Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to continue implementing the Building Stronger Families Action Plan to transform Child and Family Services, including work around the Child and Family Services Act. The main purpose of the Child and Family Services Act is to protect children in situations where they may have been harmed or where there is a risk of harm. The Act serves the best interest of the children by protecting them from exposure to abuse and neglect. The performance audit of child and family services, conducted by the Auditor General of Canada in 2014, revealed longstanding systemic issues and deficiencies. The Auditor General’s report coupled with the recommendations made by the Standing Committee on Social Programs led to the creation of the fiveyear Building Stronger Families Action Plan which is intended to transform the nature of child and family services. The reality is we still have far too many children who come into care under our legislation either taken from their families or put into foster placement or else remaining with their families but requiring support from our system. We never want to take a child away from their family if it’s not necessary, but, at the same time, we have a legal responsibility under the Child and Family Services Act to protect children and youth from harm, including abuse or neglect.
Building Stronger Families is intended, fundamentally, to make child and family services more familyoriented and less adversarial than it has been in the past. To achieve that goal, I am pleased to announce that, as of April 1st, amendments to the Child and Family Services Act have been implemented. Several changes have been put in place to ensure families are supported. The director of child and family services is now required to advise children, youth, and parents of their right to be represented by legal counsel throughout the child protection process. Transition plans are now included in the act. These plans are part of a case management tool intended to identify educational, life skills, supportive relationships, and financial planning goals for youth in permanent custody of the director. Other changes include the requirement for the director to provide notice to applicable Aboriginal organizations for apprehension hearings, permanent custody applications, and youth protection applications. The Aboriginal organization is entitled to be present and can contribute and participate in the proceedings. In order to ensure that all options have been explored before children are taken into care, child protection workers must also state the alternatives that had been considered prior to the apprehension within the time limits established for temporary custody, depending upon the child’s age. The removal of a child from their permanent home is always a last resort.
Voluntary support agreements and foster care services will be extended to youth 1618 years old. There will now be provisions for the protection of youth through an application for a youth protection order with temporary and permanent custody conditions. As well, Mr. Speaker, the provision is now made to extend services to the age of 23 for permanent custody youth to support independent living. Finally, there is an expanded criteria for when a child or a youth requires protection. This now includes prostitution and the removal of a child after repeated exposure to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, as well as neglect. These amendments will address the gap in services to youth and will encourage the leastintrusive measures possible. They will further the purpose of the act, which is to establish the legal framework to support the rights of children. Also, Mr. Speaker, the legislative review of the Child and Family Services Act will be required every five years. With these new amendments now in force, we can look towards providing a better life for most of our vulnerable young people in care. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers’ statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Masi. Ministers’ statements. Deputy Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Bob McLeod will be absent from the House today to chair the Aboriginal Affairs Working Group in Ottawa, Ontario. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many years ago just outside of Fort Resolution, actually about 40 miles down the highway or 60 kilometres down the highway or straight across the lake about 20 miles, they discovered lead-zinc. As a result of that, in the early 1960s a huge lead-zinc mine came into operation in the place that they named Pine Point. That mine operated from the early ‘60s until the late 1980s. At that point, I do believe it was the secondbiggest lead-zinc mine in the world. In the 1980s, the price of lead-zinc went down, and it was no longer feasible to do open pit operation in Pine Point, so the mine didn’t shut down but the town shut down. All of the workers went to other places to work, and what it left behind was quite a legacy, and that legacy of huge open pits all over the area. At one point, there was a community of 2,500 people that lived there, and almost everyone worked at Pine Point. It was a huge operation. They produced a lot of mineral out of there and left. Now you can’t really see the damage to the land by road, but, when you fly over, you’re coming back from Edmonton, you can see all the huge pits.
The people have often asked why that site was not restored or remediated, whatever term that’s appropriate for cleaning up that kind of site. Today, I want to talk a little bit to the Minister and ask the Minister some questions on what the plan is moving forward for Pine Point. The people see that as a huge opportunity to clean up the land. Also, a lot of the individuals feel that a lot of the sickness in Fort Resolution could be associated with that, so it would be good to get a good, proper assessment and put people to work trying to restore that site. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to talk today about the future of renewable energy in the North Slave Region. The Northwest Territories Power Corporation recently cancelled the request for expressions of interest to introduce major renewable energy sources for the North Slave region. Yesterday, the Minister of Public Works and Services tabled the North Slave Resiliency Study in the House. That study basically recommends against investing in renewable energy. As we all know, the low precipitation in recent years has crippled the hydrogenerating capability of our Snare and Bluefish facilities. More than $60 million in subsidies have been provided by this government. Before the election, NTPC issued a callout for joint venture proposals to provide 10 megawatts of electricity through wind and solar. In April, we learned that the process was cancelled. A number of proposals were received, and significant effort went into those submissions. The parties that submitted proposals were told about the cancellation of the process through an email, and some were not very pleased.
