Debates of October 27, 2006 (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, surveys of barren ground caribou herds conducted this summer by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources confirms these herds are declining.

This is a very serious matter that affects many residents in the Northwest Territories. Last winter, few communities were able to access caribou and the harvest was greatly reduced.

A number of actions based on survey results from the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-East and Bluenose-West barren ground caribou herds were taken this past year to address the decline. This included closing caribou management areas in the Inuvik region to resident and commercial hunting. Voluntary actions taken by wildlife co-management boards included monitoring aboriginal harvest.

These wildlife co-management boards have already met and are finalizing additional recommendations for the herds in the Inuvik, Gwich’in and Sahtu regions.

Actions were also taken in the North and South Slave areas based on information received from communities and biologists suggesting other caribou herds were also declining. These included reducing the allocation of tags for residents from five to two tags, allowing resident hunters to only hunt males and reducing tags to outfitters in the North Slave region.

The new Wek’eezhie Renewable Resource Board is also expected to provide additional recommendations for actions to deal with the decline.

Mr. Speaker, the resource development industry fully recognizes the decline in the herds and continues to work with the department and advisory boards to monitor caribou.

ENR is also taking several extraordinary steps to engage residents and other jurisdictions and agencies concerned with the management of these herds.

On November 1st and 2nd, a workshop is being held in Inuvik to look at the impacts caused by the declines in the herds. Workshop participants will also determine how to address hardships in this region, including the loss of country food.

A workshop is planned for Yellowknife in early December to review actions identified under the Bathurst Caribou management plan. All communities and stakeholders including industry, outfitter associations and resident hunter associations as well as other agencies involved in the development of the plan are being encouraged to attend.

An NWT Caribou Summit is being proposed for early in the new year. Aboriginal leaders, wildlife co-management boards, hunting organizations, industry, neighbouring jurisdictions will be all invited to the summit and will provide the opportunity for all partners to discuss the actions being undertaken and reach agreement to work together in a manner that recognizes aboriginal rights and addresses hardships created by low caribou numbers.

Environment and Natural Resources also continues to implement the actions listed in the NWT Barren Ground Caribou Strategy, which was released last February.

Mr. Speaker, elders say that caribou numbers increase and decrease naturally. In the past, people starved when caribou numbers were low.

Our caribou herds can recover, but not without making some sacrifices. We must realize that we cannot continue to enjoy the same levels of harvest we did when our caribou numbers were high.

Everyone has a role to play to help our herds recover and it’s only by working together that this can be achieved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Mr. Speaker, last June I tabled the NWT Arts Strategy Progress Report, a document prepared jointly by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Minister Bell and I committed to convening a consultation group, composed of NWT arts community representatives, to review the March 2006 NWT Arts Strategy Progress Report. We wanted the group to provide advice on actions that would support the goals and objectives of the NWT Arts Strategy.

This arts consultation group included both past members of the Arts Strategy Advisory Panel and new members who were selected to ensure the broadest possible representation by region, cultural group, art discipline and partner role.

I met with the consultation group at the start of their meeting with departmental officials on the 16th of September. The group highlighted the challenges currently being faced by the various participants within the arts sector and provided valuable feedback. They provided significant insight and several recommendations on ways the GNWT could improve on existing supports and services.

Recommendations were made regarding arts education, financial support for artists, support for artists and arts organizations, and public access to and participation in the arts.

Mr. Speaker, this government recognizes and understands that the arts provide a meaningful economic benefit to the NWT and are an important source of income to many people, especially those living in smaller, remote communities. We know that art therapy improves health status and that arts programming in the schools promotes self-esteem and teamwork and contributes to a well-rounded education. The arts also build social capital, community empowerment and serve to reinforce cultural identity; key priorities of this government.

