Mr. Speaker, Members of the 15th Legislative Assembly, it is an honour to be your Commissioner for the next three years. I look forward to serving the people of the Northwest Territories and to meeting as many of them as possible while carrying out my duties of my office.
I am especially pleased to be back among you in this Legislative Chamber, and to be back in my old chair once again.
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This is the Year of the Veteran, and I would like to thank the northern veterans, on behalf of us all, for their courage and for their sacrifices while in the service of our great country. This year we also celebrated the 60th anniversary of Victory in Europe, VE Day, and the end of the Second World War, an important day in world history that we must never forget. Were it not for the bravery of men and women like our northern veterans, the privileges we now enjoy as a society today may have been denied us. We are in your debt.
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Recently, I had the great honour and pleasure of meeting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the centennial celebrations in Saskatchewan. The celebrations marked 100 years since the creation of the provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta. This is a milestone for the Northwest Territories as well, as the creation of Alberta and Saskatchewan from the vast Northwest Territories marked an important stepping stone to the geographical evolution of our territory.
In was a tremendous honour to represent the people of the Northwest Territories at the centennial celebrations.
Please join me in congratulating the people of Saskatchewan and Alberta in this, their centenary year.
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During this session, the Government of the Northwest Territories will be introducing the following bills entitled, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2005-2006 and Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 2004-2005 for consideration by the House. The government considers these bills essential to the good conduct of government business and, as such, I recommend their passage.
As Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I now declare open the Fourth Session of the 15th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
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Please be seated. Good afternoon, Members. Welcome back to the Chamber. Welcome also to our distinguished guests and visitors who have joined us in the gallery today for the opening of the Fourth Session of the 15th Legislative Assembly. Colleagues, I trust that you are all eager to get down to business, so I won't ramble on too long.
First I would like to take an opportunity to acknowledge and thank, on behalf of all Members, individuals who have contributed to making the opening of the Fourth Session a remarkable one here today. In particular, I would like to thank the Honourable Tony Whitford, Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, for opening our session. Thank you very much, Commissioner.
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For those of you who are not aware, our esteemed Commissioner will be honoured along with 12 other residents of Rae-Edzo, Hay River, Fort Smith and Yellowknife for their community contributions in the ceremony of the Order of St. John this evening at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Hall. Mr. Whitford will be appointed as Vice Prior of the Order of St. John, which is approved by the sovereign head of the Order of St. John, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and by Her Excellency, the Governor General and Prior of the Most Venerable Order of St. John in Canada. I am sure you will all join me in offering our congratulations to his honour and the other deserving recipients.
A special thank you to the Mildred Hall Choir for singing O' Canada for us, the very talented Inuvialuit Drummers and Dancers, and our honourary chaplain today who lead us in prayer, Major Karen Hoeft of the Salvation Army. As everyone is aware, Major Hoeft and her family will soon be leaving the North to carry on their work in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On behalf of all Members, I would like to wish Majors Karen and Al Hoeft best wishes for the future and thank you for all your good work you have done in the Northwest Territories.
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On a matter of House services, I am pleased to announce to all Members and to the residents of the Northwest Territories that we will be enhancing our language services in the Chamber this session.
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Each day we will provide interpretations in two of the official languages so that in each week every language will be available in this House and for rebroadcast to the people of the Northwest Territories on APTN. I am pleased to announce that our languages for today are French and North Slavey.
This week in the House, we will be served by Pages from St. Patrick High School in Yellowknife; Chief Julius School, Fort McPherson; Moose Kerr School, Aklavik; and ?ehtseo Ayha School in Deline. Good luck to all of you and I'm sure you will do a fine job for us.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognize some of our special guests with us in the gallery today: Honourable Justice Ted Richard of the Supreme Court of the NWT;
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His Worship Gordon Van Tighem, mayor of Yellowknife;
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NWT Chamber of Commerce president Steve Meister;
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the Honourable Ethel Blondin-Andrew;
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Lieutenant Scott Archer, Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters;
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Inspector Roch Fortin, officer in charge of Yellowknife RCMP detachment;
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Pastor Connie Landstrom;
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the Right Reverend J. R. Sperry;
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Ms. Katherine Peterson, Legislative Assembly Law Clerk;
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Major Al Hoeft of the Yellowknife Salvation Army;
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Consul General of France, Monsieur Jean-Yves Defay;
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Madam Marie Noelle Defay;
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and, Mr. Ted Hughes, Conflict of Interest Commissioner of the NWT.
