Debates of October 17, 2006 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to welcome everyone in the gallery and all Members back to this Assembly after a busy and productive summer.

This summer I had the good fortune to be able to travel to a number of communities to meet with local councils, organizations and residents. In August, I was pleased to host Prime Minister Harper on his first visit to the Northwest Territories. We were also pleased to host a number of other federal Ministers as the new government begins to understand the issues and develop relationships in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, last night there was a very important election in the Northwest Territories as residents of Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River, Inuvik and Norman Wells went to the polls to elect municipal councils. On behalf of all the Members of the Legislative Assembly, I want to congratulate: His Worship Gordon Van Tighem on his acclamation as mayor of Yellowknife; His Worship Peter Martselos on his re-election as mayor in Fort Smith; John Pollard on his return to the mayor’s seat in Hay River; and Derek Lindsay in Inuvik; and, Peter Guther in Norman Wells on their election as mayors in those communities.

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I would also like to congratulate all of those elected to serve as councillors and indeed everyone who put their name forward to serve their communities.

At the beginning of our term, the Members of the Legislative Assembly worked together to develop a strategic plan that set out our vision for the Northwest Territories. The strategic plan identified four priority areas for this Legislative Assembly. As the 15th Legislative Assembly enters its final year, it is an appropriate time to stop and take stock of our accomplishments and review the work we need to do on these priorities for the remainder of our term.

Mr. Speaker, the first priority area identified by this Assembly was helping people help themselves. To this end, we are providing programs and services that allow people to improve their education levels, live healthier lifestyles and meet their immediate housing needs, and support greater community autonomy.

Members of this Legislative Assembly have made it clear we need to do more to ensure our residents have access to educational training programs to allow them to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities in the Northwest Territories. I am pleased to highlight the significant progress we have made toward this priority.

At the high school level, the commitment of Members of the Legislative Assembly to increase investment in education is showing results, most notably in an increase in NWT graduation rates from 34 percent in 1995-1996 to 50 percent in 2004-2005.

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We are continuing this investment in education infrastructure, with more than $160 million spent or committed to building new schools, undertaking major renovation projects and constructing new college housing.

Record numbers of our students are continuing on to post-secondary education. There are approximately 1,400 northerners who are now supported through the Student Financial Assistance Program to pursue post-secondary education in a variety of disciplines. We have over 300 apprentices registered in the North each year and we have issued certificates to 200 journeypersons in the past three years.

The Northwest Territories is working with industry, aboriginal organizations, the federal government through aboriginal skills and employment partnerships in the mining and oil and gas sectors. These partnerships are designed to assist territorial residents to improve education and skill levels to take advantage of opportunities in these sectors. To date, these programs have provided training to 209 participants in mining and 746 participants in oil and gas.

Mr. Speaker, to help encourage healthy lifestyles, the government is delivering a number of programs, including the very successful Don’t Be a Butthead anti-smoking campaign and Get Active NWT challenges.

Health services to territorial residents has improved and expanded with the addition of the new aboriginal health liaison workers and public health workers by expanding dialysis services and cancer treatment programs. We have also undertaken a number of initiatives to reduce wait times, including expanding rehabilitation services such as speech and language therapy, audiology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. Our government has added new positions to help address addiction issues, including more mental health workers, community wellness workers, and clinical supervisors.

While much work remains to be done to improve territorial health and social conditions which continue to lag behind national averages, we’re beginning to see some positive indicators, including declines in territorial smoking rates, declines in injury rates among children, and higher rates of physical activity among youth.

Mr. Speaker, we’re working to meet the immediate housing needs in our communities. This government is investing $100 million over a three-year period in partnership with the federal government as part of the affordable housing initiative. The funding will bring new energy efficient homes to all of our communities with plans for up to 530 new dwellings.

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To encourage greater community autonomy we are continuing to implement the New Deal for NWT community governments and to provide new revenue sources to communities. The New Deal transfers full authority for community public infrastructure to community governments and increases capital funding from an historical level of $17 million annually to $28 million annually. In addition to this funding, the Gas Tax Agreement with the federal government will provide $37.5 million over five years to NWT communities.

