Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Beaulieu.
The 2014-2015 Public Works and Services Energy Conservation Projects Annual Report published in June 2015 is both a retrospective of what the Government of the NWT has achieved since annual reporting first began and an overview of important changes we have made to support this work going forward.
During the life of the 17th Legislative Assembly, finding energy solutions and focusing on energy conservation and technology have become an integral part of how government operates. Since the first biomass project in 2007, we have worked to set targets, create guidelines and develop both outward and inward energy strategies. We are now entering into a “new normal” of how government operates.
In the five years since the Department of Public Works and Services first started reporting on its energy conservation activities, the GNWT has progressively improved its energy performance in a number of important areas, including:
generating cumulative operational savings of $8 million;
reducing GNWT energy usage in major assets such as schools by up to 15 percent and overall energy usage in government assets by 5 percent;
reducing our dependence on fossil fuel for heating buildings by 3.5 million litres annually, which is equivalent to 9,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions;
the installation of 18 large commercial biomass boiler systems, nine in the last year alone, increasing our wood pellet usage by 86 percent in a single year;
establishing the Capital Asset Retrofit Fund Program which now produces over $1.7 million in annual operational savings as the program is quickly becoming self-sufficient in funding future energy projects; and
incorporating opportunities for alternative and renewable energy as part of the planning for all new building projects coming forward for consideration in the GNWT’s annual Infrastructure Acquisition Plan.
Operationally, this means a new set of practices, procedures and considerations which prioritize energy efficiency and conservation in the design, construction and operation of all new government buildings have become standardized over the course of this government.
The 17th Legislative Assembly has also taken steps to ensure the GNWT is positioned to build upon the successes of the past several years by bringing our energy programs together and creating a focal point for energy policy, initiatives and management within our government.
On April 1, 2015, the new energy activity of PWS was established, bringing together energy expertise from across government. Combining the project management, planning, fuel services and building operations expertise of PWS with those areas of government focused on policy development and promotion of renewable energy solutions means the GNWT is better positioned to respond to future opportunities in the planning and management of our energy needs.
Mr. Speaker, with a flat revenue outlook and a need to take a hard look at how we are spending our money in coming years, operating effectively and efficiently is more important than ever. Continuing energy conservation efforts will be an important part of that. At the same time, our newly consolidated energy activity can contribute to government work in addressing the high cost of living through continued public education and information sharing, identification of energy options and policy development.
Going forward, the 18th Legislative Assembly will be better positioned than ever to support energy conservation and efficiency efforts and to assist the public in benefitting from what we have learned as a government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister of Tourism, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to report positive results and trends from this government’s investments and initiatives in the NWT tourism sector.
The official tourism statistics for the last fiscal year will be available in late October but the preliminary results are promising. We are seeing a broad spectrum of interest in the tourism activities available in the Northwest Territories. In particular, the segment of visitors from China, who are commonly associated with aurora viewing, are exploring well beyond this sector.
For example, this past summer, 50 Chinese tourists travelled the Dempster Highway to Inuvik. There they participated in numerous events and activities, including a community feast and drum dance. It was, they say, an unforgettable experience – and still more evidence of the unique and spectacular tourism product that is available to those who choose the NWT as a destination for their holidays and business travel.
Since January 2014, the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre in Yellowknife has received close to 7,000 visitors from China, a number that represents an incredible growth in this target market. Only four years ago the number of Chinese visitors to our territory was in the low hundreds.
The growth in the Chinese market is not an accident. It has been strategically advanced by our government’s trade missions to China; supported by investments, made through the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, into the operators and businesses that make up the tourism sector, and enhanced by new marketing funds approved by this Assembly for NWT Tourism.
The value of these efforts was confirmed when the Premier and I had the opportunity to host His Excellency Luo Zhaohui, Ambassador of China to Canada, on his first visit to the Northwest Territories earlier this month. A visit from China’s highest ranking official in Canada was a great opportunity to show off the tremendous tourism offerings in this region as well as in Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. During his visit, Ambassador Luo remarked on the natural beauty of this territory and our well-developed infrastructure. He also spoke publicly about his interest in doing more to support and promote NWT tourism at home in China.
Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, tour operators in the North Slave and Sahtu regions are reporting an excellent summer season; demand for river adventures in the Mackenzie Mountains west of Norman Wells was at record levels, and tour operators on Great Slave Lake worked virtually without a break throughout the summer.