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Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.
Colleagues, before we continue with the orders of the day, I would like to note that respect for each other and the House is something I know you will all continue to practice. Your constituents are better served by constructive and respectful debate.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide Members of the Legislative Assembly with a short update on a number of important initiatives we have undertaken since the last sitting of this Legislative Assembly, initiatives that strengthen our partnerships both within and outside of our territory.
This is an interesting time in Canadian politics. It's a time that brings forth both opportunity and challenge for our territory. As we witness the political situation in Ottawa, we must continue to focus on partnering with the federal government in areas of importance to this territory.
The uncertainty created by the minority government, combined with the development potential of our territory and the heightened interest this brings, creates a political environment offering great opportunity, if we work together. This means we need to articulate a clear vision and set of priorities, and communicate this in a unified voice to Ottawa.
Each of us in this Assembly has a job to do, to keep the priorities of the Northwest Territories on the radar of the federal government. We are in the midst of unparalleled development, development not only benefiting the residents of the Northwest Territories but all Canadians. It is for this reason that all Members of this Legislative Assembly joined aboriginal and business leaders in hosting an NWT Day in Ottawa on April 5th.
The primary purpose of NWT Day was to meet with the federal Ministers and MPs to deliver an important message, a message about the need for the federal government to invest in this territory and work with northerners. The NWT is at a crossroads, the potential of our territory is tremendous, potential for development, for investment, for community and individual self-reliance, for shared benefits and wealth unprecedented in our history.
Mr. Speaker, the next logical and important step in the political and economic evolution of this territory is to see northern government, both public and aboriginal, take on the responsibility to manage its resources and to control the nature and pace of development, not to have it set for us by federal or private interests. In the interim, we need to see the federal government provide additional revenues to deal adequately with the pressures brought on by the rapid development we are experiencing in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the work undertaken by the Members of this Legislative Assembly in partnership with the members of the Business Coalition and aboriginal governments who participated in NWT Day in Ottawa contributed greatly to move us closer to the resolution of these goals.
Since that time, the federal government has made a real commitment to work with this government and the affected regions along the pipeline route to provide additional interim funding to deal with the serious challenges our communities face to prepare for and deal with the development of this important project. We have been working with the leaders of the impacted regions to develop a plan to address these concerns.
But, Mr. Speaker, the long-term solution remains the negotiation of a fair devolution agreement that transfers responsibility for resource management to northern governments and makes northerners the primary beneficiaries for the development of their resources. The Prime Minister made a commitment last December to work with us to reach an agreement-in-principle by this spring. Deputy Prime Minister McLellan, Minister Goodale and Minister Scott reiterated this commitment during meetings in Ottawa recently. While we appreciate the public commitment made by the Prime Minister and his Ministers, we now need to see this resolve followed through at the negotiation table so that the remaining issues can be dealt with in the coming weeks.
Mr. Speaker, another important example of the work we are doing with the federal government is to develop a Northern Strategy that provides a comprehensive policy basis to guide decision-making for years to come. With the launch of this strategy last December, the Prime Minister made an important commitment to the three northern territories. He made a commitment to work jointly with us to develop a comprehensive vision for the development of the North.
But the Northern Strategy is not, and should not, be considered a partisan exercise. It is about nation building and creating new vitality and prosperity in the Canadian federation through the strengthening of Canada’s territories. It is important that the leaders of all parties in the House of Commons endorse the principles underpinning the strategy, and we have been working hard to ensure the other parties in the House of Commons understand and support the development of this strategy.
