Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in the House today to inform Members that effective October 1, 2008, penalties under the NWT Motor Vehicles Act have changed. Fines for speeding in school and construction zones, along with fines for driving without proper insurance and without an authorized driver’s licence, have all increased.
Increasing the fines in the school and construction zones will help protect the safety of children and workers and others who use the highways. Driving at slower speeds provides for a greater driver reaction time. High penalties will be combined with increased enforcement to reduce the risk of our children and road workers being injured by speed.
Mr. Speaker, when someone decides to drive without insurance, the consequences apply not only to them but to other highway users. With the current fine of $500 people may decide to take the risk of driving without insurance, as the penalty is much less expensive than the cost of buying insurance. Increasing the fine from $500 to $1,700 will be an incentive to purchase insurance and will ensure that everyone is adequately insured and protected.
A number of drivers choose to drive without a valid driver’s licence or during periods when they have been suspended from driving. Driving a motor vehicle is a privilege that is only authorized while holding a valid driver’s licence. Increasing the fine of $100 to $300 will be a greater deterrence to this unacceptable behaviour.
The department has discussed these changes with law enforcement, the insurance industry, school authorities and the construction association. Everyone is enthusiastic and supportive of the fine amendments, indicating that the stricter penalties will go a long way to improve the safety of our highway system and reduce the number of preventable collisions in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, after a number of years of steady progress in reducing the number of collisions in the NWT, in 2007 the number of collisions spiked. There was a total of 738 collisions reported in 2007, 12.7 per cent more than in 2006. The number of collisions was also higher than the ten year average. Five people lost their lives in five separate collisions. Two of the five fatalities were linked to being under the influence of alcohol. The other three fatalities occurred when a driver lost control of the vehicle. Many of these collisions could have been prevented through safer choices.
Not only did the number of collisions increase in 2007 but the number of injuries as a result of these collisions also rose. We all know that wearing seat belts and properly installing and using infant car seats saves lives. The severity of injuries is lower for collision victims using seat belts. Only 8 per cent of those wearing seat belts were injured. On the other hand, 37 per cent of those not wearing seat belts were injured, some fatally. Safety devices such as seat belts or car seats can help prevent the potential fatal consequences of a collision.
Most injuries and fatalities from collisions are preventable. The department has launched Drive Alive!, a partnership-based safety and public awareness initiative aimed at reducing the number of collisions by raising public awareness about the choices people can make to keep themselves safer.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll use this opportunity to reinforce some of the key messages of Drive Alive!. First,
Reduce speed, and drive according to road conditions and signage;
Prepare for the unexpected; and
Maintain and use safety equipment, particularly seat belts.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite Members of this Assembly and the public to take a look at the 2007 Collision Facts Report posted on the Department of Transportation’s website. I hope that as a result of the increased fines and the Drive Alive! safety education program safer choices will be made by all motorists so that in 2008 I will have more positive news to report.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Statement delivered in aboriginal language and then in English.]
Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, the community of Tulita celebrated the grand opening of the new Chief Albert Wright School.
The new school is larger and includes a gym, a community library, computer areas, wireless networking, a large science room and a great view of Bear Rock.
Thanks are due to the District Education Authority, the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, Pin-Taylor Architects, Dowland Construction, the school staff and the community for the hard work that has been put into this new facility. Special thanks are also due to the Tulita Yamoria Community Secretariat, which came together to fund the gym, a beautiful facility for both the school and the community. This group is made up of the Tulita Band, the Métis Financial Corporation, the Tulita Financial Corporation, the Hamlet of Tulita, and the Shihtaotin Land Claim Group. This is yet another example of northern governments and agencies working together to maximize facilities for our people.
The new school was completed in April, and students were able to move into their new facility on April 24, 2008. I know the students and everyone involved were excited and pleased to have a new school in their community. Last year the old school was damaged by fire, which meant the District Education Authority, the school staff, the students and the community had to make many adjustments to carry out programming in various facilities.
I would like to particularly recognize principal Wayne Dawe, school staff and superintendent Seamus Quigg for their efforts to make sure studies were minimally disrupted during this situation.
Thanks to all of the GNWT’s partners it is now possible for Tulita’s 153 students to begin the coming school year in a wonderful facility that will help them to reach their full potential. I look forward to seeing the new school at my earliest opportunity.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the increasing cost of heating our homes and the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, wood pellet heating is an economically and environmentally friendly alternative. This week, October 3 to 4, the Arctic Energy Alliance, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is hosting the Wood Pellet Fair in the Greenstone Building in Yellowknife.
