Good afternoon, colleagues. Before we start today, I’d like to send my condolences to my communities. It is with sincere thoughts and prayers I send my condolences to my home community of Tuktoyaktuk and Anna Cockney, her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and to Annie Emaghok, condolences to her husband, Adam, and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. To Ulukhaktok to Dillon Alanak, condolences to his mom, Judy, and his brothers and sisters.
Also, I’d like to send condolences to David Nasogaluak’s family, his sons and daughters and his grandchildren. He will be sadly missed. David was one of my good friends.
David Isaac Amagana Nasogaluak was born in Avvaq in 1933. He was the eldest of 11 children to Joe and Susie Nasogaluak.
His parents moved the family to Tuktuuyaqtuuq in 1941, where David began his lifelong passion of hunting and trapping, to help provide for his family and community.
In 1956 David and Agnes married then travelled to Sachs Harbour in 1960 by the schooner, North Star. They adopted Beverly, Darren and lona, and had a son together, David Jr. He trapped white fox and spent many years on Banks Island. They raised a family and worked hard to make a good living.
After leaving Sachs Harbour in the late 1980s, David returned to Tuktuuyaqtuuq to work for Canadian Reindeer. There he met Roxanne Raddy and had three beautiful children together: Bo, Dakota and Devaughn.
David was a people person. He had many friends of all ages and welcomed everyone he met. He was an adventurous person who had many stories to tell and you couldn't leave his house without eating, or having a cup of King Cole tea. He often said that he knew how it was when there was not much to eat and didn't want anyone to be hungry.
David was always getting ready for the next trip out on the land, whether it was to go hunting, fishing, or spending time with family and friends. He was forever on the go and never gave up on anything he was doing. He had a true zest for life.
On behalf of the family of David Amagana Nasogaluak, I would like to say Quyanainniqpaaluk to his many friends for being a part of his life. I'm sure you have many memories and teachings by him to carry you throughout your life. God bless you all. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices. Having an affordable, reliable and secure energy system that takes into account economic development and impacts to the environment is central to this goal.
In 2014 the Government of the Northwest Territories hosted its second Energy Charrette in response to concerns about increasing costs of energy, the low water level at the Snare hydroelectricity site, and the estimated costs to connect the North and South Slave transmission systems to the North American grid.
The 2014 Energy Charrette brought together the public, community representatives, stakeholders and experts to discuss what the Government of the Northwest Territories should do to reduce energy costs, increase energy security and reduce the environmental impacts of our energy system. Over 200 people attended the public event, and over 100 people attended the invitational stakeholder event. The charrette featured 20 different speakers and presenters.
We heard that we should be more aggressive on energy efficiency and conservation, plan for increased development of small-scale community-based renewable energy projects, and continue to build biomass projects. Mr. Speaker, the government has prepared its response to the 2014 NWT Energy Charrette Final Report, which I will be tabling later today, at the appropriate time.
In this GNWT Response to the 2014 NWT Energy Charrette Report we have addressed what we heard during the charrette process. We are refocusing our short-term plans for this third year of the 2013 Energy Action Plan.
In the short-term we will focus on energy efficiency and conservation, both through the Arctic Energy Alliance and in government buildings. We will look at ways to improve the resilience of the North Slave hydro grid.
New community scale alternatives and renewable energy sources include:
the Colville Lake solar-battery-diesel project;
Wind feasibility studies in Inuvik and Yellowknife;
Potential solar projects on government buildings in Dehcho and Beaufort-Delta communities;
Biomass boilers in schools; and
the potential for natural gas generation in thermal communities.
Our long-term goals will focus on transformational energy projects for communities and for potential new markets, which will require significant government investments and will be presented for the consideration of the 18th Legislative Assembly.
This energy charrette process has been very successful and participants were very appreciative of having the opportunity to learn and voice their opinions on the future of the energy system in the Northwest Territories. I would like to personally thank everyone involved.
