Geez, thank you, Minister. Mr. Speaker, we certainly understand the type of requirements to be a power lineman. We have one fellow actually from Deline who is an NTPC power man, Mr. Kenny. So we know we can do it in the Sahtu.
I’m asking the Minister to look at these challenges. The Sahtu people are up to the challenges. We want to establish a permanent NTPC presence in the Sahtu region because of these types of situations. Thank God it was warm and it didn’t last very long.
I want to ask the Minister if he’s willing to look at, during the life of this budget, this Assembly, if we can see this type of movement into the next infrastructure budget.
There are 266 days left to the next election. I will commit to the Member to have a fulsome discussion with the chairman and president of the Power Corporation, and I will be able to report back to the Member on the content of the outcome of that discussion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Human Resources today. He spoke today about our positions in getting students jobs. Obviously, it’s a priority of mine. I’ve had questions before in the House. Obviously, the Minister’s statement says we’re going to have the students research GNWT departments and agencies to find units related to their field.
The first question I have is: Is the department going to be proactive and go to the students and make contact? From what we know, they now have the ability to make contact with them. Are they going to contact the students and tell them the positions they have vacant and the positions that are coming up?
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department had an initial open house in December when the students were back. We let the departments know that they were to post any of the positions that they had that would be available for students, and the students would do a little bit of work getting on to the website and finding jobs that match their field of study. That’s how we’re hoping to match them, not only here in YK but throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, maybe I’m oversimplifying it. It seems like we have a set amount of students. I would say we have maybe 1,000 students. Are we not able to contact those students and tell them that these are the positions we have available, we’re interested in you coming back and doing an internship, so that they’re not looking for jobs in the South and they’re not looking to go anywhere else except come home to the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Last year, just on the campaign that we’ve always launched with departments, we had 598 applicants and we were able to hire 312 students for summer work. This year we’re hoping to widen that and increase that number. We’re hoping that more people can apply and that the departments are looking to place the students.
Right now it’s contingent upon how much money each department has to allocate to the Summer Student Program. Based on that, we target at least 300. If possible, if departments are able to do more, we will do more. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not looking for the summer students, I’m looking for students who are in their third and fourth year, so they have an opportunity to come back. We have a goal to have 2,000 more people come to the Northwest Territories, and I think getting our students back to the Northwest Territories is key.
Is the department willing to go and talk to those students and tell them we have certain jobs, we have some internship jobs for you, so that they’re not looking to go? I’m not looking for summer jobs where we just say, well, you just apply. I want to know that we’re getting our students who have a degree, who have business certificates, who have trade entrance-type stuff coming back to the Northwest Territories.
Yes, that’s a good point. I was answering the summer students, but in general, we are going to target the third and fourth year students that are finishing their studies. Part of the plan is to recruit those students back to the territory as part of the overall plan to bring more people to the territory. Bringing our own people back, ensuring that our own people come back to work in the Northwest Territories is part of our plan.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know I’ve stated in this House before that that’s how I came back to the Northwest Territories after my degree. I had a job coming back.
Are we doing that type of internship where you actually have an employee who is basically finishing up their degree and coming back to the Northwest Territories?
In addition to the internship that we have, the plan is to certainly connect with the people who are university students or college students who are graduating, other students who are in post-secondary who are finishing up their post-secondary education to come back and work for the NWT. I can ensure that the deputy minister of Human Resources is in touch with other deputy ministers from all of the departments to see what jobs are available that would match with students who are currently finishing up their post-secondary studies.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Minister for Education, Culture and Employment. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask a bit about the policy or the rationale that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment income support division has with regard to transition housing.
My first question to the Minister is: Can he tell me what definition of transition housing is used by Education, Culture and Employment?
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Income Security Program assists with those individuals who are in need of basic subsidy. Part of the transitional housing obviously falls into that as well. We’re providing a shelter for those individuals who desperately need shelter in the Northwest Territories. It’s not only my department but we work closely with the NWT Housing Corporation to identify those areas. Those are just some of the subsidies that we continue to support those individuals who are in need.
Thanks to the Minister. I didn’t hear a definition in there so I guess I have to assume that the department does not have a definition of transition housing.
I’d like to know from the Minister, if they don’t have a definition of transition housing, is there a written policy that they use when they are determining whether or not somebody is in transition housing or not? Certainly, there are people who, in the city of Yellowknife, for instance, because of the almost monopoly that Northern Properties has on housing, if they’ve been banned from Northern Properties, if they have a family they can’t get into the Salvation Army, and if the YWCA is full they are left with no option but to use a motel.
