Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce that the Government of the Northwest Territories has been chosen as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2013. This recognition, by the Globe and Mail and Mediacorp Canada Incorporated, follows our recent recognition as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2013.
Each year the editorial team at Canada's Top 100 Employers identifies organizations that exemplify exceptional inclusiveness and diversity practices. The editors highlighted a number of features of our working environment. We have a wide variety of inclusiveness training on topics like Aboriginal cultural awareness, disability awareness and gender-based analysis. We use a consultative approach for recruitment and staffing initiatives, working with the Government Advisory Group on Employability and the Aboriginal Employees Advisory Committee. We have also committed resources to assist with inclusion and workplace accommodation, such as the diversity officer and duty to accommodate advisor positions.
The Government of the Northwest Territories has long been committed to building a representative public service. During the development of 20/20, the NWT Public Service Strategic Plan, we recognized that diversity and inclusion are crucial aspects of a strong and stable public service, one staffed by innovative and engaged employees delivering relevant programs and services to the people of the North. In addition to traditional staffing measures such as the Affirmative Action Policy, over the past several years we have undertaken
many new initiatives to develop a diverse workforce. Some of these initiatives include:
a soon-to-be launched Aboriginal cultural awareness training program aimed at enhancing and promoting Aboriginal cultural understanding;
the Associate Director/Superintendent Program, which provides senior developmental positions to increase the number of Aboriginal employees in senior management;
the Aboriginal Employee Advisory Committee, which recommends strategies and tools to enhance recruitment, retention and advancement of Aboriginal employees;
the GNWT Advisory Committee on Employability, consisting of government, non-government and union representatives, which examines ways to increase the representation of persons with disabilities in the GNWT workforce;
the creation of a diversity officer position responsible for developing a diversity and inclusion framework;
the establishment of a Duty to Accommodate Injury and Disability Policy and the hiring of a duty to accommodate advisor to assist in workplace accommodation;
a very successful disability awareness campaign that highlighted physical, social and invisible disabilities; and
opportunities for employee feedback through the Inclusive Public Service Survey.
These initiatives are resulting in real progress. For example, during the lifetime of the 17th Legislative Assembly up to December 31, 2012, 10 new managers joined the ranks of GNWT senior management. Of these 10, five are indigenous Aboriginal persons. This is an indication of the significant progress that is being made in expanding the representation of Aboriginal persons in the public sector and, specifically, within senior management.
Being chosen as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers is a testament to the importance the GNWT places on a public service that reflects the diverse makeup of the North. I recognize that there is still more work to do and we must remain committed to a diverse and representative workforce, but this award is a wonderful confirmation that our steps so far have been in the right direction and that we are a national leader and role model in advancing diversity in our workplace. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mr. Speaker, February 18th to 22nd is Education Week and is also Heritage Week.
To celebrate Heritage Week, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is hosting a number of heritage-themed free events in partnership with the City of Yellowknife, including Amazing Family Sundays, an art show and guided tours of the Back Bay Cemetery. Association Franco-Culturelle de Yellowknife is hosting a youth film night and school programs. The Norman Wells Historical Society is offering snowshoe-making workshops and Fort Smith’s Northern Life Museum is holding behind-the-scenes tours of its facility and collections. These activities highlight our collective heritage and culture, and provide unique learning opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, technology is a powerful force in the lives of youth. Young people are immersed in this, moving beyond traditional boundaries as they access, absorb, communicate, create and repurpose media content. Youth need to develop critical thinking skills and awareness of how powerful the Internet can be and how it can impact their lives. They must be comfortable walking in two worlds, where they are proud ambassadors for their culture but also well versed in modern technology.
The theme for Education Week is Innovative Learning, which shines a light on the opportunities to use technology and culture inside the classroom. Our new video contest encourages second language learning. To enter, youth can submit a video clip of themselves learning to speak any of our territory’s 11 official languages. As we move into Aboriginal Languages Month and French Weeks we will use the video clips received from this contest to promote language speaking across the North. In our approach to northern education, it is essential that we integrate our culture and language into our learning environments.
Our French Weeks, or Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, will take place March 8th to 24th. It is an annual national initiative to promote and celebrate French language and culture. The theme for 2013 is Joie de vivre. This year, French translators from the francophone affairs secretariat will facilitate hands-on workshops with students at both Ecole Allain St-Cyr in Yellowknife and Ecole Boreale in Hay River.