Mr. Speaker, our vision has always been strong individuals, families and communities sharing the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous Northwest Territories. Having a sustainable energy system in the Northwest Territories, which takes into account affordability, the economy, energy security and the environment, is part of this vision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Honourable Minister of Industry Tourism and Investment, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, NWT’s commercial fishery has been hit hard over the past decade by a number of circumstances well beyond its influence or control.
Hardest hit have been commercial fishers in the NWT who have been powerless to respond to a rise in the Canadian dollar, border closures and weakening US and global markets. Our fleets and fishers are aging considerably. The volumes and participation in our fishery have declined.
What has not decreased, Mr. Speaker, is the number of fish in the lake or the proven markets with which we can rebuild our fishery. The NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy has highlighted both of these as opportunities to restore and revitalize an industry that, I believe, remains important and vital to our economy and to our territory.
Last year we committed to developing a business plan to make this happen. Today I would like to highlight to Members the steps that we are taking to put this plan in place.
Our plan sees the current governance model on the lake changing dramatically.
It will see the responsibility of ownership, operation and replacement of a processing plant transferred from the federal Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation to the local private sector.
It will transform our fishery from a whole fish fishery to one that supplies domestic, commercial and export markets with value-added fish products in both fresh and frozen form.
A private sector single desk selling function, profit driven, not legislatively driven, will work to ensure all orders are competitively served.
We will extend the NWT market for Great Slave Lake fish north and south, from Banks Island to Fort Smith.
Current suppliers of domestic markets will be offered resources to address the capital requirements they need to serve their markets efficiently and effectively. These men and women are long-standing partners in our work to grow and develop local markets and we will ensure they thrive with our industry.
Our plan calls for investment to ensure our producers can be mobile around the lake, not locked into the areas around Yellowknife and Hay River.
Through a transitional contractual agreement with the federal Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, we aim to market and sell fish from Great Slave Lake into abandoned markets in Alberta.
We are investing in a training program, with a focus on young fishers, aimed at increasing the number of Northerners on the lake.
We propose to encourage new fishers from outside the NWT, mainly from Alberta, to relocate their now defunct operations to Great Slave Lake.
Mr. Speaker, the benefits of our plan can and will be realized all around. Much like the model that we recognize in devolution, producers will see the benefits of having a direct say, and even ownership, in our industry.
Within five years we aim to see the economic impact of this fishery increasing tenfold and returns to producers increasing by at least 50 percent at dockside. For the NWT economy, it will mean new investment in capital, a thriving fishery and over 200 jobs and income opportunities.
Rebuilding our commercial fishery will take some time, and it will require some investment. We estimate almost $5 million will be needed to build an export-grade fish plant and see our plan realized. At least three-quarters of this investment will need to come from federal and territorial levels of government. It will be an investment in the economic potential of an industry that, I believe, is both overdue and reasonable.
The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has already committed $1.5 million this year to ensuring that we can move our business plan forward, and we are hoping to work with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency to make this happen.
Mr. Speaker, despite obstacles and challenges, there remains a bright future for our fishery and I would like to assure Members of this Assembly that we are making every effort to realize it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.
Mr. Speaker, an equitable and sustainable health care system is one of the priorities of the 17th Assembly. One way we can support this priority is by improving the management of pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Speaker, to date, provincial and territorial governments have each made significant efforts to address the challenges and manage pharmaceuticals in a way that maximizes patient health outcomes while contributing to system sustainability.
Under the leadership of Canada’s Premiers, provincial and territorial governments have demonstrated their commitment to working together to produce significant results that benefit patients and the health care system. In particular, the establishment of the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance has already resulted in lower prices on over 40 brand name drugs.
While pharmaceuticals are not a significant cost to the NWT health system compared to other jurisdictions in Canada, we recognize the ongoing importance of this issue and the Department of Health and Social Services continues to pursue opportunities to improve the management of pharmaceuticals.
