Mr. Speaker, as part of this government's mandate to diversify the economy to provide greater opportunity for our residents, we are moving forward with our vision to revitalize the Great Slave Lake fishery.
Since the release of our revitalization strategy last year, we have been working to put into place the many elements needed to move our vision forward. We have researched and are confident that the market exists for the unique fresh-water fish that Great Slave Lake can supply. We have identified, with the Tli Cho Cooperative, a viable business plan that will enable current and future NWT fishers to regain their livelihood and benefit from a direct say in the revitalized commercial fishing sector. More importantly, we have met and talked with fishers from both north and south of Great Slave Lake who have expressed approval and support for our plans.
As we prepare to take our next steps, Mr. Speaker, there are five components that will be essential to revitalizing our vision that includes a new fish processing plant in Hay River, run by the fisher's cooperative which can continue to sell to the Fresh Water Fish Marketing Corporation and its successor, as well as direct to market; collection stations in Yellowknife and Fort Resolution, to enable fishers to access quota in other parts of Great Slave Lake balance harvest and increased production; new fishers, to maintain quota and supply and ensure the continued viability of the sector for the future; a marketing strategy that will be develop a new northern brand, identify target
markets, and expanded sales; and new products, such as roe, fresh and frozen fillets, and fertilizer, that will bolster the NWT production, make it more competitive and marketable, and add to its economic value in support of local jobs and opportunities.
If anything, Mr. Speaker, our work to date has shown the importance of being flexible and fully responsive to opportunities and circumstances as they present themselves. To that end, we are moving quickly, in light of the federal government's upcoming year-end, to leverage partnership dollars that will allow us to finance the processing plant that is so pivotal in our revitalization plan. Costs for the plant will depend in part on equipment options. Should all funding be secured, we are prepared to invest as much as $12 million into this critical piece of infrastructure.
We see the signing of the Integrated Bilateral Agreement with Infrastructure Canada as a positive step that opens the door for us to advance our work on the Hay River fish processing plant under the Investing in Canada Plan. In the meantime, we are already working with the Department of Infrastructure on site selection, equipment purchasing, and a tender for a building design.
Mr. Speaker, rebuilding a commercial fishery won't happen overnight. There is still much work to be done. Even as we pursue funding options with the Government of Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories was the first to sign on to the new six-year Canadian Fish and Seafood Program Framework Agreement. Our participation in this framework will support the marketing requirements of our strategy and allow us to capitalize on growth opportunities in the Northwest Territories as we transition to a more streamlined and collaborative fish and seafood sector in Canada.
The challenge before us, Mr. Speaker, is to connect and put all of these pieces in place in the next couple of months so that construction can begin in the summer of 2019 and a new fish plant will be ready to go in Hay River for the 2020 fishing season.
I look forward to updating Members of this Legislative Assembly on the progress of this exciting investment that will result in a revitalized and sustainable sector, a renewed livelihood for fishers, greater community wellness, local food production, and added value to the Northwest Territories economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Ministers' statements. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, I can feel it. I can feel it in the air. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to provide Members with information on the 2018 Arctic Winter Games, which are being hosted from March 18 to March 24 in the South Slave Region.
The Northwest Territories has been an active participant in the Arctic Winter Games since its inception in 1970. These games are an important celebration of sport and culture for youth from the circumpolar region. We are proud to host the 2018 Games, and we are even more proud of Team NT who will be representing the Northwest Territories.
Team NT will consist of approximately 350 athletes, coaches, cultural performers, and mission staff. Territorial trials were held in December and January in the communities of Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Smith, and Yellowknife. I would like to congratulate all the participants who tried out for Team NT. These athletes should be applauded for their commitment to their sport, their communities, and to active living.
Team NT will join athletes and cultural performers from Alaska, Yukon, northern Alberta, Nunavut, Greenland, Nunavik, the Russian province of Yamal, and the northern European region of Sapmi. The Arctic Winter Games play an important role in the development of our athletes. Our youth look forward to the games every two years, for the opportunity to share in competition and cultural exchanges. I am confident that our youth will once again benefit from this experience. Friendships will be formed and our young people will return with many lasting memories.
I would like to extend my thanks to the Sport North Federation, the Territorial sport organizations, regional coordinators, and the many hard-working volunteers who are leaders in our sport system. Without their hard work and the thousands of hours they give, the Arctic Winter Games and many other sporting events would not take place.
I am pleased to confirm that we will also be sponsoring 20 Youth Ambassadors, ranging in age from 16 to 24, who will be assigned volunteer roles in both Hay River and Fort Smith. These young people come from 14 different communities, and they have been preparing since November to represent our territory as part of the host society welcoming the circumpolar world to the South Slave.