This government also developed and implemented the $35 million community capacity building fund based on an equitable base-plus-funding formula. The community capacity building fund encourages local governments to work together on priority capacity building projects. Because many communities are in the process of developing proposals, we are extending the deadline for proposals to March 2007.

Mr. Speaker, crime and violence have for too long plagued our communities. I want to highlight a number of important initiatives we are undertaking to deal with these problems.

To help deal with issues around family violence, our government has implemented the Protection Against Family Violence Act. Since this act came into effect in April 2005, over 150 emergency protection orders have been issued. The new Family Law Clinic in Yellowknife has been relocated to Centre Square Mall to make it more accessible to families. Recently we increased the tariff paid to private lawyers who take legal aid files to encourage more lawyers to do legal aid work and we’re working closely with the Law Society to address the shortage of lawyers in this area.

Mr. Speaker, we are looking for new and innovative ways to deal with those people convicted of criminal offences. We support full-time adult wilderness camp programs near Fort Smith, an elder program has been piloted in the Sahtu, and we are working to develop a pilot wilderness camp in the Tlicho region. The adult male correctional facility in Fort Smith has been re-profiled as a special needs facility. This facility provides a secure setting for offenders with special needs such as FASD or other cognitive challenges to learn new skills to assist them to full reintegration into their communities and society.

Mr. Speaker, protecting our communities from criminal activity as a result of drugs or alcohol is an important priority for this government. I am pleased that we are embarking on a series of public consultations on a proposed Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act beginning during this current session.

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This legislation is similar to laws already in place in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and the Yukon, and would allow for the eviction of people habitually disturbing the neighbourhood with the illegal sale or production of alcohol or drugs, the unsafe use of inhalants,or other non-potable substances, gaming or prostitution. As a first step, public meetings will be held in all regions to hear the views and receive advice from all residents.

Another area of focus has been negotiating fair deals with Canada and aboriginal governments. Mr. Speaker, while we have been pleased with the federal government’s agreement to deliver on commitments in the last federal budget such as the Affordable Housing Strategy and Mackenzie gas project impact fund, we are concerned about some of the budget reductions recently announced, particularly in the areas of literacy and volunteerism.

The next six to 12 months will be critical in determining whether we are successful in negotiating fair deals with Canada. The number one priority for this government is pursuing a new territorial financing agreement that adequately meets our needs. We’ve worked hard to aggressively advance territorial interests with the federal Expert Panel on Equalization and Territorial Financing, and with the advisory panel established by the Council of the Federation. In their final reports, both these groups supported the position taken by our government and we are now working to finalize new territorial formula financing arrangements.

We are pleased with the commitment by Prime Minister Harper and Finance Minister Flaherty to move forward with territorial formula financing on a separate track from the equalization negotiations. We expect that these negotiations can also be finalized independent of equalization negotiations and look forward to Minister Flaherty tabling a proposal on TFF this fall that will allow these negotiations to move forward quickly.

The potential of our territory is enormous. The key to unlocking this potential is an agreement with the federal government, the territorial government, aboriginal governments of the Northwest Territories that will finally see jurisdiction over our natural resources transferred to us along with a fair share of our resources they generate.

A devolution and resource revenue sharing agreement will allow northerners to control the pace and scope of development in their territory, facilitate the creation of a predictable regulatory impacts regime, and provide fairness and certainty to industry partners. With the appointment of a new federal negotiator we are optimistic that we can work towards an agreement-in-principle on devolution and resource revenue sharing with the federal government and aboriginal governments.

A final agreement on self-government is close in Deline and a framework agreement on self-government negotiations has been concluded in Tulita and is nearing completion in Norman Wells. We are hopeful that negotiations on self-government agreements in Fort Good Hope will begin shortly. New self-government process and schedule agreements for self-government negotiations with the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit are in the final review stages by the parties. Discussions with both the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit towards completing self-government agreements are underway.

