Mr. Speaker, supporting a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions in the Northwest Territories with economic development opportunities and choices is essential to the long-term future of the territory and is an important part of this government’s mandate. One of the ways we are fulfilling this mandate commitment is through forest management agreements.
Forest management agreements give local Aboriginal corporations non-exclusive rights to harvest timber from Crown lands for the purpose of sustainable forest business development and growth. Agreements respect settled land, resources, and self-government agreements, interim measures agreements, and land use plans. They do not affect the rights of persons to harvest or use the forest for subsistence or traditional practices. The agreements require the parties to follow all established regulatory processes and obtain necessary authorizations.
The first two NWT forest management agreements were signed in 2015 with Timberworks in Fort Resolution and Digaa Enterprises in Fort Providence. Timberworks is owned by the Deninu Kue First Nation and the Fort Resolution Metis Council, and Digaa Enterprises is owned by the Deh Gah Got’ie First Nation and the Fort Providence Metis Council.
To move forward, once a forest management agreement is signed, an organization needs to establish a wood fibre supply agreement with a wood products facility, and both the corporation and the community need to participate in the development of a timber harvest plan for the agreed area.
Aurora Wood Pellets Limited, a Hay River-based corporation, will be locating a wood pellet mill north of Enterprise. The mill is expected to create an annual demand for 125,000 cubic metres of wood. More than 40 people will be employed at the Enterprise site, with the potential to create additional jobs in the region.
This northern-owned and operated business will purchase sustainably harvested timber from Timberworks and Digaa Enterprises and contribute towards a sustainable northern economy. As a result, timber will be harvested, turned into pellets, and directly supplied to residents and businesses right here in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, Digaa Enterprises is actively engaging with Aurora Wood Pellets to finalize a wood fibre supply agreement. It is expected that the Timberworks agreement will be based upon the Digaa agreement and will follow shortly after the Digaa agreement is completed.
Work is under way to help Timberworks and Digaa Enterprises develop a strong business model and work together to build a timber harvest plan. The timber harvest plan provides a framework for the sustainable management of the timber resources and takes other values, such as biodiversity, into consideration.
The wood fibre supply agreement discussions are led by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. However, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is working closely with ITI, forest management agreement holders, and Aurora Wood Pellets to complete a detailed cost analysis of log delivery for the first several years of operation.
Mr. Speaker, CanNor has continued its support of the GNWT Forest Industry Biomass Initiative and has provided $900,000 this year to support various projects related to developing forest inventories, improving knowledge of forest sustainability, and preparation for commercial harvesting.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources expects an increased interest in biomass and other forest industry opportunities and has started to develop a forest industry development strategy. This strategy will help the GNWT identify and assess economic opportunities and associated impacts of this key resource. By determining the potential for development of the resource and making it available for appropriate investments, the GNWT can begin planning a more robust and diversified economic outlook specifically based on forest resources.
Forest management agreements are a major tool that will help us encourage and support a viable forest industry that encompasses the full range of forest values, to ensure economic development opportunities are realized by NWT residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is committed to supporting the development of strong community governments that are responsive and responsible to residents through effective local governance. As part of that, it has been important for the department to adapt its materials to reflect different types of community governments in the Northwest Territories which exercise their authorities under municipal legislation, the Indian Act, or new self-government agreements.
With the department’s commitment to strong local governance in mind, we have worked hard to develop capacity-building tools that are responsive and target areas specific to local governance interest and support the general concept of good governance.
One recent example of this is the decision to work with the NWT Association of Communities to coordinate our resources and tools related to local government elections together into an online portal. Mr. Speaker, this partnership initiative will make comprehensive information on the subject of community government elections available to the general public through an online portal. This portal will give residents access to guidelines, training materials, election forms, and multimedia resources, all designed to educate and inform the public about the local government election process. This information will be particularly useful to those who are considering running for office or who would like to act as a returning officer. We expect to be able to launch this online portal in advance of the upcoming community elections scheduled for December.