Mr. Speaker, the departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Industry, Tourism and Investment will utilize the results of this arts consultation in planning programs and services in support of the arts. We will continue to invest in the arts for the social, economic and cultural benefit of individuals and communities today and in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, about one in eight northerners live with some form of disability. Many of these people enjoy healthy, independent lives within our communities and make a valuable contribution to society through work, volunteer activities and family life. People with disabilities have the right to access service and facilities, but many are faced with physical barriers. There are stereotypes of what people with disabilities can do effectively and safely. Policies are developed without considering their needs. Treating everyone the same is not always fair. People with disabilities are entitled to expect some accommodations to be made when required to allow them to participate in community life.

Mr. Speaker, in our constituency, the Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities was formed approximately four years ago. They have become a referral point in a resource centre for people with disabilities. They now have an office set up and are hoping to have staff by the end of November. As soon as a staff person is hired, work will begin on assessing the priorities for people with disabilities and setting up programs to assist in areas of employment, independent living, information and support for families. They will increase their lobbying for better sidewalks and entrance to public buildings, and particularly the entrance to the medical clinic which right now is not a barrier-free building in Hay River.

Today, I would like to congratulate this committee on their achievements to date. In particular, I would like to recognize the outstanding voluntary service of a person who has been a strengthened force behind this committee, Mrs. Lillian Crook. Lillian has had a strong impact within the community. She shares her experience and knowledge to raise recognition and awareness about the difficulties that disabled persons face in their daily life. So, Mr. Speaker, thank you to Lillian Crook of the Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities for the work that they are doing on behalf of others.

Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs as to the long-outstanding and long-ongoing discussion over tax relief for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the past couple of sittings, we have heard from a number of Members who are concerned with how the Novel housing proposal will play out. While not diminishing my colleagues’ concerns, I would like to put a more positive spin on this proposal, Mr. Speaker. It is simple. I am in favour of any proposal that puts housing that is so desperately needed in the communities that I represent. I see the overcrowding. I see housing units that are no longer fit to live in and still being used because there is no alternative. Mr. Speaker, I have seen families forced out to larger communities because there is no place for them to live in their own communities. What is lost is the potential benefits of residents in the Mackenzie Valley and for this government.

The Housing Corporation will be able to replace a number of single family social housing units that have outlived their economic life with new and modern energy-efficient units. This will save money in the O and M costs that will be spent in fixing and maintaining other units. Families and communities with no market housing will have an opportunity to either buy a unit outright using conventional mortgage, or by accessing the subsidy program presently available to the Housing Corporation.

My colleague from Range Lake has pointed out on several occasions that these are well-constructed homes and you can’t really call them trailers anymore. They are about $200,000 anywhere in Western Canada. The other reality is once the initial pipeline construction is completed, there will be a lull in employment and business opportunities. The lull can be filled by work, preparing the building for moving the units to communities and renovating units for customers’ specifications.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to say that the life of politicians can be difficult at times. As Regular Members, we are called upon to hold the government accountable and ask the hard questions. I believe that sometimes we judge the department or corporation too hardly on past activities. The Novel proposal is big. The potential benefits are great down the Mackenzie Valley, both economically and socially too far to dismiss. We need to ask the hard questions on the project. We also need to have some faith and work with the Housing Corporation to advance this for the benefit of all people in the Northwest Territories that we represent. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address the issue of the North Slave regional office. Most of these offices and especially the offices with the decision-making powers are located at the headquarters in Yellowknife, instead of in the region, Mr. Speaker. Services provided from those offices for Tlicho have been a concern for some time now. Mr. Speaker, the Tlicho region has been accorded regional status by virtue of land claims and self-government agreement with the recent TCSA, Tlicho Community Services Agency, silver medal award for innovative management. That is a great achievement, Mr. Speaker. So far, the GNWT has ignored the fact that in terms of how it organizes its services.

Most North Slave regional offices are still located in the headquarters in Yellowknife. Decision-makers and managers still sit in Yellowknife ignoring Behchoko as a regional centre and as the largest aboriginal community in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. It is time for this Government of the Northwest Territories to acknowledge the importance of Behchoko as a capital of the Tlicho Government. Basically, such recognition will mean that Tlicho becomes a stand-alone region. It must come with the transfer of positions, Mr. Speaker, that are authorized to make decisions.

