Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories mining industry has a rich, storied history. It has provided thousands of jobs to citizens across our 33 communities, billions in revenue for investment in the wellbeing of our peoples, and innovations that put the territory on the cutting edge of responsible resource development. Success in the mining sector has always been driven by the determination of proud individuals pursuing excellence in their field. I stand today to celebrate some individuals whose contributions and accomplishments have recently been acknowledged with national awards from the mining industry.
First, I would like to recognize Eira Thomas, known by many as the “Queen of Diamonds,” who recently received the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia's Hugo Dummett Diamond Award for Excellence in Diamond Exploration and Development. I was fortunate to be at the recent Mineral Exploration Roundup in Vancouver, British Columbia where she received her award. The Dummett Award recognizes her careerlong dedication and achievement in diamond exploration, discovery, and mine development in Canada. Ms. Thomas' work in the diamond industry has been nothing short of remarkable. She played an important role in the discovery and development of the Diavik mine through her work as a geologist, then executive with Aber Resources Ltd., the company we now know as Dominion Diamonds. She went on to work with Stornoway Diamonds, whose Renard Project in Quebec will soon become a new Canadian diamond mine. We all know the opportunities her work has brought to our territory, and Eira deserves our thanks for her contributions.
Meanwhile, at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada's Convention in Toronto next month, a special achievement award will be given to the Bjorkman family for their multigenerational dedication to geology, prospecting, and diversity. Jessica and Veronique Bjorkman in particular are helping to put a new face on prospecting in the NWT, most recently developing and leading the very successful communitybased Prospecting Training Course in Yellowknife, Detah, and the Tlicho region in association with our government and its Aboriginal and industry partners.
But, on the subject of excellence, Mr. Speaker, I must also acknowledge a dedicated, highlyrespected community leader whose footprints are deep and enduring in our territory. He was chosen this year to receive the Canadian Mining Industry's prestigious Skookum Jim Award for his innovation, hard work, and dedication to the mineral industry, through which he has improved the lives of many in his community. I am talking, of course, about Mr. Darrell Beaulieu. Mr. Beaulieu's leadership of the Det'on Cho Corporation, Denendeh Investment Corporation, and DEMCO, along with his countless board memberships, has brought Dene participation in our mineral industry to the fore. We pride ourselves in the Northwest Territories on our partnership approach to working with Aboriginal governments and Mr. Beaulieu deserves our gratitude for his role in the historic success of our mining industry. Mr. Speaker, success is always built on the back of the innovators who push the industry forward. I invite all Members of this Assembly to join me in celebrating the welldeserved recognition that these individuals have received from leaders in the mineral sector and the contributions they have each made to the economic and social wellbeing of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers’ statements. Colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the presence in the gallery of Mr. David Jones, the Conflict of Interest Commissioner for Northwest Territories. Later this afternoon, I will table the 2015 Annual Report of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Jones to the House this afternoon.
---Applause.
Mr. Speaker, Traditional food has an important place in culture. Food is essential to who we are as people, both biologically and spiritually. Food from the land makes your spirit and body stronger, but the impacts of climate change and heavy industry on natural environment are becoming more and more evident in our traditional food supply. People are wondering about health risks associated with consuming country foods. Researchers from the University of Waterloo are conducting a study on the risks posed to residents' health from locally acquired foods. A research team has been working with Dene communities to collect blood, hair, and urine samples from volunteers to test for levels of contaminants like mercury, cadmium, and lead. They will also analyze the nutrients found in common local foods to help determine the best country foods that provide the most nutrients and the least contaminants. Previous studies have shown levels of contaminants in country foods, but this study will look at how much of the contamination has been absorbed by humans. The cost of goods is increasing.
Many of our small communities offer very little in terms of the mainstream wage economy. That frees our people from the rat race, but it also makes them more reliant on traditional harvesting activities. In our small communities, people tend to have more active traditional harvesting lifestyles. Moose meat, whitefish, ducks, geese, and berries are common on the tables of many people in the Deh Cho. Harvesting these foods from the land maintains traditional knowledge and important cultural traditions.
Before we suggest people limit the amount of country food they eat, we must understand the risks and benefits. Studies like the one underway by the University of Waterloo can link science to traditional knowledge and guide decision-makers and policy-makers as we work to secure the future of food for the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the impacts of residential schools in the NWT. Residential schools have taken language, culture, and lives of many Aboriginal people who have passed on. Many of them are here with us today. Through the work of many initiatives of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the TRC, the reality of those tragedies are brought more and more into focus. As Canadians move forward in a way to leave the past behind and create forgiveness and cultural respect for the future of Aboriginal people in Canada, as leaders we must take the lead to ensure that former students, family members, and educators receive the proper education in helping Aboriginal people move forward and, most of all, heal from the horrible experiences they've lived.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I'm going to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart. Yes, you guessed it. Youth. For the past 28 years, my career has been focused on doing something for these special folks. I apologize to this individual, I don't have his name right now, but I'd like to share a revised quote that I've tried to live by throughout these years. For the government to realize the huge dividends our youth bring to us, we must take every step possible to invest in them empowerment, education, and employment of our young people. By investing in these three areas for youth, we are investing in our greatest resources in the NWT.
