[English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, spring is a very exciting time in education. Graduation ceremonies have started and will continue to be taking place at high schools, post-secondary institutions and various technical training programs throughout the Northwest Territories.
These ceremonies acknowledge the hard work and dedication of each individual who has reached his or her goal of completion. Individuals will be acknowledged for excellence in academics, athletics, fine arts, leadership and community involvement.
Whether or not they have won tangible awards, each and every graduate should be exceptionally proud of reaching this milestone in his or her life. The completion of a high school, Adult Literacy and Basic Education, apprenticeship or postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree program is a significant achievement in the lifelong journey of learning.
We are very proud of the efforts and successes of our NWT graduates. I would like to take a moment to congratulate them on their commitment, hard work and perseverance.
Over the years the high school graduation rates have steadily increased across the Northwest Territories. In 2005 the graduation rate was above 50 per cent for the first time ever. That year there were 343 graduates. Graduation rates have continued to increase, and in 2007 we had 370 graduates, a rate of 56 per cent. The numbers reflect the tremendous dedication of students, teachers, educational professionals, elders and volunteers across the territory. Their work ensures that we can meet the needs of northern society for generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, the teachers and educational professionals are an integral part of society. As I mentioned earlier in the session, the first graduating class to have completed the Bachelor of Education degree at Aurora College in the Northwest Territories held their convocation in April. This class includes 15 graduates, 13 of whom are from the Northwest Territories. Many of them will soon be working in schools across the territory. Northern-educated nurses are also important to the Northwest Territories. In 2008 there are 13 students graduating from the Northern Nursing Program at Aurora College. I want to congratulate these and all other Aurora College graduates and recognize their achievements.
Although award ceremonies for many apprenticeship and technical training programs do not coincide with the academic school year, I would like to recognize the achievements of individuals pursuing careers in trades and occupations at a time when the northern economy is rich and there is a great demand for skilled workers.
The list of noteworthy accomplishments this year is extensive. It is difficult to highlight every success within this setting, as each deserves special recognition. However, I would like to recognize the people who helped our students reach their goals. The success of each graduate depends on his or her support system. The help of devoted family and friends is invaluable. They, too, share in our grads’ successes, because they helped the students get there.
Mr. Speaker, the teachers, support staff, volunteers and community members who stand behind each graduate deserve to be recognized as well. The countless hours dedicated to the success of grads have enabled them to reach their full potential. Our graduates are the workers, parents and leaders of tomorrow. We can all be proud of them and their achievements, and we can be sure that each will contribute back to our territory as they realize their full individual potential.
I am very proud of all our northern students and graduates, and I ask the Members of the Legislative Assembly to join me in applauding their achievements. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Applause.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Ministers’ statements. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, as Northerners we value and rely on clean waters and healthy aquatic ecosystems for our spiritual, cultural and physical well-being. It is one of our most valuable resources and will only increase in value and importance as sources diminish.
As we all know, wetlands, deltas and water flows throughout northern Alberta and the southern Northwest Territories are changing. We know these changes may be affecting the fish, moose and other life in the aquatic ecosystems. One of the major issues relates to the pace and scale of development within the Mackenzie River Basin and the potential for this development to impact the waters. We know that the effects of activities outside our boundaries are putting pressures on the basin and are far reaching. The increased demand for energy in hydro, and oil sands development in particular, could compromise the Mackenzie River Basin if not properly managed.
A significant priority of the 16th Legislative Assembly is an environment that will sustain present and future generations. The protection of our water supply and quality is listed as an action item to ensure this priority is successfully met. As a result, the Government of the Northwest Territories continues to take a lead role in forming partnerships to protect the waters of the Northwest Territories and to fulfil our political and moral responsibilities.
As Members of this House are aware, the Government of Canada is legally responsible for the management of water and the regulation of water use in the Northwest Territories. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, in collaboration with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, has developed a framework document on an NWT water strategy. At the appropriate time today, Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling this document.
The paper Northern Voices, Northern Waters is presented in the form of an outline and identifies the issues, challenges and opportunities in this area. The document also presents goals and principles to facilitate sound water management and policy in public water, transboundary waters and aquatic ecosystems.
