Good afternoon, colleagues. Colleagues, in support of our Take Our Kids to Work Day we have Riley Menard, daughter of Cheryl Menard our finance manager. Today, Riley will be assisting our table officers, so please join me in welcoming Riley to our house.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the Department of Transportation’s research and development activities into adapting our transportation infrastructure to the effects of climate change. Increasing our knowledge and better understanding how climate change affects infrastructure is a step in developing adaptation strategies.
The scientific information gathered through the climate change research has already made a difference in northern infrastructure planning, design, construction and maintenance and will be a game-changer in the future.
We can already see climate change affecting the transportation system in the NWT. In recent years, the department has experienced situations including permafrost degradation, which leads to highway embankment and airport runway instability; changing ice conditions which affect the construction and durability of our winter roads; fluctuating seasonal atmospheric conditions that impact the runway maintenance activities and flight services; and low water conditions that affect marine operations.
The most significant impacts, Mr. Speaker, are on our operation and maintenance budgets, which are increasing every year. That is why investments in climate change resilient infrastructure, such as all-weather roads instead of winter roads, and permanent bridges instead of ice bridges, are key to addressing economic, environmental and social impacts on our territory and our residents for years to come.
One of the department’s three main strategic priorities under its 25-year Transportation Strategy is embracing innovation. Through this priority, we aim to improve service delivery and modernize our transportation system. The Northwest Territory’s unique environment makes it an ideal location for conducting climate change research and collecting data which can be used to protect valuable infrastructure assets and support a resilient transportation system. Research and development tells us about the nature and severity of climate change impacts and the significant risks to infrastructure it creates. It lets us examine adaptation options and costs, and define further research and monitoring needs.
Mr. Speaker, these initiatives depend on collaboration with the scientific community. The department is currently involved in numerous research and development projects across the territory. The second phase of the Northwest Territories Transportation Monitoring Program was announced earlier this summer. Through a long-term partnership with Transport Canada, a total of $747,600 will be invested over the next two years into research operations and into an extension of existing test sites.
The research will focus on the effects of climate change on the permafrost and on our transportation infrastructure. Phase 2 of the program is made up of four components located throughout the Northwest Territories. These include two test sections along the newly constructed Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway to monitor the structural stability of highway embankments, the installation of 24 thermistors along both newly constructed sections of the highway and off right-of-way locations, monitoring alternative watercourse structures at various locations along the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway and the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road, and four different sections along Highway 3 for testing and monitoring new rehabilitation techniques for roads constructed on discontinuous permafrost under warming conditions.
Prior to this, in 2015, the department had received an initial amount of $669,000 from Transport Canada for Phase 1 of the NWT Transportation Monitoring Program. That phase included two Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway permafrost research and development projects, a geotextile-reinforcement deep fill embankment section near kilometre 82 and an alternative plastic drainage culvert structure near kilometre 20. The department also conducted light detection and ranging surveys on the Dempster Highway and the proposed alignment of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway to produce high-resolution digital elevation maps. The surveys provide topographical baselines for monitoring future change.
Mr. Speaker, it is important for us to work collaboratively with all our partners. The Department of Transportation is providing support to an initiative led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop an updated NWT Climate Change Strategy.
This strategy will act as a road map for our government’s efforts to deal with the impacts of climate change over the next five to ten years. The Department of Transportation also continues to support our government’s work with federal partners on the Pan-Canadian Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change. We are participating in three interdepartmental working groups on climate change, which address the topics of mitigation, adaptation, and clean technology and innovation.
Mr. Speaker, adapting to climate change is a significant challenge. Climate change has added a new level of uncertainty to our daily lives, and what happened in the past is no longer necessarily the case in the future. That’s why it is important for us to continue to promote research and development, cultivate partnerships, incorporate climate change data into all decisions, and share best practices to meet these challenges ahead. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past two decades, caribou herds in the North have declined and are at or near historic low numbers. There are many factors contributing to this decline. Some, like climate change, are known; others we urgently need to understand better.
