gas industry. This code is to be completed by the end of 2004. It will provide clear and consistent guidance in our requirements related to air emissions, emissions abatement and best practices.

Mr. Speaker, a great deal has been accomplished over the past 10 months. We’re working hard to meet the commitment we made for an open, transparent government; a government that works in partnership with aboriginal governments, stakeholder groups and residents of this great territory. We have also made notable progress on the key elements of our strategic plan. We look forward to working with our partners to continue this progress and realize the full promise and potential of this great territory. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Handley. The time for Ministers’ statements has expired. The Chair will recognize Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Minister's Statement 48-15(3) be moved into Committee of the Whole.

I’d like to correct that, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for North Slave, that Minister’s Statement 48-15(3) be moved into Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. A motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Fall is nearly over and the community of Tuktoyaktuk goes out on the land for the annual subsistence hunt and stocks up on fish, geese and caribou. During the business plan meetings in Yellowknife I became aware on Sunday, October 1, 2004, of four local residents who were considered overdue. These four individuals did not report or return home and after a couple of days they were considered missing. Bad weather in and around Tuktoyaktuk delayed the search and rescue efforts. When the weather subsided, an extensive search and rescue effort came into play with the assistance of the Canadian Coast Guard, RCMP, Tuk Canadian Rangers, U.S. Search and Rescue, and many volunteers. Considered lost are Mr. Frank Steen and his son Paul…Excuse me.

The Chair will recognize Mr. Ramsay.

I will read the rest of Mr. Pokiak’s statement.

Considered lost is Mr. Frank Steen and his son Paul, and Ronald Rufus and his son Kyle. They are considered experienced hunters. Members of the 14th Assembly may remember Paul Steen. He served as a Page and his dream was to become an MLA for the Nunakput riding.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Premier Joe Handley; Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew, MP, Western Arctic; Mayor Jackie Jacobson and council; the RCMP; the Canadian Rangers; the local individuals of Tuktoyaktuk; the Canadian Coast Guard; U.S. Search and Rescue; and the air charter companies from Inuvik that assisted during this difficult time for the families, and also to the outlying communities for their generous support and prayers for the families. I would like to send my regards to the immediate and extended families of Donna Steen and Darlene Felix. On behalf of the constituents of Nunakput, our prayers are with you.

Mr. Speaker in closing I would also like to extend best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mr. John Lucas, Sr. of Sachs Harbour, my brother-in-law who is recovering from a mild heart attack at Stanton Hospital.

Mr. Speaker with the permission of my colleagues, I would like to request a moment of silence and a prayer for Donna Steen and Darlene Felix on the safe return of their loved ones. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay, for Mr. Pokiak. I ask Members to rise and join Mr. Pokiak in a moment of silence.

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Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement today is about the international Dene elders and youth gathering. As we assemble here today to discuss the pressing issues facing our people, a group of Dene elders and youth from across the continent are gathering at the Tsuu T'ina Reserve outside of Calgary, to discuss important issues of their own. The three-day event begins October 13th and finished up on Friday, October 15th. This historical gathering marks the first time members of all the Dene families have met face to face after many centuries of separation from each other on the North American continent.

Elders and youths representing the Dene groups from across North America -- the Gwich’in, the Sahtu, South Slavey, Dogrib, Chipewyan, Beaver, Navajo and Apache -- were all there to explore similarities amongst the Dene groups. Over the course of the three days the groups will be discussing the importance of preservation and protection of language, history and culture of the Dene people. The main object of this international gathering is to provide an opportunity for Dene people to gather together and have a sense of solidarity, to begin to think of themselves as one nation. Dene people of the Northwest Territories are well represented at the event. Two elders from Fort Good Hope are there on behalf of the Sahtu region. There are also elders from Fort Rae, Fort Smith, Hay River, Lutselk’e and Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very exciting event. I can tell you from personal experience that my people have been waiting a long time for this event. The Dene people and Gwich’in from across the continent have been foretold by prophets for many generations. An international Dene gathering is a positive step towards promoting co-existence and co-prosperity for all the future Dene groups.

I would like to thank the organization for coordinating this event. I trust that this will be a success and I am looking forward to a follow-up gathering in 2006, when Dene leaders from across the continent will be able to find common ground to lead the Dene forward in a united voice. I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about the unjust delay the correctional officers are having to go through in getting their retroactive pay from this government.

First of all, I must tell you, Mr. Speaker, this whole issue has been an ongoing saga for over five years. Throughout that time a group of correctional officers had to fight step by step for an increase in pay from job evaluations given to other correctional officers doing the same jobs due to a technical error argument put forward by the government. They worked patiently through their appeal and grievance process and finally on January 9th of this year they received a favourable arbitration decision fair and square.