Finally I want to make special note of the Silver Award for Innovative Management awarded to the Tlicho Community Services Agency by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada at the end of August. This is an example of a successful partnership between the GNWT and Tlicho government.

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Mr. Speaker, recent growth in the territorial economy has been dramatic with our gross domestic product increasing by 71 percent in constant dollars between 1999 and 2005. To put this in perspective, the Alberta economy, which gets a great deal more attention nationally, grew by 24 percent over the same period. This tremendous economic growth is particularly apparent in smaller communities impacted by resource development where, for example, between 1994 and 2004 employment income rose by 124 percent in Gameti, 150 percent in Whati, 69 percent in Lutselk’e, and 89 percent in Fort Liard.

This Assembly has focused on the opportunities and challenges from our record economic growth to diversified economy, improved transportation and community infrastructure, reduced the cost of living for our residents, and maximized benefits from the proposed Mackenzie gas project.

To grow our tourism sector the GNWT is investing significant funding in Tourism 2010, a five-year plan to develop and market tourism through the Northwest Territories.

We are also moving forward with two regional infrastructure projects: a heritage arts centre in Fort Simpson and the enhancement of the Midnight Sun Centre in Inuvik as premier conference destinations.

While large-scale resource development projects are important to the territory, we must also continue to foster and support the traditional economy that still supports many of our residents. For example, we developed the Trapper Training Program that funded 15 community projects with over 1,100 participants.

The 2005-2006 fur season was the best in terms of value seen in the Northwest Territories in at least 15 years. It is anticipated the fur market will remain strong for the upcoming fur season. Over the past 18 to 24 months especially, participants engaged in traditional economy have witnessed the very robust market in terms of fur prices evidenced by the 70 percent increase in sales.

As well, we are actively promoting GNWT-certified diamonds in the interest of the NWT’s secondary and diamond tourism industries and taking a proactive approach to increase awareness of GNWT-certified diamonds through the Rare in Nature Retailers Club.

The improvement of our transportation and public infrastructure remains a priority to the Members of the Legislative Assembly. A total of $130 million is being spent on highway infrastructure through the Canadian strategic infrastructure fund, including the recent completion of the last section of Highway No. 3 between Behchoko and Yellowknife. Work has also included improvement on the Mackenzie Valley winter road and other highway projects around the Territories. The Yellowknife Airport passenger terminal building expansion and the resurface of the runway, taxiways and apron at the Norman Wells Airport have been completed.

We also believe the time is right to begin focusing on much needed new infrastructure such as a road down the Mackenzie Valley. The timing for a road down the Mackenzie Valley -- "road to resources" as former Primer Minister Diefenbaker would say -- could not be better. Having year-round access to many of our communities will provide a major benefit to residents by reducing the costs of goods and services, allowing for greater travel to communities in the regions by our residents and people visiting our territory and would likely result in more exploration and development and more opportunity for the residents and businesses in our communities.

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The truth is, the current situation with respect to public infrastructure in the Northwest Territories is not sustainable. While we continue to make significant investment in infrastructure we are falling behind as we try to maintain and develop infrastructure resulting from our bustling economy. Limited infrastructure is one of the key factors that affects the cost of living in our communities, restricts mobility and limits economic opportunities, including for the exploration, development and production of northern resources. Cost escalation for infrastructure projects also remains a significant challenge, particularly related to bridge projects. Both the Deh Cho Bridge and the Great Bear River Bridge are currently on hold pending additional funding.

Mr. Speaker, we need federal investment in infrastructure and we need new revenue sources that will allow us to make necessary investments.

To reduce the cost of living in our communities the GNWT is moving forward with key hydro initiatives with our partners, including examining small-scale hydro projects. Through the NWT Energy Corporation, the GNWT also continues to advance a project to expand the Taltson hydroelectric dam, which is nearing the environmental assessment phase.

We understand that the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight focused on cost of living issues during their recent pre-budget consultations and we look forward to hearing the results of this work during the current session.