Wood pellets are a Canadian renewable resource made from forest industry waste wood and are used in wood pellet stoves, boilers and furnaces. Burning at a very high temperature, wood pellets eliminate the waste product often associated with wood heat. A 40 pound bag of pellets produces only three ounces of ash. Burning wood pellets does not contribute to ozone or greenhouse gas levels.
Wood pellet costs are stable. They are not subject to the whims of foreign producers and can reduce home heating bills by up to 50 per cent. Wood pellet heating has been endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States as one of the cleanest burning, most renewable energy sources on Earth. Wood pellet heating is becoming more popular in the Northwest Territories as advances in new technology bring new furnaces and boilers to market to replace or augment oil as a fuel source in central air furnaces and boilers.
Last year we paid out more than $27,000 in rebates for wood pellet stoves and boilers through the Energy Efficiency Incentive Program. We expect an increase in applications this year. This technology works for small and large applications. A homeowner could install a small supplementary heater. Large boilers can also be installed to heat our large institutional buildings, as has been shown in an installation at the North Slave Correctional Centre. There is also potential for wood pellet technology to be used in generating electricity in those communities currently relying on diesel generation.
The Wood Pellet Fair is an excellent opportunity for residents to learn more about this technology and how it can reduce both the cost of heating our homes and greenhouse gas emissions. A number of local and national exhibitors are attending the fair to explain the benefits of wood pellet heating technology and answer any questions. I encourage anyone interested in learning more about wood pellet heating to attend the fair.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Across the Northwest Territories students, teachers and school staff have returned to work for a new school year, some from as early as August. I would like to extend a welcome to all our new students, teachers, administrators and their families. I would also like to welcome and thank those who are returning. A continued commitment to learning in the Northwest Territories is what keeps our school going.
A new school year needs a fresh start, and it means a renewed commitment to education… [Translation ends] …and continuing the journey of lifelong learning. As we continue to make improvements to our schools and education systems for our students, our schools are getting better and better. I’m confident that these changes will reflect on the future success of the North.
In closing today, I would like to mention that it is World Teachers’ Day on October 5. We may have brand new schools, eager students, an impressive curriculum, but without teachers to guide our students on the learning path, we are nowhere. Our teachers and students are important resources in keeping our territory strong, and for keeping and also helping us reach our full potential as a territory. I hope to update you on activities and successes of students and schools in the Northwest Territories through the school year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to highlight this Sunday, October 5, which is Run for Our Lives. On Sunday hundreds of participants in six of our communities will take part in the CIBC sponsored Run for Our Lives to raise funds for breast cancer.
You may know of the national event Run for the Cure, but Run for Our Lives is an NWT event made in the North for the North, and the dollars stay in the North. Several years ago a dedicated group of volunteers, tired of sending our hard earned NWT fundraised dollars to the South, decided that a breast cancer fundraiser event would better benefit Northerners financially if it were held in the North. With that, the NWT- CIBC Run for Our Lives was born.
The first year the run only took place in Yellowknife, but this year there will be runs in Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Hay River, Yellowknife, Norman Wells and Inuvik. Each community hosts their own run, and the proceeds from the runs go towards the collective northern goals to fight breast cancer. Hats off to the Run for Our Lives committee, who has so successfully expanded this fundraiser in a short period of time.
This run allows Northerners to determine how the funds raised by the people of the NWT will be invested. It’s not decided by Southerners.
How successful is this event? Well, the net proceeds from the 2007 run were over $185,000. These funds are being used to pay for the NWT-wide Breast Health Navigator Program, which is run by Stanton Territorial Hospital. Through this program breast cancer patients in NWT communities are visited and counselled by the patient navigator without having to leave their community. The proceeds also provide funding to the NWT Breast Health/Breast Cancer Action Group, a group which develops breast cancer projects and services in the NWT and which promotes the awareness of breast health at the community level.
Proceeds contribute to a special Stanton Territorial Hospital fund for breast cancer related major equipment, such as a digital mammography machine. Lastly, a portion of run funds also goes to national research in the hope that someday we’ll find a cure.
