Debates of October 20, 2004 (day 24)

Mr. Speaker, it will be with great pleasure that later today I will introduce the Tlicho Community Service Agency Act, the final obligation of our government towards ratifying the Tlicho Final Agreement.

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This bill flows from a commitment made in the Intergovernmental Services Agreement, a sub-agreement of the Tlicho agreement signed last summer by Canada, the Tlicho and the GNWT.

I am pleased to note, Mr. Speaker, that as we move forward with this bill today, Canada is also taking the necessary steps to ratify the Tlicho agreement.

Yesterday, the federal government introduced and gave first reading to Bill C-14, the Tlicho Land Claims and Self-Government Act. Canada must pass this legislation for all three GNWT Tlicho bills to come into force.

The new Tlicho Community Service Agency replaces the Dogrib Community Services Board while keeping the many positive features of the existing board intact like the integrated delivery of health, education and social services. The model recognizes the advantages of using one system to deliver core programs to all people living in Tlicho communities. It ensures that all people receiving services will have a say in how the agency delivers programs. The Tlicho community governments, who will be elected by all residents, will select the membership of this agency.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Tlicho team for working so closely with the GNWT to develop this legislation. The ongoing intergovernmental collaboration that the new agency will require is an opportunity to further showcase how governments and our departments can work together. Their work has shown that practical arrangements can be made within the context of self-government to meet the interests of all parties. This is a true sign of partnership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce the establishment of the Official Languages Board and Aboriginal Languages Board. The establishment of these boards is a major achievement for this government with respect to our commitment to the NWT official languages and the revitalization of aboriginal languages.

During the last Assembly, the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act set out 65 recommendations. Members of the 14th Legislative Assembly sent a strong message by accepting all 65 recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, this government has acted on those recommendations by making changes to the Official Languages Act. A year ago, we made several improvements including: the designation of our 11 official languages; a requirement to report on an annual basis to Members; and, the requirement to form two new boards each with separate and clear mandates.

Mr. Speaker, the Official Languages Board has a member from each official language community and is tasked with reviewing official languages services as well as the effectiveness of the Official Languages Act and making recommendations back to my office.

The Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board has members from each aboriginal languages community and has the responsibility to make recommendations on government programs and initiatives to ensure the promotion and revitalization of aboriginal languages.

As Minster responsible for official languages, I look forward to the future growth and strengthening of all our official languages. I know that the individuals appointed to the boards are committed to seeing their languages thrive. I want them to know they have my full support as they carry out this very important work.

The inaugural meeting of each of these two boards is taking place today and tomorrow and, on behalf of the GNWT, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to each of the board members who has agreed to serve. These individuals were nominated by their language communities and it speaks to the strength of their commitment that their communities have chosen them. For many of the board members, strengthening their languages is their life’s work. We appreciate their investment of time and energy into working with the GNWT to strengthen languages.

The members of the boards are:

Sabet Biscaye - representative for Chipewyan on the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board;

Vance Sanderson - representative for Cree on the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board;

Steve Petersen - representative for English on the Official Languages Board;

Fernand Denault - representative for French on the Official Languages Board;

Alestine Andre - representative for Gwich’in on the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board;

Beverly Amos and Marie Jacobson as alternate for Inuinnaqtun and Inuvialuktun on the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board;

Lena Pedersen - representative for Inuktitut on the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board;

Lucy Jackson - representative for North Slavey on the Official Languages Board and the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board;

Shirley Lamalice - representative for South Slavey on the Official Languages Board;

Philip Rabesca - representative for Tlicho on the Official Languages Board and Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board; and,

Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board members - Violet Sanquez for South Slavey and Mary Rose Sundberg for Tlicho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Dent. I am sure I speak on behalf of all Members of the House when I wish all of you well as you take on this very important work with official languages. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

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Mr. Speaker, more and more, there is increasing pressure for community leaders to find innovative solutions to emerging challenges and issues they are facing. As a former mayor for the Hamlet of Fort Providence, I know that decisions made by local councils have an immediate daily impact on the lives of all residents. Now, as Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, my goal is to provide the tools to community leaders so that communities have the authority and responsibility to make sound decisions regarding local governance for their residents.

