Statements in Debates

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 51)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The question I want to bring up today is about schoolyard safety.

One of the schools in my riding, which is Mildred Hall School, has a fire hydrant right in the middle of the playground. The children can’t play soccer or play baseball without safety concerns.

From my research, no school in the Northwest Territories, or even Alberta, has this type of safety problem. Actually, it’s beyond ridiculous that the children have to worry about this. In a situation where we have declining physical activity...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

In dealing with one specific family, in fact it is not just about one family, many families struggle with the same problem, which is the justice system recognizes that people with mental illness, this really shouldn’t be the first stop, but unfortunately it is one of the processes that just happens to happen. In cases – and this is the only example that I will give – where the family is helpless because the justice system says that unless they do something to themselves or others, they can’t do anything. The Department of Health sits there and says unless they do something to themselves or...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today I talked about some concerns with the Mental Health Act. As the Minister knows quite well, the Mental Health Act was originated back in 1988 and it has a lot of particular issues, but I know the department is certainly looking forward to updating the act in a current way.

So maybe let’s start with that, because frankly, I have been dealing with families that have been struggling with the archaic act as it is written today and they are looking for some inspiration and certainly some hope as to what processes will be engaged and how soon we...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just briefly I want to speak to the principle of the bill. The Residential Tenancies Act, sorry, my apologies.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mental illness has had such a negative and unfair stigma. Those people facing these challenges are often facing burdens well beyond their individual ability to carry these struggles. They face illnesses of different types that many of us often shy away from. We must support them in their struggle. Many people who struggle with mental illness also face additional challenges such as the struggle with addictions as well as their challenges with the law.

Folks like this who struggle through this don’t necessarily do it alone but they do it through the process of being...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Would the Minister be willing to entertain this type of discussion that we could have our deputy minister, who is very well liked and very well respected in our community… That is Deputy Minister Ernie Campbell. He is a great guy, he communicates well with people and people like him. He could host an evening here with the Minister and ask people what they thought on these types of services, how did it work and what was their vantage point. We have lots of trappers, cabin owners and other people who use the land regularly and they saw different things that all could be a benefit of the Minister...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday MLA Dolynny talked about the resources of the firefighting season that we have just gone through. I’ve been speaking to a number of people about the recent fire season and I think what it really boils down to, a really good question that came over the weekend was: What type of public discussion will ENR be providing the public to come and talk to them?

A good public discussion could provide both education and understanding about the challenges that ENR had this summer and, as such, could go a long ways to going forward in the future.

Would the Minister be...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to be able to be very clear on the record. When I ask this question, I want to be able to go back to these families who are struggling and trying to provide options for their children, and certainly these young people want to be productive.

My question is: If I ask the Minister, what is the name of the one program that is up and running today, what would that program be and how can I point them in the right direction so they can access it so they can get started on their career? By golly, they really want to be involved in something and the Minister can make that...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Although I don’t know the exact phrase, but it’s something to the face of duty bound or obligation when we provide a program and it becomes ineffective, but yet we’re responsible because we do provide it. If we provide an education to people and they’re unable to get into programming afterwards, it begs the question are we not duty bound to ensure that they’re qualified to go forward in the future?

It’s been cancelled over three years, if I understand it. So I’m curious if the Minister has described, as he’s said in his words, very successful to date, what is he talking about that’s actually...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 50)

Thank you. It gives me great pleasure to recognize a couple of the elders here who have done fantastic work here in Yellowknife, and I believe one, if not both of them, is leaving very shortly. I’d like to recognize Elder Ames, and I know he’s leaving here either today or tomorrow, and Elder Anderson, who’s come to Yellowknife to provide service, missionary work to the people of Yellowknife, and the work they do incredibly helps people. I want to thank them dearly for their contribution to our society. Thank you very much.