Mrs. Groenewegen rose on a point of order in relation to a response provided by the Premier, Mr. Roland, to Oral Question 428-16(2) on October 6, 2008. Mrs. Groenewegen raised the point of order after reviewing the unedited Hansard for that day and therefore did so at the earliest possible opportunity.
The Member for Hay River South referred to rule 23(m) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly, which states that a Member will be called to order if the Member “introduces any matter into debate that offends the practices and precedents of the Assembly.”
Mrs. Groenewegen stated that Mr. Roland, in responding to her question, made reference to matters pertaining to a confidential exchange of information contained in correspondence between the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning and the Premier. Mrs. Groenewegen referred to the following comments made by Mr. Roland from page 30 of the unedited Hansard of October 6, 2008:
“I offered some opportunities for improvements from the last bit of criticism I had about the strategic initiative committees, and I got a response from the chair of P&P on that. I guess that offer wasn’t good enough either.”
Mrs. Groenewegen felt that Mr. Roland, in making these comments, contravened the convention of committee confidentiality.
On October 7, 2008, I opened the floor to debate on the point of order and heard from both Mrs. Groenewegen and Mr. Roland.
In speaking to the point of order, Mrs. Groenewegen stated that the Premier erred in making reference to a confidential document that was part of an interaction between committee and Cabinet.
Mr. Roland, in his remarks, defended his response as a reply to issues that were raised publicly in the House. The Premier did admit to alluding to a letter from the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning but stated, “I didn’t go into detail about what that was.”
Colleagues, three issues come to light in reviewing this matter. The first is that previous rulings have dealt only with the confidentiality aspect of discussions that have taken place at an in camera meeting of a committee. It should be noted that correspondence coming out of these meetings is also considered confidential.
The second issue centres around the principle of not divulging committee information prior to it being reported in the House. I quote here from House of Commons’ Procedures and Practice, Marleau and Montpetit, at page 879, where they state, “Committees make their views and recommendations known to the House by way of reports.” Marleau and Montpetit also add, at page 885:
“It is not in order for Members to allude to committee proceedings or evidence in the House until the committee has presented its report to the House. This restriction applies both to references made by Members in debate and during oral question period.”
The third and final issue is to point out to Members that, in fact, a breach of confidentiality is an issue of privilege and not simply one of process or procedure. In support, I quote here again from Marleau and Montpetit at page 838:
“Divulging any part of the proceedings of an in camera committee meeting has been ruled by the Speaker to constitute a prima facie matter of privilege. Alleged breaches of committee confidentiality should properly be raised as a matter of privilege.”
Members, after careful review of rule 23(m) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly and of the unedited Hansard for October 6 and 7, 2008, I do not find in this instance that the Member has a point of order. There was no breach of confidentiality here, because the Premier, while making reference to the existence of a letter, did not divulge the contents of that letter.
I have heard many Members rise in this House to defend our consensus style of government and comment on its effectiveness. Members must also be aware that the functioning of our unique form of government depends on the ability of all Members to understand and respect the important role confidentiality must play in the relationship between committees and the Executive Council.
Mr. Speaker, at the earliest opportunity I rise on a point of order from the events of yesterday’s Committee of the Whole discussions, under section 23(i) of our Rules of the Legislative Assembly, where a Member imputes false or hidden motives to another Member.
Yesterday in Committee of the Whole Mrs. Groenewegen, in the unedited Hansard of Wednesday, October 8, 2008, page 62, in questioning the Finance Minister, asked this question: “was the MLA who approved the negotiated contract the MLA for Inuvik, the Premier and the Chair of the Finance Management Board?”
Mr. Speaker, I would say that in her line of questioning leading up to that event, it’s quite clear that Mrs. Groenewegen is threading the needle, as I would put it, in pointing out that as the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake signed a letter supporting the negotiated contract in the last Assembly — and in this Assembly for the first eight months I was the Chair of the Financial Management Board and the Premier; I believe the only one in the history of the Northwest Territories — by putting that line of questioning out there, she has tried to, in fact…. I would feel that this is written now forever in the record books: that she’s imputing a motive on my behalf that I had a position to make something happen.