There are few of us who have not been touched in some way by breast cancer: a family member, a friend, a co-worker.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
We can assist our communities, our patients and ourselves by taking part in this year’s Run for Our Lives. You can make a donation. You can collect donations. You can take part in the run. Or you can work as a volunteer. Every little bit helps. And if you can’t do any of these, this Sunday be sure to stop for a moment to remember someone affected by breast cancer and wish them well. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. With the rising cost of fuel across the NWT my constituents in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e are going to feel the crunch this winter. It is certainly even possible that many residents of Tu Nedhe who are under 60 years old and not eligible for the seniors’ fuel subsidy will not be able to heat their homes all winter and pay for their fuel bills.
Certainly in both communities of Tu Nedhe, most have a fuel fired heating system in their homes. If they cannot pay for their fuel bills, they will have no heat this winter.
This government has recognized that reducing the use of fuel to heat homes has positive aspects, including the reduction of greenhouse gases and the reduction of the dependency on high priced products to heat their homes and that also damages our environment. To that end, the government is willing to examine various initiatives that will combat the high cost of energy and the overall cost of living for residents of the NWT. However, many of these planned initiatives are long term and will not have an immediate impact on the households of Tu Nedhe.
Today one way of having an immediate impact on the residents of Tu Nedhe is to provide alternative heating sources to the residents. Simply put, residents cannot afford to heat their homes all winter with fuel. Rebates are good for most residents who can drive to the local store and purchase a stove. However, in Tu Nedhe residents will need more government support to obtain wood stoves to heat their homes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Today I want to talk about the high cost of living in the communities of Nunakput and the devastating effect it’s having on my elders. I watch elders at the store in Tuk struggling to pay for their groceries. I help out when I can, Mr. Speaker, but I can only afford occasional bags of groceries that will only last an elder a day or two. The situation is only going to get worse as these same elders will soon have to pay higher bills for their home heating fuel and their electricity.
We are failing as a government. We have encouraged the people to move into their homes, and now, with all the increases in heating fuel and electricity costs, they will be unable to meet their mortgages or, in cases of elders on fixed incomes, to afford proper nutritional foods. With the high cost of gas for snowmobiles, to go out on the land for traditional food, it is very prohibitive. If you go out and you get skunked, you really have to question whether you should have gone out or just spent the money at the grocery store.
My people have always shared. Many people give elders meat and fish whenever they can. But I have to admit that if you have to spend $300 in gas and you only get one caribou, you might not be inclined to share with elders that you are not directly related to. That’s human nature. Even the people with high paying jobs are hard pressed to afford to go out on the land and harvest traditional foods.
In my mind, all the initiatives, all the special ministerial committees, all the proposed tax increases really don’t matter if we can’t make sure our elders and families have a comfortable place to live and enough to eat. To the Ministers on the other side, you are going to become very familiar with me over the next three years. I have been here for a year now. I have not yet seen much happen to benefit the people I represent, and that’s going to change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Northerners are reeling from the increased costs of gas, diesel and home heating fuel and are fearful for what this winter will bring. Not only does it cost more to put gas in our vehicles and to heat our homes, but these sky rocketing fuel prices are affecting and impacting the everyday cost of living of all Northerners. As a result of these high fuel prices, we are living with increases in electricity, food and other goods and services.
The bottom line is that this government needs to stand up for Northerners and protect them by introducing regulations that monitor and stabilize fuel prices. Gas price regulation will make a real difference for our residents. It will stop gas price volatility, eliminate opportunistic price gouging, and deliver fair, stable and predictable fuel prices and hopefully eliminate price poaching.
Five other provinces have implemented fuel price regulations with serious success. New Brunswick, for example, sets fuel prices every two weeks based on global oil prices, fair transportation costs and certainly a reasonable margin. I hope that the Finance Minister is listening.
Our citizens matter, Mr. Speaker, and I certainly hope that this government finally takes that to heart. We need to be protecting them. Excuses need to be stopped. There’s not one person in this building who didn’t run to say we are going to stop those people who like to say no instead of saying yes. Let’s start standing up for our territorial residents by protecting them. That’s why we’re here.
Which side of this problem does this Finance Minister want to be on? Does he want to be on the side of protecting the producers or maybe the citizens? I can tell you that I’d be on the side of the citizens.