The Government of the Northwest Territories strategic plan identifies the key priorities and goals for the Northwest Territories for the next 10 years, many of which involve and impact on community governments. It is very clear that there is a reaffirmation by this government of the critically important role that community governments are playing in the political evolution and development of our territory. The strategic plan includes as a priority, support for greater community autonomy through the negotiation of a new deal with community governments.

This commitment by our government comes at a time when the federal government has also recognized the need to address the important role of community governments, and particularly to find ways to address the national infrastructure deficit at the municipal level. Now that the Prime Minister has achieved progress on health issues, he has made it clear that cities and municipal issues are the next priority. So far, as part of its new deal, the federal government has committed to a full rebate of GST for all municipal governments, which will bring an estimated $1.8 million of revenue to Northwest Territories communities this year. There is also a proposal on the table to give a portion of federal fuel taxes to municipal governments. I look forward to meeting with the Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable John Godfrey, in mid-November with my provincial and territorial colleagues, to review in detail the federal government's new deal proposal.

At the territorial level, I am proposing to negotiate a new deal for Northwest Territories community governments that builds upon work that my department already has underway with community governments, including building capacity, working towards the implementation of aboriginal self-government, and leveraging additional funding for community infrastructure.

However, Mr. Speaker, the new deal also proposes some innovations that will empower community governments to a much greater degree. A cornerstone of the proposal is to move towards providing communities with greater control and decision-making over community infrastructure, including planning and decision-making for capital projects. This has been talked about for many years, and is a concept that was supported by the Special Joint Committee on Non-Tax-Based Community Affairs in the 14th Legislative Assembly. Another innovation is the proposal to provide more community governments with direct revenues from property taxation.

I was able to introduce the concept of the new deal to community leaders at the Northwest Territories Association of Communities annual general meeting this past June. In response, the association established a working group of mayors and leaders to explore the details of both our new deal and the federal government's new deal. I met with this working group in late September to discuss both concepts in greater detail and am pleased to report that the working group indicated broad support for the directions I am proposing. They affirmed that this is the direction that communities want to go in, and while there will likely be some challenges, comprehensive implementation plans that address potential issues will help address them. We agreed that it is critical to proceed in partnership, in developing our proposal for the Northwest Territories and also in working with the federal government on the national proposal.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Northwest Territories Association of Communities and their working group for sharing their insights and expertise with us as they strive to promote the interest of all community governments. In addition, members of the Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories have also been providing advice to my officials and I would like to acknowledge their invaluable contributions.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development for their interest in this important initiative and I will look forward to continuing to work closely with Members of the Legislative Assembly as developments unfold.

Mr. Speaker, my department is in the process of finalizing the detailed proposal for the new deal for Northwest Territories community governments and I look forward to sharing this with all Members in the near future. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Before we go on, I would like to draw your attention to the gallery and the presence of the Consul General for Germany, Michael Schwandt, and his lovely wife, Dr. Heidi Schwandt-Boden.

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Accompanying them is our chief of protocol, Carmen Moore.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have an emerging crisis in the NWT related to some of our youth. All we have to do is turn our news broadcast on and we are hearing of new levels of vandalism, acts of violence and this amongst youth of alarmingly young ages.

There have been changes to the Young Offenders Act as precipitated by precedence set by the federal government. The move is away from incarceration towards other alternatives and a community approach to young offenders. This is well and good, but what are we doing to offer support to youth, families, and communities, who are experiencing firsthand the results of behavioural problems, substance abuse and the outcomes of chronic neglect?