Aboriginal traditional knowledge is a vital and essential source of information about the natural environment and its resources, including water, the use of natural resources and the relationship of people to the land and each other. The framework acknowledges the significant role of traditional knowledge in ensuring development is sustainable and compatible with protecting aquatic ecosystems.
It is important to recognize and respect aboriginal and treaty rights, land claim agreements and self-government agreements. Water rights and interests are entrenched in land claims and legislation, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is working to ensure that these rights and interests are recognized and respected.
The framework for developing a water strategy will be shaped by the advice and expectations of Northerners. Aboriginal leadership and northern communities have often emphasized the importance of water in the Northwest Territories. Input from NWT residents, aboriginal governments and organizations and interested stakeholders will ensure that all those who have water interests have an opportunity to contribute to the development of a strategy and that it addresses their needs and concerns with a strong northern voice. It is our intention to have the water strategy finalized by March 2009.
Mr. Speaker, our government, together with our partners, intends to do all it can to keep our water resources abundant and healthy. The interests of aboriginal governments and organizations and people across the territory need to be reflected in the development and implementation of the strategy. Northern Voices, Northern Waters will help move us towards these goals and towards the protection of this resource for current and future generations.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk again about the difficulties that northern families have in accessing services for children who are diagnosed with autism. As I stated on June 3, 2008, I can relate to the frustration as I’ve now been waiting since May 11 – that is, five and a half weeks – for information from the Department of Health and Social Services on just exactly what they offer as services.
Mr. Speaker, as I stated before, if I as an MLA cannot readily get this type of information, what hope does the average Northerner have? I’m trying to do my job as an MLA and act as the conduit between the constituent and the government, but if the department or the Minister is unwilling to meet me halfway or at the very least tell me why it’s taking them so long to provide this information, it causes me to wonder. It’s starting to look like they’re more interested in the ministerial privileges than doing the work. How long does it take to say nothing because there aren’t any programs? I’ll type the response myself.
Everyone knows that early intervention is extremely important in making sure that a child diagnosed with autism has the best possible outcome and is able to function to their full potential. This requires support from the Department of Health and Social Services and, of course, the health care professionals for the family and the child. That is where I want to start with my inquiries. What intervention do we have?
As there is with everything, I understand that there is a fine line we walk regarding quality and affordability, but right now we have nothing offered up as facts. With no policy framework in place, what are we doing to offer anything to these constituents? Does it really come down to who you know, the squeaky wheel or even where you live?
Now, if you can get into a program run by the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities, you get to receive between four and five hours a week of support, but, Mr. Speaker, that’s what a province like an Alberta offers per day for children with autism, not to mention that the Alberta expert panel points to getting these children into intervention programs as soon as possible. This will allow these kids to have the best chance to sustain the reasonable quality of life that every other child enjoys. So we don’t have to look too far for examples of what exists.
Later today I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services about where the non-existent policy framework is to deal with children with autism. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the need to support our smaller communities with sport and recreation youth programs.
When we were younger, many of us were able to participate in a wide range of winter and summer sport and recreation activities here in the Northwest Territories. Among them were a very successful skiing program in Inuvik, a floating swimming pool that made stops up and down the Mackenzie River, above-ground swimming pools, and vibrant outdoor rinks in many of our smaller communities: all of this in the 1970s. What happened? How were we able to provide all those activities back then? Today, the youth in many of our small communities don’t have the same opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, part of the reason for the success of these programs was that the communities were able to hire qualified staff: staff who dedicated themselves to their jobs, who had the necessary skills to develop and, more importantly, the natural aptitude to deliver a variety of summer and winter sport and recreational activities for the whole community.
Today, smaller communities struggle to attract, hire and retain qualified recreation and youth staff. There is no question, Mr. Speaker, that small communities need help from this government to be able to properly fill these positions. I firmly believe that hiring qualified recreation professional staff and hiring local recreation assistants is the first step towards addressing many of the sport and recreation and youth problems.
Mr. Speaker, I spoke many times on many issues and concerns affecting the youth in Tu Nedhe and the need for swimming pools, youth centres, more dollars in O&M for existing facilities and much, much more. In addition to all of this, these workers can deliver programs where the youth have fun, enjoy themselves and gain positive experiences in a safe environment.
