Mr. Speaker, investments in our transportation system are critical for creating economic and social opportunities for Northerners. The Department of Transportation’s commitment to securing federal funding to advance the Mackenzie Valley Highway under the mandate of the 18th Legislative Assembly is intended to capture these kinds of opportunities.
We are already seeing the benefits of road construction in the Beaufort Delta, where the northernmost section of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, is nearly completed. Improved access and significant training and employment has positioned the residents of Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk to take advantage of future opportunities related to resource development and tourism and will result in a lower cost of living.
Mr. Speaker, now is the time to start bringing benefits like these to the residents of the Sahtu. We know that the suspension of oil production in Norman Wells is currently contributing to economic uncertainty for many residents. More than ever, we need to invest in projects that generate employment and reduce the cost of living in this region.
On January 5th, the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories gave the region some positive news with the announcement of funding for the Canyon Creek all-season access road. The Government of Canada is contributing $15 million, or 75 per cent, towards the construction costs of this project, while the GNWT is providing the
remaining $5 million, or 25 per cent. The project involves the construction of a 14 kilometre access road south of the Town of Norman Wells, providing access to granular resources and traditional Sahtu lands which may be used for recreation, tourism, and business development.
Construction alone is expected to create 50 jobs, general training opportunities for 12 individuals, and heavy equipment operator training for 16 individuals. The skills and experience gained by the Sahtu residents involved in the project will help prepare them to participate fully in the eventual construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway. Construction will also benefit a host of local and northern suppliers of things like construction equipment, signage, and building materials. Project construction is expected to begin this March, and the direct employment benefits will be spread over nearly two years, which is when the project is expected to be completed.
The Canyon Creek all-season access road represents another step towards replacing the existing Mackenzie Valley winter road with an all-weather corridor, which remains the ultimate solution to improving transportation access throughout the Mackenzie Valley.
Mr. Speaker, construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells will reduce the impacts of climate change on the Northwest Territories' transportation system, which are shortening the window of operation for winter roads. A more resilient transportation system will also result in efficiencies in the delivery of essential goods and materials to communities. The savings realized by the trucking industry will be passed on to consumers for household necessities and lower the cost of supplies required for the construction of houses, schools, and medical care facilities.
Improved intercommunity mobility will also allow residents better access to services that may not be immediately available in their own community. Businesses will be connected to other markets, supporting economic growth. The improved access will also reduce the cost of industry exploration and development, opening up new areas for mineral potential and increasing the attractiveness of continued petroleum production and development in the Sahtu. The Mackenzie Valley Highway is critical to unlocking much of the still untapped resource potential of the region. Tourism in remote communities throughout the Mackenzie Valley is also expected to increase with the completion of the all-weather highway.
The Department of Transportation continues to build political support for construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway from Wrigley to Norman Wells. This project is in the mandate approved by the Legislative Assembly, and we will work with the Sahtu to see it through.
The department has submitted a business case requesting $700 million in federal funding under the National Infrastructure Fund of the New Building Canada Plan. While the federal government’s review of this funding submission is currently suspended pending a decision by Canada regarding its long-term infrastructure funding plan, new opportunities for funding may become available with the upcoming federal budget. In the meantime, the Department of Transportation continues identifying ways to advance critical components of the envisioned highway, including the Great Bear River Bridge.
Mr. Speaker, the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway remains a high priority for Northerners. The Department of Transportation continues to pursue opportunities to advance the project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on the progress made on the development of a range plan for the Bathurst caribou herd. As Members may be aware, cumulative impact concerns were raised during environmental assessments of the Gahcho Kue, Fortune Minerals NICO project, and the Jay Pipe project expansion. Each environmental assessment recommended that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop approaches for cumulative effects monitoring.
In response to these concerns and measures, the Government of the Northwest Territories began a collaborative process in 2014 for development of a range plan to reduce and manage disturbance to caribou and caribou habitat from human and natural change. This initiative supports the following two priorities of this Legislative Assembly and the mandate:
improving coordination and effectiveness in resource management systems, recognizing traditional knowledge, land claims agreements and devolution; and
effective co-management of caribou herds.
