Colleagues, before we begin, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize some visitors to our proceedings today. I am pleased to welcome the Grade 3 class from Ecole Itlo. It's great to see students here learning about consensus government. Thank you for joining us today. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories transportation system is critical to connect residents and communities, to support the economy and allow for the delivery of goods and services. Our government is committed to improving, maintaining, and expanding our highway system to offer safe and reliable infrastructure that can adapt to effects of time and climate change while also creating training and employment opportunities for our residents.
Mr. Speaker, we had another busy highway construction season last year. In fact, this year alone we spent more than $45 million improving our highways, bridges, and access roads. Some of the highlights of the work included:
more than 160 kilometres of chip seal overlay; 68 kilometres of roadway rehabilitation;
five bridge rehabilitations;
preengineering work for the rehabilitation and replacement of several structures; and,
the completion of approximately 135 bridge and culvert inspections.
On Highway No. 1, chip seal overlay was made to 138 kilometres of road, including the Fort Simpson Access Road and the Fort Simpson Airport Access Road. Rehabilitation work including embankment widening and drainage improvement on a 12kilometre section are in progress and will be completed this summer.
On Highway No. 3, we have had very positive discussions with Transport Canada on the replacement of the Frank Channel Bridge. Pending approval funding, permit applications for this project will be submitted this year with construction commencing once these authorizations are received. We also completed surface repairs and rehabilitation on Highway No. 3 during the past year, including chip seal overlay of 23 kilometres of the road.
Similar work was done on the Ingraham Trail on a section that is a little over four kilometres long, and work on 14 kilometres of Highway No. 7 in progress and will be completed this summer. Both projects include embankment widening and culvert replacement.
The Dempster Highway received embankment widening and rehabilitation on a 10kilometre section on the Marine Bypass.
On the Whati Access Road, the first phase of rehabilitation work was completed last year, which included right of way clearing and material production for Phase 2 work. In Phase 2, the 12kilometre access road that connects the community to the Tlicho Highway will be improved, including road embankment reconstruction, installation of drainage culverts, and replacement of culverts with a short span bridge. Work on this project is expected to begin later this year.
Mr. Speaker, this is just an overview of the hard work the Department of Infrastructure and its contractors are carrying out. More work will be completed this summer and fall and new projects will be initiated, including rehabilitation on the InuvikTuk Highway. We recently received federal funding for this project which will include raising lowprofile embankment areas, improving drainage, and installing guardrails as needed.
We continue to work closely with all of our public and private sector partners to build and maintain transportation networks that meets the current and future needs of the territory.
Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Mr. Speaker, in the past two years, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and CrownIndigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada has provided over $50 million in funding support. This year Housing NWT is again delivering an exceptionally large capital program of over $104 million.
Under the federal budget 2022, Housing NWT will be receiving an additional $60 million for the delivery of 100 new public housing units. This annual capital delivery plan involves the construction and renovation of more than 510 housing units in the Northwest Territories. This plan includes investment in public housing units, hundreds of major retrofits and biomass district heating projects, and supporting the construction of some market housing units.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise that approximately 80 percent of this delivery is now either already completed or in the construction phase. To date, Housing NWT has awarded negotiated contracts to eight Indigenous governments and businesses for the delivery of 30 new housing units that were awarded to:
Delta North Alliance;
Fort Smith Metis Council;
Norman Wells Claimant Corporation;
Hay River Metis Government Council;
Liidlii Kue First Nation;
Deninu Kue First Nation;
MYB Construction in Tulita; and
Techi Limited in Deline.
Also under the Tlicho Infrastructure Cooperation Agreement, Housing NWT awarded the construction of a local housing organization office and duplexes in Behchoko and Whati.
Mr. Speaker, as part of Housing NWT's strategic renewal, Housing NWT has put a focus on engagement with Indigenous governments, and a good example is the implementation of this capital plan delivery. This engagement does not only include negotiated contract opportunities but also opportunities for Indigenous governments to directly participate in housing design and other delivery aspects such as site selection. Engagement and strong communication have been a major focus of our renewal efforts.