We hear from Justice that the young offenders' facilities need to be reprofiled, because the utilization is not such as to warrant keeping these facilities opened and staffed. Such is the case with River Ridge in Fort Smith. We hear from law enforcement officials that their options are limited in dealing with young offenders. We hear from Health and Social Services that their legislation has the authority to apprehend these youth if they can catch them, where there are supervision issues at play. We hear from our educators that they are ill prepared to deal with the issues of destructive and interruptive behaviour of students, not to mention crime and vandalism which gets brought right into the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, everybody in this House I’m sure would like to paint a very nice picture of the communities that they come from, but I am sorry to report that in Hay River this week we did have an incident where perpetrators of a violent act came right into our classroom in Hay River, took a child out of the classroom and assaulted them in the schoolyard. This is not something that has been present in the past and this is an emerging problem, and that’s why I rise with this statement today.

Mr. Speaker, we have a big gap here. As a government we may be compelled to comply with federal legislation related to young offenders, but we need a made-in-the-north solution to reach out to these troubled youth, and when necessary protect them from their own behaviour and protect those around them in some cases. We have infrastructure sitting empty, such as the former NAS facility in Detah. We have underutilized young offenders' facilities. We need programming and treatment for youth to address the needs that are manifesting themselves in ever increasing ways in our communities. Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. This is not solely a Justice or Social Services or Education or RCMP problem. This is a societal reality and this is a northern reality. How many more stabbings, murders, suicides, acts of violence and vandalism are we going to read about before we commit to establishing a comprehensive response to the needs of our communities related to troubled and at-risk youth?

Mr. Speaker, in the words of a very respected educator in Hay River, we, as a government, need not ask ourselves what we are going to do to these youth, but what are we going to do for them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to use my Member's statement today to draw some attention to a problem that is plaguing many of our residents. The problem, Mr. Speaker, is addiction.

I recently had the opportunity to help a constituent of mine, who has a very serious addiction to crack cocaine. This individual had no place to turn to address this addiction. Through the Minister’s office we were able to find her a program in the South that will help her try to break this cycle of dependency. I would like to thank the Minister for his help in that. She will get help, but how many other people are out there suffering the same way she was, and are we doing enough as a government to address addictions?

As was evidenced by the large crack cocaine bust in Hay River two weeks ago, our children and communities are at continuing risk of falling prey to this terrible drug and the addiction that it brings. Crack cocaine, Mr. Speaker, is not the only addition afflicting our people. Addictions can have a devastating impact, as we know, on families and communities. Whether it’s cocaine, crack cocaine, alcohol, or the very dangerous crystal meth, we have to ensure that we have the resources and safety and support network in place to deal with these additions.

I believe the Government of the Northwest Territories must seriously consider, once again, the need for a dedicated drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member's statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Residents are often sent south to get help far away from friends and family to support and encourage them. Money seems to be the biggest hurdle to overcome in making this happen. I would like to comment that during last fall's election campaign, many residents felt that a dedicated treatment centre was necessary and much needed. As a government, we need to prioritize the needs of our residents, with health and welfare being at the top of that list.

Why do we continue to operate a young offenders' facility in Inuvik with no clients, or a hospital in Fort Smith with hardly any patients? Mr. Speaker, we need to take stalk of what our priorities are. I do believe this facility should be located in Yellowknife, as this is where half of our population resides. However, if it can be located elsewhere, so be it. The bottom line is we have to get serious with how we are dealing with addictions. Residents are putting their faith in us to make this happen. This is not an area that we can afford to fall on, but an issue that we must meet head on. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to talk about health services. Prior to my return to Yellowknife for session, I received a call from a constituent in Sachs Harbour. Her husband was medevaced from Sachs Harbour to Inuvik and then to Yellowknife, after suffering a mild heart attack. She arrived in Inuvik to be with him the following day. When the patient was medevaced to Yellowknife she wanted to escort her husband, but was not allowed to because of an inability to speak English.

