Debates of March 10, 2009 (day 26)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to announce new services from the Department of Justice to help families in transition. These services are the first steps in longer-term project design to create an effective and accessible family law framework for more choices for families.

For many people, the court system works well, but it’s only one option. It can be expensive and time consuming. As Members know, mediation offers parents an alternative. They talk to each other, work out their issues, like where the kid will live, visitation, financial support and how they will continue to be good parents in what is now a different kind of relationship.

Many parents come away from mediation with their issues resolved in a way that works for them. They feel that they have been heard and they can move forward. It’s usually much faster than going through courts. Agreements can often be reached within a few hours.

Mr. Speaker, the department has offered a mediation service over the past number of years on a pilot basis. It was done using the services of a single mediator. That pilot confirmed that there is a need for mediation services in the Northwest Territories and resulted in a resolution of many family law cases.

Mr. Speaker, we are now setting up a new mediation project with a roster of five mediations and the program will be up and running this week. It will be free of charge, Mr. Speaker. Depending on demand, we may increase the number of mediators on the roster. We will be able to offer family remediation services in communities throughout the Northwest Territories.

We recognize the need for other services and support for parents who are separating or divorcing. We are working out the last few details of a course that will start early in the new fiscal year for parents who are separating. It will help parents make a new transition to a new type of relationship in a way that is positive. We’ve offered similar courses for a few years, so we know what works and what doesn’t.

We also know that similar programs in other jurisdictions have been really helpful to parents who are separating or divorcing, but these programs are mandatory. Judges order parents to take these type of courses before seeking a court order for custody or access. This seems to be a key to its success because it is seen as a court requirement. Mr. Speaker, we will be studying the program closely to ensure that it will meet the needs of families in the Northwest Territories.

I would also like to highlight work we are doing in the Court Worker Program. Members indicated to us that community-based positions could play a greater role in our justice system. We are finishing a study on the feasibility of having our community court workers play a greater role in helping family law clients. We are looking at how often court workers deal with individuals facing family law issues. We need to know which legal issues or situations our residents are most likely to bring to court workers and the best way for court workers to answer those questions.

From this research, we will identify family law services that will be performed by court workers both in and out of court. We know they are in a great position to help people in their communities with information about court processes and their legal rights and responsibilities.

We know every family is different. We know that what works for one family won’t work for all. We also know that families in transition may face serious challenges and need help to overcome these. We want to provide options that can help families resolve their issues in the way that works best for them. We will continue to work closely with the judiciary and the family law bar to make real improvements in family law for Northerners. We will look to the continued advice and support of this Assembly to advance this work.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, this evening the francophone population of the Northwest Territories will honour their own with the first Francophone Entrepreneurial Awards. These awards will not only identify outstanding francophone businesses, but will highlight the importance of French entrepreneurs in developing the economy of the Northwest Territories.

French entrepreneurs have been active in the North for over 300 years. It is good to see that their efforts are being acknowledged. The event will be held here in the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly and hosted by Counseil de developpement economique des Territories du Nord-Ouest, also known as CDETNO.

---Applause

Entrepreneurs will be honoured in four different categories. The first one is a special category for the Northwest Territories arts business, then commercial services, business services, and micro business. Winners in the commercial services, business services, and micro business categories will be submitted to a national competition that is being held in 2009. You may remember this is the competition that Pierre LePage of Le Frolic won in 2005.

The host for the event will be CDETNO. This francophone organization offers a multitude of services to businesspeople in the Northwest Territories who speak French as their first language. A non-profit organization, CDETNO works to promote, encourage, and support economic development and employability of French speaking residents of the Northwest Territories.

I congratulate all the businesses that have been nominated for the awards and, to use the words of Simon Lamoureux, president of CDETNO, “This is a recognition for the important contribution made by French entrepreneurs to the economy of the Northwest Territories.”

Merci beaucoup, Mr. Speaker. Later today at the appropriate time I will be recognizing special guests in the gallery.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to provide Members with information about the current status of the Community Capacity Building Fund. This program has supported innovative and diverse projects in all 33 communities in the Northwest Territories, providing benefits to all of our residents.

