Debates of May 30, 2005 (day 4)

For the information of Members, the languages in which there is simultaneous translation today are Inuvialuit and Cree. The Chair recognizes the honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

I rise on a Point of Privilege, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Madam Speaker, I rise today on a matter of personal privilege to inform the House and my constituents that it has been my honour and privilege to have been chosen by the people of North Slave to serve in three legislative assemblies. I have not taken this responsibility lightly. I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank my constituents for their support and confidence in me during the time I have been their representative in this House. I want to let them know that I have always had their best interests at heart.

Madam Speaker, spring is now in the air throughout the Northwest Territories. It is a wonderful time of the year and the longer days and the new buds on the trees reminds us all that it is time for reflection, new life and revitalization. Various events in my life, both personal and public, have given me cause for reflection this spring. Madam Speaker, I feel I need to make a fresh start in my life. I need revitalization and reflection. As I do so, my first priority is to ensure that the Tlicho people, my people, are represented in this House in the manner they need and deserve.

Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to announce my resignation as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for North Slave effective immediately. To my colleagues in this House, I want to thank you for your friendship and support over the years. I am proud to say that I have served in this House with each and every one of you. I wish you good luck as you continue your important work on behalf of the people of this great territory.

To the Tlicho people, I wish you a joyous summer as you celebrate the implementation of our historic agreements. Good luck to all the candidates in the upcoming elections. I know you will serve our people with the best of intentions as we begin the next chapter in our period of history. Thank you. Mahsi cho.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. At this time, I am going to call for a 10-minute break and we will reconvene after that. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Madam Speaker, this afternoon, I would like to advise the Assembly that the Department of Transportation’s Graduated Driver’s Licence Program will come into effect as of August 1, 2005. The Graduated Driver’s Licence Program will attach some new conditions to the process of acquiring a driver’s licence for the first time. These conditions will encourage the novice driver to respect the responsibility involved in operating a motor vehicle safely.

When the 14th Legislative Assembly amended the Motor Vehicle Act for the strategy to reduce impaired driving in June of 2003, it also enacted amendments for a graduated driver’s licence. Due to the fiscal restraint, the Department of Transportation deferred the introduction of this new program until now. This week, the department begins an information campaign to advise the public of the changes in the driver licensing process that will take effect this August.

Until now, there has been no minimum period of time that a person must spend learning to drive between getting a learner’s licence and taking the road test for a full class 5 driver’s licence. The Graduated Driver’s Licence Program requires that a new driver must hold a learner’s licence and drive under the supervision of a class 5 driver for a full 12 months before testing for the class 5.

Similarly, a new class 5 driver’s licence is probationary for 12 months. In that time, the novice driver may not have more than one passenger with him or her in the front seat of a vehicle. New drivers are not permitted to drive with any amount of alcohol in their blood. The limit on the accumulation of demerit points for a mandatory licence suspension is 15 points for experienced drivers. For novice drivers, the limit is reduced to six points.

In a nutshell, those are the main elements of the Graduated Driver’s Licence Program. They are not harsh or punitive. They are reasonable limitations to put on an inexperienced driver and consistent with the Graduated Driver’s Licence Programs already in effect for some years now across southern Canada.

The value of the Graduated Driver’s Licence Program is to emphasize for new drivers the skills they must acquire before they can operate a motor vehicle safely. Acquiring those skills takes experience and gaining that experience takes time.

The motor vehicle is a sophisticated piece of technology and contributes to our freedom of mobility. Yet it can also be a dangerous and even deadly piece of equipment. With freedom comes responsibility. New drivers must learn to respect the motor vehicle. The purpose of the Graduated Driver’s Licence Program is to provide an opportunity to learn that respect. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I wish to recognize the contributions and abilities of persons with disabilities. NWT Disability Awareness Week is from May 20 to June 4, 2005. The theme for this year’s activities is “Celebrating our Strengths.”

Madam Speaker, disability can affect any one of us directly or indirectly at any point in our lives. Some people are born with disabilities. Other people are disabled by an accident, illness or disease. Some disabilities are temporary, while others are life long. Some disabilities are visible and other disabilities cannot be seen. The important message is that we can focus on people’s abilities, rather than define them by their disabilities.