English should not dictate a need for escorts. She became aware of some instances where patients with less English were escorted outside of the communities. This person would like to know what is the policy for escorting patients.

Mr. Speaker, I called the Stanton Hospital on the weekend to find out how the patient was doing. They put me through to the intensive care unit and then the Transportation department and, to my dismay, they did not know where the patient was. This patient was waiting for bed space and was to be transferred to Edmonton. It makes me wonder, Mr. Speaker, how many other patients and their families have gone through this experience.

This concerns me, as well as my constituents. Mr. Speaker, I called again on Monday morning, and after being put through to a number of departments, I finally got word he was transferred to Edmonton, and I quote, “I believe to the Royal Alexandria.” Families should be entitled to escort their loved ones, especially patients who have had heart attacks and are suffering from other terminal illnesses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to rise and announce that on September 25, 2004, I attended a graduation ceremony held in Deninu Kue, to recognize the significant achievements of three students. Mr. Speaker, I would like to again congratulate Donavan Boucher, Andy Norn and Travis Guild in reaching this significant milestone, and encourage them all to proudly display their Grade 12 diplomas.

I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that this graduation class represents a 200 percent increase in the number of grads from the previous Deninu School. So I would also like to commend the principal, Mr. Moh Odeen, the staff of teachers, the Fort Resolution District Education Authority and many community members and organizations, in coming together to support and encourage the youth to stay in school and continue on in furthering their educational aspirations.

Mr. Speaker, I am compelled to state that this trend can continue as the number of Grade 12 students and Grade 11 students are now five; and the number of Grade 10 is sitting pretty at 25 students enrolled this year. With that I am optimistic that the community will become more aware of the importance of education for our youth and begin to realize some long-term benefits within the community as a whole. These three individuals' chances of gaining meaningful employment or access to meaningful job opportunities have now risen from 49 percent to 76 percent, according to the 1999 NWT labour force survey. To me, Mr. Speaker, that is a very significant, important improvement for our youth. Mahsi.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, we all heard about the grizzly bear attack on two workers at Colomac Mine. This incident resulted in serious injuries to two young men. Mr. Speaker, it could have been much worse. Those men are lucky to be alive today. It is very disturbing to me, Mr. Speaker, that there have been reports of this bear in the area and still no action was taken to protect these workers. They were not even allowed to have a gun with them at that time. Mr. Speaker, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. Unfortunately, it is only a matter of time before it happens again. We are hearing more and more reports of grizzly bear encounters with hunters, outfitters, tourists and temp workers. The bears are also causing extensive damage to cabins and equipment.

Mr. Speaker, conservation and protection of species that are at risk is important, but is it more important than public safety? We have to do something to resolve this issue. The policies, regulations and laws we have now are not working. Not only that, we don’t respect our Dene custom and values. Our culture varies from region to region, but traditionally, we would shoot a bear when we need to and then use the meat and the fur. There were no wastages, Mr. Speaker. Now we have to call RWED any time we shoot a grizzly and justify why we did it or we can get charged. The wildlife officers take the carcasses, and I don’t even know, Mr. Speaker, what they do with it. More also needs to be done at the community level to educate the public, the residents and especially the youth on bear safety.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development have good bear videos, but are they available in aboriginal languages? How often are they shown in small communities? Mr. Speaker, later today, I am going to be asking the Minister what he is doing specifically to address this issue, and I hope his answers won’t be just that it is going to be dealt with within the new Wildlife Act that is being proposed, because there have been a lot of promises made over the last number of years for things to be dealt with within the new act.