Mr. Speaker, this joint portal is only the most recent in a long history of cooperation on governance initiatives with the NWT Association of Communities. Later today I will table a letter acknowledging the value of this partnership. It is important that we continue to develop tools and resources that support self-reliant communities and are able to educate residents about the role of local elected officials. These tools also help ensure transparency and accountability for the administration of local elections.
In addition to this exciting new initiative, the department continues to deliver governance training designed to further develop the skills and knowledge of elected officials. Governance training has been developed by the School of Community Government and it is delivered through workshops that can be tailored to the specific needs of individual communities. Governance training helps mayors, chiefs, and councillors improve their understanding of their roles and responsibilities and enhances their ability to make sound decisions in the interest of their communities and to the benefit of their residents.
Community Governments can request training workshops such as Roles and Responsibilities; Conflict, Codes, and Legal Responsibilities; Financial Awareness; and Planning – Directions for Success through the school. The training is offered in person to individual councillors who want to brush up on their skills, or to whole councils who want to learn together in a team environment. This year, in an attempt to make course material even more accessible, some of the school’s governance training has also been adapted for distance delivery.
The department also tailors courses and workshops to meet the individual needs and interests of community governments. We are constantly seeking feedback on what we need to incorporate and/or do differently. Through this responsive approach to training delivery, the school has developed and delivered custom value-added activities such as pre-election workshops, youth governance awareness, or facilitating the development of a strategic plan.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister I strongly believe in the development of strong, self-reliant communities, and I am very pleased with the work that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has done to ensure that community governments in the Northwest Territories receive the support, advice, and guidance they require to best serve their residents. I am particularly pleased with how the department continues to adapt its materials to support the new forms of government that are being created in the Northwest Territories and be responsive to whatever the needs of local communities are. I look forward to seeing how Northwest Territories residents will benefit from some of the new initiatives on our horizon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, in 2013 we tabled the Education Renewal Framework, a 10-year strategy to help us and our partners rethink the way our education system supports the teaching and learning of our students. We have been methodically transforming the education system in the North, and I would like to share with the Members some of our successes.
Junior kindergarten is now a part of our territorial education system. I would like to thank Members for their oversight and input in this important initiative. Junior kindergarten is now available to every family, in every community within our territory. I had the opportunity to visit one of the junior kindergarten classes in Yellowknife earlier this month, and I was pleased to witness how excited the children were, the types of activities that they were engaged in, and the overall energy of the classroom. Junior kindergarten will help our students build language and comprehension skills through play, and give them the confidence and social skills to succeed in school.
We recently completed the third New to the North Educators’ Orientation Conference. Approximately 50 teachers participated in the three-day conference in Yellowknife, Detah and Ndilo. They learned about the history and legacy of residential schooling, and they gained information about the Education Renewal Strategy. The conference gives newcomers the opportunity to network with other teachers and learn about the North and the communities and people they will serve.
We have also expanded the high school Northern Distance Learning program, now in its fourth year, with a proven successful track record. Begun in East Three Secondary School in Inuvik, the program has now been expanded to eight small community schools across four regions, with a plan to continue adding communities in the upcoming school years. This initiative ensures that our small community high school students have the opportunity to take grade 10 to 12 academic courses if they wish.
In addition, we have introduced the My Blueprint platform to interested schools this year. The purpose of this career development and post-secondary preparation program is to provide grade 8 to 12 students with access to information and resources about post-secondary education programs of study and employment opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, one of the important areas of focus for education renewal is student and teacher wellness. We are in year two of implementation of the new Inclusive Schooling Directive. There will be an increase in program support teachers in schools to assist the classroom teachers. There will be more training opportunities for those program support teachers, as well as for classroom support assistants, principals, and all staff who assist teachers in meeting student needs.
After two years of self-regulation implementation support in selected schools, all Northwest Territories schools are being invited to apply for a variety of supports for self-regulation. These supports will assist teachers in providing activities and options for their students to develop ways to manage their energy both in and out of the classroom.
The Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practice program is now in its first pilot year, thanks to the committed partnership between the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association, and the Northwest Territories Superintendents' Association. While the pilots look different from school to school, the common thread is that teachers will have more time embedded in their school year to prepare lessons, assess student work, collaborate with other teachers, and develop and strengthen their overall teaching practice. Over the course of the next three years, we will be evaluating the success of this territorial pilot.
Mr. Speaker, we have some new curricular supports in place. There is a new grade four to six health and wellness curriculum, and mental health training is available for school staff.
We also held an LGBTQ2+ Rainbow Conference earlier this year. We made sure the conference was a safe place for students to learn, talk, and be heard. Students came from communities across the North to participate, and it was a resounding success. Mr. Speaker, we are all passionate about education. We all want the best for the children of the Northwest Territories. I believe the transformational changes we are making in education are taking hold and that we will see our students becoming capable and successful people. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, on May 25th, the Minister of Justice committed to following up with the RCMP regarding the community of Tsiigehtchic’s request for sustained overnight RCMP presence during spring break-up and fall freeze-up. This request was not made idly, Mr. Speaker, and it is not unreasonable. In fact, it is consistent with the service standards of other GNWT departments. For instance, the Department of Health and Social Services makes sure that a nurse is present in the community during these times. This means that, if a nurse is needed, the nurse is there, Mr. Speaker.
In contrast, if RCMP officers are needed during break-up or freeze-up, when the community is particularly isolated, the people of Tsiigehtchic are left in the lurch. They are provided with substandard service and denied the access to justice that other Northerners regularly receive.
What happens when the RCMP cannot get there, Mr. Speaker? What happens when something goes wrong? Evidence could be damaged or destroyed. Far more importantly, people could get hurt. I understand the limits of the territorial resources and the limits of territorial authority. I am not asking for year-round resident RCMP services, and I know that, for good reason, the Minister of Justice cannot direct RCMP resources. Instead, I am asking the Minister to join me in advocating for the people of Tsiigehtchic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, medical travel: where do I begin? I spoke yesterday about the medical travel co-payment threshold that desperately needs updating. Today I want to talk about the level of service that residents in Hay River receive with regard to medical travel. There are around 1,300 medical travel round trips between Hay River and Yellowknife each year, and about 600 to Edmonton. Maybe it is because of the sheer volume of these trips, but without a doubt my office receives more complaints about medical travel than anything else. The frequency of complaints has reached a point where the GNWT can no longer ignore the problem. Mr. Speaker, things need to change.
As I was preparing my statement, I really did not know where to begin. I typed "medical travel" into my e-mail inbox to look over some of the issues I have received in the past, and I was overwhelmed. I will provide a couple of examples, but just know that these are not isolated cases. For everything I say, I have had multiple constituents tell me the exact same thing.
I will begin with the difficulty in scheduling travel. A constituent contacted the Hay River medical travel office to make travel arrangements two weeks before his appointment in Edmonton. It is a recurring monthly appointment that he has been attending for some time now. Being diligent, he called back a week later, on Wednesday, to ensure arrangements had been made. They had not, but he was reassured that they would be. He called on Friday. No arrangements had been made. He called on Monday, three days before his appointment. No arrangements had been finalized. His next contact with medical travel was the following day, when he received a call from the office asking him why he missed his flight. He was never informed that the flight was booked, let alone booked a day early. A new flight was booked, and he arrived in Edmonton the next day; well, technically, two days later because it was 3:00 a.m. by the time he got to Larga House. Luckily, his appointment with at 3:00 p.m. that day, so he had a little time to recover, but he was on the plane with another patient who had cancer and whose appointment was at 7:00 a.m.
My constituents frequently deal with specialists in the south, some of them, and they tell me the specialists cannot understand why it is so difficult to book their appointments. My constituents often spend hours just to book a single trip. I had notes about the complete lack of communication and information-sharing with patients about escorts, about not even being aware that they can stay at Vital Abel House here in Yellowknife, but I have run out of time so, Mr. Speaker, I will have some follow-up questions for the Minister of Health at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to address something that has a lot of people upset. Yellowknife North constituents, the City of Yellowknife, the Rotary Club, as well as visitors and tourists to Yellowknife, they are all upset. Why? For good reason, Mr. Speaker.
