Mr. Speaker, part of my role as the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs is to ensure that we have a modern, responsive, and made-in-the-North legislative framework. This is no small task as Municipal and Community Affairs administers 19 statutes in areas that range from property assessment to emergency management to local elections. The department is currently working on several major legislative initiatives that were identified in the 18th Legislative Assembly’s mandate, or that have been directed by the Financial Management Board.
Mr. Speaker, the department is in the process of developing a draft bill to replace the Civil Emergency Measures Act. This new statute to be introduced in 2018 will modernize the emergency management framework in the Northwest Territories and will be complemented by an updated Northwest Territories Emergency Plan.
The Fire Prevention Act relates to the investigation and reporting of fires, regulates fire hazards, and allows for the adoption of standards for the prevention and extinguishment of fires. It was passed in the mid-1950s and has never been thoroughly reviewed. Significant review and amendment is required in order to ensure that a new act reflects our modern operating environment and will serve residents into the future. The department has now completed a first round of stakeholder engagement on this very technical piece of legislation. As we identify solutions to some of the issues raised, additional stakeholder engagement will continue through 2018. Mr. Speaker, in response to both the mandate, and at the direct request of the City of Yellowknife, we have taken the last several months to engage with stakeholders on amendments to the Cities, Towns and Villages Act that would permit the six tax-based municipalities to:
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provide loans tied to property taxes for resident-driven energy efficiency measures using a modified local improvement charge process; and
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establish municipal hotel levies through the creation of local bylaws.
The feedback we received during this process will help us to propose and develop amendments to the Cities, Towns and Villages Act that will respond to the needs of individual communities. Should there be broad support for these proposals, I anticipate bringing forward amendments for consideration in 2018. In the near future, I plan to introduce an amended Western Canada Lottery Act which will provide a framework to support the transition of the operation and administration of the Western Canada Lottery Program inside the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, I also intend to introduce legislation in 2018 which will provide for the operation and administration of a 911 program in the Northwest Territories.
In addition to these mandated legislative initiatives, I have also asked the department to reach out to our primary stakeholders to identify their most pressing areas of concern. In the fall and winter of 2017 and 2018, we will engage directly with administrative and elected officials in all community governments in a regionally-based engagement process to determine what community governments see as the legislative priorities for the department. Through this process, we will gain a better understanding of where we should focus our efforts in the next Legislative Assembly. I am committed to developing a legislative framework which reflects our modern environment and meets the needs of residents.
As you can see, the department has responded to an ambitious legislative agenda, and I am pleased with the progress made to date. I look forward to the opportunity to work with my fellow Members to review and answer questions about each of these initiatives as they come forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just a few weeks ago, I told this House how a disruption in the ferry services on the Peel River had stranded residents, tourists, and essential supplies, cutting them off from their homes and their travel destinations.
Now, it seems like no sooner than the Department of Infrastructure gets the ferry running again, that once again staring down the barrel of serious service disruption in the region. I am referring to the cancellation of ferry services for both the Louis Cardinal ferry on the Mackenzie and the Abraham Francis ferry on the Peel River. I have spoken of this before, Mr. Speaker, and warned of the possible risks and complications several months ago. Now, winter is on its way and I find that these questions and the concerns of my constituents have still not been satisfied.
Winter services for both ferries were slashed as part of the government's reduction in this year's budget. Regular Members opposed this decision, but the Department of Infrastructure persisted. Now, that is despite the impacts this decision on the communities in the region. Despite the number of Northerners who will be left in the lurch between the end of the ferry services and the opening of the ice bridges, and despite the risks of cutting off Inuvik from fuel and LNG supplies.
On average in the past 15 years, the Louis Cardinal ferry closed around October 31st, and the Abraham Francis around November 2nd. Ice bridges in the region which can see hundreds of tractor trailers throughout the season on top of regular traffic, do not typically open until mid-December, and that is assuming the weather is cold enough. Mild weather could easily shorten the ice bridge season from either end. The service gap that will result from ferry closures is obvious. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statements. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Colleagues. Mr. Speaker, it is in this government's mandate to make strategic investments in infrastructure and to lower costs of living. Cutting ferry services and driving up the cost of living especially as the mercury drops is quite the opposite. Residents want to see continued ferry service and, Mr. Speaker, it just makes sense. It would keep communities connected, Northerners getting the supplies they need, and to make it clear to tourists that our small communities are open and accessible. The tourism will only grow in importance once the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway opens next month. Shutting down these services sends the wrong message. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recent news reports outlined some of the details of the NWT Liquor Licensing Board's decision preventing the NWT Brewing Company from selling its product directly to other licensed establishments. I have said it before and I will say it again, the board's decision directly contravenes the mandate goals of this Assembly. Support for small business, tourism, job creation, diversification, economic development, manufacturing, it all goes down the tube with this decision.
