Good afternoon, colleagues. Welcome back as we reconvene the Fourth Session of the 17th Assembly.
It has been an exciting and very busy summer and fall for all of you as we prepare for the implementation of our Devolution Agreement currently in place with the Government of Canada.
In addition, our committees have been considering legislation and travelling throughout our territory to hear from NWT residents and bring their thoughts and concerns back to the House.
I would also like to take note that we’re at the halfway point of the 17th Legislative Assembly, a time for reflection and renewed commitment to the people of the Northwest Territories.
This session will also be a time for celebration as the Assembly marks the 20th anniversary of our current home. In 1990 the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories made the decision to proceed with the construction of a permanent Legislative Assembly building. This fall is the 20th anniversary of the occupancy of the building and its official dedication by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Colleagues, we are recognized by many jurisdictions for our distinctive form of government. I think we are also recognized for our distinctive and beautiful legislative home. I look forward to celebrating this building and all it signifies with the people of the Northwest Territories.
The doors of the Legislative Assembly, including the Chamber and the Caucus room, will be open to the public on Friday, November 1st, beginning at 4:30 p.m. and I extend an invitation to everyone to join us in celebrating our special occasion. We are considered a young Assembly by many, but our history is vibrant and lives with us every day, not only as our Legislative Assembly processes but in this building.
This session will also see the unveiling of the new Legislative Assembly website. The website was designed to highlight the work that we do here, and
to improve easy access, accountability and transparency.
The site is still being finalized. Stay tuned for the announcement when it’s up and running, hopefully within the next few weeks. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our former Principal Clerk of Committees, Ms. Jennifer Knowlan, and public affairs and communications advisor, Danielle Mager, for all their hard work on this project.
On a more sombre note, it is with sincere condolences that I recognize with prayers and strength the families of the late Walter Elias for his wife, Maureen Elias, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; Fiona Lennie for her mother and father, Margaret and Floyd Lennie, and her brothers and sisters; Mr. Robert Avik of Tuk for his common-law, Amanda Panaktolak, and their children; Lucy Kudlak for her mother and father, Martha and Frank Kudlak, and her children; Andy Carpenter Jr. for his mother and father, Kelly Stewart and Andy Carpenter Sr.; and Edward Ruben for his wife, Mabel Ruben, and their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Today I’m going to read Edward’s eulogy. Edward Angusinauk Ruben was born May 1, 1917, to Angik and Sadie Sukayaluk Ruben. He was the third-oldest son and took the responsibility of caring and providing for his parents and younger brothers and sisters. Those early years were a struggle but also happy times. Times were hard, travelling great distances on foot or with dog teams, hunting and fishing, getting ready for the winter. Happy times also as he spent time with his dad, getting to know the land and happy just learning things from his dad. He enjoyed listening to his dad tell stories at this time and getting to know his dad’s relatives through his stories.
He met and married Frances Nauyak Green, the adopted daughter of Johnny and Jessie Green, where he raised six children but lost a baby boy to illness. He lost his young wife to birthing complications in 1953. With the help of his parents and Jessie Green, he was able to continue to keep his family together.
In the early years he was employed as a cook on the mission boat, Lady of Lourdes, where he would travel to Aklavik and Tuk with the missionaries. In 1954 he began working for the DEW Line in Cape Parry as a janitor. He took pride in his job, never once complaining of his position. He never had a formal education but he would be heard telling his grandchildren to get an education. During his time on the DEW Line, he had many friends who highly respected and liked him.
During the later ‘50s he met Mabel Jacobson, a young girl from Tuk, who he married in Cape Parry in 1959. With her, they bore 10 children. In 1966 he transferred to Cambridge Bay and remained there with his family until 1973. That same year his eldest son, James, joined him. After 20 years on the DEW Line, he finally retired and moved back to Paulatuk. He was happy to be back home amongst his brothers and sisters, happy to be hunting and trapping again and travelling out on the land. He had respect for the land where he was raised, and throughout his life he would raise his concerns and voice his strong opinions about the government wanting to make changes to his people’s way of life. He was not one to remain still for long. He would keep himself busy in any way. In the 1970s he became involved with the COPE organization and traveled around to various communities with the group. Edward lived a full, rich life, surrounded by his family and loved ones. He was well respected. He lived through and witnessed many changes throughout his life, yet he remained true to his upbringing, keeping close to his heart what he was taught from his parents. He was a religious man and it would please him greatly when his family would gather together to say the rosary. Family was very important to him and he would often remind his children to stay together as a family and pray together.