As the world continues to look north with increasing curiosity, these kinds of activities contribute to our larger body of work in language preservation, culture and education, helping our cultural communities create interesting perspectives on where and how we live. We have a tremendous opportunity to showcase this work for the upcoming Northern Scene Festival from April 25th to May 4th, 2013, in Ottawa. Northern Scene is part of a series of nationwide arts presentations providing opportunities for exposure, as well as marketing and economic opportunities. The department, along with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, has committed $200,000 to Northern Scene from existing resources.
Mr. Speaker, education, cultural preservation and language revitalization in the Northwest Territories are priorities and opportunities for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and we employ many approaches to share these messages. With strategic and measured steps in all of our programming and initiatives, we are on a new path of discovery and economic opportunity, which will help us achieve our goals as an Assembly, with healthy, educated Northerners and proud cultural ambassadors. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Education Minister has been talking about reforming our school system and we are sure it can be improved. We also need to fully support education councils that are making positive changes to help their students.
They have a very good example of this in the Beaufort-Delta. The education council has successfully grown and improved its e-learning program. The schools are using the…(inaudible)…on-line platform and the telehealth system to broadcast courses from Inuvik to three smaller schools. After sorting out the best systems, video and audio quality is now very clear. This should bring better and more varied courses to students in small communities.
Fifteen academic courses have been developed. This also makes very efficient use of our teachers. Even so, students in the smaller schools still need support to succeed.
We have a great opportunity to inspire students through new technology. We are showing our young people that their home community, no matter how small, is not isolated from the rest of the world.
I am told that 15 students in Fort McPherson and Tuktoyaktuk are now taking e-learning academic courses at their local schools. It should be available to the rest of the schools in the Northwest Territories also.
E-learning is efficient, but there are still costs such as course development, teacher training, additional training classroom assistance, dedicated Internet connections, computer software and hardware. There are probably a couple of things that I’ve overlooked.
In the long run, e-learning is likely to save money. For example, high school students will be able to stay in their home communities longer instead of going to Inuvik. The Beaufort-Delta has four year-round fly-in communities with very high costs of living, and two more fly-in about half the time, but the Beaufort-Delta Education Council is actually cheaper to run than some other agencies.
On a per student basis, it costs about the same as it does in the French schools in Yellowknife and Hay River. In the Sahtu region, it costs about $4,000 or more per student –
Mr. Blake, your time for Member’s statement has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
The point is that Beaufort-Delta schools need better funding. We need to make sure they can expand and improve the courses available through e-learning.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This week Avalon Rare Minerals is having hearings on their project, both in Yellowknife and in Fort Resolution, and I have an opportunity this evening to make a presentation at the hearing in support of the project at Thor Lake.
Hay River is looking forward to the opportunity that this project represents. There’s a great deal of optimism for employment as well as the small business opportunities in Hay River, and all the Hay River entrepreneurs are looking forward to this project and the opportunities it brings.
The Avalon project will create a hydromat facility in the old Pine Point site area where there hasn’t been any activity since the 1980s. This project will also bring jobs not only to the north side where the mine project is, but the hydromat. It not only brings job opportunities but it also brings training; training that some of our youth need for the future in the mining industry, they can bring forward to not only this project but other projects to come forward.
This project also brings opportunities in the Hay River area for pre-staging where we can actually build some of the infrastructure that’s supposed to go into the mine site. The usage of our rail spurs in Hay River, the barging system, the marine system that’s set up in Hay River. NTCL has been named one of the contractors to do the barging into the hydromat facility.
They will be establishing an office in Yellowknife and Hay River, so there is a great deal of opportunity for employment. There are projections of 80 personnel at the mine site and 87 personnel at the hydromat facility in the construction phase.
I will be speaking tonight at the hearing in support of this project and we’re looking forward to that opportunity.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This coming weekend the Sahtu will be rocking and rolling, shaking and baking. This weekend the Sahtu, along with other regions such as the Tlicho, South Slave, Deh Cho, Akaitcho, even as far as Sachs Harbour are starting to learn and participate in traditional hand games. The Sahtu is holding a $60,000 men’s hand games tournament. There are people from Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories making their way through the Mackenzie Valley winter road to go to Deline.
Last year in the Sahtu, Deline held this event and it was a success. There were many people who came to the hand games. We see this opportunity as our Mardi Gras of the North. This is where people celebrate, they cook, they put people up for bedding, and they play, and the drums go on. There’s excitement, excitement in the people for their culture and they’re at their best when they’re playing the hand games. People from all over come to these hand games to see the true spirit of the Dene and the northern people.
