Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be back in the House as a Member of the18th Assembly. I am looking forward to working with both my new colleagues and returning Members over the next four years. As I have done in the past, I would like to update this House about some of the noteworthy activities taking place in my beautiful Deh Cho constituency. In December, municipal elections were held across NWT. I would like to congratulate the new Mayor of Enterprise Craig McMaster and the new Mayor of Fort Providence Sam Gargan, along with their new hamlet councils. Our number one job as a government is to make life better for the residents in our communities. With the right support and encouragement, every person can make a contribution. When you look at the numbers, clearly there is room for improvement. The 2014 unemployment rate in the NWT was 10.6 per cent. In the Deh Cho, the unemployment rate is almost double the NWT average at 19 per cent. It bothers me to hear reports that my constituents qualify for mining jobs but cannot get hired because of Impact Benefit Agreement provisions that are too restrictive.
I also hear that some of our aging and most experienced forest fire workers are challenged by national standards for physical strength tests. This makes no sense to me. Here, where the needs are great and jobs are short in supply, these people should be working if they feel they are willing and able. I am also disturbed by the GNWT's growing trend of bringing in modular capital projects instead of ones that are locally built and provide much needed jobs in our communities. If the government is saving money, but putting our own people out of work, are we really doing our job?
Education is another area where Deh Cho communities face challenges. The percentage of NWT residents with a high school diploma is 74 per cent. In the Deh Cho, it is 47 per cent. Why does this matter? Because in the NWT, the employment rate for people who have a high school diploma or greater is 76 per cent. Without that diploma, the rate drops to 38 per cent. People who get an education have almost a double chance of getting a better paying job. The number of Deh Cho families with a total income of less than $30,000 is 32 per cent, double the NWT average.
Our people who are struggling just to feed and shelter their families need more help than they are getting. When people don't have work, educational opportunities, or adequate housing, they lose hope. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. When people don't work, educational opportunities or adequate housing, they lose hope. That is when social problems increase. In Fort Providence, my home community, the violent crime rate is two-and-a-half times greater than the NWT as a whole. This needs to change.
But the news is not all that bad. There are some bright spots I want to highlight. In Kakisa, the new community hall is set to open in the spring. Planning for this new facility has been underway by community residents and the Ka'a'gee Tu First Nation since 2009. The people of Kakisa, especially the youngsters, are anxiously awaiting the opening. As well, a $2 million renovation of the seniors’ home in Fort Providence is close to completion, which will provide elders in the community with improved living quarters and increased security. Wood biomass an alternative energy industry, is moving closer to becoming a reality in the Deh Cho. In late 2014, the community of Fort Providence became the second to sign a Forest Management Agreement with the territorial government. This allowed joint venture Digaa Enterprises to secure access and tenure for enough timber to sustain a viable forestry industry in the Deh Cho. Aurora Wood Pellets is building on a $12 million wood pellet plant north of Enterprise that is expected to employ more than 40 people and create an annual demand for 125,000 cubic metres of wood serving both Canada and overseas markets. This project is an example of innovation and cooperation and what it can do to improve the local economy.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not emphasize the importance of all parties making their best efforts to move the Deh Cho Process forward. With the new negotiation sessions scheduled to begin next week, I am encouraged by the news that Garth Wallbridge, a respected Metis lawyer, has signed on as chief negotiator for the Dehcho First Nations. It has been a very long road, but I continue to have hope that it will reach an agreement that will open up a new world of possibilities for the people of the Deh Cho. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
