Debates of October 21, 2004 (day 25)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve been sort of tasked, I guess by Members on this side, to question the social impacts of the departments, which I am happy to do because I know that it is one that is a concern of all of us on this side and I think I will direct my questions to the Minister responsible for women, the honourable Minister Dent. Mr. Speaker, I realize that social impacts of mega resource development projects are not women’s issues alone, but there are a lot of issues that we need to deal with and there is no question that these important issues are not being discussed at various tables that are going on to the extent that they should.

Even oil and gas conferences you have to try really hard to look at the agenda to see how social impacts are being discussed in any substantive way. Even the joint pipeline committee that we have set up, the agenda is crowded and the social impacts get dropped to the sidelines. I think, Mr. Speaker, this report that I mentioned in my Member’s statement by the Status of Women Council is a really, really good place to start because it really covers all of the issues that we need to deal with whether it’s training, women’s participation, potential increase in alcohol and drugs and gambling abuse, the impact of transients and all sorts of things. So let me just ask the Minister as to whether or not there has been any action taken to see if his section on women’s directorate could look into this and come up with an action plan on that basis. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member has a good point and it’s an issue that this government is quite aware of and is working to make sure that we keep in mind whenever we talk about issues like development in the North. In fact, the special joint committee on the pipeline, it’s part of its mandate to provide direction to the government on the negotiation of a SEA, and issues such as this are certainly the sort of thing that we want to see talked about during the negotiation with companies in the socioeconomic agreements. So we will make sure that we keep this sort of thing in mind. The government also has made sure that the bringing together of the social envelope Ministers, that when we meet we bring in the special advisor to the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, to make sure that we are always reminded that we keep issues of gender equity on the table. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The report, for example on page 5, has a whole section on community wellness. This is not just a women’s issue, but it is done by the Status of Women Council. It is coming from a woman’s perspective, which I believe also is always a better and enlightened perspective.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, if you read through this community wellness section, it really provides the government with concrete steps that the government could take to get the people ready for the megaprojects. It talks about child and homecare services, improve the information services like a helpline or legal line, assisting to manage financial pressures from friends and family. It sounds to me, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister has not reviewed this step by step. I would like to know if the Minister could commit to having his staff look at this report and look at all of the recommendations and report back to this House as to how they can be incorporated into the readiness for the projects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am well aware of the report and have reviewed it myself. Part of the response is to the social framework that this government is working in partnership with other agencies. That issue is discussed regularly at the social Ministers' envelope meetings and it is something that this government is working to bring forward. In terms of what we are doing specifically for oil and gas, it is no different than what we would do in all of our communities. We are working to improve the ability of communities to deal with social problems that are a result of development. We work to support them. I would say that we are aware of the report. The report is not something that is new to this government. Through the work of the social Ministers’ envelope, we are working to try and advance issues of gender concern as much as we can. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do believe we must come up with a more concrete and more focused response and preparedness for what is going to befall upon us socially and with this megaproject. I think we have to do more than just business as usual, Mr. Speaker, because there are some specific issues and specific fallouts that we are going to have from this mega resource development from transient workers. We are already seeing increased use of crack cocaine and more prostitution, promiscuity. This report is talking about things like that. People use easy money frivolously on gambling. We are dealing with really serious social issues that the government has to get ready. I believe that it has to be precise, Mr. Speaker. A socioeconomic impact agreement is totally separate from dealing with social issues. It is about how is the government ready to deal with what is coming before us. Would the Minister commit to doing something more specific to prepare for the resource development? Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure that I would agree that this is totally separate. A company that is responsible for making a large amount of money from our resources in the Northwest Territories has a responsibility to help us deal with the social issues that arise from that money coming into the Territories. Therefore, one of the things that we are trying to do is to bring social issues into socioeconomic agreements with the company. We believe that we have to work with companies to support gender issues when we talk to them about the socioeconomic agreements as well. It is something that isn’t just right socially. It makes good business sense in the long run. Maybe we have to help them understand that, so this government is committed to helping communities deal with the social issues, and the social envelope Ministers are talking about these issues and are formulating plans to try and deal with social issues that we face across the Territories right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe what is happening with this pipeline is so huge, we are spending a lot of energy and time talking about how we get the most financial benefit, how we get resource revenue sharing. All of that is important. We have many people spending lots of resources working on those to get the best deal possible. I think there should be the same effort, energy, and resources put on by this government. You get the money from the company, but is the government working with the partners that could work out a specific plan to get ready for the pipeline development? Are Ministers talking about it in the social envelope committee? Why can’t he put together step-by-step programs that they are going to do in specific response to what they see as a potential problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 278-15(3): Action Plan To Address Social Impacts Of Resource Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think what I have been saying is that is a natural course of what we are doing. It is something that this government is doing on a continual basis. We are, as social Ministers, working together to make sure that we are formulating the plans that will best serve our constituents. As we develop them, yes, they will be rolled out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.