The NWT action plan for persons with disabilities and the NWT disability framework, which was released in December 2004, guides GNWT services for persons with disabilities.

Earlier today, I had the honour of presenting an award on behalf of the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities to Tammy Saunders of Yellowknife, a person with a disability, in recognition of her outstanding contributions in the field of disabilities within the NWT.

The NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities will be presenting two other awards to the mayor of Holman, Peter Malgokak; and Jacques Van Pelt of Fort Smith. These are two people that live with a disability who have been recognized by the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities as having achieved and provided outstanding contributions to their communities.

Madam Speaker, I ask Members to join with me and thank all persons with disabilities in the NWT for their contributions and strengths, which are shared with friends, families and communities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in keeping with previous commitments to report progress, I would like to update the House on the implementation of the corrections human resource action plan, tabled in the House in December 2004.

In August 2004, corporate human resources began a review of the human resources challenges corrections was facing. Madam Speaker, by November 2004, a number of issues were identified which required priority attention. In response, the Department of Justice prepared an action plan and a team was established to begin the work immediately.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to report that we have greatly enhanced communications with all levels of the corrections services by holding more frequent and comprehensive staff meetings, by piloting an internal electronic message system, and by ensuring that supervisors and managers meet with staff every day. We are creating staff committees to develop and monitor staff training, to implement a staff awards system and to edit our new newsletter. Also, we are working with corporate human resources to develop a comprehensive human resource plan that will incorporate the best practices we are diligently following.

We are continuing to make progress on our targeted action items, Madam Speaker, but have adjusted some of our original timelines to accommodate the consolidation of human resource functions across government and the ongoing negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement. Madam Speaker, we will continue to move forward on outstanding tasks, including improving our job descriptions, addressing vacancies, identifying a three-year training plan and enhancing our hiring processes.

I look forward to continuing this work and will table an update report on the corrections human resource action plan during the fall 2005 session. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Ministers’ statements 1-15(4), 3-15(4), 4-15(4) and 5-15(4) be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, at this time of the year, many colleges, universities and other post-secondary institutions and high school academic years are coming to an end. For most students, their semester is already over and this is the time for celebration. I’m sure many students are happy that their final exams are over and that summer has arrived. But more importantly, this is a season in which graduation is celebrated and it is in recognition of a student's successes, success for all the students in the Northwest Territories.

Madam Speaker, I’m proud to recognize the academic achievements of nine students from the Sahtu who have recently graduated from Aurora College in Fort Smith and two students at the Yellowknife Campus. For the individual graduates and for their communities and Aurora College, this is a celebration of talent, sustained effort and belief in the importance of learning.

These graduates work hard and the graduation day captures the pride and accomplishment and success of these students. Every single graduate represents a story of achievement and a wonderful promise for the future, just as these students have become important role models and future leaders in their communities. There are also 23 potential high school graduates from the Sahtu who have demonstrated commitment and discipline to create a brighter future for themselves and their determination has been recognized by all.

Madam Speaker, these students can be proud of the education they receive here in the Northwest Territories. This will reward them for the rest of their lives.

Madam Speaker, I would like to also recognize Sheena Kochon of Colville Lake who will be celebrating her graduation ceremony at 4:00 today with her community.

In addition, Madam Speaker, two elders from the Sahtu region were recognized and awarded special certificates by Aurora College in Inuvik for their contribution and dedication to teaching their aboriginal language. Mr. Maurice Mendo of Tulita and Ms. Rosie Sewi of Deline received honourary Aboriginal Language and Culture Instructor Certificates and both of them are called our Dene professors of linguistics.

In closing, I would like to recognize the parents and the teachers and the various organizations that have fostered and developed the academic successes of our students. Their constant support provides a foundation of success of individuals and entire communities that deserve recognition. Mahsi cho, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in honour of the Disability Awareness Week which was celebrated at our luncheon in the Great Hall this afternoon, I would like to take this opportunity to once again call upon this government to move quickly in revising the income support policies in ways to understand and address the particular needs of those with physical or mental disabilities.

