Debates of October 13, 2005 (day 9)

Mr. Speaker, this winter all Canadians face higher energy prices, and Northwest Territories residents are no exception. The global trend towards higher energy costs, combined with the impact of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, have driven up the price of oil considerably.

To help residents prepare for increased energy costs, we have developed information and tips on simple and effective conservation measures homeowners and businesses can take, and we have increased funding for energy conservation assistance programs through the Arctic Energy Alliance. Conservation is the most effective way to save energy and offset the cost of increased home heating fuel, gas and power.

During the coming weeks and months, residents will hear public service announcements and will see advertising, information brochures and posters containing useful information to help them conserve energy. A number of regional workshops are also planned to offer advice and guidance to those people interested in making their homes and businesses more energy efficient.

I am inviting my fellow Members of the Legislative Assembly to participate in our energy conservation campaign and to join me in leading by example by reviewing our own personal energy conservation practices in our workplace here in the Legislative Assembly and in our homes. I hope we can all work together to help our constituents make the tough choices in their personal spending to help deal with the effects of these increases on their household bills.

Higher fuel costs also impact government operations, and we are taking steps to lower our own energy consumption. I have met with all deputy ministers and reinforced the urgent need for conservation within government departments throughout the NWT. We have plans in place to ensure energy is used responsibly and to advise staff of steps they personally can take to conserve energy in the workplace.

Energy conservation has always been an important consideration in the design and construction of GNWT facilities. Many of the tried and proven conservation practices have been included in the Good Building Practices for Northern Facilities document that Public Works and Services has developed for use by staff and consultants. This guideline is being updated to capture new technologies and practices and will be more rigorously applied to GNWT projects.

In the long term, we recognize the value of securing more stable and reliable energy sources. We are working to realize our region’s potential as a supplier of alternate energy such as hydroelectric power. There is enormous potential for hydro generation in the Northwest Territories, and we continue to explore this potential to its fullest.

The 15th Assembly’s commitment to care and protection of the natural environment includes responsible energy consumption and conservation of resources by all governments, industries and individuals in the Northwest Territories. We intend to play our part to ensure residents are fully informed of the choices available to them. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, higher fuel costs are a concern for northerners and a concern for this government. As Minister of Finance today, I would like to provide some detail about how our tax system affects fuel pricing.

The GNWT does not set or regulate the price of gas or other fuel products. The petroleum products division supplies 15 NWT communities on a full-cost recovery basis but does not set the initial price.

There is no GNWT tax on home heating fuel.

There is no GNWT tax on natural gas.

There is no GNWT tax on propane, whether it is used to heat homes or power vehicles.

The GNWT tax on aviation fuel is less than half the national average.

Only three Canadian jurisdictions have on-highway fuel tax rates lower than the NWT.

Only two Canadian jurisdictions have lower diesel tax rates than the NWT.

The GNWT fuel taxes are set at a fixed rate per litre. We receive no extra revenue when fuel prices increased. The government does not intend to increase the tax on fuel, but we will not be decreasing or eliminating it either.

Reducing taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel will not help residents conserve energy; however, a reduction in taxes could result in decreased funding for much needed programs and services for our residents. The GNWT does not directly benefit from the royalties of oil and gas production and doesn’t receive any financial advantage from higher oil and gas prices.

Our government believes the most effective approach to higher fuel costs is each northerner's commitment to reduce consumption. During this session, we will be introducing a supplementary appropriation bill requesting funds to be directed towards a conservation and education campaign designed to help residents cope with the increases in the fuel bills they will experience this winter. The federal government has recently announced that Natural Resources Canada will establish an office of petroleum price information, or OPPI. The OPPI will provide information on how markets work through ongoing analysis of the factors affecting petroleum supply and demand.

In mid-October, representatives from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will attend the federal/provincial/territorial workshop to discuss the terms of reference and rules of engagement for the office of petroleum price information. We will have some general discussion on the role of the OPPI.

It is the intention of this government to work closely with the OPPI.

It is the intention of this government to work closely with the OPPI as a single-window access to consumer information and federal government programs in areas such as energy efficiency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, as we know too well, the price of fuel and power over the last several years has been continuing to escalate, and the price of crude oil has risen more than 40 percent since January of 2005. This has prompted the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the Department of Transportation to take actions to mitigate the impact and to continue to plan for future conservation initiatives.