Throughout this time, I was assured by the government that it would live up to its obligations coming out of the arbitration. In fact, Mr. Speaker, this House passed a supplementary appropriation during the last budget session to accommodate this retroactive pay.

So imagine, Mr. Speaker, my disappointment and surprise when I was informed earlier this summer that they still have not received their retroactive pay and that they would not receive it until the end of August. That was bad enough, but it’s been getting worse. The latest information is that the deadline has now been moved to the end of November and there is a very good possibility that this could be delayed again.

Mr. Speaker, this is simply outrageous. Some of these officers are entitled to tens of thousands of dollars and they are not even entitled to any interest payments while the government continues to keep their money indefinitely. For the life of me, I don’t understand why the government has to turn this good news item into such a PR disaster and a morale buster. Mr. Speaker, this is a really bad way to treat all the public servants involved, the correctional officers and the payroll officers, and there appears to be more bad news to come, Mr. Speaker.

We know that just since last spring many health care professionals have received an increase in pay due to a re-evaluation of their positions. My information is that all of them have to line up behind all the other retroactive files, including correctional officers, without any additional human resources being put forward, Mr. Speaker. I have had a number of discussions about this in private, and the best answer I get from the government is that there is a shortage of staff due to high turnover and that this is a highly technical field that people can’t just be trained to do, and so the contingent of payroll officers in existence…

Ms. Lee, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Ms. Lee is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my information is that even though there’s all this extra work that needs to be put through to do these retroactive files, which I hear is very labour -intensive, there are no additional staff being hired, so the contingent of payroll officers that are in place have to do this as extra work on top of their regular work. So, Mr. Speaker, this is outrageous, this is totally unacceptable and I urge the Minister of FMBS and this government to take immediate steps to do better and pay these officers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, thank you. This summer has, as the Premier has reflected in his sessional statement, seen a level of activity that can only guarantee that the NWT’s future as one of Canada’s most vibrant and vigorous economies will continue. The overall economic growth for 2003 here in the NWT was 10.6 percent; six times that of Canada. Over the next three years or so we will see two new diamond mines constructed: Snap Lake in the NWT and the nearby Jericho project in Nunavut. We will see the continuing acceleration of production at the other diamond mines. Mr. Speaker, both Diavik and BHP earn dazzling profit margins as they shave years off the expected life of those mines. In the energy portfolio, we are told to expect $50 million in this winter’s seismic exploration and drilling programs in the Mackenzie Delta as producers chase new supplies of record-breaking prices for a world that knows no limits in its hunger for energy.

We’ve seen the planning advance for the Bear River hydro station to help power the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, and that pipeline, Mr. Speaker, also advanced to its long-awaited filing for regulatory approval. At 1,200 kilometres and $7 billion, it is the biggest and most challenging prize for all of the 42,000 people of the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t want to spend too much time reading from the Minister of RWED’s script. Instead I’d like to focus on what should be in the Premier’s notes and report on what all this action means for us here in the NWT. The question we’ve always been asking, what’s in it for us, has yet to be answered, Mr. Speaker. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ledger -- the social side of the ledger -- we have a litany of crises and shortage that in an era of so much wealth and prosperity, amounts to a legacy of shame in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, we have schools with roofs that collapse and foundations that crumble. Our Housing Corporation tells us that there are 3,000 families in core need of a safe, affordable place to live. We have rates of alcohol and substance abuse that eclipse the national average by five times and more. Mr. Speaker, I should seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To continue on the social side of that ledger, battered and abused women and their children used emergency shelters at a rate eight times the national average in the year 2001-2002, and yet this Legislature is struggling with how to trim our budget by $20 million in each of the next two years. In the meantime, over those same two years, Ottawa will reap in excess of an estimated $350 million from our resources. What’s wrong with this picture? Are we destined to be only a cash cow for the federal treasury while our people catch only a few crumbs of precious resources as they literally fly out of here at unprecedented rates? Where is the legacy? What’s in it for us?

Last week, Mr. Speaker, the Throne Speech promised a strategy for the North. I’m as encouraged as anyone that Ottawa seems finally to be waking up to our plight, as well as our potential, but it was four years ago that DIAND promised to resolve the devolution issue of resource riches for the NWT and that deal is still a far-off fantasy.