He was the family stronghold and tried his best to keep his children rooted. He had a gentle manner and wisdom. His dedication will be greatly missed by the many people that he touched across the North and whoever visited him. There was more to Edward than his simple words, and in the hearts of many, they will realize this.
Rest safely in the arms of the many in heaven who have waited for your coming.
To all in the Northwest Territories who have lost loved ones, to friends and colleagues in the Yukon, as well, who have lost loved ones, our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
As we turn our attention, colleagues, to the work at hand, I ask that you continue to treat each other and this institution with dignity and respect. I will continue to guide this House and its actions according to the rules that the Assembly has agreed upon and the trust you have placed in me.
I would like to advise the House that I have received the following correspondence from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories:
Dear Mr. Speaker: I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2014-2015; Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2013-2014; and Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2013-2014, during the Fourth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, George L. Tuccaro, Commissioner.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome my colleagues back to the continuation of the Fourth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly. It is good to be getting back to work. We have an ambitious agenda, Mr. Speaker, and a lot left to accomplish as a territory and as a government, so I hope my colleagues are feeling well-rested.
The Fourth Session began on February 6, 2013. During the winter and spring sittings of this session, Members considered and passed 13 bills contributing to the good government and administration of the Northwest Territories. This included the 2013-14 budget, which was passed after extensive review and debate this past March.
Ensuring the effective and efficient use of public funds is one of our most important tasks as legislators, Mr. Speaker, and during this session we will be considering the 2014-15 Infrastructure Plan. For several years now we have reviewed the annual capital plan in the fall sitting of the Legislative Assembly to better support and prepare for the new construction season. Although we consider the capital and operations budgets at separate times, capital spending is a significant and critical part of the overall Government of the Northwest Territories budget.
Capital investments are necessary for building and maintaining the infrastructure – schools, health centres, garages, workshops and offices – where the government’s programs and services are planned and delivered to the people of the Northwest Territories. The 2014-15 Infrastructure Budget continues this government’s pursuit of a balanced agenda, with investments in the health and well-being of Northwest Territories residents, environmental management and economic development. Minister Miltenberger will have more to say about the capital budget when it is formally introduced for the consideration of the House.
More than a dozen pieces of legislation have been passed so far during the Fourth Session. There are a number of bills currently before standing committees, including a new Wildlife Act and amendments to the Education Act to address bullying. We look forward to continued debate on all these bills in Committee of the Whole after they have been reported back to the House.
While debates in this House are central to the business of government, this is not the only place that Members of the Legislative Assembly get the business of the people of the Northwest Territories done. Since our last sitting in May, I know that standing committees have been busy meeting and traveling to consider matters of importance to residents.
Ministers, too, have been busy advancing the interests of the Northwest Territories and meeting with residents around the North. Over the past few months, Cabinet Ministers and I continued our commitment to engaging with Aboriginal governments by attending summer assemblies and annual general meetings of the Tlicho, the Akaitcho and Gwich’in, as well as the Dene National Assembly. Next month Ministers will also be attending the Northwest Territories Metis Nation Annual General Meeting.
I was very pleased to attend the Sahtu Annual General Assembly in Tulita, where Mr. Yakeleya and I joined in celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Sahtu Dene and Metis Land Claim and unveiling of the Sahtu Land Use Plan. It was a privilege to be present for the arrival of the traditional moose skin boat, the first of its kind made and paddled on the Mackenzie in many years.
Engagement with our colleagues at the federal, provincial and territorial levels is another way that the Government of the Northwest Territories can represent and advance the interests of the people of the territory. Of particular note is work that this government is doing at the national level on the social housing and Aboriginal educational achievement files. We are also part of the ongoing national work on labour market and anti-bullying issues, which were discussed by Premiers at our Council of the Federation and Western Premiers meetings over the summer.
We have also had the opportunity to showcase the Northwest Territories and the work we are doing with our colleagues from across the country, at both the annual Energy and Mining Ministers Conference the Northwest Territories hosted in August and the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Seniors Ministers meetings that were held here in Yellowknife just last week. Next year we look forward to welcoming Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers responsible for the Status of Women to the Northwest Territories for their annual meeting.