Preliminary estimates indicate that the number of campground permits issued this season is up by 14 percent over last summer. Satisfaction with our parks amenities and services remains high, and public response to the Cultural Interpretive Program offered this past summer, especially in the Beaufort-Delta parks system, was overwhelmingly positive.
The strength of an increased tourism demand is evidenced in the new capital investments we are witness to in Yellowknife’s accommodation sector and the investments that communities across the NWT are advancing to improve the appeal of their local tourism infrastructure and product.
Communities such as Inuvik, Tsiigehtchic, Jean Marie River, Fort Simpson, Deline, Fort McPherson, and Lutselk’e have all partnered with the GNWT this year to invest in trails, signage, visitor centres, and other improvements with a view to attract and retain visitors and improve their travel experience in the NWT.
We know that the awareness and recognition for our territory’s existing attractions and infrastructures is also growing, as evidenced, earlier this year, by Explore Magazine, which named Queen Elizabeth Territorial Park near Fort Smith as one of the Top 25 Campsites in Canada.
Through training and skills development, we have supported our capital spending with investments in the men and women who make up our tourism sector. With a full suite of training and skills development workshops, ITI has worked with the NWT tourism industry to advance the safety, hospitality and the business savvy of our many and varying operators and business owners.
We have also seen considerable growth in the Aboriginal tourism sector, with a number of Aboriginal-owned and operated tourism businesses growing and thriving over the life of this government.
Since 2014-15, we have leveraged over $1 million in federal investment to match GNWT investments in tourism businesses, skills development and Aboriginal community tourism, a reflection of the shared commitment that exists at all levels of government to developing a healthy tourism economy.
I am also pleased to report that the NWT’s new Convention Bureau, still in the first full year of operation, has confirmed five events. Another six are in the offing. They represent an estimated $1.8 million in future conference revenues, not to mention spinoff benefits for transportation suppliers, restaurants, artisans and tourism operators throughout the territory.
At a time when our economy is challenged by a downturn in resource exploration and development, a weak dollar and the impacts of a worldwide recession, our tourism sector has remained strong and shown signs of vibrancy and growth.
Annual visitors’ spending in 2013-14 was $132.5 million. Despite the fires that impacted travellers in the summer of 2014, we are recognizing modest increases for 2014-15 and we are expecting these numbers to rise even higher based on the strength of this year’s summer tourism season.
Supporting promising and successful sectors like tourism is an important part of our effort to foster the kind of economic growth this territory needs to build a prosperous future and ensure our government has the resources it needs to deliver programs and services to our residents.
Mr. Speaker, the tourism industry that we recognize in our territory today is strong and growing. It is a testament to the wisdom of this Assembly’s decision-making, in the face of tough economic conditions, to invest in a sector that is growing, bringing new dollars into our economy and creating jobs and opportunity throughout the territory. I would like to thank this Assembly for its support for our territory’s tourism and parks sector, the results of which I am able to share today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
On Tuesday I voiced my concerns about the impact of the Finance Minister’s fiscal restraint measures on the morale of the public service. Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, I don’t understand the mixed messages being sent by this government to the people of the NWT that we serve, especially to people who serve us each and every day by doing the job diligently and conscientiously and keeping the government programs running and ticking along each and every day.
The Premier and Ministers of this Cabinet finally say to this House, our employees are our most valuable assets. I happen to agree with that statement, but what is the point of this government repeating this tired phrase when its actions go along with the platitudes from these Ministers?
This government has a Population Strategy meant to tempt 2,000 new residents to the NWT to make their home here by 2019 as a way to increase their federal transfer dollars. The GNWT remains one of the NWT’s biggest employers, so it must be prepared to hire these new residents. Why would anyone take a job with the GNWT and move their families here if they risk losing their job in the next Assembly’s collateral damage because of fiscal restraint?
This government also has a Human Resources Workforce Planning Strategy, a multi-pronged effort to maintain the GNWT as an employer of choice and to maximize recruitment and certainly retention of employees. How about the efforts of the Department of Human Resources to operate the multi-year strategy along with the Finance Minister’s transition plan in exercising design, in his own words, to make sure revenues and expenditures on an ongoing basis stay the same and plan for what has been determined to be a flat economy with revenues going down.
Frankly, I must point out that the GNWT increased its workforce by 260 new employees and positions in the devolution process. How can this government possibly be considering lay-offs as a fiscal restraint measure less than a scant 18 months after devolution?
