Thank you, Mr. Speaker. National Public Service Week is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of the public service employees across Canada. Here in the Northwest Territories we have an engaged and highly motivated public service that provides quality programs and services for our residents. Our employees’ commitment to service and dedication to their communities are an important part of what makes the GNWT a great place to work and what makes the NWT a great place to live. It’s no secret that these are challenging economic times, Mr. Speaker. In the face of these challenges, our entire government has been tasked with examining its spending and identifying opportunities for savings. Despite these challenges, the Department of Human Resources remains committed to sustaining and improving the effectiveness of the public service. We will do this through a responsive workforce that is representative of the people it serves and by providing meaningful learning and development opportunities. We will continue to make strides in our work to ensure the health and safety of our employees. We will remain dedicated to fostering our understanding and awareness of diversity and our appreciation of the rich cultures that define our territory. Over the coming year, the Department of Human Resources will also continue its efforts to modernize the Public Service Act, bringing this important piece of legislation into step with the current best practices and the priorities of this Assembly. A modernized act will include provisions for the safe disclosure of wrongdoing without fear of reprisals, an important part of maintaining the commitments to transparency and accountability we have made to the residents of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is undergoing change in response to our current fiscal context while also facing the additional challenge of an aging population and workforce. In order to ensure our future as a government and as a territory, it is important to acknowledge that the continued development and prosperity of the NWT depends on our youth. Now more than ever, we must ensure our youth get the education and experience they need to become the NWT’s next generation of leaders, role models and mentors. One way this is achieved is through student and youth initiatives, such as the Summer Student Employment Program and the Graduate Internship Program. Each of these programs fosters learning, skills development, and employability that support a stable public service and provides quality programs and services to NWT residents. In turn, these programs also provide an opportunity to introduce the next generation to the public service. It is an opportunity to learn and develop, but also to serve. Indeed, it is my hope that summer student employment and graduate internship experiences will encourage more northern youth to pursue careers in the service of the public.
Mr. Speaker, the year ahead will present many challenges for our government and our residents; challenges we are by no means taking lightly. NWT public servants continue to proudly serve the people of the Northwest Territories and will meet these challenges head on to ensure that our residents are provided with the quality public service that they deserve. I ask the Members of the Legislative Assembly to join me in thanking all public servants for their continued contributions. The work of the 18th Legislative Assembly has just begun but with such dedicated public servants supporting our efforts I am confident we will make great progress in the months and years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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 attend the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Innovation, Science and Economic Development meeting in Ottawa. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak about the Department of Transportation. On Friday, June 3rd, Minister Schumann stopped in this House to do a Member’s statement about the Inuvik to Tuk Highway. In his statement he spoke proudly about this being the third successful winter of construction on the project. This project employed over 500 people with about 74 per cent of the workforce coming from the Beaufort Delta region and other NWT communities, fulfilling the goal of sustainable contribution to northern employment opportunities and delivering jobs where they’re needed most. He goes on to say, “projects continue to contribute to developing a skilled northern workforce by delivering meaningful training opportunities and employability. As well, this project contributes to circumpolar research aimed at improving construction techniques in permafrost conditions.”
Mr. Speaker, the Minister goes on to say the project remains on schedule and within the approved budget of $299 million. Unfortunately, what the Minister forgot to mention in his speech was that this was thanks to a negotiated contract with two strong, well developed and hard-working companies from Tuk and Inuvik who have been in business for a long time. I have to applaud the government for seeing the wisdom and foresight to do this. To me this is a great way to keep the money in the North. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this is not the case for a recent contract that was put out by this government for a project in my riding.
In early January I was approached by two companies from the region asking for my support. On January 18th, 2016, I wrote a support letter requesting the Department of Transportation enter into a negotiated contract with these two companies, one being Aboriginal. On February 3, 2016 the Minister of Transportation sent me a form letter that said basically, “the request is currently being reviewed pursuant to the Financial Administration Act; only Cabinet may enter into or direct the contract authority to enter into a contract outside the competitive or sole-source contracting process. Cabinet approval will be required for this negotiated contract.” I fully support and understand this. As a few emails went back and forth I received an email from the Minister on April 26th, then on May 4th from the Premier saying that the project would go out to competition. As well, both felt that it was expected that one of the companies were well in position to successfully complete this work because of the company’s location and proximity to the construction area and its many years of experience undertaking similar work.