As Northerners, knowing what we can do to help the recovery of caribou in the North is important. ENR Regional and Headquarters staff, co-management partners and traditional user groups offer caribou education every year. This November, Regional ENR staff is making a special, coordinated effort to provide caribou education throughout the NWT. ENR presented a caribou education workshop to regional staff and will be offering a similar opportunity to co-management partners in November. Materials will be made available to hunters, NWT residents and educators seeking classroom resources about caribou. These efforts will enhance ongoing caribou education.
Throughout November, ENR will engage hunters on caribou conservation; including Sight-In-Your-Rifle events, encouraging harvesting bulls to reduce effects on reproduction and providing information regarding ongoing research projects. Information will also be presented to school-age children, in the hopes they will share important facts about wildlife with their parents. In the Sahtu Region, Sight-In-Your-Rifle and caribou sex identification workshops are being offered in nearly every community.
In the North Slave Region, a renewable resource officer will be talking to students about the need to conserve caribou for the future, and the importance of harvesting only bulls. The students will make signs and post them on hunting trails, so keep an eye out for these messages. In the Dehcho Region, Sight-In-Your-Rifle training is planned for Fort Simpson and Wrigley. November classroom visits are planned for Fort Simpson schools as well as for smaller communities.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, ENR will continue to work with communities to assess and promote alternative traditional foods such as moose, muskox, and fish to minimize harvest pressure on caribou.
Mr. Speaker, ENR is committed to working with NWT residents to conserve caribou for future generations. These efforts, along with those of our co-management partners and other organizations, will help Northerners play a part in the recovery of this important species. Together, we can work towards conserving this precious resource for generations to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Mr. Speaker, the tourism industry offers enormous potential to create economic growth and diversification in our regions and in our communities. In fact, while other sectors around the world are experiencing challenges, the Northwest Territories tourism sector continues to grow. Between 2010-2011 and 2015-2016, the number of visitors to our territory has increased from 65,000 to 93,000. Visitor spending in this timeframe has also increased from $94.1 million to $167.1 million.
These numbers represent new money for our tourism operators, hotels, restaurants, shops, festivals, and events. They mean that our tourism businesses can grow and expand their offerings to attract and meet even greater demand. Ultimately, they mean that the tourism industry is thriving in the Northwest Territories, giving us a foundation for further growth. Later today, I will table Tourism 2020: Opening Our Spectacular Home to the World. This five-year strategy is our government’s plan for creating a $207 million a year industry by 2021.
Tourism 2020 is a follow up to Tourism 2010 and 2015. It was developed collaboratively with Northwest Territories Tourism, the Aboriginal Tourism Champions Advisory Council, Parks Canada, Aboriginal communities, municipal governments, Government of the NWT departments, and our many stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality industry. Mr. Speaker, investment in tourism translates to investment in communities. For the first time, we have formally identified community tourism development as an independent pillar in our plan.
In addition to training and mentorship opportunities, we have identified continued funding for the Community Tourism Infrastructure Program and will be developing a Territory-Wide Events and Festivals Strategy. We will be introducing a support program for communities looking to establish Tourism Coordinators in their communities who will develop marketable product packages for sale directly to consumers and travel trade partners.
To invigorate the Aboriginal cultural tourism sector, our plan outlines new and engaging approaches including the Take a Tourist on the Land Program, Elder-in-Residence Program, Aboriginal Community Tourism Guidebooks, and the Aboriginal Youth Tourism Career Path Program.
This week, the Northwest Territories Tourism Annual General Meeting and Conference is taking place in Yellowknife. We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the partnership that was created between the GNWT and NWT Tourism to market our tourism territory. The theme of the conference is especially fitting: Looking Back, Leaping Forward.