Mr. Speaker, a working group which includes representatives from federal, territorial, and Aboriginal governments, industry, wildlife co-management boards, Aboriginal and nongovernment organizations has been meeting to discuss and consider management options for a Bathurst caribou range plan.
I am pleased to report the working group has completed a draft discussion document on concept and approaches that could be used to develop the range plan. The document will be used to engage Aboriginal governments, regulators, communities, stakeholders, and the public on management options and potential tools.
These tools include:
cumulative disturbance thresholds which reflect limits of acceptable change based on ecological, cultural, social and economic values and perspectives;
conservation areas to formally protect important migration corridors and sensitive habitats;
activity guidelines to manage locations and timing of human land use activities to reduce direct impact on caribou when they are in certain areas at certain times; and
access management approaches to address issues such as construction methods and route orientation to reduce barriers to caribou movement, consolidation of routes, and use of seasonal roads.
Engagement on the concepts and approaches to protect important caribou habitat will start in the next few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, decisions about caribou management is a shared responsibility and must consider ecological, cultural, and economic values to achieve balanced outcomes.
I encourage Aboriginal governments, communities, decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public to review, discuss, and provide feedback on these options so we can achieve balance in managing the range of the Bathurst caribou herd for the benefit of current and future generations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Public Works and Services.
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Energy Strategy will support the transition to a lower carbon economy in the NWT in the transportation, heating, electricity, and industrial sectors by supporting efficiency as well as renewable and alternative energy solutions.
Hearing from NWT residents is an important part of developing our strategy, and we started hosting a series of regional public engagement sessions to inform both the Energy Strategy and the Climate Change Strategic Framework in November. We have already been to Inuvik, Norman Wells, Yellowknife, and Fort Smith, and will go to Fort Simpson, Hay River, and Behchoko over the coming weeks. To help frame our public engagements, we have already released an Energy Strategy Discussion Guide, which is also available online.
Mr. Speaker, to make sure that workshop participants properly represented regional interests, the Government of the Northwest Territories brought in stakeholders from the surrounding communities to take part.
The format for these sessions is a two-day invitational workshop along with an evening public session. This approach makes it possible to have participants focus on the Energy Strategy for one day and the Climate Change Strategic Framework on the second day.
These workshops have been well-attended, with roughly 200 participants so far. Feedback has been positive, with participants saying that the format helped them take part in both engagements in a meaningful way.
Through these engagements we heard that energy affordability is a major concern. We also heard that the Government of the Northwest Territories should improve its outreach on energy and how it communicates so people have a better understanding of the Northwest Territories' energy system. It was of great interest to us when many participants expressed desire to be more involved as part of the solution through cooperation and partnership.
Participants generally said, we need to do more to support local renewable and alternative energy. This means solutions addressing affordability as well as greenhouse gas emissions for electricity, heating, and transportation.
We also collected significant feedback on how to support the public on making energy efficiency improvements. Participants expressed that the Government of the Northwest Territories should help more with more upfront, flexible, and expanded programs and services. The input we receive as part of these engagements will be used to help us review energy efficiency programs and services provided by the Government of the Northwest Territories, which is among our mandate commitments.
We also heard about carbon pricing. People asked quality questions and raised legitimate concerns about the potential impacts that a carbon tax could have on residents, business, and industry in the Northwest Territories. This valuable feedback will help guide our research and discussions with the federal government and territorial counterparts on how best to prepare for a price on carbon that works for the people of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of encouraging things through these engagements, and what we heard will be made public through regional engagement reports once all of our workshops are completed.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is involved at a national level in both the Canadian Energy Strategy and the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. It is important that the Northwest Territories be part of a national solution to address climate change and make energy more sustainable. Our involvement allows us to work with our colleagues from across Canada to find solutions for our common issues, ensuring the challenges facing northern jurisdictions are considered. This includes a commitment to work with the federal government to explore expanding the Taltson hydropower site and finding solutions to diesel use in off-grid communities.
Part of our mandate commitment is to participate in the Pan-Canadian Task Force on Reducing Diesel in Remote Communities. This is part of a larger Canadian Energy Strategy. We provided the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Arctic Energy Alliance, Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation, Tlicho Government, and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation with support to attend a national summit on the topic. Making sure that northern voices are part of these efforts at the national level is important, helps us achieve our mandate commitments, and supports the development of our own energy strategy.