Mr. Speaker, presently the Tlicho residents are being disadvantaged. Responses to questions or requests take a long time. 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. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. Mr. Speaker, requests forwarded to headquarters go through multiple levels of bureaucracy. Their message may change in this process. They are either delayed or sometimes lost in the system. This is not necessary and causes undue hardship, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government should give the Tlicho region with Behchoko the same acknowledgment that it did with the Sahtu and the transfer of North Slave regional office function serving the Tlicho from Yellowknife to Behchoko.

As the Government of the Northwest Territories chooses to represent the Tlicho, it must have a senior staff manager permanently residing and located in Behchoko, not just a few officers and clerks. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the honourable Premier at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is dedicated to young individuals in this Chamber who play a vital role upon us as Members and Ministers to conduct our business. Mr. Speaker, I am speaking of some who are enthusiastic, energetic, polite and are bright young Pages. This week’s session, the Pages are from Nunakput, Nahendeh, Monfwi and Deh Cho.

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Mr. Speaker, having young students come from small communities to assist us in our daily business is appreciated, so I say thank you to the Speaker of this Legislature.

In speaking with the Pages from Nunakput, they are overwhelmed with this building and appreciate to see first hand how MLAs conduct their business. Mr. Speaker, students from small communities usually don’t have the same opportunity as Yellowknife students. To have students come in from outside Yellowknife and assist us in the Chamber is an honour which I am sure my colleagues will agree to. Mr. Speaker, they are our next generation. I hope this great opportunity has inspired them to pursue a seat in this House. To the Pages, I say thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would just like to use my Member’s statement to express some of my concerns with the new Human Resources department. Mr. Speaker, although I am in full support of the amalgamation of the human resources and public services and the intent to develop a more balanced and representative public service here in the NWT, I feel that there are some important human resource issues related to why this government moved back to a stand-alone Human Resources department that are falling through the cracks as we move forward.

Mr. Speaker, I am still receiving many inquiries and concerns from public service employees, mainly of aboriginal descent, that are not receiving the level of consideration for advancement or employment in the public service as originally perceived after applications are filed or positions are filled. Mr. Speaker, I realize there are many other factors like education requirements, experience or residency issues that play important roles in determining who will be offered advancement or employment in the public service. But I also, once again, emphasize our government’s responsibility to support and build on the existing under-represented sector of our public service as a whole; namely the northern aboriginal sector and the number of women in our government in management and the non-traditional occupations.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I have to point out a sad fact that, since the affirmative action policy was mandated in 1989 by this Legislature, there has never been and there still are no northern aboriginal persons in management in our own Legislative Assembly where the advocacy for equality is loudest.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue to tell our public service to do as we say and not as we do. We have to set a good example and raise the bar right here where it is most visible to northerners. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi and good morning, Mr. Speaker. As our population ages, the occurrence and incidence of Alzheimer’s and other dementia syndromes is going to increase, Mr. Speaker, and so will the demands on our families, our communities and, of course, our health care institutions, to deal with this in a way that is not only adequate but helps give these people the dignity and the quality of life even as this terrible disease robs them of just about every memory and ability to cope that they have.

Mr. Speaker, it is estimated that, again, as more and more of us get older and older, almost one in 10 of us is going to suffer from this situation. In Yellowknife, from a survey about three years, there were at least 35 people in the earlier stages of dementia and another 30 in the moderate to severe stages. At present, Mr. Speaker, in this community, we are assisting these people. We are caring for these people in the long-term care ward in the Stanton Hospital and at the Aven seniors' facility, neither of which are designed for this kind of care or are really able to give these people the kind of quality of life that they should have.

Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors has had this on their agenda for more than 20 years. They have tried to alert government to the growing need for this and it is desperate now, Mr. Speaker. This government has recognized that to some extent. It has assisted this organization with planning money, but one thing we have not done, Mr. Speaker, is that we have not committed our capital plan to constructing this essential part of our health care institution here in Yellowknife to serve not only this community, Mr. Speaker, but the whole territory. It is time that we make this commitment, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to again address the concern that I have over the treatment, or lack thereof, of a constituent of mine. I believe it is unreasonable and unacceptable that he has been allowed to suffer through almost three years of chronic pain, unable to work and unable to support his family. On Monday of this week, I had asked the Minister responsible, Mr. Roland, about how our government treats cases where an individual can’t get a diagnosis here in the NWT. Given the fact that my constituent has been waiting almost three years and the department’s answer is to force him to wait approximately another two years and, Mr. Speaker, that is five years of pain and suffering, it is completely unacceptable.