As we look back over the past fiscal year, we have much to celebrate. Not only did our tourism industry reach an all-time high for visitors and spending, we also welcomed more people to NWT campgrounds. Our Visitors Centre at the 60th parallel welcomed over 20,000 visitors.
We saw the number of prospective visitors accessing the territorial NWTT website increase by over 12 per cent. One story, generated as part of the NWT’s Spectacular Stories brand, went viral, generating 46,000 shares. We welcomed cruise ships in two of our Arctic coast communities, setting a new bar for well-orchestrated community Aboriginal tourism. Our new Conference Bureau passed the $1.8 million mark in conference commitments. We hosted seven conferences, all secured by our bureau since it opened in January 2015.
Mr. Speaker, the investments that we are making in tourism are working. I would like to thank the men and women who make up our industry — operators and service providers who take pride in delivering excellence and providing true Northern hospitality when welcoming the world. They are the foundation of our industry and we cannot grow without them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today I would like to talk about how we are going to help the elders. That's what I'm going to talk about. NWT Seniors’ society, the way they had written to us, the elders that are living in their home. That way, they can stay out of the old folks' home, and stuff like that. That's what I'm going to talk about. [Translation ends]
Mr. Speaker, the NWT Seniors' Society recently wrote a letter to raise their concerns and questions about the state of homecare services in the Northwest Territories. In their letter, the society states their wish to warn MLAs, other government officials and bureaucrats, as well as the general public, that the goal of enabling older adults to age in place, to remain in their homes and in their communities as they age cannot be realized unless we recognize and act upon enhanced home care as a serious priority.
Mr. Speaker, the government must put money into enhanced home care if they are to make a difference in home care services available to older adults. This makes good social sense, Mr. Speaker, and also makes good financial sense. More money in home care today will result in huge savings today and in the future. For instance, we know that the Department of Health and Social Services wants to make serious inroads into the prevention and management of chronic disease in the Northwest Territories over the next 20 years. A strong, well-funded, quality home care program can help accomplish that, resulting in happier and healthier seniors.
Mr. Speaker, increased home care spending is one of the strategic spending methods that I've emphasized in this Assembly. Home care, along with the NWT Housing Corporation's program designed to extend seniors' ability to live comfortably and safely in their homes, will empower seniors to age in place. To get there, though, the department must work with other groups, including groups like the NWT Senior's Society, as well as other GNWT departments and agencies, to enhance available services.
Home care and the management of chronic disease go hand in hand. The department has developed a chronic disease management strategy, but this strategy cannot be delivered effectively without the delivery of necessary, strong, well-funded home care.
Mr. Speaker, far too often the burden of caring for seniors falls to the spouse, someone who may not be in full health themselves. Grown children with their own families do the best to provide support, but they are ill equipped to do so. Older citizens wish to remain independent as long as possible. Mr. Speaker, let's do all we can in our power to make sure our seniors and elders are able to age in place. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that our Legislative Assembly is moving toward open government. Changing our process conventions to hold more public briefings by Ministers to committees is a positive start. We have promised our constituents we would do this, Mr. Speaker. The mandate that we adopted unanimously in this House calls on us to establish an open government policy to enhance civic participation, improve public access to information, and improve public input into government decision-making.
Mr. Speaker, standing committees are doing their part. They are working on ways to do more of their business in public. This is vitally important to public understanding of consensus government and of the work being done on behalf of citizens of our territory.
Yesterday, the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures provided its thoughtful interim report on public engagement and transparency. Members of that committee have made useful suggestions for improving the openness of committee's work. These can begin to be implemented before the committee's final report and recommendations. I encourage anyone with an interest to take a look at the interim report and to take part when the rules committee begins its public consultation.
I was glad that the committee noted that much of committee's work is driven by action by the government, and that transparency of committees is a necessary follow-up to effective engagement by the government itself. This is one reason we have a Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency, and I am sure he has his hands full with many tasks. Mr. Speaker, there is still much to be done.