As I have stated many times in this Legislative Assembly, the Mackenzie gas project can be the cornerstone of our future economic development in this territory. The pipeline represents a chance to provide lasting benefits to the Territories if we do it right. The pipeline can provide opportunities for self-reliance and the opportunity to provide a good standard of living and quality of life for northerners and their families. For many young people who are about to enter the workforce, the pipeline and the development it will bring provides the possibility of stable employment.

We have worked extensively to maximize benefits from the proposed Mackenzie gas project and have made excellent progress in negotiating a socio-economic agreement with the pipeline proponents. Aboriginal communities are also working to maximize the benefits from this project and I congratulate those who have successfully negotiated access and benefit agreements.

The GNWT has also worked with aboriginal organizations and the federal government to establish the $500 million Mackenzie gas project impact fund. Planning is underway and it is hoped that initial distribution of this fund will begin in April 2007.

This Assembly’s priority of environmental stewardship has also been central in this government’s approach to the Mackenzie gas project. The GNWT has played a significant role in the regulatory review of the Mackenzie gas project through its participation in the National Energy Board review and Joint Review Panel hearings.

Our focus on environmental stewardship is reflected in the Beverage Container Recycling Program established last year. This program is a credit to the work of the Members of the Legislative Assembly. During the first seven months of its operation over 14 million containers have been diverted from community landfill sites.

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As well, this government is looking at ways to utilize energy in the most effective and efficient manner possible. A discussion paper entitled Energy for the Future was released this year and is the focus for consultations that will lead to the development of an energy plan. Through the energy conservation action plan and in partnership with the Arctic Energy Alliance the GNWT has helped to support approximately 20 projects with total budgets of over $1 million.

Last year the GNWT signed a cooperation agreement with Canada to provide for the remediation of the Giant Mine site. The GNWT contribution is $23.75 million over 10 years while the federal government contribution is between $275 and $300 million over the same time period. We are now beginning the work necessary to implement this plan.

We have also taken a proactive approach to stewardship by creating and implementing with partners initiatives to protect our natural heritage, such as the Protected Areas Strategy, a community and land claim driven partnership to identity and establish protected areas in the Northwest Territories. It is innovative and community driven and, most important, recognizes these decisions must and will be made and implemented by northerners and by people who will be directly impacted by the decisions made.

Mr. Speaker, later in this session I’ll be tabling our annual progress report on the strategic plan. This report provides further detail on government activities to advance the priorities of the strategic plan and provide NWT-wide measures that describe overall progress towards the long-term goals identified in the strategic plan. These goals and the progress indicators reflect the shared responsibility of all governments, communities, families and individuals that work toward our vision and our strategic plan of self-reliant individuals and families sharing the rewards and responsibilities of healthy communities and a prosperous and unified Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, Members of the Legislative Assembly have been working diligently to ensure that a number of important initiatives…

Mr. Handley, your time for your Minister’s statement has expired.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members of this Legislative Assembly have been working diligently to ensure that a number of important legislative initiatives and issues are dealt with prior to the end of our term. Some of the most important of these initiatives include:

as mentioned earlier, we will be moving forward with a new Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act to provide additional remedies not available under the Criminal Code of Canada;

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a new Liquor Act to address numerous issues identified in the final report of the 2005 Liquor Act review that was completed last year.

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a new Change of Name Act to establish a simpler process for changing of names and eliminating the requirements to go before the court. A new Workers’ Compensation Act to conclude the legislative review process that began more than five years ago.

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a new Species at Risk Act to provide NWT with its own legislative framework for protecting wildlife and habitats for future generations;

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amendments to the Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act to provide officials with stronger enforcement tools;

a new Public Health Act to establish a modern legislative framework for managing public health matters;

a new Employment Standards Act to replace the existing Labour Standards Act and make a number of administrative improvements to the legislation.

Mr. Speaker, the Members of the Legislative Assembly have accomplished a great deal over the first three years of our mandate. We have worked hard to meet our commitment to building an open and transparent government, a government that works in partnership with aboriginal governments, stakeholder groups, and residents of this great territory.

By continuing along the path of partnership over the remainder of our term, we can realize the full promise and potential of this great territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

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