Good afternoon, colleagues. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I totally support the role and authority of the Speaker in this House, that’s yourself. If any of my remarks last week brought that into question, I apologize. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, this is a significant day for the Northwest Territories. Today, for the first time at any northern correctional facility, Commissioner Marie Wilson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is at the North Slave Correctional Centre to acknowledge residential school experiences, impacts and consequences.
Over the next several days, inmates can give individual statements to contribute to the historical records the commission is gathering on the legacy of residential schools.
People who have been through residential school, or have suffered from the devastating effects on their family, far too frequently have also been in front of our community justice committees, our courtrooms, or have been sentenced to our correctional facilities. Today many of these inmates will take another step in their journeys to heal.
As I mentioned to the Assembly in June, we have worked closely with Health Canada to ensure our inmates have the support they need through their healing process. This support has also been provided for the staff to ensure they have the right skills to help inmates and can address their own self-care.
Each inmate will have a plan in place for continuing care from our staff at North Slave Correctional Centre, the residential school care specialists working with Health Canada, and our partners in Health and Social Services. Support is essential for success in healing. We started providing this support before the statement-taking process, and will continue when inmates return to their home communities.
The people who are in North Slave Correctional Centre may have had a more difficult route than most.
To those who are adding their stories to the official record this week, we applaud your courage. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday the town of Hay River celebrated the opening of a new, federally certified egg-grading station for the Northwest Territories.
The event marked a new era for egg production in the NWT. The new state-of-the-art facility is the final piece of the puzzle that the NWT needed to get back into the regulated egg marketing industry.
The ability to complete grading will allow us to put NWT eggs in NWT stores, but more importantly, from an economic point of view, sell NWT eggs into the full wholesale, retail and food service sectors in the South.
Mr. Speaker, I have to acknowledge the work of my predecessor, and now Premier, Honourable Bob McLeod on this initiative.
His early vision and leadership, the commitment and partnership of the NWT Egg Marketing Board and our government’s own work and financial investment have come together to reposition our territory and the town of Hay River to benefit from the National Regulated Egg Marketing Program and the opportunities it opens for us.
Much has been said about regulated egg marketing over the years, but the one consistent message heard throughout Canada’s agriculture sector is that the program provides for a reliable and sustainable economic base to build our agriculture industry on.
Selling our own eggs diversifies the economy, enhances employment opportunities, attracts new capital investment in the territory, and generates new markets for made-in-the-NWT products. We knew this when we started this process in 2009, and our work is paying off. In 2009 the NWT’s egg quota was going unused. Today almost the entire quota is placed into production. That is almost three million dozen eggs serving the table market in the NWT and the South.
The new egg grading station represents new capital investment in Hay River, 20 new jobs for local residents, and the launch of a nearly $7 million industry in our agricultural sector.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the NWT Egg Marketing Board. Under Jackie Milne’s capable leadership, they have successfully guided and revitalized the egg marketing industry in Hay River.
I would like to recognize, also, the support of Hay River MLAs Mrs. Jane Groenewegen and Mr. Robert Bouchard, and MLA for Deh Cho Mr. Michael Nadli in this initiative.
Finally, I would like to congratulate John Penner, Bruce Ramage and the Wallingtons – Glen, Mike and Kevin. They took an idea and transformed it into solid business plans. They identified and supplied market demand. Above all, they were prepared to take risks.
Their energy embodies the resilient entrepreneurial spirit that is the driving force behind our northern economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Premier McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Glen Abernethy will be leaving the House later today and will be absent from the House until Friday to attend the federal/provincial/territorial meeting of Justice Ministers in Regina, Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I spoke several times in support of our small businesses. We know that our small businesses are facing many costs, but what are they faced with today? This government has professed its commitment to supporting our small businesses and residents by helping with the cost of living and dealing with the basic costs for business. And what are those? Those are things like heating fuel, electricity, red tape, and WSCC employee issues and assessment costs. What are they experiencing in these areas that we have professed to be helping our businesses in, Mr. Speaker?