The department is finalizing a draft NWT Pharmaceutical Action Plan to address our management of pharmaceuticals using an integrated and collaborative approach. The challenges and opportunities that we face relate to three key areas: access, sustainability, and safety and appropriate use.
Elements of the action plan will include a shared procurement model for prescription drugs for all authorities, expansion of the scope of practice for pharmacists, and updating an agreement with the NWT Pharmaceutical Association relating to pharmaceuticals dispensed for individuals registered on GNWT programs such as Extended Health Benefits and Metis Health Benefits.
Mr. Speaker, for NWT residents, access to pharmaceuticals is not necessarily by need or ability to pay. Coverage for necessary pharmaceuticals outside of a hospital setting is currently determined by age, ethnicity, income, specified disease conditions or whether an employer provides supplementary drug benefits. In some cases, individuals have chosen to purchase private insurance to ensure they have coverage.
Shared procurement of drugs through the services of a national drug group purchasing organization by most of the health and social services authorities has lowered drug costs for our system. Procurement can be further improved and coordinated through the establishment of an integrated territorial health and social services authority.
The Department of Finance’s Program Review Office is completing a review of pharmaceutical management to assess the current state of pharmaceutical products of purchasing, coverage, and regulation in the NWT, and provide comparisons to other jurisdictions and best practices across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, provincial and territorial Ministers of Health continue the dialogue about how to improve pharmaceutical coverage while controlling costs. Next week I will attend a National Pharmacare Round Table convened by the Ontario Health Minister. The round table will bring together leading health care experts and decision-makers from across Canada. We can benefit from their advice and better understand the research, options, costs and benefits underpinning potential national Pharmacare models.
All of these initiatives will support the development of our Pharmaceutical Action Plan. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with standing committee as we move toward the finalization and implementation of a Pharmaceutical Action Plan that will benefit all residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is focused on ensuring opportunities, education and training are available to all residents of the Northwest Territories. As our labour market needs to expand, so do the opportunities. The GNWT Population Growth Strategy has a target to bring 2000 people to the territory in the next four years, and ECE is doing its part to contribute to that strategy through one of our most valuable resources: our students. The department supports NWT post-secondary students to obtain the skills and education they need to contribute to a prosperous northern economy.
Mr. Speaker, in support of the GNWT Population Growth Strategy, the department will be making the following significant improvements to SFA for the 2015-16 academic year:
increasing loan remission rates, so students have their debt forgiven faster while residing in the NWT;
implementing a $2,000 northern bonus for both NWT and southern students who reside in the NWT to be applied to their student loan debt;
introducing a zero percent interest rate for students who return to live in the NWT after completing their studies;
increasing funding for tuition and books; and
removing the 20 semester funding limit and reintroducing a revolving loan limit, so students who pay down their loan can access additional funding.
I am also pleased to announce that we launched an SFA online application on June 1st. The online application will simplify the application process, increase online presence and make the SFA program more accessible to NWT residents.
Mr. Speaker, the SFA application forms have also changed so that students can easily give their consent for ECE to connect them with all NWT employers to facilitate employment opportunities. Connecting students and employers will help ensure that our students return to the NWT and help meet the needs of the labour market.
Furthering the GNWT Growth Strategy, we are not only engaging with our northern students but also encouraging southern students to take advantage of the opportunities of living in the North.
Mr. Speaker, I have said before that our people are our territory’s greatest resource. Having more educated NWT residents entering the workforce will strengthen our economy and create opportunities across the territory for both Northerners and potential residents looking to make the North their home. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.
Mr. Speaker, earlier this spring the Department of Justice hosted Together We’re Better, a conference on community safety planning, networking and building partnerships. Eighty people from across the Northwest Territories attended the two-day conference in Yellowknife. The focus was on small communities and included elders, chiefs, mayors and senior community officials as well as community justice workers, Aboriginal court workers, corrections staff, Health and Social Services staff and representatives from NGOs. The knowledge and experience that participants brought to the conference proved to be a key factor in its success.