Mr. Speaker, another significant event occurred last month in Inuvik when northern leaders gathered at the second annual Circle of Northern Leaders to discuss the priorities that should be addressed in the Northern Strategy. It was clear the single most important priority must continue to be the pressing social and economic needs of our communities; better tools to deal with alcohol and drug problems; a responsive health delivery system; adequate housing and infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, these priorities reflect the common themes that have emerged from responses we have heard from individuals and in our many meetings with stakeholder groups. This work will culminate in a draft NWT chapter of the Northern Strategy with the following priorities:
building healthy, sustainable communities;
working towards self-reliance and self-determination;
protecting the environment and developing clean energy;
building capacity; and,
improving the health of our residents.
This round of consultations has concluded for the Northwest Territories. We are now developing a draft document incorporating all that we have heard. This document will not only identify these priorities but also the commitments required by governments to see them realized. It must lay the foundation for a new working relationship between the federal and northern governments that accurately reflects the important place this territory plays in the federation.
We expect the first draft of the Northern Strategy will be released next month. It will be a living, changing document guiding decision-making processes in the years to come. It will continue to evolve in order to reflect the changing priorities and circumstances of northerners, a feature essential to the NWT, as we know the immediate future will bring great change to our territory.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I want to make note of two other important forums we participate in to advance the interests of the Northwest Territories.
The Northern Cooperation Accord signed by the three territories in September 2003 provides opportunities to work together on issues of common concern. In April, I had the pleasure of hosting the third annual Northern Premiers’ Forum in Yellowknife. It was an opportunity to work with Premier Fentie and Premier Okalik to review the work each of the territories have undertaken on the Northern Strategy and to discuss issues under this year’s theme of “Working Together for Shared Success.”
It is important to note that the cooperative approach we have taken with our northern neighbours over the past several years has served the interests of all three territories. By working together, the three territories have realized additional federal funding commitments in areas such as health, our territorial financing agreements and in specific initiatives such as the Northern Strategy.
More importantly, we have also made significant progress on ensuring federal funding is allocated to the three northern territories in a manner that ensures it can have a meaningful impact. This means contributions that provide an adequate base funding level in addition to our normal per capita allocation.
Mr. Speaker, we also work with our colleagues in the western provinces and northern territories through the Western Premiers Conference to advance our interests. Earlier this month, I was pleased to join western and northern Premiers of this year’s conference in Lloydminster. As Members are aware, this is the centennial for the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the border city of Lloydminster was chosen to host this event to recognize this important centenary in both provinces.
The primary issue of discussion at the meeting was the need for action against the glowing use of crystal meth. The use of this drug is spreading at an alarming rate and although its use has yet to hit northern communities to the extent it has in southern Canada, we know there is an urgent need to take proactive steps to deal with the problem across jurisdictions to curb its manufacture and use before it becomes a crisis in the North. The Government of the Northwest Territories will participate in a meeting of Health, Justice and Public Safety Ministers in early June to continue to share best practices and develop strategies on education, prevention, treatment and policing for crystal meth.
Another significant area of focus was on labour market shortages in the North and West. An important focus of these discussions was about finding ways to address the low participation rates of aboriginal peoples in the labour force.
We agreed to work jointly on a strategy to deal with the critical labour shortages in western and northern Canada including working with employers and labour groups to identify best practices for the training and development of workers. Premiers will also bring western and northern aboriginal leaders together this summer to develop and implement a western Canadian aboriginal training strategy.
Mr. Speaker, we have been busy since the need of the budget session in working with our partners on issues of importance to this territory. This has required the collective effort of all Members of this House. I would like to thank all Members for their work and look forward to continuing our collaborative approach this summer in meeting our aboriginal government partners during their respective annual assemblies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, 2005 has been designated as the Year of the Veteran. This is an important declaration that pays tribute to the courage and sacrifice of our veterans. As well, 2005 is also the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, including the recent anniversary of Victory in Europe on May 8th, VE Day, and in the Far East on August 14th, VJ Day.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is pleased to join all provinces and territories in recognizing the significant contributions of veterans during this 60th anniversary year. It is an opportunity for our government, in partnership with community groups and agencies, to recognize veterans throughout our territory during the coming months. We are extremely fortunate to live in a country where we enjoy peace, democracy and the freedom to pursue our personal goals. This is the lasting legacy of all Canadians and allied veterans.