Let’s look at electricity. Electricity we are subsidizing over the next three years to the tune of over $65 million, and has gone up, according to the cost of living report we just heard, 8.7 percent this year. We are predicting almost a 30 percent increase in costs over the next three years.
Let’s look at heating fuel. Those costs have been soaring, as we all know, around the world due to global factors.
Let’s look at employee assessment rates. I have a constituent who talked to me recently, who got a letter saying her Class 7 employee assessment rates are going up, the government claims, 6 percent. Now it’s gone up from 48 cents to 58 cents per $100. That, to my Grade 3 mathematics, is a total of 23 percent. I don’t know where the government gets 6 percent, Mr. Speaker.
I am going to cut my remarks short because I see the clock is not working and I’m not sure exactly what time I have, but it’s clear that this government is failing on its professed commitments and, again, repeated commitments that we will come through and support our businesses and residents.
Costs are going up massively and I think a newsletter from WSCC said a 15.9 percent increase on average for employee assessment rates. Mr. Speaker, how can we possibly wonder why businesses are either throwing in the towel or choosing not to come to the Northwest Territories?
I will be asking questions in the House today on both of these related issues, and asking how we can really provide support for our businesses and keep them here as the engines of our economy in all of our communities. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT Safe Advantage penalties for Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission have been tabled in this House and have risen from zero dollars in 2009-2010 programming, to $243,583 in 2010-2011 and a whopping $508,625 in 2011-2012.
In the Department of Human Resources’ own words, it claims to “have taken significant steps in the development of health and safety programs in the last few years. Current results demonstrate that there is work to be done across the GNWT to ensure the safety of all our employees and reduce claims cost experience.”
The Regular Members sure hope that the Minister and his department will clearly address this indicator of shortcomings from its own safety performance and lead by example, as we expect all our contractors to do the same.
However, I am not here today to shine a light on this huge cost to taxpayers. I am more interested in sharing my findings on how our poor performance in claims growth, as WSCC’s largest employer, has had on the whole industry. Moreover, the question that I think needs to be asked is: Is NWT business subsidizing our government’s poor ratings and costs to WSCC?
Let me explain. Most businesses would have received lately a WSCC notice of their 2013 employer assessments on their rates. In this notice it explains the doom and gloom of rising health care costs, the depressed markets, and the need to sustain the fund to protect employers and injured workers; all noble causes. It further explains that in July this year, WSCC advised employers of a 28 cent increase in the 2013 provisional target assessment rate, from $1.77 to $2.05 per $100 of assessable payroll. This, according to WSCC’s own numbers, works out to a whopping 13.7 percent increase this year on average.
Payroll premiums such as this are a significant expense for any employer, yet to most people this is a complex topic. The business community knows the level of premium an employer pays is directly related on the claims experience of such industry and class. Furthermore, depending on your previous year’s performance, it can have a significant impact on your assessment.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
In the case of the GNWT, the short-term recent poor performance over the last two years is concerning and very problematic. It is clear that while the government will enjoy a new rate of 79 cents per $100, it had only a slight increase from its original 66 cents per $100 in the wake of these huge penalties in claims growth. In essence, is the GNWT being treated more favourably or being capped in response to this recent poor performance and is business subsidizing the remaining balance sheet for the WSCC?
I will have more questions for the Minister of Human Resources on why the GNWT Safe Advantage penalties are so high and growing yearly, which departments are causing such claims growth, and why are WSCC payroll premiums not broken down by department to reflect a more realistic comparison in the industry rate classes and premiums.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The people of Nahanni Butte have been trying to get back to normal after last spring’s flood and community evacuation. There are still many needs to be met and I again call on the community members to be patient.
However, as I mentioned last week, we also need a long-term plan for Nahanni Butte, which may include relocating the community out of the current flood plain it sits in.
The flood level on the Liard River in June was at a 50-year high. Elders have never seen or experienced such high waters as during the time of that flood. We also hope and pray that this type of flood will not be repeated in our lifetime. The people of Nahanni Butte do live in fear of it happening again. I also do not want to see us replacing the community gymnasium floor for a fourth time.
