Welcome back, colleagues. I would like to make a few remarks before we begin.
My home community of Tuktoyaktuk was hit with a major winter storm on Sunday. Mayor Darrel Nasogaluak declared a state of emergency when blizzard conditions were responsible for a power outage that affected the entire community.
I am pleased to report that power has now been restored to the community. I would like to extend my thanks to Mayor Nasogaluak and his administration for ensuring that everyone in Tuk was well cared for during the power outage. Everyone was kept safe and warm.
A big thank you also goes out to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation for their work in restoring power. Their crews worked through the night to get the community back to normal.
I am always reminded of the true power of our communities when they pull together to look after each other. Thank you to all who helped out over the past few days.
Mr. Speaker, regulated electronics recycling programs are in place or under development in all Canadian provinces and the Yukon Territory and we are making good progress on an electronics recycling program in the Northwest Territories.
Recycling electronics helps prevent harmful materials from leaching into the environment when disposed in landfills, burned or left on the land. Recycling old electronics into new products also minimizes environmental impacts related to extracting raw materials through mining and other activities.
In a survey conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2008, residents identified electronics recycling as one of the top three priorities for the territorial Waste Reduction and Recovery Program.
ENR began an electronics recycling pilot project in September 2013, which has collected over 20 tonnes of electronics at bottle depots in Fort McPherson, Norman Wells, Fort Smith and Fort Providence.
Through a competitive process, e-waste collected under the NWT’s program will be sent to a recycler in Alberta on a three-year contract. Recyclers will be required to be registered under the Government of Alberta electronics recycling program. This will ensure important environmental standards and employee health and safety standards are met, and will make sure no electronics are sent to countries where minimum standards are not in place to protect the environment and employee health and safety.
There is a cost to recycling the e-waste but these will be covered through the environmental handling fees charged on each new electronics product purchased in the NWT or purchased online. These fees range from $3 for a portable computer to $100 for large industrial printers.
ENR is currently drafting new electronics recycling regulations under the Waste Reduction and Recovery Act.
The program has been designed to ensure a level playing field for retailers. Proposed fees are comparable to program start-up fees in other jurisdictions and are no higher than the top end of fees in other Canadian jurisdictions. Measures will also be put in place to make sure all electronics suppliers are compliant with the regulations, including online electronics distributers.
From January 6 to February 16, 2015, stakeholders were invited to provide feedback on the proposed NWT electronics recycling program. These included industry associations representing electronics suppliers, NWT and local Chamber of Commerce offices, Arctic Co-op, Northwest Company, NWT Association of Communities, mines, Government of the Northwest Territories, Public Works and Services and the waste management service industry.
Most of the feedback received was from national and multinational electronics manufacturers, distributers and retailers. There was generally support for the program and no feedback was received expressing broad opposition to an electronics recycling program in NWT.
Comments from stakeholders included ensuring that environmental handling fees are set appropriately, delaying the program launch to avoid busy times for retailers, engaging industry in refining the product list and harmonizing the NWT program with other jurisdictions as much as possible.
The program will be funded by environmental handling fees charged to electronic suppliers on all new designated electronics sold in or into the NWT. Refunds will not be provided for electronics returned for recycling.
The draft regulations will be complete in spring 2015 and a territory-wide electronics recycling program is targeted to launch in fall 2015. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, Aboriginal Languages Month is an opportune time to reflect on past successes and the work that lies ahead in continuing to promote, revitalize and preserve our nine official Aboriginal languages. We are all burdened by the truth that some of our Aboriginal languages are struggling, not because we are not doing enough to support them but because the challenges they face are complex.
Residential school and colonialism have left some deep scars behind and are largely responsible for Aboriginal people struggling to keep their languages alive. Adding to this reality is the fact that English has taken over as the predominant language of our society. This history can never be forgotten nor can its impact be reversed quickly.
Mr. Speaker, the good news is, however, that the Government of the Northwest Territories is partnering with Aboriginal governments, schools and the federal government to make a difference and reverse this trend. This collaboration is vital as success can only be achieved by working together, each doing our part. This is not about duplicating efforts and creating bureaucracy. It is about sharing in the responsibility and helping build one another’s capacity.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the NWT invests $15 million each year to support and promote Aboriginal languages through:
building the capacity of Aboriginal governments to implement their five-year regional language plans;
funding culture and language programs in schools;
funding language nest programs in daycares;
supporting Aboriginal broadcasting;
funding programs that increase the number of Aboriginal language instructors;
developing Aboriginal language terminology;
supporting specific Aboriginal language initiatives; and
providing government services in Aboriginal languages where possible.