Mr. Speaker, we are honoured to have some of our veterans in the gallery today. We are also joined by representatives of groups and agencies that are planning events for the Year of the Veteran.
The events planned for the Year of the Veteran are an expression of gratitude to war service veterans and veterans of the Canadian Forces. It gives me great pleasure, Mr. Speaker, to highlight some of the activities that are being planned in the Northwest Territories:
The City of Yellowknife’s annual picnic on June 19th will include a commemoration of NWT veterans;
The Northwest Territories and Nunavut Aboriginal Veterans Association is planning to recognize veterans on National Aboriginal Day, June 21st;
Commemorations on Canada Day will be held by various groups in a number of communities, including the Holland Association of the High Arctic, Scouts, the Rotary Club and Yellowknife Seniors Society;
Special remembrance ceremonies will be held by the Royal Canadian Legion Vincent Massey Branch 164 on July 2nd to honour all war veterans and on November 11th for all NWT veterans;
The Canadian Forces Northern Area Headquarters is working with the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre to prepare a Year of the Veteran exhibition this fall;
The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is holding an Amazing Sunday session on the Year of the Veteran as part of their series of family-oriented educational activities; and,
Education, Culture and Employment is sending educational materials to all NWT schools and libraries for their use and display.
Mr. Speaker, these are just some of the activities planned to celebrate the Year of the Veteran. They reflect a commitment by community groups and agencies, individuals and this government to remember and celebrate the contribution of our veterans to our nation and our territory.
I ask all Members to join me in recognizing all Northwest Territories veterans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. (English not provided)
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been approached recently by my constituents regarding the NWT Housing Corporation's possible policy changes regarding residential home loan guarantees. These changes will dramatically affect the accessibility and affordability of homes. Families' self-sufficiency within the communities have always been a top priority to me and the GNWT.
The NWT Housing Corporation must consult residents of the NWT when considering such drastic policy changes. The NWT Housing Corporation has not approached the local governments, aboriginal communities, agencies and residents for input on this issue and to discuss possible solutions.
Shame, shame.
Mr. Speaker, these changes, although not intended, will target aboriginals more than any other group in the NWT. For example, in one community in my riding there are no aboriginal families being given assistance in owning their own homes. The reality is many people in the communities are living eight to 10 people per house.
As long as I can remember, housing has been a primary issue in the North. Communities all over the North are experiencing overcrowded conditions, long waiting lists and aging units. The enormous strain affects the communities and the individuals in many ways. During a time when more resources and commitment are needed for housing, how can this government reduce resources and modify policies creating additional barriers for people who are striving to be self-sufficient?
People in my communities work hard. Families are expected to take on more and more financial responsibilities. The income gap is growing. They have contributed to our economies their whole life and when they need assistance, Mr. Speaker, for residential purposes, we must not let them down. Mahsi cho.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently, Mr. Speaker, Inuvik lost one of our young people when Marshall Sayers perished while skipping on the ice with a snowmobile. I can't help but think that without alcohol, this would not have happened. Too many people in the NWT die because of alcohol. If we took out all the alcohol-related deaths, many more of our family members would still be with us today.
As young people, many of us have gone through this, and now, as adults, and hopefully grown up, we speak from experience when we ask that you not follow the same lifestyle. It’s just not worth it. So many opportunities are out there for you to succeed and make a positive contribution to your community and the NWT.
With graduation festivities coming up in the next few weeks, we ask that everyone be careful and stay sober; enjoy your special day. I ask this as someone who has gone through it and found out that it’s just not what it’s cut out to be. I knew Marshall and I’m saddened by the fact that he was taken from his family before he should have been. I’m sure that the family will agree with me when I ask all the young people to learn from this and not have his death be in vain. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to welcome yourself and my colleagues on your safe return to attend the Fourth Session of the 15th Assembly. Mr. Speaker, a number of special events have occurred recently in the Beaufort-Delta region that I would like to touch on today.
The Aurora College campus in Inuvik recently graduated 39 adults in various programs and I would like to congratulate Nellie Pokiak, Lena Pingo and Jenna Keogak.