Mr. Zoe, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Speaker, there have been a lot of promises made over a number of years for things to be dealt with within the new Wildlife Act, but we are still waiting today. Nothing has been done by this government. Later on this afternoon, Mr. Speaker, I will be questioning the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With our winter season upon us, I wish to speak to the issue of power rates in the NWT. There continues to be great disparity in the rates charged to northerners for electricity. At the extreme, we have some residents paying 22 times the amount other people are asked to pay. That is 2,200 percent more. I would like to think, Mr. Speaker, that any democratically-elected government with a mandate to treat all of its citizens equally would be concerned with addressing such glaring inequalities. However, that does not seem to be the case with this government. I am concerned that this inequality is about to become even worse. Power rates are the highest in those communities that rely on diesel-generated power. Lately, we have seen world oil prices reach an all-time high, exceeding $50 a barrel. Clearly, this will mean an increase in the price of diesel-generated power, which will create an additional economic burden for some residents, but not, Mr. Speaker, for all.

The current rate structure applied by this government penalizes people living in smaller communities. That is to say the way that the government conducts its business is creating a social imbalance. Electricity is an essential service, and yet we have people in smaller communities who must do without many things in life in order to pay their prohibitive electricity costs. I am concerned this imbalance will become critical and that it is going to have serious consequences for all of us.

In 2002, the NWT Power Corporation recommended the establishment of a single power rate across the NWT. This would have been in keeping with the system established by most other Canadian jurisdictions. However, the recommendation was rejected by the Executive Council of the 14th Assembly, and we continue to experience disparity.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Menicoche.

I would like to thank my honourable colleagues for allowing me time to conclude my Member’s statement. I would like to remind you all that our current hydro-electric infrastructure was paid for by all the NWT residents with across-the-board rate increases. And yet, now, people in smaller communities who were asked to help people in the larger centres are being told you are on your own. It is too bad. Do we ask people in smaller remote communities to pay more for health care because it costs more to deliver? No, we do not. We understand such things to be a fundamental matter of fairness and equality in a democratic society. This government will claim they are treating people equally and fairly by subsidizing power rates in smaller communities. That is true. There are subsidies up to a certain point, which is to say that this government is willing to treat its citizens equally and fairly up to a certain point, but that is just not good enough. Partial subsidies that partially address the issues are not adequate or acceptable, Mr. Speaker. Social fairness and equality must be a matter of policy and law carried out with intent. It is not a matter of expedience or convenience applied after the fact. I would like to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker, by saying that I will be giving notice of a motion in the House later today regarding this issue. Mahsi Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as many Members are aware, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As it has for the last 13 years in Canada, and for the 11th year in Yellowknife, CIBC Run for the Cure was held on October 3rd of this year. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to also advise you that this year CIBC Run for the Cure was held in many of our northern sister communities including Inuvik, Iqaluit, Hay River, Rankin Inlet, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, and Fort Smith. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report to you that Yellowknife has kept up with its reputation for breaking all records in terms of most money raised on a per capita basis. The final tally of money raised this year was almost $200,000, at $199,969 to be exact, and still counting. The students from J.H. Sissons, St. Pat’s, and N.J. Macpherson alone raised over $18,000. I know that my own school of Range Lake North raised a lot of money as well, although, due to their small size in numbers of students, they couldn’t be in the top three.

Mr. Speaker, for the Women’s Challenge Award, which is a category for any women’s team consisting of more than 10 women, the team that raised most money again this year, and for many years before, is a team called Girl Power, which is a team made mostly of Grade 6 school girls headed up by Brooke Madsen and Dana Harris. They alone raised over $12,000. Mr. Speaker, they have been winning for a number of years. I know that for two weeks they went out every day knocking on doors asking for money for this. They were raking in about $200 a day. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to make special mention of Great Slave Helicopters and its team captain Trudy Wesnowski whose team won the CIBC Corporate Challenge Award for raising $12,416. In individual categories, Trudy Wesnowski and Patti Olexin-Lang collectively raised over $12,000.