Mr. Speaker, these are the highlights of our actions, providing evidence that we are firing on all cylinders. Key to all of our efforts, however, is parents speaking their Aboriginal language at home with their children, and children embracing the learning of that language. Without that key ingredient our efforts can only go so far.
Mr. Speaker, administering support for Aboriginal languages is complex. To simplify our approach and provide the funding in the most straightforward way, as of April 1, 2014, all Aboriginal governments now have the control and flexibility to decide where best to allocate their funding. They have done their homework and have developed very rich regional language plans. Our job is now to support them in their efforts to implement them and give them time to assess what has worked best and where improvements can be made.
We are helping them in developing monitoring and evaluation plans for their accountability and measuring their efforts.
Mr. Speaker, we have listened to the advice of the Aboriginal governments and our elders; they are the ones on the ground in the communities. They see the decline happening before their eyes. But they also see pockets of progress: there are the children working with elders to create a dictionary; there are youth teaching others what they’ve learned; there are children sitting with community elders and learning from them; and there are communities rallying from the youngest to the oldest to ensure that everyone on the ground is reaching beyond their communities to share their languages with the world. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The office of the Auditor General of Canada released another excellent report yesterday. It’s their usual quality of work and I thank them for it. The first line of the Auditor General’s press release pretty much says it all: “The Department of Justice has not met its key responsibilities for the rehabilitation, safety and security of inmates within the correctional system.”
As the office of the Auditor General consistently does, their auditors look at NWT policies, procedures and mandates for correctional services and facilities, along with generally accepted nationally used requirements for correctional facilities.
Like other Auditor General’s reports on NWT programs before this one, I found it depressing reading. Depressing because we are not providing adequately for our inmates, and it is depressing because it confirms what we already know or suspected.
The report mentions two main areas as lacking: first, access to services and programs to assist inmates with rehabilitation, and second, safe and secure operation of correctional facilities.
The report is especially damning where short-stay inmates are concerned, stays of less than 120 days. One hundred percent of these inmates received no programming while they were incarcerated. If we expect to improve things in our territory, to stop the cycle of substance abuse, family violence and sexual abuse, it is imperative that we provide opportunities for rehabilitation of all inmates. The goal of incarceration should be to assess an inmate’s needs in regards to programming and then provide it so they can change their behaviour. Especially concerning to me is that programs to help with the mental health of inmates are not available.
The other area highlighted by the report was safety and security, and all of our facilities were found wanting. Management of the operations of these facilities does not meet the mark. The report points out a lack of such simple but necessary things as regular fire drills.
The Justice department has responded to all of the recommendations in the report and has agreed with them all. It’s good to see that agreement, but as is often said, talk is cheap. The proof of the department promises will be in their actions if, in six or 12 months’ time we have concrete improvements, such as better assessment at intake, programs to address all inmates’ needs – both while they’re incarcerated and on their release – and safe and secure facilities.
The Standing Committee on Government Operations will hold a public hearing on this report on May 21st with the Minister of Justice and department officials. At that time I look forward to hearing how the department will address the deficiencies in our correctional system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to News/North, the Fort Providence Health Centre is on the verge of opening its doors. The keys to the new Fort Providence Health Centre were expected to be handed over to the Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority by January 30th.
Donna Allen, chief executive officer of the health authority, said work on the building started in 2013 and was expected to be completed by then. At the quarterly public administrative meeting on January 7th, Ms. Allen said they were also expecting equipment and supplies to be moved in by January 30th. She said a grand opening ceremony will be held at some point to mark the completion of the work, but a date has not yet been set.
The new facility was estimated to cost $11 million and the size is approximately 6,800 square metres, about one-third larger than the old health centre.
The latest information I’ve been able to gather is that the health centre hasn’t opened yet. Apparently work is still being done on the building and there is no tentative date for the opening. My constituents in Fort Providence are eagerly awaiting the opening of the health centre.
During oral questions I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Forty years ago to the day yesterday, March 3rd, Justice Thomas Berger sat down in a community and listened to his first presentation on the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry, which would become better known as the Berger Inquiry.