Our Youth Ambassadors will have a variety of roles, including athlete care and comfort, food services, medal ceremonies, and providing support to sport venues. I understand they may also have a special role in the opening ceremonies.
Mr. Speaker, each year since 2007 our Youth Ambassador Program has offered an opportunity for Northwest Territories youth to volunteer at a major event such as the Arctic Winter Games. These opportunities help build self-confidence and develop skills, and they provide a way for our youth to learn more about other people and cultures. I am extremely proud of the Northwest Territories Youth Ambassador Program and all of the participants who have humbly served at major events. They are our future leaders.
I would also like to extend my thanks to the South Slave 2018 Arctic Winter Games Host Society, the volunteers in the South Slave Region, and to those who will be travelling from within the Northwest Territories to volunteer. Without these volunteers, the games would not be possible, and it is important to recognize the tremendous work they have done and they will continue doing, during the games and after.
In closing, on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, I would like to wish Team NT the best of luck at the 2018 Arctic Winter Games. I would also like to reaffirm to them and to all our young northern athletes and volunteers how proud we are of their accomplishments. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Thank you to all the volunteers who are making the games a reality. Good luck to all the athletes. Ministers' statements. Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Minister of Health and Social Services will be late arriving in the House today due to a personal matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today, I want to speak on my biological mother, the Late Monique Sabourin of Fort Providence, in honour of International Women's Day.
Monique Sabourin (nee Lefoin) was an elder featured in the book Nahecho Keh, which was written in the 1980s. Here are her words of experiences: [English translation not provided].
Mr. Speaker, my mother had TB, and I was born at the Charles Camsell Hospital in Edmonton. I was adopted to another family as a child. I was blessed to have had the experience of having two sets of parents in my life. I want to thank my biological mother, the late Monique Sabourin, for making an enriching family life.
She passed away in April 2002. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge an impressive young person of the Nahendeh region, Jonah Sanguez, a resident of Jean Marie River, who is in her second season of trapping. She was taught by her mother and continues striving to learn more about her family's background and living off the land.
Jonah is one of the five young trappers in the NWT awarded a Trapper Recognition Award from the territorial government. The NWT Trapper Recognition Award recognizes the hard work NWT trappers put into their craft and the contribution they make in the Genuine Mackenzie Valley fur Program.
Jonah values being out on the land and learns plenty from her mother, such as hunting, trapping, and survival skills. According to Jonah, inspiration came from her mother's family trapping for many years and her brothers teaching her while growing up. They were always encouraging her to further her knowledge.
Jonah's proudest moment was when she receiving the NWT Trapper Recognition Award this year for all her hard work. The recognition of something that has been passed down for generations in Jonah's family has been an honour for both Jonah and her family.
Although trapping runs in the family, Jonah has faced several obstacles, such as the cold winter temperatures, breaking trail where there wasn't one, and checking traps set 1 kilometre or more away from camp.
The past two years have been memorable for Jonah. After regular participation in traditional teachings and being awarded for her contribution, Jonah looks forward to the many successful years to come.
I would like to thank the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for recognizing trappers across the NWT. Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have young individuals advocating these principles in our communities. On the behalf of the region, mahsi cho and congratulations, Jonah. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to reflect on the debate we had a year ago about the introduction of junior kindergarten. Much of the discussion at that time concerned funding, but I also talked about the impact junior kindergarten would have on existing early childhood development programs. I was concerned that parents would have fewer choices for their four-year-olds. In fact, a year later, that is the case here in Yellowknife. I'm also concerned that pouring resources into JK has diminished what's available for children up to three years old.
Mr. Speaker, the introduction of junior kindergarten has pushed Ecole St. Joseph School to maximum classroom capacity within their school, and Weledeh isn't far behind. ECE has agreed to increase capacity at St. Joe's by investing $1.5 million in portable classrooms. This isn't counted as a cost of JK, but it is.
The uptake in junior kindergarten has resulted in the loss of one classroom of 16 children at the Montessori School in Yellowknife, and they may lose another one in the fall. They are trying to stay viable by offering after-school and full-day care on professional development days.
There have also been changes at the Yellowknife Play School. Children are a lower average age, and that's resulted in adjustments, including a new focus on toilet training and purchasing age-appropriate play resources. Mornings are well attended, but afternoons have been harder to fill, resulting in an overall drop in income, the board says.