The government’s mandate commitments include increasing the production and transmission of renewable and alternative energy and supporting the use of energy-efficient technologies in the residential, commercial, and public sectors. A new energy strategy will help us achieve this. As we near the end of our public engagement sessions, the Government of the Northwest Territories will begin drafting the strategy over the course of this winter and spring. We look forward to sharing it with Members for their input before releasing it to the public later this year.
Mr. Speaker, this strategy will help chart a course for an energy future in the Northwest Territories that will rely less on carbon, will be more secure, and will help fulfill the goals and beliefs of our people. We will create a plan aiming to make sure residents have access to affordable, sustainable energy, and will support our long-term economic, social, and environmental well-being. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our entry into this Legislative Assembly just over a year ago seems a distant memory. Back then, having been a Minister for less than a couple of months, the learning curve was daunting and there were many things I needed to learn. The perception of how long ago those times were is reinforced even more by how much work we have done since then. Not only did I spend days, evenings, and weekends reading binder after binder, I have expanded my housing knowledge the honest way by travelling throughout our territory into our rural and remote communities and talking with the people we represent. These visits allowed me the opportunity to hear first-hand the struggles people face in their attempt to obtain, retain, or maintain housing within their home communities.
We set a path for ourselves with the drafting of our mandate last year, and housing is a large part in realizing our mandate. The housing actions that we have implemented support all of our priorities, but specifically cost of living and community safety and wellness.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide you a progress report on housing activities over the last year.
In terms of homelessness supports, there have been many projects that have been initiated, including the homeless forum to solicit the needs and solutions in Yellowknife, which provided stakeholder-defined solutions to guide the roadmap action group led by the City of Yellowknife. We provided support for the Housing First project operated by the Yellowknife Women’s Society and the renovation of shelters to include semi-independent singles' units. We are also converting vacant units into three four-plexes in the communities to house singles and providing maintenance funding to support these units. We have developed a housing survey and delivered it across the territory to solicit feedback into potential solutions. To date, we have nearly 1,200 replies. The housing survey will be used to identify areas of concern and to guide the revision of all our homelessness programming as part of the strategic program renewal the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation is conducting. We will be looking for ways to amend our policies and our programming, with the ultimate goal of ensuring residents have access to programs and supports to help them enter the housing market and/or retain their housing units.
In terms of subsidized rental housing, investment continued to be made in the renovation and repair of the public housing stock. The modernization of our units, especially through energy-efficient technologies, supports the overall sustainability of this important social infrastructure totaling over 2,400 units. The replacement of old units with high energy consumption with multi-unit buildings that feature energy-efficient technologies such as photovoltaic solar panels, pellet boilers, and solar hot water heaters also helps to improve the sustainability of public housing and lower the cost of living for people.
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation’s homeownership repair programs support hundreds of people and projects a year from preventative maintenance, such as furnace servicing and water tank cleaning, to emergency repair, energy-efficiency renovations, and renovations to improve accessibility. It is anticipated that housing program renewal will explore ways to improve access to homeowners for support, including repair and renovation services for seniors.
The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation implemented an enhanced communications and promotions campaign to raise greater awareness in seniors of the types of support and programming available to them. The most effective tool was direct marketing through visits to each community in the fall of 2016. As Members know, providing support so people can remain in their homes as long as possible assists in helping our seniors age in place and is a key priority in supporting community safety and wellness.
Another action on this priority is the development of seniors' independent housing nine-plexes that are targeted to seniors with lowtomodest income. These facilities are designed for independent living, but also have common areas to promote programming and socialization. These units are critical contributions to the social infrastructure for communities, enabling elders to remain in their home communities where they have the support of their friends and families.
We also continued to make progress in disposing of surplus units, with 55 units disposed of to date and with full expectation that the 201617 target of 89 units, 34 disposed through sales and 55 through demolition, will be reached. Recognizing that these units hold residual value and may be of interest to individuals or local organizations, units for disposal are now listed on the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation website. The disposal of these surplus units will free up land and resources that can be reinvested into housing supports. The demolition of surplus units will also provide an opportunity to train people regarding the removal of hazardous material so that we can hire local people and create employment in small communities.