Transportation has taken a number of initiatives in the past to conserve on energy consumption, including rehabilitation and refits of major buildings. An example includes the retrofit of some of our maintenance garages with many translucent overhead doors to improve our energy efficiency and provide more natural light. We have also undertaken, in partnership with the Arctic Energy Alliance, numerous energy audits to determine what buildings and what retrofits should be considered. These audits resulted in building modifications to conserve energy.

Mr. Speaker, energy conservation is an ongoing issue for Transportation, and a number of initiatives are being pursued with this objective. This includes establishment of an equipment management system to better track equipment utilization expenditures and costs, and the development of an environmental strategy to consider, amongst other items, a wide range of activities to address conservation both in the departmental activities and wider transportation industry.

To address the many concerns for energy conservation, there are a number of initiatives being considered. This includes the implementation of a smart driving program for all operational drivers. The department will work with other GNWT departments in a broader implementation of energy conservation measures.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is also working to address the impact of rising energy costs, not as a direct user but as a key supporter of community governments.

We have seen, through the progressive work of communities such as Whati, where energy conservation and alternative energy use are a priority, that there are innovative ways for communities to reduce consumption and related costs.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, the department is working to finalize negotiations with the federal government on the transfer of gas tax funding to the Northwest Territories, and the funding is expected to flow to the NWT communities starting in this fiscal year.

Hear! Hear!

This funding is intended to promote environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure. Municipal and Community Affairs has pushed to broaden the project criteria for gas tax funding so that communities can use it to support energy efficient components of other infrastructure; for example, solar panels on a community office.

Mr. Speaker, Whati has been a leader in exploring options for energy conservation and alternative energy sources. However, Whati is not the only community undertaking work in this area. For example, Jean Marie River is looking into solar panel options for the band office, and Colville Lake is exploring alternative energy sources for the new water treatment plant.

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Mr. Speaker, we may never be able to keep up with the cost of fuel, especially at the current consumption level, so it is critically important to look at alternatives, and to support the community governments to lead the work on this at the community level.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, the departments of Transportation and Municipal and Community Affairs are taking action to address the ever-rising costs of energy. Rising costs will continue to be an ongoing issue, so it is essential that we look for innovative approaches to reduce energy consumption, limit costs and increase efficiency in our use of non-renewable resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House about some of the steps that have been taken by the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to further improve our energy management.

The Housing Corporation has taken a proactive approach to energy efficiency in its construction projects for many years. Additionally, the corporation has benefited greatly from the historically low rates of utility consumption by public housing tenants as compared to residents of private rental accommodations. Both efforts have lessened the impact of increased fuel and energy prices on the corporation and its clients and have helped to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the Northwest Territories. These benefits will be further realized through the continued education and awareness of our clients regarding energy consumption.

Specific corporation efforts in this area are too numerous to list in this statement; however, there are some that I would like to highlight today. Local housing organizations have made a concerted effort to make use of energy-efficient appliances, fluorescent lighting and other measures intended to further reduce energy costs. In partnership with the Arctic Energy Alliance, the corporation has held energy conservation workshops in communities and conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the use of low consumption bathroom fixtures to replace the older, high volume units used in public housing units.

The corporation has also acted independently to further improve its energy efficiency. As an example, in 2004-05 the corporation installed four solar water pre-heaters for public housing units to determine cost effectiveness. The corporation also meets regularly with industry leaders with the goal of finding technologies that can further reduce energy use in our public housing units. One such meeting resulted in an initiative currently underway to field test high efficiency heating systems. These systems will be installed and evaluated in Hay River, Norman Wells and Inuvik.

Mr. Speaker, there are many other energy management initiatives that the corporation has implemented in recent years. I extend an invitation to all Members to contact me should they wish to discuss these initiatives in greater detail. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. The recent rise in energy costs will have an effect on many NWT residents. While market forces may see the price of energy decrease, unfortunately there is no expectation that this will happen in the near future. Long-term solutions are needed.

This issue is broader than just the cost of department programs. We must also make a concerted effort to use our energy resources more wisely.