Last night I had the opportunity and the honour to attend the packed house at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and listen to a presentation by Mr. Berger himself. All I can say is, it was amazing.
The Berger Inquiry was way before my time, and the stories that he shared, the information that he mentioned was something that was special to me because it helped guide the history of our territory. He talked about all his travels to the communities, how he played baseball with some of the local residents in some of the small communities, went fishing, took boats up around the Delta, just really great and authentic stories. He also talked about how the Berger Inquiry actually put the North on the map for all of Canada, and there was also a very special moment when individuals who actually did a presentation at the Berger Inquiry actually stood up and got a round of applause from all the people who were in attendance last night. It was very strong and they were very special.
As we all know, the recommendations that came out of the Berger Inquiry dealt with the moratorium to deal with critical issues such as settling land claims as well as putting aside conservation areas. What his report did was helped create the Nahanni National Park and really amazing things like conservation areas before the pipeline went in. The Berger Inquiry set a standard for the Yukon as well as Alaska coming and asking Thomas Berger to come and do the same type of work in Alaska and the Yukon so they too can set aside conservation areas as well as look at how they can make things better in terms of this pipeline and the Berger Inquiry.
I’d like to encourage Members and the public to go to the Prince of Wales Museum. They have an exhibit called Thunder in Our Voices. It’s amazing; it’s part of our history and it’s a great educational tool, not only for Members and residents but even for the schools. He did mention that he spoke to a Grade 10 classroom yesterday, and they talked for about two hours just asking questions. So it was amazing, and I encourage all Members to check it out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As everyone knows, Hay River is the hub of the North. March is a very mad time of year. We have a lot of the shipping of fuel getting up to the northern communities. Right now tends to be a time when we get a lot of questions about the road systems, about how winter roads can be extended and how we can keep those roads open for longer.
We’ve been hearing lots of issues about cycles, the amount of money that the GNWT puts into road construction at the beginning and as well at the end. How do we keep these roads open? We’re getting a lot of questions and concerns from constituents and companies that are operating in those areas asking why are companies telling us we only have two more cycles to do road repairs, to fix roads, to grade them, to water them. It’s always about funding. It’s always about money.
I know we just spent a bunch of money this year in our firefighting system and fire suppression. I think roads are critical. We have people from the communities who travel down on these roads. Road safety is a very big concern for them. We have lots of trucks on the road. If those roads are in rough shape, it’s very unsafe for the general public and the travelling public.
Even this past weekend we had a truck roll over. One of the situations in that was the way the road was built. My concern is, and my question to the Minister of Transportation will be, why can we not put more money into the roads just like fire suppression if we have a rough year? If we have a tough year building roads, why can’t we ask for additional money? I think most of the Members on this side would be supportive of making sure the roads are safe for the general public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Dechinta, with leading indigenous professors co-teaching with northern leaders, is celebrating the fifth anniversary of a pilot project to test delivery of original northern university courses designed and developed in the North. It’s been a resounding success for the only land-based and independent university-accredited education provider in the Northwest Territories. It is now time to transition to an operational program in all regions.
The unique Dechinta model has no infrastructure expense. It is designed to be land-based and to use and support already built private regional lodges and camps. It focuses resources on student places and employing local First Nations people and elders as instructors, thereby supporting local and regional economies.
From their start-up in 2009, Dechinta established long-term research partnerships with the University of Alberta and McGill University, bringing hundreds of thousands of research dollars into the North. The Dechinta model works. It’s cost-effective; students love it; and First Nations support it.
Courses are focused on critical northern issues and topics, including an original minor in native studies. With equal weight on both academia and traditional land-based learning, there are now seven courses accredited by the University of Alberta and McGill University. Dechinta courses are now grossly oversubscribed with 97 applications for the 30 spots available so far this year. The fact that 100 percent of their 250 course graduates have gone on to either further post-secondary education or employment further reflects the success of their approach.
Currently, our students must travel south to get a university education, at both extra financial and social cost, but this may be changing. One prerequisite, though, is meeting the demands of the Education Act and recognizing Dechinta in legislation.