Mr. Speaker, energy efficiency is important to the sustainability and longevity of our housing programs. Given our high cost of utilities and our cold environment, we are building to a higher standard than southern jurisdictions. As such, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation has been leading the way, using energy-efficient building practices and piloting alternative energy sources. All of our new construction meets or exceeds the high energy-efficiency standard of EnerGuide 80. This year, we have invested $850,000 in energy-efficient projects, including solar, insulation, and other energy upgrades on multiunit public housing buildings.
Minister, at this time your time for Minister's statement has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to finish my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for fiscal year 201718 our capital plan includes $4.8 million in investments in energy-efficient components and upgrades.
We have also partnered with the Arctic Energy Alliance in supporting their LED lighting project, and the upcoming fiscal year will see us investing $200,000 to continue to support the LED initiative for its public housing units. These actions will help reduce CO2 emissions and associated fuel costs for both existing home units and future construction projects.
Having accessible, timely, and responsive property management services is important to our residents who access our rental programs. I am pleased to report that this year we have opened new local housing organizations in the communities of Fort Liard, Gameti, and Whati. Residents can now go down the street in these communities and talk with a housing manager, get counselled oneonone on housing finances, or speak to their maintenance officer about issues they might have.
Mr. Speaker, over the past year, I have learned a lot about the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's programs and policies and the impact these have for residents. All the while, housing programs and services have continued to be delivered with our overarching mandate everpresent and informing our actions. Once the information from our engagement survey is all in and it has been analyzed, I will be moving aggressively to revise and/or develop policy and program responses to address the identified needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, something I am perhaps most passionate about is the development of the Northwest Territories' knowledge economy. I have called for the evolution of Aurora College into a fully realized polytechnic institute. I have advocated for enhancing funding for Dechinta Bush University, and supported legislation to allow made-in-the-North academic degrees.
Mr. Speaker, although the success of our economy has always relied on resource industries, it is time to focus on building a resilient economy that capitalizes on the incredible talents of Northerners. I am talking about a real knowledge economy built on northern innovation and supported by this government as a way to deliver inclusive and sustainable longterm growth.
Mr. Speaker, the Federal Advisory Council on Economic Growth issued the second Path to Prosperity report on February 6th of this year. The report's recommendations are focused on unleashing Canada's economic potential by innovating our current economic paradigm to drive growth through creating a highly skilled Canadian workforce for the jobs of tomorrow. This is the kind of real change that Canadians and our North needs now more than ever to address a troubling trend that is also evident in this report. Up to 40 per cent of the current Canadian workforce will quite possibly become obsolete due to increasing automation within the next 10 years.
Instead of putting their heads into the ground to hide from this inevitability, the advisory council has a solution: to build a highly skilled and resilient workforce. The anchor of this solution to the major structural changes on the horizon is the creation of a future skills lab, a non-profit and non-political body designed to encourage and enable nextgeneration skills. It would invite all levels of government, private sector organizations, labour unions, and other interested parties to partner on an optin basis that would co-finance innovative pilot programs, skills, and competency development that address identified labour gaps.
Mr. Speaker, I truly believe we should take similar actions to unlock innovation within our future generation of Northerners, whether that means restructuring our current publicly funded institutions or taking into account prior suggestions I have put forward on the creation of new ones. We simply cannot afford not to act. The jobs of the future are out there, Mr. Speaker, and it is time that we started encouraging innovation in the northern work force so we won't be left in the cold when the shift comes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in recent days there has been a lot of attention on the government's proposal to end Aurora College's fouryear Teacher Education Program and its twoyear Social Work Diploma program.
Students of these programs were surprised by the cuts. Now they're worried about their education and job futures, while other residents are worried about how we will meet the demand for northern teachers and social workers.
Mr. Speaker, the proposed cuts touch on several issues close to the hearts of Regular Members: job creation, education, the fulfilment of our mandate, and reconciliation.
First, job creation. With the Skills 4 Success action plan, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment seeks to align NWT postsecondary education with job demand, but that is going to need to include jobs in the teaching profession projected in our 15year job forecast to be in top demand.