It isn't non-renewable or renewable resources that we have. Don't get me wrong. These resources are important, but they are not as important as our youth. To develop this resource we need to encourage youth to be the best they can be, to challenge them and help them challenge themselves to be successful. Whether they become doctors, teachers, tradespeople, hairdressers or stay-at-home parents, all these are important in our society. I have to say, the government does a great job in empowering our youth through our vast array of programs such as Youth Ambassadors an youth tours, an excellent school program both during and after school hours. We provide funding to non-government organizations who offer additional opportunities for our youth to grow and develop their talent and skills, then we look at what the government does to enhance education and funding for post-secondary, and we are two-thirds of the way there. However, when we look at the last piece of the puzzle, employment, we seem to be missing something. I look at how this government could help our young people, especially students in grade 12 and post-secondary programs that need summer employment, and I notice a gap. Then I look at the opportunities for the youth from smaller communities and see they have limited or no access to government positions where they live. They need to move to bigger centres to have a chance to land one of these positions. This does not seem fair.
In the past I've witnessed the government make it a priority to provide summer jobs for students so that they can financially be prepared to continue their education. A number of students and parents have asked me about the status of student summer jobs. I could not answer their questions. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to leave you today with the wise words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “We cannot always build a future for our youth, but we can build our youth for our future.” Later on, I'll have questions for the Minister of Human Resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the biggest priorities for this government in current times is to support economic growth. We need to do more to support industry exploration and development activities. How do we do that? We foster an environment that makes it easier to conduct business in the North. One of the critical hurdles for resource development in the NWT is a lack of access to remote areas. Lack of access prevents companies from exploring in areas with significant resource potential. This limits the potential for future resource development and the economic growth that it could create. Lack of transportation infrastructure is a challenge for many of our communities. It limits residents' mobility, making it difficult to build and expand ties between communities and families, and when the movement of goods and services relies on that same infrastructure, it makes everything cost more. At the same time, the infrastructure we do have is being seriously affected by climate change. Melting permafrost is damaging existing roadways and warmer winters are resulting in shorter seasons for our winter road system. In summer, low water levels are affecting our capacity to generate power.
These impacts of climate change are creating additional costs for residents and businesses in communities and represent additional costs and challenges for the resource sector and the future economic growth and well-being of the territory. In a land as broad as the Northwest Territories, our transportation network is crucial infrastructure for families, communities, businesses, and the industrial growth that our economy needs. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Transportation with regard to highway infrastructure and funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has tasked itself with fortifying our resource sector and diversifying our economy. These two goals require different approaches. However, to be successful at either it is essential that we have a well-trained workforce. The same way this Assembly is committed to supporting the physical infrastructure needed to grow the economy, we need to equally support the workforce development. If we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on infrastructure to attract new mining operations and don't have the skilled workforce to staff them, hundreds of millions more in wages will flow out of the territory, as has been the case for the past 20 years. In my experience working in industry and as an MLA, I've encountered many issues that hinder our ability to train, certify, and retain Northern residents.
A major roadblock to apprenticing in Hay River, and I'm sure every other small community, is the lack of journeymen. I recently dealt with a constituent who wanted to begin offering apprenticeships to his employees. The problem was that in that particular trade there are only four journeymen in the entire territory, and none were available. This is a problem with more common trades as well. I've worked with people who have seven years of carpentry experience, but have never had the opportunity to be apprenticed. We have a small population spread out over a huge area, so these are the kind of problems that we run into. Because of this reality, we need to innovate made-in-the-north solutions to these problems.
A creative suggestion that I've received from some small- and medium-sized employers is to create a program where journeymen apprentice employees at different locations, different companies. Some businesses don't need or can't afford a fulltime carpenter, but they do enough carpentry work that their employees gain significant experience. A journeyman could spend time at different locations verifying the amount and quality of work and signing off on hours. If it was a government-run program, they could utilize current employees, making it very cost effective. I understand there also used to be a program where the government would take on an apprentice with the sole purpose of giving that person the opportunity to become a journeyman. Once he or she received their ticket their tenure ended. The value added to the economy by having a skilled worker who is more employable, higher paid and who can apprentice future workers far outweighs the minimal costs of this program.