Renewable capacity isn’t needed, the utility is reported as saying, because precipitation last winter has fixed our low water problems. Apparently, the decision to cancel the process came from the GNWT. I quickly reviewed the North Slave Resiliency Study last night, and I could not find much about climate change which may be driving low water levels. The report stated, “there is a large amount of uncertainty regarding climate change impacts to extremes, for example, the probability of more extreme droughts, the potential for increased interannual variability.”
The analysis in the study is based on years of climate and water data, 30 years of climate and water data, but there were no predictions made on future water levels as a result of climate change that I could find in the study. Although we heard yesterday that the GNWT is about to start consultations on a new energy plan for the Northwest Territories, I am concerned that our direction is already being set by the North Slave Resiliency Study and the decision to cancel the Expression of Interest for renewables in the North Slave. I am also worried about the future of the Arctic Energy Alliance and its programs to assist in the adoption of renewable and alternative energy to homeowners and businesses. I will have questions for the Minister of Public Works and Services later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the importance of our traditional cultures in the Northwest Territories, especially on moosehide tanning. We’re fortunate to be able to fund local community organizations with training opportunities such as moosehide tanning and caribou hide tanning workshops. Mr. Speaker, in my riding, my hometown of Tsiigehtchic, they’ve just completed a threeweek training workshop on moose and caribou hide tanning. This is the second year that this has taken place, with much interest. This project has been able to employ on a short-term basis as many as five local participants, not including the five students who participated, as many members of the community over the spring, Mr. Speaker. As many of you may know, hide tanning is not an easy task: daily fleshing, hours of care put into what seems so simple to us that have never experienced the behindthescenes art of tanning. Mr. Speaker, the instructors set up camp, gathered wood, provided and cooked meals, as well as making the fleshing tools that were needed for each participant. The instructors were able to teach various skills and the importance of how to prepare the moose or caribou hides for final stages of smoking. Students from the Chief Paul Niditchie School along with the language program instructor took part in this workshop, as well, working with one moose hide, removing the flesh and hair which will be stored for next fall for completion. The instructors are still working after the initial three weeks so that they can complete their last stages of the project. The students are now working together with advice from their instructors, completing their hides. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the Gwichya Gwich’in Council in Tsiigehtchic along with the Government of the Northwest Territories have partnered to put on this workshop. ITI, being the sole funding source, and our communities’ inkind contributions can definitely see the Mackenzie Delta bring back many of our traditional customs. Not only do we teach ourselves and our community, but the project itself does contribute to the community’s economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is about a terrible disease that in one way or another affects most of us in this room and across our territory. I’m speaking, of course, about cancer. While cancer doesn’t strike everyone, it’s hard to find someone whose life hasn’t been affected by the disease. Most of us know someone who has lost someone to cancer, and for many of us it’s more personal than that. I, for one, lost my mother to this horrific disease back in 2003. Mr. Speaker, last year the Canadian Cancer Society anticipated almost 200,000 new cases of cancer and almost 80,000 deaths. About two out of five Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetime. One in four will die of this disease, but there is good news, Mr. Speaker. The fight against cancer continues to pick up steam every year. More than 60 per cent of people struck with cancer are still living five years after their diagnosis, and many go into full remission and go on to live full and productive lives, never having a bout with cancer again. This is due in large part to the advances being made in science and technology that have in turn allowed for earlier diagnoses and higher rates of successful treatment. In the cancer circles, we call this hope. Tomorrow in Yellowknife, volunteers, cancer survivors, friends, and loved ones will gather at the Canadian Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life up at William McDonald School. Teams or individuals walk the track, keeping the relay going all night to raise awareness and to raise money for the fight against cancer. The Relay for Life takes place in more than 300 communities across Canada and last year raised $34 million for cancer research, education, and patient support. I’ve been involved in the Yellowknife Relays for 13 years now, and it’s an honour and a pleasure to be part of such a strong group of community residents, giving their time, hard work, and dedication to help fight this disease. Mr. Speaker, cancer is a terrible disease and the number one cause of death for Canadians, but we must continue to fight against it through fundraising and research. Through those efforts, Mr. Speaker, I believe that cancer will be beaten. I ask everyone who can to please donate a small amount to support this great cause. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