We need to support these communities. If that means getting creative, so be it. Providing communities with adequate assistance and support to hire qualified staff today can result in cost savings in the long run. However, Mr. Speaker, more importantly, the real benefit to this is that if we can assist communities with this issue, we’ll soon see them become more active, more vibrant and more healthy.
Thank you.
Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke yesterday about housing needs in the Territories, and today I’d like to address a specific aspect of housing. It’s a topic that’s been mentioned several times already by Members of this House over the last weeks and months. That is the need for available, adequate and affordable housing for our teachers.
NWT teachers consistently face housing shortages, unsafe living conditions and exorbitant rent. Last year some 130 teachers were recruited to the North. Of those, 94 were replacement teachers, and 75 of those moved to our small communities. We experience a 20 to 30 per cent turnover of our teachers year after year, and the most often cited reason for this turnover is the lack of available, adequate and affordable housing.
Education authorities cannot sustain such a high staff turnover rate year after year. It costs the education authorities financially. More importantly, there is a cost to the students in our schools. It’s been proven that students perform better when they have consistent, quality teaching. The quality of the teaching is not at issue here, Mr. Speaker, but wholesale changes in school staff every year do have a negative impact on the students and their academic achievements. We want to attract qualified teachers to the NWT and retain them in our schools. How can that happen if housing conditions are deplorable?
The two Yellowknife school boards are lucky enough to have two powers that assist them in the governance and management of their schools. They have the legislated ability to acquire real property and the authority to levy taxes. Over the years they’ve been able to address their teachers’ housing needs on their own without government assistance. Regional boards do not have these abilities and must rely on either the government or the local housing market, which very often is non-existent, to find housing for their staff. The NWT Housing Corporation has admittedly made some effort to supply market housing in some communities, but it’s met with very limited success.
Housing for teachers is still the most difficult aspect of teacher recruitment. The Minister of Education has recently been presented with a study called Cheating our Students: The Impact of Inadequate Housing for Teachers in Small Communities. It has also received a letter of support for the recommendations in the study from the Yellowknife Education District No. 1.
The need for available, affordable and adequate housing for teachers has been around for a long time, Mr. Speaker, and we’re not much closer to filling that need.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker
Unanimous consent granted.
You may conclude your statement, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues.
We’re not much closer to filling the need that exists.
In closing, I’d like to quote from the study.
“If the current GNWT policy on staff housing remains intact then there must be flexibility provided to Councils such as what is available to the Yellowknife District Education Authorities. If schools in the NWT are going to remain attractive to teachers seeking employment…then the need for housing must remain a high priority.”
Action needs to be taken and taken soon. I urge the Minister of Education to consider the recommendations of the study and to respond to the district education authorities immediately.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to publicly congratulate the newly elected president and vice-president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council: Mr. Richard Nerysoo, president, and Mary Ann Ross, vice-president. I look forward to continuing to work with Richard and Mary Ann on the issues that affect the Gwich'in in the Mackenzie Delta region but more importantly to enhancing the Gwich'in social and economic opportunities in the region and throughout the North.
I would also like to thank the people who put their names forward to run in the Gwich'in elections, to serve the people in the Gwich'in nation and to stand for public office. I would like to thank Norm Snowshoe, Robert Charlie, Charlie Furlong and Lawrence Norbert for putting their names forward and for getting their message out. I would also like to take the time to recognize all the Gwich'in people who cast their votes to elect their leadership for the Gwich'in Tribal Council.
At this time I would like to thank the outgoing president, Mr. Fred Carmichael, who has done so much for the Gwich'in nation and for the people in the Northwest Territories during his service as the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council and also as chair of the Aboriginal Pipeline orporation. Fred, we all know, deserves to take some time out and enjoy his retirement. More importantly again, on behalf of the Gwich'in people and the people of the Mackenzie Delta, I would like to thank Fred Carmichael for his commitment and dedication to the people of the Mackenzie Delta.
Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
[English translation not provided].
