Mr. Speaker, today I would like to salute the members of our local film and television industry. This industry is built on the dedicated efforts of businesses and individuals in the NWT who are committed to telling our stories to the world and contribute nearly $10 million to the NWT’s Gross Domestic Product annually.
In order to strengthen the economic viability of the Northwest Territories’ film and media arts industry and increase opportunities for investment, we need a comprehensive plan.
Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling a new strategy, titled “Take One: Northwest Territories Film Strategy and Action Plan.” This strategy will guide the planning and implementation of policies, investments and actions by our government to realize the economic potential of the NWT’s film and media arts sector, to achieve greater recognition for our local productions and to market our territory as a destination of choice for future out-of-territory productions.
The NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy identified the potential for strengthening the economic viability of the film and media arts industry and increasing opportunities for investment in the NWT.
It highlighted the need for a definitive NWT Film Strategy to guide government investment, support business opportunities and stimulate economic growth.
Film and television productions do more than generate employment and spending for actors,
technical staff and suppliers of goods and services. They also provide significant social benefits involving traditional knowledge, cultural preservation, youth empowerment, community pride and storytelling.
Furthermore, film tourism is a growing phenomenon internationally, and one we want to nurture in the Northwest Territories. It will help us to showcase our incredible landscapes, cultures, traditions and iconic landmarks to the world.
The NWT Film Strategy focuses on five key areas. These include: strengthening government and industry roles and partnerships; enhancing funding and financial support; developing the skills and competencies of NWT film producers; assisting in building infrastructure; and developing efficient and effective marketing and communications.
Some of these actions are already underway. Through the Support to Entrepreneurs and Economic Development, SEED, policy, the GNWT provides $100,000 annually to support NWT filmmakers. An improvement was made to the funding categories last year to better reflect the stages through which a film is developed. Last month we also announced up to $200,000 in 2015-16 for the NWT Film Rebate Program, a new pilot program aimed at increasing film production activity throughout the NWT. It introduces, for the first time in the NWT, incentives to film on location in our territory, and an increased incentive for productions filming outside of Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the NWT Professional Media Association, NWT Tourism and Western Arctic Moving Pictures for their ongoing assistance, and the individuals, businesses, associations, governments, film commissions, production companies, guest producers and industry stakeholders who provided valuable input and perspectives during the consultation phase of the NWT Film Strategy.
I would also like to recognize the partnership and funding support of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.
Mr. Speaker, we have a vision of a strong and prosperous territory with a diversified economy, and the film industry has an important role to play in that. We look forward to putting the Film Strategy’s recommendations in place over the next five years, in a manner that supports the integrity of the Northwest Territories’ unique film and media arts industry, and creates the environment needed for it to flourish locally and participate globally. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to openness and transparency in conducting its business on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. In support of this, I am publishing a list of all meetings and teleconferences I have had with external parties, including my participation at intergovernmental meetings and conferences as well as public events.
These reports will provide more information than would typically be on a lobbyist registry. They identify all meetings with external parties not just those with paid lobbyists, of which there are very few in the Northwest Territories.
As I have said before, Mr. Speaker, all of this information was available upon request. However, we recognize that an active offer of information can sometimes not meet the needs or resources of those interested in finding out information. Publishing these reports is an important step in demonstrating our commitment to transparency and to serving the people of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, as Premier, I am proud to work for the people of the Northwest Territories, not only with Members of this House but with our many Aboriginal government partners, business and industry, non-governmental organizations, provinces and territories, the federal government and many more. I believe this listing shows how important partnerships are to the future of the Northwest Territories.
Beginning April 1, 2015, information on Cabinet Ministers’ external meetings will be published on a quarterly basis to promote continued transparency. While I have provided a retrospective report on all my external meetings, the first report of all Cabinet Ministers’ meetings for the 2015 - 2016 fiscal year will be published in July.
Later today I will be tabling a complete list of all meetings I have had with external parties from January 2014 to February 2015. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT is home to a small, but vibrant manufacturing sector. We manufacture a range of products in the Northwest Territories, from signs and steel girders, to roof trusses, windows and fibreglass tanks. As other industrial sectors such as mining, oil and gas, and construction expand, there are opportunities for expansion within the manufacturing sector.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy identified the potential for strengthening the economic viability of the manufacturing industry and increasing opportunities for investment in the NWT. Today I would like to update Members on the efforts we are making to strengthen, revitalize and grow this important segment of our economy.