With this in mind, I would like to outline measures the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is considering to keep our overall costs down, while building public understanding of the importance of effective conservation practices. During the upcoming year we plan to:

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develop an energy awareness campaign for our schools so that young people are aware of the need to be wise consumers of energy. This will help us address not only short-term objectives, but also create a future generation of citizens who exercise wise decisions around energy use. The campaign will build upon aspects of the curriculum that are already in place that focus on issues surrounding the environment and human habitation;

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work with education authorities to document current practices in the use of energy in schools, set targets for decreasing consumption, and develop a plan to implement and monitor actions and outcomes. To do this, we will work closely with our partners -- those who utilize our facilities -- to ensure that plans are well understood and remain supportive of our program delivery;

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develop an energy awareness campaign for residents who utilize our programs and services, including those accessing income support and seniors' programs. By providing information and referrals to experts, we will assist our plans in building their understanding of conservation techniques;

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finally, we will work closely with organizations such as the Arctic Energy Alliance and Environment and Natural Resources to ensure that our awareness campaigns are coordinated in a manner that maximizes effectiveness and avoids duplication.

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned earlier that we are all faced with rising costs to meet our energy needs. Our social programs provide a safety net for people in greatest need. For example, our Income Support Program covers the full cost of utilities for qualified individuals. Our senior Home Heating Subsidy Program provides support based on the amount of fuel rather than the cost.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment will be working with divisional education authorities and councils to determine how we can work together to address the high cost of fuel. I plan to discuss energy conservation when I meet with board chairs in November.

Mr. Speaker, energy conservation is an important goal. If we are to achieve success, we will need to enlist the support of all residents. By encouraging students to think and learn about energy conservation in school, they will help spread that message in their homes and communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is responsible for promoting energy conservation and the use of energy-efficient technology in the Northwest Territories.

Reduced energy consumption not only helps northerners deal with the increased cost of fuel, but it helps reduce the impact of fossil fuels on our environment.

Between 1996 and 2001, greenhouse gas emissions from the Northwest Territories rose by 60 percent, related to the increase in major development in the Northwest Territories. However, the NWT accounts for a very small portion of Canada's total annual greenhouse gas emissions: less than .3 percent. On a per capita basis, the NWT releases 40 tonnes of emissions per person per year, significantly higher than the national average of 22 tonnes per person per year.

These emissions have the potential to cause a change in our climate, which could significantly disrupt the global environment, and affects our ability to lead healthy and productive lives.

This government supports global and local actions to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases believed to cause climate change. These global actions include the Kyoto Protocol negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Northwest Territories has a responsibility to contribute to the Kyoto Protocol and support Canada's position as a leader amongst nations in protecting the global environment.

We are aggressively working to control greenhouse gas emissions. The Greenhouse Gas Strategy identifies a wide range of initiatives and proposed actions to achieve this.

I have met with the federal Minister of the Environment, the Honourable Stephane Dion, a number of times in the past few months to continue to work towards a bilateral MOU for cooperation on addressing climate change with the Government of Canada. Through the MOU we will be requesting a federal partnership fund to support hydro development in the NWT. We are hoping to be able to sign an MOU in early December at the Eleventh Conference of the Parties, COP11, which is a major international United Nations meeting on climate change being held in Montreal.

We are committed to working with the federal and provincial governments to develop an equitable approach to Canada's international commitment to reduce national emissions to six percent below 1990 levels by the year 2013.

Actions to control greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories are being developed in cooperation with a broad range of stakeholders. These actions will reduce the negative impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on our health and environment while minimizing negative impacts on our economy and taking advantage of the economic opportunities arising from the use of more efficient equipment and materials. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, reliable energy services such as electricity and heating fuel are essential.

The Premier and my Cabinet colleagues have outlined many of the measures that NWT residents, businesses and governments can and will take to counter the rising costs of these energy services in the short term.

However, conservation is just one element of the GNWT's responsibility for energy management. We must also address the underlying cause of increased energy costs.

In the long term, we will continue to require access to affordable and reliable energy sources to meet our daily needs and those of our growing economy.

Today almost all of our territory's annual energy supply is imported, in the form of fossil fuels, from southern Canada. We can neither control nor regulate the cost of this energy, and as we have seen, it is subject to sudden and large increases in response to world events, tragedy and the supply and demand nature of the global economy.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, we have significant renewable and non-renewable energy resources, including an extensive potential in natural gas and hydroelectricity right in our backyard.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, through its newly created energy unit and working with other departments and agencies, is now leading the development of a GNWT energy plan to develop and secure access to its own future and alternate energy sources. Developing these resources will serve not only to reduce energy costs in our communities, but also to generate new economic growth for our territory as a whole.

