Mr. Speaker, the transformational changes we have been making across the education system are gaining momentum to help fulfil this government's mandate commitments towards education renewal.
Under the Skills 4 Success strategy, grades nine to 12 students and youth aged 18 to 24 across the North will soon have access to career and education advisors. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has already hired six to work with students to help them navigate their best academic path from "classroom to career."
The career and education advisors have been hired for initial two-year terms based in Yellowknife, but each one is responsible for a specific region. This will enable the team to research and develop a consistent approach for delivering the educational advisory services to students and youth across the Northwest Territories. They will work as a mobile team to provide services both in person and by distance.
School pilots are planned for the 2018-2019 winter semester to pilot the new resources and approach in selected schools throughout the regions. The permanent locations of the positions will be determined once the results of the pilots are available and informed decisions can be made as to where the positions would best be placed. Work is being planned in consultation with education bodies and regional ECE Service Centre staff to build upon and strengthen existing resources.
The advisors will work as a mobile team to provide advice to students and youth so that they can make informed decisions to improve their education and employment outcomes. They will also support youth aged 18-24 to become re-engaged in learning, promote skilled trades as careers, and assist students with finding financial supports for in-demand occupations.
Mr. Speaker, the department has also been working to solidify all of the components of the High School Pathways initiative. This work includes new high school completion options, new courses, counselling supports, and technologies to better support students and offer them new opportunities. I am pleased that courses on life skills are now being added, so students have an understanding of finances, budgeting, self-awareness, and decision-making, as well as preparing them for further education or training and giving them effective tools to manage their lives.
Focus groups with students and teachers, as well as community town halls, will take place in the spring of 2019 to engage parents, students, and communities. The new High School Pathways model will roll out across the Northwest Territories one grade at a time, starting with grade seven students in September 2019-2020.
As a part of the High School Pathways initiative and as a further contribution to Indigenizing education, ECE will begin the development of a new Northern Studies 20 course that will be required for graduation.
Northern Studies 20 will be focused on opportunities for students to learn about land claims, treaties, and implementation agreements, as well as more in-depth learning about the Northwest Territories' style of consensus government. Northern Studies 20 is expected to be fully implemented in 2023-2024, with the first cohort of grade 11 students following the new High School Pathways model.
Mr. Speaker, another objective of education renewal is to assist students to be able to access the courses necessary so they can attend any post-secondary school they choose. A critical initiative we have in place, and one that has proven to be successful, is Northern Distance Learning.
Northern Distance Learning allows students to remain in their community and take higher-level academic courses via a video conferencing network out of Inuvik. Education, Culture and Employment worked with education bodies to identify the next four small communities to offer Northern Distance Learning in 2019-2020, and they are Fort Providence, Lutselk'e, Paulatuk, and Whati.
There will be a total of 15 schools accessing this service in 2019-2020. The program will be expanded further in 2020-2021, for a total of 20 schools that will offer a comprehensive education in students' home communities.
Students will experience high-quality and uninterrupted Internet service through dedicated bandwidth purchased specifically for the delivery of this initiative. It is important that every student have an opportunity for quality education, and we are proud that we are now able to offer this opportunity to students in small and remote communities.
Mr. Speaker, no single group or organization can accomplish change alone. Our partnerships with our school bodies, the NWT Association of Teachers, parents, and community members are critical to our success. Positive, healthy experiences for children of all ages are a shared responsibility that includes business and community partners, health services, government, and families working together toward a common goal, the healthy development of the children of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Last week, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, CRTC, which is a federal regulatory body that oversees all Canadian broadcasting and telecom activities, released a report on aggressive and misleading series of sales practices within the telecommunications industry.
Mr. Speaker, this report has long been awaited because many Canadians, including many Northerners, have long suspect the existence of such sale practices. After months of research and cross-country consultations, the CRTC has concluded that there is, indeed, a high prevalence of aggressive and misleading sales practices within the telecom and television marketplace. Such sale practices are found to exist in all manners of sale, including in-store and over-the-phone, door-to-door and online.
Mr. Speaker, some examples of these negative sales practices include sale agents not accepting no as an answer or service providers making it difficult to change or cancel services or sale agents withhold key contractual terms or provide inaccurate consumer information. Of course, some service providers engage in such practices more than others. However, these practices are occurring to such an extent that it is resulting in harm being done to consumers.