I want to say thank you very much to the people in Deline for the volunteers, the sponsors that make this possible. As I said, this event hosts the world’s greatest and best hand games players. I am sad to say that the Government of the Northwest Territories does not have a team yet to represent ourselves at the hand games. We have Premier McLeod, who I think is a good shooter. He could win lots of prizes for us at these hand games, and have fun, and enjoy, and eat with the people and dance with them. This is a good time to celebrate. Yes, we work hard, but we should be playing hard, too, and we should have a team one day representing the government at these hand games. It would truly be a northern experience, one we can take to the books and say yes, we’re all in this together in the Northwest Territories.
Good luck to all the hand game players and good luck to everyone who’s coming in. I also want to congratulate Tsiigehtchic who won the little league hand game tournament in Tulita. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our EDI report on fracking provided a start to learn about fracking, but as we learn more, the management challenge grows. In fact, urgent action is needed to make good decisions. We need to adopt best practices, yes, but what are these, will we actually adopt them, and how will we do so and ensure that they are followed? Many jurisdictions profess a similar commitment but have failed miserably to protect their citizens, despite good intentions.
The need for environmental and geological baseline data essential for good management is clear, but are we committed to achieving this information before allowing full-scale development should reserves prove up? This data collection typically requires a full field program, partnered with local knowledge. It’s expensive, takes time, and requires analysis and synthesis with existing information to be applied. Some of it requires a baseline before development is no longer possible.
The list of policy needs is long. Strong standards are required for all phases of the drilling process, including the placement and integrity of casings. Horizontal tracking and hydrocarbon production results in harmful emissions of toxic and carcinogenic compounds elsewhere and will here unless strictly regulated.
Given accelerating effects of climate change, greenhouse gas monitoring and mitigation measures aimed at ensuring no net increases are required. The impacts of contaminating billions of litres, perhaps trillions of surface water, removing them from the water cycle and storing them forever in the bowels of the earth, particularly given our low precip and changing climate, must be clearly understood before we permit such activities.
The paramount importance of full and transparent communication and public engagement through all phases of the development has been demonstrated. Let’s educate our public, support their fact-finding trips to actual fracking sites, and fully respond to their concerns with actions to address and resolve them.
Every one of these are a tough challenge. Many jurisdictions have concluded they are too tough. For example, Quebec suspended fracking pending review. Vermont, Ireland and France have banned it. New South Wales in Australia bans the use of some chemical additives. Some who haven’t affected bans are now realizing steep costs.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Some who haven’t affected bans are now realizing steep costs to people’s health, drinking water, climate, livestock, wildlife, municipal systems and so on. All this to mine an energy source that is destroying our global climate and the ability of our natural system to support life and cultures as we know them.
Healthy and beneficial energy alternatives abound. I will have questions for the Minister. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning I had the opportunity to attend an announcement made by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. What she announced this morning is very joyous for the community of Inuvik in terms of community infrastructure, federal funding for the Children’s First Centre that we’ve had a strong group working for over the years.
That was great news in terms of making this project become a reality. The community of Inuvik and the staff at the Children’s First Society have been working very hard and have been very dedicated to get this off the ground, and I believe, this summer it should become a reality and be opening its doors. It will have about 120 spots available for the growing need of child care spaces. Not only that, it is going to create jobs in the construction of the building and ongoing jobs for running the centre itself.
At this time, with the great news that came out this morning, I’d just like to offer my congratulations and a heartfelt thank you to the people of Inuvik for their ongoing support for the children’s centre, for all the hard work that they do, the tireless efforts, the long hours, the volunteering hours that they put in day in and day out to get the funding to make this centre a reality.
I would also like to thank the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of CanNor, and the Government of Canada for their ongoing support on improving community infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. This is one project that I have seen, I’ve volunteered for, I’ve also helped at some of the events, and this is something that is truly needed in Inuvik. If we are going to look at decentralization, we’re looking at bringing families into the community of Inuvik to become professionals and become part of the community, child care services are essential and it’s great to see this type of infrastructure become reality.
Like I said again, I just want to congratulate all the hardworking people with the Children’s First Society on the record, and all the leaders and lobbyists for getting this funding and ongoing funding that’s going to make our children healthier, and our community healthier, and bring economic prosperity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituents tell me that they love the small town life. The petroleum products division provides fuel to a number of these small towns in my riding. Fuel is delivered in the winter; however, the fuel rates are set in July and sold at a fixed rate throughout the year. Rates can be very high and put a lot of pressure on people who rely on the traditional economy. Many people in small communities choose to live there because they can pursue traditional lifestyles. They choose to live this way and they have a right to do so.