In addition to our own delivery, we will continue to work in partnership with Indigenous governments, community governments, and nongovernmental organizations to help them access funding through the Government of Canada’s National Housing CoInvestment Fund.
Mr. Speaker, as part of our renewal, we have taken a more clientfocused approach. The coinvestment fund application process can be very cumbersome and requires significant resources to move through the different application phases. Housing NWT's community relations advisor works closely with Indigenous governments and nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and other partners to support applicants from across the Northwest Territories as they move through this complex process. This supports Housing NWT's mandate to ensure the wellbeing of individuals and communities and assist those most in need.
Mr. Speaker, beyond the benefits of adding housing options in communities where new units are built, the economic benefits of construction delivery can provide meaningful opportunities for employment. Housing NWT is committed to working with northern contractors as much as possible in order to maximize the benefit of these projects. I am very proud of Housing NWT's track record in being able to support our local and northern businesses. 99 percent of Housing NWT's contracts were awarded to local and northern businesses during this past year’s capital delivery and similar levels of support are expected again next year.
Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT's capital plan delivery continues to support critical training and skill development opportunities for our residents.
In April 2020, Housing NWT amended its construction contracts to require general contractors to support at least one northern apprentice for the duration of the construction project. I am very pleased to advise that, in addition to the 12 apprenticeship positions that Housing NWT is supporting with local organizations, this new apprentice hire requires for general contractors to support and create 35 new apprenticeship work assignments to date.
Mr. Speaker, this coming year, we will see the completion of our partnership in building market housing units for RCMP. During the renewal conversation, Housing NWT heard that a number of partners are interested in exploring market housing delivery. As a result of those conversations, Housing NWT will soon be engaging with partners across the Northwest Territories to further explore the need for market housing units in smaller communities. Although this the delivery of housing units and repair projects will make a meaningful difference, there is still a lot of work left to be done to ensure all residents of the Northwest Territories are provided with equality and quality, affordable, housing options. By continuing to work with our partners, I am confident that we will continue to make progress towards our shared goals to be able to help the people across the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Mr. Speaker, last month I attended the annual Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup conference in Vancouver with fellow Cabinet Members and government officials. We were there to advance this Legislative Assembly’s priorities to increase resource exploration and development in our territory; adopt a benefit retention approach to economic development; make strategic infrastructure investments; and, to identify, prioritize, and strengthen key actions to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
Achieving meaningful progress on these multiple and complex priorities is far more effective through partnerships. To most effectively achieve strategic investments and economic development alongside the advancement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, we need partners, collaborators, supporters and advocates across all levels of government, with industry, and stakeholders.
Building effective partnerships happens with time spent together, meeting both formally and informally, in different settings, with different combinations of parties to bring a variety of perspectives to the exchange. Having those kinds of opportunities was a major part of the work we did at Roundup. One of the messages that we carried with us is the commitment that we have at all levels, to evolve how development is done in partnership with Indigenous people.
For Northwest Territories leaders, the depth, strength, of what we have in common is never more obvious than when we are working together, particularly outside of the Northwest Territories, as advocates for the North. I was pleased to participate in multiple events alongside Indigenous governments from the Northwest Territories. The mineral resource industry and, in particular those who invest in it, is changing rapidly. The recognition of environmental, social, and governance factors, as well as Indigenous relationships, is the way of the future for resource development.
As I have said before, this is the way we have done business in the North for a long time and together, with Northwest Territories delegates and Indigenous delegates, the GNWT was able to showcase the partnered and sustainable approach to resource development that exists here. Our collective presence at a forum like Roundup, and strong advocacy for the Northwest Territories, made each of our messages stronger.