We must temper, Mr. Speaker, whatever optimism we have for that strategy with clear resolve and a strong dose of reality, if we are to help ourselves to gain a share of what is already ours. Achieving devolution must be the single and most urgent priority before this Assembly, for at the rate we are going, the future is ours to lose. As those diamond mines accelerate and that pipeline advances, we don’t have a day to lose. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. I would like to begin by saying what a great pleasure it is to be here in the Legislature again. Since this House last sat, it has been a busy time in my riding of Nahendeh. During the course of the summer, I had the opportunity to visit all the communities in my riding. On two different occasions, it was my honour to be accompanied in the communities by various Ministers of the government: Minister Bell, Minister Krutko, Minister McLeod and Minister Miltenberger. I would like to thank each of the Ministers for taking the time to come to my riding to listen to the people firsthand. I can honestly say that your commitment has generated a great deal of goodwill in my constituency towards the government. People were able to see and hear firsthand your genuine concern for their problems.

Today I would just like to take a little time to identify a few of the issues that are particularly important to the people in my riding. These are issues I will be speaking to during the course of this session of the House.

In the coming days, I will be addressing the need for a school gymnasium in the community of Nahanni Butte. I believe it is a simple matter of fairness and social equality that all NWT residents receive the same basic level of service before we consider increasing and improving services that others already receive.

As always, housing issues remain a priority. Though we have significant problems with housing everywhere, in my riding I believe these problems are not insurmountable. We have much work to do to address the deficiencies in housing, but at the same time we also have good, dedicated people working in the communities who are working hard to solve these problems.

Communities in the Nahendeh riding are also looking at establishing a single regional airline. This will ensure full and meaningful local participation in the airline business as it grows in the years ahead, and they’re looking to the government to support them in this venture.

Perhaps the most significant issue we are faced with right now is the proposed construction of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. People in my riding are very concerned about the negative effects it will have on their lives. They are looking for ways to benefit from the project, but also ways to mitigate the impacts it will bring. They will be looking to this government for assistance in helping them to build capacity and to prepare for their future.

Politically, too…

Excuse me, Mr. Menicoche. Your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude 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. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, thank you very much. Politically, too, the First Nations do want to have recognition for using the lands that they have lived on since time immemorial. I will strive to be supportive of these efforts.

In closing, I would once again like to applaud this government for taking the time to visit the communities in my riding, especially the smaller communities. There’s no doubt in my mind that community visits such as these on a regular basis are a valuable exercise in effecting good representative government in the North. I will most certainly be extending more invitations to the Members of Cabinet to visit my riding in the future. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s fall and we’re back to work here in the Legislature. Ahead of us, lie many hours of work and meetings indoors. I’ve always been very fond of the indoors. I’ve been in the North for 30 years and, unlike many others who call the North home, I’ve never had much of a penchant for the great outdoors. I don’t think I’ve ever been camping, I hate to admit.

But whether it was sun or rain or wind or cold…

---Laughter

…or bugs, there always seemed a very good reason to stay indoors. I haven’t travelled much and I’ve never been that curious about far away places and I’ve always been quite content and enjoyed whatever it was that I was doing in Hay River; enough not to bother much with vacations or leisure time. I guess I grew up in a family business where it was considered a virtue to stay home and just mind the store, so to speak.

But this summer I took a trip and I think it has changed me for all time. I discovered something that gave me a whole new perspective on the North, the people and even my job as an elected Member. I discovered what has to be one of the most interesting places on earth, a place that drew explorers and sightseers and adventurers and it was right on my doorstep for the last 30 years. I discovered the mighty Mackenzie River.

My husband and I left Hay River on short notice with just a few supplies and, of course, the satellite phone just in case. We drove to Simpson and then on to Wrigley and launched a jet boat. I had heard a lot about the Mackenzie and the communities along its path; but 10 hours later, we were in Fort Good Hope and it was one of those things we’d always said we’d do, but I never believed we ever would. Unbeknownst to me, people in Hay River were taking bets as to which community I would fly back from, but I loved every minute on the river.

We met so many interesting people and friends along the way in the communities; stopping in Norman Wells, Tulita, Fort Good Hope, Wrigley, Simpson and Jean Marie River on our way back. The traffic and activity along the river, the Coast Guard, the tugs, barges, the canoeists, the other jet boats, the fish camps, the rapids, the ramparts and the very important channel markers and buoys were also interesting. How could I have lived in Hay River for 30 years and not known about the Mackenzie River? Was it possible to live in the North and know so little about the connections of the people to each other and to the land? I found something in the visits with the people and the sights and sounds that took me to another place and another time. I would like to request unanimous consent to continue my statement, Mr. Speaker.