I must set the record straight, Mr. Speaker, that yes, I did sign a letter of support for that negotiated contract, but I also followed the rules for declaring a conflict of interest at any subsequent moment.
Mr. Speaker, under 23(i) I would say that Mrs. Groenewegen and her line of questioning leading up to page 62 was questioning my motives and my position as the Member with authority in that particular project.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. I’m going to allow a bit of debate on this point of order. To the point of order. Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I and Members on this side of the House follow the process of the House. At times, yes, we may stray, and that’s when Members call us into line. We respect the roles of Regular Members, of Cabinet of how we do our work. Some Members have been in this Assembly for a multiple number of terms. Mrs. Groenewegen is one of them. She is very adept at presenting a case and leading a line of questioning, as I’ve come to know her work in this Assembly.
But most important to the process, as we do our work as Members of the Legislative Assembly, a number of times we fill different roles within this government. Timing of those roles can also overlap when different terms of the Assembly end.
In this case, Mr. Speaker, when you look at that line of questioning on an Inuvik project, which is two schools and which has worked its way in the system, the line of questioning she led up to was, I would say as I read this, directly pointing to me as MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake at the time and in my present roles. It was questioning the facts of what the motive was and how a project of that value, as she was pursuing yesterday, could make it and continue to make it through the system. That’s what I’ve had to draw from her line of questioning.
I believe that as Members of this Assembly we have to respect the rights, roles and process that this Assembly has put in place. I would say that the Member has crossed that line in the line of questioning she put out on record without any substantiation. In fact, by her line of questioning she has indeed imputed a false motive to the process and my role as the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, thereby putting into question my role as Premier and the Finance Minister of the day.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. To the point of order, the honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was listening very carefully so that I would fully understand what Mr. Roland’s point of order was. I understand he’s saying that I was imputing some motive, obviously something not good, in my line of questioning.
As a Member of this Assembly I have a duty, a right and an obligation to ask questions and bring transparency and accountability to the decisions of this government. In my line of questioning yesterday with regard to the Inuvik school I was trying to get to the issue of process on this. I have a lot of questions about that project. I still have a lot of questions, and I will pursue more questions.
I’m not a Cabinet Member, so I’m not privy to the processes that would actually take place behind closed doors in the confidentiality of the Cabinet room with respect to a Member declaring a conflict or how they’d be involved. I listened to the deputy minister outline the negotiated contract policy, and he said that would necessarily include a letter of support from community leaders, including MLAs. I then wanted to understand that process better. I did not intend to impute any motive. I still want to clearly understand how this project came about.
It is interesting to me that if the Premier, as an MLA, would provide a letter of support that would be considered by Cabinet. What would follow after that in terms of any kind of protocol or rule is not known to me. I have been in Cabinet, but I wouldn’t recall, because we didn’t deal with a lot of negotiated contracts. That’s not something I knew. So I was asking questions. I was not trying to answer them or impute any motive. Obviously, this was perceived by the Premier, as he’s raising a point of order today.
I guess I will have to leave a few…. I have many questions about this project. Without getting into the detail of that…. I mean, it is the largest capital project in the history of our government. It is my job to ask questions, and I just think it’s the job of the government to defend those decisions and answer those questions clearly.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. To the point of order. Seeing there are no further comments on that, I will take this under advisement and review Hansard and the comments made and come back with my ruling at a later date.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about an Income Security program that is unique to the North and that has recently been improved. The Senior Home Heating Subsidy provides support for fuel, including wood, wood pellets, fuel oil, propane, natural gas or electricity for heating to seniors who own and live in their own homes. It was designed to help elderly Northerners deal with the higher cost of living. The Senior Home Heating Subsidy provides a direct and clear improvement to the quality of life for seniors.
The benefit is fairly simple. Taking into account household income, eligible seniors receive a set amount of fuel based on the zone they live in. This ensures that if the cost of these fuels climbs, the benefit remains the same.
This spring we increased the budget for this subsidy by $200,000. As a result, we have been able to implement two key changes that are retroactive to April 2008. Eligibility for this program is determined through established income thresholds in three cost of living based zones within the NWT.