This year was a particularly strong showing of our movement towards a more wholeofgovernment approach to governance. Our delegation included, at different times, Premier Cochrane, Minister Archie, and also officials from Infrastructure, Lands, Environment and Natural Resources, Finance, and Industry, Tourism and Investment. We were also supported by the presence of MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong, the Member from Monfwi, as a representative of Standing Committee on Economic Development and Oversight. Together we met facetoface with operators and company executives interested or already working in our territory as well as those who are new to the opportunities in the Northwest Territories.
The GNWT supported three networking events to promote the territory to investment audiences and to encourage dialogue about the Northwest Territories' attractiveness for investment.
First, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment held an environmental, social, governance Indigenousthemed event that welcomed Indigenous governments from across the Northwest Territories, mineral resource companies, and investors. We were especially pleased to have the Tlicho drummers start this event off.
Next, led by Premier Cochrane, we celebrated last year’s creation of a Northwest Territories chapter of Women in Mining and the election of Tlichoborn Gaeleen MacPherson as its president. Tlicho Grand Chief Lafferty spoke, recognizing the transformational accomplishments of Northwest Territories women, not only in mining but throughout the Tlicho.
Finally, supported by officials with the Department of Infrastructure, Minister Archie hosted an event promoting the territory’s green energy potential while reiterating the importance of federal investment in three key infrastructure projects: The Taltson Hydro Expansion, Slave Geological Province Corridor, and Mackenzie Valley Highway.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Northwest Territories' mining community and Indigenous governments and industry stakeholders who took time out of their own objectives at the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup to support us in advancing ours.
We are at a pivotal time for the Northwest Territories. Resource availability, technology, market demand, and global interest are coming together to create extraordinary opportunities for investment. As part of our marketing efforts, the Northwest Territories geological survey released a new compilation of critical mineral showings in highlighting the distribution of critical mineral finds in the Northwest Territories. On the conference’s exhibit floor, we promoted our region and its geology to explorers and responded to the growing interest that we are seeing in the Northwest Territories' known and potential deposits of rare earth and other critical minerals.
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is positioned to play a key part in advancing the world’s new technologybased green economy. More importantly, we have the opportunity, as governments, and industry together, to contribute to economic growth and prosperity in Northwest Territories communities where it is so needed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the illicit drug trade, it is all about money, power, and control for those higher on the food chain, and all about access to drugs and the high it provides for those addicted. Life is unimportant to those in the drug trade, as many of us have attended numerous funerals and services for friends and family murdered because of it. Families are being torn apart with little or no consequence for those responsible. It is time for this government to provide our frontline enforcement and health workers with the tools needed to effectively deal with the illicit drug trade and addictions.
Mr. Speaker, all levels of government continue to talk about how to address the drug problem. Billions of dollars is being spent on drug enforcement and addictions treatment yet the problem is only worsening. Over the last several decades the tools used by the enforcement personnel to combat the drug trade continue to be eroded. The public, although not pleased with what is happening, are often reluctant to get involved due the possibility of retaliation by what is a wellorganized criminal element.
Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, it is about money, power, and control. We have seen photos of piles of cash confiscated by the RCMP. What we do not hear and see is when, due to insufficient evidence or a technicality, that same cash is given back to the person it was confiscated from or allowed to be used to pay for that accused's legal counsel.
Mr. Speaker, I want this government to consider and pursue a piece of legislation that would aid in our fight against the manufacture, distribution, and sale of illicit drugs in the NWT. Mr. Speaker, the legislation I am talking about is that of civil forfeiture; legislation that would allow for the seizure and ownership transfer of property without compensation when the property is suspected of being acquired through an illegal act or used to commit an illegal act. The property, if retained, could be placed in a trust where it may be used to compensate victims, support addictions programs, support crime prevention initiatives, and for other productive uses.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is used throughout most of Canada, including Nunavut, and we need it enacted here if we expect any chance of winning our fight against the illicit drug trade.
Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.