Climate change is increasing the risk of more frequent and more severe floods in our region. The community is suggesting a move of about 10 kilometres to the east side of the Liard River where the access road from the highway is.
Community leaders are suggesting that it does make sense to relocate there on higher ground. Relocation could be a long-term solution, with community support, and this is a good time to re-evaluate this community. I also believe that our government should consider this option seriously with due attention to the wishes of the people.
I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs on this subject later on today.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to use my Member’s statement today to thank the Minister of ITI for coming down to Hay River on Friday and opening up the new federally certified egg grading plant. I’d also like to congratulate John and Janet Penner and Bruce Ramage on their investment in this facility in the egg industry. I’d like to also extend congratulations to the Wallington family for their hard work, and our local operators of the facility: Glen, Mike and Kevin. Thank you very much.
It’s a great news story for a northern business to be able to put northern products on northern tables. It’s a good luck story. It’s one of the first opportunities I’ve had to do a grand opening as an MLA. We need to produce more of this stuff. We are putting eggs on northern tables. We’re making ourselves more sustainable. We’re not depending on other provinces or other producers.
I’d also like to encourage… And I will have questions for the Minister about strengthening other areas.
I think we need to use northern products that are being produced and putting them on northern tables, such as I’ve brought to this House before in the fishing industry area where we have a great opportunity on the Great Slave Lake. This is a renewable resource that they’ve assessed and they know we have a sustainable product there. We need to get this product out on the tables in the North. We need to do more production in the North, selling in the North, selling to our northern facilities.
Again, I’d like to congratulate those people that have been involved in the Polar Eggs, and we look forward to seeing those eggs, hopefully, out on the tables, they tell me, as early as December.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week in the community of Inuvik, over 20 different stakeholders including businesses, tour operators and local governments from the Beaufort-Delta region came together to discuss possibilities and opportunities for increased and diversified tourism products and experiences for the region as a way to supplement the challenging economy in the area.
The group was very pleased with the support from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment as well as Northwest Territories Tourism, who partnered to provide an all-day interactive training workshop for participants. The group is also very grateful for their ongoing support of this important sector of the NWT territorial economy.
With attendees from Fort McPherson, Inuvik, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk, the group spent the day learning about tourism trends, marketing, pricing and packaging of tourism-related products and experiences. The goal of the meeting was to come together to create a market-ready package tourism experience that would incorporate tourism experiences such as dog sledding excursions, snowmobile adventures and ice show tours with varied accommodation options such as bed and breakfasts, cabins and hotels.
Attendees agreed that the session was worthwhile and was an important step to bringing more tourism dollars into the communities, especially during the winter months and the shouldering seasons when there’s less tourism economy in the area. All stakeholders are very pleased and ready to showcase the great many opportunities for culture, touring and adventure opportunities in Inuvik and the Western Arctic region. A follow-up meeting is planned to solidify the market-ready tourism packages initiated during this very important event.
As we know, the tourism industry has a return investment in the Northwest Territories of over $100 million, when this government itself does not put a whole lot of dollars into the tourism industry and the work that a lot of these groups do.
Later on today I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment to see how we can invest not only in Inuvik and the Beaufort-Delta region and all the great work that they’re doing, but in other regions across the Northwest Territories to help give a little boom to the economy that the regions do need, and some ideas that might arise from that.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Saturday, October 27th, marked an historic occasion in Fort Providence. A time capsule sealed on October 7, 1992, was opened and items sealed in the capsule for 20 years were returned to the people in the community.
The sealing of the time capsule 20 years ago marked the end of an era as Elizabeth Ward School became Deh Gah Elementary School. On Saturday the occasion was marked by Jane Arychuk, former school principal, returning to the school, and Margaret Vandell and her son Wayne cutting the chain and locks on the large Rubbermaid tub.
Once opened, large envelopes and letters were revealed, bringing tears to many eyes: letters to children from parents, from grandparents, letters written to themselves, and letters from teachers to students. Sam Gargan, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly at the time, shared a picture of his young family and sent best wishes to the community in 2012.
