Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While perusing the CBC website I came across a very interesting and informative story to make sure I could table it before the House: Yukon Passes Cell Phone Driving Ban. I certainly hope the Minister of Transportation makes extra note of this story and tabling.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I’ll move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Tabled Document 103-16(5), Government of the Northwest Territories Contracts Over $5,000 Report, Year-to-Date of the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2010, be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Legislative Assembly requests the Governor-in-Council to dissolve the 16th Legislative Assembly on September 4, 2011, to permit a general election for the 17th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories to be held on October 3, 2011.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 13, Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) 2011-2012, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Dog Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 18, An Act to Repeal the Settlements Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 19, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move that Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Evidence Act, be read for the first time.
WHEREAS the Government of Canada intends to eliminate the Statistics Canada long-form census questionnaire and replace it with a voluntary survey;
AND WHEREAS the long-form census is a critical source of information about the diversity, employment, income, education, and other characteristics of Canadians;
AND WHEREAS in the NWT, data from the Census of Population and the NWT Community Survey are used extensively by all levels of government and many businesses and agencies to monitor socio-economic conditions; to design, monitor and evaluate programs; and to plan policy initiatives and identify emerging trends;
AND WHEREAS this information is essential to businesses, research, planning, and the design and evaluation of public policies and programs;
AND WHEREAS users of this data, ranging from the business community to university researchers to social justice advocates, are opposed to this change;
AND WHEREAS in the NWT, one of the effects may be the loss of data as a basis on which to compare northern to southern communities;
AND WHEREAS the long-form census questionnaire was sent to 20 percent of households in Yellowknife and administered to every household by canvassers in all communities outside of Yellowknife and provides a high quality and depth of data;
AND WHEREAS introduction of a voluntary census will introduce uncertainty with its reliance upon householders’ willingness to complete and mail a census form;
AND WHEREAS people who tend to rely most on government assistance programs, particularly aboriginal citizens, are most affected by literacy and social issues and hence less inclined to complete and mail a voluntary census form;
AND WHEREAS it is estimated that it would cost the Government of the Northwest Territories approximately $500,000 to increase its data collection to replace the data no longer available from Statistics Canada;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Legislative Assembly urges the Government of Canada to reverse its decision to eliminate the mandatory long-form census questionnaire.
There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the mover of the motion, I will offer remarks on the need to make this call on the federal government for preservation of the full, long-form census data collection.
Accurate, reliable and detailed data is essential to this government’s ability to develop policies and programs and, very importantly, to evaluate whether our programs are having the best results. Long-form data is essential to the continuing improvement of our services. The information obtained through the long-form census is essential to the well-being of our citizens.
As the motion points out, the people who rely most on government services to overcome their many social disadvantages are exactly the people least able or likely to complete and mail a census form. The cumulative impact of low response rates from the disadvantaged would yield an indication that the conditions of disadvantage are actually improving. Clearly, this would be untrue.
We don’t fight poverty and social malaise simply by failing to collect information that reflects these conditions. We have a duty to the least advantaged to ensure their conditions are recognized in the most basic sense by the full and complete description of those conditions with statistical information. It’s hard to understand how a federal government could decide to do without this data and still progress towards a just and equitable society that meets the needs of those most in need.
It’s estimated that filling the long-form census gaps with our own Statistics Bureau could cost this government as much as $500,000 more each year. Lack of the data would seriously damage or even eliminate our ability to compare our NWT conditions with those of the provinces.
This data is essential when we seek funds from the federal government for our programs. Also, if the full data collection is resumed after an interruption, the lack of past information would make accurate historical comparisons impossible and unreliable.
Our businesses need this data to continually sharpen their competitiveness. Students and educators seeking to learn their disciplines or apply their learning to the betterment of society will find they lack the basic tools. Our non-government organizations and volunteers who are eager to improve social conditions with their energy and enthusiasm will find they don’t have the information essential to making the best use of their limited funds and capacity.
Our poor and disadvantaged crucially need this information as the emphasis of their conditions.
There is a requirement for information for measuring progress for implementation of an Anti-Poverty Strategy, for example. The GNWT needs this data to intelligently find its way into the future. I look forward to the support of all Members in sending this clear message to the federal government and I particularly appreciate Cabinet’s support in moving this motion forward and I will be calling for a recorded vote. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. To the motion.
Question.
The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy; sorry.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Data is essential to any program, policy and evaluation of any program and policy. I’m concerned that with the elimination of the requirement for the long-form census, the data we are going to get is going to be subject. The quality of the data is going to be in question and we rely on that data to make informed decisions in this House and in this government. So I’m very concerned about the elimination of the requirement for the long-form census. I’m curious how the federal government intends to make decisions without that data. It’s a concern and, as a result, I’m going to be supporting this motion. I think we need to send a message that it is going to affect us and when they’re making their decisions, they have to think about the people that it is affecting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m totally in support of this motion. For me, it’s a no-brainer. I have been perplexed since the federal government announced they were cancelling the long-form census as to what the rationale was for them doing so.
The motion itself references any number of reasons why we need the long-form census. So I don’t think I’m going to repeat what’s in the motion. My colleague Mr. Bromley has covered many other reasons as well.
I just want to read a quote from the executive director of the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg. She said, “They strongly urge the Conservative government to reconsider its plan to cancel the mandatory long-form census. The information and statistics generated by this are critical to the health and well-being of all aboriginal peoples of Canada.”
And that applies in spades to us here in the NWT. So I will be in support of this motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government, as well, has agreed to second this motion and will be supporting the motion and its intent for the reasons listed by the Member for Weledeh. I’d also point out that we’re not alone in our concern. There are governments across the country that have filed their concerns and asked for the federal government to reconsider. I have been, along with many Members on this side of the House, at the federal/provincial table talking about northern concerns and have been told many times that our numbers are so small that we’re not statistically significant, and that it’s very difficult to plan and make policy decisions because of that fact. This lack of information will not help that particular circumstance, so we will be supporting this motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I will allow the mover of the motion to make closing comments. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the support of colleagues here. I think it’s clear that there is general and considerable concern about eliminating the collection of this information that’s needed as a basis for good decision and its absence would result in suspect data. We suffer from small numbers and the difficulty of statistics anyway, so we don’t need this added problem. Mr. Speaker, I just want to again ask the Cabinet if the Premier would allow a free vote and I request a recorded vote. Thank you.