Mr. Speaker, there have also been significant changes at the Aboriginal Head Start programs. They have lost most of their four-year-olds, so their total numbers are down, and their funding is down as a result. Some programs have had challenges, but they continue as community-based language and culture programs for children ages zero to three. It's worth noting, in this context, that JK is still not fully funded for Aboriginal language and culture, with an overall shortfall of $300,000 across the NWT. Until that's resourced, Mr. Speaker, the Minister has not met his promise to fully fund JK.
Mr. Speaker, it is by no means all bad news. ECE reports that 85 per cent of four-year-olds across the NWT are enrolled in JK, and they attend eight days out of 10. That gives parents an opportunity to set children up for success at school. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What parents don't have is as much choice in programming for their four-year-olds. JK is rapidly becoming the only option. I'm also concerned that it may be using up resources that used to be ear-marked for early childhood development programs for children up to three years old. I'll have questions for the Minister. Mahsi.
Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it feels like spring has come early to the Mackenzie Delta. This means that ice roads will probably see a shorter season. Mr. Speaker, last year, the access toward Aklavik closed early due to warm weather, and this year the Department of Infrastructure increased the minimum ice thickness requirements for the operation of ice roads. Increasing the minimum ice thickness means a longer wait for the road to open and a shorter season to use it.
Mr. Speaker, the Hamlet of Aklavik has three projects on the go that were scheduled to be completed by Christmas. The use of the road is required in order to bring in supplies, but the road opened later than usual after the ice thickness requirements were changed, and these projects are still delayed. I commend the Department of Infrastructure in reconsidering requirements for safe operation of ice roads, but shorter seasons mean that our communities need to wait longer to get groceries and supplies, and our businesses are suffering.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to see the Department of Infrastructure implement flexible requirements, such as allowing personal vehicles that are lighter to go on the road earlier than heavier semis and tanker trucks, or even consider reversing the thicknesses required, given that not all ice is the same.
Mr. Speaker, shorter seasons due to a changing climate are made worse with the increase of the required ice thicknesses to operate ice roads. These changes have deep impacts, deep effects in communities that are not connected by land year-round. I urge the Department of Infrastructure to reconsider options for increasing the ice road season so that ice roads are kept open longer, and our communities have enough time to get resupplied. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll have questions later today.
Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in approximately four and a half months, Canada will be lifting a 95-year prohibition on cannabis and will formally legalize the recreational use of cannabis nation-wide. This will truly be a monumental moment for both our country and for the world, because Canada will become only the second country in the world to legalize consumption and sale of recreational cannabis.
Overall, Mr. Speaker, I believe this move by the federal government is a smart one. Simply put, prohibition has not worked. I am glad that our country is finally ending the criminalization of people over cannabis. The lives of countless people have been disrupted due to harsh penalties for cannabis-related offences, as many people have received criminal records and have faced jail time for minor, non-violent drug offences.
Mr. Speaker, I must also state that there are aspects of the legalization that I think have been overlooked. I am referring specifically to amnesty for those who have been criminalized for cannabis-related offences. What will happen to people who are presently in jail for marijuana-related offences? Is Canada ready to modify sentences to let people out of jail? Will Canada pardon, suspend, or expunge criminal records related to marijuana?
Mr. Speaker, we can look at California as an example. In 2016, California legalized the recreational use of marijuana, and contained within their legislation was a provision that enables people with prior marijuana convictions to be able to apply to the courts to have their convictions dismissed. This resulted in thousands of cannabis convictions dismissed from people's records and many people released from jails with reduced prison sentences.
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent poll by Nanos Research, 62 per cent of Canadians said they support pardons for people with marijuana possession convictions. There have also been numerous organizations, law firms, and advocates who have been urging the federal government to provide cannabis amnesty. I sincerely hope that if, in fact, our federal government does decide to provided cannabis amnesty, then our government here in the Northwest Territories will follow suit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. Today, my Member's statement is going to be about expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr, and I'm going to attempt it in French. [English translation starts] today it’s good news in my Member’s Statement. For anyone driving or walking along Taylor Road here in Yellowknife, something new is happening. The long awaited expansion of Ecole Allain St-Cyr is underway and the work space has now been closed in. When completed, this work will finally give francophone students in Yellowknife access to the same facilities enjoyed by other children in our community. This was a very long process that included court challenges, negotiations, a lot of planning, and many funding applications. I congratulate the Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Association, Association des parents ayants droit de Yellowknife, all the parents and students who have patiently waited, the Departements of Education, Culture and Employment and Infrastructure, and the contractors working on the project.
The expansion will include a gymnasium with a wooden floor that is up the standards required, a stage, an industrial kitchen and another specialized classroom. These new facilities will be made available to the community as a whole when they are completed, just as the school itself is now available and has been used for public events such as the Aurora Fiddle Society weekend workshops. The expansion should also assist in student retention that allows Ecole Allain St-Cyr to compete with other Yellowknife High Schools. [English translation ends].