Mr. Speaker, because of the long distances between our communities in the NWT, air travel has become an essential service for our residents. Most community airports across the NWT are equipped with basic infrastructure, such as adequate runways, navigational aids and runway lighting. This ensures that communities can be safely accessed by air 24 hours a day.
Unfortunately, that is not the case for two communities in my riding. The airports in the communities of Jean Marie River and Nahanni Butte do not have runway lights. The lack of runway lights makes it very difficult for essential services such as medevacs to travel to the communities at night. I just want to mention that June and July aren't issues; it's the winter months.
This is a serious disadvantage and compromises the health and public safety of these communities. The Minister of Transportation has stated that public safety is the number one priority for his department and for the government. I urge the Minister to extend his commitment to public safety to the communities of Jean Marie and Nahanni Butte to ensure that runway lights are installed at these airports.
Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to use my Member's statement today to speak on the whole budget process that we just went through and Premier Roland's announcement yesterday during Committee of the Whole.
I voted at second reading to have the budget put into Committee of the Whole, because I wanted to have the opportunity to debate it. I said at the time that I would fight this tooth and nail for Inuvik and Arctic Tern. Well, we did, and last night and this morning I felt like I was in a brawl after five weeks of Committee of the Whole. But we were able to defer the closure of Arctic Tern, and it wasn't because of me. Although I played a small part in it, it was largely due to the letters that we received from the employees of Arctic Tern. They had a lot to do with my Social Programs colleagues. I shared the letters with them, and they committed their support. The biggest support came from the 11 Regular Members on this side of the House. Without their support — standing with me when it came for a vote — this never would have happened. I appreciate the support, and I thank you for it. According to a few of the e-mails I got from Inuvik this morning, they also thank you very much for your support.
Cabinet also played a role in this. This time you not only talked the talk, you actually walked the walk. We appreciate it, and Arctic Tern appreciates it.
We wanted to be able to save all the jobs, but we weren't able to. For those we weren't able to save, I apologize. But I'm confident that with your abilities and your commitment you will find employment within the GNWT. If you don't find employment with the GNWT because you are an affected employee, let me know. I will raise the issue with Minister Bob McLeod of Human Resources, because affected employees should be first on the list. I think we've already said that.
We fought the budget cuts, not because it was our job, not because we wanted to justify our position as MLAs, and not because of ads in the paper. We fought the budget and the cuts because it was the right thing to do for the people in the Northwest Territories. I said yesterday and I'll say again today — and I read it somewhere on the Internet — I believe consensus government does work. I think this whole budget process was a prime example of consensus government working. Had it not been for that…. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. I was saying this was a prime example of consensus government at work. Had it not been for that, they'd have put forward a budget, and the budget would have been run through with 135 job cuts and everything else they wanted. So I do believe in consensus government.
I work with a lot of Members from the smaller communities. They raise their concerns passionately. I believe we will reinvest in the smaller communities across the Northwest Territories regardless of what other people think, because our Member's Conduct Guidelines say that we will distribute our resources fairly and justly, and I think this Assembly will do that.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I want to use my Member's statement today to speak about yesterday's proceedings in regard to third reading of Bill 8 for the 2008–2009 budget.
As Members are well aware, the last four weeks have been a real battle between the Regular Members and Cabinet. We have moved an historic number of motions during our budget deliberations, and yesterday was the culmination of all of our efforts.
The budget is not perfect, but we were able to minimize job loss and get the message out to our constituents that consensus government can and does still work. Our Premier himself has gone through an amazing transformation — from the Premier who took a hard line early on and said no to any movement by government to address our reinstatements to a Premier who did listen and at the end of the day breathed some life back into consensus government. In the past, Premier Roland has been nicknamed Captain Consensus, and he has on occasion in this House said that he is consensus to the core. So I'm very glad to see the Premier getting back to his roots.
I want to thank Premier Roland for working with the Regular Members on the concessions and also Deputy Premier Miltenberger, whom I know played a key role in bringing the budget to the conclusion that we had yesterday.
I want to say thank you to the UNW for all of their efforts in assisting Members with research and advice and also for their public relations campaign regarding the 2008–2009 budget.
The last four weeks have been a gruelling time for Members — many of us far from home and families — and I want to thank all Members for their efforts and their dedication in arriving, finally, at a product we can accept.