Dechinta has done the planning work needed to enable continued development and expansion into all regions of the NWT, which also makes strong economic sense. Establishing regional programs will provide six full-time and 32 part-time positions in each region comprised of elders and other community residents and meet the interests of students unable to secure a course place in the North Slave program, all while supporting existing private lodge and camp infrastructure.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
The opportunity to promote development of a made-in-the-North university with a curriculum tailor-made for northern students is not to be missed. In the words of founder Dr. Erin Freeland-Ballantyne, “we need to build a new generation of leaders and researchers who can walk confidently in both worlds and be change-makers.” The pilot has clearly demonstrated how. Now let’s put the financial and legislation support in place to put this unique model to work across the NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday the NWT was witness to yet another scathing report of the Auditor General. This time it was on our corrections system. Members of the 17th Legislative Assembly are not immune to the ever-repeating saga of these types of poor department results, and we have only to reference the past child and family services, income support and daycare reports to familiarize ourselves with what many in this room know all too well.
Shamefully, it is only under the watchful eye and the written investigative powers of the Auditor General of Canada until departments or Ministers divert their attention from inaction to action.
We know the recent failure of this department’s attempt at correction services is now in the hands of committee, and I will leave it up to this committee to do its due diligence and report back to the House. My concern today is not this legislative process before the House but, more importantly, have our own laws been breached by department’s inaction in the wake of such report findings?
If I might quote from the report, “According to the Corrections Act, the Corrections Service Regulations and Corrections Service Directives, the department, through corrections services, is responsible for the administration of correctional facilities, including their safe, secure and efficient operation.”
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice by law may “investigate and inquire into any matter connected with or affecting the administration and operation of corrections service or a correctional centre.”
When one reads terminology such as serious deficiencies, have not assessed, did not adequately deliver, did not receive, was not offered, and did not conduct, these are serious words used repeatedly in this report by the Auditor General which point to grievous contraventions in our NWT Corrections Act.
Having great powers over man must come with equal responsibility of conduct. Unfortunately, with much sadness, this Auditor General report of Canada once again shakes the very foundation of trust bestowed on a department and its leadership. Let’s hope for better days to follow for those Northerners in our care.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A lot of great ideas, a lot of great concepts and discussions start from an idea. The Northwest Territories is no stranger to a lot of great things happening in this great country of ours. In the early ‘60s they had a sports excellence program going very strong up in Inuvik called a TEST program where a lot of world-class skiers came about. The Firth twins, the late Fred Kelly, a lot of skiers came from that area and they had a good program, they had access to resources and they did well. So we know that our small communities can do well in any sports given the opportunity. That was an excellent idea. I would like to see that program come to life again.
Also, a lot of good ideas come from a lot of good people. For example, this morning I heard the people talk about the literacy program that happened in Ontario where these students increased their literacy ability by a great percentage. The Department of Education talked about a needs assessment in the Sahtu region. The number one issue for the Sahtu people was literacy. What if we had that program come into our small communities to increase the literacy in our small communities? That would be fantastic.
Another idea that I read about was Dr. Mini Silbert from San Francisco. She worked with 16,000 inmates with no professional help. That idea over 30 years, 90 percent of the inmates that she worked with went to high school, got a degree or went to work.
I think these ideas are going to be fantastic in the North. We have people like Brendan Green, Mike Argue and Brent Betsina all because they worked hard doing what they can do with the support they had. We have a lot of good teachers in our communities who also need to be acknowledged for the sports they’ve contributed to and the students who are now at the Arctic Winter Games. I want to say thank you to all the good people in the small communities for helping our young people, and I hope these ideas take some planning so we can grow them. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The community of Trout Lake is proud of their new airport, which was fully commissioned and went into service in November of 2014. There is limited equipment in the community to take care of the 3,500-foot runway and the much larger apron. I was pleased that the Honourable Tom Beaulieu and the honourable Premier of the NWT viewed the new airport as we toured the Nahendeh communities in December.
I was also pleased that it was blowing cold as we waited outside as there was no air terminal building.
---Laughter
The Department of Transportation had wanted an official opening ceremony when the Minister of Transportation was there. The chief and council declined and wanted to have an official opening when all official pieces of infrastructure are in place. In fact, they said if we have a grand opening, then the department will just forget about our need for an airport terminal building and an airport snow blower.
An airport snow blower will be more efficient in removing snow build-up and reduce damage to runway light holders. The main advantages of such a snow blower are high clearing capacity, long casting distance, economical operation and speed of clearing. Safety considerations must also be part of a needs assessment, such as quickly removing snow in a medevac type of emergency. This is something that they cannot do with the grader that is in the community.