The Protected Areas Strategy is a northern conservation tool. It was introduced to help communities identify highly valued areas and preserve them for lasting appreciation and enjoyment. Establishing a protected area under the Protected Areas Strategy involves a sevenstep process. It starts with the identification of an area and obtaining widespread support for its protection and eventual designation as a protected area with the full support for partners involved. These parties generally include First Nations, governments, and NGOs. Mr. Speaker, the strategy was put on hold for a period of time during devolution discussions. It has since made its comeback under the new title of the Conservation Area Network. Now Kakisa wants to move forward to establish their protected area. The proposed K’aagee Tu protected area covers 6,800 hectares within K’aagee Tu First Nation’s traditional land use occupancy area. It extends into the Cameron Hills, toward Trout Lake, Enterprise, and towards Beaver Lake. The original proposal in 2009 was for 9,605 hectares of land that included a large portion of the Kakisa watershed. It has now since been reduced to 71 per cent of the original area to remove areas of high oil and gas potential while still preserving the most important features of the watershed. Some of this area is withdrawn under the current Dehcho Interim Management Agreement. Governments have said that the K’aagee Tu protected area is consistent with the overall 60 per cent conservation and 40 per cent development land quantum ratio proposed for the NWT.
There have been overlapping interests from Fort Providence and the Hay River Reserve regarding the candidate area and concerns about the proposed wood pellet mill and regional woodland caribou population. Chief Chicot states that the GNWT supports Kakisa’s initiative and wants to move forward. He has made Kakisa’s intentions known to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. The community looks forward to hearing from the Minister and moving ahead to make significant progress toward establishing the K’aagee Tu protected area in the coming year. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s often said that our cost of living is out of control. It’s always the top priority for Northerners when discussing governments and public policy and action that we can take to improve their lives. Mr. Speaker, the high cost of power is a key driver in making the NWT a very expensive place to live and run a business. Taking control of the cost of power is perhaps the most important way our government can lower the cost of living and reduce government spending, which I’m sure the Finance Minister is pleased to hear. Mr. Speaker, the recent move to remove the Northwest Territories Power Corporation board and promise for a new governance structure could perhaps represent such a move to give the government more control over how expensive power is and real solutions to invest in infrastructure that will produce cheaper, cleaner, and more affordable power. Unfortunately, Northerners still don’t know what the government’s plan is for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation or affordable power in the Northwest Territories. We’ve heard that there are issues with developing renewable, energy in the North Slave region, which Northerners want. Northerners want a real investment in renewable energy, and we need to look at all options. All feasibility studies aside, we need to make these solutions work today and start generating cheap and affordable power. Mr. Speaker, I encourage this government to do more than develop options and struggle to keep rates under control with costly subsidies. I ask that a real plan with clear outcomes be provided to this House and be shared with the people of the NWT so Northerners can have confidence this government is taking real action on the high cost of power. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year in the House, I highlighted some of the housing challenges facing residents of Nunakput communities. But Mr. Speaker, housing is an issue that demands more attention. In my region, availability is a major obstacle. Lack of housing makes life hard for residents, especially those seeking singleperson homes for singleparent families and for women and children seeking emergency shelter. Lack of housing also makes it hard to attract and keep the expert staff that our communities need. Added affordability problems don’t make life any easier. In the past, communities like Sachs Harbour have had trouble keeping teachers, first, because they can’t find housing and because, when they do, it’s too expensive. Mr. Speaker, let’s use Sachs Harbour for an example. The community’s 40 households include 21 public housing units, and, between 2004 and 2009, there was a big drop in the number of homes in core need in this community. But then that rate began to climb again. In 2014, 29.6 per cent of homes were in core need. That may not sound like a lot, but in our smallest communities, small changes have big impacts, Mr. Speaker. That’s what makes it so frustrating when work falls behind schedule. In Sachs Harbour, a prefab duplex has been left uninstalled, waiting for a building pad. We know there is need. We know it is urgent. We know we must take action. When the federal budget was tabled earlier this year, it included $12 million for affordable housing in the Northwest Territories and another $15 million for housing in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, or the ISR, over the next two years. As we get into the nittygritty of our own territorial budget this week and in the weeks to come, I will be closely watching the government’s response to the NWT’s critical housing needs. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the money raised in the NWT through the Western Canada Lotteries Program, like Lotto 649, Lotto Max, and all the scratch tickets, is administered by the NWT Sports and Recreation Council. About $4 million a year has been disbursed to the territorial sporting groups and events for each of the last four years. These lottery profits go only to sports organizations here in the NWT. In all other jurisdictions except Nunavut, lottery money is also dispersed to arts organizations and community service groups. The question of whether sporting organizations should continue to be the sole beneficiaries of lottery funds has been debated as far back as 2008, when questions were raised in this Assembly about the diversification of funding to other participants. In response to questions of that day, the Minister of MACA, who is the same Minister today, by the way, said that: “MACA is working with the NWT Council of Sports and Recreation partners to review the overall management of lotteries in the Northwest Territories.” Well, that was hardly a review that would result in one of the reviewers opening its own cash box for other organizations. The money continues to be sportsonly. This year, a request for proposals was issued for another review of lotteries in response to specific legal matters raised by the Canada Revenue Agency; again, though, no mention of a broader division of proceeds. The arts are equally worthy of funding, not only for personal growth, but as a promising segment of economic growth. National statistics show that, on average, investments in the arts result in an 8-to-1 payback for every dollar invested. They provide attractions for tourism, increased business for hotels and restaurants, products for craft and fine art sellers, and jobs, to name a few of the spinoffs. As this government worries about its bottom line, seeding our limited funds to areas that will provide economic diversification makes good sense. We have only to look at our neighbours in the Yukon to see what benefits a serious investment in the arts community brings in terms of tourism product and employment. I will have questions for the Minister on taking a new look at the allocation of lottery funds. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Colleagues, I’d like to draw your attention to special guests we have here this afternoon. We have Anthony W.J. Whitford here with us. He is a former MLA, former Minister, former Speaker, former SergeantatArms, former Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. He’s currently Honorary Captain for the Royal Canadian Navy, Honorary Clerk of the House, and he’s also celebrating his 75th year in the next two days, so that’s going to be a big day for him.
I’d like to welcome Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford, and also he’s accompanied by naval colleagues and family, as well, here in the gallery. Naval colleagues, Captain Davenport and Lieutenant Peats are here with us. Welcome. I would also like to recognize in the gallery Mr. Anthony Whitford’s family members. We have his son here, Warren. Warren is my classmate of Sir John Franklin back in 1988, so welcome. His wife, Bev, and his son David here with us. Also accompanying Mr. Anthony Whitford is Jeanne Gagnon. Thank you for being with us. Those we may have missed, thanks for being here with us.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to take the opportunity to recognize the interpreters we have in the House from my riding. We have Tom Unka. Tom Unka is from Fort Resolution, and he interprets for us in Denesuline. Mary Rose Sundberg who is from Detah, and she interprets for us in Tlicho. Thank you.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome Mr. Les Carpenter, who is the CEO of the Native Communication Society and, also, he was board member of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and Inuit Circumpolar Council. Les has done a lot of advocacy work for Inuit, not just in Canada but internationally, as well, around the Inuit circumpolar world, so welcome, Les, and thank you for contributing.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like yourself, I want to take this opportunity to recognize our esteemed guest and Yellowknife North resident, Mr. Anthony Whitford. I also want to recognize the special guests in the gallery, and, in particular, I want to say hello to Woody Whitford, as we knew him, in high school, and his family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two of our Pages here today from the Inuvik Boot Lake riding, Ms. Katelynn Crocker as well as Ms. Nicole Verbonac. I appreciate all the hard work that you did over this past week, and I hope you enjoyed your experience paging for Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly. As always, it’s a pleasure to recognize Mr. Tony Whitford. Every time you come to the House, it’s great to see you and your family. Everyone else in the gallery, welcome. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker I’d like to acknowledge my constituent, Jeannette Savoie. On Tuesday the Canadian Bar Association recognized her as a recipient of the Legal Aid Leader Award. This national award recognizes legal aid lawyers who have made a significant contribution to providing access to justice for people in need. A legal aid lawyer in Yellowknife, Ms. Savoie engages in improving legal aid services and works with mobile legal aid clinics, providing justice services to isolated communities. Colleagues, please join me in acknowledging Ms. Savoie for her achievement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I spoke about housing in Sachs Harbour in Nunakput. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Housing. My first question is: what’s the status of the installation of the duplex in Sachs Harbour? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