In July 2005 the Government of the Northwest Territories established the $35 million Community Capacity Building Fund from funding made available by the Government of Canada under the Northern Strategy. The Community Capacity Building Fund provided one-time funding to communities to assist them to advance their capacity building priorities and objectives. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has been administering this program since it was first implemented.

The program was designed with the goal to bring community governments and organizations together to collaborate, develop, and endorse projects that would benefit the community-at-large. I am very pleased to inform Members that this goal has been achieved.

Funding of $35 million has been provided to support a total of 247 projects across the Northwest Territories. The funded projects reflect a wide variety of community capacity building initiatives, including the expansion of community complexes or hamlet offices to include additional services and infrastructure support for various community groups; investment in housing projects for seniors, staff, and community residents; development of new or enhanced community facilities such as a community workshop, commercial cooking facility, and youth centre; training and succession planning for community staff; and infrastructure enhancements such as communication system upgrades.

Since this program was first implemented in July 2005, MACA has been administering the fund and over this period has worked with communities to address their community capacity needs. While some communities are still in the process of implementing their projects, many others have completed their projects with successful outcomes. Although the department’s administration of the Community Capacity Building Fund ends on March 31st, 2009, MACA continues to offer ongoing support to address capacity challenges. Communities face a variety of challenges and MACA supports capacity building to ensure that community governments are able to lead effectively to ensure responsive, resilient, vibrant, and sustainable communities.

I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating all communities who are working collaboratively to develop proposals to improve the quality of life for our residents.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow, March 11th, snowmobilers from Fort McPherson will be skidooing to the headwaters of their traditional territory, the Peel River watershed. The Tetlit Gwich’in Council and Na-Cho Nyak Dun have spent many months planning this snowmobile trip, originally planning to leave Fort McPherson and ending in Mayo. Due to unforeseen circumstances and time shortage, the trip will see that both parties meet halfway between Fort McPherson and Mayo at the headwaters of the Peel River watershed.

The purpose of this trip is to revisit the traditional trails that were once travelled by our ancestors and to teach the youth about the importance of protecting the Peel River watershed from any developments. The greatest opportunity is for the guides and leaders of the community and the youth, to pass down the knowledge and importance of landmarks in regard to sensitive areas to the youth of Mayo and Fort McPherson.

On Monday morning 12 participants left Mayo, Yukon and tomorrow, Wednesday, the Tetlit Gwich’in participants, in particular from the Mackenzie Delta, will start their journey to the headwaters. The Tetlit Gwich’in participants are elders, community leaders, selected youth.

A number of years back, in 1992, leaders from the Gwich’in Tribal Council and members from Fort McPherson made a trip with members from Mayo and the elders that are still alive and able to travel today, tomorrow, I should say, would like to guide the members over the traditional trails and teach the youth the importance of protecting these trails.

During the meetings both parties will express the importance of protecting our lands at the Peel River watershed and bring awareness back to our communities.

I’d like to pass on a big mahsi cho to those who prepared this trip, but, more importantly, to all the participants who will be going on this trip. May you have a safe journey and God bless. See you when you get back.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a report released in December by UNICEF, Canada ranked last out of 25 affluent countries in our delivery of early childhood education and child care programs. Canada failed to meet nine out of 10 benchmarks, but, most disturbingly, the NWT doesn’t even meet one of the UNICEF benchmarks.

This government has a responsibility to address these unacceptable shortcomings in the NWT as soon as possible. Highlighted last year and still not fully resolved is the lack of stable funding toward daycares. Currently we fund daycares in a convoluted way that assesses them four times a year and delivers funding based on these assessments. Not surprisingly, this means fluctuating and unpredictable funding throughout the year and huge challenges to providing consistent service.

The Social Programs committee recommended last year that ECE take immediate action to ensure that child care operations receive stable and predictable levels of funding regardless of the fluctuations in the attendance of children due to sickness or family emergency. Whatever action the department has taken has not been sufficient as our daycares are still in trouble.

While Aurora College currently provides early childhood education programs, compared to the South these programs do not stack up. We need to review these programs and bring them up to national standards in order to provide the best possible education for our children.