Aboriginal governments and organizations, and even the Government of the Northwest Territories, have made a lot of effort to help people uphold traditional lifestyles and make it possible for people to live as they have for generations hunting, fishing and trapping. Some of the finest furs come from the Deh Cho region. But just because these people participate in traditional activities does not mean that they live like their ancestors. They rely on fuel to reach their traplines and to run outboard motors. They drive quads and other vehicles and use fuel in their homes just like other places.
The high cost of fuel is hard to manage, especially for an elder or someone who has seasonal employment, and unfair, especially when fuel prices can go down in the regional centres but stay fixed in the remote communities. Yellowknife really collects the benefits when prices go down on fuel.
I urge this government to look at ways to make fuel prices fairer and more reasonable. One of the ways we could do that is through a freight subsidy that would help make up for the fixed costs. I urge our government to commit to a supplementary expenditure, like the Minister did yesterday. Assisting the cost of fuel through this kind of subsidy recognizes the difference in the economy between remote communities that are not on the road system and regional centres that are much more accessible, populated, and where people make a lot of money in the wage economy.
If we want to reduce the disparities between our communities, forcing everyone to work in a mine or in an office tower is not going to do it. We need to recognize the value of traditional lifestyle and community life. We need to make this lifestyle possible for people who choose to live that way. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many Northerners and Canadians generally have been raising concerns for years about the restrictive and confusing terms of their cell phone contracts. They complain about being locked into three-year contracts with unreasonably high penalties to get out of them, changes to fees and services without their consent, automatic renewals and the lack of clear information about their contracts.
This is more than a boondoggle opportunity to create changes, this is a real opportunity for real protection. As we see the cell phone services are finally rolling out and expanding across our northern regions, the time to act is now. There are some simple and fair changes that protect consumers and we can see them easily adopted here in the Northwest Territories.
Later today I will be asking the Minister as to what he will be doing about these changes to finally put real protection for Northerners, and show them our government stands with them and not against them. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday it was, once again, my honour and privilege to present Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals to two well-deserving recipients from the Deh Cho. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medals are among the ways the Government of Canada is celebrating outstanding contributions that the subjects of Queen Elizabeth II have made to their country. The Commissioner, Premier, MP and Senator have been accepting nominations for the medal as part of a year-long celebration that ends on February 28th.
A former colleague, Mr. Sam Gargan, was among those who received this honour yesterday. For 16 years Mr. Gargan was a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Deh Cho and also Speaker of this House. He also served his people as chief of the Deh Ga Got’ie First Nation, grand chief of the Dehcho First Nations and mayor of Fort Providence. As founder and guiding member of Keepers of the Water, Mr. Gargan continues to raise the profile of northern water quality and environmental issues, and upholds traditional Dene values, culture and ways of life.
Johnny Landry was born and raised in Fort Providence. He started singing in South Slavey in the early 1980s, writing songs inspired by stories the elders told. He recorded his first album “We Are Standing” in 1986 and toured extensively throughout Denendeh, helping people heal and revitalize their Dene culture, heritage and language through music.
Mrs. Margaret Thom is a well-respected Fort Providence elder and role model. She has dedicated herself to counselling and education, facilitating, and volunteer work to benefit people of all ages, lending her skills to healing circles, parenting workshops and cultural camps, among many other endeavours. Mrs. Thom is the former Deputy Commissioner, as well, a title she held for six years.
The medal presentation ceremony was a wonderful celebration of the people of the Deh Cho and their great impact Mr. Gargan, Mr. Landry and Mrs. Thom have made on our future. Once again, it was my honour to participate in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of these individuals and how they continue to influence and inspire the people of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the advent, acceptance and increasing use of social media worldwide, governments are becoming involved using Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and other social media sites to promote information sharing and to communicate with residents.
Our government has also joined the social media trend. GNWT websites and government Facebook pages are popping up in more and more places. This is encouraging, but have we as a government ensured that there are consistent guidelines and policies for GNWT-sponsored social media. It doesn’t seem that way. It’s another case of us joining the crowd, moving too fast and not considering the effect and the implications of our actions.
Let me give you an example. Recently I discovered a GNWT sponsored and developed Facebook page with a number of likes on the page. For those of you Facebook luddites, a like indicates support for the person, business or organization. A like on a Facebook page is prominently displayed and can influence readers to support the person or the organization or to use the business. It can also be a selling tool. I’ve found private businesses liked on more than one GNWT-sponsored Facebook page. This is inappropriate, Mr. Speaker.