The conference built on the work that the department has been doing in partnership with community justice committees and others to share information and develop strong individualized safety plans in our communities. These partnerships have been vital to the crime prevention successes we have had over the past few years with our Community Justice, Court Worker and Victim Services programs as well as the Pan-Territorial Research Project on crime prevention.
The conference Together We’re Better highlighted the many Justice programs and supports available to all communities in the NWT. This information was particularly directed at representatives from smaller communities who might not have been aware of the services available and do not have the capacity to deliver these programs themselves.
The conference was funded by our federal partners at the National Crime Prevention Centre and the Aboriginal justice directorate at Public Safety Canada. Our own community justice and policing division also provided support.
The conference was timely, as many of our smaller communities will be visited this year by staff from community justice and policing and the RCMP to help them refine their policing priority action plans. We recognize that by talking together we can all help make residents safer using local resources as well as those available through the RCMP, Department of Justice and other organizations.
It is clear from the feedback we received that the conference was a tremendous success. It not only allowed community leaders to interact with front-line workers but it also encouraged collaboration, networking and partnership building amongst government departments and non-government agencies. Attendees told conference organizers that the chance to meet people from a range of communities and organizations and to exchange and discuss ideas about safety planning was a valuable experience.
Mr. Speaker, for the past four years, Members of this Assembly have been hearing about a change in the way we do business with communities to address their policing needs. I am pleased with the substantial progress we have made in focusing on safe communities with strong people who are able to be independent and healthy.
Today many communities are actively involved in discussions with the RCMP aimed at identifying local policing priorities. Some communities have also taken the next step to develop policing action plans to better target resources. As we continue with this coordinated approach to community safety planning, I am confident that it will continue to produce solutions that are effective because they reflect and support community needs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about a land situation. We all have people in our communities who want the best for the community and its residents and they work very hard to improve where they live. The benefits of their efforts accrue not only to them but to the community as a whole.
Yellowknife is fortunate to have a group of dedicated, enthusiastic motocross riders. They enjoy their sport and they want others to as well. They want to dedicate a space to practice and teach their hobby.
The Yellowknife Motocross Association has been working for several years to revive the now defunct stock car racetrack out on Highway No. 4 and are ready to begin the physical work, remediation and cleaning up of the site, but they’ve been stymied by bureaucracy. An application for a land lease has been denied.
Most Members will remember the controversy last year over cabins and squatters using the lakes of Highway No. 4 close to Yellowknife. Now there’s a moratorium in effect on recreational land leases throughout the area while the Lands department develops a recreational land lease policy to bring some order to cabin use on these lakes.
The moratorium, unfortunately, includes both sides of the highway. It encompasses the very lakeless area of the old stock car track. The Motocross Association has been told they cannot apply for a lease for at least another year, with access to the land likely two years away. That’s just not on.
The premise of the moratorium on recreational land leases was to halt new leases for cabins, hunting and fishing leases. The Motocross Association has no intention of building a permanent structure, certainly not a cabin, with no lake anywhere in sight. The proposed use for the land they seek is clearly not a cabin. I believe their request should be considered outside of the moratorium.
The site right now is an eyesore and an environmental mess. It was abandoned 25 years ago, with cars and oil drums on the site left to rust and fall apart. By cleaning up the site, this group would be doing a huge favour, both to the environment and the GNWT. One less site for ENR to have to clean up, yet the Minister of Lands can’t see his way to make an exception and grant this group a lease.
The Yellowknife Motocross Association has done their homework. They have the support of businesses in the community. They’ve spent months planning their project, talking to Lands staff, arranging insurance and so on. This will be a new outdoor activity opportunity for Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
This will be a new outdoor activity opportunity for Yellowknife residents and visitors both. It’s a potential tourism draw. The revenue from that would be a benefit to local businesses and to the Northwest Territories as a whole. The Minister can make this happen. He can allow this lease application and get the process started.