Member for Nahendeh, your time for Member’s statements has expired.
I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
I hope the Finance Minister gets his cough under control here. I’m concerned, you know. They both go on to say companies from B.C. have successfully bid on work in the Fort Liard area. These companies have sought to involve local companies, sub-contractors with varying success. The company has provided good value for available funds which has allowed the department to undertake additional work within the funding availability. Mr. Speaker, I was disappointed and still disappointed to hear this answer. I will have some questions for the Minister later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Enterprise is the first Northwest Territories community on the Mackenzie Highway north of the Alberta border. Built when the highway was first extended into the NWT to capture highway trade, Enterprise is home to just over a hundred people at the junction of Highways No. 1 and No. 2, 43 kilometres south of Hay River. Enterprise is too often overlooked because of its size. The mayor recently shared some concerns with me that the community is under-represented and goes unnoticed, especially its Aboriginal population. Mr. Speaker, according to census data, almost half of the population is involved in hunting and trapping but they do not qualify for government programs such as Community Harvest Assistance Program because of their residency. The program is usually delivered by a local Aboriginal organization that offers to its membership residing in their communities. Enterprise does not have such an organization so the people miss out. Another issue, Enterprise has been pushing for the concept of an impacts benefit agreement in light of the proposed wood pellet mill next to their community. Some community members are concerned about an increase in the volume of timber products being trucked within their community, as well as the social impacts of development. The community is not receiving any form of assistance to plan and mitigate the developmental impacts. Mr. Speaker, Enterprise is a legitimate community with real concerns. Their leadership should be invited to meetings with elected and senior government officials when we visit the area. They should have a seat at the table when it comes to conversations about projects that have direct impact on the community.
The people of Enterprise want to enjoy the same benefits as all Northerners, especially those living in communities of similar size. Mr. Speaker, Enterprise is just as much as part of the 33 communities of the NWT as Behchoko or Paulatuk or Colville Lake. The people have a voice; they need to be heard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today addresses the issues of safe and inclusive schooling in Northwest Territories schools. Mr. Speaker, the responsibility of raising and educating our young people and keeping them safe and healthy is one of the most important jobs that we have as a government and as a society. Adolescence is a tough time when young people face the challenges of maturing, learning who they are as people and dealing in many incidences with adult responsibilities. That’s hard enough, but for LGBTQ youth it presents even greater challenges. That’s why teachers, the frontline workers and the school community need to have real tools to make schools safe for all students. The Department of Education is developing programming and has adopted the Safe Schools Regulations and a code of conduct which comes into effect next year. These are positive first steps; however, the department could be doing much more. The Every Teacher Project is a study of teachers across Canada and their observations of how LGBTQ students are treated. Mr. Speaker, the results of this study are troubling. For example, the study shows that almost all teachers consider their school to be a safe space, but when they’re asked how safe it is for LGBTQ students the numbers go way down. Two-thirds of teachers are aware of harassment and bullying of LGBTQ students; one in five has seen sexual humiliation, and teachers know that bullying leads these students to often hurt themselves and sometimes others. These statistics illustrate just some of the reasons why it is important to give teachers the tools they need to help make schools safe and inclusive for all. NWT schools need to have programming directed specifically at LGBTQ students, and our teachers, the frontline workers, need access to real tools and resources to execute these programs and make a real difference in these students’ lives. The government’s recent steps move us in the right direction but the situation calls for more bold and direct steps.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I’ll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on July 20, 2005, marriage equality, a fundamental right guaranteed to all, was embraced in this country when the Government of Canada ended the unfair restrictions and allowed straight and LGBTQ Canadians to choose who they love and to have their love recognized legally. Today, the NWT is home to a vibrant LGBTQ community who serve as tireless advocates of their community and who contribute greatly to our distinct society.