A government must not only be impartial, but must be seen to be objective and impartial. As a government, we should not be showing favouritism to any one business over another. Additionally, there’s the issue of responding to and making comments within the social media sites. Any comments posted on a GNWT Facebook page or webpage reflect the government’s view. Are the administrators of these pages given any guidelines on how to respond to comments, post comments and so on?
There seems to be a gap in policy development here. Facebook pages are initiated throughout the government and by many different departments, but do we as a government have any policies or guidelines to assist those people in their development of webpages and Facebook pages? It appears not. We often use contractors to do things like develop Facebook pages and websites. Do they have any policies or guidelines to follow? It appears not.
We have a chief information officer and we have an information policy gap needing to be fixed. This is a job for his office. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Colleagues, before we go on, I’d like to welcome former Premier Floyd Roland back to the House today. Welcome back, Floyd.
---Applause
The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When a life is lost and a community must grieve, it begs the question of why does this have to happen.
The community of Yellowknife last summer lost a vibrant young man to a head injury while he was longboarding. Consequently, this tragedy has spurred a great debate on the personal responsibility of helmet use in road sports, the need for further education but, more importantly, the urging for legislative intervention.
Not that many years ago, our former Premier Stephen Kakfwi was quoted as saying, “We have to step up to the line and account for our inaction.” He was referencing dealing with the owners of snowmobile legislation. As a result, territorial-wide measures were implemented.
There was a time in our generation that even hockey players didn’t wear helmets, yet society today would not even fathom playing the sport without such protection. So why, Mr. Speaker, is society pitted against what would seem a logical move?
I believe the key to answer this question is always linked to enforcement. The debate about where such legislation should be implemented, as for in-house business, may be a bit premature for us now, but what we should be supporting is the ongoing involvement in the proper education programs that offer head and brain injury protection.
I must take a quick moment to thank the years of support by BHP Canada Limited, with Think First Canada and with our own in-house use of Use Your Head Program, which has provided children, youth, parents, schools, recreation providers, health care authorities and communities with information and resources such as helmets. Without such contributions, people impacted the most, due to cost, would have been affected.
I will be asking the Minister of Transportation today about our ongoing education and support on our future initiatives, and the protection and safety of head and brain injury prevention on our roadways. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently in the media we’ve heard of an inquest that’s taking place in the Yukon with respect to the loss of five of their residents’ lives due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
This is a very real threat and it’s something that I think the Yukon government is going to respond to. I’d like to, later today, ask questions on how our government is going to respond to this threat.
Most of us know our homes to have either hardwired or have plugged-in smoke detectors, and this has become a very, very common practice, but less thought is given to the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning.
When I was a child, I remember my parents had very close friends who both died in their home as a result of, I believe, squirrels had built a nest in their chimney over the summer months and when their furnace came back into operation in the fall, they were both found dead in the home. I remember that very vividly as a child.
About 20 years ago in Hay River, a very well-known couple in our community decided to put a mobile home on the outskirts of town and they were off the power grid. So they put a diesel generator under the mobile home to provide power to that unit. Many trips to the medical clinic with headaches and feeling of nausea did not help anybody find out what it was that was causing them to feel unwell until, unfortunately, the man succumbed to the carbon monoxide poisoning. His partner, who still lives in Hay River today, was able to be medevaced and survived this poisoning.
We as a government have put many measurements in place to support public safety, and I think that this is an area where we as a government also need to develop a policy. Perhaps all new construction of new homes require a carbon monoxide detector to be installed as part of the construction. Perhaps also a policy that would see the availability of carbon monoxide detectors for residential and commercial applications.
Later today I will have questions for the Minister responsible, and I’m not sure which one it will be, as to what our government’s action is going to be to curb this threat and any future loss of life for something that is so preventable. Thank you.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I just want to say a big thank you, similar to Mr. Alfred Moses, on this CanNor announcement from this morning. Minister Aglukkaq announced new funding for our sportsplex, a sportsplex that’s badly needed in the community of Behchoko.
I would just like to thank her for her contribution, ongoing contribution. Thanks to the chiefs and the grand chief in the region and the GNWT for all the support over the years. We are doing this for the youth, and I just want to highlight the generosity and ongoing commitment from the federal government, territorial government and Tlicho Government for making this a reality. I would just like to say mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to recognize former Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Floyd Roland. With him is Mr. Grant Hood, SAO, Town of Inuvik and a constituent of Inuvik Twin Lakes. Welcome, gentlemen.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Moses.