Our first change to this program has been to increase the income threshold for each zone by $10,000, allowing more seniors to be eligible to receive the benefit.
The second change to the program is in the way income is calculated to ensure that from now on, federal disability benefits are not included.
In August of 2007 this government committed to changing our philosophy around Income Security programs to ensure Northerners had adequate benefits, allowing them to move towards self-reliance. I will continue to share and celebrate with you as we make changes such as those I have mentioned today. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, in my statement today I would like to highlight the NWT Aboriginal Business Conference, which will be held next week in Yellowknife, October 14 through 16. As Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment I appreciate how this annual forum can contribute to the development of small businesses.
The theme of this year’s conference is Establishing Economic Cooperation. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of the staff of the Denendeh Development Corporation, who organizes this annual event. This year they expect up to 200 participants in attendance at this conference.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Manley A. Begay Jr., who is the director of the Native Nations Institute for Leadership, Management and Policy in the Udall Centre for Studies in Public Policy. Dr. Begay is a senior lecturer and associate social scientist in the American Indian Studies Program at the University of Arizona.
Some of the conference workshops will include renewable resources and tourism; First Nations’ housing; and mining, oil and gas exploration and partnering. Under the human resources and community sustainability presentations speakers will discuss training the community workforce, transferable skills, aboriginal business development and local hiring practices.
Delegates will hear business cooperation success stories as well as participate in business development workshops focusing on starting a business, financing a business and navigating financial statements presented by the NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation.
Sharon Venne, chief negotiator for the Akaitcho Dene First Nations, will talk about living and working on Akaitcho land, and discussion points will focus on renewable resources such as fisheries, forestry and tourism. Aboriginal Involvement in Exploration will examine mining processes and community processes.
The conference will also provide guidance to young entrepreneurs and a workshop called Preparing to Participate, as well as opportunities to hear perspectives from young entrepreneurs.
Mr. Speaker, as Members of this 16th Legislative Assembly we have identified the goals and priorities that will guide our work over the next four years. These goals include a strong and independent North built on partnerships and a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. Over 200 delegates at this forum will contribute to the building of a diversified, sustainable NWT.
This territory-wide conference is an excellent opportunity for our businesspeople to network, gain new insight on their objectives and discuss with others the opportunities that are available. Here they can recharge their business batteries and learn what our governments and financial institutions can do to help their business to grow.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to share some positive service focused information about the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, which I’ll now refer to as WSCC.
The WSCC Governance Council sets employer assessment rates each year to reflect industry claims experience and to ensure employer assessments are adequate to fund current costs as well as projected costs. Effective January 1 the 2009 average assessment rate will remain $1.71 per $100 of assessable payroll. The governance council continues its commitment to keep employer assessment rates stable and affordable. Our rates remain one of the lowest in Canada.
On September 24, 2008, the governance council held its annual public meeting. At this meeting, open to stakeholders, the WSCC’s current strategic priorities and goals, as well as accomplishments and progress to date, were highlighted. The governance council requested input on the WSCC’s priorities and goals to ensure future planning meets the needs of stakeholders.
Following the public meeting the WSCC held an open house. Recently completed renovations fulfill the Auditor General and standing committee recommendations to be a more welcoming, service focused organization for stakeholders. Tours of the new open reception area and safety classrooms were well attended.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, the WSCC won first place in the audiovisual productions category at the 2008 American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds communications awards. AASCIF is an association of workers’ compensation insurance companies, and its membership includes agencies in 27 states as well as ten Canadian workers’ compensation boards. Presented annually, the AASCIF communications awards recognize the most creative and effective communications programs created by workers’ compensation agencies across the two countries. The WSCC placed ahead of California and Ontario to take top honours for its video safety game Go Safe — The Safety Game.
We should be very proud of this prestigious award and congratulate the WSCC on its accomplishment. Go Safe — The Safety Game is being widely distributed across the Northwest Territories to schools and industries. I encourage my fellow Members to contact the WSCC for a copy of the award winning game.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Last month I attended a meeting with my counterparts from across Canada. We discussed many issues related to justice and public safety, but the one that will likely be of particular interest to this Assembly was the issue of aboriginal justice and policing.