On Friday, Mr. Speaker, May 27th, 2005, four students will graduate from the Helen Kalvak Elihakvik School in Holman. I would like to wish Robbie Inuktalik, Lori Ovilok, Fred Kataoyak and Tony Analak each success with their future endeavours.
At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank Shaylene Lundrigan who represented the Nunakput region during the Youth Parliament. She did a very good job.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the mayor and council of Tuktoyaktuk, I would like to thank my colleagues on the Accountability and Oversight committee and the staff for holding the annual strategic planning meeting in my community and for taking the time to meet and talk with the residents of Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Let me just start by congratulating Mr. Tony Whitford on his appointment as the 15th Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. I really look forward to building a meaningful working relationship with the new Commissioner over the remainder of the 15th Legislative Assembly. I also would like to welcome all the distinguished guests in our gallery today.
Mr. Speaker, I’m not only thrilled to be back in the House, but also thankful that all of my colleagues are also here, safe and in good health. I’m optimistic that we can continue to work effectively and collaboratively to finding agreeable solutions and plotting positive directions to resolve many issues of concern raised by my constituents of Tu Nedhe and northerners alike.
Mr. Speaker, we’re all aware of the recent political developments that have been unravelling in Ottawa over the past couple of months and I know the recent developments can have a profound impact on our Canadian political landscape which, in my view, could move the NWT into a more prominent role within the Confederation over the next decade and into the future.
But that is over there, Mr. Speaker, in Ottawa. What I want to talk about is here, in the NWT, and it’s about our people. I would like to express my dismay with the haughty attitude and the low level of attention towards many grassroots issues in the smaller communities displayed by this government, namely our bureaucratic system.
During the Circle of Northern Leaders meeting in Inuvik in April 2005, all leaders clearly expressed the same concerns that I feel, in that it is imperative that this government begin working more collaboratively and closely with the residents of our smaller communities in the delivery of important programs and services, like housing, health, education and economic development and, also equally important, in the streamlining of our ever-growing bureaucracy here in Yellowknife, so that the other 32 communities in the NWT realize some of the many tangible benefits as people do here in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, I will commit to working on these territorial or what I deem to be very important home turf concerns so that they are given serious priority in this House. I hope that my colleagues here share this vision and my enthusiasm to developing and integrating agreeable solutions and working toward an equally prosperous territory across the board from Inuvik to Fort Smith, from Lutselk’e to Nahanni Butte. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was pleased to see part of our northern culture come into the Legislative Assembly, such as the feeding-the-fire ceremony and the drumming of the Inuvialuit people here.
Mr. Speaker, spring is outside, spring is in the air, and so are the geese and ducks. Many of the Sahtu people are still on their annual spring hunts while some of them are already out on the land and extending their time out there. It is a happy time out on the land, sharing nature’s beauty and annual renewal.
Last year, Mr. Speaker, we accounted for over 451 people who went out on the spring hunts in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, right now there are elders out on the land ready to share their wisdom and knowledge with the young people. Some of the young people are unable to go because of the school dates and they have to stay in the communities.
It seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that this is an enlightened society we profess to live in and that the government would recognize the cultural and spiritual importance of the spring hunts and make allowance for children whose parents want them on the land during the spring hunt, without suffering the consequences of missing school days. Children who are aware and proud of their history and culture will have a better sense of self-worth and will do better within the confines of the regular classrooms.
As an aboriginal person, I have close ties with the land. I have learned much of what I know from my parents and grandparents. At some point I’d like to share what little I know with my little son.
Alas, Mr. Speaker, under the present system, spring break is in March. Last time I looked, Mr. Speaker, March is not spring north of 60. What I’d like to see is spring break during spring. May is a good month for being out on the land. Even if you allow one week in March and another in May for spring breaks, we would be further ahead and be able to take our children out on the land for reasonable periods of time to do some spring hunting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I start my statement, I would like to welcome all the distinguished guests who are with us here today.