I’d like to know from the Minister, is there a written policy that ECE uses for income support clients who are living in transition housing, and if so, what is that policy?
Through our Income Security Program, the Income Assistance program directs all individuals who are considered transient directly to an emergency shelter. That’s why we work very closely with the NWT Housing Corporation and NGOs to deal with these matters. Depending on the person’s circumstances, an individual’s family may become eligible for income assistance after their stay in an emergency shelter. There is food and shelter available through that venue.
But we, again, work with those NGOs and the Housing Corporation to assist those individual clientele as best as we can as a department through the Income Security Program. Mahsi.
Thanks to the Minister. So, as I heard the Minister then, I have no home, I have two children and I need some place to stay and the Minister is telling me I have to go to an emergency shelter. So, I’d like to know – the YWCA is full, I’m not accepted at the Salvation Army because I have a family – what emergency shelter is there in the city of Yellowknife for me to go to? Thank you.
Mahsi. We’re dealing throughout the whole Northwest Territories, it’s not only Yellowknife. There are other shelters that we work with. Through the NWT Housing Corporation and my department, we find the best solutions that we possibly can for those individuals in an emergency state. If there are no emergency shelters, obviously we work with the Housing Corporation to identify a suitable accommodation on a short-term, temporary basis. We provide income assistance through that venue for how we can assist those individuals. It’s all based on a case-by-case basis and there are many parties involved, whether it be the Housing Corporation, my department and other NGOs within the communities. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister: I guess I have to say that I’m asking specifically about Yellowknife. This is my constituency; it’s my community. So, I’ve been blacklisted by the Housing Corp. I’ve been blacklisted by Northern Properties. There’s absolutely no place that I can get into except to go to a motel.
Why is it that it’s okay for income support clients to get assistance from the YWCA, which is transition housing, but it’s not okay for me to get assistance when I go to a motel because that’s the absolute only place where I can live? Thank you.
Mahsi. These are the very reasons why we transferred to NWT Housing Corporation to identify those 75 housing units throughout the Northwest Territories, and Yellowknife is a big factor in that. I believe there were 55 slated for Yellowknife.
These are just some of the areas that we’ve identified as core need and we need to work with it, with the various parties involved.
We’re doing what we can to the best of our ability as income security, along with our partners such as the NWT Housing Corporation and NGOs as well. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was speaking about decentralization earlier and I’d like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services about when was the last time they had assessed Fort Simpson for suitability for offices and housing availability to help plan for our continued decentralization plans. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have the date of the last time those evaluations occurred. However, I’m advised recently that the Department of Public Works and Services has had discussions about Nogha Enterprises about possibly creating some office space in Fort Simpson. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Certainly, I’m glad the Minister is aware that his officials know about the plans for Nogha Enterprises to build a 20,000 square foot office building.
Will the Minister continue to direct his officials to meet with Nogha Enterprises now that they’ve been in contact to see if they can be a part of that plan for future office needs? Thank you.
Yes. We have been advised by Nogha Enterprises in discussions that they will be submitting some information to us on the description of their project and that there would be a discussion continued between Public Works and Services and Nogha Enterprises in Fort Simpson. Thank you.
Thank you very much. I just want to ask the Minister about the long-term plans for further decentralization into Fort Simpson. Thank you.
First, if there’s an evaluation being done for office space in Fort Simpson, we know there’s going to be some housing needs before the decision is made on which positions are decentralized to Fort Simpson. My understanding is the overall discussion of all the decentralized positions will continue beyond the plan that we currently have. My understanding is we have decentralized 150 positions and there will be more discussions and further phases, and Fort Simpson would most likely be part of that discussion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased that the Minister will be travelling with me this spring to Fort Simpson. Will he make time to meet with Nogha Enterprises on their plans for their new building?
I would just like to also add that the Housing Corporation will be building duplexes in Fort Simpson. There are three duplexes now slated for Fort Simpson and for all of the Nahendeh there will be eight duplexes being built for future decentralized positions. These are market positions and this is what we will be looking at. When these houses go on the market, that will be an opportunity for positions that will be decentralized to use those houses for accommodations. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With many Aboriginal languages on the decline and with five Aboriginal languages today with less than 500 residents who can speak it, as I said today in my Member’s statement, now, more than ever, if we are not careful these cultures will be lost.