On the international stage our government continues to promote awareness of the Northwest Territories and its interests. Canada’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council will draw attention to Canada’s North. We support Canada’s focus on sustainable development and are engaged with the federal government to make sure our interests are represented in council proceedings. Canada’s chairmanship will also be an opportunity to showcase the Northwest Territories to the world as Arctic Council meetings are held in our territory. Already we have hosted a meeting of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna working group and look forward to more meetings, including the Senior Arctic Officials next March.
This summer also marked significant milestones in some major projects, including the commissioning of the Bluefish Dam, attended by Commissioner Tuccaro, Minister Miltenberger and Mr. Robert Hawkins, Member for Yellowknife Centre. The new dam is a major piece of public infrastructure that, along with the Snare Hydro system, supplies power for Behchoko, Yellowknife, Ndilo and Detah. Together the two systems are a source of renewable power for more than half the population of the territory that help to displace the use of more expensive diesel fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Bluefish project was a step towards a future energy system that makes better use of the tremendous hydro potential the Northwest Territories has to help create sustainable communities and grow and diversify our economy.
Another significant achievement was the signing of the Final Agreement on Devolution on June 25th. I was proud to join Minister Valcourt and leaders from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Northwest Territories Metis Nation, Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, Gwich’in Tribal Council and Tlicho Government, as well as several Ministers and yourself, Mr. Speaker, in Inuvik for this historic event.
Gaining northern control over public lands and resources has been a long-standing goal for the government and Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, and many previous Legislative Assemblies. This agreement will make that dream a reality effective April 1, 2014, and give the people of this territory the authority to control development, protect the environment and direct our economic future according to northern priorities and values.
Work on this critical priority has continued over the summer and fall, and recently culminated in the announcement of the new organizational structure for the Government of the Northwest Territories when devolution takes effect on April 1, 2014. That announcement was made at the beginning of October, at the same time as our government issued job offers to 118 federal employees who currently deliver programs and services that will be transferred to the Government of the Northwest Territories. We look forward to welcoming these dedicated and experienced people into the Government of the Northwest Territories, where they can continue their service to the North and help us make the transition to devolution smooth and efficient.
We also continue to work on the seven bills and over 20 regulations that must be enacted by April 1st in accordance with “mirroring” standards required in the Devolution Final Agreement. In addition, work is underway on new legislation required to implement the Devolution Agreement, including the NWT Intergovernmental Lands and Resources Management Agreement Act, the NWT Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Act and the Devolution Measures Implementation Act.
Mr. Speaker, the Government and Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories continue to work to advance the interests of all the people of this territory. We will pass the second anniversary of our first meeting as the 17th Legislative Assembly during this Fourth Session. We have accomplished a lot on behalf of our people in the past two years, but there is much more work ahead. With the expected conclusion of the session and the opening of the Fifth Session next month, the Commissioner will be delivering his opening address outlining the government’s achievements to date and an agenda for the remainder of our term.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s a pleasure to be back here in the Legislative Assembly. It seems like we were gone for a long time.
Mr. Speaker, today I wanted to just touch on a few items related to devolution. The Premier has highlighted some of these benefits in his sessional statement that he just provided. He’s talked about jobs and he’s talked about the control of land and water and resources. I think we need to keep our eye on the big picture here. The revenues from royalties and the positions that will transfer to the North are, of course, a wonderful benefit and we’d like to see more of those in the regions than may be currently contemplated. We need to focus on the fact that we will have the control over the land and the resources. We need something to happen in the South Slave, and we have looked and talked about, for so many years, the potential for development of our hydro resources. It’s a renewable resource. We look at the Taltson Dam, for example, which would be a very, very key project for the benefit of the people in the South Slave and for the whole territory, and we have kind of danced around that topic of the expansion of the Taltson for a very long time.
I’m hoping that devolution will be a part of us being able to take a bolder stand. We wasted $17 million trying to figure out how to send the excess power and newly generated power to diamond mines that had a 25-year lifespan and we never had a real clear indication the diamond mines even wanted it, but we spent $17 million doing that.
We have in northern Alberta, obviously a very ready market for hydro, clean energy. The Prime Minister of Canada stood here in the Great Hall of this Legislative Assembly and talked about natural gas and the clean energy that could come from the Northwest Territories. The export of that hydro power could contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to a cleaner environment, not just for the North but for the whole globe.