Manufacturing in the NWT is supported primarily by allowances in the GNWT’s procurement process, which recognize higher production costs for made-in-the-NWT products.
The GNWT’s Business Incentive Policy and NWT Manufactured Products Policy are designed to help ensure government purchases are made through NWT-owned businesses, thereby leveraging this investment into the business and manufacturing sector.
In addition, improved procurement services have been introduced by PWS under their new centralized procurement function, which provides a more streamlined and transparent procurement experience in support of the manufacturing sector.
Mr. Speaker, we are also developing new promotional materials to increase industry and public awareness of existing manufacturers and their products and for the NWT Manufactured Products Policy. We will continue to expand the presence and profile of our manufacturing industry on our website, in the media and in our economy.
We have also taken steps to re-establish the NWT Manufacturers’ Association as a voice for this sector and a forum through which we can seek guidance and input for future planning and investment in support of this sector.
I am pleased to say we are meeting manufacturers on their own turf. In January in Hay River, and most recently this past Friday in Yellowknife, the department heads from our primary procurement departments toured local manufacturing facilities.
This gave us the opportunity to share information and we were able to learn from the business owners about their challenges and successes and how we can work together to expand the support network to the manufacturing sector, which in turn will lead to business development and economic growth.
In the coming months we will be identifying and taking actions to connect potential users of made-in-the-NWT products with the NWT manufacturing community. We will be reaching into the business community to identify new and potential manufacturing opportunities.
Manufacturing in the NWT has significant potential for growth, Mr. Speaker, and the GNWT is very committed to supporting this industry in order to realize its full potential. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, Northerners have long been known for their generosity, and each year the Government of the Northwest Territories employees continue to show their commitment to building stronger, healthier communities by supporting the United Way NWT.
I am very pleased to announce that this year the Government of the Northwest Territories Workplace Campaign raised just over $102,000.
Mr. Speaker, this is the 12th year of the campaign and the most successful. The number of Government of the Northwest Territories staff generosity has doubled and their campaign pledges commit to donating nearly $100,000 in 2015 through payroll deductions. This is up over $40,000 dollars from the previous campaign. This makes the Government of the Northwest Territories the biggest corporate donor to United Way NWT, and I am certain we will do even better in the next campaign.
As the honourary chair, I am very pleased with this year’s results. I would like to point out that in 2014 the United Way NWT invested over $57,000 in 16 different projects in the NWT. This year, due to the generosity of so many, they were able to increase the amount of grants to 21 organizations across the Northwest Territories in the amount of $91,500. This increase has allowed them to fund projects in Fort Smith, Fort Providence, Hay River, the Sahtu, as well as Inuvik and Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of the Northwest Territories departmental coordinators, who were added this year to assist senior management with organizing information and fundraising events during the month-long campaign. Their enthusiasm for organizing fundraising events and encouraging employees to donate is at the heart of this success.
I would also like to express my appreciation to our colleagues, Tracy St. Denis, the chair of the United Way NWT; and Deborah Ross, the Government of the Northwest Territories campaign coordinator, for their dedication and tireless efforts. They have done much to ensure a promising future for our residents.
Mr. Speaker, there are many others within our public service and communities who have also donated their time, including our payroll and benefits staff who are essential in making the Government of the Northwest Territories campaign a success. Together the voluntary efforts of all these people are great examples of our northern spirit, colleagues helping colleagues, neighbours supporting neighbours, and all of reaching out to provide a helping hand.
We know that every dollar counts. So, thank you to the Members of this Assembly and the many donors who have generously supported the United Way NWT.
Change starts right here and together we are making a difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is about just one of the reasons why I love the North. I wanted to wear this jacket in the Assembly today because the next time we’re back here it’s going to be summertime and it’s going to be way too hot. As Darcy Moses, my friend, delivered this jacket to catch the Buffalo flight this morning, blowing snow slowed his arrival at the airport from his studio suite in Enterprise. Buffalo was already taxiing towards the runway, but Cathy McBryan ran out, waving the coat, and Joe turned back and picked it up. I mean, where else but in the North, Mr. Speaker?
Back to the jackets. Each jacket I’ve collected over the years is comprised of materials collected all with their own interest and their own story. When I’m retired someday I’m going to record all of the components and stories of the artists and how I came to acquire these jackets.