In the coming months, I will be collaborating with the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources to present a discussion paper revisiting our energy future. It will set the stage for a full and complete consultation on a broad scope of energy issues, beginning with the fundamental elements of supply, demand and regulation.

Together we will consider domestic and export markets for the development and use of our non-renewable, renewable and alternative energy sources, like powering more of our communities and industries such as the diamond mines with hydroelectricity and identifying options for natural gas conversion in communities. It will mark, I hope, the emergence of the Northwest Territories as a supplier of secure, affordable and sustainable energy, first and foremost for itself, Mr. Speaker, and then for all Canadians and the North American marketplace. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I may be starting to sound like a broken record, but during the life of the 15th Assembly I will continue to pursue and raise the issue of a Tuktoyaktuk/Inuvik all-weather road.

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Over the last couple of months, the Mackenzie Valley highway has garnered national attention when our Premier managed to get support from his provincial and territorial counterparts advancing the project.

Mr. Speaker, this project can become a reality provided this government can work with the federal government to secure the necessary funding. I know that in the GNWT's Corridors for Canada there was a $15 million partnership agreement proposed to build an access road to gravel source 177. This is the start of the Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik highway. It has been a couple of years, and I am hoping that the project can start to gain momentum.

Not to detract from the Mackenzie Valley highway, Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that the simplest way to connect the Canadian highway system from the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean is to build the Tuktoyaktuk/Inuvik all-weather road first.

Canadian sovereignty is of interest to all Canadians, and connecting the Arctic Ocean to our national highway system would show the world that we are serious. An added benefit would be the increased economic development opportunities that would obviously follow the construction of an all-weather road, all-weather highway to Tuktoyaktuk. I could see many tourists waiting, wanting to drive the extra distance just to see Tuktoyaktuk and the Arctic Ocean. Prices should also go down for residents of Tuktoyaktuk.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, we need to make this dream a reality. We need to excite Canadians about a highway system that goes from coast to coast to coast, so that we can get funding from the federal government. We can make this happen and ensure our people are employed and not relying on income support. A highway would decrease the reliance on government programs in the Beaufort-Delta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again I rise to bring the House's attention to the City's difficulty in getting the land it needs for development.

Yellowknife is a growing city; it needs land for homes, businesses and green space. It shouldn't come as a surprise to the MACA Minister. Although the Premier indicated in June that the government had no requests for residential land from the city before it, I understand now that that was not the case and that there were several applications still outstanding at that time.

I was pleased to hear the MACA Minister has recently made a timely decision on some parcels for the City of Yellowknife, but I was surprised and very disappointed that the majority of the requests were still at bay waiting further negotiations and the land selection process.

Despite the Premier's assurance last June that MACA and the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs were working effectively and cooperatively with both the City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknives Dene, I don't know how other people define "effectively," but to me "effectively" means getting results in a timely way.

Mr. Speaker, people need houses and land to grow their businesses in our city. It is growing, and it needs help from this government. I know that we can come up with an arrangement respecting the rights and definitely the needs of the Yellowknives Dene that also recognizes the city's needs because it is growing.

I am here today to tell you that the City of Yellowknife wants to grow in a fair and reasonable way with clear, direct and fair consultation with the Yellowknives Dene. I don't believe that there will be a loser in any way. We can work so everyone can win together. At some point, consultation needs to end and decisions need to be made by this MACA Minister so the city of Yellowknife can grow in a fair and reasonable way.

Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will have thought-provoking questions for the Minister of MACA, and I look for defined leadership from that government over there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, October 9th to 15th, 2005, is Family Violence Awareness Week. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, family violence continues to be as pervasive as ever and a shadowy reality in the North.

This is an important time for the residents of the NWT to stop and reflect on the challenges presented by family violence. It is also a time for us to recommit ourselves to the reduction and elimination of family violence.

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Awareness of the issue is definitely the first step in recognizing its existence and bringing about its eradication. Awareness also means recognizing the important work of dedicated workers in this field of family support.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to recognize the shelter workers and counsellors, and especially the work of the staff at the Hay River Family Support Centre under the direction of Crystal Ball, who is the executive director. I would also like to recognize and congratulate the Hay River Family Support Centre on their 20th anniversary, which is also this week in October.