Madam Speaker, in a nutshell, the problem with the government’s income support policies is that it’s largely an effort to fit a square peg into a circle. Madam Speaker, generally speaking, it makes sense to encourage able-bodied and able-minded people on income support to train and to take life skills courses in order to maximize their potential for gaining better employment and eventually getting off the income support system. But what this does not recognize is that there are people in our society who are not able to ever work on a temporary basis or permanent basis, no matter what we do for them and no matter how much they want to. Right now our income support policies do not treat these citizens with the necessary sensitivity and comprehension.

Madam Speaker, it makes no sense to ask someone who is physically weak and on a waiting list for a heart transplant to attend a life skills courts to improve herself. This is what’s happening out there.

Madam Speaker, it equally does not make sense to require someone with severe cognitive disabilities, such as Down’s Syndrome, to ask them to take a training course and to take life improvement courses that would normally benefit able-bodied and able-minded people on income support. Madam Speaker, it also doesn’t work for the government to insist that these people are left in abject poverty, supposedly aimed at encouraging them to get off the system, because we know no matter how much they want to, it’s not possible.

Madam Speaker, when you know that there are those very small segments in our society who could never get off this income support system, I think we, as a decent society, must do what we can to help them in a different way. Madam Speaker, I believe those in our society who are clinically determined not to be able to work in any reasonable capacity should be given a certain minimum standard of living in the form of minimum government disability pension. Madam Speaker, in other words, this government once and for all has to understand and act on a deep appreciation that there has to be a separate set of policies and guidelines for those with special needs. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, today I am responding to a very alarming situation regarding the youth program budget for this year; or rather, the lack thereof. Several communities within my constituency have waited for this fiscal year to apply for youth activity funding, hoping their early application could enhance their chances for funding. I regret to say that to my chagrin the recent response from the Minister’s office was unfavourable. What was alarming was that the funds were exhausted already. How can this be when we’re only in the first quarter, Madam Speaker?

If the GNWT had little or no funding to put towards youth initiatives, then the government should not be giving the impression that they will evaluate applications or have the means to provide for them. This response, along with the drastic decrease with community-based partnership funding such as a Youth Employment Program, is very concerning to me and my constituents. Youth within communities such as Fort Liard or Wrigley have very limited opportunities and exposure with post-secondary education and youth activities. The cost for youth to visit colleges and universities or attend sports functions limits many of our youth in these communities.

Secondly, the small populations of the communities and the enormous costs often create an unrealistic or very gruelling fundraising situation. There’s really no other presence in that community other than government, Madam Speaker. With such differences in regions, this across-the-board standard calculation for evaluating funding requests alienate the communities and are unbalanced when comparing them to larger centres.

During my recent community visits, some of my constituents have expressed their opinion that the GNWT has dramatically reduced high profile community-based funding to support for the recent resource revenue sharing negotiations with the federal government. During a time when youth programs such as Healthy Living initiatives and education-based activities are regarded as crucial to a healthy development of the North, why then has this government reduced the budget for so many youth deliverables?

The youth are our future; they need our support and guidance and we, as the government of the people, cannot let them down. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Sleep apnea is a very common medical disorder that our adult population suffers from. Sufferers of this condition need to have their condition properly diagnosed in a sleep lab prior to deciding on a form of treatment. Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services is closing down the sleep centre at Stanton hospital. It is estimated that 80 percent of sleep apnea sufferers go undiagnosed and this is a real shame, because sleep apnea can have a detrimental effect on your quality of life.

This condition can cause severe drowsiness, so the sufferer is unable to concentrate on work, stay alert or take care of children or drive somewhere without severely injuring themselves or others. A sleep apnea sufferer recently wrote a letter to the Yellowknifer, describing the devastating effects of sleep apnea. Madam Speaker, this woman couldn’t even lay down to go to sleep without suffocating. Needless to say, she also couldn’t believe that the sleep centre was being closed when she had been told there was a three-year waiting list to get in.

It’s not only sleep apnea patients that can use the help of a sleep centre, Madam Speaker. A constituent of mine suffered from a heart defect and had severe arrhythmia. One of the most significant symptoms is a marked decrease in oxygen while he slept. Once he was tested and given oxygen while he slept, he felt immediately better and the stress to his heart decreased significantly.