I’m hoping that we’ll get our eye on the big picture. We have many opportunities for development. Obviously, if we were going to hang our hats on how many jobs we’re going to get in the South Slave from devolution, we would probably be sorely disappointed. I mean, we’ll see what rolls out in the future, but at this point, we’re not exactly jumping up and down for joy about that. But let’s look at the bigger picture; let’s look at the higher level.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s great to be back and it’s hard not to notice your brand-new moccasins today. Looking good, my friend, looking good.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this summer, and in stunning fashion, our Minister of Health and Social Services made a unilateral decision to cease funding to our only territorial residential addictions treatment facility.
I can assure the people of the Northwest Territories, if this was a complete surprise, you were not alone. We all know that drug and alcohol addictions are a very serious scourge in every community, large and small. Addictions are an immense personal problem in the lives of many of the people, including our students at school. Addictions also place an incredible burden on this government, particularly in health and social services, justice, housing and education. It’s hard to quantify what addictions cost the GNWT, but some have speculated it to be more than $100 million a year.
By human nature, we want to believe in the good that is achieved through research. So last year the Health Minister tabled an Action Plan on Mental Health and Addictions, then there was a long-awaited report on the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness. This forum was touted as what the people want. Like many, I was impressed, yet months later I’m questioning whether we’re using these reports as a roadmap to reducing addictions and helping the people of the Northwest Territories.
Honestly, I’ve looked through both documents in detail and neither report mentioned any need to close the Nats’ejee K’eh Treatment Centre. In fact, these reports say quite the opposite, making recommendations for better coordination with the interagency representatives and developing mandatory six-month aftercare programs, but nothing about closing, and definitely nothing about its employees or clients being at risk as the Minister has referenced in the media.
Not only is there no detox centre, there is no in-territory treatment centre either. Instead the people are left with the second empty treatment centre in 14 years with no indication of what will be done with the building.
I stand before this House, before the people of the Northwest Territories, struggling to reconcile the Minister’s action plan for mental health and addictions. We clearly do not have the services we need to deal with the many gaps of our addictions and wellness programs.
We are failing our people who need the proper medically controlled detoxification program. We are failing our youth who need specific programs designed for them. We are failing people who need specialized treatments for crack cocaine addiction, solvent abuse and prescription drug abuse, and we are failing a large percentage of our people who don’t fit in on-the-land and mobile treatment models.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
The verdict is out. The people want answers. The people deserve answers to these addiction questions. In the spirit of transparency, I will be asking the Minister of Health, the man with the plan, to please enlighten us with his vision later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This month it is our task to approve the Government of the Northwest Territories’ 2014-15 Infrastructure Acquisition Plan. By now Members have all reviewed the plan and discussed how it meets our communities’ needs. Our wishes will always exceed what fits into the budget, but our government still needs to focus on our small communities, especially in the Deh Cho.
Enterprise and Kakisa need local water treatment plants. There is no reason that in a jurisdiction with such an abundance of high-quality fresh water, that these communities must rely on trucked services from Hay River. The government can argue that it is up to the communities to fund this sort of project themselves, but while Enterprise and Kakisa might have the capacity to maintain a small-scale water treatment plant, they do not have the capacity to undertake such a project.
Mining and exploration camps provide clean drinking water, demonstrating that affordable small-scale water treatment solutions exist. I encourage the government to work with our small communities and take a more innovative approach to their water needs.
Schools in the Deh Cho and all our small communities need reliable Internet access, physical education, recreation and library facilities that can serve the whole community. They need to be well-lit, clean, safe places to work, play and learn.
Other Members as well as myself are sorry to note that the 2014-15 plan does not place enough emphasis on our school infrastructure needs. I am pleased, however, that the 2014-15 Capital Plan includes a new health centre in Fort Providence. It will make a difference not only to the people of the hamlet but throughout the Deh Cho. Our communities need quality health care. Service delivery is obviously different than in large centres, but the facilities need to be attractive to skilled professionals like doctors, nurses and teachers, and offer the amenities they need to do a good job serving the people.
The Deh Cho is one of the most accessible regions of the Northwest Territories, and one of the most breathtaking in terms of its landscape and scenery. The 2014-15 Capital Plan includes enhancements to our territorial parks in the Deh Cho. Tourism opportunities abound in my riding, especially as we promote the Deh Cho Bridge. Efforts to maintain highways throughout the region will only make the destination more popular. Our parks will improve visitors’ experiences in the Northwest Territories and make them want to return.