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It is important for us to ensure that these types of services are a high priority and given adequate resources. Mr. Speaker, adequate resources for the Hay River support centre means having stable, multi-year funding to address staffing shortages and high turnover that uncertainty in funding causes. Multi-year funding would also allow the Hay River Family Support Centre to plan for appropriate increases in wages for these dedicated employees.

Mr. Speaker, there is no funding for repairs and maintenance on their building. They need to be sure that when the furnace breaks down that they have money to replace it. They shouldn’t have to wait until April 1st to find out if they’re going to be funded for the next fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, the Hay River Family Support Centre has also seen a tremendous increase in usage of services, such as bed nights, the use of their 24-hour phone support line, client support and workshops, and some of these services have seen over a 600 percent increase in the past three years. The dramatic increase in usage reflects the awareness of the essential services the Hay River Family Support Centre provides for the residents not only of Hay River, but of surrounding communities. It also reflects the trust established between clients and support workers. The bottom line is that their services are extensively utilized, yet their funding has not kept pace with the demand for services. We need to respond to the issues and concerns raised by the family support centre in their public presentation to our committee during the pre-budget consultations that were held in Hay River this summer.

Mr. Speaker, I’d 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. I would like to say how much I appreciate the committee that did travel to Hay River and hear from many of our NGOs, including the family support centre, and I know that those MLAs who heard that presentation with me know exactly what I’m talking about today.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, as a government we need to prove that we are committed to protecting the victims of family violence and to keeping faith with the support workers in this territory who are the ones who are on the front lines, who are working to break the cycle of violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the second day in a row I rise to speak about the Samuel Hearne Secondary School. Today I want to talk about the students’ perspective and some of the things that they are saying. A few students have said that they don’t mind using the college for classrooms because it prepares them for life after high school. One student wonders why the pilings were not repaired over the two-month summer break. She thinks the school should be knocked down and replaced before it knocks itself down. One young lady in her final year is worried whether her younger brother and sister will have a safe and healthy learning environment.

Mr. Speaker, the high school years should be some of the best young people have growing up before they head out into the real world. We have let our students down because we’re not keeping the school safe, because people responsible for safety were not doing their job. The same people are still working and making decisions today.

Mr. Speaker, this situation is ridiculous. With all the construction going on around these students, many of them should have their trades tickets by now. Mr. Speaker, I’ll say again that this government has let our students down. They should be enjoying their youth in a normal school, not worrying about whether it’s going to fall down around them. I want to see this government live up to its obligation to fix the situation as soon as possible and make sure this never happens again in Inuvik or any other NWT community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are certain times in one’s life that a person looks forward to, such as the birth of a child, a wedding day, graduation, or the first day of retirement. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is about retirement and how some of my constituents, former GNWT employees, are being denied their quality of life and the enjoyment that retirement should bring.

The two cases I would like to highlight for my colleagues on the other side of the House today are eerily similar. Both persons submitted letters of intent to retire from the GNWT. One gives five months' notice, the other four months. Both of these individuals repeatedly -- and I have all the correspondence to back it up, Mr. Speaker -- on as many as 13 separate occasions contact was made with Corporate Human Resource Services in FMBS to try and pin down a date and a time that they could get together to go over the paperwork to conclude their careers with the GNWT.

In instance number one, Mr. Speaker, my constituent waited, tried, and waited some more for a meeting. With the help of the UNW they finally got one, four days prior to their retirement. The FMBS office that met with them came to the meeting, Mr. Speaker, with all of the paperwork pre-dated and pre-signed. The reason for termination was deemed resignation and not retirement. This individual retired on August the 12th and was promised the first pension cheque on September 30th. September 30th comes and goes, no cheque, no word. The person had to take it upon themselves to call the superannuation office in Shediac, New Brunswick, to find out what exactly the disposition of their file was, because there was definitely no way they could get a straight answer out of corporate human resource services. To their surprise, New Brunswick let them know that FMBS had failed on two separate occasions to send in two required forms.

In the second case, my constituent did not sign the paperwork until one full week after the retirement date. The story here is about exactly the same as the first. The same forms missing, 13 requested meetings, New Brunswick not having the forms, no pension cheque, and a major, major blunder on severance having to require a grievance being laid.