As I referenced on February 24, 2015, with over six competing language directives, plans and strategies, ECE is, “riddled with a crisis of governance, saddled with a lack of coordination and plagued with bureaucracy.” My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister has gone on record indicating that his department is undertaking a monitoring, evaluating and accountability plan for Aboriginal languages and culture-based education, or ALCBE, and he’s doing this later this spring. As comforting as it sounds, the Minister has had ample time to evaluate where the over $15 million is distributed annually via his department.
Can the Minister provide reference if there are indeed signed contribution agreements and performance agreements in place for competing Aboriginal language boards and will he table them in the House? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We as the Department of Education, Culture and Employment shifted our contribution agreement to Aboriginal language organizations through their cultural funding previously administered by my department. It’s going directly to the regional Aboriginal governments so they can administer these programs.
This funding agreement also allows Aboriginal governments some flexibility, Mr. Speaker, a greater flexibility, accountability and decision-making authority for their revitalization. They are the grassroots people. They know where the solutions live.
The Member is asking if there were any agreements that were signed. There are signed contribution agreements with all Aboriginal governments for the support of the regional language plans. We have five-year plans that are in play now with all the regional groups. We will continue to push that forward. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
As you may hear, I’m trying to find some accountability and transparency for the $15 million that is distributed annually. That is the reason for my question. As I said earlier, redundancy is the Achilles heel of language preservation and revitalization. Interestingly, the Department of ECE is blinded by the obvious and we now wait for a pending MEA review.
Can the Minister confirm if his department has done any evidence-based research on redundancy since implementing the over six levels of governance? If he has, why is he so reluctant to share that with the House? Thank you.
The fact is there are many players and it is a very complex situation because we are dealing with 11 official languages, nine Aboriginal languages and numerous regional organizations, all of whom are key players when it comes to language revitalization. If he’s referring to GNWT doing the same as Aboriginal governments, I can advise the Member that this is not the case. Aboriginal governments, as I stated before, are implementing their five-year regional language plan and we are helping along the way. We are not implementing their plan, they are.
When it comes to dealing with Aboriginal governments in the process itself, this government broke down the bureaucracy by ensuring that increases in funding went directly to Aboriginal governments and other partners delivering programs and services. That’s what we’re doing. I believe in empowerment, so that’s where it’s headed. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I also believe in empowerment. But with over six levels of bureaucracy and governance for these NWT languages for preservation, I am looking for accountability and transparency. One must assume that a large portion of this $15 million budget is potentially eaten up in wages, honorariums, per diems and travel.
Can the Minister indicate, the $15 million budget, how much money actually goes into program dollars at the community level for preserving Aboriginal language and culture? Thank you.
The Member is quite correct in saying this government invests well over $15 million a year in support of Aboriginal language and culture preservation. That is our overall target. The GNWT and the federal government invest over $15 million annually through various programs and grants along the way and also support our goals and objectives.
I’m extremely proud to say that our government has empowered Aboriginal governments and educational authorities. I can highlight some of the key initiatives of the money that we have allocated directly to the communities: $8.4 million towards the educational authority for K to 12 Aboriginal language culture-based education; $6.2 million administered by the Aboriginal Secretariat; $3.5 million directly distributed to Aboriginal governments to support their language plan; $450,000 for teaching and learning centres; $621,000 for Aboriginal Language and Culture Instructor Program; $422,000 for Aboriginal language broadcasting; and $125,000 for Aboriginal language terminology contribution. These are just some of the key initiatives, key investments that we’ve come into and will continue to support them. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, this is public money. All I’m looking for is some accountability and transparency. With some of the quick numbers we just heard from the Minister, that totalled well over $18 million. So we are already adding more money to this pot than we are talking about here today.
Speaking about money, under the old Canada-Northwest Territories Cooperation Agreement for French and Aboriginal Languages in the NWT, the federal government invested $1.9 million to fund nine official Aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories. This number has been static for many years.
Can the Minister indicate what initiatives, if any, are there to renew this federal investment and bring this amount in line with our current needs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We are currently in negotiations with the federal government on French language and Aboriginal language contribution agreements. We are in the final stages of signing. I am hoping by this summer. It all depends on how the federal government plays. I have met with the Minister of Canadian Heritage and also Official Languages. I met with her in December and also in January during the Ottawa Days. I stressed to her that it’s important to sign off another four- or five-year agreement. So, the message is clear to the federal Minister that we need to have a new agreement with an increase in funding. So, that’s what I’ve been pushing for and I’ll continue to do so. Mahsi.