Madam Speaker, not only does the Northwest Territories not have a program to address sleep and oxygen related disorders, but the CPAP machines used to treat sleep apnea are not covered by the NWT health insurance. My constituent with the heart condition is also having trouble getting the government to pay the contractor that is providing him with oxygen.

Madam Speaker, I have some real concerns about how people with these disorders are being treated by our government and I’ll have some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.

---Applause

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I’d like to speak about some of the recent negative developments that the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board has been experiencing over the past couple of months. The federal government, as we are all aware, Madam Speaker, made a chair appointment without the consent of northerners and this government. Last April, the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board raised the issue of conflict of interest of the chair and in rebuttal the chair suspended the board operations, which could and has resulted in serious repercussions to mineral explorations in the form of jobs to northerners and potential future developments within the Northwest Territories being shelved by exploration companies, which we have already witnessed last week with the seven applications that were put on hold because of the petty quarrelling amongst many board members and the chair.

Madam Speaker, not only has the appointment of a non-northerner by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Andy Scott, and supported by our own MP, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, opened up some old wounds already within the unsteady

Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board and now the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, and also now in our bureaucratically bloated regulatory regime here in the North, but the federal non-northerner appointee is now pouring salt on the wound by suspending the board’s business of issuing permits in a timely manner.

Madam Speaker, all this mayhem could have been avoided had the federal government, more specifically Minister Scott and MP Blondin-Andrew, heeded the advice of northerners. What do we as northern residents and government representatives have to do in order to be taken more seriously by our federal counterparts?

Issues that are specifically northern related can and should be resolved by northerners in true northern fashion, which is by consensus and merit, and viewed as favourable by all northerners. This has to be considered sacred, not just out of respect, but because only northerners know what is good for northerners. I would encourage this government’s leadership to express our frustration and disagreement toward the legislative process and establishment of such an important regulatory body, and take responsibility and the leadership position to direct the board to act and work effectively and cooperatively on behalf of northerners and not put northern development on hold for personal agendas. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the last few days the issue of the government’s decision to move the Territorial Treatment Centre from Yellowknife has captured a lot of attention and certainly a lot of it is centred on Members of this Assembly and where we’re going with this very sudden decision by the government to relocate something that has a very significant part of this community’s and this region’s service to children with severe behavioural disabilities.

Madam Speaker, on Friday I was comforted to hear the Minister of Health and Social Services tell us in relation to a discussion about dialysis services in Nahendeh that it makes far more sense to have services as close to the people it serves as possible. This is something that I am certainly learning a lot more about in relation to this particular issue.

Madam Speaker, I’ve heard from the YWCA here in Yellowknife that the loss of this service here in the city, of course, is going to potentially mean that some of the staff involved in delivering care for the young people at the Territorial Treatment Centre will also be lost to other related programs in the city. For instance, there are three at the YWCA: Project Child Recovery for children who witness violence in the home, a Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program, and a Support for Adults with Disabilities. All have staff who are very much involved in the delivery of service at the Territorial Treatment Centre.

My growing concern here, Madam Speaker, as I am learning more about the significance of this service, is that the government has made this decision without fully developing the plan, the consequences for it and how our region and our community are going to cope with this through the transition of this service to Hay River. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, last session I spoke in this House for a limited junk food policy out there for young students to tap into. I want to take this afternoon’s Member’s statement to congratulate the Yellowknife Catholic school board for their initiative in dealing with a firm policy that deals directly with solving some of these junk food problems out there.

Although a number of schools in other regions have stepped forward to take on initiatives of this nature, I think the Yellowknife Catholic school board needs an extra applaud of thanks for taking control and removing those low nutritional value foods out of their vending machines. I think that is a fairly significant step and it shows that they have their priorities in order and it shows us that we need to pay attention.

In recent months, more and more emphasis has been placed out there on balanced diet, modernization of the foods are so unhealthy out there. Study after study has shown and beyond that they’ve scientifically proven all along that mom truly was right, we need to eat good foods to grow up healthy, such as vegetables. I hope the folks up there in the gallery remember to eat your broccoli.