Mr. Speaker, Happy Friday. I rise today, like many of my colleagues, to acknowledge the wonderful work of all of the athletes, staff, parents, etcetera, that attended the Arctic Winter Games in Wood Buffalo. I had several constituents from Great Slave that participated, and I would like to acknowledge them here today. So we had Arctic Sports. We had Danicka Taylor in basketball. We had Abigale Nevet Jazard, Ashton Mercado, Emanuel Ramos, and Francesco Stefanos. And I'm probably going to butcher a few more names here, Mr. Speaker. We also had Adam Clinton and his coach Steven Dunbar, who we're all very familiar with in crosscountry skiing. Noah Jackson Grow and Isabel Nevet all in oh, sorry and Nathan Stefanos who all participated in the futsal tournament. And we had Kalie Grant who was coaching ice hockey and her participant, Adrena McDonald. Mission staff included Rami Lashay, Tyler Rentmeister, Oliver Williams. We had table tennis with Sophia Baracello. And both volleyball, Fea Samantha Marzan, Trey Grantner, and their coach Chad Hinchey.
I just wanted to say, Mr. Speaker, I really enjoyed watching all of the posts that were being made by various participants as well as the organization at Team NT. It seemed like everybody was having a wonderful time. And I know, for myself, that as a child those opportunities to travel and meet other kids from other places are go well beyond sport and, you know, build those future leaders for us as a territory. So I just wanted to say congratulations to them all. They did wonderful and they made us proud. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past Tuesday, the Government of the Northwest Territories shared its plan to address changes to the Affirmative Action Policy. In their announcement, it states the government's intention to replace the existing Affirmative Action Policy with two new policies in its place. The Indigenous Employment Policy and the Employment Equity Policy.
The Indigenous Employment Policy would prioritize hiring persons who are descendants of Dene, Inuit, and Metis people who are Indigenous to the present-day boundaries of the NWT. And the Employment Equity Policy would provide preferred hiring to Indigenous Canadians, rationalized persons, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and longterm Northerners.
Well, Mr. Speaker, there's a lot of new ideas in there, some of which I agree with but some that I do not.
I do agree with the Indigenous Employment Policy which is nearly identical to the existing Affirmative Action Policy. And I do agree with providing priority hiring to longterm Northerners, whether Indigenous or not. However, I don't agree with them doing priority hiring to all Indigenous Canadians at large. To be clear, I have no issues with Indigenous Canadians who are not born in the NWT being employed by our public service. I just take issue with that group of people getting the same affirmative action status as the Dene, Inuit, and Metis people born in the NWT. To me that does not solve the issues with the Affirmative Action Policy. It just widens the net for who qualifies as priority one hiring, which I'm sure is not what the majority of the Dene, Metis, and Inuit people of the NWT wanted to hear. I seek unanimous consent to complete my statement, please, Mr. Speaker.
Unanimous consent granted
In addition, Mr. Speaker, I don't know how the government is unveiling these new policies. Before announcing this to the media, Cabinet should have first come to Regular Members for input and feedback. Cabinet also should have taken these proposed changes to the Intergovernmental Council to consider the input from the Indigenous governments who are part of that council.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, on the news release on these policies, the Government of the Northwest Territories announced they will be hosting public engagement sessions in various communities across the NWT. I am concerned that Fort Smith was not on the list for the public meeting; however, I since emailed the Finance Minister about my concern and she has assured me that Fort Smith will host a public engagement session on March 28th, 2023, which I'm looking forward to. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about carbon tax. I specifically want to talk about what we're doing as a territory to mitigate the cost of living and the cost of business impacts on carbon tax. I understand that we don't have a choice about imposing the tax. If the GNWT doesn't impose the tax, Ottawa will do it for us. But we do have a choice about how we spend the revenues from the carbon tax.
The government has decided to go with a madeintheNWT approach. But this approach leaves some residents, most businesses, and all community governments, Indigenous governments, and NGOs worse off.