Further to the problem of well-trained early childhood workers is the problem of wages. Because wages in the early child care industry are so low, when people do receive proper training and become qualified, they tend to leave daycares for higher paid positions. A wage subsidy could help to ensure that daycares have qualified people to care for our children in one of the most crucial development stages of their lives.

There has been a lot of talk about the economy lately. Some world leaders are now recognizing that an investment in early childhood education is the best economic stimulus there is. President Obama has acknowledged this; his stimulus package contains large amounts of additional funding for early childhood education. According to the chief public officer in Canada it is estimated that $1 invested in the early years saves $3 to $9 in the future, depending on the health and criminal justice systems, as well as on social assistance.

Let’s invest in our children in a guaranteed way to ensure long-term benefits for our society and by providing for stable and predictable funding, and qualified workers for daycares and early childhood education in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to highlight the contributions of the John Howard Society to the criminal justice system in the Northwest Territories. Incorporated in 1992 as a member of the John Howard Society of Canada, the John Howard Society based in Yellowknife is a volunteer organization that promotes just, effective, and humane responses to the causes and consequences of crime.

Volunteers at the John Howard Society take an active role in community justice initiatives by offering three core programs. Fine options and community services give youth and adults the options of settling fines through unpaid, supervised community service work hosted by local, non-profit service organizations. This is a productive alternative to serving jail time for not paying fines.

With the cooperation of the RCMP, the federal and territorial Justice departments, the John Howard Society offers the Community Justice Program; a restorative justice program that works with individuals to resolve the effects of their behaviour outside the criminal justice system. The program currently aims to handle eight hearings a month, but the RCMP has publicly stated that the potential for a caseload of 50 hearings a month if the society had the resources to meet this demand.

Combined with the Healthy Snack Program, the John Howard Society runs judo programs which promote crime prevention through healthy lifestyles, self-respect, and positive peer relationships. The John Howard Society co-facilitates the Dads after Divorce and Separation Program at the North Slave Correctional Centre. Sessions cover problem solving, relationships, parenting, distorted beliefs, lifestyle balance, anger management, grief, and loss. These are vital areas of sound mental health and this program helps to prevent further family difficulties and crime.

In addition, the society hosts weekly meetings with the Dads North Association. Dads North was formed to empower individuals to establish and maintain healthy domestic lifestyles by providing guidance and understanding in a safe, unprejudiced environment to people who experience emotional trauma and financial hardship following divorce.

I believe that the effects of crime in our communities are clear to all of us. They are costly and have lasting impacts on our people, particularly our youth. I believe it is important to take this opportunity to applaud the John Howard Society for addressing these issues and the hard work of their dedicated volunteers and staff.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The communities in my constituency are very interested in creating sustainable businesses that will employ community members now and in the future. One business like this is the harvesting of logs and operating a sawmill. One example is Jean Marie River.

I spoke earlier this session about Jean Marie River’s desire to operate a biomass co-generation unit using sawdust and scrap from a sawmill to produce wood pellets. The problem in communities may be getting financial assistance for logging and sawmill operations, let alone establishing an innovative and carbon neutral business.

It seems that support for economic development of this kind has decreased. One ITI fund that supported logging operations, the Western Harvesters Support Program, has been reduced significantly. Jean Marie River band has received assistance from the Business Development Fund in the past. Today there is no dedicated program for logging. There is a lack of stimulus for this industry.

I hope the government will review their funding programs and provide more assistance to communities for this type of economic development opportunity. As the Business Development and Investment Corporation states as its role on its website, “promoting and maintaining economic development and employment...has both economic and social aspects.”

Jean Marie River was sustained by logging for a couple of generations. They do not want to lose this identity. They want to continue with the sawmill operations for generations yet to come. I support them on this initiative and I urge our government to do the same.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about the correlation between people making healthy choices today and future health care expenditures and the prevalence of chronic illness. Let me begin with a story that appeared on CTV yesterday evening. I would suggest that the Minister of Health and our government take this story and the findings of the research that was conducted very seriously.

The story was based on a research paper that appears in the latest edition of the Canadian Journal of Public Health. It was authored by Kathleen Doering and three other researchers who say Northerners weigh more and exercise less than our southern cousins. This new research suggests the growing gap between North and South could be setting the stage for the three northern territories to experience higher rates of chronic disease, from strokes to diabetes.