Mr. Speaker, the success of the NWT Brewing Company is a sure indicator that there is a big demand for its products. In just two short years, the company has enjoyed reasonable commercial success, creating jobs and contributing to the government's coffers. The demand for such a product does not only exist here. In the Yukon, a microbrewery that opened up in early 2015 has had to increase its output three times in 2 1/2 years. Originally built to produce 300 litres a week, it has recently expanded to produce ten times that amount. Mr. Speaker, this is what we need to support, growth. Demand for NWT Brewing's product is high. The business has created jobs and has contributed significant dollars to the Territorial Treasury through the manufacturing taxes it pays.
The Stevens's were appreciative earlier this year, and I commend the Minister of Finance for authorizing the reduction in the manufacturing tax that the company pays. That said, while the Liquor Board was encouraged to permit direct sales to other licensed establishments and is authorized to make that decision, it declined to do so. Mr. Speaker, the board's decision requiring NWT brewing to market its products through the government's liquor warehouse along with the associated fee, prices its product right out of the market and, in my opinion, it flies in the face of the good work the Minister's department did to lower the manufacturing tax. We are supposed to be supporting small business growth, but this nonsense make it impossible for the NWT Brewing to grow even while their product is in high demand.
Mr. Speaker, I support the Minister in conducting a review of the act. That is commendable, but the board's original decision and the refusal to change that decision looks bad on this government, and it is simply bad for business. It needs to be changed. Later, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it may surprise the people to know that our Friendship Centres are a part of a network of 118 centres across Canada. We are represented in the North by the Northwest Territories for Nunavut Council of Friendship Centres, and initially by the National Association of Friendship Centres, or the NAFC.
Nationwide, friendship centres provide culturally enhanced programs and services to more than 780,000.00 Indigenous people in more than 100 communities, however, the door are open to everyone. Friendship centres provide critical social programs for the residents of our smaller communities. In Fort Providence, the Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre has been operating since 1983. Over the years, it has provided many essential programs. Currently, two youth workers run evening and weekend programs for the kids ages 6 to 14, a healthy children's worker supports mother, babies and preschool aged children. Two workers run the radio program, and the justice coordinator works for the NWT justice committees and income support and fine options clients.
Mr. Speaker, the Zhahti Koe Friendship Centre and the programs it delivers are not a luxury. Programs such as family life have helped many people in the community, and I worry about the people of my home town if the friendship centre has to close its doors. Unfortunately, because of federal funding delays and the lack of GNWT funding, this is a very real concern.
In September 2017, NAFC and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada finalized the agreement for funding friendship centres. The release of funds has, however, been stalled, and this delay has put many centres in crisis including the one in Fort Providence. They have waited since the new fiscal year, April 2017, to receive their funding, and they are still waiting today. Unfortunately, the GNWT has proven unwilling so far to step in and help most of the federal funding, either in the short term or on an annual basis. The Northern Territories group of friendship centres met with the MLAs in Kam Lake last spring to seek support for a proposed core funding agreement for the NWT friendship centres. Cabinet did not support the idea. This year, the Zhahti Koe sought $31,250 in funding through the GNWT's NGOs stabilization fund. Mr. Speaker, this funding meant to assist non-government organizations with capacity development was turned down because the centre did not have its registry filings up-to-date. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Masi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, this makes no sense to me. Mr. Speaker, with assistance to build capacity, maybe the friendship centre could get these housekeeping items done? Instead, they are too busy trying to raise funds on their own through bake sales and bingo. They are always looking for creative means for fundraising. Recently, they joined the local "Chase the Ace" to fund the youth centre.