For four years now, a derelict platform has been docked, or perhaps a better term is abandoned, on the shore of Yellowknife Bay. It sits on Commissioner's land, in what the city has designated as a nature preserve at the end of a beautiful nature trail and boardwalk established by the Rotary Club, at great expense, I might add.
It used to have a residential structure on it, but the structure was taken off and now the rest has been left there to rot. Now, it is falling apart; it is surrounded by old abandoned pieces of lumber, tires and pallets. Even an old dock from somewhere else has floated in and lodged itself between the structure and the rocks. Styrofoam insulation, once attached, is disintegrating and causing a huge mess on the rocks and in the water. It is turning into garbage, and it is polluting Yellowknife Bay.
Now, I know this platform is also the cause of an ongoing lawsuit. As far as I am aware, the owner believes he has rights that allow him to put a structure on this land or water, and he is in court with the government to prove his case. Mr. Speaker my issue is not with the owner and the never-ending court case. I support the owner's right to use the courts to determine his rights as an Indigenous person of the NWT, and I recognize that such court cases can take some time to resolve, but why does the platform have to be left alone to rot in Yellowknife Bay in the meantime? It is no longer a houseboat. It is barely even a platform anymore. It is falling apart more and more each day. It is starting to cause environmental damage.
Mr. Speaker, winter is coming. That means freeze-up is coming, as well. This mess should not be left to disintegrate for another year. Moving garbage should not affect a court case, but leaving garbage is irresponsible and should not be condoned.
Mr. Speaker, enough already. This government has to clean up this mess or force the owner to clean it up. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Lands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Progress on Skills 4 Success. the Department of Education, Culture and Employment established a plan, Skills 4 Success, to improve lifelong learning, skills development, training, and employment for Northerners, a proactive measure for youth in academic and in training. The Skills 4 Success Strategic Framework was implemented to ensure that the North's education training management keeps up with the dynamic changing of our labour market. Skills 4 Success identifies nursing in the top 20 professions in demand.
Mr. Speaker, individual skill values is one of the most important aspects of employment success. The more skills you carry, the more opportunities or choices you have. Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu Regional Health Centre will officially open its doors in the coming months. This facility will make available skilled long-term career opportunities. Mr. Speaker, we need to ensure both the demands and the needs are met with necessary planning. I will later have questions for the appropriate Minister. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur Ie President. Over the last year we have heard the Minister of Education promise that there would be "full funding" for the implementation of junior kindergarten. On May 25, the Education Minister stated that he was "committed to fully funding the ongoing costs for junior kindergarten implementation beginning in the 2017-2018 school year and into the future" in response to the petition calling for full funding of Junior Kindergarten. Furthermore, the Minister said the department "will continue to maintain funding levels for inclusive schooling, and Aboriginal language and culture-based education".
I have heard from all the Yellowknife-based education authorities that full funding for junior kindergarten implementation is not happening. On May 31, in this House, I asked the Minister six times if he would commit to prepare a cost estimate for the incremental costs of including junior kindergarten students in all the funding formulae for the district education authorities. The Minister refused to do so, so I had to resort to a written question on June 2nd.
Finally, on September 19th the Minister tabled the response to my written question that shows the department is short-changing our district education authorities almost $1.7 million for junior kindergarten students in 2017-2018. The areas of greatest underfunding are inclusive schooling assistants at $609,000, school custodians at $340,000, and Aboriginal language assistants at $267,000. How can the Minister continue to claim that our government is fully funding the implementation of junior kindergarten?
Everyone in this House will agree that junior kindergarten is a good thing. That is not the issue. The issue is that we have now forced our district education authorities to deliver junior kindergarten but not given them the resources to do it. That is quite frankly shameful and flies in the face of the Minister's commitment to fully fund implementation of junior kindergarten. It is not clear whether the Minister intends to make up this shortfall for 2017-2018 to fully fund the implementation of JK by our district education authorities. The longer-term solution is to fix the funding formulae to fully account for JK students.