The most telling sign in reading the research article was that historically Northerners were getting more exercise because they included more physical work in their daily lives. However, those days appear to be over. Southern Canadians are now much more physically active than residents North of 60. From 2000 to 2005 the proportion of Northerners considered at least moderately active increased by 7 percent while in the South the increase was almost 28 percent.

We are also drinking more alcohol and smoking more tobacco in the North. Smoking has dropped 13 percent here in the North, but in the South it has dropped 20 percent. The percentage of regular drinkers grew 9 percent in the North compared to less than 6 percent in the South. And the percentage of obese or overweight Northerners increased 10 percent as compared with only 7 percent in the South.

For all of the millions of dollars we put into prevention, the numbers are not getting any better, with the exception of our smoking rates. The bottom line is healthy choices. We need a balanced diet. We need to be exercising more. We need to avoid excessive tobacco and alcohol consumption.

The time to conduct research into chronic disease prevention is now. We must act while the problem is still relatively limited in scope. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know that we are in unprecedented times of economic downturn and nobody knows what the next newscast or next bad lot of news is going to be. We’ve seen what the federal government has done in terms of the economic stimulus; small things, even, like the home improvement tax rebate. We’re waiting to see what the infrastructure dollars are going to actually bring to the North. Small things again on the part of our government. I want to thank the Minister of ITI for really looking at the SEED program, Support for Entrepreneurs in Economic Development, through our government. They are small things, but all together they go together to help alleviate some of the pressures here in the North.

The Minister of Housing mentioned some of the housing programs and I’m hoping that more Northerners can take advantage of those to upgrade their homes to make them more cost effective. This as a by-product does stimulate our economy because it puts contractors to work and sells lots of materials.

I look forward to the EDI committee meeting with the Minister of ITI after session here to take a look at the money that’s remaining in the Opportunities Fund and again look for ways that we can be supportive to northern business as we go through these difficult times ahead. The forecast for how long this recession is going to last now vary, but certainly now we’re up to predictions that have gone from a year to 18 months, to one prediction I heard last night that this could last for a decade. We need to be ready.

The businesses here in the North also struggle with getting workers. If any of these major capital projects do come to the North, too, there is going to be an issue with getting workers. When you hear of all the layoffs everywhere else in the country, it makes me wonder if there are not Canadians out there who would be interested in relocating to the North. I know we do very focused and targeted recruitment and retention initiatives as the GNWT, but perhaps we need to do a campaign to suggest to some adventuresome Canadians out there who would be interested in relocating to the North. I know we do very focussed and targeted recruitment and retention initiatives as the GNWT, but perhaps we need to do a campaign to suggest to some adventurous Canadians out there who have lost their jobs in southern Canada, that maybe the North is a place that they could look to.

I appreciate the work of ECE on the foreign workers coming in through the Nomination Program and also through the expedited labour market opinion. I know this has taken a lot of pressure off businesses in the North with being able to get foreign workers.

I do support immigration, but, Mr. Speaker, I can’t believe that there are not some adventuresome Canadians out there who would like to look to the North. I do believe it still is a challenge for businesses and I would like this government to take a role in that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to update the Lutselk’e constituents of various items that I have been working on as MLA. I will do Fort Resolution tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, home initiative programs of Lutselk’e has been a major issue in Lutselk’e especially for the senior homeowners. However, the NWT Housing Corporation has received an additional $50 million to put into infrastructure and housing across the Northwest Territories. I am confident that Lutselk’e will see a positive impact from that.

Mr. Speaker, dust continues to be one of my top priorities and I will continue to come up with ideas on how this government can work with the local government on dust suppression. However, Mr. Speaker, in order to effectively deal with the dust problems, the community must first be properly drained. That is something that I will continue to work on.

Mr. Speaker, I have had some discussions with the chief and the Minister on the youth and how we may be able to work together to be able to provide a youth centre in Lutselk’e and also working on some of the on-the-land programs for youth.

Mr. Speaker, I am watching the progress made by the local DEA on grade extension for Lutselk’e and I am ready to support the DEA where necessary to make this a reality for Lutselk’e. In addition, Mr. Speaker, the Lutselk’e school will need some renovations for grade extension and to provide a proper place for students to take industrial arts and home economics.