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. Thank you, colleagues. I have a different perspective now when we sit indoors and talk about the communities and the residents that I got to know a little bit better this summer in the course of one short week, and I want to thank everyone who we encountered along the way for their kindness and hospitality. Just to name a very few: the Pellissey family in Wrigley, Fred Andrew and his children in Tulita who we stayed with, and the warm hospitality of Chief Ron Piro and the people of Fort Good Hope. Incidentally, I did run into on this trip, as well, Mr. Bell, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Yakeleya and a few others, actually.

---Laughter

A few other elected leaders who were all working of course. I was the only one on holidays.

---Laugher

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, it was a trip of a lifetime and when I got home I bought the boat and I can’t wait. It doesn’t look too much like boating weather today with the snow coming down, but I can’t wait to get back out on the Mackenzie River next summer and then we’ll go right to the Arctic. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use my Member’s statement today to discuss an issue that I spoke about during the March session. That issue is the construction of an access road from Highway No. 3 to the Kam Lake Industrial Park in the city of Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, there were two incidents this past summer where, in the first, a live missile fell off a CF-18 fighter jet onto the Yellowknife golf course and fortunately nobody was killed or injured in that incident. The very next day a CF-18 fighter pilot was forced to eject after his jet skidded off the end of the runway. Both of these incidents cause me a great deal of concern because both incidents closed the highway and, as we all know, Highway No. 3 is the only route out of the city of Yellowknife.

With the airport located where it is and the two events that I have just mentioned, it really is an issue of public safety. We need another route out of the city of Yellowknife. In order for the City of Yellowknife to be able to afford the construction of the access road, it would need to have the ability to sell the lots along the route. This would be the only way the City of Yellowknife could afford to undertake construction of this access road. I do hope that this government is not getting in the way of the City of Yellowknife building this much-needed access road. I would impress upon the Minister of Transportation to ensure that his department is working with, and not against, the City of Yellowknife to see that this strategic piece of roadwork is constructed in a timely fashion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off, I would like to say welcome back to everyone. Today one of our honourable colleagues had mentioned it’s been 132 days since the House last sat, and it’s been a lonely summer without being able to work closely with everyone, so I’m glad to see all the smiling faces again. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement today is with regard to driver’s licence renewal process.

Mr. Speaker, several constituents of mine have brought forward concerns about the dilemma where sometimes, inadvertently, I must stress, they allow their driver’s licence to expire beyond the grace period. Mr. Speaker, the NWT driver’s licence is designed to be issued for five years. The Department of Transportation, at one time, Mr. Speaker, used to send out notices as reminders to people out there that their licence would expire. As some of you may be or may not be aware, at present to renew your driver’s licence it is a cost of $83.56. However, as I mentioned earlier about the grace period, if you allow your driver’s licence to expire beyond that grace period, Mr. Speaker, you must start over the entire, complete process.

So what does that really mean to a regular person? Well, Mr. Speaker, that means you have to go out and take your learner’s licence again. You have to do your driver’s road test again just in order to qualify once again for your class 5 driver’s licence, but at that point -- this is the real catcher here, Mr. Speaker -- is instead of $83.56 you are now paying $166.32, Mr. Speaker. So I think that’s quite shameful that the cost basically doubles because you have forgotten to renew your licence.

Mr. Speaker, we have to be reminded that people rely on their driver's licence and acknowledge that a driver’s licence truly is a privilege to have. Mr. Speaker, some people need their cars to drive their kids to school, people need to drive their cars so that they can go get their groceries, and let’s not forget those people who drive for a living. I bet our most honourable Premier had to drive to work today because he doesn’t live within walking distance from Prelude. So we have to recognize driving may be a privilege yet it is a necessity, especially here in the North.

I support that.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, the point I’m getting now to is the fact that a person who had their driver’s licence expire beyond the grace period had to wait a month before they could retake their exam. Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to finish my Member’s statement? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues, for allowing me to finish my statement. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, the point that I’m making is that once your driver’s licence expires you have to start the process from start to finish again, which could take up to a month and that’s happened to some constituents of mine.

Mr. Speaker, I presently hold a class 4 driver’s licence which requires an updated medical every five years. Unbeknownst to me, I got a letter from the Department of Transportation as a reminder that I had to submit a current medical in order to keep my class 4 driver’s licence current. So the Department of Transportation has the ability to let folks know that their licence is expiring. Later this afternoon, I am going to send questions to the Department of Transportation, our honourable Minister Michael McLeod, in regard to fixing this problem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause