Masi. Colleagues, on behalf of the Assembly, I'll let you proceed with this session. Thank you, Mr. Blake, for the opening prayer. I'm pleased to welcome you back to the Chamber, to reconvene a 2nd session of the Legislative Assembly.
At this time, colleagues, I'm saddened to announce that Mr. Bryan Pearson passed away yesterday, October 12, 2016. Mr. Pearson was first elected to 7th Council of the Northwest Territories on December 21, 1970 to represent the Eastern Arctic. In 1975 he was re-elected to an 8th Council at the Northwest Territories. On behalf of the Assembly, I offer sincere condolences to his family and friends. Flags at the Legislative Assembly were at half-mast, yesterday and will be at half-mast again on the day of Mr. Pearson's memorial.
Colleagues, on September 1st of this year Deline became the first self-government community in the Northwest Territories and the first self-government community in Canada that is the home to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. After 20 years of hard work and negotiations between the Deline First Nation and Deline Land Corporation, the Government of the Northwest Territories, and the Government of Canada, this was a day to be remembered and celebrated. This was an important day not only for the people of Deline, but for all people of the Northwest Territories. Colleagues, I ask you to join me in congratulating the people of Deline.
I would also like to take a moment to offer my personal gratitude and appreciation to Harriet Koyina of Behchoko for the beautiful beading and embroidery on my robe. Ms Koyina is a talented and accomplished artist and I am proud and honoured to display her work in our Chamber. Masi, Ms. Koyina.
I would also like to extend special thanks to the pages who will be joining us throughout this sitting. We will have students from:
Charles Tetcho School in Trout Lake;
Kaw Tay Whee School in Detah;
East Three Secondary School in Inuvik;
Ecole Boreale in Hay River;
Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk;
Alexis Arrowmaker School in Gameti; and
Range Lake North School in Yellowknife.
Colleagues, it is a pleasure and an honour to share this Chamber with the youth of our territory. They are our future. Please join me in thanking them and welcoming them to the Assembly.
Colleagues, our form of consensus government works best when we abide by the rules and procedures of this House, conduct ourselves with dignity and show respect for one another, our Assembly and all people of the Northwest Territories. Before we turn our attention to the work at hand, I ask that we take a moment to reflect upon the reasons why we are here, the communities that we represent and the people who have elected us to make decisions on their behalf. Our positions are not to be taken lightly. Colleagues, I wish to advise the House that I have received the following message from the Deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. It reads:
Dear Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, the passage of:
Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2017-2018;
Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2016-2017; and
Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2016-2017
during the 2nd session of the 18th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, Gerald W. Kisoun, Deputy Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome all Members back to the second session of the 18th Legislative Assembly. During this session we will continue our work together to advance the priorities of the Assembly and the mandate commitments of the Government of the Northwest Territories. One of the priorities of the Assembly is to improve accountability, transparency, and collaboration. The Government of the Northwest Territories made several commitments in its mandate in relation to this priority, including a commitment to improve public visibility and accessibility of Cabinet by organizing Cabinet meetings in each region of the Northwest Territories.
Over the past several months we have made good on this commitment by holding public open houses with all Ministers in four communities; Inuvik, Norman Wells, Hay River, and Fort Simpson. We are planning a fifth open house here in Yellowknife next Tuesday evening in the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly. The open houses have been very informal, Mr. Speaker, but that has been the point. Our intention was to hear from members of the public about the issues and concerns that they had. We did not want to go in with an agenda of our own or any government initiative to promote or sell. We simply wanted to hear from NWT residents directly.
The meetings have been well received by NWT residents, Mr. Speaker. We have been warmly welcomed in each community and the events have been generally well-attended. We have heard that people appreciate the time we have taken and the respect we have demonstrated by going to them and their communities, not expecting them to come to us.
Based on this reception, we are now looking at scheduling additional open houses in each region. Our focus this time will be on some of the smaller communities and some of the constituencies we have not already been to. Our hope is that by this time next year we will be able to report that Cabinet has visited every constituency in the Northwest Territories as a group at least once.
During our trip to Hay River, Mr. Speaker, we also held the inaugural meeting of a committee of Cabinet in public. Holding selected committee of Cabinet meetings in public was another one of our mandate commitments that is meant to shed more light on how government does business.
Our first meeting, a meeting of the Economy and Environment Committee of cabinet chair by Minister Schumann included an opportunity for each member to provide an update on the mandate commitments they are responsible for. Members also received a presentation from an outside party on new airship technology and its potential application for transportation in remote areas with limited infrastructure.
In some ways, Mr. Speaker, we are breaking new ground for the government. I do not recall any time in the past when the entire Cabinet has made it a point to visit and meet with residents in each region. Nor do I recall any previous examples of Cabinet inviting the public to attend any of its committee meetings.
Breaking trail can be slow going, and doesn't happen without some course corrections along the way. That is particularly the case when you are trying to change processes and practices that have built up over decades. But we are committed to improving the level of public engagement and transparency in the Government of the Northwest Territories, and we will continue to develop and refine our processes as we go forward. These efforts complement the many things we already do to support government accountability and transparency.
Most important among these is the ongoing interaction between Regular Members of the Legislative Assembly and Ministers here in this House. Each day during session, Ministers are asked to account publicly to Members for their policy decisions and the administration of their departments. In Committee of the Whole and standing committee meetings and briefings, Regular Members have the opportunity to dig more deeply into proposed Government of the Northwest Territories initiatives and decisions and have their questions answered by both Ministers and senior public servants.
A range of public reports and other information is regularly tabled in this Assembly, where any Member can bring it forward for additional discussion or ask Ministers questions about it. These are very immediate and ongoing ways that Regular Members have for holding the government accountable by raising issues or concerns with Ministers in a public forum at almost any time.
Even when the Assembly is not sitting, Ministers continue to provide information and briefings to standing committees, answering their questions and seeking input on proposed legislation, policies, decisions, and initiatives. Of course, we can always make improvements to the system and the way we work together on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. One way we will do this is through the creation of a new Joint Advisory Committee on Aboriginal Rights.
Establishing a joint committee between Cabinet Ministers and Regular Members to share information and discuss approaches on the advancement of land, resources, and self-government agreements was one of the GNWT's mandate commitments. I am happy to report that terms of reference for this committee have been finalized and it will hold its first meeting shortly.
Finalizing outstanding claims and bringing increased certainty to land and resource management in the Northwest Territories is one of the most important challenges the 18th Legislative Assembly faces. Decisions about how the land and resources of the Northwest Territories are used and managed are central to the health of our people, our economy and our environment. Resolving Aboriginal claims will be an essential step towards determining what land is available and how it can be used for economic development, for conservation, for recreation, and for traditional activities.
Mr. Speaker, establishing the special joint committee is one approach we are taking to reach that goal. Another approach was the appointment last summer of Ministerial Special Representatives for the Dehcho and for the South Slave by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada. The ministerial special representatives have been tasked by myself and Indigenous Affairs Minister Bennett to talk to all of the parties involved in negotiations in these two areas and report back on any issues or roadblocks that continue to stand in the way of settling claims in these regions. Through this process, we hope we can move past the current impasse and identify a practical path for moving forward that will work for all the parties involved.
Mr. Speaker, establishing clear Government of the Northwest Territories priorities and policies for land use, development, and conservation is another critical step in creating certainty for all land users in the NWT. The Government of the Northwest Territories continues to work towards this goal, based on the northern principles and priorities outlined in the Land Use and Sustainability Framework. Some of that work includes the recent release of Healthy Lands, Healthy People by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources earlier this month. Healthy Lands, Healthy People outlines key tasks the Government of the Northwest Territories will undertake over the next five years to pursue a comprehensive and collaborative approach to conservation network planning. Clear outcomes for that work include completing planning and decision-making for existing candidate areas, a GNWT mandate commitment, and developing a renewed strategy for Northwest Territories conservation network planning.
Mr. Speaker, work undertaken in recent months to finalize consultation boundaries for the proposed Thaidene Nene Park is another example of the Government of the Northwest Territories pursuing certainty with respect to land use while balancing the interests of the Aboriginal people of the region, recreational users, industry, and environmentalists. The draft Recreational Land Management Framework released this month by the Minister of Lands is another example of how the Government of the Northwest Territories is looking to create certainty with respect to land use and management in the Northwest Territories.
The draft framework outlines the Government of the Northwest Territories' approach for reviewing and updating its management of cabin leases and recreational uses of public land across the Northwest Territories. Informed by extensive public engagement, finalizing the framework will allow the Government of the Northwest Territories to improve coordination and effectiveness in resource management systems, recognizing traditional knowledge, land claim agreements, and devolution.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to creating the kind of certainty around land use necessary to support responsible economic development in the Northwest Territories, the Government of the Northwest Territories is also committed to investing in the infrastructure necessary to support a strong, prosperous territory in partnership with the Government of Canada.
This past July, the Minister of Transportation announced with federal infrastructure Minister Sohi an investment of almost $81 million in territorial transportation infrastructure. The 13 projects being funded include the rehabilitation of nine bridges, three access roads and the construction of a four-bay highway maintenance facility in James Creek. Mr. Speaker, improving the transportation system has a long-term impact on economic growth in the Northwest Territories.
Ongoing investments in transportation infrastructure can contribute to improving the quality of life of communities by ensuring people have diverse employment, economic, and social opportunities. The Northwest Territories also has enormous potential for non-renewable resource development, ensuring effective access to areas of high mineral potential, reducing exploration and development costs for industry, and leading to economic growth. The Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to pursue partnership opportunities with the federal government to support other infrastructure projects, such as the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Tlicho All-Season Road and improved access into the Slave Geological Province. Mr. Speaker, we will also continue to explore opportunities for partnering with Canada on energy infrastructure projects that could both reduce the cost of living for Northwest Territories residents and help contribute to national and territorial greenhouse gas emissions targets.
Our partnership with Canada includes working together on ways to implement the recently announced carbon price that will not increase the cost of living for Northwest Territories residents, while ensuring we are doing our part to address climate change. We have always recognized that putting a price on carbon is an important tool for encouraging people to reduce consumption of greenhouse gas-producing forms of energy.
At the same time, we have always said it is important that national approaches take the realities of northern living into account and the lack of economically viable alternatives in many of our most remote communities. In that regard, I am pleased to report that federal Environment and Climate Change Minister McKenna recently committed to sending a technical team to the Northwest Territories to study this issue and better understand how our governments can work together to address climate change, while ensuring unintended consequences for Northerners and the NWT economy are avoided.
Mr. Speaker, during this session, Members will be asked to consider the 2017-2018 capital estimates. Supporting NWT residents by lowering the cost of living and growing the economy so people have the income and resources they need to look after themselves and their families continues to be an important priority for this government. One of the ways we can do this is through investments in public infrastructure.
As already noted, investments in transportation infrastructure can pay off by supporting long-term economic growth and improved quality of life including reduced cost of living. Investing in housing in our communities is another way the GNWT can directly affect the high cost of living. In addition, infrastructure projects are themselves an important source of jobs and income for many Northerners who are looking for work in or near their communities. As always, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT must continue to manage the public's money prudently and responsibly. Over the summer, Moody's Investor Services gave our government its tenth straight debt rating of Aa1. This is the second highest rating Moody's offers, and is based on our continuing adherence to the Fiscal Responsibility Policy and high standards of fiscal management. The high rating reduces the government's borrowing costs and has direct implications for the Government of the Northwest Territories' ability to invest in infrastructure projects. Ensuring we live within our means and do not spend more money than we bring in will continue to be important for the territory's financial health and our debt rating.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from Members during this session on the Government of the Northwest Territories' proposed capital estimates and on ways we can continue to work together on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Honourable Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Alfred Moses will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Immigration meeting in Quebec. Also, Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Louis Sebert will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers of Justice and Public Safety meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ferry services are a key piece of northern infrastructure. They connect communities, secure energy and food supply and other employment opportunities in some of the most remote locations in Canada. As a territory, we can be proud of our marine infrastructure and all we've accomplished with ferries and ice crossings.
The Abraham Francis ferry at the Peel River and the Louis Cardinal ferry in Tsiigehtchic is part of this infrastructure. It must be maintained until the ice crossing is safe for travel. Reliable ferry service stabilizes the cost of living in Delta communities, where prices are already extremely high. The cost of flying in groceries and other goods and services gets passed on to the consumers.
Many of us remember the line-ups at the gas stations here in Yellowknife when the ferry at Fort Providence was out during one of its final years of operation. People were hoarding fuel, and one retailer even flew a large tank of gasoline across the river. Along with the Louis Cardinal, the ferry at the Peel River is a critical link in the LNG supply in Inuvik. We like to think we can stockpile until the ice road opens, but the weather and timing can be unpredictable. We need the ferry service to ensure uninterrupted transportation of goods and services, especially fuel. If you live in one of the small communities served by the Abraham Francis or Louis Cardinal ferries, you rely on continued road access into Inuvik.
It is unfair to ask people who have pre-existing medical conditions or expectant mothers to leave their homes and wait out freeze-up time for even longer than they already have to. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Small things, like repairs on public housing units or getting a service man who lives in Inuvik to do work on your property, can turn into a big deal if they don't get it done on time because you're waiting for the ice to freeze. Our ferry operators have an important job. They rely on employment for the ferry in a region where there is very little economic activity at the moment and jobs are few. We want to avoid forcing these people out of work. We see the real cost of unemployment when we look at the strain on our social safety nets.
Mr. Speaker, until we get a bridge at the Peel and Mackenzie River crossings, full ferry service is essential. I urge the government to do all it can to keep sailing, and I'll have questions for the Minister later today. Thank you.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, it's been almost a year since Members of the 18th Assembly were elected, and that means it's almost been a year since Members gathered together as equals and developed a mandate for this government to implement on behalf of Northerners.
I'm ever mindful of my responsibility to my constituents and to all Northerners to hold Cabinet accountable in its continued advancement in executing the mandate. Though there has been some progress in this venture, I am dismayed to see that one of the most pressing concerns, that of addiction, still continues to plague our streets and hold our people back from achieving healthy and productive lives.
Alcohol abuse, Mr. Speaker, is one of the most prevalent forms of addiction we are facing today here in the North. One just needs to walk through Yellowknife's downtown streets to see the terrible effects of alcoholism. If that is not evidence enough, recent media reports have reached out to northern medical professionals serving at Stanton Territorial Hospital on how they deal with individuals utilizing our emergency services. These aptly named "super users" rely heavily on the emergency department and usually for alcohol related issues. Doctors see some of these individuals from 100 to even 200 times a year, driving up our costs for healthcare to enormous proportions.
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, this rotating door of alcohol abuse and medical assistance keep spinning with no end in sight. There is another way, an evidence-based solution in the form of managed alcohol programs. The basic idea of how this works is that a controlled amount of alcohol is provided to users so that addiction is treated first so that other social issues can be addressed effectively. These individuals can then experience similar benefits to those who have fully recovered from traditional treatment options.
A recent study by the University of Victoria has demonstrated that these programs are successful and should be something this government considers. The study has shown, in particular, that participants in the program spend 33 per cent less time in custody, 43 per cent less time interacting with the police, and were admitted to emergency departments nearly half as often at 47 per cent. The study indicates that when taking social costs of alcohol addicts who also face homelessness into account… Mr. Speaker, I'd like to request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Again, the study also indicates that when taking into account the social costs of alcohol addicts who also face homelessness into account, there is an estimated savings of $1 for every dollar invested due to significant reductions in frequency of health, social and legal service utilization by participants. Later I will have questions for the Minister of Health on whether he supports a MAP program to give Northerners the support they need and save this government money through preventative programs rather than emergency services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the important issue of the ever rising cost of carbon. Mr. Speaker, the Trudeau Government in Ottawa has made its position on a carbon tax clear. It recently announced its plans to bring in federal carbon taxation. It intends to bring provinces and territories in line with that plan if they don't develop their own.
The question is: will we in the Northwest Territories be prepared with a plan that suits our unique environment, our economy, and most importantly our cost-of-living? Or will we end up, as has happened before, being told what to do and losing our choice in the matter? Mr. Speaker, our Territory needs its own plan for how we use and reduce fossil fuels. We need a plan for climate change. Our population is small, but we have to do our global part. We have to take a serious role in the climate change discussion because our people, our territory, and the entire circumpolar region are being hit the hardest by the effects of climate change.
That's why we need a plan that's designed here in the North. We have to work hard and develop a real plan. We have to get our communities on renewable energy and seriously reduce our reliance on fossil fuel. We have to continue to engage and reward private sector initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, we need to lead. We need to take the initiative before the initiative is assumed by the federal government. We need to work with our territorial counterparts to make a plan to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy. We need to do accurate and thorough research to establish the costs and viability of such a plan, Mr. Speaker. We need to determine how a carbon tax will affect the options we consider, and we need to figure out how all these things will affect our overall strategy on the impacts of climate change and, most importantly, on our standards of living. Mr. Speaker, it's a big file and it's not going away. We need to take the initiative before it's taken away from us or we'll no longer have a choice. At the appropriate time I'll have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding the contract to complete a planning study on the Fort Simpson Health Centre was awarded in March 2015. In October of 2015, the previous Member for Nahendeh requested an update. During that update the then Minister for Public Works and Services estimated the first phase of the plan he said would be finished in February 2016, and then the second phase would be in the fall of 2016. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that this facility is needed to be replaced due to age, quality control and maintenance costs.
A new health centre helps improve the quality of healthcare service delivery in Fort Simpson and the five neighbouring communities. Mr. Speaker, during the fiscal year of 2011-2012 the government undertook work to maintain, renovate, or replace health centres in Fort Good Hope, Fort Res, Fort Providence, Fort Smith, Hay River, Norman Wells, as well as work to renovate or replace hospital in Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife. As the government continues to improve our healthcare, one department and a transformation system, we need quality medical workspace in offices as well.
Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the government, our own engineers, are doing the studies and recommended replacement of the facilities due to its age and increased maintenance costs. With the new building, the efficiencies will bring down the O and M costs. I've heard the Minister of Health and Social Services speak about the importance of the health centre replacement to deliver improved services and better equipment to the residents of Fort Simpson and the region.
It is my understanding that this project is very important to our residents. We are waiting for the completion of the planning study so we can consider it seriously during the capital planning session for 2018-2019 which begins next spring and summer. Mr. Speaker, as a previous Member for Nahendeh stated, "The capital needs for the health facilities in the communities are just as important in my region and the communities I represent as the needs to replace the existing Stanton Territorial Hospital." I'll have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about the status of the planning study at the appropriate time. Thanks. Mahsi cho.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The process conventions on consensus government developed by the last Assembly stated the following as a guiding principle: "Open and respectful communication between all Members is the most essential feature of consensus government." Furthermore, the Process Convention on Communications between the Executive Council, Ministers, Standing Committees and Regular Members, signed by Premier McLeod on September 8, 2014 states: "Except under extraordinary circumstances Members of the Legislative Assembly should be made aware of and have opportunity to discuss significant announcements, changes, consultations or initiatives before they are released to the public or introduced in the Legislative Assembly." This past summer there were several major policies or decisions that were either made by Cabinet or others where Regular MLAs found out through the media. These matters have a direct relationship to our mandate and work together. They included:
A media story about secret negotiations between GNWT and Newmont over the Con Headframe. When I asked for details I was told that we could only find out what was going on after a deal was reached;
A news release where the Northwest Territories' Premier came out against a carbon tax despite promising to consult with Regular MLAs and the public before taking a position;
A media story and public briefing for Yellowknife City Council where it was revealed that the federal government has put the GNWT proposal for a Mackenzie Valley Highway on the back burner; and
Another media story and presentations to third parties and even a media briefing earlier this week with details about proposed changes to the Yellowknife Airport including increased fees before briefings to Regular MLAs.
It's not clear to this Member what extraordinary circumstances precipitated this flow of information without bothering to inform Members on this side of the House. I don't want to get into a debate about each of these examples I cited, but there is a disturbing pattern continuing, and this is not in keeping with consensus government. I will have questions for the Minister of the Executive later today. Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements, Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all Members will have experience advocating for constituents in need of public housing. In my riding, issues around public housing are especially acute. I have a higher than Yellowknife average number of lowincome earners along with people who are unemployed or hard to employ, especially when compared to the city's prosperous suburban ridings. Of all the many requests I get from constituents for help of all kinds, I estimate that housing issues make up 80 per cent of the total.
The issue for this group is not usually affordability because public housing rent scales apply. Adequacy of housing is the big issue, too many people in too small a unit. But, above all, it's availability. There simply isn't enough housing. A report from 2015 yearend indicated there were 180 single parents across the territory on the waiting list for public housing.
While they wait, these families may be living in crowded conditions with extended family, divided into small groups and couchsurfing, or tolerating violent relationships in exchange for having a place to live. Colleagues, you've heard me say before that having a home is the starting point for success, whether you are working, attending school, or making other productive choices.
I want to share the story of one of my constituents to illustrate the point that housing availability is at a crisis point for singleparent families. My constituent has been living in a tent since the beginning of the summer. He is the father of two children, aged 12 and 17, who are trying to stay in school by couchsurfing with anyone who will have them.
As a homeless single parent with schoolage kids, he scores high on the rating system to be next in line for a unit, but so do many others. Since the summer, he has been bumped in and out of first place by people who are in even more desperate need than himself, if you can imagine. The Minister's office has worked hard on this file, and my office has put a lot of work into offering a solution, but, in the end, there was nothing to do but to wait and hope that his place on the list will coincide with a unit becoming available, and, in fact, that happened this week.
We know all this stuff. I'm not saying anything new. That's why it's part of the 18th Assembly's mandate. That's why it's one of the three priorities of the social development committee, and that's why we passed a motion calling for an annual 2 per cent reduction in the core need of housing over the next four years. Mr. Speaker, this problem is not going away. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this problem is not going away and it won't until this government invests in making more public housing available in Yellowknife and across this territory. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last month at Woodland Manor, the longterm care facility in Hay River, there was a physical incident involving two residents that resulted in a fairly significant injury, according to the health authority. I'm not going to discuss the details of the incident because of privacy issues, but it's an ongoing concern, and it also highlights an important issue.
Violence among residents is a growing concern in longterm care facilities across Canada. We've been relatively lucky in the North. There have been very few incidents as serious as this. As our population ages and more seniors reside in longterm care facilities, the concern grows here, as well. As the government moves forward with plans to expand longterm care facilities, it needs to consider how these types of incidents can be avoided in the future. I've spoken with residents of the longterm care and extended care units in Hay River. This incident has put many of them on edge, and they're now concerned for their own safety.
The health authority has been very proactive in trying to mitigate these risks, but, in the current system, only so much can be done to protect residents' safety. While we use terms like longterm or extended care, to the residents, these places are home, and they have the right to feel safe in their own homes. We have to be concerned not only with their physical wellbeing but with their psychological wellbeing, as well, which can negatively affect their physical health. There's no simple fix for this issue.
We can't evict residents of these facilities who are violent. They're there because they can't be cared for elsewhere. If a resident has a history of violence or poses a threat, we can't just lock them in their room; they're not prisoners. However, all residents of longterm care facilities are vulnerable in one way or another, and we can't allow individuals who pose a threat or who are psychologically abusive to remain amongst a vulnerable population.
I hope that the incident at Woodland has spurred the government to begin to address this growing concern, and I'll have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Service at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my statement will be on the stranded barge at Toker Point north of Tuktoyaktuk in the Beaufort Sea. Mr. Speaker, the Investigator is a barge leased from Harley Marine from the United States by Fathom Marine from Vancouver. The barge went aground on September 2nd at Toker Point, and since that time efforts have been made to remove the fuel and remove the barge. Canadian Coast Guard is the lead agency, with assistance from Transport Canada. ILA has Environmental Monitors out on site for the majority of the time the barge has been accessible by boat from Tuktoyaktuk. Wildlife Monitors have also been on site, provided by community companies.