The main estimates in the department documents provided breakdowns next year for 20232024. The GNWT expects to collect $63 million in carbon tax revenue but only $48 million of those revenues are earmarked as offsets. The remaining $15 million, about 25 percent, is going into general revenues. In other words, our madeintheNWT carbon tax is not revenue neutral. We are keeping $15 million in general revenues as we provide zero offsets to community governments who are already underfunded and will face pressure to raise property taxes or cut services, local businesses who will be forced to raise prices for goods and services, and NGOs who will have to stretch scarce dollars even further to provide vital services.
At the same time, of the $48 million in offsets that we do provide, the biggest piece, $24 million, or half, goes to the large emitters. That's more than the $20 million in the COLO payments to households. How fair is that?
Mr. Speaker, I know my colleagues on the other side share my frustration and disappointment at the way Ottawa is pushing its carbon tax with too little regard for our unique northern circumstances and its historical responsibilities to our region. But if we are going to go with a madeintheNWT approach, then we ought to have something that is better than the federal approach, something that is fairer too so that the government returns all revenues, and all sectors of societies can mitigate the tax. I'll have more questions for the Minister of Finance on making our carbon tax offsets fair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The Diavik Diamond Mine is set to cease production in 2025 and there are some questions about what this government is doing to plan for that event. Under the devolution agreement, GNWT is fully responsible if the operator cannot, or will not, carry out any required remediation, so there is a lot at stake.
The final closure and reclamation plan was submitted to the Wek'eezhii Land and Water Board on October 13, 2022. It is undergoing a thorough review and is subject to approval of that board. There are some curious statements in this plan regarding the airstrip which is 1600 metres long and has a 45 metrewide granular surface. It is capable of accepting Boeing 737 jets and Hercules aircraft. The plan for the airstrip is that "it will be recontoured to remove steep sides and berms, scarified where human and wildlife access routes are not envisaged and targeted for revegetation." The plan also states, "DDMI is awaiting an expression of interest from the GNWT and, if there is interest, a path forward and schedule for transfer of airstrip responsibilities." All activities associated with decommissioning these facilities will occur between 2027 and 2028.
It appears from the cost estimates submitted by Diavik that the reclamation of the airstrip will cost them about $132,000 using equipment already at the site, and a portion of the revegetation costs for the entire site that are set at about $1.4 million. If a third party had to do this work after the site is abandoned, the airstrip reclamation would be exponentially higher with mobilization, demobilization, and other associated costs. It is clear that Diavik would save money by not having to reclaim the airstrip but it is not clear whether those eventual costs or interim operational and maintenance costs will be funded by Diavik for any residual infrastructure it, or others, want left at the site.
Another big issue for GNWT is what happens to the NWTbased workforce at Diavik when it closes in 2025. According to the latest Diavik socioeconomic monitoring report from 2021, 500 of the 1200 employees, or 40 percent, are NWT or Nunavut residents. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
The SocioEconomic Monitoring Agreement is extremely weak and the only mention of closure is in appendix D on cultural and community wellbeing. It states, "DDMI will introduce and maintain the following measures to assist northerner employee to perform well in their jobs and to help their local communities cope with any potential effects of the project item X on closure, gradually reduce employment at the site." That’s it. That's all that's in the agreement.
I understand that Diavik has an extensive program, though, in place for individual career planning and placement postclosure. My question is, what is GNWT doing? I will have questions later today for the Premier as the closure issues at Diavik cut across several departments. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. George Giroux was born on December 10th, 1979 and died on October 8th, 2022, at the age of 42, born in Yellowknife to George Giroux Senior and the late Denise Jerome. George is survived by two sisters, Kim and Sharlene Giroux, and his daughter Mercedes Pearl Sharlene Giroux. George was a Deninu Kue First Nation member and travelled with his father throughout his youth living in Fort Providence and Pine Point. George attended many schools as a result, making many lifelong friends, especially from Deninu Kue School. Always very respectful and well-mannered and polite, George grew up with the teaching of his grandparents and his father. He had extensive knowledge of the land and water that was reflected in many great hunting and fishing trips with his family and friends.