Mr. Speaker, I’m proud to be living in an age where Northerners have the freedom to love who they want and openly celebrate their identity and values. Mr. Speaker, our friends to the south, the United States, at long last passed into law marriage equality on June 26, 2015. Again, love won that day and Canadians celebrated alongside them. It is a reminder even here in the North that we are all affected by events across the world. It is with a heavy heart that I must acknowledge profound loss and sadness due to events far from home today. In Orlando, members of the local LGBTQ community gathered at Pulse, a safe space built by the sister of a gay man who lost his life to the AIDS epidemic, where they could dance, love and be true to themselves. This all changed when one man took it upon himself to take that safe space away, using violence and hate to end the lives of 50 individuals leaving many more wounded and fighting to hold on. This horrific event is now considered the worst mass shooting in modern American history and has left countless LGBTQ communities worldwide feeling vulnerable and unsafe. This is why it is so important that we embrace love and stand together in solidarity with gays, lesbians and transgendered peoples everywhere to unequivocally condemn acts of hate, violence and oppression aimed towards them. Mr. Speaker, the fight for true equality in Canada and the world is far from over. Yesterday’s tragedy is a somber reminder of that fact; as well, it is easy to succumb to base emotions in dark days such as this. Instead, I choose to remember the love that we celebrated in earnest just a year before. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. We must continue embracing our fellow Northerners for it is love that makes us stronger; it is love borne from our diversity and borne of our love of freedom. We must reflect our unique identify in our schools, in our communities, and in all aspects of public life. As leaders of this government what we can do is to celebrate our diversity and speak out against hate whenever we see it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause
Masi. Our condolences and prayers go out to our neighbouring United States, and more specifically Orlando. Prayers to the family and friends. Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Inuvik to Tuk Highway is scheduled to open in 2018. Canada will be connected from coast to coast to coast. It is an important milestone in the evolution of the north and is another change in the region that has experienced dramatic irreversible changes as the people of the Arctic move from the Stone Age to Jet Age into the digital age in a matter of a few generations. Soon we’ll be connected to the rest of the continent by an all-weather road. Mr. Speaker, in many ways it’s a good thing. It will increase opportunities for social and cultural interaction and economic development. It will reduce isolation, increase mobility and expand learning and training opportunities. The possibility of the road to Whati will have major beneficial impacts for that particular region as I have seen in my riding of Nunakput. Mr. Speaker, are we prepared for the negative impacts of increased mobility and activity in the area? A road has a noticeable impact on remote communities for bad as well as good; it creates easier access to drugs and alcohol; more disruption to the community with people coming and going, families fall apart. We already see that, not only in my riding but across the Northwest Territories, especially in regions like the Tlicho and the Sahtu where winter roads spike alcohol-related violence and bring unwanted social problems to the community. People can no longer benefit from economic opportunities because their lives are controlled by addictions. Unforeseen maintenance costs of the highway erode the overall funding available to address social needs or support and making productive choices.
Mr. Speaker, we need to take advantage of the construction period to prepare the community in terms of social infrastructure needs. Local, regional, and territorial governments need to plan to promote the new highway. The opening of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway is a major event, not just for the Northwest Territories but also for Canada. Both territorial and federal governments have a significant financial commitment to this highway. It has been closely monitored around the world for its unique engineering, design and construction. The grand opening deserves recognition and celebration nationwide. Mr. Speaker, people are interested in how the GNWT and Canada are planning to mark this historic event.
Mr. Speaker, like many people in my riding, I look forward to the completion of the Inuvik to Tuk Highway but I also want to ensure we’re working together so that the benefits of this project outweigh ills. I strongly encourage the Beaufort Delta communities and the government to prepare for it to take full advantage of the opportunities of a new highway. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Hear, hear.