The hamlet council, band council and district education authority had placed packages of materials in envelopes, with strict instructions to be opened by the same councils in 2012. The students of the community learning centre in 1992 sealed a package of materials which will be opened by the 2012 Aurora College learning students next week.
A fishnet woven by Kari Hergott and the dog harness made by Louie Mackenzie Jr. reminded the community of its commitment to culture-based education in Fort Providence.
Price lists from three local stores and issues of News/North and Native Press got everyone’s attention as they compared food prices, real estate prices and wages in the job ads.
Community members spent a great afternoon reading letters, looking at pictures and reminiscing about their lives 20 years ago. Some families left with envelopes of letters and items to share with the whole family when the whole family is together at Christmas.
One wrapped mystery gift labelled for the oldest female student in the school in 2012 will be opened today. A final decision has not been made, but there is a good chance Deh Gah School will plan an event in the near future to refill a time capsule for the next 20 years.
I applaud the staff of Elizabeth Ward School and now Deh Gah Elementary and Secondary School, who brought personal histories to life on Saturday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow up today on the statement made by my colleague from Hay River North last week about a much needed Midwifery Program. At the urging of residents and Members of the 16th Assembly, in late 2011 the Department of Health and Social Services studied the very small existing midwifery program and produced a report that was made public in spring of this year. That report was referenced by the Minister last week in his replies to Mr. Bouchard’s questions. It was gratifying to hear him say that the expansion of our Midwifery Program is included in the department’s planning. But much more than a vague reference to planning is needed.
We have actually seen a reduction in our Midwifery Program in the last two years, because about a year and a half ago Yellowknife lost its Midwifery Program. Yellowknife residents have been and continue to be vocal about the loss of that program and the need to have a comprehensive Midwifery Program throughout the NWT.
All women in the NWT deserve to access midwifery care if they so choose. Midwifery programs do far more than just birth babies. An integral component of any midwifery program is prenatal and postnatal education and care. There is no doubt that an expansion of the program is needed.
The report calls for it, the Minister admits it has been a part of the Health and Social Services strategic plan since 2008. The benefits for in-community births mentioned in the report include a decrease in domestic violence, a decrease in sexual assault, an increase in self-esteem, greater feelings of dignity, less stress and more male involvement in the newborn and partner care. Keeping soon-to-be moms in the community improves family relationships and leads to improved health outcomes for all members of the family.
There is also the reduced cost to government as the results of less medical travel. But there is little evidence of any concrete planning for an expansion of the Midwifery Program.
In response to Mr. Bouchard last week, the Minister mentioned planning in 2013-14 and stated the department will expand the program to Hay River, but not until 2014-15 when the new hospital there is completed. What if the new hospital isn’t completed on time?
The Minister’s plan is not good enough. The department should be planning in this budget for implementation in 2013-14.
I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at a later time. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recently wrote a request to all departments regarding a WSCC matter. In short, it was an information request based on monthly incidents and accident reports. I’m grateful that Human Resources was to coordinate the paperwork for the various departments, because without their assistance – that is the people in Human Resources – the various departments may have actually sent me the unedited information.
Now, the reason I say unedited is based on the concerns that some of the summary documents – the 195 pages I’ve poured over that were supplied to both me and Mr. Dolynny – had some technical errors in it. Now, were these errors devastating? I don’t think so, but it also begs the question: What other information was summarized incorrectly? What information was missed or even overlooked? Even worse, what was ignored?
The Minister said to me in the context of a minor and, I stress, reasonable delay that he sent the information back because he wanted to make sure that all the detailed information was in there. I respect that and I appreciate the once over he provided, but the point is, is not knowing what he sent it back for to find out what the final version was from the version they supplied. Who knows what the gaps were that were missing? So we must be really grateful for his intervention.
However, the issue at hand, what’s interesting is there looks to be a number of penalties, and certainly the trends that it’s pointing to are a concern that we should all be starting to look at and ask ourselves what is this revealing. All the costs by themselves seem very low and perhaps not crippling to the wheels of government. I would say that this, regrettably, points towards a trend by various departments, where you see a trend of non-compliance of accident reports where they’re not filing on a timely basis.