Investments in territorial infrastructure are truly that: investments, investments in our public places, our people and our future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, everywhere I go I hear the same story: Freezing of the arsenic in the ground is the best temporary solution, but people are expecting something better at the Giant Mine site. Yes, they know that the best engineering of the day is being implemented, but they don’t want that as the long-term solution. There lies the problem, Mr. Speaker.
Some of the world’s greatest innovators of our time have always found a way by facing down insurmountable challenges with both genius and, certainly, perseverance. The Giant Mine problem, as we know it, has left a costly legacy of arsenic in the ground for Northerners and Canadians alike. This problem, some will say, is way too big to solve. I say this problem is way too big to ignore.
As stated by the experts, it will cost $1.9 million every year to operate this mine in perpetuity by freezing that arsenic under the ground. I say that’s unacceptable. We could all agree that almost $2 million a year definitely will add up and it could go in better areas where we need it.
It’s not too late to start asking, have we done everything we could, have we done everything we can on this particular problem. Sometimes our greatest challenges are no less our greatest opportunities. All over the world there are talented individuals out there waiting to be inspired by this problem. Just a scratch away, they could solve it. We need to get out there and find these people. To stimulate innovation, I propose a lump-sum payment such as maybe 10 or 20 million dollars to inspire that innovation. For the successful innovator who can solve the Giant Mine problem permanently, this Giant Mine enigma, the reward would create inspired thinking and ingenuity across the world that would save the world rather than ignoring this problem.
If a solution is not found, we all know it would cost nothing, but we could do so much more with this potential of trying to get people engaged in our problem. We are not alone, so stop tackling the problem alone as it is. This could be a landmark contribution, whether it’s to the environment field or even just simply to humankind by saving our planet. People have always been motivated by the advances of science and opportunity. Here lies an opportunity. Let Churchill remind us clearly, “pessimists see the difficulty in every opportunity; optimists see the opportunity in every difficulty.” It is time to reach for that opportunity through innovation. Today is the day.
I will be asking the Premier to see if he will work towards creating a partnership with our AANDC folks to stimulate innovation on solving the Giant Mine problem. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. As the name suggests, it is celebrated every year on October 17th throughout the world.
One of the main aims of this day is to make the voice of the poor heard. It represents an opportunity to acknowledge the efforts and struggles of people living in poverty. It’s a chance for them to speak up and make their concerns heard, and it offers a moment to recognize that people living in poverty are in the forefront of the fight against poverty.
Poverty can and has been reduced in a number of Canadian jurisdictions. In 10 years, 13 vibrant communities have assisted over 202,931 people in their journey out of poverty, through new strategies that have produced substantive policy changes in areas such as transportation, housing, early learning and income supports. That’s not an empty claim. Four provinces have made investments in social assistance reform or have increased social assistance rates. Several have implemented new or increased tax credits for children and families.
Six provinces now have prescription drug, vision and dental plans for low-income residents. There have been increases to minimum wage legislation, working towards a living wage for low-income earners. Dear to MLA Bromley’s heart, five provinces have made investments in their children’s early years through daycare programs, family and literacy centres, and Ontario’s Best Start program. There is plenty of evidence to support what is working well in our provinces and territories.
Closer to home, here in the NWT, NGOs and other organizations have been working to highlight and move this issue forward for literally years now. They have been officially calling for action against poverty by the territorial government since December of 2009. Thankfully the Assembly has accepted the challenge to fight poverty, and Members and Ministers have been working diligently on an Anti-Poverty Strategy and framework for several years.
The GNWT document titled “Building on the Strength of Northerners: A Framework for Action on Poverty” is a basis, a start in moving forward on action to eliminate poverty in our territory. There is much work yet to be done, but we are at least started.
Today, the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, is a call for us to act in solidarity against poverty and social injustice. As I have said before, together we can reduce poverty. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Before we continue, colleagues, I would like to welcome in the House someone who held every position in this Assembly, Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford. Welcome back to the House, Tony.
---Applause
Also Mayor Heyck, mayor of Yellowknife, welcome to the House.
The honourable Member for Inuvik, Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a good day to be back in the Assembly and welcome all my colleagues. Today I will be speaking, as well, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, specifically focussing here on the Northwest Territories.