So, Mr. Speaker, there’s no reason why this government can’t do the same here. The regulatory mechanisms already exist within our bureaucracy, so establishing a process would not be onerous or expensive in any way. People work hard for their paycheques, and they get angry when the gas prices suddenly shoot up overnight by 10 cents without a resupply or any other excuse proving why this is. Is the bureaucracy protecting the producers? They should be protecting the people.
Mr. Speaker, we can’t sit idly by in this situation watching our Northerner’s money being gouged by these people. High prices have to be protected against for the citizens, and we have to stop this. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For many years and all the time I have been here, I always hear about the NWT being rich in resources. I’ve also heard so many times, in almost every statement that comes out of this Assembly that we should be the major benefactors of our resources. In a lot of cases I don’t see this happening, especially with the workforce that continues to be brought in from down South. I and my colleagues from Nunakput and Mackenzie Delta know that we have a skilled workforce in the Mackenzie Delta that should be utilized more, but there seems to be no effort to go up there and recruit them. They will gladly recruit workers from south of the border. In many cases, Mr. Speaker, they come up here, they earn their living, and they continue to contribute nothing to the Northwest Territories.
My understanding, Mr. Speaker, was that the NWT Payroll Tax was implemented to ensure that the GNWT receives some income from migrant workers. Now we have a proposal to increase the Payroll Tax from 2 per cent to 3 per cent. Who will this benefit? Just another example of Northerners being hit hard again with increases while people come from the South and contribute, I say, nothing. I truly believe that.
I understand there are mobility issues, and we should be able to work anywhere we want within Canada, and that’s not my issue. My issue is the fact that income earned in the NWT and the workers that earn it in the NWT should have to contribute to a payroll tax in the NWT, not their place of hire. I thought that’s why this whole Payroll Tax was proposed in the first place.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of them return home, and they continue to enjoy a lower cost of living than we have up here. Residents of the Northwest Territories have a high cost of living, and again there is a proposal to increase everything. We hear talk about the fuel, the electricity and everything going up.
Mr. Speaker, this is not a fair process. We are rich in resources. We really should be the major benefactor of some of the resources and not have everything continue to go out of the territory. If this continues, I would give this advice: don’t be standing anywhere near the border if all this goes through, because you’re going to be trampled in the herd of people that’ll be leaving. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to use my Member’s statement just to talk a little bit about the issue of health services and activities falling under the purview of the health authority in Hay River, that wonderful community of Hay River.
Mr. Speaker, our clinic…. Let’s start there and in no particular order. The renovations for barrier free access have been underway over the summer and are almost completed; something we have wanted for a long time is now being completed. So for people who were unable to access our clinic because previously there were stairs to go up, now that is going to be resolved.
This summer at the clinic we saw one of our nurse practitioners, our only nurse practitioner, running the walk in clinic because it was difficult during the summer holidays to get locums all the time. I want to thank Karen Benwall very much for the excellent job she did this summer. It is a lot of responsibility to be the only one on duty in a community the size of Hay River, but she did that and ran that clinic herself many weeks, and she did an excellent job of doing that. I want to thank her for that. I believe that the locum schedule has been addressed, and there are locums coming in now.
We still have not recruited any permanent doctors. Later today in question period I want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what the status is of a current contract with which we can recruit physicians to the North. How are we going to address the fact that it is a little bit more difficult to get physicians to go into smaller communities, more remote communities and certainly ones where there are no permanent physicians at this time?
The issue of dental surgery. I am pleased to report that dental surgery is back up and running in Hay River. We had raised this in the June session quite extensively, and I want to thank the Minister for responding to this in a positive way. I am sure, on behalf of those people who are on the extensive waiting list, that dental surgery is back on.
Our CEO at the Hay River Hospital has unfortunately resigned, and I will be asking the Minister today about what the game plan is to deal with that. That always causes quite a ruckus in an organization. Paul Rosebush, again, thanks to him for doing a good job while he was in Hay River.
I have other issues to do with the capital budget, the assisted living facility, many other issues related to health care, but I cannot fit them all into two and a half minutes here. I will have questions for the Minister of Health later in question period. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about the ongoing developments on the devolution and resource revenue sharing negotiations with the federal government. The Premier recently shared with Regular Members some correspondence between our government and the federal government, and I must say I was quite surprised with the new tack being taken with the negotiations. Aside from what I read in the correspondence, I have also heard the Premier mention this new proposal in his sessional statement to the House on Wednesday. There have also been news reports and interviews of both the Premier and the Finance Minister talking about this new proposal.