I’d like to use my Member’s statement today to highlight the impacts of moving the Territorial Treatment Centre from Yellowknife to Hay River. I can understand and appreciate the politics that are at play when a decision like this is made. What I haven’t seen is an actual business case for the move. I’d like to know how the Minister can say that workers in Hay River who lost their jobs with the closure of Dene K’onia will gain employment if and when the TTC is relocated to Hay River. That’s at least 18 months from now and how could anybody wait that long for a job?
I’ve not heard from any of the employees at the TTC who are interested in relocating. The employees that are there today and the ones who come before them have made some very serious and substantive investments in our community and in our children.
What cannot be overlooked here is that the average length of employment by staff at the TTC, both full time and part time, is over five years. For the most part, all of the employees are long-term residents of Yellowknife at over 10 years per employee. These employees work under private contract and are notoriously underpaid compared to the equivalent work done under the public sector.
I’m worried that comments being made in the media are downplaying and dismissing the hard work and dedication of the staff at the TTC. Mr. Braden, the MLA for Great Slave, has noted that the move to Hay River will allow more children to be helped. How is this possible when 40 percent of the referrals to the TTC are from Yellowknife? Have we given any consideration to the clients that the TTC serves? What about the families and the children that will feel the brunt of this decision, the majority of children that will be located seven hours drive away from family and friends?
The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is that this decision is going to impact 17 full-time employees, six part-time employees, and numerous families here in Yellowknife. I would like to close by saying that typically I am in favour of decentralization when it makes sense. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will ask the Minister how this decision makes sense. Thank you.
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Mr. Speaker, thank you. Following on the heels of my colleague’s statement, I, too, want to address the matter of the proposal to relocate the Territorial Treatment Centre to Hay River.
For many years the NWT’s only care facility, I believe, for young children with these severe behaviour problems has been the TTC facility here in Yellowknife.
For several months the idea has been in play to relocate this centre to Hay River. The proposal is based on some very expensive renovations to an existing old building with limited capacity, compared with putting those dollars into the now vacant Dene K'onia centre. This would expand capacity and, from information I have seen, it would be a good use of taxpayers' dollars and in the long-run be a better facility for the NWT's population of children with these problems.
In a newspaper story this week, I made known my views in support of this idea. What I did not emphasize in this interview, Mr. Speaker, was an equal concern for the 17 jobs now located at the TTC and for the families and children who would face disruption from such a move. Needless to say, I have heard from staff and parents who were very upset with my views.
I apologize to these people, Mr. Speaker, for not acknowledging their situation in this newspaper interview. I am hoping to arrange a meeting with the staff and I want them to know that I will make sure that their situation is fully represented in this potential relocation. I would emphasize that it is far from being concluded.
Mr. Speaker, as MLAs we are often confronted with situations that conflict between our own local priorities and those that might serve the territory as a whole. This is a classic example of that kind of conflict. I want to assure my constituents that I will work for a solution that will be in their best interests and the best interests of the children of the Northwest Territories and of the resources of the territorial government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I devoted an extraordinary amount of air time during the budget session to the loss of Justice jobs, programs and services in Hay River. It potentially directly impacted a total of 40 jobs. It impacted the open custody young offenders' facility, our court registry and the closure of our remand unit at the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre.
I am pleased to recognize that the planned closure of the court registry was reversed. The closure of the remand centre proceeded on April 15th, in spite of a unanimous motion of the Regular Members to reinstate the funding for this service. I will be speaking to the fallout from that decision during this session.
Mr. Speaker, the closure of the young offenders' facility also took effect on April 1st. This caused considerable hardship for many of the workers and their families, as transfers to other communities and other jobs, in some cases, have split families up for the foreseeable future.
On a much happier note, Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the Minister of Health and Social Services has identified a service which suits the valuable infrastructure of the Dene K'onia Young Offender Facility as a territorial treatment centre for youth. This will go some ways towards mitigating the impact of the losses in Hay River.
In the days ahead, I will be speaking to the issue of the remand closure and the need for our government to examine all and every practical and prudent decentralization initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I begin my statement, I wish to make a special announcement. My second son was born just over a month ago, on NWT Day. His name is Hudson; and if pooping and crying is healthy, he certainly is very healthy. Everyone is fine and I wanted to take this first opportunity to announce that.