Mr. Speaker, there are so many winners, sponsors, volunteers and many leaders behind this project that I could not name all of the names at this time, but on behalf of everyone in this House, I would like to send genuine and heartfelt thanks to all of those who were involved for another successful event. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to make a statement about the radioactive contaminated soil mound in Tulita. To be more specific, Mr. Speaker, what I will speak to today is the infuriating federal bureaucracy that can’t seem to get it together to take action on this issue.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, a 2,200 kilometre water transportation route was being used to move uranium and radium ore from Port Radium mine on the Great Bear, down the Bear River, up the Mackenzie River to Fort McMurray where it was shipped by rail to Ontario. The waterway system was called the northern transportation route.

During the investigation of the route in 1991 to 1993, over 47,000 cubic metres of contaminated soil was found to be located in the Northwest Territories alone. Some 11,000 cubic metres were relocated to temporary storage spots because they were dangerously close to where people were living. In Tulita, uranium contaminated soil was temporarily stored in the mound near the airport and, over 10 years later, the federal government still can’t tell us what the plan is or when they will be able to move the contaminated soil.

I received a copy of a letter sent from the federal government to the RWED department. I have been working in the government for some time, Mr. Speaker, so I should be used to it, but when I read this letter I laughed out loud, not because the subject is not serious -- believe me, I take this issue very seriously -- I laughed out loud, Mr. Speaker, because this issue has been bouncing back between agencies, offices and commissions for so long, it makes our people very dizzy. The amount of red tape involved in doing something about this issue is ludicrous.

The issue is the responsibility of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in accordance with the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, but it is managed by the low-level radioactive waste management office on behalf of the Government of Canada. However, the Natural Resource Council sets a policy, but the sitting of the mound took place under previous legislation. So how long a mound can remain is a matter to be discussed by the low-level radioactive waste management office and Natural Resources Canada, and then there is the issue that the mound requires a licence to store nuclear substances. Mr. Speaker, I hope someone is explaining all of this to the mound.

I know this issue is serious and technical, and that it involves careful consideration, but, once and for all, I would like to see the federal government get their act together and stop batting this issue around from agency to agency. I would like to see the problem of the radioactive soil mound in Tulita dealt with immediately.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development…

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for Member’s statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I urge the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development to do all that is within his power to push the federal government to clean up the contaminated soil mound in Tulita as well as other contaminated mounds in the Northwest Territories once and for all and as soon as possible. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We are fortunate in the Northwest Territories to have an abundance of natural beauty and natural resources. The challenge that we face on a daily basis is how to manage these.

Some 10 years ago, Members of this House had the fortitude and the foresight to see that we must receive a greater benefit from these resources. Specific to that issue, Mr. Speaker, was the diamond resource. Who would have thought that, 10 years ago, Yellowknife would be the diamond capital of North America today with a world-class cutting and polishing industry developed here employing about 160 people and worth an estimated $9 million to our economy? Certainly not the Ottawa bureaucrats or the multi-national companies of the day, Mr. Speaker. It was the leadership of this House that saw these developments take place in the cutting and polishing industry. Surely 10 percent by value of their production was not too much to ask from the companies that were exploiting and profiting from this tremendous resource.

With the unveiling of the National Diamond Strategy, the Northwest Territories is continuing to demonstrate its leadership in this industry. The development of a strategy, of course, must continue to recognize the central position of the Northwest Territories and Yellowknife to the Canadian diamond industry. An example of this, Mr. Speaker, is our own Aurora College, which has established a Diamond Cutting and Polishing Program, recognized with a recent new national award for outstanding innovation and education.

We are beginning, too, Mr. Speaker, to realize the untapped opportunities that the diamond industry offers to tourism. Another added benefit is that aboriginal governments have concluded socioeconomic agreements that bring employment and education as well as economic opportunities to their regions, but these are insignificant benefits, Mr. Speaker, compared with the astonishing profits and royalties that are streaming out of the Northwest Territories.

Is it correct to say that four percent is not enough? Are those royalties to come to the Northwest Territories? Or is it better to say that 96 percent of these royalties and taxes going to the federal government is unfair?