I have had many discussions with the Minister of ITI on support towards small businesses in Lutselk’e and support for local trappers. I am happy to say that some of the local trappers have recently been able to take a course through ITI.

Mr. Speaker, the cost of living issue is also a huge item for the community and the people of Lutselk’e. The cost of power, heat, transportation and food are all items that I, as MLA, have worked on with the government in an attempt to bring these costs down.

Mr. Speaker, these are not all of the items but are the key items that I have been working for the community of Lutselk’e and thought it would be important to update them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to revisit an issue I have raised here in the Assembly a number of times as well as I wish to acknowledge my colleague from Frame Lake who has raised the same issue. The issue is about affordable rent and protection measures for our northern residents here. Mr. Speaker, it doesn’t go any further than this. It is the lack of protection and those measures to protect our citizens from unbearable rent increases that they cannot control.

Mr. Speaker, this is truly breaking the northern family and it is certainly getting worse. Mr. Speaker, I am getting e-mails that talk about this to tell me line by line. They detail their expenses and stress how it is difficult for the working poor to get by as rents increase.

Mr. Speaker, yes, the legislation as echoed by the Minister is correct. The landlord can have one increase a year. But, Mr. Speaker, we continue to leave our residents unprotected from what amount that may be in the end.

Mr. Speaker, I agree wholeheartedly that the landlord needs to cover their costs and certainly make a reasonable profit. I support this fully. But, Mr. Speaker, at the cost to the residents when they cannot afford their rent anymore, I start to question about what is considered reasonable.

Mr. Speaker, the rental office, it is true, is out there to hear complaints and concerns. But, Mr. Speaker, when you write or even cry to the rentals officer, it does nothing more than be a therapeutic release, because they cannot produce any results from the fact that if you cry or write or complain about what increase you have received, they just sit there with their hands tied.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, what the issue really comes down to is this: the ball is in the court of the landlord. How nice are they this time around? How generous are they going to be on the increase? How unfriendly are they going to be with the increase? Mr. Speaker, we can deal with this quite simply with the Residential Tenancies Act. I challenge the Minister of Justice to bring forward an amendment that protects working families, because we leave them certainly exposed to the market rents that could be increased.

Mr. Speaker, if the Minister of Justice does not want to support and protect working people, I can assure you that there are Members over on this side of the House that will work to do so. Mr. Speaker, again I say, let’s not call this rent control, but let’s call this fair protection for working families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I am speaking in regards to income support cheque payments. The previous government dramatically changed the way income support was given, against the recommendation of most community governments and organizations. Furthermore, the previous government offered no support, notice or plans to help communities and residents deal with the changes.

Today Nunakput is dealing with the legacy of neglect and this government seems to endorse this legacy. Leaders and elders, support staff were all asking the government to re-evaluate the way cheques are given to recipients so bills can be made, people can put food on the table and the continued cycle of dependency can stop. Due to these challenges, people are getting deeper and deeper into arrears to the point where it becomes overwhelming.

Recently in Tuktoyaktuk, a family of four and a baby were evicted from their home. Now they can get no support because they don’t even have an address, Mr. Speaker. This government must help families with personal difficulties to end this cycle of dependency, but this government needs to go one step further to work with the local suppliers of grocery stores and to help the residents and the communities work out a system where the families can put food on the table, a program similar to food stamps.

Since these changes were made, the longer the government waits, the bigger the ticking bomb will get. We will need a true one-stop shop where people can deal with all their issues where payments and expenses can be resolved before the recipient receives a cheque. Getting the run around and the blame game when dealing with the government departments and financial problems in the communities can be exhausting. Communities in my riding especially need the government to be creative, proactive and realistic when dealing with the government income support payments, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I will have more questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to speak about some concerns that I have with actions that we, the GNWT, the employer, require of our employees; actions that, to me, feel like an infringement on their rights. As individuals, we all have our own interests and activities that we pursue outside of our work day and our work environment. I firmly believe we are each entitled to our own opinions and beliefs, but I also firmly believe that those beliefs, activities and passions should only be curtailed or interfered with in exceptional circumstances.