Perhaps this new infrastructure partnership proposal will be an integral component of an overall devolution and resource revenue sharing deal, as the Premier states. However, why do Regular Members and aboriginal governments and leaders have to find out about this new proposal through the sessional statement and media reports? How many times has the Premier heard that we need to work together? We need to form consensus as Northerners in order to move forward. The GNWT has got to be the lead in bridging gaps and bringing aboriginal governments together so we can move forward collectively.
I am not sure why the Government of the Northwest Territories would all of a sudden be asking for a billion dollar cost shared infrastructure partnership with the federal government as part of the negotiation on devolution and resource revenue sharing. I would like to know why Regular Members were not briefed on this new proposal. Why weren’t aboriginal governments aware of this substantial new proposal?
The Premier is quoted in the news story this morning as saying he is confident most Regular MLAs and aboriginal governments will support the proposal, but the fact remains that we have not seen it. I am wondering why the government would put a substantial deal on the table like this prior to an election. They should have instead used that time to shop the deal to Regular Members and aboriginal governments and get buy-in from them first.
As an elected Member of this House I would appreciate and I would expect that the government would share this type of proposal with all Members first. Obviously, that did not happen, and once again Regular Members and aboriginal governments are on the outside looking in. It’s just not good enough, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In June I asked the Minister of Health and Social Services a number of questions on the provision of dental surgery services in the Northwest Territories. At that time the Minister indicated that the department was investigating the possibility of making services available.
Since then it has come to my attention that senior officials with the Department of Health and Social Services had discussed the issue with Health Canada, who has agreed to increase the coverage under NIHB for the facility teams associated with provision of First Nations and Inuit children’s dental treatment under general anaesthetic at hospitals in the NWT. The increase provided by Health Canada does not cover the complete cost of the services, but it does offset the cost that the GNWT would have to cover to allow these services to be provided in territorial hospitals. Based on these changes, the Department of Health and Social Services has re-evaluated their stance on dental surgeries for children, and dental surgeries are currently being booked in both the Hay River and Inuvik hospitals. This is excellent. This is the right thing to do, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank both the Minister and the department officials who made this happen.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister to take the next step and make the same services available in Yellowknife through Stanton Territorial Health Authority. Yellowknife has the largest population in the NWT and has a large number of children who are suffering and require dental surgery. The Yellowknife dentists are willing to provide the services that require access to an operating room extension to perform these treatments.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions on this issue. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to recognize just a few of the amazing artists of the Weledeh riding, knowing that this exercise simply reflects the incredibly talented people that can be found throughout the Northwest Territories in every one of our ridings. In doing so, I hope to underscore the important role and mentorship these people have in strengthening our community and northern spirit, our social relationships and our economy.
I’d like to start with mentioning visual artists in Dettah/N’dilo: Henry Beaulieu, Peter Mitchell, Alex Betsina. Craftspeople and artisans in Dettah: Paul Mackenzie, Roy Sangris and Lawrence Sangris. Traditional sewing, beadwork and clothing elders: Mary Louise Drygeese, Mary Louise Sangris, Judith Charlo and in N’dilo Mary Jane Francois and Helen Mackenzie. Younger folks in that area are Violet Martin, Alice Wifladt-Sangris and Priscilla Sangris.
Alex Czarnecki, film director and producer, is to about premiere his insightful documentary Water is Life at NACC on October 6. France Benoit has an internationally acclaimed film, Alicia and the Mystery Box, and Reflections on the McKenzie Gas Project will premiere in January. Internationally acclaimed cinematographer Terry Wolffe has just returned from Hollywood where he was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the series Ice Road Truckers.
Terry Pamplin is a well known artist who paints in vivid colours, doing portraits and scenic and imaginative works. Sheila Hodgkinson is well known for her vivid portrayal of Old Town heritage and landscapes around Yellowknife. Diane Mercredi, Rosalind Mercredi and many others are talented visual artists in Weledeh. Diane Boudreau, exceptional natural landscape sculptor and painter, collects beverage containers from Weledeh residents so she can fund her work helping the mentally challenged find and express their artistic talents.