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, thank you. Resource development in the Northwest Territories must grow and expand in a sustainable and diversified way. If future generations are to have a legacy from these current developments, then this government and this House must continue to show the fortitude and the foresight to demand a devolution deal that recognizes a rightful share of the value staying here in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today because of an event that happened yesterday. The subject that I am going to talk about is certainly no stranger to this House. The sad thing is that it never gets enough air time.

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk today about the unsung heroes of this Legislative Assembly. Their names never get on any plaques. We never really talk about them very much. They never ever get paid. They very rarely get mentioned under any circumstance. Mr. Speaker, they are the backbone of every politician. Mr. Speaker, what I am really talking about is the commitment our families supply to us, supporting us to make sure that we are here to do what we have to do.

Case in point, Mr. Speaker -- and this is kind of why it touches me so much -- is the fact that yesterday morning I got up and drove my wife to work. I then took my son to his grandmother’s house to drop him off because she is taking care of him right now. I rushed in to get here for a 9:00 meeting, another meeting at 10:30 and one at lunch. Guess what? We had session at 1:30 and, to no surprise, it went to 5:45, and here is another one, we had another meeting. That meeting went to 8:00. Now, I had a meeting that started at 7:00, so I went to that meeting at 8:00 and went until after 9:00, and it continues, Mr. Speaker. On my way home after 9:00 -- I walked home -- I had to visit a constituent on my way home.

I received some phone calls last night as well. Mr. Speaker, I arrived just in time last night to help my wife finish giving my son a bath, and I just got him dressed and put him to bed. Mr. Speaker, these are really sad things because I hope the day doesn’t come that my wife has to card me at the door, but I can only imagine how difficult it must be on the Premier’s family, whereas he travels so much. I am certainly glad I have the support that I do. I have to recognize the difficulties that we all go through, especially that our spouses must suffer from.

Mr. Speaker, every start of every Assembly, I bring down a photo of my son here as a reminder of why we are here. I would hold it up, but I have been in trouble before for holding things up, so…

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I won’t break that rule twice. Mr. Speaker, I am just going to quickly close to say special thanks to people like my mother, who takes care of my son, my mother-in-law, who is always there for us when she takes care of him, and especially to my wife, who tends to get neglected because they realize the sacrifice and the importance of this job, and that we very rarely find precious time to get together to share the family time. But, Mr. Speaker, it is just important to bring this up, and I think that sometimes we forget about why we are here and how important it is and the support we get. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a young man who has been a Page in this House and who used to work for the former Premier, Vital Manual. Vital is up in the gallery.

---Applause.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member’s statement today, I think that we are hearing more and more now of youth who are troubled and causing all kinds of incidents to occur in the communities in which they reside. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my statement, this is not just a one department or one agency or one community issue. This is a northern issue. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, what is in place right now for youth who are either needing treatment for addictions or needing treatment for behavioural problems. What options and tools are available for these youth in the Northwest Territories today? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 260-15(3): Treatment Options Available For Youth In Trouble

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member raised the issue in her Member’s statement. It is a problem. It’s a problem in the community of Fort Smith and we hear it on the radio from other communities where MLAs’ communities are struggling with the issue and they have had community meetings, they have tried to get parents to the table, their community leadership, Health and Social Services, the RCMP, the teachers. It’s an issue that plagues us all. We have, as a department, some resources available. In most communities we have social workers, we have mental health workers, community wellness workers. There are some programs in the North -- Trail Cross Territorial Treatment Centre -- that are geared to mild or moderate behavioural problems. We have arrangements down south, four facilities as well, but those require some kind of arrangement where there’s an agreement between the department, either a custodial agreement that goes to court to temporary wardship or voluntary agreement that would allow those services to be brought to bear. They are very expensive and they tend to remove the child from where the problem is, which is their community and their family. So with regard to the issue that the Member is talking about, those are fundamentally community issues where we have resources there to deal with them. If individual cases warrant that there be greater attention paid to individual children, then we have capacity to do that. Thank you.