I called for improvements to policing in our small and remote communities and highlighted the challenges of northern policing. There was considerable support from the provinces and territories as well as the federal Minister, Mr. Day. Many said that they have similar issues, especially in their remote and northern communities. I emphasized the need for additional funding to increase the number of aboriginal officers in our workforce and to reintroduce special constables as a significant component of our force.
We all know the statistics. The territories have very high crime rates. Here in the Northwest Territories our rate is six times the national average. We want to recruit more RCMP officers from the communities. That would give us officers who speak our languages and are fully aware of local issues.
As Members are aware, we have been asking the federal government to fully include the NWT in the First Nations Policing Program. Most RCMP positions in our territory are funded 70 per cent by the Government of the Northwest Territories, with the remaining 30 percent from the federal government. This program would allow us to convert some of our positions currently held by aboriginal members to be funded 48 per cent by the Government of the Northwest Territories, 52 percent by the federal government.
This is the same way aboriginal police in southern Canada are funded. Right now we only have four positions that are funded this way. We believe we could have many more. The savings could be reinvested in policing at no additional cost to the Government of Northwest Territories.
We know that we will be affected by the RCMP’s backup policy more than the provinces. Most of our detachments are in small communities that have only two or three officers. Many communities in the South have detachments with a staffing complement that already meets the backup policy requirements. Backup is a national issue for the RCMP, and we are still waiting to learn the details about what we will be required to provide for the officers in our communities.
One thing is clear, Mr. Speaker. Although larger jurisdictions may absorb the additional costs more easily, this government will need to make substantial investments in policing. I have asked Minister Stockwell Day to pursue a Northern Policing Framework that will recognize the unique challenges of policing in the North and provide funding for aboriginal policing. These officers would continue to work in our communities — aboriginal people policing aboriginal people.
Through our community justice program this government has made investments in traditional models of justice: sentencing circles, crime prevention that includes the whole community, elders helping youth to become responsible adults. Now we want to increase the number of aboriginal officers and reintroduce special constables as a significant part of our police force. This will help to address the pressures of implementing the backup policy while improving policing services and reducing crime through early interventions.
None of us know what will happen in the federal election, but you have my word that I will continue to push these policing measures as Minister of Justice. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Before I go on to Members’ statements, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a special day for one of our Members. It happens to be Mr. Lafferty’s, the Member for Monfwi’s, birthday today. Happy birthday.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to continue on with the Member’s statement I presented yesterday to the House in terms of working with the elders in the Sahtu region.
I have reviewed some of my correspondence to previous governments, previous responses by Ministers and previous Member’s statements I made in regard to having this government own up and step up the plate in terms of helping their elders. I do want to say thank you to the Minister I heard today in terms of the increase to the fuel subsidy. That certainly goes a long way with our elders. However, I believe there is more to do for our elders.
I thought about this last night. When I heard the Minister responsible for Seniors say they are willing to move on to a discussion with a secretariat for the elders in terms of combining the programs and services for our elders, I thought: I will just leave it alone and get on to another issue, as there are other issues in the Sahtu that could be certainly raised in the House. But I said: no; the elders have given up too much of their lives, too much of their knowledge, too much of their guidance for me to take no for an answer from the Minister and this government.
I also did some research. The federal government committed, I think in 2005, $13 million to set up a national secretariat for elders. These are old people in our communities who have given up their lives and have for 30 or 40 years given their knowledge and guidance to young leaders. It is our obligation, as well as our responsibility as young people, to carry on and to look after them. They have lived on the land. If they had that type of attitude on the land about sharing, we wouldn’t be sitting here today.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was mentioned by the Premier in his sessional statement and it has been mentioned by the Finance Minister several times that a revision of NWT boards and agencies is under consideration. We have over 700 boards and agencies in the NWT for a population of only 43,000 people or so. That’s the size of a small city elsewhere. We have far more boards than are necessary, and I believe we can experience considerable savings to the budget’s bottom line as a result of consolidation of these boards.