I will have questions for the Minister later today on funding for JK implementation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When someone mentions ambulance services, most people immediately think of emergency services, an ambulance with its siren blaring, quickly and easily transporting patients to the hospital. That stereotype, though, hides just how complicated providing reliable ambulance services can be, especially in small and remote communities.
Mr. Speaker, in-town services transport patients from their homes, to workplaces, to a hospital, or to a health centre, but there is also the inter-facility services, the common northern practice of transporting patients between health centres, hospitals, and airports via Medevac.
On top of that, there are highway services where patients need to be transported out of town or rescued from the highway. We have already seen the headaches that this causes for the town of Hay River.
As we look forward to the opening of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Mr. Speaker, the people of Tuktoyaktuk are wondering how the new road will impact emergency services in their community.
Mr. Speaker, right now the Tuktoyaktuk ambulance services are minimal, and only available to deliver Medevac patients from the health centre to the airport. The volunteer fire department is just that, Mr. Speaker, volunteers, and they are not ready to deliver that responsibility.
Although traffic increases are likely to increase demands on all local services, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is going to open up a lot of opportunities for both communities. If the GNWT can help Tuktoyaktuk bolster its emergency services, all residents will be better prepared to welcome the changes to come. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, early this week the Premier gave a bold and uncompromising statement on putting the NWT first and bucking Ottawa's efforts to make decisions for us. While I have some sympathy for the Premier's position, I wonder why it has taken us so long to get our footing on this issue of carbon tax because, if we don't have our own made-in-the-North carbon tax, Ottawa is the one who is going to be deciding how it works here, and for that, the responsibility is this government.
The initial climate change deal was signed in December of 2016, and engagement for carbon pricing only began July 26th of this year, with a February 2018 deadline. That does not give us much time, Mr. Speaker, and I certainly know my constituents have a lot to say about this and are quite concerned about what the future is going to look like; and while we have a discussion paper, we do not have a clear plan of what the government is actually considering. I'm going to offer a solution that addresses our high cost of living, but still makes an impact on reducing our emissions, and that's to look towards the model that is currently existing in British Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, in 2018 British Columbia introduced North America's first revenue-neutral carbon tax applied to the purchase or use of fuel in British Columbia. The carbon tax has been celebrated as the most comprehensive of its kind, covering approximately 70 per cent of provincial emissions. Every dollar raised from this new tax is returned to British Columbians in the form of personal and business tax measures, such as reductions in personal income tax rates, the Low Income Climate Action Tax Credit, and corporate income tax reductions.
The result, Mr. Speaker, has been an estimated reduction of provincial emissions by 15 per cent, while offering negligible effects on overall economic performance in B.C's. real GDP growth, which is 12.4 per cent, stronger than the Canadian average, Mr. Speaker, and also a 12.5 per cent increase in clean economy jobs. It is clear, Mr. Speaker, that we can develop a carbon tax that both supports a strong and growing economy and reduces our emissions. The way to do it is with a revenue neutral tax credit that will see all the proceeds returned into the pockets of hardworking Northerners who are concerned about the high cost of living. It is appropriate now that the government propose these solutions instead of relying on consultations and putting them out there like spaghetti. It is time to take action on climate change. It is time to have a carbon tax. Thank you.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Yellowknife Day Care Association. Their brand new child care building on 52nd Street is scheduled to open at the end of 2017. It is the latest accomplishment in YK Day Care's 36 years of service to Yellowknife families, and one which they have taken on without government assistance.
This building is the first that is purpose-built for child care in Yellowknife. It meets the highest standards of design and amenities. It will have three times the space and more than twice the capacity for youngsters: 32 babies, 56 preschoolers, and 20 children up to eight years old in an after-school program. The two-storey building will feature four nursery rooms, a multipurpose activity room, classrooms, a kitchen, preschooler rooms, as well as staff and administrative accommodations. Expanded facilities also bring increased employment, from 14 to 25 full- and part-time staff.