Last year the Social Work Diploma program had six graduates. All of them were immediately hired or offered jobs, and all of them continued their studies towards a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. That may be a small class, but we're a small territory, and our education system is inextricably linked to the success of our economy.
Next, education and fulfillment of the mandate. Mr. Speaker, it's our part of our mandate to expand, not to shrink opportunities of post-secondary education in northern educational institutions. I'd argue that our Student Financial Assistance program is the best in Canada, helping students pursue their education goals even when it means temporarily leaving the NWT, but if we want to strengthen our own capacity for education and for home-grown workers, like the five women currently in the social work program, we need to support quality options here at home. Mr. Speaker, there is no time like the present.
Third, reconciliation. Mr. Speaker, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called for funding on post-secondary teacher training programs that educated teachers on integrating Indigenous knowledge into their work. The Teacher Education Program does just that.
Mr. Speaker, all 19 Members in the House want to close the skills gap. We all want to see our people working.
If the government feels that the best option for Northerners is to close these programs, Northerners must know that their elected leaders have a clear plan for how our territory will thrive without them. At this point, Mr. Speaker, I'm not seeing the plan. I'll have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning we lost a respected elder from the Sahtu community in Tulita, and on behalf of the Sahtu region we want to send all the family our thoughts and prayers. Boniface Ayha, also known as just Bonni, was a wellknown elder who loved his home community of Tulita; however, he was born and raised in Deline. Bonni loved to laugh and share many Shutagotine stories with our youths. Bonni also served this government for over 24 years and especially enjoyed his time with his family out on the land.
Mr. Speaker, Boniface Ayha leaves behind his wife, Margery, and five boys, and he will be truly missed by his family and the people of the Sahtu Region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Our condolences and prayers goes out to the family, as well. Bonnie also has relatives in Behchoko and Tlicho Region. Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, monsieur le President. I want to talk about how we can develop a real post-secondary education system leading to transformative change in the Northwest Territories. I'm talking about beginning the work of building a university of the Northwest Territories.
Canada is the only circumpolar nation without a university in its arctic or sub-arctic region. In 2015, I had the opportunity to visit the second largest city is Iceland, called Akureyri. It's a thriving place with about 19,000 people and a university established in 1987. There are now about 1,900 students and 180 faculty and staff. Many of the students are from the circumpolar world including Canada. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in business administration, education sciences, educational studies, health sciences, natural resources sciences, and polar law.
There are seven research institutes on campus. All of this activity generates business, innovation, and many international partnerships. There is no reason why we can't do the same here in the Northwest Territories if our leaders have the vision and political will.
In the Northwest Territories we have developed world-leading practices in the documentation and application of traditional knowledge and its use in environmental management. Our integrated resource management system established through Indigenous land rights agreements is the envy of many around the world, and there is a lot of interest and study of what we are doing up here. We are continually developing new approaches to the architectural and engineering challenges of cold climate design, construction, and operations. I have raised the issue of environmental legacies that have been left behind by past industrial operations, but the flipside is that they have developed a lot of experience with site closure and remediation that can be shared around the world.
Putting these concepts together with our existing institutions of College nordique, Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning, and Aurora College, we can build a strong post-secondary education network and university of the Northwest Territories. This is the kind of transformative change that the federal government is looking for and many Northwest Territories' residents, too, as we look beyond mining. I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided] As we know, some small communities already have [English translation not provided]. With current enrolment the people to teacher ratio is 13.3:1, but ECE intends to fund schools to a ratio of 12:1.
There are still several lingering issues, some of which have been brought up by my colleagues. I'll highlight three themes.
First, government-to-government relationships. When ECE moved to include JK students at Chief Sunrise School in the Hay River Reserve, the chief and council were not consulted. Later the Minister met with staff from the local DEA and from the Aboriginal Head Start program, but again did not involve the chief and council.
This is not appropriate, Mr. Speaker. At all times, protocols of consultation and consent must be respected. There are legal precedents that set protocols for consultations.