We have not yet seen a full, open government policy. We are still looking forward to a draft legislation and concrete plans to establish an Office of the Ombudsman. I would also remind government of our mandate promise to maximize citizens' ability to LeLe access government by using consistent approaches to social media, visual identity, and overall communication. Also, I know Members are looking forward to the launch of the government's public reporting on its progress in implementing our mandate. Mr. Speaker, almost a year of our term is behind us. We cannot rest on our achievements. We must forge ahead and continue to make public business public. Later, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many times in this House I have spoken about the importance of building a knowledge economy. Though we can never abandon our world-class mining and energy industries, we need to ensure that our territory is strong enough to withstand the volatility of commodity prices and downturns in resource markets, and an innovative knowledge economy will provide us with the kind of long-term sustainability for growth, attract new residents and create opportunities for investment that our southern neighbours take for granted.
While often my focus to this point has been to spotlight the great work of Dechinta Bush University that they've been doing for almost seven years now throughout the NWT, today I want to speak about another important issue for our future: a Northern Polytechnic.
Mr. Speaker, a polytechnic is a publicly-funded college or institute of technology that offers a wide range of advanced education credentials, four-year bachelor's degrees, advanced diplomas, certificates, as well as in-class training for apprenticeship programs. Polytechnics provide programs that are skills-intensive and technology-based, taking a hands-on approach with experiential learning opportunities that provides students with practical training for jobs in demand. They can also provide R and D for Canadian businesses because an essential aspect of a polytechnic is creating a close partnership with industry.
Now, Mr. Speaker, during the election one of my major commitments to my now constituents was to promote the creation and implementation of a 10-year strategic plan to grow Aurora College into a full polytechnic. This would give Northerners a chance to learn a range of technical, technological, vocational and professional training. This polytechnic would offer apprenticeships, accredited diplomas and certificates without ever leaving the North; also giving these students and Northerners the opportunity to connect locally with industry and begin their professional careers where they grew up and went to school; at home. This commitment also included calling for the construction of a new campus facility here in Yellowknife with full accommodations for students and modern research facilities and upgraded classrooms. Mr. Speaker, at this time I'd like to request unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you colleagues. Mr. Speaker, we cannot afford for this government to take a short-sighted outlook on how to manage our economy that puts the next generation of Northerners into a future shrouded by uncertainty. It is clear to me the most significant challenge that this government faces is the lack of skilled northern workers and an aging population on the cusp of retirement. Building a true knowledge economy will undoubtedly require a significant investment by this government, but we need to invest today for the jobs of tomorrow. We need real concrete action and world class knowledge facilities to make that future brighter for the next generation and for all others who choose to call the North home. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'm going to speak about medical travel policy. This past week, I have been dealing with three different medical travel issues. Each issue involved individual patients over the age of 65. Mr. Speaker, the first patient had to move from a small community to a major center because of medical challenges their family was facing. Recently, this individual had to go out for medical travel. Because of the move, this individual does not have the support system in this community.
Mr. Speaker, to make matters worse, this patient was informed that non-medical escorts will not be provided to accompany this person. This individual is over 65 years old. Not only does this patient need a non-medical escort for physical support but for emotional support. Mr. Speaker, to further this issue, the patient continues to tell Edmonton that more advanced notice is needed so arrangements can be made. I understand they are trying their best on their end, scheduling surgery upon cancellations et cetera, but we need to think about the patient too.
Mr. Speaker, the second situation that I had to deal with was a patient that was almost 70 years old. This patient was medevaced out of the community with a non-medical escort. To say the least, this trip was a bit confusing for the patient. He was not sure where he had to stay and did not have enough funds for food. Once this issue was brought to the attention of the staff at Deh Cho, they worked hard to ensure the situation was improved. The family and I are thankful for them and the staff from Yellowknife to ensure the patient was looked after once they were aware of the problem. However, we still had to deal with a person over the age of 65 without a non-medical escort.