The opening should clear the waiting list of parents seeking child care, and will bring the YK Day Care after-school program back from its temporary home at Northern United Place. This project would not have been possible without the support of the volunteer board of directors, some of whom have already moved or are no longer within the board, but left a significant contribution for this project. They had the vision and, quite frankly, the guts to meet child care needs of their own initiative.
The territorial Department of Education, Culture and Employment has committed funding for some furnishings and equipment, and a special fundraising drive with the public will be mounted to complete the outfitting. The executive director of the YK Day Care describes the expansion as "a dream come true." Parents can continue to rely on the same top notch child care, in excellent new facilities that maximize child safety, care and development.
Please join me in saluting the Yellowknife Daycare Association's continuing contribution to the quality of life in this community. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we know, the NWT is blessed with an abundance of water. From mighty waterways like the Deh Cho to countless freshwater lakes and rivers. We rely on our water for fishing, drinking, and recreation.
Mr. Speaker, water is simple: it flows downhill. It can't be constrained by the artificial boundaries and jurisdictions we humans create. These have resulted in a complex management regime that is anything but simple. We are stewards of this vital resource, and I am worried about how well the system is working.
Interest in offshore exploration and development in the Beaufort Sea will only grow as more accessible oil and gas resources are depleted. A recent unilateral decision by Canada to place a moratorium on this development is in direct contravention of the Devolution Agreement. It is also inconsistent with the right of Aboriginal governments to self-determination, especially the Inuvialuit, who have inhabited the coast of the Beaufort Sea since the dawn of time. Some would say the moratorium will protect our coastal waters. I agree, but without the input of the people who live there is it the right decision? Or was it made for political reasons that have little to do with water?
Mr. Speaker, when I reflect on this, I have to wonder if the federal government is living up to its responsibilities for water management in the NWT. I'm troubled by the fact that there are only two fisheries officers for the entire NWT, which has a land mass of 1.3 million square kilometres.
I never thought I'd say this, Mr. Speaker, but it leaves me wondering if the GNWT should have a greater responsibility for our water resources. Except for Environment Canada's federal roles and responsibilities under the Canada Water Act, water resources have been transferred to the provincial governments.
The GNWT already manages the NWT's inland and offshore water resources through the administration and co-management of the Northwest Territories Waters Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act.
Whatever we choose to do in the longer term, we shouldn't be satisfied for another day with only two DFO officers monitoring our fisheries. I would encourage my Cabinet colleagues to work with their federal counterparts to fix this now, and to consider over the time whether the GNWT should take over a greater role for water management. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [no translation provided].
Mr. Speaker, I am continuing my series of eulogies for people who have passed from sitting to sitting in my riding. Today I have two eulogies. I will first speak of Antoine Michel. Antoine Michel was born April 17, 1953, and passed away July 24, 2017, at the age of 64.
Mr. Speaker, Antoine came from a large family in Lutselk'e, the Michel family, and he also had family in Ndilo and Behchoko. Antoine was a well-known individual in the community; a respected leader and a hard-working man. Antoine was very-well liked in his community and was very helpful to elders. He served two terms as chief and many years on band council. A few years ago I was speaking to an elder. He told me that Antoine was a very capable man on the land.
Antoine is survived by his children Henry, Jason, Delores, Jessie, Laurajane; siblings Rosa, Brenda, Jerry, Belinda, Derek, Norton, Noel; and his beloved grandchildren. Antoine is predeceased by his wife Mary Jane Michel; parents Alice and Joseph Michel; siblings Ernie, Bernadette, and Juliane.
Mr. Speaker, my sincere condolences go out to the late Antoine Michel's children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, brothers, and all his family and friends. Secondly, I'd like to acknowledge Alfred Lockhart. Alfred was born January 25th, 1943, and passed away August 9th, 2017, at the age of 74.
Mr. Speaker, Alfred was born in Snowdrift River at his grandparents' house Tejean Cassaway. He came from a large family in Lutselk'e; those would be the Lockhart and Cassaway families.