There are many options that are available to us. The community services board model used in Behchoko by the Tlicho is serving them well. The same model might work in other areas of the NWT, but it will not work everywhere. Another option is to consolidate all health boards into one with regional representation. The same could be done with education boards. There are many other combinations and hybrids of our current system open to us if we get creative. No option should be dismissed outright.
But consolidation of the boards in the city of Yellowknife will be especially difficult; I would suggest almost impossible. The two education boards in Yellowknife, for instance, have been autonomous, effective organizations for over 60 years. They only receive 70 per cent of their funding from the GNWT; the remainder comes from local taxation. That makes them unique and demands special consideration for them in any revision plan. Combining the health, education and housing authorities of the city of Yellowknife will create an organization bigger than most government departments. I hope the Minister plans very carefully for any changes to Yellowknife boards.
But, Mr. Speaker, for any revision process to have validity, there has to be significant consultation with the existing boards and agencies. It needs to be much more than a questionnaire sent in the mail. Personal conversations are required. The government must actually listen to what our board members have to say. We might be surprised at what we hear.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, it’s mandatory that wide consultation take place with these same boards after a draft plan for revision has been developed. People need to be able to comment on the details of a plan that will significantly impact them. I commend the Minister for taking the initiative to implement board revision and look forward to the results of his work. I, too, am anxious to contribute my own comments.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to devote my Member’s statement to recognizing appointments and awards in the Nunakput communities of Sachs Harbour and Tuktoyaktuk.
Mr. Speaker, first I wish to congratulate Mr. Joey Carpenter on his appointment to the Inuvialuit/Inupiat Polar Bear Joint Agreement Commission. This appointment is another milestone in Mr. Carpenter’s long, extensive public service to his community and to the people of the North. I know that Mr. Carpenter is honoured to accept this appointment, but the people of Nunakput and the North are equally honoured to have him represent us on this international commission that’s dealing with very important issues.
Mr. Speaker, the situation and fate of the polar bear has gained considerable international awareness. Aboriginal people in government and interest groups all have concerns on the issues and wish to evaluate discussion. Mr. Carpenter, as an example of this, has indicated there are families in his communities that rely on polar bear harvesting for 80 per cent of their livelihood. In addition, Banks Island has one of highest numbers of polar bear harvestings in the world. Mr. Carpenter’s contribution to the commission in regard to traditional knowledge and its harvesting activities concerns will be invaluable.
Mardy as a child was stricken with meningitis; however, she has overcome these challenges in her life with determination and perseverance. I have known Mardy all my life, and I know that she has changed me for the better. Her passion, her commitment and her love of life make me a better person.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I am pleased that the council encourages literacy excellence and rewards outstanding accomplishments. I am very deeply honoured that this award went to Mardy.
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to wish you and your family and all my colleagues a happy Thanksgiving and good quality time with our families this weekend.
One other thing is my goddaughter, Cristie Anderson, who is recovering from knee surgery in Stanton Territorial Hospital. I will be going to visit her today.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am raising the topic of safety for students in the NWT. We all know that intercommunity sports and recreation events are an important part of a student’s life experience.
Mr. Speaker, I have many fond memories of travelling with Mr. Rick Tremblay when I was kid to communities for basketball, wrestling and cross-country events. As we all know too well, coaches, team mangers, chaperones and parents often take their teams to other communities in the NWT and Alberta. They make use of their own cars and minivans and sometimes rent vehicles and buses.
Sadly, I need to recognize the tragedy of seven lost lives last year in an accident in New Brunswick. Typically, the investigations into these kinds of incidents point to poorly maintained vehicles, overly tired drivers, bad weather, poor safety practices by passengers. In response to that event, the province has now taken steps in establishing guidelines about students travelling, including vehicle types, vehicle inspections and driver training.
Mr. Speaker, before the alarm bells need to go off in our territory, I hope our government will consider acting. The government in New Brunswick is proposing and eventually establishing their guidelines as enforceable regulations under their Education Act.