I want to remember and mention some of the people who shared their traditional skills and artistic talents, which are hard, impossible to place a monetary value on. For example, the jacket I’m wearing today was originally sewn by a respected elder, Sara Lamalice, from the K'atlodeeche First Nation. It was a man’s jacket, so I asked my friend Darcy Moses to remodel it for me. I loved Sara’s unique beadwork.
The extra moosehide that went into it is a story. A respected hunter from Fort Good Hope, named Alexie Chinna, well-known as a great hunter, carefully skinned out a moose. He rolled up the hide, he packed it in a box and he shipped it to Hay River to me on an airplane. I then put it in my truck, drove it to Fort Providence and delivered it to the home of Angelique Nadli, the late mother of my colleague here from the Deh Cho. Mrs. Nadli took the hide on her toboggan to her spring camp and tanned the hide for me. I remember very well the day that she brought it and delivered it in Hay River. It was just during Mackenzie Days, and how excited I was as I unfolded that beautiful smelling and looking hide.
Mr. Speaker, each style of beadwork in the North is unique and beautiful. The first jacket that I commissioned had the beadwork of Jessie Amos from Inuvik, the caribou hide is from Judith Charlo from Weledeh here, wolverine from Charlie Apples from the Tlicho, who walked in the front door one day with an untanned wolverine hide and wanted to know who’d like to buy it and, of course, I put up my hand, the same way that I acquired a beautiful moose hide from Angelique Loman from Trout Lake.
Mr. Speaker, I’d like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Of course, this could have the potential of being a long statement, but I’m talking about this coat collection. But, Mr. Speaker, I wanted to mention by name just a few of the other beaders and people who sew who have contributed to the collection of garments that I am proud and honoured to own:
beaver mittens from the late Sarah Simon;
a wolverine-trimmed parka with Delta braid made by the late Florence Peterson from the Mackenzie Delta;
a moosehide jacket crafted by Bernadette Williah from Behchoko;
beaded gauntlet gloves, the last pair sewn and beaded by the late Anne Buggins from the K'atlodeeche First Nation;
baby belts, dolls, moccasins, mukluks, beadworks from the Sahtu;
jackets from Alice Abel and Kathy Dahl;
a stroud jacket, I’m very proud of, with the beadwork done by Mary Louise Sangris.
These are just to mention a few, Mr. Speaker, and I won’t go on any longer. But someday I hope this collection will be in a museum someplace and I hope that I will have a chance to record all the stories of the wonderful artists, and a shout out to all of them today. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we draw to a close another Legislative session, through you, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to thank all the dedicated people who work behind the scenes at the Legislative Assembly who support the Members and the Ministers to do our day-to-day jobs. Without them democracy would be definitely crippled.
I’d like to thank all the Pages here and all the Pages during this session. Thank you for keeping us hydrated. Without you these days and nights would have been a bit longer and a bit more thirsty. So, thank you very much and good job passing those notes around.
To my colleagues who will be departing shortly for their respective ridings, I wish you safe passage and also good wishes to you, your families and to your communities.
To my constituents of Range Lake, and all Yellowknifers, please enjoy your spring break and hopefully the warmer temperatures that will follow. May we see one another at the long-awaited Long John Jamboree later this month.
To you, Mr. Speaker, again, our heartfelt thanks to you for humbly presiding over us and the Chamber and for your guidance. We wish you well with your family and your community as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It being the last day, I thought I’d take a simple project, but actually not that simple. I’d like to talk about the Business Incentive Policy and manufacturing policy. The Minister just spoke about supporting manufacturing.
The policy requires that people who are on the list have to do 25 percent of value-added and their pricing has to be within 20 to 25 percent of the cost of the product as compared to other areas.
We have a list of manufacturers. We’ve had this list since 1996. As a Member here for the last three and a half years, I’ve been fighting constantly to get this manufacturing policy recognized. Most of the people on this list are fighting on a constant basis to get their business and their products recognized by the GNWT. The Minister and the government say they represent and support northern business, but yet we have to continue to fight every process, every way, and every difficulty.
We have people who are manufacturing things in the Northwest Territories, employing people in the Northwest Territories, but we continue to have to fight every tender. We have to keep an eye on the tender process to make sure that tender process is being followed, and to make sure that these people who are on the manufacturing policy list are not even supposed to have to tender. The product is supposed to be brought to them. We’ve been fighting constantly for this.
This policy is so convoluted that we actually have manufacturers in the Northwest Territories – we have one in Enterprise – that manufactures cabinets in the Northwest Territories, but he’s not on this list. They haven’t been on this list since the company started over a decade ago.