As a government, we have policies in place to protect both the employee and the employer. That is a good thing. Some of our employees are in positions requiring impartiality or the perception of impartiality. Our deputy ministers, directors and senior managers should not be actively engaged in political activities, for instance. The vast majority of our employees, however, should have free reign to take part in any activity of their choice as long as it is outside of their work environment or their work hours and as long as it does not put them in a conflict of interest position.

Imagine my surprise and disbelief when I learned that many GNWT employees are required to report their personal activities to their supervisor; activities such as being a member of a board for an organization such as coaching a sports team, such as attending a workshop honouring International Women’s Day. My problem is with the need to disclose everything and every activity. My examples are activities that are unpaid, volunteer interests unrelated to an employee’s work duties or job. Volunteering is healthy and has value for both the participant and the community. It should be encouraged by an employer. Yet employees must ask permission to take part. The department has to monitor the results of a membership on a board. That is not right, Mr. Speaker. How does my coaching a basketball team have any impact on the GNWT or my job performance? Does the employer even have the right to ask the employee to report his or her activities?

Our policies exist to limit the negative actions or impacts against the GNWT by an employee, but by our actions we are presuming that employees will act badly. Where is the trust in this relationship? I have said before and will say again, we have good employees with good morals and ethics with the sense to know when to report an activity which might be sensitive to a supervisor and seek advice on it.

Do we really value our employees as much as we keep saying? Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Do we really value our employees as much as we keep saying? If so, we need to give them the credit they are due and trust them to be responsible, not start from a position of mistrust. If my information is correct, Mr. Speaker, and we treat our employees as described, it is a small wonder we are not the employer of choice anymore. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Norman Wells has the smallest population of any tax-based municipality in the Northwest Territories. Located on a very large river, in the spring when the Mackenzie breaks up, ice jams cause flooding and shore lands can be battered.

Since its construction about 70 years ago, the town’s water treatment plant and macerator building have been at risk of ice damage and flooding and possible demolition of these very important buildings. The council requests funding from MACA to cover costs of a breakwater or seawall. The town thought the costs would come from the infrastructure funding available from the Building Canada Plan first announced in 2007 federal budget.

On February 21, 2008, the NWT was promising funding for $185 million for a seven-year period for transportation and community infrastructure. The town applied twice for funding and had been rejected twice. The town council and residents remain puzzled as to why the applications were rejected.

Last fall the town council of Norman Wells had designs drawn up to build a breakwater to protect the facility. It was a community ready project. Completion was required before breakup and so a contract has been tendered and awarded, given the short construction window. The federal government told MACA that the Norman Wells Sea Project is not eligible for funding as the construction has already been completed. The budget for the project was $613,000. If this wasn’t done by the town, Mr. Speaker, the situation would have been disastrous, costly and catastrophic. This is a very unfortunate situation.

Here we have important work going ahead, people being employed in design and construction. How come Norman Wells can’t get any money from the Government of Canada? But the Government of Canada has no shame taking money from the Norman Wells oilfield, Mr. Speaker. Shame, Mr. Speaker.

As of today, Canada has now, through Building Canada Plan, infrastructure projects for 2009-10. When are we going to find out about this funding? Miraculously, if it wasn’t for a strand of birch trees opposite the sewer power building acting as a natural barrier and preventing the building from being destroyed, the town did the only thing that any community would have done for its people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize Mr. Jean Francois Pitre, owner of PIDO Productions and member of the board of directors for CDETNO and Sylvie Francoeur, director general for CDETNO. Welcome.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How can the GNWT help the town of Norman Wells with the seawall project that was budgeted for $613,000? I would like to ask the Minister of MACA, how can his department help the town?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I applaud the community of Norman Wells for seeing a problem and doing something about it right away. The problem is, Mr. Speaker, that the Building Canada Fund is hoping to have projects that have yet to be started and that is the basis of this. I would advise the Member that we are still working with the Government of Canada on hopefully having some positive outcome for the project in Norman Wells. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the town of Norman Wells only did what any other community would have done to save its sewer plant, water intake plant. Certainly we would support the Minister in terms of going forward with the Building Canada Plan in terms of the projects. What is the status of these BCP projects in terms of 2009-10 with this government?