Mr. Speaker, friendship centres are not federal organizations. They provide vital social programming in our communities. When is the GNWT going to recognize the important work they do by funding them so they do not have to continue to struggle to keep their doors open? Masi, Mr. Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Tomorrow, we will conduct the mid-term review of Ministerial and Cabinet performance. In the interest of full disclosure and transparency, I want my constitutents and colleagues across the floor to know how I have gone about beginning to assess Ministerial performance. In preparation for the performance evaluation, I reviewed the leadership speeches made by each of the candidates who eventually became Ministers. I also reviewed the mandate letters assigned to each Minister, priority tasks for their portfolios. I have also used the performance criteria suggested by the Rules and Procedures Committee, and I will just read those out.
effective leadership;
responsiveness to issues relating to portfolio mandates;
ethical conduct, honesty, integrity and impartiality;
commitment to transparency and accountability;
open, respectful and considerate communication with fellow MLAs;
ensure Regular MLAs are informed of, and given an opportunity to provide meaningful input into important decisions in a timely and respectful manner;
inclusiveness, earns the support and respect of NWT residents by engaging the public, municipal governments, business, NGOs, and the voluntary sector, seeking their input and advice;
works to build and maintain respectful and effective government-to-government relations with Indigenous governments;
works to build and maintain respectful and effective relations with the federal government; and
engagement: encourages others to give full consideration to different, sometimes opposing points of view, to promote informed decision-making.
For my assessment of Cabinet as a whole, I have reviewed the progress on our Mandate. I have developed questions for each of the Ministers based on this preliminary assessment and look forward to our discussion tomorrow before making my final decisions on confidence. No Minister has met with me or attempted to influence my assessment in any way. It will be a learning experience for us all, something that we will likely wish to reflect on, and pass on any further advice for the next Assembly. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during my latest regional tour, I had the opportunity to speak to a number of students and teachers. I gave them the opportunity to do a Member's statement to present their ideas and concerns. Today, my statement is coming from the Bompas grade four class. Mr. Speaker, the class spoke about the positive things about the village: the quality of the water, and how it is the best in the world. People are really friendly, and they feel safe, and can walk around town without getting lost. They find the land to be very beautiful and clean. They really like the active after school program funded through Municipal and Community Affairs.
They spoke about what needed to be done to make their life better in Fort Simpson. Surprisingly, better housing. There is a huge demand for more housing units. Too many homes have multi-generations living under one roof. More things such as a movie theatre, bowling alley, arcade, restaurants, another grocery store, and more recreation facilities are on the list. Better quality of produce being sold. The students also stressed things that they liked about their school. They spoke about their teachers, how they are very friendly and caring. The willingness of teachers to take them out of the classroom for nature walks and visit various places in the community. They like the fact that culture and language is a very important part of the school activities.
The students also provided suggestions about what needed to be done to make the school a better place to be. They would like to see a full-time gym teacher, full-time French teacher, an art room, and more Dene Zhati opportunities.
They felt that the library needs to have more books in it. They would like to see a wood shop in the school, or allow them access to the one at TSS. They would like to see the school develop a track and field facility, plus a number of other recreational facilities. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the students for sharing, and allowing me to be their voice today, just like I wrote my own Member's statement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Reviews on government direction, program and service delivery is essential to the healthy lifestyles of our Northern communities and the people we serve. Making a difference is a concept that only can be related to by realizing results, however, getting there means developing strategies and action plans. Over the past several statements, I have related to progressional measures to the few mentioned strategies. This is fundamental to the success, and more importantly, prudent management principles.
Mr. Speaker, the residents of the Northwest Territories expect change. We only have to review the 2015 election results both at the national and territorial levels. My colleagues had mentioned (1) government efficiencies and reviews; and (2) the best social program is a job. It is understandable that global commodity impacts are beyond our control, however, being resilient, adaptation, and diversification are strengths realized by this government. We can only see that and hear that in the successional statement presented by the Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the term remaining to continue our efforts on improving program and services reviews, monitoring, and most importantly, the federal investing in Canada infrastructure initiatives. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about alcohol and drinking, and would like to highlight all the work done by the staff at Health and Social Services to support the Government of the NWT's priority of ensuring that services are delivered locally with culturally appropriate methods on mental health and addictions. I was first elected in 2007 as MLA. Over the years, I have met many community members and organizations in my riding. I wanted to make a difference in the small communities and provide a voice for my constituents, hearing the constituents' concerns and issues, and overall assessment of their needs in the riding. The main issue was alcohol in small communities. In 2007, it was alcohol, and today, ten years later, it continues to be alcohol.
Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of the 18th Assembly is community wellness and safety for the NWT residents, and "creating opportunities for healthy lifestyles and community leadership for our youth." Mr. Speaker, I had an opportunity to sit down with community health nurses and asked "What is the biggest cost driver in small communities in the NWT?" Nurses often note that alcohol is an extremely serious issue, and is the biggest cost driver to the health department. Mr. Speaker, Statistics Canada report that in 2012, the Northwest Territories has the highest percentage of heavy drinking at 31.7 per cent, while the whole country of Canada is 17.4 per cent.
A community health nurse noted in her assessment, the NWT has the highest rates of alcohol-related health centre visits, usually in the early morning after people have been drinking. Mr. Speaker, after having discussions with community members, the main issues I have heard are no job opportunities in small communities, and they also note that it is hard to find childcare services for kids if they have to work two weeks in and two weeks out of their community. It has been noted that it is hard on families, especially on the children. I would like to see early childhood development programs in all communities, and afterschool programs that can help families in promoting healthy families that can provide support to families in need. This will also create more jobs in smaller communities, and allow families to focus on healthy living. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a great issue with alcohol in the NWT, and a plan needs to be developed on how to strategically deal with addictions, and promote healthy families in small communities in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, non-governmental organizations, or NGOs, provide essential and invaluable services to the people of the Northwest Territories. These not-for-profit organizations are run by dedicated, community-minded people who care about giving back and improving the lives of their fellow citizens. The list of what they contribute to our society is endless, and the work they do is not easy. In addition to fulfilling their primary mandates, many NGOs invest an inordinate amount of time and effort securing annual funding. This splits their focus, inhibits their ability to plan beyond 12 months, and leaves many budgeting carefully throughout the year, just to keep the lights on.
For this reason, many NGOs rely not only on their core funding, undertake on this government's Stabilization Fund which by the government's own policy is intended to "help NGOs who deliver critical government-funded programs or services to the public to stabilize or develop their capacity." Critical programs and services, Mr. Speaker, are defined as ones "the government would either deliver directly, or engage a third party to deliver if the NGO was not delivering them." Despite this, the amount of available funding under the policy, $350,000 annually, has not been increased in the last seven of the eight years that the fund has been in operation.
Mr. Speaker, I chair the Standing Committee on Government Operations which has continued to carefully monitor the government's management of this fund. Members are deeply concerned by our research which shows that the fund is over-subscribed by approximately three quarters of a million dollars each year. We continue to call for an increase to this fund, a request that our predecessor committee gave back in the 2012 Main Estimates. Mr. Speaker, we are concerned that the management of this fund has been improperly parked with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, where it is managed by Sport, Recreation and Youth, and inaccurately portrayed as an initiative supporting volunteerism. We are concerned that vital NGOs such as the Soup Kitchen in Hay River are being denied this funding because they do not meet the criteria.
Mr. Speaker, we have called on the administration of the NGO Stabilization Fund to be returned to the executive. We have called on this government to increase the amount of funding annually allocated to it. We have also called for a review of the fund's policies to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of our essential NGO sector. We continue waiting, Mr. Speaker, for a positive response from this government to any of these requests, and we will continue to push for this change as we review the 2018-2019 business plans in November. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in March of 2015, the Office of the Auditor General released its audit of child and family services in the NWT as set out in the Child and Family Services Act. The auditor found both departmental and regional action on child protection wanting. Let us take a step back and remind ourselves why we are talking about protection services for children. They are, of course, the most vulnerable members of society. While most children are born into families that are able to meet their needs, some are not. Some families are dysfunctional because of addictions, violence, and the legacy of residential schools. It is the well-being of these children government must protect. According to the last annual report on child and family services, there are an average of 1,940 assessments and investigations per year, a number that has risen over time. We are talking, Mr. Speaker, about 2,000 children for whom there are concerns that warrant investigation.
Mr. Speaker, this is a shockingly high number, and the stakes are high too. As the Auditor General said in 2015, "it is critical that the territory have in place a well-functioning child and family services systems, one that provides the required protection and prevention services to children and families in need." As shocking as the numbers are, so are the conclusions. The Auditor General reported that "the Department of Health and Social Services and the regional authorities were not adequately meeting their key responsibility for the protection and well-being of children, youth, and families." Further, there was a lack of accountability, monitoring, and resourcing to make the system work. This situation is the background to the current discussion about compliance audits.