The manufacturing policy needs to be enforced and every department that buys products and services needs to know about this.
I see the Minister talked about advertising. The advertising doesn’t need to be done in the Northwest Territories; it needs to be done in our own bureaucracy. It’s very convoluted, it’s not being followed, and we need to continue, we need to support northern manufacturing so we can create more jobs in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to address the social divide between public housing and homeownership. Young people in my Deh Cho riding dream of owning their own home, but they need a lot of help getting there.
Becoming a homeowner is anything but simple. It requires a sophisticated level of financial literacy, something that young people haven’t necessarily grasped. A young person or a young couple have to decide on a type of home they hope to purchase. Then based on their income, they have to determine how much they can afford. After that a whole slew of characters get involved, including staff at the local housing office, a real estate agent, and then there are people at the bank as well as lawyers, appraisers, home inspectors and insurance brokers.
Buying a home is basically an obstacle course. Even after a home has been purchased, the cost of heating, maintaining and repairing it can be totally overwhelming.
I understand the Housing Corporation has made a number of substantial improvements to its homeownership programs, but I’m not convinced that young people in small communities are getting the right kind of support. The Housing Corporation has indicated that a number of eligible individuals are having a hard time completing the transition to homeownership. That tells me more supports are required.
As well, it’s not clear why the standard mortgage rates are being used to determine payment plans in small communities. The problem is that homes in places like Fort Providence and Enterprise don’t appreciate in value the same way homes appreciate in a place like Yellowknife. I don’t believe it’s fair to apply standard mortgage rates to home payment plans in small communities.
I would like to address one additional matter pertaining to housing in the Deh Cho. High quality housing is crucial to making small communities appealing places to live. If you’re going to attract professionals and convince people to settle in our small communities, we need a better supply of high quality homes that are available for purchase.
At the appropriate time I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, March is Aboriginal Languages Month, and as such, I want to show a little respect. [English translation not provided.]
[Translation] The social service workers need more money. [Translation ends]
The budding Social Work Program in the Northwest Territories has been showing great promise, and as such, our two-year program is starting to ask itself, why are we not a four-year program?
In my opinion, the Aurora College program has been doing fantastic work here. It has reached an incredible success, so successful the students want more, the community wants more.
When I talk to the students and I talk to the instructors, you can see and feel the enthusiasm they have for the Social Work Program. They talk about the things they can do, how they can reach their community. You see their eyes shine with the great excitement. You see that they want a bright future for their community.
The excitement is infectious. But we have a two-year program, a program that continues to only offer the diploma program even though the students and the community call for more. It’s time we reach in and grab a hold of that enthusiasm and ask ourselves are we doing enough for our community, are we tapping into the enthusiasm of the social workers, are we grabbing this great opportunity. Let us not let it slip by and go unnoticed.
The students are calling upon us and saying they’d like the extension of the Social Work Program so we can offer the degree here in the Northwest Territories, much in the same way we found a way for teachers to be taught here in the Northwest Territories and nurses to be taught here in the Northwest Territories. The students know they can take their two-year program and they know that they would have to go to Regina to finish their program, but they’d like to do it here. They’d like to do it in their home; they would like to do it in their community. In some cases, they want to come to Yellowknife because it isn’t offered in the small communities, but they want to be able to finish this programming here in the North for the people with whom they’re working.
I have great respect for those who are in the Social Work Program and in the field. It is certainly a special calling, because we all know the numerous days are long and hard, but the rewards are great. They go to work each day trying to make a difference in people’s lives and they can feel the change. It may be small but it’s important. Let us not let that go by easily and let us ask ourselves this one question, which is, how can we make this happen?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. About two months ago I had the opportunity to attend a sport forum sponsored by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. It was a gathering of representatives of recreation and sport organization partners from across the NWT with the MACA Minister and staff. It was billed as a meeting to seek input from the sport and recreation sector, input being sought to advise both the 18th Assembly and MACA on priorities and plans for the future of sport and recreation in the NWT.
There were representatives from each of the hardworking territorial organizations that manage sport and recreation in the NWT: the Sport and Recreation Council, Sport North, Aboriginal Sport Circle of the Western Arctic, NWT Recreation and Parks Association, Mackenzie Recreation Association and the Beaufort-Delta Sahtu Recreation Association. All were volunteers happily giving up a Saturday because they believe passionately in their volunteer work, because they want better sport and recreation programs in our territory.