Mr. Speaker, these situations have a potential to inflict both mental stress and financial hardships with consumers. Moreover, the effects of such harms are amplified when it comes to vulnerable populations such as seniors, persons with disabilities, and people with language barriers. Other vulnerable factors include low-levels of digital literacy skills as well as lower education and income levels.
In terms of solutions, Mr. Speaker, while the report did indicate that service providers do have internal measures to monitor such sales practices, they vary from one provider to another. Overall, existing internal measures are insufficient. The report also noted that based on evidence gathered, many people are unaware of what options exist to seek redress in this area. For instance, the report discovered that many Canadians don't know that there is an independent body dedicated to resolving telecom consumer complaints, which is called Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services.
Mr. Speaker, while this report does fall under the federal jurisdiction, my goal with this statement is to help raise awareness around this issue with people of the NWT because, clearly, more work needs to be done in addressing negative sales practices within the telecom industry across this country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I rise today to speak on the importance of learning new languages and how language learning connects us to our culture and heritage and is kept alive by the hard work of dedicated community members who promote and preserve language-learning in our communities. Although there are many different organizations devoted to language promotion in the Northwest Territories, I want to take the time today to recognize the NWT branch for Canadian Parents for French and the many volunteers who support the organization.
I first learned about Canadian Parents for French, or CPF, when I was looking for extracurricular activities in French for my son, who I am proud to say is enrolled in a French-immersion program and is well on his way to fluency in both English and French. I was so impressed with the quality of the CPF programs that I immediately joined the organization and continue to support their important work in the NWT.
Canadian Parents for French [Translation] is dedicated to the promotion of learning of French as a second language for young Canadians. In 1977, Keith Spicer was the Official Languages Commissioner for Canada. He was interested by the bilingualism of young Canadians. He met parents across the country who wanted that their children would learn a second language. This small group, originally started with parents, became a national network made up of 10 chapters and 150 sections all over the country. Over the past four years, local chapters in the Northwest Territories have already consulted with groups and native governments for developed strategies and to ensure the preservation and teaching of other official languages.
Mr. Speaker, the ability to speak several languages or any language gives our young people a competitive advantage to help them find work and to find new friends who come from different cultures. This ability to speak several languages also gives a different perspective on the world, how an individual understands definitions and complex situations. That is to say, the ability to think, to express yourself, and to feel the feelings of other individuals gives unlimited advantages. [Translation ends]
Language is, without a doubt, an important part of shaping individual and community identity. With 11 official languages, each one unique and priceless its value to our Northern heritage, keeping language-learning strong is so important in achieving that goal. It is thanks to organizations like Canadian Parents for French that we can ensure future generations will continue to reap the benefits of speaking more than one language. I want to express my personal gratitude for this wonderful organization and the volunteers who work hard to make it a continued success. Merci, Monsieur le President.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs for developing the Youth Ambassador Program and giving Northern youth an amazing opportunity to volunteer and experiences events across Canada and even internationally.
I have had the opportunity to witness first-hand what they experience at these events.
I would like to thank the staff who spent the past year getting our youth ready for the 2019 Canadian Winter Games experience in Red Deer.
Mr. Speaker, I could spend hours talking about this great program, but I think it best to use words from our youth from Sambaa K'e, Fort Liard, and Fort Simpson.
"The trip to Red Deer was very tiring, but very worth it! It's so nice here. I went to a two-hour shift and traded some pins, and I've learned how to use the transit system. I've met a few people from different provinces, and I'm really looking forward to next week!" Aaron.
"I am excited and proud to be part of the NWT Youth Ambassadors Program again and to be in Red Deer, Alberta, volunteering at the Canada Winter Games. The journey here was quite tiring, but it was really worth it. So far, my shifts have been at the Red Deer Curling Centre, and I have met lots of people from all over Canada! I advise the youth in the NWT to sign up for this program next time because they're missing out on an awesome experience if they don't!" AJ.
"I am excited to be a part of the NWT Youth Ambassador Program for the Canada Winter Games. The trip was exhausting but was worth it! Today, I started my shift at 7:00 a.m. for volunteer services. The job is excellent. There is a lot of friendly people that I greet, and I check them in and out. Given this opportunity to gain new experiences and seeing people all around is amazing. Pin trading is slowly starting to take over me, but I hope everyone here has an amazing time as I am." Angel-Rose.
"It's been really interesting working and taking in the entertainment while being in a place I haven't been before. Two days ago, I was able to go to a Brett Kissel concert. It was a lot of fun! I had a blast, and that will probably be my best night in Red Deer!" Zaida.