Some key points from my perspective, Mr. Speaker: this incident has highlighted the need for capacity in the region with regard to monitoring and dealing with ship traffic incidents in the Arctic Ocean. This particular incident is really not as serious. The barge is of doublehulled construction with only 4 per cent fuel capacity on the ship. However, it has taken over a month for any meaningful action to take place, Mr. Speaker. Imagine if the same incident occurred with the Crystal Serenity. Think of what we'd do with people and/or fuel. Mr. Speaker, the coast guard and Transport Canada have been very active in terms of updating local organizations and working with the various parties. There has been good communication between Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the parties involved in this incident. Efforts are currently underway to pull the barge off the shoreline. It is hoped that the barge will be re-floated prior to freezeup. If it is not re-floated before freezeup, Mr. Speaker, it will be overwintered on shore. Once the situation stabilizes, I think it would be a good idea to have an incident review where local and federal organizations can discuss what happened, what worked, and what needs improvement.
This brings forward the need for cooperation and coordination between the GNWT and the Government of Canada. Mr. Speaker, the lands and waters around Toker Point remain an important part of the livelihoods of the Inuvialuit of Tuktoyaktuk. The impacts of an environmental spill would greatly affect life on the land, life below water, and the mammals that live and migrate through the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. This speech, unfortunately, has become a convention of mine. I'm going to do a couple of eulogies. Mr. Speaker, I would like to send condolences out to the family of late Eliza Lawrence who passed away on July 24, 2016.
Mr. Speaker, Ms. Lawrence was elected as MLA to the NWT Legislative Assembly in 1983 representing Tu Nedhe and served one term. People still talk about the good things Eliza did as a representative of the people of Tu Nedhe. Eliza was fluent in her Aboriginal language and used to be a Metis Reeler, a group of jiggers that travelled around the North. She worked as a nurse in Fort Resolution, Edmonton, and Yellowknife, and later as a nutrition educator. She was very well respected by all that knew her. Eliza is survived by her husband, Harry Lawrence; her daughters, Linda Fay, Flory, and Roberta; and all her grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, Isadore and Elizabeth; her son; eight of her siblings; and one granddaughter. Ms. Lawrence will be sadly missed by all who knew her. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, on August 16, 2016, the late Margaret Sayine for Resolution passed away. Margaret Sayine
Margaret loved her family very much and enjoyed spending time with them. Her talents have shown through her sewing and crafts. She was famous for baking and enjoyed cooking for her family. Mr. Speaker, Margaret talked to me about her experience at residential school and how difficult things were as she tried to learn English among other things. She told me these stories because she found it interesting that I was sitting there with her and my father, who was 10 years old at the time, was her interpreter when she first got to residential school and quickly she learned English because she had to.
Margaret is survived by her children, her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her and loved her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Our condolences also to the family and community members. Masi. Member's statement. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to take the time to say a few words in my language about the late Daniel Sonfrere of the Katl'odeeche Reserve, who passed away August 24th, a week shy of his 98th birthday.
[English translation not provided]
There was a feast and honour of the late Daniel Sonfrere's funeral and many people travelled to Hay River to attend his funeral. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Oral Question asked by Ms. Green on June 29, 2016, regarding Reporting of the Government Fiscal Responsibility Policy. The Fiscal Responsibility Policy is focused on committing the GNWT to prudent borrowing to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability. If the GNWT does not achieve sufficient cash from operating surpluses to finance 50 per cent of infrastructure investments in a fiscal year, the GNWT would be required to adopt a fiscal strategy to ensure sufficient operating surpluses were achieved over the subsequent two fiscal periods to bring the GNWT back into compliance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my pleasure to welcome Brenda Sayers to our Chamber today. She is the Hupacasath First Nation member who led the fight against the Canada/China Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Act. She served on the council of her Hupacasath First Nation and a director of the tribal council as well. She's here in Yellowknife this week to speak and teach about the trans-pacific trade partnership. I would like you to join me in welcoming her to our Chamber. Further, Mr. Speaker, in the gallery today are several hard-working EDs of non-profits including Kim Doyle, the executive director of Yellowknife Seniors, Steven Jackson, the CEO of Avens, and Lydia Bardak, the executive director of the John Howard Society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in gallery. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize my wife, Judy, who's had to put up with me for 37 years so you all know that she's extremely strong. I would also like to recognize a constituent from Inuvik and my official agent, Mr. Denny Rodgers, and seated next to him is Jiri Raska, I think, with Inuvialuit Development Corporation or Regional Corporation. Welcome to the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Alexander Lambrecht. He's the president of the Northern Territories Federation of Labour. It's good to have you here with us today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.