Mr. Speaker, the third situation dealt with a patient that ended up travelling to Fort Nelson BC for a medical appointment. The family felt the patient who was over the age of 80 needed to go to Fort Nelson instead of Fort Simpson. They felt the extra hour's drive was not good for the patient. Mr. Speaker, the family ensured this patient had an escort that could help and ensured the concerns were translated to the doctors. Unfortunately, this did not stop here. I spent the Friday afternoon working with a person from BC and the Deh Cho staff to get them home. Thanks to all staff involved, they were able to get a place to stay, have something to eat and made it home. Mr. Speaker, I wish to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the issue is the ministerial policy on Medical Travel Benefits. I was directed to Section 6 provisions for clarification on benefits of approved non-medical escorts. Mr. Speaker, nowhere in the policy does it state that past the certain age a person requires an escort, nor does following up with our HSS System Navigator looking for help if the people are not computer literate.
Mr. Speaker, we were very lucky that these three elders made it home safe and sound thanks to staff and people working together, and I'm thankful for that; however, we should not always rely on luck. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I served on Yellowknife City Council for nine years and understand the importance of that order of government to our communities and the need for them to have broad powers to manage their own affairs. As in other parts of this country, our local governments are creatures of GNWT, established under territorial laws. We have a duty to ensure local governments have the authority to meet the needs of their citizens.
Usually, this works pretty well, so long as the government responsible for the enabling laws meets its responsibility to keep the substance and detail of the law up to date, to meet the challenges of changing times. Unfortunately, the GNWT has been failing in that responsibility and the City of Yellowknife is suffering as a result. Changes are needed to territorial statutes including the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, the Property Assessment and Taxation Act and the Summary Convictions Procedures Act. These changes would give the city authority to do good things. They could loan homeowners money to do energy retrofits that allow citizens to save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Changes would allow the city to introduce a hotel tax to invest in tourism development, to phase-in municipal tax increases, to make it easier for the city to collect back taxes and to allow the city to serve parking ticket notices through the mail, rather than serving summons in person.
For up to a decade now, the city has been politely calling for changes. Some of these changes have been discussed since 2007 when I was still on city council. Resolutions of the NWT Association of Communities have been proposed and adopted. The city has requested these changes in countless meetings with territorial officials, MLAs and Ministers. Losing patience, the city has passed a motion calling for action on the changes and written the MACA Minister to strongly request action. The response seems to be that the Cities, Towns and Villages Act will not be opened for amendment until the next Assembly, and the city must continue to wait. That's not good enough and it fails to meet a number of commitments in our mandate.
I will have questions for the Premier on how this government intends to respond to this clear request from the City of Yellowknife and meet our mandate commitments to enable community governments to meet the needs of their citizens. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to draw your attention to a study published this year by YWCA Yellowknife titled "Hush Hush No More: Improving NWT Community Response to Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls." It contains some important recommendations about new responses by health providers and communities to sexual violence as well as prevention.
Mr. Speaker, by way of background, this study is based on interviews with women who have experienced sexual assault and service providers from five NWT communities. The study notes that men and boys also experience sexual violence but they were not part of this particular study. The details are depressing. Sexual assault occurs on a continuum from unwanted touching to rape; two-thirds of the female victims are under 24 years old and fewer than 10 per cent report what happened to them to the police. Statistics Canada says these assaults occur in the NWT at nine times the national average.
Mr. Speaker, I want to highlight the need for a better society-wide understanding of consent. Consent is the means to reduce these shocking numbers. Consent means that people freely agree to engage in sexual activity with one another. A person can't consent if he or she is impaired by drugs or alcohol; when there's a physical or psychological threat present; or when there's a difference in their power and authority. It's also possible to consent and then later change your mind. Children under 12 can't consent to sexual activity of any kind, and between the age of 13 and 16 they can consent if their partner is a teenager as well. If consent doesn't fall within those very strict guidelines, then sexual assault is taking place.