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Thank you. Mr. Speaker, earlier this month I was invited by a Yellowknife Centre business to go to Japan and attend some aurora meetings. It was at their suggestion that someone with a political point of view come to see how important the aurora is to the Japanese people.
Mr. Speaker, I have come to realize that we have totally misunderstood the profound effect the aurora has on the Japanese people, not unlike the Muslim trek to Mecca or the spiritual walk down the Via Dela Rosa for the Christians.
Mr. Speaker, the Japanese Shinto population, which is all of Japan, loves nature, and to them there is a calling of three important tasks in their lifetime for every Japanese person. Mr. Speaker, I will tell you those three tasks of a lifetime as it was told to me. They were taught in every school, to every Japanese student in that country. Those three tasks are: first, you must visit your ancestral village; second, you must visit Mount Fuji; and the third one sent a true chill down my spine, which is you must see the aurora in your lifetime.
Mr. Speaker, that is beyond profound. That is simply amazing. We have the aurora here and to every Japanese person that is a goal in life, to come see the aurora once. It is no secret that the Japanese people love nature. The Shinto culture loves everything in the world, the importance of every single creature, and believes that it all has its own special spirit. If this sort of sounds familiar, well, it should. It is not that much different from the aboriginal people of the NWT, where they feel strong ties to the land and the creatures around.
Every natural thing is a gift from God, they believe; especially the aurora. It is a true spiritual trek for them in a lifetime, and coming to Canada is truly one of the biggest opportunities they believe they need to take. There is a spiritual draw to the beauty of the aurora that cannot be put into words. Today I am trying to do it justice, but you have to be Japanese to truly understand the full personal fulfillment.
Mr. Speaker, it is time we realize this and embrace this opportunity. Mr. Speaker, at this time I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While in Japan I took a couple of minutes of spare time to go and see the Canadian pavilion. Mr. Speaker, its main theme was aurora. Everything had the aurora logo on it, from its posters to its little hologram cards that say Experience Canada. Incidentally, the only card they couldn't keep in stock was the one with the aboriginal picture on it. They just flew out the door.
Watching Japanese people captivated by the light show with their personal enthusiasm was amazing. You would watch them filter out of the pavilion saying how can I go to Canada? Where do I go? Where do I sign up? No one was there to help them. I think we can do something about that. I watched that enthusiasm. I think this government can do something to captivate that enthusiasm.
It is time for bold moves, Mr. Speaker. It is time to create a solid presence in Japan. What I am suggesting is that this government takes a strong hold by opening an office in Tokyo, so the Japanese people can truly get over here to Canada, to the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, Ontario, B.C. and Alberta have offices in Japan and it is time we do, as well. We can only hold onto our reputation in Japan, that is that the Northwest Territories truly has the best aurora. We cannot hold onto that forever without demonstrating our respect for the Japanese people by going to their front door and showing them how important it is that they are a good customer to us.
In closing, when I was in Japan and I told people that I was from Canada, people said, I love Canada. When I told them that I am from Yellowknife, they all said, aurora. Mr. Speaker, let us capture that brand name and bring it straight here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure if I can top that. Mr. Speaker, I would speak also on behalf of the employees of the Territorial Treatment Centre who recently found out from the newspaper that they will be losing their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, as you can appreciate, jobs are about the most important thing for all of us, and it is never a good thing to find out that you will be losing your job down the road. To hear it from the newspaper is quite another story.
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the department and the contractor who runs this centre are under negotiations and discussions to plan this. Having this sort of insensitive way in which this issue is being dealt with, I don't think is helping with the situation.
Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that in my time as an MLA I have had the opportunity to spend a good part of the day at this facility meeting with the staff, the administrator and the children who are housed in this centre.
Mr. Speaker, these young people come from all over the NWT. This is not a centre that treats mild to moderate behavioural problem children. This centre is a residential treatment program that looks after very difficult youth, Mr. Speaker. A lot of them are rooted in the community, they are housed in our schools, and they get very specialized services from our communities. Now with a stroke of decision of this government, they will be routed into another community as if they have no say, as if they are a completely transferable, non-feeling kind of people.