The Minister, in his response to one of my questions on Monday stated on page 886 of unedited Hansard, "I am aware that he hasn’t been left out there on his own." Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is he hasn’t got a diagnosis after three years. If someone was out there with him, what good has it done him? What I would like to see is a complete top to bottom review of his file to ensure that we can find out why he has not gotten the care he deserves and make immediate arrangements to have him receive the help that he needs to acquire diagnosis and receive treatment.

How long does a resident of the Northwest Territories have to suffer before they can get the help? What are our standards? Do we even have acceptable levels for wait times here in the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Speaker, in a country like Canada, I find it unthinkable that a resident would have to take matters into their own hands and travel overseas to seek medical attention. In my mind, our health care system has failed my constituent for almost three years. By putting him on another wait list for two years, they are standing by and allowing this man to continue to suffer immensely. The proposed course of action as proposed by the department is just not good enough for my mind, Mr. Speaker. Our residents deserve better. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would first like to commend the Minister of ENR and his staff for all of their proactive planning and work to deal with the declining caribou numbers. I think it is good that they have done all of that work. I fully support the summit and bringing all of the folks together to look at the next steps, as well as I would support it as it comes forward. Of course, the use of some of their whatever circles may be left from the light fire season to help offset the cost of the summit, because I think this is an endeavour that we have to pursue.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to make the point today, in conjunction with the statement I made earlier to the opening address, that this is an example of why we have to take a broad look at the environmental impact in many areas, of why we have to take the environment from the second chair up to centre stage when we look at the planning that we have to do. There are issues tied into caribou that are going to tie into other species as well like the fish habitat where there is enormous pressure. There are fires that wreak havoc through the landscape, a natural process but it affects migration routes, access to feed and many other factors. We have development permits for access to exploration across the land to check out all of the resources we have there. We have roads going in where there were never roads before, Mr. Speaker, making hunting that much easier. All of these factors tied into, as well, the water and the underlying climate change issues tell me that it is absolutely fundamental that we start looking at all of these pieces not as individual events and issues, but how do they affect our capacity to absorb resource development and what is cumulative impact?

The caribou herds migrate. They don’t respect borders. They don’t know borders. That is foreign to them. They go from the north right to the South into the provinces over into the Yukon and Quebec. We have a circumstance with the caribou where we have to get our own house in order, but clearly we have to work with other jurisdictions but we need that broad frame. I will be making that case again and again in the coming months as we look at the planning. If we are going to do this right and we are going to look at the economic big picture, we can’t do that without this same look being taken on the environment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak on the state of housing through the eyes of experience. Mr. Speaker, I spent 22 years working for the local housing authority. We have always had to live with decisions that were made in Yellowknife or in headquarters. A lot of times these decisions weren’t very good. We were asked to perform miracles, to do a lot more with a lot less. I have said before, my crones would have a field day up here.

The government nowadays has some money coming in. They are talking about a $100 million investment over the next three years. They are talking about 530 units over the next three years. They have a unique opportunity here to make good decisions, to make decisions that the community wants and they have an opportunity to put some good houses on the ground because that’s what they keep saying they are supposed to be doing is putting houses on the ground. They have an opportunity now over the next three years to put those words into action and we are going to hold them to it. We don’t want them to botch something as important as this.

Hear! Hear!

The units are getting older and older and the maintenance crews are asked to do more and more, like I said, with a lot less. Is Novel the answer? I don’t know. I wonder about that. We are talking about a huge investment here. Maybe it’s time we went and asked the communities and listened to what the communities have to say.