Matthew Grogono is well known for his glass etchings and reuse of old liquor bottles to produce prized gifts. Ben Nind is executive director of the Northern Arts and Cultural Center and a nationally recognized actor on stage. Pat Braden is an extraordinary musician who’s now developing a performing arts reputation. Maureen Crotty, flautist, just performed with other classical musicians at NACC last week.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
The extra time reflects the many artists we have: Tracy Riley, Azure Degrow and Stephen Kakfwi are a few of the well known Weledeh musicians. Our talented photographers include Tessa Macintosh, Fran Hurcomb, Alex Beaudin and Ozgur Culha, to name a few. Christine Bourqe is known for her unique and original fur garment designs. We have Inuit sculptors, potters, jewellry makers, graphic artists, writers such as Jamie Bastedo, who has written many books of various sorts.
Mr. Speaker, our amazing artist community contributes to quality of life and plays a key role in attracting and retaining residents. We do not speak enough about the benefits we have in the North. One is most certainly our arts community. We must continue to increase our investment in our artists. Colleagues, I ask you to please join me in recognizing the talented artists of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.
Applause.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today is in regard to the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik. This facility was built in 1978 and is now 30 years old. It is a level 3 facility, which provides 24-hour care for elders in Mackenzie Delta, Beaufort Sea and surrounding communities. This facility has provided a very top level of care for our seniors, our elders, a lot of whom have passed on. It is that sense of love and caring that only the Joe Greenland could provide. Over the 30 years a lot of people have worked in this facility, a lot of elders have lived out their days in this facility, but we also have to realize that this facility is 30 years old.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of people in the community of Aklavik went away to take training, then came back to the community and were able to acquire full time employment in regard to providing care in this facility. These people have now retired after working there for some 30 years. Again, we cannot lose sight of a high and growing population of elders in the Northwest Territories and what happens to our elders, especially in our smaller communities, and how we can retain that service and provide 24-hour care to our communities.
Mr. Speaker, a lot of elders and family members want their loved ones to live out their days in our communities, close to family and friends, and not have them go away to regional facilities in Inuvik or to the hospital for long term care or here in the Yellowknife in the dementia centre and other facilities that are being built in the larger centres.
In regard to this facility, it has survived three floods, yet, Mr. Speaker, very little by way of facility upkeep and improvements have been made besides replacing a roof and dealing with the foundation.
Mr. Speaker, as the government we have a responsibility to take care of our aging population, which makes up a large percentage of our population in the Northwest Territories. We cannot lose sight of the traditional values of aboriginal people: being a family unit, taking care of the elders and allowing them to pass on with loving care in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, we can see through the budget process the number of dollars being expended in facilities, especially in the larger centres, and I’m talking about the dementia centre and health care facilities like the Northern Lights Special Care Home in Fort Smith. There is very little by way of government direction for elders in the Northwest Territories. There were facilities built in Aklavik, Deline, and also in Fort Resolution and Behchoko so that people can be taken care of in the regions. They can stay close to home and family members.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members’ statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize an individual I worked with and who, as a result, helped me grow as a person. Larry McNeill is retiring after 32 years and nine months of service with the Government of the Northwest Territories.
He started with the NWT Power Corporation and then joined the Department of Public Works and Services in Inuvik as a heavy duty mechanic. It was shortly after that, that I joined the department as an apprentice auto mechanic in 1981. From the days of working in what was the old Inuvik fire hall to a newer location and then to working on carburetors — yes, I said carburetors — to seeing the age of computer assisted engines, from working under parachutes in 40 below weather to working on outboard motors in Deline, Larry has seen a lot of change. He also saw a number of apprentices come through that shop. I’m sure there were times when he must have thought: where do they get these guys from? Along with the other mechanic, he pushed us at times, even counselled us through difficult times. Through his efforts he saw many of us through to completion as certified tradesmen and watched us grow and move on.
Larry is the longest serving member of our mechanic shop. He was there when we serviced all the Beaufort communities and Sahtu communities. He was there when the government privatized our operation. He remained with the department to change the focus through the operation of contracting the work out. Mr. Speaker, there are days when I miss the back and forth of the shop, when we traded jokes and shots.
Tomorrow evening they will be holding a supper for Larry, and I am sorry that I’m not able to make the trip. I have to say there are many stories I could tell. I also have to be cautious, because there are many stories he could tell.
Mr. Speaker, I want to personally say to Mr. Larry McNeill: thank you for all of your help and guidance during the time we spent together in our shop. Happy retirement.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.