I have been supportive of the centralization of the HR function in this government…

Mr. Ramsay, time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Yes, thank you, 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. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been a supporter of the centralized HR function for this government, and I can appreciate the fact that there will be some growing pains. However, what the government has to understand and take note of is that these are people’s lives that we’re dealing with and both of these individuals have 30-plus years of service with the GNWT, and for them to be treated as unfairly as they have been is a disaster. I certainly will have some questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Problems of drugs, crime and violence are a concern to residents across this country. Residents of the NWT, sadly, are not immune to these problems. Earlier this summer I heard from a number of constituents in a neighbourhood about increasing drug dealing and problems related to this activity, particularly crack and cocaine in Yellowknife. We know that these reports extend also from our streets, our neighbourhoods and even, most disturbingly, Mr. Speaker, from our schools. More and more citizens though are saying that they will not put up with drugs on our streets and are taking action to make this a reality. Individual citizens, community organizations, the City of Yellowknife and the RCMP, can and are working together to put a serious counter-attack on drugs and violence.

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago I was pleased to have the opportunity, along with other Yellowknife MLAs, to meet with the new officer in charge of the Yellowknife RCMP detachment, Inspector Roch Fortin. I saw there a new level of commitment and a new vision for policing in this city. They are adopting some new approaches; they are more visible and active on the streets and in the community. How are they doing this? They’re taking new approaches; for instance, to administration through greater cooperation between our own Justice employees and their own RCMP officers. We’re seeing new and better technology in the form of updated computer systems that are also assisting the fight against crime, and the RCMP and GNWT Victim Services Program will be enhancing their combined services to help the individuals and families who fall victim to the actions of criminals.

Mr. Speaker, I commend Inspector Fortin and Yellowknife Mayor Gordon Van Tighem for establishing a Yellowknife area Police Advisory Committee and the steps they’re taking to make Yellowknife a safer and healthier place to live. This committee is set up to assist the RCMP in recognizing community concerns and priorities. It’s another avenue for the community to have input into policing services.

There’s more, Mr. Speaker. Apartment and property owners are joining forces to make their facilities more peaceful and crime and violence-free, as evidenced by Midwest Property Management joining together with the police in a crime-free multi-housing project.

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. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many community organizations are working together to deal with family violence and drug issues. The Crack Busters program has the Tree of Peace and Salvation Army behind it. We have the Citizens on Patrol. We have the Community Wellness Coalition. Mr. Speaker, the message here is that there are community solutions to community problems if citizens take action, like constituents calling the RCMP. There are frontline service organizations, and I would certainly say there are MLAs to help get action. The message is we do not have to and we will not put up with drugs and violence in our communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, each and every year there are travellers encountering more and more problems with bison on Highway No. 3. Motorists are continually being warned to pay close attention against collision with these animals. The problem, Mr. Speaker, is it’s getting worse. As winter is fast approaching, darkness falls a lot earlier. Bison on the highway jeopardize safety of motorists and cause serious injuries or carnage of these animals.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Speaker, a constituent of mine wrote off his vehicle because he ran into a full-grown buffalo on Highway No. 3. There is little time to react because they are not easy to see in the dark. I’m certain, Mr. Speaker, that I speak for most of the motorists in the North, especially the ones who travel on Highway No. 3, that it is a matter of time until a serious accident or multi-fatalities occur. Every year these bison get closer and closer to Yellowknife and as that portion of Highway No. 3 is used for the most part by my constituents of the Tlicho region, I am very concerned about that issue.

I have heard a number of suggestions from my constituents; ideas that I think will help formulate a strategy for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in dealing with this bison hazard. Mr. Speaker, waiting for a serious accident to occur before we set legislation in place is not being proactive, it’s being reactive. We must not wait any longer.

Mr. Speaker, it makes more sense to use one of the suggestions of using fluorescent tags on these bison so motorists can see them from a distance. Also using rubber bullets to encourage them to stay away from highways. Another suggestion I fully support is local members harvesting these bison during the winter season, Mr. Speaker. I will have some questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources on this issue. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement is on the Norman Wells Aurora College. Recent statistics on employment rates by the highest level of schooling demonstrates the importance of education. The employment rate for people with university degrees is over 90 percent in the Northwest Territories for 2004. For people with other certificates or diplomas it was over 85 percent. These statistics drop to 80 percent for people with high school only to less than 50 percent for people with Grade 9 to Grade 11, and to less than 35 percent for people with less than Grade 9 education.