Now, one or two late filing reports may be considered reasonable, because we don’t always know the circumstances and we can’t predict the circumstances of why these incidents have happened, but moreover, the greater concern is that there are dozens upon dozens upon dozens of late fees being charged because people aren’t filing their reports in a timely way.
What’s clear here is the amount of penalties this government is being fined for, an administrative process we could certainly easily hire someone to do. Also what’s being revealed is not only the first, the second or third offense, it should be an alarming trend that the Department of Human Resources should be on.
We must be relentless in our commitment for a safe working environment and we must not shirk our duties, responsibilities that we have prescribed in legislation and regulation in laws in this House. We should be complying.
I will have questions for the Minister of Human Resources later today on that fact. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to recognize a constituent from Frame Lake, Jeff Corradetti. Welcome to the House to Jeff and to everybody else up there. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission in follow-up to my statement. MLAs were informed in August of an average 15 percent-plus increase in employee assessment rates. Meanwhile we have a Safe Advantage Program, which is supposed to improve rates of safety performance, yet the rates are skyrocketing. Why are the rates going up? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Minister responsible for Workers’ Safety and Compensation, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I did meet with the board chair and the president and I did share some of the concerns that were brought to my attention. Part of the reason why this rate is going up is due to the fact that their investment at the national stage has had a downturn in investment in the environment, and also the rising cost of health care across Canada. Given that there have been subsidies given to these businesses across the Northwest Territories for the last 10 years, it has basically taken back the subsidy and put that into an increase in assessment rates. So, swapping that. That was my understanding from the WSCC when I met with them. Mahsi.
I have to say thanks to the Minister, but there is something faulty with the reasoning there, because there’s not much activity in our health care costs that we’re going to repress our businesses even more. I’ve mentioned the burden our businesses already have. I have a constituent, as I mentioned, with employees in Class 7, whose rates have leapt from 48 cents to 58 cents per $100 of payroll. The government claims this is a 6 percent, whereas my Grade 3 arithmetic says this is a 22 percent increase. What is the truth here? Obviously, this is a massive increase, but how can the government claim it’s 6 percent here? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, I got the facts here from WSCC and it is in between. It’s not 6 percent or what the Member is alluding to; it is an increase in 2013 of 16 percent. That’s the number I have from WSCC, in replacement of the subsidy that’s been provided over the last 10 years.
Thanks to the Minister. I guess I would ask the Minister to commit to investigating that because, obviously, if the rate has gone from 48 to 58 cents, that is not a 6 percent increase and neither is it a 15 percent increase. So I hope the Minister will seek the truth on that.
The Safe Advantage program is meant to be self-funded and independent from the claims budget. It’s a separate budget. However, my understanding is that penalties income is less than rewards paid out. There’s also rewards paid out, not just penalties in the Safe Advantage program. That’s resulting in a deficit. We’re paying out more in rewards than we’re taking in penalties.
I have to assume the deficit is being made up from the claims budget, which is supposed to be independent. If this is true and we have safer practices today, which we should with Safe Advantage, to what degree is this the cause of the steep increases in rates that businesses are being asked to pay?
The information that I did receive – and I will be going back to WSCC for another follow-up meeting, because whenever a concern has been addressed by the Members and the general public, I usually meet with the chair and the president.
With respect to this increase in assessment rates for 2013 of 16 percent, this has been in the subsidy area. A subsidy has been provided for the last 10 years and now WSCC has taken that back. In return is an increase in assessment rates. That information was brought to my attention. It is the subsidy that has been provided is now taken back by WSCC due to the investment economy throughout the national stage.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. That goes somewhat to explain some of the increases, although it does not excuse them. Obviously, in these days of soaring electricity rates and other basic costs, we can’t keep adding to the burdens of our small businesses, the economic engine of our communities. How can we wonder, again, while they’re throwing in the towel and not coming north? What is the Minister doing to keep rates low and what steps will he promise to correct the imbalance of increased payments being required while safety performance is supposedly increasing?