I will have questions for the Minister later, and my first one will be: Why won’t he do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The recent release of the long-awaited ENR 2014 Fire Season Review Report, had, as the Minister put it, girding their loins in preparation for this upcoming fire season. Now, although the use of cute biblical sarcasm is always welcome for the academics that pay attention, it unfortunately doesn’t offer much in the way of sustenance to what the people are expecting from spending over $56.1 million of their money.
Now, again for the record, we applaud that there was no loss of life or serious injury last year; and yes, the promise for better communication is nice to hear; and yes, the perception that there was meaningful consultation is welcome. However, the Members of this House and the public were promised, by its Minister, a document that was to have every i dotted and every t crossed, and for eight months we waited for a report that unfortunately fell bureaucratically short of expectation. In fact, where is the full cost accounting of the 56.1 million tax dollars that were spent? The Minister’s review report breaks down only three simple numbers and figures: aircraft, $24 million; personnel, $6.8 million; and other operational costs of $25.3 million. Well, very impressive, very transparent. Way to go Minister.
So, where is the breakdown of the personnel cost, both in-house and contracted services and within our MARS Agreement program? Where is the breakdown of money spent on our own air fleet, our visiting fleet through the MARS Agreement, and our contracted services of Buffalo Air fleet that spent the majority of early June 2014 sitting on the tarmac? Does the Minister not think we could see these planes from the road, sitting idle while NWT burned? Where’s the analysis of the efficiency of the aviation strategy of 2014? What worked? What didn’t work? Why did our air attack officers clock out at 5:00 p.m. on a Friday when homesteads burned on a Saturday? Did the Minister think MLAs wouldn’t find out?
We know we have issues and limitations with their Prometheus fire growth modelling program and that our science officers are working with outdated technology and, as I quote, “ENR recognizes it needs to develop better fire behaviour prediction tools.”
Okay, so where is the investment? Where is the budget? Where is the action plan?
We now have a public 2014 Fire Season Review Report with no specific investment, no timelines for significant changes, no true measurement tools and no real reporting mechanisms.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
This is a report made by bureaucrats for bureaucrats and celebrated by bureaucrats. The public, on the other hand, you know, the ones that foot the bill around here and pay taxes, have been shortchanged by this Minister once again. In fact, the only public use of this review report should be restricted to the public washroom of the forest management division. At least there it would have a physical purpose. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When you begin a career, you never know what to expect, where it’s going to take you, the people that you’re going to meet, or the impact that you will have on other people’s lives. Today I’d like to speak about two very important individuals from Inuvik who are retiring from the education system after this academic school year.
First, Ms. Bella Kaye has worked in both Sir Alexander Mackenzie School and East Three Elementary School for over 37 years. Before that, she was an assistant for over a total of over 44 years. She was a role model for her nieces and her nephews as well as many other youth across the Beaufort-Delta. She has been a kindergarten teacher and a Gwich’in language instructor over those years and has been an integral part of the development of our children. She is also very involved in the community. Not only has she been successful in the education field but also with her family, making it a priority and promoting the Gwich’in language, culture and education.
Even more remarkable, this was started in a time when our people were still in the grips of the residential school system. She served as a model for those seeking a better and sober life.
When speaking with Ms. Kaye, she says, “When you start something, you always finish it. Even though you struggle, you keep trying and you learn from your mistakes.”
I would also like to thank the elders who have helped along the way in positive ways. Mr. Brewster was also my kindergarten teacher growing up.
The other recognition that I’d like to share today is Mr. Shane Brewster, who has taught elementary phys. ed. at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School and East Three Elementary for over 31 years. Not only is he a teacher but a mentor to other teachers over that time. He has taught teachers from the South the traditional way of life of people living in the North. He has also been an integral part of the staff and students over 31 years in his positions. He’s coached for many years and taught the basics of movement and sport and has developed many athletes at a very young age. He’s a community leader and a role model to many in the community of Inuvik and throughout the North.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
I did speak to Mr. Brewster, and he just wanted to acknowledge that Inuvik and the Northwest Territories has been his home for the past 31 years and still is. When people ask where he’s from, Inuvik is what he answers, not Nova Scotia. I think that Mr. Brewster might have only put me in the corner just once in his whole time teaching.