Second, resources. [Translation begins] We talk about the money and they said if we work on it enough then there will be money there for them, but we're not sure. For me, it's Chief Sunrise School. I think about them. On Monday the Minister of junior kindergarten said if there's money there then in the fall time we might find out, he said, but how much money they're talking about, the teachers, how much they need to work with them, maybe until the end of March, he said. So more than that, the young children, when they're going to school, they have to be bused to this school, too. We don’t know what's going to happen with that. [Translation ends]
Third, small community solutions. While JK is working well and welcome in some communities, that doesn't mean it's right for others. At a constituency meetings in Fort Providence I was told in no uncertain terms that JK should be stopped. There, residents value the strong relationship between the Aboriginal Head Start program and their community. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, colleagues. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There residents value the strong relationship between the Aboriginal Head Start program and their community. They don’t understand why ECE wouldn't want to build on that success.
I will speak more on Aboriginal Head Start tomorrow, Mr. Speaker. For now, let me say that people I have spoken with remain concerned that JK might work in regional centres, but not in our small communities and schools.
Confusion like we've seen in the House this week doesn't soothe those worries. It only muddies the waters and raises more questions. Until tomorrow, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I worked for the CBC, I remember meeting a family in Fort Good Hope and talking to them about education. This conversation happened maybe about 10 years ago. The mom in that family told me that when it came time for high school for their youngest child -- they had maybe four or five kids -- the family decided they would make a special effort for him. They would spend less time on the land and more time in town so that he could attend school every day. They encouraged him to do his best, and he did. He eventually earned a high school diploma and then applied for post-secondary education. I don't recall where he applied, but the response he got was that he needed upgrading. He was shocked, and his family was shocked and disappointed. They had sacrificed and made an investment to get him through high school, but they felt they failed because he needed upgrading even after getting his diploma.
Mr. Speaker, this is a cautionary tale that has some resonance for me because of the agreement between the government and the teachers' union to reduce instructional time by up to 100 hours a year. I don't begrudge the teachers the extra time for preparation, professional development, and writing report cards, not at all. I think the fact they work so many hours speaks to their dedication, but also how thinly resourced the schools are relative to all the demands we now make of teachers to do so much more than teach; but I do worry about the consequences for students, especially those in high school.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, student achievement in the NWT has been gauged by writing the Alberta Achievement Tests in grades 3, 6, and 9. The AATs are a standardized measure of student progress in two areas, language arts and math. The last detailed results I could find are for 2012-13. There's not a lot of difference in results between the regional centres and Yellowknife, but community results are very disappointing. Some of the problem is with low levels of attendance in the small communities, but I also wonder what good reducing instructional hours will do for students who are already struggling, especially in high school. Is there not a way to offset this loss of instruction with supported activities, such as through teaching assistants?
It is in the high school that the reduced hours are most noticeable and will have the most impact. Alberta requires 1,000 hours of instruction a year, while the -- sorry, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude by statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Alberta requires 1,000 hours of instruction a year, while the agreement between the teachers and the government is offering less, a reduction of 50 hours. I worry if that means the NWT high school students will fall behind in their progress through the curriculum, meaning for them, like the student in Fort Good Hope, upgrading will be essential if they want to move on to post-secondary education. I will have questions for the Minister. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to tell you what's been going on in Aklavik's Moose Kerr school over the past year, and I've got to say, they've been pretty busy. Last year, Moose Kerr's 14 teachers taught 161 children, kindergarten to grade 12 students. The school also hosted a safety-theme week, practising fire drills, lockdown procedures, firearm safety, and water safety in the summer, and later reviewing ice safety rules in the fall.
The spring celebration honoured students for strong attendance records and academic achievements, while the school also organized a traditional trappers' week to celebrate traditional practices and give students a chance to learn and play in a new way.
The Moose Kerr isn't only a school, Mr. Speaker. It's also a vital, valuable, and well-used community space, hosting volleyball games, movie nights, and family board game parties. Staff from the Inuvik Community Greenhouse came to town last June. The executive director gave his gardening workshop, you guessed it, at Moose Kerr. The school also welcomed visitors, the legendary NWT ski team, including a local hero, Sharon Firth.
Back in 2015, the Moose Kerr gym even hosted a TEDx Talks conference to showcase Aboriginal culture. Presentations included a talk on education from Moose Kerr's first Indigenous principal, Ms. Velma Iliasiak.
There's so much going on, Mr. Speaker, and so much depending on the school. It's time to think seriously about planning for building a replacement.