Mr. Speaker, the YWCA study highlighted the silence that surrounds this issue. It quotes elders warning younger people not to report assault and not to make trouble. Secrecy has been the norm, in part because of the possible repercussions of reporting these incidents, especially in small communities. As a result, victims often blame themselves for what happened. Sexual assault creates feelings of powerlessness and it's time to turn that around. The report contains 10 recommendations and some of them can be implemented immediately. For example, it's important to engage and support people who have disclosed sexual violence in a non-judgmental way. It's also important for us as parents --
Your time for Member's statements has expired.
I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker. May I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's also important for us parents to talk to our daughters about the danger of sexual assault and how they can keep themselves safe and the need for consent. The government also needs to put a high priority on increasing awareness about consent, and responding effectively to girls and women who report being assaulted.
Mr. Speaker, sexual assault is a chronic problem in the NWT; but the biggest lesson of all is that it's preventable. What stands in our way is talking openly about sexual assault and creating a culture where it is unacceptable. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the biomass industry presents a great opportunity for the Northwest Territories. In May of this year, Aurora Wood Pellets got a legal title to 2.2 hectares of land in the Deh Cho, near Enterprise. Mr. Speaker, I've been a major supporter of biomass initiatives. Land tenure was a huge step towards developing a wood pellet plant in our region.
Mr. Speaker, a wood pellet plant would create much-needed jobs and help develop the local and regional workforce. The pellet mill is expected to produce at least 150,000 cubic metres of pellets each year and create 45 to 50 jobs, plus additional work for truck drivers and other spinoffs. The South Slave boasts excellent forest resources. Processing black wood for pellets is another way to benefit from the forest fires that swept through the area two years ago.
Mr. Speaker, community involvement and support is essential to Aurora Wood Pellets becoming a viable contributor to our economy. I encourage the Government of the Northwest Territories to do all it can to support stakeholders in establishing a wood pellet plant. New forest management legislation is needed to recognize the opportunities we have related to biomass and non-timber forest products in the NWT and the role of First Nations and all residents are stewards of the land.
Mr. Speaker, I remain hopeful that an agreement between Fort Providence and Aurora Wood Pellets can be reached. Meanwhile, I'm pleased that Fort Resolution has reached an agreement on timber supply and the community can look forward to the benefits of the proposed wood pellet mill.
Mr. Speaker, I applaud the determination and effort behind Aurora Wood Pellets' pursuit of this project and the community's willingness to come to the table. Mr. Speaker, it is our chance to diversify a sustainable economy and show the North and the rest of Canada what a success our biomass industry can be. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to share with the elders who are watching across the Northwest Territories about the Senior Home Heating Subsidy. Mr. Speaker, winter has arrived here in all the communities across the Northwest Territories. Heavy snowfall and sudden drop in the temperature ended the moderate autumn and reminded us that we live in the Northwest Territories.
With the days getting shorter and the snow piling higher and the mercury dropping, I want to make sure that NWT residents know about the Senior Home Heating Subsidy. This program is run by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and helps elders and seniors aged 60 years or older access funds to reduce home heating costs. This can include funds to purchase cut wood, electricity, natural gas, propane and/or fuel oil, as well as newer and environmentally-friendly options like wood pellets.
If a resident is 60 years or older, owns and lives in their own home, meets a household income test and is not receiving income assistance, this program may work for them. You can complete an application or learn more about the program at the local ECE service centre.
Through the cold dark winters, sufficient home heating is an absolute necessity; there's no two ways about it, Mr. Speaker. If residents are starting to worry about paying their heating bills as colder temperatures set in, I encourage them to contact the local ECE staff to access these funds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member's statement is on Drop the Pop Campaign, an Education, Culture and Employment program. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to announce that back in June of 2016, the Fort Good Hope Chief T’Selehye School won the contest. Drop the Pop is an annual campaign that encourages students, families, schools and communities to drink healthy beverages, especially water; eat a wide variety of healthy, local foods from the land. It also encourages long-term health food intakes so families can maintain and or improve their overall well-being.