Last week, on October 9th, I had the honour to go to a talking circle here in Yellowknife. It was a sharing circle, so there was nobody that was really afraid to speak up. All the communities shared their concerns, what they have seen, and specifically I would like to recognize the members from Inuvik who came down and spoke from their hearts, who talked about what is happening in Inuvik right now and what they are seeing on the streets and in the hospitals, what they are seeing in the schools and the RCMP jail cells, and the fact that we don’t have a day shelter and a lot of our homeless people are out on the streets, and to the point where they get themselves in trouble and can’t go back into the homeless shelter at night, which causes a rippling effect throughout the community and the services that are provided. The services that are provided are good. We just need a final way to keep our homeless people in a shelter environment during the day.
I know it didn’t come from the participants, but on my last trip home I spoke with some of the Town of Inuvik council who did make some moves this summer with regard to the homelessness on the streets in Inuvik. I also spoke with the RCMP on some new policies that they’ve got to develop, because a lot of our RCMP staff are dealing with people that are homeless and getting themselves into trouble with addictions and taking up the jail cells, where they’re not able to work on other big issues such as other drug-related offenses, and specifically the emergency room, which is now being used as, I guess you could say, our detox centre, which we don’t have one in the Northwest Territories.
These are all very important issues that need to be dealt with. We need treatment centres and psychiatrists. I will have questions for the Minister of Health later on today, but just before I finish off, I’d like to bring to the attention of Members of the Assembly and to the public, a video that was just released on YouTube. It’s called, “A Cold Place to Live Outside: Homelessness in the Canadian Arctic.”
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you. The YouTube video speaks to the realities that we see here, not only in the Beaufort-Delta region but throughout the Northwest Territories. Today and every day is a day that we should be fighting against homelessness, addictions and mental health issues. With the video also comes an interim report that deals with those topics.
Even though a lot of the stuff I’m saying is negative, this government for the last two years has done a good job with the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the collaborative work where the departments have been working together. The only question is we have to make sure that we hold government accountable to get that work done so we can have an impact on homelessness, mental health and addictions. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleagues have recognized that today is the United Nation’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The NWT No Place for Poverty Coalition has been working hard with our government to produce an Anti-Poverty Strategy. We look forward to an action plan that will generate real changes for people in poverty.
As one of the richest regions on the planet, the NWT has constructed a social safety net that is well funded, with a significant part of our budget dedicated to caring for our people. Sadly, though, we still have Weledeh families who are homeless.
In spite of the best intentions, our social safety net can be a tangled web of conflicting policies. Consequently, some people can get stuck in poverty traps below the safety net and be kept in poverty by the system itself.
My constituents explain it this way: If a family going on income support is in need of housing, they need to show that they have a good credit rating so they qualify with a landlord. Income support does assist people with rental costs, but without a good credit rating, people cannot secure an apartment. Diabolically, without a place to stay, people do not qualify then for income support. Also, families with little to no income and carrying housing debt are forced to survive on their own for six months before ECE will approve their application for income support. During this period the family must get on the Housing Corporation’s housing list, which requires making and honouring a monthly repayment plan, a six-month process.
There are many reasons why a family can find themselves in need of income assistance. For those in this situation, it is unlikely that they will have a positive credit rating and even more unlikely that they will independently be able to fully support their family for six months while they honour their repayment plans. Single parents with young children can have an especially difficult time and we know the critical lifelong importance of what happens to children during prenatal through age three. What will happen when these children have families of their own 20 or 30 years from now?
Let’s honour the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with a commitment to eradicate poverty right here in the Northwest Territories, and let’s start by making sure our social safety net supports people to escape poverty rather than ensnaring them.
I will have questions for the Minister who is chair of the Social Envelope Committee. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to share my condolences with you in your statement to the families who are going through their grieving process and praying for their loved ones.
If you were in my shoes, what would you do? The Sahtu is on the brink of evolving into a region that can help this government with its bank account, because the Sahtu is at the brink of becoming the economic energy driver in Canada and the Northwest Territories.
We need to invest into our communities and into our regions, and we need to invest into the Sahtu, just like we’re investing into the fibre optic line. Pay now, receive the benefits later. It’s a good business case.