The GNWT has known for a long time by considering many options by trying to strategize itself for revenue growth and we’ve known it’s very limited, but controlling the cost by cutting away jobs is certainly not the way to attract employees or strengthen morale. We must find a different way.
I will be asking questions of the Minister of Human Resources about the impact of this fiscal restraint on our Human Resource Strategy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have stated goals and initiatives of this government. For example, educating people. To that end, we boast the best SFA, student financial assistance, system in the country.
We have a stated goal of increasing the population of the NWT by 2,000 people. These are well-known goals and strategies that we work and expend resources to advance. However, every day we hear of anomalies, contradictions and decisions based on policy that fly in the face of these goals. I believe in rules and transparencies, but sometimes our policies lack discretion and common sense in applying these policies in real life situations.
This week in the House, my colleague from Hay River North shared the story of a constituent, born, raised and educated in the NWT, moving south for a period of time and upon return to enroll in northern post-secondary program with support of SFA is required to re-establish residency for a whole year with no regard for their lifelong residency in the North. The message is don’t come home, don’t pursue higher education.
It’s well known that young people often decide to work or travel between high school and post-secondary education. Could there not be some accommodation for that reality?
Then there’s the single parent in public housing who goes south to educational opportunities to improve their life. They come home for the summer no longer eligible for any housing support because technically doesn’t conform to the residency requirement. Why come home?
Then there’s the single parent in social housing who proudly sends their child off to university and when the student returns home to work for the summer to make money to go back to school, they land a job and mom’s rent goes up to reflect that temporary increase in household income and then mom has no choice but to get their son or daughter to take those needed earnings to contribute to pay for the increased rent. Welcome home, Mr. Speaker.
Then there’s the income support client with a disability who gets financial support and contributes to the expense of the family that cares for them. The disabled client gets a GIC cheque and fails to disclose it, interrupting the benefit that they received. Those same benefits that help their family support them in their private accommodation, probably avoiding a very expensive care and support that would otherwise be provided to government service and agencies.
Mr. Speaker, I know we need rules. I know the staff on the front-line positions managing these programs are only doing their jobs in compliance with those rules and implementing too much discretionary latitude can also be a slippery slope.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Implementing too much discretionary latitude can also be a slippery slope, as we know. But surely we, as a government, committed to our goals and stated priorities, could find a way to expeditiously deal with these situations that arise. I know it sounds like the job of an ombudsman, but for now it remains the domain of MLAs advocating for constituents and Ministers and their staff using their time to consider these things on a case-by-case basis sometimes with positive outcomes, but often with unnecessary stress to everyone concerned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Mr. Speaker, for some time many have warned that the crisis of too few available beds at the Aven Centre here in Yellowknife is coming fast. I rise yet again to remind us all that this catastrophe is not only looming, it’s here. We must address the shortfall promptly.
The problem has been studied to death by all concerned, who say with one voice, “We need more beds.” With a 200 percent growth in Yellowknife seniors over the next 16 years and a 125 percent increase across the NWT, we need several hundred new beds territory-wide. Yet, time is passing with little apparent progress.
We still do not have a single palliative care facility in the NWT. Avens is in need of major renovations and the waiting list grows longer. Our state of preparedness to serve our elders in need of beds is deplorable.
To humanize this situation, let’s look at one real life example of the many, to help imagine the human toll this neglect is exacting.
Annette Lemay, 93, moved to Yellowknife in 1951 to marry Aurel Lemay. Together they lived in their small house, which they moved from the Negus mine site, until Aurel passed away at 95 last July. Aurel retired in 1983 and he and Annette were determined to remain in Yellowknife. They had no children and no blood relations in the NWT, but Yellowknife has always been their home and their family. They were only able to make living independently work because they were together, with their respective abilities in cooking, mobility, corresponding and advocating care complementing each other.
They knew that the day would come when one of them would go, leaving the other needing comprehensive care, so an application was made in 2013 to place Annette on the waiting list for long-term care. Sadly, that day came on July 8, 2015. Annette immediately found herself alone and in urgent need of care.
While she currently has respite until October, she is sixth on the waiting list for placement in long-term care. She remains scared, worried and confused, and is seeking safety and comfort in the community of seniors for the last of her years.