I suspect the NWT practices are not much different from other places in Canada. Hard working teachers and parents volunteer their time and efforts and vehicles to make huge positive contributions in their children’s sports activities. We all have heard stories about northern travel, about broken down vehicles in cold winter and passengers without winter gear. We know that ambulances are not easy to find on many NWT highways. We all know that coaches often do double duty coaching and chaperoning all day long at hockey arenas, and then they drive home in the dark when most of the athletes and students are sleeping because of their exhausting day and weekend.
I think that it is time for the NWT Minister of Education to work hard with his partners and establish some northern guidelines for student travel. These guidelines would assist everyone to take the right amount of care and the right kind of standard to make sure our students are travelling safe.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Education Minister would agree with me that parents and teachers want to know their children are as safe as they possibly can be when travelling to events with the school teams. That I wholeheartedly support.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Member’s Statement on
Infrastructure Needs in
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, since being elected MLA for Tu Nedhe in October of last year, I have worked with numerous Ministers and both communities to get a clear picture of the infrastructure needs of Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. After learning that no project has been allocated to Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e over the next three years, or the balance of this 16th Assembly, I’m now pursuing a mandate to increase infrastructure dollars in my riding.
According to the plan, the community of Fort Resolution will receive zero dollars, while Lutselk’e will receive $55,000 to finish this year’s project. In other words, Mr. Speaker, of the 100 and some odd million dollars being allocated, Tu Nedhe will be receiving some holdback dollars. Mr. Speaker, I’m not asking that we shift infrastructure dollars from a higher priority to some other higher priority communities but, rather, that we revisit the allocations made to Tu Nedhe.
A couple of weeks ago while visiting Lutselk’e I walked into a government owned office and I had to step around pots and cans that were strategically placed on the floor to catch the rainwater coming through the roof. If this is not a clear example of problems our smaller communities are facing with their infrastructure needs, I have to ask: how bad do things have to get?
This government plans to spend $20 million in energy programs. The GNWT should make it a priority to allocate some of that money to Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e for items such as wood stoves, insulation and other energy efficient projects so that my constituents can feel like the GNWT is paying some attention to them.
Mr. Speaker, community infrastructure was handed to the communities through the New Deal in 2005 and was initially delivered to hamlets and charter communities. Lutselk’e and Fort Resolution are neither; however, I have heard from each of the communities, and both agree that the Department of MACA has been doing very well working with them, and they have been a big help.
Mr. Speaker, my goal is to work with the communities and the Minister to look at infrastructure dollar amounts in the Tu Nedhe riding.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. It seems that my riding is a low priority when compared to other communities. I have a highway that is below standard. I have dust problems in both communities, drainage problems and much needed chipsealing in both communities and much, much more.
In this respect the government is failing my communities. The goal is simple, Mr. Speaker: to increase infrastructure dollars in the Tu Nedhe riding. The solution is a cooperative approach with the Minister, the communities and myself to develop a new infrastructure plan for each community. Later today I will have follow-up questions for the Minister of MACA. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday in the House I asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about the status of the contract for the Inuvik school. He informed us that the contract had been awarded. Later in the Committee of the Whole we found out that the awarding of the contract was only really a letter of intent to the contractor with details yet to be worked out. We were told that the letter of intent does not bind this government to the project as planned or designed.
The binding agreement will be in the form of a signed contract. Mr. Speaker, we have a shortage of capital dollars. Projects that communities are in dire need of have been pushed back or completely disappeared, so it is incumbent on this government to make the most financially prudent decisions possible when it comes to our capital infrastructure budget. It is also incumbent on our government to distribute and share these limited dollars in the fairest way possible throughout our territory in all sizes of communities.
For that reason departments must be able to defend decisions made for the rationale for the priority placed on certain projects and for the amount that we are prepared to pay to acquire these projects. To our duty for accountable and transparent government it is our job as Regular Members to ask questions about contracting processes and decisions.
Just because a contract is negotiated, in my opinion, is not sufficient to deem the details to be confidential until after the contract is signed. Because we know that after the contract is signed, Mr. Speaker, it is a little too late for us to do anything about this. Of course, it brings back memories of the Deh Cho Bridge project, where Members were not allowed to have details of that agreement, either, because of the third party interest in that project. Now here we are again, being told that the details of a negotiated contract are also protected by confidentiality until the letter or the contract is signed.