Mr. Speaker, Alfred is survived by his wife Alizette; siblings Joe, Felix, Tommy, James; children Judith Ekecho, Kiana; grandchildren Justin, Ashly Kaydence, Sofia, and Samuel. Alfred is predeceased by his parents Maurice and Judith, and siblings Mary, Michelle, Frank, Tobie, and Emerance. Alfred will be missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Speaker, Alfred was a friend of mine. I visited him almost every trip I took into Lutselk'e. Mr. Speaker, Alfred was a telephone installer, journeyman carpenter, and an outstanding hunter. In Lutselk'e they called him "John Wayne." Mr. Speaker, my sincere condolences go out to the late Alfred Lockhart's wife, children, grandchildren, brothers, and all his family. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Both Antoine and Alfred had many friends all over this country. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Our condolences also go out to the families as well in Lutselk'e and surrounding communities, and also the region. Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about a constituent and respected elder who recently passed away this summer, Tommy Kotchea. Tommy was born on July 11, 1937, and was raised in Fort Nelson, B.C., where he met his wife Helen and moved to Sambaa K'e.
Tommy began to work for the RCMP as a special constable at the age of 19. At the time, Tommy was one of the few individuals who was fluent both in Dene Zhatie and the English language. As a result of this, Tommy travelled with the RCMP to do the translations. For 10 years he was the only translator to travel with the RCMP.
In the 1970s Tommy decided to go into business for himself. He operated his own store in Sambaa K'e. This store was just big enough to hold enough food from one charter plane. It made a huge impact on the remote community and the residents from around the area.
To add to Tommy's involvement in the community and hard work throughout the years, he managed Sambaa K'e fishing lodge, where he was an expert guide and a person people looked forward to guiding with.
To add to his work, Tommy worked as a liaison with Northland Utilities for over 20 years with the community. Beyond all his work experience, Tommy was an avid trapper, a great fisherman and hunter. Although he would hunt towards the B.C. border, Tommy did most of his trapping around his community of Fort Liard and Sambaa K'e.
Those who remember Tommy know him as a very kind and humble soul. Tommy loved to joke and was rather funny. He was always kidding around with everybody, but especially he liked joking with the kids and youth. This past summer I had the opportunity to chat with Tommy while I was in Sambaa K'e. During this conversation we were talking about things about the community, when all of a sudden he told me that he broke out of the long-term care facility in Fort Simpson just to come for a visit. Then he said "just kidding" with a big smile. This was his humour.
A couple of weeks before Tommy passed away he went out to a youth camp in Sambaa K'e. He told stories to the children, sang them a drum song, and gave them some words of wisdom. Tommy's message to the youth was for them not to worry about money and not to be preoccupied with material things. Tommy was a father, an uncle, a grandfather, and a husband. He leaves behind four children, his wife Helen, and an entire community of family and friends. We will sadly miss him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Delores Betsina; she is the daughter of Antoine Michel, who I just did a eulogy for. I'd also like to recognize her friend, also from Lutselk'e, Linda Case.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife South.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the following visitors in the gallery with us today. These are participants in the Executive Leadership Development Program, Canada and the North Study Tour, Canada School of Public Services. Mr. Speaker, we can expect well-informed decisions about the North with these visitors: Louise Metivier, Assistant Deputy Minister Natural Resources; Pierre-Marc Mongeau, Assistance Deputy Minister, Transport Canada; Kathleen Thompson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Public Safety Canada; Annette Butikofer, Assistance Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Canada Revenue Agency; Daryell Nowlan, Vice-President, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Gary Robertson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada; Pod Champion Andrew Treusch; Canada School of Public Service Representative Ok Kim; Marie Anick Maille, Senior Advisor to the President, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity today to also recognize a couple of constituents from Yellowknife North. First, I would like to recognize Linda Case, who has joined us here today. I would also like to recognize Shaleen Woodward, who is the ADM for Executive and Indigenous Affairs.
Also, Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to recognize a couple of our Pages from Mildred Hall who live in the Yellowknife North constituency or riding, and that is Adam Abraham and Haylee Fradsham. Thank you to all of the Pages for the great work that they contribute to us here in the Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.