These are just a couple examples of the kind of programs we need to be looking into to build a workforce for the future. I've worked with Minister Moses on apprenticeship issues and I know he sees the importance of them, so I'm optimistic that this Assembly will see some much-needed and impactful changes to our apprenticeship programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to make a Member’s statement in regards to the BRB, or the Bear River Bridge, a vital infrastructure link on the proposed Mackenzie Valley right-of-way between Fort Wrigley and Norman Wells, a distance of 330 kilometres. This link has a bit of history on it. It was procured by the previous, previous government back in 2006 and as a result of limited resources, was postponed and deferred to this Assembly. In preparation for that, the Hamlet of Tulita, in my discussions with the mayor, is in a position now to move ahead and explore options available when considering -- and he has considered -- the physical situation of our government. The readiness approach would engage into discussion between this government and his community and his public members, and later I will have questions to the Minister of Transportation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Lands announced the establishment of the liabilities and financial assurances division in a news release dated September 12, 2014. This was in response to our newly inherited authority over lands and waters acquired through devolution. These are very significant new responsibilities and require careful management to ensure that we do not repeat the legacies and disasters left behind from the poor policies and legislation of the federal government. It is critically important that we get our financial security management system in order to prevent further public liabilities and contaminated sites. This government agreed in March 2005 to contribute $23 million to the remediation of the Giant Mine because of the liability we incurred for a surface lease where no security was required of the mine owner. More recently, this government had to issue a special warrant for $4.5 million to allow the Cantung mine to be transferred back to the federal government. Through devolution, we have now inherited responsibility for the Prairie Creek site where we hold a surface lease that does not require full reclamation. This needs to be changed before we incur more millions of dollars of environmental liabilities.
These liabilities occurred under our watch and we can, and we must, do much better. We cannot afford to mismanage our resources. Future generations will not forgive us. According to the Minister of Land's statement in this House on November 6, 2014, the liabilities and financial assurances division was established to develop “strong and effective collaboration between departments with legislated responsibilities for security deposits, as well as central agencies such as the departments of Finance and Justice.” He said “This division will also lead and coordinate short and longer-term policy development concerning the government's management of securities.”
I am very concerned with the slow progress of this work to date, especially in light of the looming liabilities from the Prairie Creek site. I do not believe the division has ever achieved its full complement of staff, senior staff positions are now vacant, and there has been no public policy of guidelines to ensure sound financial security systems. In this time of fiscal challenges, we need to get this critical work back on track. I will have questions later today for the Minister of Lands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Delta will be the high-tech hub of the Northwest Territories. Due to its northern location and the frequent passes of satellites, Inuvik is an ideal location for technology infrastructure. Since 2010 it has been home to the Inuvik Satellite Station Facility. With the completion of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link, the Delta will be more connected to business than ever. The Government of the Northwest Territories has committed millions of dollars to the fibre optic line and the new Western Arctic Centre for Geomatics in Inuvik. But where are the job opportunities for Northerners? How are we making the most of this opportunity to develop the northern workforce?
Aurora College in Inuvik opens its doors every day to prepare students for jobs in many different fields. We have a chance to train Northerners to work at the satellite station and the new geomatics centre. Staff at the geomatics centre will work with Aboriginal and federal governments, research teams and the Aurora Research Institute. Their work will include planning, research projects, work on environmental monitoring, mapping, emergency response, shipping and navigation, and northern sovereignty issues. People with knowledge and understanding of the North would be ideal candidates for these positions. What better place to train for this work than in Inuvik?
The federal government has demonstrated commitment to technology in the Mackenzie Delta. The Inuvik Satellite Station Facility has important partners in Germany and Sweden. The youth of today are tech-savvy and understand digital technology. That knowledge should be tapped into. Working with partners at Aurora College and elsewhere, the Government of the Northwest Territories can help the people of the Delta participate in these new developments. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. The new fibre optic line belongs to the people of the North. We need to do all we can as a government to help them be a part of the future.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the government has sounded the alarm about the impact of weakened markets for non-renewable resource products and the need to broaden the base of our economy. The Commissioner's Opening Address referred to the need for strategic investment, diversification, and modernization of the economy in its growth sectors. I agree. The growth of sectors outside of non-renewable resources is impressive. Tourism contributes over $100 million and has good potential in every region. The contributions of the forestry, fishing, and agriculture sectors, while small, have posted the largest growth rates of any sector in the past five years. The manufacturing sector has increased by 26 per cent over five years and at $10 million, shows great prospects for growth in the renewable energy sector. Forestry, fishing, hunting, and agriculture have also posted significant gains at almost 14 per cent in five years and are now worth a combined total of $29 million. The Yellowknife Farmers Market is a million dollar enterprise that didn't exist five years ago. Bear in mind that these are the jobs that provide the greatest return on investment. One million dollars invested in the oil and gas industry results in just 0.5 jobs, while the diamond industries creates 1.1 jobs for $1 million dollars spent. Compare that to the forest sector where $1 million dollars returns a whopping 23.4 jobs.