It was an all-day meeting; the participants broke into two groups. We had some great discussions, some navel gazing and some crystal ball gazing on a number of questions about improving the future of recreation and sport. The conversations were thought-provoking, wide-ranging, thoughtful and comprehensive. The atmosphere in the room was collegial, respectful and very serious about how to improve and advance sport and recreation in the NWT.
It was no surprise to me that the results of the discussions from the two different groups were very similar. Some key messages I heard were:
a recognition that if all organizations work together it will produce better results.
a recognition that efforts and programs are sometimes duplicated and those inefficiencies can and should be eliminated.
a stated desire for the partners to work together to increase the health of NWT residents.
a recognition that each partner has expertise that they bring to the table, expertise that should be better used to the advantage of all partners.
I was privileged to attend, along with MLA Moses, and my thanks to the Minister of MACA for the invitation to take part in the forum. It was an enervating day, one that left me feeling very confident that sport and recreation in the NWT is in good hands. We have committed minds and hearts, leaders who only want to better sport and rec for our residents, and I look forward to the follow-up meeting in a few months’ time.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the Skills for Success Initiative whose focus is to improve employment success for NWT residents, close skill gaps for in-demand jobs and respond to employer needs. This initiative is driven by labour market evidence, best practice research and information, and stakeholder input and feedback. Just with that last little statement there, that leads to this last couple days where there is actually a symposium going on as we speak.
We have territorial, Aboriginal and municipal governments, education and training partners, industry, business, NGOs, students and apprentices all meeting and finding out how we can create an action plan to increase the employment in the Northwest Territories, as well as the training and education for residents to take these jobs when the economy picks back up in some of the areas.
Actually, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with some participants over the last couple of days who are attending this forum. Especially after yesterday, the first forum, everyone is saying it’s a really good symposium with a lot of good information and some very strong statements from our own Minister and our leaders within the communities and within government. However, when we get into those discussions, we have to talk about the realities. It’s all good and fine to say things are going to be good in a symposium or a conference, but we’ve got to look at the realities of what’s actually out there throughout the Northwest Territories in our regions, in our communities.
I just wanted to highlight some of the discussions that I’ve had. We continue to have high unemployment rates, especially in the small communities. We have a slow economy and it’s not only in the Northwest Territories, it’s across Canada and globally. So, we have other jurisdictions who are looking to get some of the jobs up here, while our own residents need the training to fill those positions.
Housing was brought up as an issue for some organizations, and I had a good discussion with some members from back home saying we have jobs and we can’t fill them because we can’t house them. In Inuvik you can buy a house because the economy is so slow, but housing is an issue as well as looking at office space. As stated and addressed in the 2014 NWT survey of mining employees, one of the big barriers that is affecting us right now is the high cost of living.
I will have questions for the appropriate Ministers when I get the opportunity later. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The world, including we in the NWT, has come to a fork in the road. We must all choose. The choice will affect what kind of world we live in and leave for our children and grandchildren. We can choose to ignore the science telling us that continued fossil fuel extraction beyond 20 percent of known conventional reserves must stay in the ground. We can ignore the respected voices telling us that economies based on fossil fuels are not sustainable morally, financially or ecologically from Pope Francis to Mark Carney to the Rockefellers. We can ignore the mounting evidence of damage caused by fracking and other fossil fuel extraction leading to adverse health impacts and disastrous climate change, contaminated lakes and rivers, poisoned aquifers and earthquakes, or we can choose a path less travelled. One million dollars invested in renewable energy creates three to four times as many jobs as does oil and gas.
Renewable energy production is hitting its stride worldwide. Denmark broke a world record for wind production by getting almost 40 percent of its overall electricity from wind in 2014, breaking UK’s record of 25 percent of total production. On a day in December 2014, Germany reached 50 percent of energy demand from solar and wind.
The Globe and Mail reported in December that Canada’s green energy sector had grown so quickly and is so vital to the economy that it now employs more people than the tar sands; good, sustainable jobs immune to the cycles of boom and bust associated with fossil fuel extraction. Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have seen their capacity to produce pollution-free electricity increase by eight gigawatts in the past five years, allowing one more Canadian household a minute to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
In that same period, investors have moved $25 billion into the sectors, spurring a 37 percent employment increase in renewable energy industries. Wind, solar, river and biomass capacity nearly doubled. This is momentum.