As the late former President John F. Kennedy said: "Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource." There are lots of present and future job opportunities in Norman Wells that the local people can benefit and take advantage of; however, they need infrastructure for a proper facility to provide quality education.

In the Aurora College Annual Report 2003-2004, under the president’s report there was mention of the evaluations of the programs offered by Aurora College to be very good. However, they did not mention about any type of evaluation of the facilities. Under the regional highlights in the 2003-2004 Aurora College Annual Report they talk about a beautiful facility being built in Inuvik. There is no mention of the old, falling apart, cramped ATCO trailer in Norman Wells. Community learning centres do not have to be fancy or state of the art, but they should be an inviting place that encourages students and people thinking about becoming students to spend some time there; enough space and equipment to allow people to concentrate on their studies and work. With the recent Minister’s statements about the energy initiatives by this government, let’s put those words into action. If you build it, they will come. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to what appears to be a theme day on the part of the Cabinet on energy issues. Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I like some of the points raised by Cabinet, especially the fact that the Arctic Energy Alliance is going to receive the kind of respect and financial resources that I believe they have deserved for a long time. There was lots of warm and fuzzy stuff said in those statements, but if anybody was looking for a very specific financial break in regard to the rising fuel costs, I don’t think anything was to be had there.

Mr. Speaker, especially deficient is for the help of the working poor, who make just enough money to not qualify for any income support or supplementary income programs, but not enough to easily absorb the increasing costs of heating and lighting our homes this winter. I believe, Mr. Speaker, there is room for the government to move in this regard and that is by giving incentives to working people to make their homes more energy efficient. The Government of PEI is doing something similar for those making less than $30,000 and I don’t believe, Mr. Speaker, anybody would suggest that the cut-off in the Territories should be at $30,000. I believe most programs in the Housing Corporation cut-off are about $70,000, and I’d like to suggest to the government that there be some incentive programs done up for those making up to $100,000 of family income where a package of $300, $500 or $1,000 could be given for the measures that the homeowners will take in conserving energy, whether they are replacing a leaky fuel tank, water tank, or extra caulking on their windows or hiring an expert to see whether their homes are energy smart. I believe there is lots of technology there and we, being the human beings that we are, will probably do more if there’s some kind of financial incentive, and it would be to the benefit of the government and everybody.

I believe in the long run the best policy is energy reduction, and I have already asked the Minister of Public Works and Services to provide us with an inventory of all government buildings and see what kind of energy consumption measures could be taken there. I look forward to getting a report from him.

I would like to finish this statement by really encouraging the government to come up with incentive programs that would deal with consumption reduction. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today our Premier and all our Ministers spoke about energy. I commend our government in recognizing and addressing this huge impact of rising energy costs. We have yet to hear exactly how government will be addressing the real needs of our people, Mr. Speaker, people like granny from Nahanni. She wants to know how her fixed income will combat unprecedented rising heating and gasoline prices. She wants to know why, Mr. Speaker, she has to pay 10 times the national average for her power bill.

We do not need programs like a Beverage Container Recovery Program to add to her cost of living. We do not need restrictive income support guidelines that prevent us from accessing much needed programs. What we need, Mr. Speaker, is the guts of this government to say that every man and woman and child will get $400 this winter.

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It doesn’t have to be a cheque in the mail, Mr. Speaker. This can be achieved several ways. One, we can subsidize essential foods for smaller communities. We can review our elders’ pension programs. We can review the income threshold limits, like the honourable Member for Range Lake said. We can offer lower power rates in diesel communities.

Residents in the NWT should never have to decide between food or heat. This government must continue with their proactive approach to this situation. We must continue the initiative of other jurisdictions and offer more and equal comprehensive assistance to all. Let us make our goal of reducing the cost of living mean something to our people and to ourselves, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a person that I’ve known for some time, a staff member of the office of the Indian Residential School Solution Canada, Ms. Irene Fraser.

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Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome Mr. Todd Parsons, President of the UNW, and with him Ms. Gayla Wick, to the gallery today. Thank you.

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