---Applause
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, family violence has claimed yet another victim in the Northwest Territories. May Elanik of Aklavik was the mother of seven, including four girls, ranging in age from four to 13. She died in November after being found injured and unconscious outdoors. Last month a family member was charged with her death. He had been sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for assaulting May. This pattern of abuse escalating to homicide is far too common here in the NWT. The mandate for the 18th Assembly calls on us to take action on the crisis of family and community violence. It is also one of three priorities of the Standing Committee on Social Development. Family violence is a crisis because it occurs in the NWT at nine times the national average. The rate has been high for many years and has resisted efforts by the Family Violence Coalition and the GNWT to reduce it.
A first step is to ensure we have a common understanding of what family violence is. The NWT Bureau of Statistics surveyed 753 people in communities large and small in November 2007 to answer this question. The good news is that 88 per cent of respondents said they were either very worried or somewhat worried about family violence. But the detailed findings are revealing. An important finding is that a quarter of men and 16 per cent of women still believe that physical violence between a couple is a private matter to be resolved within the family. Women are more likely than men to state that pushing, grabbing or shoving a family member constituted family violence. There’s a general reluctance to define family violence as a problem for which help is needed. Finally, there is also a considerable misunderstanding that men are victims of family violence to the same extent as women. They are not.
The reason I’m bringing this survey to light today is because I think it’s time to do it again. In the ten years since it was last done, the government has invested thousands of dollars in campaigns aimed at prevention but the rate hasn’t budged. What will it take to make people safe in their homes, free from abuse by their loved ones? I believe that updating the family violence survey will give us the information we need to create an effective action plan, one that is aimed at the attitudes that perpetuate family violence. It’s time for us to strengthen…
Member for Yellowknife Centre your time for your Member’s statement has expired.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
----Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, colleagues, and mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It’s time for us to strengthen the prevention of family violence, to work in a smart and consistent way to ensure every NWT resident hears the message that violence is not inevitable and it is preventable. We have to do this work for ourselves and for our children. My simple hope is that May’s daughters will be safe in their home along with women everywhere. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Last week I made a Member’s statement on the future of renewable energy in the North Slave region. I would like today to talk about the role of the Northwest Territories Power Corp. with regard to renewables and its relationship with the new energy plan announced in this House last week. In the fall of 2015, NTPC issued an expression of interest for joint venture proposals to provide 10 megawatts of electricity through wind and solar in the North Slave. In April of this year, we learned that the process was cancelled. A number of proposals were received and significant effort went into their work. The parties that submitted proposals were told about the cancellation of the process through an e-mail and some were not pleased. One of the former NTPC board members said that the direction to cancel the process came from the GNWT itself. It’s unclear why GNWT would cancel this process of building energy diversity and sustainability. With some digging, we found a 2016 Strategic Plan for NTPC, obviously prepared before the recent change in governance. NTPC’s mission was described as “to generate, transmit and distribute electricity in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally sound manner; striving to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. NTPC exists to provide value to its shareholders and customers through the efforts of a highly dedicated, skilled, and productive workforce.” Is this still its mission or are we on the way to mega-hydro development and power exports? To my mind, NTPC should be doing itself out of a job by building community and householder energy self-sufficiency. What of the future of the NWT Power Corp, the new energy plan? What will be the role of NTPC in the development of that plan now that deputy ministers make up the board? Will NTPC become the instrument for large dams and flooding communities for export of power? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corp later today. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m going to have questions there for the Minister responsible for Public Works and Services in regards to the barging resupply. Some communities along the Mackenzie River are solely dependent on one courier at this point in time and there’s other couriers in the area but they, for some reason, do not have the port licence to stop in say, Fort Good Hope, for example, so the one courier is under contract with this government. I would like to get more information on the scheduling and so on to provide confidence to the two stores in Fort Good Hope, for example, and the other two communities that there will be scheduled service this year. In most cases there, whether it’s personal or this government or the capital project, it is dependent to ensure that those goods and services are being delivered on time and scheduled to take advantage of the summer construction season. That’s just some logistical comments on that, but later on I will have questions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to commemorate the grand opening of the Hay River Regional Health Centre which happened this past June 11th. I have to thank the well over 100 people who showed up on a beautiful Saturday afternoon to attend the event and christen the new $59 million facility. It’s a beautiful, spacious, bright building and it bodes well for our communities’ future wellness. It’s one of the very first things you see as you drive into town and it makes a great first impression. The public administrator Mike Maher and CEO Erin Griffiths were excellent hosts and put on a great event. I also have to thank the special guest speakers: Minister Abernethy, Minister Cochrane, Mayor Brad Mapes, KFN Chief Roy Fabien, and the MLA for Deh Cho, Mr. Michael Nadli. Of course, MLA Schumann and myself were also in attendance. He was there in his capacity as an MLA and was billed below me on the program, which was a bit of a coup I thought.