I would like to wish both Ms. Kaye and Mr. Brewster and their families the best of luck on their retirement and that they will truly be missed at East Three Elementary by students and staff. Combined, the two have been providing guidance, leadership, developing values and positive interactions with children, staff and community members for over 72 years in the school system. Thank you for making a difference, Ms. Kaye and Mr. Brewster. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The next time you have a long statement like that, I’ll put you in the corner.
---Laughter
It’s a good day today. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be extending my statement.
---Laughter
Between May 5th and May 8th, I accompanied the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs on a tour of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte. I would like to thank the Ministers for their attention to issues in the Nahendeh region.
Residents of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte talked quite a bit about their desire for an agreement with BC Health. There are several reasons. For one thing, some of my constituents have lost confidence in the NWT health system, so much so that they would rather incur their own costs of travelling across the border.
Unless our health system improves its capacity to provide services and timely diagnosis for patients, these residents will continue to put their trust in BC Health, and that’s a shame.
Another reason is the practical matter of distance. It’s just a two-hour drive from Fort Liard to Fort Nelson, while the drive from Fort Liard to Fort Simpson is about three hours, and I want to say it is on Highway No. 7.
Other factors include convenience and costs. It is not uncommon for Fort Liard residents to be flown 800 kilometres all the way to Yellowknife, but this is an inconvenience to the patient and expensive when the same services can be provided in Fort Nelson.
This is the third time since 2013 that I have stood in this Legislative Assembly to ask for an agreement with BC Health. I believe it would help Nahendeh residents and probably lower the overall cost of health care in my region.
At the appropriate time I will ask questions of the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been over a year and a half since the commitment to have RCMP overnight in Tsiigehtchic, and to this day not once has the RCMP spent the night in the community.
People in the community would like to see a better presence from the RCMP. This has been an ongoing issue. When are we going to see positive changes from the department and the RCMP?
I’ll have questions for the Minister later today.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to recent reports, the crisis regarding available facilities and beds for our growing populations of elders is coming fast. While we dither, the lineup for seniors care beds and services in Yellowknife and across the NWT is growing rapidly. While we claim that decisions must go through a long capital process, the situation worsens, forcing seniors to leave their northern homes or face the consequences. While we delay, our elder’s population grows by 6 or 7 percent a year.
The Department of Health and Social Services and Avens - A Community for Seniors hired Dr. Hollander to forecast needs for seniors facilities. The study confirmed that the number of seniors in Yellowknife is expected to grow by almost 200 percent in the next 16 years, 125 percent across the NWT. The number of residential care beds needed in Yellowknife will soar by 250 percent and exceed 229 beds. The equivalent for the NWT beds will be a rise of 100 percent, or 400 beds.
Given the lead times required for determining facility locations, designs and program development, securing financing, contracting, staffing and construction, such increases will challenge the continuing care system. Meanwhile, though hospital staff do what they can in cramped quarters and difficult conditions to make space for families in need, we do not have a single palliative care facility in the NWT. This apparent disregard for the well-being of our elders is unacceptable.
The recent plight of 99-year-old Bonnie Bohnet profiled in the media indicates that we are failing our elders now, and immediate action is required. We need to shift the emphasis from funding big industry, with little return, to paying serious attention to people, particularly our elders. They built this territory and it’s time to show we value their efforts and sacrifices on our behalf. Putting facilities in place to assure their comfort and safety as they age would be a darn good start.
With further procrastination, I’m concerned that the likelihood of a catastrophic lack of facilities and tragic consequences will rise. I’m sure we all agree that our elders deserve much better. With half the territory’s residents, there are only 29 care beds for seniors in the capital. A proven body of expertise and resources stands at the ready here to complement any indication that government has the will and commitment to move.