We've heard the Minister say that Moose Kerr has been identified for renovation or replacement in approximately two years, in 2019. In the meantime, I want to make sure that we stay on top of active safety concerns. These include possible asbestos risks, especially since asbestos was found in Inuvik's Samuel Hearne School, and road safety because of lack of parking.
Member for Mackenzie Delta, your time for Member's statement has expired.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I was almost done, actually. These include possible asbestos risks, especially since asbestos was found in Inuvik's Samuel Hearne School, and road safety because lack of parking makes the school grounds difficult to navigate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I'll have questions for the Minister later today.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in his sessional statement, the Premier mentioned a combined federal-territorial initiative looking at renewable solutions for the off-grid diesel community. Those solutions exist. Colville Lake has proven that. A carbon tax is coming. Emissions need to be cut. The cost of living needs to be brought down in our small communities, and our small communities need economic opportunity.
There was a Pan-Canadian summit on this priority in Winnipeg in January. There were small community people from Akaitcho, Deh Cho, Tlicho, Sahtu, as well as the chair of the IRC and the senior representative from the GTC, along with staff from the GNWT, NTPC, and the Arctic Energy Alliance. They were in full support at this summit for an initiative to get small communities off diesel.
Mr. Speaker, the technology is there to address this priority. High penetration of micro-grade technology in off-grid communities is a way forward. This is a green economic opportunity that can bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the 26 off-grid communities over the next 10 years, creating economic opportunity, lowering the cost of energy and living, and protecting the environment.
There is a plan for microgrids into the communities, something that all communities want. There is a plan for a charette to bring the communities' Aboriginal government, industry, environmental NGOs, and government together in June in Yellowknife to kick start the process. Over $100,000 has been raised by partners working on this. I support this plan, and ask the government to step up, collaborate, and play a leadership role with other partners to make the charette happen and seize opportunity to help off-grid communities in the development of energy alternatives. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with great sadness, I announce the sudden and unexpected passing of a former colleague and dear friend, Chris Szabo, on January 18, 2017, in his home in the Nasksup, BC, at the age of 59.
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet Chris in the spring of 1988 in Inuvik, then later in Cambridge Bay where he was the recreation coordinator. He spent almost three years in this job, until he became the senior development officer for the Kitikmeot region. Thanks to his leadership, he developed the Kitikmeot Recreation Association and connected the community recreation coordinators to Sport North and the NWT Parks and Rec Association, which he helped form.
In 1991 he moved to Inuvik to be the senior recreation development officer, and then he moved to Hay River to the same job, and finally to Yellowknife at the headquarters where he was:
instrumental in assisting with the Directions for the 90s conference which set policy direction for sports and recreation for a decade;
instrumental in the development of GNWT's Traditional Inuit and Dene dog mushing coaching series;
instrumental in the development of Canada–NWT bilateral funding for implementation of the Canadian Sports Policy;
instrumental in assisting Nunavut with the creation of the sports and recreation branch and the lead-up to division in 1999;
instrumental with the 1998 and 2002 studies on the social benefits of the Arctic Winter Games; and
instrumental in the 2000s Direction Conference which helped shape GNWT policy for years to come.
In 2003, Chris was a recipient of the NWT Honourary Life Membership Award, recognizing him for all his great work.
Mr. Speaker, April 22, 2003, Chris and his wife, Jane Wilson Szabo, moved to Edmonton.
During this time with the Alberta government he was a key contributor to the Framework for Recreation in Canada – Pathways to Well-being; helped plan the 2011 National Recreation Summit; attended all six Parks Forums hosted by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association; and volunteered on a number of association committees.
Mr. Speaker, at this point in time I wish to seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
As Bill Wells said, "Chris was a proactive visionary for recreation and parks in Alberta and he had an impact nationally." This is true for his work he did for the recreation system in the NWT and Nunavut, too.
In 2015 the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association nominated Chris for the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Award of Merit, which he received that fall. He is survived by his sister, his three brothers and their families. He was predeceased by his wife, Jane, and his parents, John and Jeannette.
A memorial mass will be held on Friday, March 31, 2017, at 10:30 at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Edmonton, Alberta. He will be sadly missed. Please join me as we pass on our condolences to his family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Our condolences to the family as well. Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