Madam Speaker, I just want to further applaud the Yellowknife Catholic school board for putting their children first by putting quality snacks into their vending machines and removing the garbage ones. Here is a lesson that can be learned by those in the GNWT. Any initiative of this nature can be considered a positive step in promoting healthy living and healthy choices, and beyond that a healthy and active world that people can grow up in. The GNWT has a role here to play. In promoting policies of this nature, we can keep our society much happier and healthier for our future, which affects the bottom line.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I just want to emphasize a couple points. The Government of Nunavut recently held a Drop the Pop campaign and they’ve basically identified how many students under the age of five will be losing teeth this fall because of their addiction to pop. Finally, one last point I want to say in closing, schools having to fundraise by tapping into the need for junk food is completely wrong, because it’s almost like government justifying gaming and social addictions as reasonable efforts to raise revenues. So I think the Catholic school board is certainly taking a smart step forward and I applaud them personally for that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today to thank Mr. Menicoche, MLA for Nahendeh, and Premier Handley, as well as my colleague Sandy Lee for attending the Deh Cho First Nations leadership meeting in Fort Liard. As a Member from the Far North, it was a pleasure to attend the leadership meeting.

Madam Speaker, Grand Chief Herb Norwegian was a very good host and allowed us to make a short speech. Madam Speaker, as the Member for Nunakput, the Mackenzie Valley pipeline is very important to the Beaufort-Delta people. My support for the process was relayed to the Deh Cho First Nations leadership.

Madam Speaker, I was interested in attending the leadership meeting because the Deh Cho First Nations could play a vital role in the proposed pipeline and also the joint process. Although, Madam Speaker, the leadership did not speak openly on the proposed pipeline, I hope the Deh Cho First Nations will take my concerns seriously to move forward on the process of the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I’d just like to thank the grand chief and the chiefs along the valley for their hospitality. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a class from Yellowknife in the gallery today. By looking at them I know that they are absolutely fascinated and interested about what is going on in this House. I am going to visit them in their class next Tuesday and expect to be answering some questions about some of the interesting proceedings in this House. Let me introduce Mr. Speakman's Grade 6 class from Range Lake North School. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Welcome. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize a former constituent from the Deline, Madam Speaker. He is also a good hockey player. I would also like to recognize behind me, Sonny MacDonald. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am pleased to recognize my constituent, Major Karen Hoeft, who is clearly very fascinated with what goes on in this House. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Premier Handley. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Member for Sahtu for recognizing my constituent for me, Mr. Sonny MacDonald, the band councillor for the Salt River First Nations, chair of the Arts Council for the Northwest Territories, a renowned carver and a friend from Fort Smith, Thebacha. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would like to recognize in the visitors' gallery today Wayne Miller. He is a resident of Yellowknife but he spends a lot of time in Hay River, so I feel like he is my constituent. Welcome, Wayne.

---Applause

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise again with questions to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable David Krutko. Honourable Krutko, on page 142 of the unedited Hansard from Friday, had promised to table some information and I would like to know when the Minister is going to do good on the promise. As well, he took a question on notice last week and I would like to hear some answers to when we are going to hear these fabulous and mysterious answers on the EDAP program. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Return To Question 37-15(4): Timeline For Responding To Questions Taken As Notice

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I will be tabling the information that I was requested to table in the House, but because the Member's question was so technical, I will have to take a little time to research it and make sure that I get the information to the Member so that I am accurate in regard to the issue that he raised so that the information that he receives is valid and hopefully it will take care of his question. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 37-15(4): Timeline For Responding To Questions Taken As Notice

Thank you, Madam Speaker. While I am really looking forward to hearing actually when we are going to table this program, because I am getting phone calls from Inuvik as well as Yellowknife in regards to how does this program work, how we justify one family getting a different amount than another family, there seems to be no clear transparency on this sliding scale. Would the Minister clearly say today when we expect him to table this information that he agreed to on Friday, and will he table it in a timely manner so that questions can be posed fairly in this House before it adjourns this Thursday? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 37-15(4): Timeline For Responding To Questions Taken As Notice

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I am hoping to have the document tabled in this House by Wednesday.