Mr. Speaker, this year's theme is "Celebrating Successes," marking 10 years of school in the NWT encouraging healthy behaviours to students, like reducing the consumption of pop and other sugary beverages. Schools have until November 21, 2016, to apply for the necessary funds to pursue this campaign in their community. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I must paint a dark picture for you and for my colleagues. We are often told that Canada's northern territories have the highest rates of domestic and family violence; the second-highest in the country. We also know that in violent relationships, women are most likely to experience the most severe forms of spousal assault and three times more likely than men to report being sexually assaulted, beaten, choked, or threatened with a gun or knife. Women are also more likely to experience chronic domestic violence over multiple incidents and to be physically injured when this violence occurs. But are we becoming numb to these statistics?
Let's consider what these rates really mean in practical terms. If 100,000 Canadians gathered together, 594 women would have reported intimate partner violence to the police at least once. But, when you compare that rate to the Northwest Territories, that number jumps to 3,536 women. Northern researchers have also shown that Indigenous women are often more likely to be subject to intimate partner violence.
Western society shows an inherent disregard for women and girls and, further, NWT's specific problems drive these terrible statistics, including the intergenerational and ongoing impacts of colonization, and residential school, and inadequate and overcrowded housing. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you colleagues. To address these NWTspecific problems, we need an NWTspecific program, and, Mr. Speaker, I believe we've found that in the work of the A New Day program administered by the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre here, in Yellowknife. This pilot project was built on 10 years of research and advocacy by the Coalition Against Family Violence, and it was designed specifically based on engagement with the NWT women to help men heal and to prevent further violence.
This program has been praised by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The NWT also included it in their report under response to calls to action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Tree of Peace reports that every one of the program's 300plus clients attended residential school or has a family member who did. We can't be blind to these connections.
As my colleague said in his recent motion, violence against women will not end until those individuals who commit such acts are equipped to choose and do choose another path. A New Day is a valuable tool in our territories' fight to end domestic and family violence. If we care about ending violence against women and girls, especially the Indigenous women and girls at greatest risk, and if we care about honouring the TRC's call to action, then we must care about this program and ensure it continues in the new year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I made a statement in this House about contaminated lands in Hay River that are owned by and leased to NTCL. There are many sites in Old Town that are strewn with old equipment, rusted barges, derelict buildings, and garbage. I'm concerned that, if this government doesn't take the lead on remediation, those sites will remain in that condition for yet another generation. However, the answers I was receiving when I brought this up from the Minister of Lands led me to believe that this government was waiting to see how the NTCL saga played out and would then look into what action they could take. I wasn't happy with their lack of a plan, and today I was going to make another statement and try and spur the government to action.
Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to say that I don't have to make that statement. I was offered a briefing on the situation by the Minister of Lands and received that briefing today over lunch. It was presented by the interdepartmental working group that is tasked with creating a plan to deal with the environmental eventualities related to NTCL. It was an expensive room. The Ministers of Lands and ENR were in attendance along with the deputy minister of Lands, the Lands ADM of planning coordination, the acting deputy minister of ENR, ENR's director of environment, and legal counsel from the Department of Justice.
I'm glad to report that I'm encouraged by the work that the departments are doing, and I want to assure the residents of Hay River that the government isn't just sitting on their hands. They're creating and assessing an inventory of sites, preparing for different possible outcomes, and engaging with the appropriate federal agencies. This doesn't mean that I can stop doing my due diligence. I will continue to press the departments and ensure that they keep on top of their responsibilities because this issue affects my town, my constituency, and my neighbourhood. However, I am now more optimistic and look forward to helping clean up Hay River and create jobs remediating the land in the process. So a good news story, and congratulations and kudos to the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