An air terminal building also has many benefits. The Ministers already know that keeping out of the cold is one of them. Already residents are saying that because the airport is about two kilometres away, they don’t always hear a small plane land. Some people have been stranded there and others have struggled as they made their way to the community with their luggage and supplies. Not to mention the benefits to medical staff as they await a medevac plane.
The Trout Lake Airport is a brand new piece of infrastructure which we all should be proud of, and the Department of Transportation must properly equip this runway with a proper air terminal building and a proper airport snow blower.
Capital planning is upon us shortly. I will ask the Minister of Transportation, during question period, to ensure that the airport capital needs of Trout Lake are taken seriously. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a concern from the community of Aklavik. Harvesters in the community would like to see an increase to the prime fur bonus for beaver, mink and also fox. I brought this issue up a couple of weeks back. You know, the populations are increasing on beavers and foxes, and also mink and otters, as well, but the advance that’s given for these animals is very low; $25 for a minimum payment under the Fur Pricing Program, which will be taken on by ENR on April 1st.
The amount of work that goes into working of the animals such as a beaver, the time you spend going out, trapping the beaver, skinning the beaver, cleaning the beaver, fleshing… That cost just doesn’t add up, and our harvesters would like to see that increased over the near future here in order to help manage the species.
This also has an impact on other species, whether its muskrats… You know, at the moment we have very good prices on muskrats but the populations are so low that we’re not meeting the needs.
I’ll have questions for the Minister later today. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my colleague’s from Hay River North statement on the necessity of this government to invest money in upkeep on our roads and our winter roads, I would just like to say that Hay River is a place where at this time of year we see a lot of visitors from the North that do come in on the winter road. It’s a very narrow window, and it is dictated a lot of times by the weather on a year-to-year basis. But it’s very nice when we see people pull into town from Fort Good Hope and Tulita and Colville Lake and the people taking advantage of that winter road.
The Hay River businesses very much appreciate them not continuing south, or turning north at the junction and coming here to Yellowknife. They come to Hay River to pick up vehicles, have vehicles serviced, pick up parts for their snow machines, to get resupplied for their groceries and their goods that they need for the year, and that is a very, very important piece of infrastructure for people who for the rest of the year do not have any means of driving out of their communities, and it is a narrow window.
As Mr. Bouchard said, if we have a bad fire season, we find the money. But if we have a bad winter road season, we sometimes go, oh well, let’s just close it down. I think that we need to really think about that.
This weekend we’ll see lots of folks coming in on all-weather roads and winter roads to the Kamba Carnival. It’s a great opportunity for families and friends to get together. March is carnival season and so we, again, will welcome many visitors to our community. Again, I just want to say how much we appreciate their support for Hay River, for Hay River businesses and for coming to our community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]
Mr. Speaker, I’d just like to recognize two of our Pages from Whati Community Mezi School. They are Caitlin Nitsiza and Rachel Simpson, along with chaperon, Louisa Nitsiza. I’d just like to say thank you for their services and all the Pages who are doing excellent work in this Assembly. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to also recognize two Pages from Deline: Faith Gaudet, whose father is Danny Gaudet – it’s going to be a historical day for the Pages – and also Hanna Beyonnie, all the way back there, from Deline. Their paging today is ironic. It’s a coincidence that they’re paging at our Assembly this week. Also, some of the guests from the Sahtu are here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. I’d like to welcome everyone here in the public gallery. Thank you for taking an interest in our proceedings.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of MACA with regards to the idea or concept for a centre of excellence for athletes. I know we talked about this just this last week, looking at if this is an idea that’s floating around in his department to look at where there is raw talent in the communities in the North that can come together and start looking at what it will take to have a sports centre for these young people to come and excel, so that they can go either into the national or international arena and win some medals for the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of our sporting partners, Sport North, has put a business plan together for a proposed centre of sports excellence. We’re just in the process of reviewing that plan and we’ll try to work with our partners on the way forward.
I look forward to that business plan. That’s good news for this side of the table here.
I also want to ask the Minister, is there any thought to inviting some of the people in our small communities to have a discussion? Some of the discussions they had this morning with the Minister, some of our teachers in our small communities really contribute to sports in the communities. Deline has survived there for hockey. In Inuvik they had Ms. Peggy Curtis for badminton. Different teachers have played a big role in the lives in the small communities.
Do we have that type of avenue where these teachers or people in the communities could also be of assistance in developing some of this business case here?