In closing, I would like to thank all of the youth for their hard work and the department for their commitment to our youth, and I wish them all the best. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. World Water Day, led by the United Nations, will take place on March 22nd. For the past 26 years, the United Nations has partnered with countries and communities around the world to raise public awareness of the importance of fresh water and sustainable management of water resources. This year, World Water Day will focus on the theme "Leaving no one behind."
That means advocating and taking action for access to water, protecting and managing water resources, and educating ourselves on issues of water access, pollution, treatment, and sustainability.
Here in the Northwest Territories, the federal and territorial governments are working with local leaders and educators in Tuktoyaktuk as well as the Inuvialuit Water Board to celebrate World Water Day in that community.
If you are in Tuktoyaktuk on March 22nd, there will be World Water Day events at Kitty Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., including information booths, activities, challenges, displays on water and waste, and even door prizes.
There will also be opportunities to learn about water treatment, with a presentation from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and options for a tour of the community's water treatment plant.
Tuktoyaktuk youth are also getting involved. Students from Mangilaluk School worked hard on submissions to a poster contest and an emoji contest, both around the theme of raising awareness around water needs and water pollution.
I'd like to congratulate the students from Mangilaluk School and the winners, Emily Panaktalok-Raddi, Corabella Chicksi, Zoey Warren, Miley Wolki, Tameqaw Pokiak, and Jaden Cockney. If you make it out to World Water Day in Tuktoyaktuk, be sure to look out for their art on display.
Mr. Speaker, I definitely encourage people in the region to attend and learn more about water management in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was recently concerned to learn that measles virus has spread to the NWT, and more specifically, to my region in the Beaufort-Delta. This concerns me, because measles is a very serious and contagious disease caused by a virus. It can spread quickly through the air from an infected person when they cough or sneeze.
Measles causes a red, blotchy rash, high fever, runny nose, cough, and red eyes. Most people recover fully from measles within two to three weeks, but measles can be dangerous, especially for infants, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.
Complications from the measles disease can include:
Ear infections;
Pneumonia; and
Encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, which can cause seizures, brain damage, or death.
Mr. Speaker, immunization is the best way to protect against getting measles. Measles-containing vaccines are safe and extremely effective. Higher-risk individuals exposed to measles should immediately contact their community health centre or healthcare practitioner. Two doses of the vaccine are almost 100 percent protective.
Because of immunization, measles is now a very rare disease in Canada, but outbreaks still occur. Most cases occur in people born in 1970 or later who have not received two doses of measles vaccine and were in the same room as someone with measles. Most at risk are Canadians who travel overseas to areas with lower immunization rates or to areas with outbreaks.
I am very concerned, and I want to ensure my constituents, especially children and parents, have access to the important health information and vaccines that can protect us from this disease. I'll have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services later today. Thank you.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am excited to report that today is the first day of the 37th Annual K'amba Carnival. That's right; since before some of my honourable colleagues were born, a team of dedicated volunteers from K'atlodeeche First Nation, led by super volunteer Diane Fabian, have organized a winter festival that has been going strong since 1982.
This winter gathering commonly sees visitors from northern Alberta and British Columbia, and from all over the Northwest Territories. Many also come home especially for the carnival.
The carnival takes place on the first weekend of March. This year, activities start today, February 28, and run through to March 3rd.
I have taken a look at the agenda, and it is jam-packed with activities. The carnival started with a fire feeding ceremony today at lunchtime, and over the rest of the day we'll see some long-time favourite events, including the crowning of the Carnival Queen. We will also get to meet the carnival's brand-new mascot, designed by two Hay River artisans, Kim Lea and Trisha Laye, who will be revealed during the festivities.
On Friday, there will be outdoor youth games, a $10,000 bingo, and a drum dance; and on Saturday, things will get going with hand games, dog races, adult outdoor games, a talent show, and a country and western dance featuring Shane Daniels and the Usual Suspects.
If you thought things would slow down by the weekend, Mr. Speaker, you thought wrong. We will see a pancake breakfast, more hand games, dog races, and outdoor games, as well as a poker derby, the awards ceremonies and raffle draws, and a drum dance. After that, I hope the hardworking volunteers will be able to take a well-deserved break.
Mr. Speaker, I hope you and my colleagues will join me in congratulating the K'amba Carnival Organizing Committee for their incredible contribution to their community. They were recognized with an outstanding Volunteer Award in 2016, and they are as worthy today as they were then. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The government is considering amending its Employment Standards Act. A survey on the proposed changes closed about a month ago. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is promising a report on what they heard soon, and I am looking forward to hearing that the changes to the act will include leave for workers who have experienced domestic violence.