With the sad circumstances of George passing by drowning in the Slave River, his family wishes to express deep appreciation for all the searchers and recovery efforts to bring George home. A service was held on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022. George will be mourned and greatly missed by who all knew him. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community at this time.
Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we heard in the Minister's statement today that the NWT Housing Corporation is currently completing construction renovation of more than 510 housing units in the Northwest Territories. But this does not adequately address our housing infrastructure deficit in the Northwest Territories. This is primarily required operations and maintenance on existing units and includes a hundred new units over these last four years. When some of this longstanding public housing has been devolved into homeownership already. So I'd like to, instead, talk about the absolutely outstanding announcement from the Nunavut Housing Corporation that was announced yesterday.
Nunavut's Housing Corporation announced their plan of Nunavut 3000, which is a plan to build 3,000 new units by 2030. Nunavut plans to achieve its goal by incentivizing and pursuing partnership with Inuit organizations, the private sector, and other levels of government to expand the housing continuum and provide safe, secure, and affordable housing. Nunavut 3000 will add 300 transitional housing beds, 1,400 public housing units, 900 affordable housing units, and 400 market housing units because the northern housing crisis, as we all know, goes beyond a need for public housing. We need supportive and transitional living solutions as well as affordable and market housing. We have seen multiple examples of much needed jobs unfilled or hard to fill because of lack of housing across this territory. This plan spans the Nunavut housing continuum and increases the range of housing options, reduces the social and economic costs of inadequate, unaffordable housing, increases the housing stock that meets modern building codes and performance standards, supports the development of a stronger housing supply chain, realizes true partnership to improve the social and economic conditions of Inuit through housing, and provides training through earnwhileyoulearn opportunities that increase preapprentices, apprentices, and skilled trades people.
Nunavut suggests that for every $1 million in housing capital investment, 5.9 jobs, each paying $64,000 a year, are generated. With a track record of building on average 90 new homes per year for the last three years, Mr. Speaker, Nunavut Housing Corporation has shot for the moon and intends to complete Nunavut 3000 within the next eight years, but not alone.
Mr. Speaker, true housing success can only be achieved through partnership, and Nunavut plans to incentivize private participation in addressing the housing crisis. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and a huge 'thank you' to my colleagues as well. Mr. Speaker, while I don't know what these incentives will look like, Nunavut estimates Nunavut 3000 will cost a whopping $2.6 billion and about 35 percent of that will come from the private sector. If the NWT wanted to proportionately match Nunavut's housing goals, the NWT's goal would be 3700 units. Mr. Speaker, this is the same number of homes that I asked for in my 2022 motion to increase the population of the Northwest Territories.
I'm going to be honest, Mr. Speaker, this is a lofty goal with a huge price tag, but this plan makes Nunavut a step ahead, ready to clearly seek specific funding. You know what they say, Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars. With a goal of delivering 360 new homes in the first year, I'll be watching and cheering for Nunavut's success and hoping our own government shoots for the moon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Order. Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I stood up in the House and made a statement regarding lack of first responder services in our community. And I spoke about the past incidences where we counted on the nurses and the RCMP, and they did at that time help respond to serious incidents within the community, whether they were accidents or deaths. And I also spoke about lack of RCMP attention to assist our community members even though they were called yet the RCMP is noted in our community to attend to check on people on probation even, or they attend to accidents. So their service is pretty sketchy.