The OAG found that most health authorities had not completed audits most years. The Auditor General described the failure to complete the audits as "significant as they provide the department with information that allows it to monitor whether regional authorities are delivering services in compliance with the act, and more fundamentally, whether children are being protected from harm, abuse and neglect." The Auditor General recommended that the department conduct audits annually, and require health authorities to create plans to address deficiencies. The department agreed with this recommendation.
I'm sorry, Mr. Speaker, I will not be able to complete this statement in the time. May I seek unanimous consent to conclude? Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, fast forward to January of this year. The standing committee on social development held a public briefing on child and family services. The Minister told us that the audit results were unavailable because of technology issues. He also said that trying to reproduce the audit would require him to go back and do a significant amount of work which he was unwilling and unprepared to do. What he did do was compile recommendations, and presented them as a letter to the committee. I am assuming that the audits for the 2016-2017 are now complete. I will be seeking assurance from the Minister that he was able to gather all the necessary data to monitor the provision of child and family services and to address any deficiencies the audit revealed. Masi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statement. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Agriculture: where do I begin? I will start with the good. There is significant potential in agriculture in the Northwest Territories, not just as it relates to economy and employment, but also to food security and health. Right now, the demand for locally produced foods far outstrips the supply. To capitalize on this potential, we need to help current producers expand their operation, and help new producers enter the industry. The most urgent issues that must be addressed, according to producers, the Agriculture Strategy, and the revised mandate of this Assembly, relate to land, labour, funding programs, and training. Despite this urgency, there has been no progress towards resolving these issues and many producers are frustrated.
Access to land is probably the biggest impediment to sector growth. The land lease application process can take years, Mr. Speaker, and because each application is assessed on its own merit without clear guidelines, the process provides no certainty, predictability, and often ends in disappointment. However, this is a moot point in many cases because the cost associated with leasing land often makes it uneconomical for many types of agricultural use. Labour costs are also stifling growth and deterring new entrants. Under the GNWT's agriculture funding program, Growing Forward 2, the only agriculture-related positions eligible for funding are management positions at non-commercial enterprises. New entrants are further deterred by the utter lack of funding available for start-ups.
In communities without an established agricultural sector, consultations revealed that a deficit of local expertise, and a lack of training are also major barriers for new entrants. As luck would have it, a local farmer, Jackie Milne, not only took it upon herself to design a training program specifically for the North that is accessible to everyone regardless of education level, but also managed to get the feds to fund a physical campus for her Northern Farm Training Institute, or NFTI. NFTI has garnered recognition from former Prime Minister Harper, the federal Minister of Agriculture, the Assembly of First Nations, and even Hellman's. Yes, the mayonnaise people, to name a few. The campus is also internationally recognized and regularly hosts visitors from around the globe. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it seems like everyone is interested in NFTI except for this government.
Despite the fact that we need to train our residents, the Department of ITI has been refusing to provide funding to residents so they can attend NFTI since its campus was built. I will have questions on this and more at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Fletcher Stevens. Fletcher is the owner and operator of the NWT Brewing Company and the Woodyard Pub which is located in the Yellowknife North riding. Welcome to the House.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my aunt sitting behind me here, the interpreter for the Slavey portion of the proceedings. Mahsi.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too, would like to recognize the interpreters from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. First, Mary Rose Sundberg from Detah, and Dennis Drygeese from Lutselk'e. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, I have heard a lot of positive things about the boarding home here in Yellowknife, however like most things, there are a few concerns that residents have raised, and I would like to raise them here today. Mr. Speaker, there are patients that have to stay in the boarding home long-term. Even some have resided permanently. Has the department looked at placing them in their own home without having short-term patients staying in their place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it depends on availability. The patient may sometimes have a roommate, sometimes have a room to themselves, however there are increasing periods of high medical travel here in the Northwest Territories which affects volumes. In some situations, patients may need to share the room. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for his answer. I am a little disappointed that I have some constituents who are permanently there now and have to share the room. I was hoping that they were getting a little bit of privacy. Mr. Speaker, boarding homes have chauffeurs and drivers who deliver really great service. They are very friendly and very helpful, but the concern for some patients is they have to wait long periods of time to be picked up or get dropped off early for flights. What does the contract say about providing transportation for these patients, and does the department allow patients to use taxis and reimburse them for those costs if they don’t have access to the shuttle? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