Annette Lemay is the face of the seniors this government is failing. As lifelong founders and pillars of our society today, she and our many elders like her throughout the Northwest Territories deserve better. In Yellowknife, with half of our territorial population served by a facility with a meagre 29 beds needing mid-life retrofit, our seniors’ plight is well known and has been obvious for some time.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
As I was saying, in Yellowknife, with half of our territorial population served by a facility with a meagre 29 beds needing mid-life retrofit, our seniors’ plight is well known and has been obvious for some time. How can we still be waiting for action?
We have the responsibility and the power. So I say, colleagues, Minister, executive, our Cabinet, out of respect for our elders like Annette, let’s get it done. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is focusing on elders’ care and the need for elders’ housing. I’d like to mention that on September 14, 2015, I was in Aklavik for the Gwich’in Annual Assembly. At this time we welcomed and celebrated the opening of the new Joe Greenland Centre. This building will indeed house many elders and will have positive feedback from residents of Aklavik.
This past summer the construction of a new elders home in Fort McPherson was halted due to problems that were occurring during building of the pilings.
This is very important to the elders of Fort McPherson, for the completion of this building. A lot of elders look forward to a new residence and a place to gather and call home.
As we speak on the elders home in Fort McPherson, the location was another issue for some middle-aged and current elders. The majority of the people would like to see the location moved to a scenic and quiet neighbourhood. For example, a place down along the Peel River banks, close to the church and walking distance to offices and the store and also a great view of our Richardson Mountains.
I will have questions for the Minister later today.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise on one of my favourite topics, Great Slave Lake fish. Over the last four years, I’ve made many Member’s statements on Great Slave Lake fish. We know it’s a great product. We know there are a lot of hardworking people out there. It’s a great industry, it’s a renewable industry, and it’s one that we haven’t seen the full capacity of. We know we’re not even over half our quota that we can catch on a productive renewable basis.
We’ve made some progress. We now have a business plan in place for those fishermen through ITI. We know that we’ve gotten some capital money to do a fish plant. We know this spring the Department of ITI insisted on giving a subsidy, and the fishermen have responded over the summer. Over the summer we’re seeing anywhere from a 30 percent to 40 percent increase in production. We’re seeing just about a million pounds in production if those numbers work out correctly.
I also forgot to mention the fact that we have a new logo, we have a new marketing plan, and we’re going forward. We’re pushing this project forward. The fishermen need dredging, as well, but that project is not moving forward anytime soon, but the rest of the project is moving forward.
Some of the questions I’m going to have today are for the Minister of ITI. Where we have, again, a roadblock, the federal government, the Conservative federal government right now, and hopefully, we’ll see what all our candidates have to say about this over the next little while where we’re going to go with the Hay River fish plant. We have $1.5 million allocated. We’re looking for federal assistance to help us complete the project. We need assistance. This is a great renewable resource. We need to capitalize on it.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today I will table a draft act to establish an office of the ombudsman. You and all Members will know that I have been pursuing the issue since I was first elected eight years ago. It’s not a new issue by any means. MLAs have been talking about establishing an ombudsman office since 1992, five Assemblies ago. The general public has been looking for such an office long before that.
There have been numerous motions passed in this House recommending the establishment of an ombudsman office. The Standing Committee on Government Operations was mandated by the House to review the question. Their very thorough and comprehensive report recognized the need in the NWT and recommended establishing an office. That was over a year ago now, yet we still have no action by this government to develop legislation to establish an ombudsman act.
Too expensive, Cabinet says. Too time consuming to write the legislation, they said. Well, that second argument has been quashed. With the help of our very capable Legislative Assembly research staff, I have a draft ombudsman act all ready to go. It may not be perfect. It may not reflect precisely how an NWT ombudsman office would operate, but the groundwork has been done. The document can be handed to the Justice department legislative drafters for language adjustment and final tweaking.
It can be, with political will, presented for the first reading during the winter 2016 sitting of the 18th Legislative Assembly.
At the risk of being repetitive, I want to list some of the many reasons why the NWT needs an ombudsman office:
The office is an avenue of last resort for the public, one that is impartial, free and accessible.
It’s an avenue of last resort for landlord tenant issues that are outside the jurisdiction of the rental officer.
It’s an avenue of last resort for housing or income support issues where an appeal has been denied.
It’s an avenue of last resort for administrative decisions by officials in hospitals and other medical facilities.
It’s an avenue of last resort for residents to ensure fairness in the delivery of government services and programs.