Mr. Speaker, we should be aware that 21 people, 15 of them full-time and six casual jobs will be lost as a result of this transfer. Mr. Speaker, the employees are asking why is it that the government decides to close a centre in another community, and just by a willy-nilly decision and as a balancing act or whatever it is, can just arbitrarily take 21 jobs and say we’re just going to move them as if there are no families and real people involved behind these jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I understand we as a Legislature have to make tough decisions, but I don’t think we should ever lose sight of the fact that we are talking about real people with real jobs, and we should really give consideration to what is involved. Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that I am going to be…
Ms. Lee, your time for your Member’s statement is up.
Mr. Speaker, may I 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, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I simply conclude by saying, Mr. Speaker, I think this might be a really classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, and in the end really it is not very beneficial. Mr. Speaker, I think one of the critical questions we have to ask is for the people who have lost jobs in Hay River, we are sympathetic to that and we have dealt with that issue a lot in this House, but in the end or even two years down the road will they be able to benefit from these jobs? I will be asking those questions. Does it make sense for the government to transfer 21 jobs that might not end up being held by those who lost their jobs? So those are the crucial issues that I think we have to address and I will be continuing that further in this House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity on this Year of the Veteran to recognize the veterans who are here with us today. Mr. Speaker, with us are Ruth Ann MacEachern-Spence, a World War II veteran;
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Mr. Dusty Miller, World War II veteran;
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Mrs. Ethel Wilson, World War II veteran;
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Mr. Gordon Carter, World War II veteran;
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Mrs. Jan Stirling, a veteran of Korea;
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Bishop John Sperry, World War II veteran;
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and Tom Eagle, peacemaker.
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Mr. Speaker, if there are other veterans that I can’t see but are here, I recognize them and apologize if I missed their names. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize an individual who has demonstrated tremendous patience and endurance these last 29 years and nine months, my wife, Jeri Miltenberger.
---Laughter
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Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to take this opportunity to welcome all the distinguished guests in the gallery. I don’t think I’d be allowed to repeat all the names, but if I may just mention a couple of names; Mr. Ed Jeske, a distinguished elder in our community…
---Applause
…and Katherine Youngblut who is sitting next to Mr. Jeske. Also I’d like to recognize two people who work a lot to make my job easier everyday; Cathy Olson, my constituency assistant, and my mother, Taejeong Lee. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the Aklavik drummers who were here for us today: Mr. Andrew and Eva Gordon; Phillip and Laurie Elanik; Dean (Manny) Arey; Barbara Archie; Colin Gordon; and also Cecil Greenland. I’d like to welcome you all, and along with them I’d like to recognize my delegation from the Mackenzie Delta who are sitting behind me. My constituency assistant, Ms. Liz Wright; her sister, Alice Charlie; her sister, June Tetlichi, along with her son, Trevor Tetlichi; Karen Wright-Fraser; and also Cathy Moore from the Mackenzie Delta.
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize the president of the Royal Canadian Legion here in Yellowknife, Mr. Lloyd Lush. With Lloyd is Mr. Lorne Power, general manager of the Royal Canadian Legion. Welcome gentlemen.
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I’d also like to recognize a constituent of mine, Abel Kogiak, who has recently returned from the Voyageur Rendezvous in Rocky Mountain House. He was one of the original voyageur canoeists in 1970. Welcome, Abel.
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Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize two out-of-town guests today sitting with Steve Meister and the mayor of Yellowknife, who were recognized earlier, the president of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, Ruth Kelly, and also director Guy Anderson who are here today for a number of meetings with the Yellowknife chamber. I believe Ms. Kelly also delivered today’s business club luncheon address. I’d like to welcome them to the Assembly. Thank you.
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My better half, Lucille, couldn’t make it down here for the opening of session, but in her place I brought along my friend, Darren Pokiak…
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…also, my older son Bertram Pokiak in the gallery…
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…also, Mr. Speaker, my constituency assistant, Charlene Elias. I’d also like to say hi to Abel up there. He’s a long-time friend of mine from Aklavik. Thank you.
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