---Laughter
In addition to attending the opening, the Ministers who attended made a point of touring other facilities in Hay River and I want to thank them for showing interest in that as well. It was great to hear from Mr. Nadli and Chief Fabien. They spoke about their regions and their communities’ ties to Hay River. It was a great reminder that even though we’re spread far and wide in this territory, we’re all neighbours. As Chief Fabien said, “We’re all relatives sharing this land. “It was also great to hear that there has already been three babies born in the new health centre. We’ve entered into a new era where a generation will again be able to say that they were born and raised in Hay River. While it’s wonderful to have the new facility, we’ll never forget how H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital served our region for the last 50 years. We owe a debt of gratitude to the founders and those who watched over it for many years, like Mr. Al Woods. The new health centre was a long time coming, so I also want to thank Hay River’s previous MLAs whose voices in the Legislative Assembly ensured that we received the facility we needed: Ms. Jane Groenewegen, Mr. Robert Bouchard, and former Speaker of the House Paul Delorey. Finally, and most importantly, I have to say thanks to the hospital staff who somehow kept things running smoothly and kept their composure during this major transition between buildings. If there are complaints about government services in Hay River, they’re usually brought to me and I didn’t hear a thing, so I know the staff did an amazing job. While I wish everyone in the region good health, and hope no one needs to use the new health centre I know many of us will, and I’m thankful that we have new state-of-the-art facility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been two years since the community of Aklavik received funds to purchase a bridge for Willow River and I have thanked the department many times for that. Once that bridge was purchased the community hauled that to Aklavik, stored it there for the winter because by that time we couldn’t haul it to Aklavik. Then last year we received more funding through the Community Access Program to haul this bridge up to the site at Willow River and get preparations started to actually put this bridge in place. But, Mr. Speaker, it has been over a year since we’ve received any more funding to complete the last stage of this project. Mr. Speaker, as I’ve mentioned before, in Aklavik they only have about three months to do this sort of work during the winter months. The next stage is to drill pilings and to put this bridge in place. We need to ensure that the next proposal is approved to ensure that we prepare this early winter and to complete the rest of the project. I’ll have questions for the Minister later today. Thank you.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 1955 Fred Carmichael became the first Aboriginal person in the North to get a pilot’s licence. Over 60 years Fred has contributed to the community of Inuvik, the region, the Northwest Territories, and in fact, Canada. He’s been an entrepreneur. He’s flown in many search and rescue missions, also done a lot of medical evacuations throughout the Northwest Territories and has mentored numerous Aboriginal youth, as well as Aboriginal peoples and leaders that you can see in this House today. In 2010, Mr. Carmichael received the Order of Canada. In 2013 he received an honourary doctorate of law degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Carmichael is an integral part of the community of Inuvik. He’s also been a long-term service member with the Gwich’in Tribal Council, as well as being chair of the Aboriginal Pipeline Group and has done a lot of advocating on behalf of businesses, on behalf of the government to ensure that we get the economic development that is needed in the Northwest Territories. Last week on June 9th, Mr. Carmichael was inducted into the Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame with three other individuals. Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame inductees are selected for their contributions to Canada’s development through their integral roles in the nation’s aviation history. That, in fact, is what Mr. Carmichael did. He helped develop aviation in the North. He’s contributed on many, many factors throughout the Northwest Territories. I’d just like Members to show their appreciation and help me acknowledge one of the inductees into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame, Mr. Fred Carmichael, a great leader, a mentor, and ’Gwich’in person of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