Mr. Speaker, domestic violence leave is a period of approved absence from work. Employers covered by the Employment Standards Act would make the time available to employees. Employees could use the time to seek medical attention, attend counselling appointments, get legal advice, or find a place to live. The benefit to the employee is that they don't have to worry about job security while they are coping with domestic violence. The advantage to employers is that they are able to retain workers who might otherwise quit.
Domestic violence leave is now available in five provinces. The offering varies from five days of paid leave in Manitoba to 10 days of unpaid leave in Alberta. The federal government is also looking at introducing a combination of five days paid and five days unpaid leave for federally regulated industries, extending this benefit to almost a million workers.
If the NWT follows suit, there are several best practices to consider. The first is that there should be few barriers to accessing this leave. The second is that at least five days of leave should be paid. We know that many people struggle with the cost of living in the North, and they may be reluctant to take time off if the leave is unpaid. The next best practice is that discretion to grant leave should be up to employers, rather than some outside authority. They would decide how to verify the need and what, if any, written justifications they require. Of course, keeping all the information the employee shares confidential is of primary importance. Lastly, the allocation of the time should be flexible, so that employees can take the leave intermittently or in a block, depending on what they need.
Mr. Speaker, we are all aware of the epic rates of family violence we experience in the Northwest Territories, and of the difficulty of attracting and keeping staff. Domestic violence leave would address both of those issues, and I look forward to seeing it included in the forthcoming amendments to the Employment Standards Act. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment has issued 10 significant discovery licences for oil and gas since devolution. The area covered by these licences is almost 2,200 square kilometres, an area about 39 percent the size of Prince Edward Island.
Our government will get no revenues, generate no taxes, and ensure no employment and no benefits from these areas that are now tied up virtually forever.
Significant discovery licences arose in the federal legislation that we inherited for petroleum resources. They allow companies to have exclusive ownership of oil and gas rights without having to do any work or pay any fees, forever. Companies can even get these licences without doing anything except being near another significant discovery licence. A Minister could require drilling to take place, but this has never been done. Such licences amount to a resource giveaway that does nothing for our economy or for future generations.
Unfortunately, this has happened under our watch after devolution. The Minister had and still has options to change this bad move. This should have been fixed right after devolution, rather than waiting for five years. There was no reason to wait this long, and other options may have been open to the Minister.
Some of the ways to deal this problem include fixed terms for significant discovery licences, limiting their size, setting work requirements or fee payments, or even eliminating such authorizations so an operator would move directly to a production licence. Solutions are the subject of a bill before this House, and I will not discuss this any further.
Needless to say, I will have questions for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment over the post-devolution issuance of 10 significant discovery licences, how this happened, and what options may be open to generate benefits and revenues. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is going to be a very scary weekend in Yellowknife. People from all around the circumpolar world are going to invade the capital, making our townsfolk quake in their boots and hide their eyes.
No, Mr. Speaker, it's not the zombie apocalypse, and it's not mosquito season. No, tonight is the kickoff to the Dead North Film Festival. This festival is entering its eighth year showcasing independent short horror films produced around the north.
Dead North is, as they call it, the "twisted brainchild" of two Yellowknife filmmakers, Jay Bulkaert and Pablo Saravanja of Artless Collective, a Yellowknife North media production company, by the way.
Since 2012, over 130 short films have been produced for Dead North by filmmakers from the NWT, Yukon, Nunavut, and as far away as Iceland. After Dead North, many of those films have travelled even further to festivals around the world, including Fantasia, imagiNATIVE, New York City Horror Film Festival, and the famous Cannes Film Festival.
This year's Dead North Film Festival will screen a record number of films. As well as screenings, the festival has visiting guests and offers workshops that provide mentorship to young northern filmmakers just learning their craft.
Mr. Speaker, Dead North is just one example of how the NWT arts industry is growing and succeeding. Over the last 10 years, the Yellowknife International Film Festival, sponsored by Western Arctic Moving Pictures, has also grown by leaps and bounds. WAMP's annual 48-Hour Music Video competition also draws a large turnout every year.
These reveal something great going on, Mr. Speaker. The northern arts community told us for years that they were ready to grow and expand into new things. This government has listened by expanding our support for the arts. Soon our new arts strategy will be released, providing further support for filmmakers, visual artists, carvers, writers, craftspeople, musicians, who all make up essential parts of our growing arts community.