None of our work here would be possible without the professional staff we have here at the Legislative Assembly. I want to thank our Clerk, Mr. Tim Mercer; Deputy Clerk, Mr. Doug Schauerte; all of the Clerk's staff, research staff; and all of the other building staff and service providers who make putting on a budget session — and a session in general — possible. Thank you to you too, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Mr. Speaker, our northern graduate nurses are choosing to leave the North. I would like to profile the experience of one of my constituents.
As a recent graduate of the nursing program at Aurora College in Yellowknife, she enjoyed considerable support throughout her training. Yet upon graduation she found that the reality is that there are not enough positions to satisfy the employment needs of our graduates. Furthermore, positions appear to be being filled not on the basis of qualifications or affirmative action policies but rather on perhaps who one knows in the system.
This person, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing with distinction, specialized in mental health and addictions: clearly an area of priority concern for us. Her qualifications would clearly prepare her to be an asset to our psychiatry unit at Stanton, but instead she was offered a graduate placement position in Hay River as a general medicine nurse. This would have meant selling her home and leaving behind her family and the supports available to her here. This graduate forwarded a resumé of her qualifications to the Calgary Health Region, where it was readily accepted. That’s quite a contrast.
The nursing program was started at Aurora College to keep Northerners home. Yet time and again Stanton Hospital hires new grads from as far away as Newfoundland, while those who have graduated in the North do not meet the qualifications for nursing positions here. Why do our nurses qualify anywhere else in Canada but not in the Northwest Territories? Hiring locum nurses to fill positions at Stanton when we have homegrown talent right here in our backyard does not make sense. Mr. Speaker, we cannot fail to recognize and support our northern residents. Let’s get our priorities right.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Mr. Speaker, today I stand here in regard to my elders’ pension cheques that are not lasting as long as they should because of the high cost of living in the North, which in my riding is 81 per cent higher in communities such as Nunakput than in the capital, Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, my elders should not have to worry about having enough food to last them until the next pension cheque comes in. We need to have action. The Minister has to talk to the federal government to try to give elders a choice of pension cheques once or twice per month. I stand here and I worry. I talked for about half an hour yesterday with a constituent who stated that elders’ cupboards are empty. That’s not right. This government has to act on this. Our people are asking for help, and let’s give it to them. It’s got to be done.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Item 4, Returns to oral questions. Item 5, Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It’s a privilege to recognize Amanda Mallon, who is here with her staff, Dave Roebuck and Colleen Eckert. Amanda served four years as NWTTA president, and she is outgoing president. This is her last month, and we do have a new president coming on stream. I’d just like to say thank you for all the services that you’ve done for us. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a friend, Steven Veness. He’s up there with Tricia Melanderford.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the Assembly. We hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience here.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the need for this government to assist smaller communities so that they’re able to hire qualified sports, recreation and youth staff. My question is for the Minister of MACA. Will the Minister commit to looking at this issue and to developing a plan to assist communities so they can have adequate resources to hire qualified youth staff?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Michael McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, this is an area that we’ve had a number of communities express interest in. We’ve also had some early discussion with the Council of Sport and Recreation Partners, and we’ve talked with the Aboriginal Sport Circle staff about the needs in our communities. We all recognize that more has to be done to assist the communities.
We have a number of funding programs that are directed to the communities. However, we recognize that there are probably other areas, especially in the youth programming area, where we could provide further assistance or find a way to do that. We have already committed to look at this with a number of different organizations, such as the ones I mentioned, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to increasing much needed funding to the communities to specifically address the issue of sports, recreation and youth?
Mr. Speaker, I wasn’t expecting to get that request this soon after concluding our budgeting process. In our recently approved budget we did increase funding to youth by way of creating a second youth position for the north side of the Territories, and we have still retained one position in the south end. We will look at what we can do. We need to have more discussion with our recreation, sport and youth organizations to see what we can do as we come forward for the business planning process.
I’m talking about the government themselves hiring youth staff — people who can deal with youth concerns and do youth surveys. My question is: could the Minister talk to his Cabinet colleagues about putting a budget together sometime in the next business planning process to look at this important issue?