I want to talk about some of the things that we are challenged with in the Sahtu. The potential of becoming Canada’s energy driver is real. We recently took a trip down to North Dakota and southeastern Saskatchewan, and we saw what the benefits could be there for the Northwest Territories and also for the communities in the Sahtu. We also saw the amount of work that was going on, and we’re at the stage of what do we do. Our needs are high, but we’re also very cautious and worried about the environmental impacts. We can become a contributor but we can also have a heavy cost to our environment. We’re at a critical time.
The recent influx of alcohol and drugs is real. Just recently there was a seizure done by the RCMP in our small communities. Alcohol is still running rampant. We as a region are dealing with it, and as a region we’re saying enough is enough.
We have social challenges. We have a high population of single parents. In Deline 35 percent of families are headed by single parents. That is a lot of work for a single parent, to raise their children, go to school, and try to do their best. Yet, in Deline only 42 percent of people are working. What do we do? There is potential to be had there.
Mr. Yakeleya, your time for your Member’s statement has concluded.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
I say to this government, through this infrastructure session here, let’s do the right thing for the people in the North, let’s do the right thing for the people in the Sahtu, and I say it’s about time we get to work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. During my fall constituency tour, residents and communities are very concerned about the potential changes to the structure of our Deh Cho Health and Social Services. Rumour has it that the Minister and the Department of Health and Social Services are contemplating major changes since the health board was not reappointed in March of this year. The plan, we hear, is to have a new CEO appointed in Hay River, and then this individual would then run both the Hay River Health Board and the Deh Cho Health Board. This is incredible.
Communities and regions want more autonomy, not less. My leaders and constituency are asking for information and consultations on this. When Health was devolved in 1988, it was the worst of all Aboriginal communities for authority and autonomy. Hence, the creation of our health boards; and this has worked very well up to this date.
In fact, I as the MLA have never been officially briefed on this plan. Now that I have heard from my constituency, I stand here and let the Minister of Health know that I unilaterally oppose this plan.
This change makes no sense. We cannot continually strip responsibilities and authorities away from our communities and send it to a community that has no idea how small communities operate.
I know, as a seasoned MLA, how government operates. If this was allowed to go through, it won’t be much longer and they would want to centralize more responsibilities, which means my region and communities will be losing jobs.
I cannot imagine the infinite wisdom that went into this plan. A constituent of mine said there is no hope that this is the right thing for taking care of our health needs in the Deh Cho. You cannot and will not take this responsibility away from my communities.
Later today I will be asking the Minister of Health – as my colleague Mr. Dolynny said, the man with the plan – when will he put an end to this one. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure today to welcome back my colleagues to the fourth sitting of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Also, a speedy recovery to Mr. Bouchard. I hope to see you back soon.
As MLAs we come together once again to represent our ridings and to do what we can for our people back home.
We are gathered here for the next three weeks, making decisions that will have positive impacts on the Northwest Territories, as was highlighted by the Premier earlier today.
At this time, please allow me to send my thoughts and prayers to families in the Mackenzie Delta who have lost loved ones over the past couple of months. Many of our people are suffering with illness and we continue to offer support in various ways. Please send your prayers to those who have lost loved ones and those who are suffering with illnesses. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize and welcome the Deputy Consul-General, Mr. Zengfeng Wan; and Economic Commercial Consul, Mr. Lei Jianzhong, both from the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Calgary. We continue to welcome China’s interest in our territory and look forward to a positive and prosperous relationship for both our peoples. Enjoy the rest of your stay in Yellowknife, and best wishes to the Chinese community here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize my parents, Dick and Loretta Abernethy, in the gallery. Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Ms. Bisaro.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a couple of constituents of Frame Lake who are in the gallery today. Ms. Barb Wyness is hopefully still up there – there she is – public relations and research officer for the Union of Northern Workers. Mr. Jeff Coradetti is president of the NWT Liberal Party, a new political organization that is just emerging. I think has she just left, but I wanted to recognize Ms. Lydia Bardak, the executive director of the John Howard Society. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to use the opportunity to welcome our Chinese delegation, our deputy consul as well as his colleagues, so I would like to say to him… [English translation not provided.] Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dolynny.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce to you and through you no stranger to the House who is here on many occasions, and that’s our protocol officer, Ms. Carmen Moore, who is also a resident of Range Lake. So, Carmen, welcome to the House. I would also like to welcome our delegates from the Chinese community. Thank you very much.