Mr. Speaker, our mandate goal of economic diversification has not been achieved equally well in all areas, but in the arts, and film and TV in particular, I think we can all be proud of its success.
In particular I want to congratulate the founders of Dead North and all of the filmmakers, actors, technicians, and volunteers who work hard to make it possible. Thank you, and we'll see you at the movies, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the latest round of UNW negotiations sparked a lot of conversations about the cost of living, and not just among unionized employees, but also among those in the private sector, where step increases and annual increases aren't necessarily the norm.
Businesses across the North are struggling, and with increases in the minimum wage, ever-increasing WSCC premiums, and the upcoming carbon tax hitting small businesses harder than anyone else, it is increasingly difficult for companies to just keep people employed, let alone increase wages to keep up with the cost of living. I have heard these concerns from industries across the board.
Addressing the rising cost of living for unionized employees is easy. You just plug some numbers into a collective agreement. It is considerably more difficult to address in terms of the private sector, but there are some obvious things that this government can do.
We can do a better job of ensuring that the money that the government spends stays in the NWT. With a downturn in Alberta's economy, southern companies are looking for work, and because of their lower overhead, they are often able to underbid local companies. While saving $100,000 on a $10 million contract sounds great, that's $10 million not going into the pockets of Northerners.
We also need to get our WSCC premiums in check. On average, employers in the NWT pay double what they would in Alberta, and our private sector employers are paying rates that are two to six times higher than the GNWT's rates.
We need to do a better job utilizing the Business Development and Investment Corporation, so that it lives up to its mandate and provides support to new businesses as they are developing and assists existing businesses through these tough economic times.
All of these things can be done and would actually take relatively little effort. However, Mr. Speaker, there is something that could be done with virtually no effort and would have an immediate and noticeable effect for small businesses. We can reduce taxes on small businesses.
Most small businesses in the North qualify for the federal small business deduction, meaning that they pay a 4 percent corporate tax rate. I propose that we reduce that rate to zero percent. That would put about $2.5 million in the pockets of private sector employers and employees and help them cope with the ever-rising cost of living.
Mr. Speaker, reducing taxes is in the mandate of the GNWT, but there appears to be no effort to fulfill this commitment. Before the end of this Assembly, I will table a private Member's bill to reduce the tax rate for small businesses to zero percent. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today, as always, to recognize a man of many hats and resident of Yellowknife North, Mr. Tony Whitford.
I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize Jay Bulkaert and Pablo Saravanja, the founders of Dead North Film Festival and the owners of Artless Collective.
We also have some friends of Dead North here with us as well, Tim Jones, and of course, we have Mandy McDonald here as well. Thank you for being here. Welcome.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize some of my friends from the Canadian Parents for French organization. We have Maggie Hawkes, board member, Jessica Payeur, the executive director, and Wendy Karstand, who has been president of the organization for the last six years and is retiring this year. The success of the organization couldn't have been done without her, and I want to recognize her time with the organization and thank them for being here today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Ruth Caroll, originally from Fort McPherson, who is living in Whitehorse at the moment, who is our interpreter for the Gwich'in language. I would like to thank you for all of the work that you have done this week, and safe travels back home. Thank you.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to recognize a couple of Pages who are residents of Frame Lake: Monika Kunderlik and Grady Stabel. They have been working with us throughout this long sitting, and I really appreciate their efforts. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed anyone in the gallery, thanks for being here with us. It is always good to have an audience as part of our proceedings. Masi. Sorry. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a couple of Pages from Yellowknife South: Janica-Lei Silverio and Tyson Lafond. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier my Member's statement was on World Water Day with the United Nations, and I have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that ENR will be running a few activities in Tuktoyaktuk for World Water Day for the general public. Can the Minister tell us a bit more about how ENR recognizes World Water Day or other engagement activities for water awareness? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, International Water Day, as the Member pointed out, is held usually on March 22nd, and it aims to highlight the importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of freshwater resources. We recognize the importance of that. Earlier this year, the chair of the Inuvialuit Water Board reached out to our office requesting support for an event planned for the community of Tuktoyaktuk to celebrate this year's World Water Day. In October of last year, I provided a letter of support and committed department officials to work with the board in a collaborative manner on this important event.
I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, organizations like the Inuvialuit Water Board have an important role to play in sustainable water management in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is: what is the working relationship between the department and the water boards across the Northwest Territories?