As capital planning season approaches, I urge immediate government action to put a renewed and expanded seniors care facility in place in Yellowknife to meet this desperate need.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Financial literacy is not something on the radar for most of our young people. The basis of financial literacy includes identifying the role of money in everyday life, using credit responsibly, managing a personal bank account, being wary of credit cards being pushed on consumers, knowing the pitfalls of consumer debt and learning about investment options.
In the NWT schools, there is a mandatory Grade 11 course about personal financial management, but this topic should be addressed even earlier. To illustrate the need for financial literacy, here is a familiar money story.
A young man enters the job market. He earns $50,000 a year. Thinking his future is set, he buys a brand new truck and heads south for a vacation. Meanwhile, credit card companies bombard him with enticing offers, and before he knows it he has racked up $50,000 in consumer debt. He’ll probably spend years paying off his credit cards. In fact, he may never climb out of debt.
I believe a new action is required in the approach to retirement planning. For one thing, medical advances are extending the average person’s lifespan. Decades ago when the Canadian Pension Plan and the Old Age Security were developed, it was normal for a person to retire at 65 and die by the age of 75. But these days, young people can expect to spend a quarter of a century in retirement, or even longer. A second factor is that by 2050, the pension plans will probably no longer be in existence.
I’d like to see the NWT schools partner with the organizations like Junior Achievement, which has an impressive track record. Junior Achievement staff and volunteers assist young people with financial literacy and job readiness. Courses are available for all group ages. Unfortunately, Junior Achievement has not made regular inroads to the NWT schools. I know at least one experienced financial planner, John Henderson, who is willing to serve as a Junior Achievement volunteer.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
We’re not putting enough emphasis on financial literacy and this is a great disservice to our young people.
I’ll have questions later for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. On April 27th the keys to the new Fort Providence Health Centre were handed over to the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Authority. The facility cost around $11 million to build and is quite a bit larger than the old health centre. Work on the building has been underway since 2013, so I’m really excited to see it finally open to the public. On June 16, a grand opening ceremony will be held to mark the completion of the work. I’m told it will reflect Aboriginal culture and tradition, so I’m very pleased about that too.
I’d like to ask my constituents to claim a sense of ownership at the new health centre. I’d also like to see the government working collaboratively with Deh Cho residents to bring in the types of programs and services that they would like to see and benefit from. I think it would be an improvement to include an assessment of the programs and services likely being offered and what new ones might be suitable.
For example, will the new facility be a space that integrates the physical, mental, spiritual and cultural needs of the residents? What attention will be given to the management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer? Will there be workshops to get people getting better and getting more exercise? Will there be space set aside for the 12-step meetings and other activities to assist people who are struggling with addictions? Will a registered nurse be based in the health centre to lead the expansion of home care services? Will an accurate needs assessment be completed for all the elders who currently or will soon need home care and assisted living services? What efforts will be made to fill the vacant and hard to fill positions in the Deh Cho region?
Surely a brand new health centre will make the region more attractive for health care providers.
Later I will pose some of these questions to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we finish this session, I’d like to wish you and my colleagues a good summer break. I know we’re continuing to do a bunch of work. I know some of those programs in both EDI committees are out on the road.
As we look forward to the summer, I know that Northerners will be out on the land. I just want to urge them to be safe out there. I know over the last three or four years we’ve had eight fatalities on the highways; we’ve had 13 fatalities on the water. So we need people to make sure that they’re being careful out there, making sure they’re protecting each other.
We need to also ensure that we don’t drink and drive. We need to eliminate drinking and driving and make sure that if you’re drinking, not to be driving. Let’s be safe out there this summer.
Obviously, we know of our fire situation. We need to make sure that everybody takes precautions in the fire area. We need to make sure that campfires are out and make sure that there’s no smoking in very tinder dry areas. We just need to make sure we’re really safe out there. Thanks.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