At the appropriate time, I will table this draft legislation. My fervent hope is that the 18th Assembly will make the passage of an ombudsman act one of their priorities and that an ombudsman act is one of the first priorities that they can check off the to-do list as completed.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Hearing Mr. Bouchard’s Member’s statement sure makes me happy.
During my Sahtu community tours, I found there is a population of young people we have listened to and spoken to and these young people want to work. There’s a huge population of my young people in the Sahtu who want to work. We do not want to rely on government assistance and income support over and over and over. We want to work. We finished school, we’ve gone to post-secondary, we did the trades training and we want to work. We want to make a contribution to our family. We want to buy things for our family, for our children, take vacations. We do not like getting the income support system. So when they told me that, I ask them what are some of the barriers, and one of the barriers they have said is that we do not have a child care centre in Norman Wells or in Colville Lake. That stops us. We either have to rely on babysitters in the community, and sometimes they’re not very reliable, or we have to stay at home. They pay a price either way. They said, “If we had a child care centre where we can leave our children to be brought up in a safe environment, it would go a long way.” Some of these are single parents who want to go into the workforce or go to school.
Our young people are hungry to work, are hungry to go to school and hungry to make a living. They do not like to sit idle. They want to get off their keisters and go to work. It’s a simple plain fact for them.
I’ll ask questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment why we need daycare centres in Norman Wells and Colville Lake. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I wanted to talk about the repair and renovation programs offered by the NWT Housing Corporation. Over the past few years, I’ve had elders, seniors on pension and those with disabilities contacting me that part of the programming that the Housing Corporation offers comes with a co-pay portion and the minimum co-pay portion is about $500. It’s very, very difficult for those on pension and low income to even come up with that type of co-pay portion.
As an example, in Wrigley there was an elder who needs their water tank replaced. Typically in Yellowknife it would be about $1,500, but with the labour involved it adds up to about $5,000 in Wrigley alone and the co-pay portion is about $1,200. They’re living in a remote community with a high cost of living and they cannot make this co-pay portion. It is actually a burden on them and, as well, anybody with disabilities.
Just perusing the NWT Housing Corporation website, they say co-pay may be required, depending on household income, but the program that’s being offered is co-pay is necessary. So that’s a far cry from the guidelines that are listed on our website.
At the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation about how do we best serve our seniors and our elders and those with disabilities in accessing our NWT Housing Corporation home and repair program. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In keeping with my theme of evaluating the McLeod government and with reference to my report of September 29, 2015, today I will talk about GNWT debt and our borrowing capacity, our inability to borrow due to federally imposed debt limit restricting progressive capital investment from 2000 to 2007 thus leading to the territorial infrastructure deficit we see today.
Arguably, this has curtailed efforts to diversify the NWT economy and tied the territory to an intensely cyclical resource development sector. As a result, it is the 16th and 17th Legislative Assemblies that have successfully pressured Canada to raise the debt limit.
My goal today is to evaluate the process we see before us. Have we been balanced in our approach or have we gone too far and put the taxpayers at risk?
Trends in debt and borrowing capacity are a good measure of fiscal performance. From 2007 to now, the total GNWT debt has risen dramatically by over 392 percent. Large capital projects such as the Deh Cho Bridge and the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link are major contributors to this growth.
So, although the new federally imposed limit has recently increased to $1.3 billion, as a general observation, as our total debt has grown, our borrowing capacity has shrunk. Interestingly, from 2000 to 2009 the GNWT ended up with a true cash surplus and did not require short-term debt. This short-term debt has generally increased in 2009 and has become significant during the life of this current administration. Hence, many will remember the increases we saw as short-term borrowing legislation in the 17th Legislative Assembly going from $175 million to $275 million and the $25 million additional approved last year for a grand total today of $300 million for short-term borrowing.
So what did this translate? Rising debt and softening of static of our GDP in combination has caused the GNWT debt to rise as a percentage of GDP. Couple this with our government’s poor response to economic conditions, our infrastructure deficit or our meager revenue outlet, the percentage of total debt to GDP will no doubt rise with larger capital projects looming in the shadows.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
So, although the GNWT basks in the glory of a defined measure such as an Aa1 Moody credit rating for its debt management and current debt load, the real landscape paints a much bleaker forecast than Moody’s can safely measure.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, we must be cautious moving forward. This was invariably echoed yesterday by the Finance Minister in his fiscal update. It is for these reasons of ignoring the warning bells that my assessment of the McLeod government in dealing with debt and borrowing management will only muster a C grade. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One practice of this government every year is that we approve infrastructure budgets. When we approve these infrastructure budgets, one thing we have to understand is we are not approving these budgets but creating jobs throughout the North, we are helping build skills and creating opportunities for our residents, our local residents and people in the small communities.