Locally-owned enterprises offer the greatest multipliers and provide more stable, accessible and longer term jobs. They have a smaller environmental footprint by replacing imports, thus reducing the cost of living. Communities with locally-owned small enterprises have lower crime rates, use fewer social services, have better public health, maintain cultural continuity, and have lower rates of poverty, according to recent research commissioned by Alternatives North, and perhaps above all, any success in diversifying our economy gives our territory greater stability. It fights the non-renewable resource sector boom and bust.
Where this government can make a difference is in promotion of those renewable resource sectors. Small investments can provide major returns in reducing food insecurity, addressing energy costs through the introduction of renewables, and generally lowering the cost of living and the need for big paycheques. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. As we turn to considering our economic supports and infrastructure spending, let's target our money where it will do the most good, producing the most durable jobs for dollars spent, and producing the most social good with the least environmental harm. I will have questions for the Minister of Lands. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I started my career in the public service as an excluded employee, working as an administrative assistant. I can confirm to this House that I was not in a position that earned a high salary, and given the high cost of living and working in the NWT, my family often struggled to save for our future. In challenging times it is important that our government show decisive leadership. I fully support a pay freeze for myself as an MLA and for public servants in management positions. However, I find it difficult to support a pay freeze that may unduly burden public servants at lesser positions who have less in their pockets as costs for everyday expenses continue to increase. I have often before cautioned this government on rushing ahead with cost-saving measures without considering the full range of consequences of those actions, and again, I share my concerns that this decision has unintended consequences for many hardworking Northerners. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance on the impacts of this decision later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our country has invited 25,000 refugees to live in this wonderful country of ours, but our federal minister indicated that should not be at the expense of the poorest people in Canada and also that would include the Northwest Territories. We need to take care of our people first. Refugees will need a place to live and they will need a place to work and they will need a place for their kids to go to school. What I think is an important thing for the people of the Northwest Territories, especially people in the small communities, is that they need a place to work. We need jobs for the people in the small communities. Over the next four years, I would like to see this government work with the small communities to increase employments rates in the small communities to 55 per cent, Mr. Speaker.
Fifty-five per cent, to put it in some context, is a number that is manageable by small communities. Right now, most of the small communities' employment rates are in the 40 per cent category, some just slightly over 40 per cent. Overall in the Northwest Territories we're at about 66 per cent. It's not an insurmountable task to get to 55 per cent, as an example, in Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. In the four communities that I represent, that means about 80 jobs.
I'm not asking about 80 jobs from the Government of Northwest Territories, I'm asking the government to spend strategically and use its infrastructure money and help other local governments and so on to put people to work. Right now, as opposed to putting people to work, what's happening is that our social spending continues to increase. It's a known and acceptable fact that employment rates and health outcomes are directly correlated. The lower the employment, the higher the health indicators we have in communities. That's also true for graduation rates, the rates of addictions, and the need for social housing. Employments rates in NWT are pretty good, as I indicated, but in the communities that I represent it's about 46 per cent, and I have done some work and I can see that it is very easy to achieve higher employment rates which will give us the numbers that we need to move forward.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm very pleased to recognize in the gallery Mr. Darrell Beaulieu, the recipient of the Skookum Jim Award this year, and also a constituent of Yellowknife South, Mr. Peter Vician. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Darrell Beaulieu, a constituent from Wiilideh. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.
Quyanainniini, Mr. Speaker. I'd also like to recognize Mr. Darrell Beaulieu. I remember when they started Det'on Cho Diamonds; I was a diamond polisher there. Welcome, Mr. Beaulieu.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Nancy Vail. She’s a constituent in Frame Lake. Thank you.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also wanted to acknowledge Nancy Vail, a tireless volunteer in our community working on a number of different files to improve our lives. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize Darrell Beaulieu and Peter Vician, members of our strong support Northern community leadership. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my constituency assistant, Garett Cochrane. He’s one of the hardest working individuals I know. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. For those individuals in the gallery that we may have missed, masi for being here with us. It's always great to have an audience in the gallery.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge a man who embodies leadership, innovation, and dedication. Loyal and committed to the public service for 35 years, Peter Vician will retire as deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Since its inception in 2005, Mr. Vician has guided the department through its evolution and has been a leader in the development and diversification of our economy. Mr. Vician was a key player in the Government of Northwest Territories achieving devolution, helped build our diamond industry, led the development of the Economic Opportunities Strategy and played a key role in numerous socio-economic agreements. I could go on about the accomplishments he has had in his career, but in the interest of time I would like to say this: Mr. Vician truly believes in service above self. He has dedicated to making the Northwest Territories a great place to live and do business, and for that, Peter, we thank you.
I too would like to thank Mr. Vician for all the years of service with the Government of Northwest Territories and I wish you best of luck in your retirement. Masi cho.