Mr. Speaker, I will be seeking a few things yet in regard to this project in terms of information. I will just put it out there as notice that I would be very interested to see a chronology of all events related to this project. I would like to request a copy of the letters of support for the negotiated contract from the various parties, but I don’t know to what date they go back.
Also, I think it would be good to get an analysis on the cost of this school in relation to other schools on a per square foot basis, with all the necessary adjustments for its size, economies of scale and those various things. Those are the kinds of things I’ll be seeking on this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve been a Member of this Legislative Assembly for just over five years now, and I continue to enjoy bringing up issues that are important to both my constituents and residents in the Northwest Territories.
I do believe it is easier to stand over here, day in and day out, and ask questions than it would be to be on that side of the House and answer them. I have been very critical of this government’s performance, because it’s my job to do so. I am of the belief that if you are going to be critical, you should also provide suggestions on how you could do things better. I continue to find it very frustrating that I can stand here for five years and make suggestions to the government, and at the end of the day I have to wonder whether anyone over there is actually paying attention to what I’m saying.
For example, I’ve been asking questions and suggesting that a permanent trust fund, or heritage fund, be set up here in the Northwest Territories. It should be an integral part of any negotiation with Ottawa on resource revenue sharing and devolution.
I have also been suggesting that the three northern territories be declared tax free zones in an effort to address the high cost of living, Arctic sovereignty and the inability to retain and attract health and other professional occupations. For starters, Mr. Speaker, the federal government should immediately take the GST off home heating fuel for Northerners. For Northerners, we don’t have much choice. Either we pay or we freeze. Where is the letter to the federal Minister of Finance asking and demanding that this be done?
Another suggestion that I have been making is: why is it the Government of the Northwest Territories seems to be the only one that stands to gain nothing out of the proposed Mackenzie Valley Gas Project? Yet we spend upwards of $3 million a year getting prepared and over $20 million to date. Prepared for what? To be taken advantage of? We should be demanding an equity stake in the pipeline. Watching our resources go south while everyone is making money except for the Government of the Northwest Territories is not acceptable. We need to demand that we get access to the gas for our own citizens. Why should it be shipped south, processed and shipped back to us? So we can pay an exorbitant price for it? It makes no sense to me and it makes no sense to the residents, Mr. Speaker.
Those are a few examples and suggestions I’ve been making to government. I’m standing here every day waiting for someone to grasp something I have said.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Again, I’m standing here every day waiting for someone to grasp something I have said. Unfortunately, I believe all they hear over there is the criticism. It’s time they expand their horizons and actually listen to what I and other Regular Members on this side of the House are saying. We’re not just criticizing. We’re making suggestions in order that we can make consensus government work. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
[English translation not provided.]
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many homeowners across the NWT heat their homes with wood or pellet stoves. This is something that the government is actively encouraging people to do in order to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Many homeowners in our smaller communities who burn wood or pellets are running into some problems. In order to get or renew their insurance on their homes, these wood burning appliances need to be inspected or certified. There is often no local or even regional person to inspect or certify these wood stoves.
A constituent of mine was told these types of inspections were not within the mandate of the Office of the Fire Marshall. His only option was to get a private contractor certified to do wood stove inspections to come from Hay River. The cost of this inspection was around $1,400.
Mr. Speaker, this is just wrong. People are caught between not carrying home insurance and paying outrageous amounts of money in order to comply with the required safety standards.
The GNWT provides a number of inspection services throughout its departments, such as electrical and boiler services. Why can’t the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs provide wood stove inspection services or work with community governments to ensure that there is someone properly trained to carry out these inspections?
This isn’t just an insurance issue. It’s also a significant safety issue. If the government is encouraging the use of alternative energy sources such as wood burning appliances, it has an obligation to ensure that people can get them inspected and certified in a timely and affordable manner. I urge the government to address this gap in our service as quickly as possible. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