Let’s start making some of the decisions based on what the community wants, not what the Housing Corporation and government thinks is best for the community because what is good for one community in this region may not be good for another community in that region. So I would urge this government to talk to the communities…

---Laughter

…listen to what they have to say and let’s start paying attention to the needs of the communities and not the needs of headquarters. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I cited yesterday many reasons why so many of our small businesses are having such a difficult time. One of the main issues that I mentioned was the lack of labour, Mr. Speaker. We have a shortage of labour, skilled and unskilled, in every sector of our industries. I don’t think it is just in Yellowknife, but in other regions where there is a lot of economic activity. Mr. Speaker, the problem is particularly severe for fast-food and fast service businesses where the employees are not able to compete with the government or big corporations, although they do go out of their way to make their employment benefits package as attractive as well.

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that it is so difficult for them to find enough full-time reliable help that they are actually looking overseas to find help. In fact, it is not unusual for me to get a phone call to see if I could help them with finding help from the country of my ancestry, which is Korea. Not only that, Mr. Speaker, but the immigration office in Yellowknife is so under-resourced and not mandated fully to address and help those employers who might be looking to bring help from overseas.

Mr. Speaker, on the other hand, when I had the constituency meeting a couple of weeks ago, I learned from one of my constituents that, in fact, there is a surgeon and a pharmacist working as check-out cashiers at one of our box stores. I must say, Mr. Speaker, while I realize these stores offer a lot of products, I don’t think surgery is one of them.

Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you that this issue deals with a lack of skilled labour or lack of any kind of labour, especially industry that is labour intensive, but also we have a lot of red tape and barriers that is getting in the way of professional people who are already in Yellowknife finding their jobs. I am not hearing enough from this government and the federal government to help the businesses deal with this issue. In the days to come, I would like to see some more direction and leadership from the Minister of Employment, who is also now responsible for Human Resources, to come up with a policy to address this situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I start, I should apologize to my colleague Mr. McLeod for knocking my glass over.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to discuss the issue about fly-in workers to the diamond mines. This is a growing concern of my constituents. This is a growing concern among northern communities. They are constantly asking, is this government doing enough to this problem? The socio-economic agreements between the diamond mines and the GNWT set out employment targets for northerners and aboriginal residents, Mr. Speaker. These targets for northern resident employment during the mine operations are set at roughly between 60 and 70 percent. It appears increasingly difficult to meet these targets the mine is setting. What are we doing? Are we doing enough?

The high cost of living contributes to people not wanting to live in the Northwest Territories, to make their homes here, to contribute to the communities. Incentives for northern residents have steadily decreased over the years, Mr. Speaker. Since the third-quarter, the 2005 population census told us that we have lost approximately 850 residents, Mr. Speaker. I have no doubt some of those are mine employees relocating. Why are they relocating, Mr. Speaker? Because the mining industry is reacting to these changes as all good businesses do. But one such adaptation is they are now providing free flights to their employees from the South to work in their northern sites. Pretty nice, I will say. This is an attractive option for workers who do not live in the North, Mr. Speaker. It would be crazy for them not to take these options up. These are fly-in workers who are taking their earnings from our North, our only opportunity to get any benefit from these mines, and they are taking them south so they are not contributing to our North. Again, they are not contributing to our communities.

All socio-economic agreements have monitoring provisions in place. The Premier will know this, Mr. Speaker, because I will cite one in a second. The mining companies have agreed to consult with their northern partners to find ways to meet these set targets. The GNWT has an important role in monitoring these provisions. Mr. Speaker, tabled in the Fourth Session of the 13th Assembly in 1996, section 8.5 says, "If requested, the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development will call basically the diamond mine companies before an ad hoc committee or the Assembly if requested," Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, it is set out in the socio-economic agreements that we have the right to call these diamond companies to meet the Minister, to speak to the Minister on special issues written here discussing training, employment and business opportunities. It is to my understanding this clause has never been exercised to find out what is the problem and maybe what the GNWT isn’t doing.

So, Mr. Speaker, I demand this government to exercise this clause 8.5 in the agreement and to call these mining companies before this Assembly, before committee, and work on a partnership to find a solution to this important issue to our northern residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to take the opportunity to thank all of those involved in helping making this a successful week for two Pages from Fort Providence. I wanted to say thank you to Laitha Nadli and Dori-Ann Lafoin, who are with us, who have worked as Pages since Monday.