One of those projects that was recently approved and brought to attention – even in the media and in this House over the last few weeks – is the Inuvik-Tuk Highway. When this government approves big infrastructure projects or any other project, one thing we need to understand, as legislators as well as contractors and people who are putting these bids in, is that claims are a normal part of the construction contracts and that the government and the department involved try to resolve these as quickly as possible. Earlier in the week and in the media it was talked about that this project needs to be halted and stopped until further review takes place. Mr. Speaker, no, that can’t happen.
You heard today from some of my colleagues that we need jobs in the communities. We have people who are hungry to get off their butts and get to work. This is exactly what this job is doing with the Inuvik-Tuk Highway.
We just have to look at some of the highlights. At its peak construction period, there were over 600 individuals working on the project. About 75 percent of those were from the Inuvik region and there was also employment from other territorial communities as well. From those, about 120 people benefitted from training opportunities, and this is going to help when we look at other projects such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway. If any other mine or oil and gas companies want to start doing some work, we’re going to have people who are trained to take some of those jobs as well.
About 70 people were trained on the simulator for rock trucks and excavator training, which is also needed, and about 40 people were trained in class 1 and class 3 drivers’ licences with airbrakes. All those are going to help us in the future when we look at the Mackenzie Valley Project and other infrastructure in the Tlicho or towards Nunavut.
I do seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Just to finish, we can’t forget about the other future benefits and investment potential that the Inuvik-Tuk Highway is going to produce when we look at our offshore drilling, tourism and reduced cost of living for the communities toward Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik.
Not only that, from a personal level, when you walk around Inuvik and you see the young guys and the young girls working, the family providers, the men who go and work long hours to provide for their families in Tuk and Inuvik and how that benefits them, it’s great to see people who are finally working, a decreased number of people on income assistance, all these benefits. I know in the summertime work is slow. I’ve seen the training opportunities that have been provided to some of these people who are working on this project going down south and getting further training, so they get higher level jobs in the project.
With that said, Mr. Speaker, I do support the continued work for the Inuvik-Tuk Highway and all the benefits it presents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I have some great news to share about the community of Kakisa. After more than five years, with special planning and construction, Kakisa is ready to host the grand opening of their new community hall.
The new hall is built alongside the old Deh Cho Assembly arbour. It was a bustling hub of community activity year round, ready to host sports and games, feasts and other community gatherings, with space left for storage and meetings.
The old community hall quickly filled to capacity, but the new hall will have more than enough room for all residents, family and friends.
I know the residents of Kakisa have been eager to have a place to gather. When Rowe’s Construction completed the last of their work, the community will have a place. The opening has been discussed for October 1st, but I’ve been told this has been rescheduled possibly for mid-October to make sure everyone in the community can attend.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the community on the dedication to the project and in their achievement and hope for many exciting events at the new community hall in the years to come. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This summer I had an opportunity to attend the graduation for Liidlii Kue School as usual. This year Sydney Bailey, Rayleen Norn, Rylie Chapman and Teagan Laroque graduated. The total number of students graduating since graduations events started in Fort Resolution in 2000 is 53 students. Every year I attend graduation and one year we had nine graduates and we’ve also had single graduates in Liidlii Kue School. So it’s gone very well.
In springtime I went to an event in Lutselk’e where we also had a graduation. For the first time ever in the history of Lutselk’e, they had two students, Tristin Lockhart and Lucas Enzoe, who graduated from Grade 12.
I just want to pass on congratulations here in the House to those students in Fort Resolution going all the way back to 2000. Many of those students are working in Fort Resolution and many of them have jobs outside. There are a good many of them that have gone on to further education and I think the same thing will happen with Tristin Lockhart and Lucas Enzoe in Lutselk’e. They are the first to do it and I know there are going to be graduates. We will probably see some graduates out of Lutselk’e every year from now on.
It’s a big milestone for the community. Just about everyone from the community came out to celebrate Tristin and Lucas. The Fort Resolution graduation is usually a big event. This year we had 200 people show up. That’s over 40 percent of the population, so that’s a very big event.
I thought I’d like to stand up today and congratulate all those students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Member for Tlicho, Mr. Lafferty.