Merci, Monsieur le president.
Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, climate change is the most pervasive, overarching issue of our time. It is the one thing that is having a significant impact on everything else, and whether we like it or not, no government or community, no business or industry, and no individual or household will be able to avoid its impacts, and it's going to cost us big dollars.
Those costs are already beginning to add up, Mr. Speaker. When water levels are lower, our hydro generation is less efficient, so we have no choice but to pay more for diesel. When our forests burn at an unprecedented rate, we have no choice but to protect communities and property. When shorelines erode, we have no option but to pay to relocate houses, repair roads, and fix the damage. When permafrost thaws, we have no choice but to spend more on heating piles and rollercoaster highways.
Mr. Speaker, these impacts are already upon us, and with them, the incredibly high costs of repair. Frankly, these costs are not going away. In fact, they will continue to grow for some time. The only viable solution, Mr. Speaker, is to do everything possible to reduce our carbon footprint. Let's embrace new technologies like solar and wind power, so that we burn less fossil fuel. Let's support energy retrofit programs for our houses and buildings to save on energy use. Let's stop assuming that nuclear is a bad topic. Molten-salt reactors have the potential to deliver affordable, clean, and safe energy that could support the mining industry without endangering the climate.
Mr. Speaker, initiatives like these are essential as we move into the future, and we will have to find the money for it while we adjust to paying the new carbon tax. While that tax is federally mandated, we have the opportunity to design the regime to suit our specific needs.
It is imperative that our carbon tax system supports the transitions we need to make, Mr. Speaker. Industry, transportation, and households need support to make the changes that will lead to a low carbon future. The revenues from a new carbon tax must go back to them to help them make those changes. Anything less, and we will be failing our children's future and letting down the next generation.
At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to speak on the issue of climate change as my honourable friend, the Member for Yellowknife North did. Everyone from Her Majesty the Queen to His Holiness the Pope have addressed climate change as the key crisis facing the planet and future generations. I'm really pleased to see so many leaders in the world step up. Just 10 years ago, there was a still a debate on job-killing carbon taxes, and now everyone from industry to the grassroots are calling for carbon pricing as a method to curb carbon emissions and ultimately reduce the impact of our industries, our homes, and our communities have on increasing the rates of climate change.
Northerners and Canadians know that polluting isn't free. Here in the Northwest Territories we are affected most by climate change. All of the Arctic is subject to extreme shifts in weather over recent years, and we have to do our part. I hear from a lot of people that carbon tax will be a hardship and potentially exemptions need to be sought. We need to find ways to get out of it. I hear that from this government as well, and I think we need to do our part to ensure that the cost of living is not made unbearable by Northerners.
We can't afford to have people leaving our communities. They deserve to have a stable and prosperous North for themselves and their families, but at the same time, we need to show real leadership and find a way to embrace the carbon pricing system that will protect our environment and show to the rest of Canada and the world that we are part of a progressive movement to address climate change definitively and to protect our future and the future of future generations as well.
I believe we can do that. I know we can do that. I know my colleague, the honourable Minister of Finance, is working diligently towards this. My questions for them later today are going to be where he is at. Even though I know from my work on standing committees, a lot of work is going on. I think the public deserve an update because they have questions, and I want to answer those questions with information I can provide them. Let's see if we can get it on the floor of the House. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the Pages we have from Aklavik. In my riding, we have Tristen Elanik and Tisha Koe; also chaperone, Liz Wright. I would like to welcome you to the House and hope you enjoy the rest of your week. Thank you.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Yellowknife North constituent Arlene Hache and thank her for all the many years of service that she has provided in social advocacy. Thank you, and welcome. Thank you for being here.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize two Pages today working this week in the House, Phoenix Crevier-Walsh and Harvey Havioyak-Kaladhok. Thank you for what you are doing.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The Member for Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Ms. Arlene Hache, who is here as the Yellowknife representative for the Northwest Territories Status of Women Council. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize the Page from Yellowknife South, Liam Butte, and also all of the other Pages who have worked here these past few weeks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up some questions dating back to May 31 and October 20 of 2016 with the Minister for Lands. There seems to be some confusion around the issue, and I would like to try to clear it up once and for all. With the changes with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the creation of Lands, can the Minister please advise us: does the department has all the files as it pertains to equity leases at Cassidy Point? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. The Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't speak for all of the files. I do know that the 41 properties out at Cassidy Point, those files are in the hands and have been reviewed by the Lands Department. I can't speak to other files in other departments from that area. Thank you.