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Today is their last day. I hope it was an enjoyable and educational experience for both of them. I hope that they will have some great stories to tell and share with their teachers at the Deh Gah School and also for their families when they get back home. I also wanted to take the opportunity to thank the chaperone, Miss Suzie Schmid. Suzie is here from Germany and is on a one-year Work Placement Program as a teachers' assistant in the community of Fort Providence at the school there…

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…and also to the drivers, Patricia Bouvier and Greg Reardon, both from Fort Providence, for driving the students…

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…and also for coming to pick them up. Last but not least, of course, to the Legislative Assembly corporate service staff for giving us the opportunity to invite the students from Fort Providence and working with them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time I’d like to recognize one of my chiefs, Chief Charlie Football from Wekweeti is in the audience.

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Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize the two Pages I have here from my region, Carrcie Mantla and also Tyanna Steinwand. It is their last day today. I hope they enjoyed it. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize a Page that we’ve had with us here during this session, Ms. Aimee Gauthier. Mahsi.

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Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my two Pages that I brought in from Paulatuk, and I thank the staff here in corporate services, Kayla Kudlak from Paulatuk and also Craig Ruben. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are in following up with my Member’s statement and it’s to the Minister of Employment. I think that we’re all aware that here in Yellowknife the cost of living and the cost of doing business is very expensive and the booming economy sometimes works against small businesses who have to compete with the ever-reducing supply of labour and having to compete with big governments and big company packages sometimes. When they are looking to look overseas, if they have to, they run into more problems having really no service in Yellowknife to deal with this. I’d like to know what the Minister has done, if anything, in that regard in his office as Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 205-15(5): Impact Of Labour Shortages On Small Businesses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened with interest to Ms. Lee’s statement and it is an issue that I understand is becoming more and more of a problem for northern employers finding suitable staff because of the overheated economy. To date, I have approached Minister Solberg’s office on a couple of issues. One was to see if we could get some action on assisting the tourism operators who need Japanese staff; another to address an issue of a long-standing or outstanding application for Canadian citizenship for a doctor who is practicing in the North. We’ve had successful resolution of one of those.

I haven’t been approached by fast-food service restaurants, but I would be quite prepared to sit down with them, discuss what their needs are, and then develop a plan of action to address this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 205-15(5): Impact Of Labour Shortages On Small Businesses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If he is interested in hearing, getting advice from this side of the floor, Mr. Speaker, I could tell you that a fast-food chain in downtown are actually using personal referrals from an employee from Korea that worked there and she or he are being asked to look for people in Korea. I mean, they’re using personal connections because they felt that they were getting no help from the immigration office and the immigration office here is really equipped with enforcement of bad immigrants, so to speak, not really there to facilitate people who want to bring in employees.

Another thing is, I know that there is a fast-food chain in the Range Lake area where they’re looking at bringing 60 employees from the Philippines and they’re not even bothering to go through Yellowknife office because they’re so ill-resourced and ill-equipped. So I’d like to know -- and I’m sure this is not the first time the Minister is hearing that -- would the Minister be willing to look at talking to Minister Solberg and see if he would increase the resources in the immigration office in Yellowknife? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 205-15(5): Impact Of Labour Shortages On Small Businesses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hadn’t heard about this problem with the fast-food service restaurants, but now that I have heard about it I would be quite happy to find out what their specific needs are and then see how we can address that with Minister Solberg, yes.

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

Supplementary To Question 205-15(5): Impact Of Labour Shortages On Small Businesses

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With regard to the other side of the coin about the professional immigrants in Canada, not just in Yellowknife, who are not able to practice in their area -- whether they be engineers, doctors, pharmacists -- I mean it’s good that the Minister is looking at one file, but would he be willing to look at all of the qualification process in those professions, and nursing too, and dentists, and see if he could harmonize that process so that at least we’re able to use the resources that are already here; human resources. Thank you.