An economy based on renewable energy focuses benefits locally, as opposed to giving them to shareholders from afar. It provides equitable benefits, as opposed to a few big winners and many losers. A renewable energy approach creates self-sufficiency, addresses the cost of living, improves our health and engages families and their communities and their land.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
In the words of an economist, “The solution to both climate and economy is worldwide conversion from fossil fuels to renewables.” This massive conversion program will lead to powerful economic growth, less economic drag from energy costs, higher revenue for treasuries and strong employment drivers.
So, here we are at the fork in the road, choosing between a path that continues to destroy our planet and offers only a few local boom and bust jobs in return, and a renewable energy future that holds a promise of healthy, lasting jobs and a sustainable economy. Which do we choose? Our people, our children, our communities await our decision with bated breath.
I will have questions for the Premier. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As spring is in the air, our communities in the Beaufort-Delta are preparing for the annual spring jamborees. On March 27th Inuvik will be hosting their jamboree, followed by Aklavik on April 3rd, Fort McPherson on April 10th, Tuk on April 17th and then Tsiigehtchic on the 24th of April.
This is a time when everyone in the delta gathers in each community, touring around the communities of the Beaufort-Delta. Good times, dancing, activities – people are active and enjoying the spring weather. I encourage everyone in the Legislative Assembly to come and join us this spring. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a tradition of putting my final Member’s statement of the budget session to song. I know my colleagues look forward to it every year with great anticipation, as you do too, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, early in this session, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment announced the traditional names for the great Mackenzie River that flows north majestically through our beautiful land. We’re all familiar with the South Slavey name for the river, Deh Cho. In my language, the North Slavey language, the name is a little different. The great Harry Bellafonte paid homage to the ancient one’s way in my language. Here it goes, Mr. Speaker.
Deh! Me say day-ay-ay-o.
Deh cho go north to my Sahtu home.
Deh! Me say day-ay-ay-o.
Springtime come and me wanna go home.
Got to get home before the springtime come.
There’s usually a choir but we can’t do it, Mr. Speaker, so…
Springtime come and me wanna go home.
Six weeks of session and my brain is done!
Springtime come and me wanna go home.
Come, Mr. Speakerman, speak to me adjournment.
Springtime come and me wanna go home.
Work all day and not one change to the budget, man.
Springtime come and me wanna go home.
Deh! Me say day-ay-ay-o.
In one month’s time we’ll be back to isolation.
Springtime come and no way to get home.
I guess all-weather road is now a transition item.
Winter road melt and me gotta fly home.
Me say Deh! Me say deh. Me say day-ay-ay-o.
Me say Deh!
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Happy Easter to all.
---Applause
I think we’re going to make a CD of all your songs, Norman. Good job. Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to take a few moments of the House’s time to thank two Pages, Krizzia Concepcion and Kezia McDonald, and their chaperon and mother to Krizzia, and thank all the Pages for their work. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, this weekend there’s going to be hand games in Behchoko. This is going to be an annual game. There are going to be 19 communities in the hand games: Behchoko, Whati, Gameti, Detah, Ndilo, Lutselk’e, Deline, Tulita, Fort Good Hope, Colville Lake, Norman Wells, Hay River Reserve, Fort Smith, Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Bushie River, Alberta; Chateh, Alberta; Meander, Alberta; Ross River, Yukon. Those are the teams that are going to be competing in the hand games in Behchoko tomorrow.
I know there are other teams that still have to register, but there is still time for them to register. There might be a few more teams that are still going to be registering.
Each year we have hand games at this time of the year. At that time they all compete for top prizes, a top prize of $50,000. Six to eight teams are to walk away with a cash prize.
Everybody is welcome to attend and enjoy the games. There are always beautiful arts and crafts available for sale. We have a lot of beautiful arts and crafts that are going to be available.
When there is an event like this, there are always raffle tickets. Maybe there will be a vehicle to raffle off.
So, that starts tomorrow. On Saturday night there will be a huge drum dance that everyone can participate in. That’s what we do every year and we call it the Dene Boogie.
I want to wish safe travels to all those coming in from afar, to enjoy the games with us and to travel home safely.
I would also like to say good luck to all the teams that will be competing this weekend, and safe travels home.
Finally, I would also like to say thank you to all the organizers who work hard for this annual event. I hope that everyone has a fun and safe time in Behchoko this weekend. I know there will be a lot of people, so good luck to all the teams. Thank you.