You know, our communities face numerous challenges on delivering these type of programs as we don't have the population or the funding levels that the larger centres receive. So we're really up against a brick wall. We don't have well, as I said, it's the funding or we don't have people that are trained. And, you know, when you take up the illicit drug trades and it's hitting my community, you know, Fort Providence too and many other small communities. And with that, there's always the fear, and it has happened that we're dealing with overdoses. You know, whether it be from poison or whatever, it's still an overdose. And it's becoming rampant. There's nothing that we you know, we can do as community members without the help of the RCMP services there and, also, they help out the nursing profession. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, we're dealing with a policy with the health department, or I think it's across all GNWT departments because I notice other employees have a ball and chain that they're stuck to their desk. And it's happening with the health department. There was no consultation with the communities in the past about this situation, which is a very serious situation for our community. And we need to see that changed. We would like consultations with communities in addressing this issue. Let's meet facetoface with the community leaders and see what we can come or resolve. This is very important.
Another thing, too, we keep getting directed to MACA but it's going to be under the volunteer fire department, which is already stretched to its limits and very limited funding. We are asked to get a first responder from that department. We're not going to get that without serious funding, you know, and attention by this GNWT to assist us to get to that goal. There's nothing in this budget that's going to help to improve emergency services for our small communities. We require serious attention to these matters by this government and not the ongoing lip service as a way out of this situation. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my riding in Nunakput are resource rich and cash poor. Our land, we have enough oil and gas for the Inuvialuit to prosper for generations. But, Mr. Speaker, resources are all locked up by our federal government.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are overcrowded homes, they have the highest cost of living, and they're the most food insecure. The struggle with the drug and alcohol addictions is everywhere, and there is little opportunity to work.
Mr. Speaker, we lack hope. We lack opportunities. We need the economy back. We need the oil and gas development so that the people could go back to work, earn a good living, pay their bills, buy their own homes and put food on the table. And when the oil and gas was going, all nine communities were prospering in the Beaufort Delta. Everyone was working. But, Mr. Speaker, this government is preventing Nunakput riding from getting ahead. Why isn't our Premier standing up for us? This federal government has extended the moratorium on the offshore for another year. It can't develop offshore resources. Why? But last year the federal government approved the oil and gas project off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador so they can approve the projects in the East Coast but why they're taking so long to provide for the North?
Oil and gas has been in the Delta since the '70s, '80s, '90s, and early 2000s, Mr. Speaker. I'm born and raised in Tuk, and I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen oil companies come and go. But everybody had work, and everybody had food. Why is the GNWT allowing this moratorium to drag on when our people need work? Mr. Speaker, the federal government is delaying development also and resources for settlement on M18, a natural gas project right outside of my home community of Tuk on 718 Inuvialuit lands. It is a settled land claim. We settled that land claim in 1984, 39 years ago, Mr. Speaker. And they're holding up the project. It's unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, this project is delayed, and what is our GNWT doing about this? What is the GNWT saying to the federal government to get this project back on track and what is our Premier saying about the offshore? And I'll have questions for her later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It seems our health system's on a pretty clear trajectory, which is that its deficit keeps going up and the number of services we offer keeps going down. And, Mr. Speaker, I recognize that many of these are due to the inability and the struggle to find specialized services. And the latest victim in this is our rheumatology program, which has recently been discontinued and transferred down to Alberta. However, Mr. Speaker, after this program was cancelled, we all found out in the news that perhaps it wasn't so hard to find a rheumatologist. And in fact, there was one who had been working with the health system and had intentions to start a multidisciplinary arthritis program. But in order to do that, that rheumatologist would have needed an extra added health position to ensure the continuity of care. And what happened here is asking the health authority for an extra position takes time; I get that. But over a year went by with no response and eventually the rheumatologist gave up.
But he tried one more time with another plan that would not have just as much not continuity of care but at least it would ensure we are providing some rheumatology services in the North. Well, once again HHS didn't get it together, and we didn't get that plan. And so the plan became we'll ship this down to Alberta. And, Mr. Speaker, I think we have to stop relying on Alberta's healthcare system for increased specialized services. We see their wait times. We see the struggles they are going through. And, Mr. Speaker, we need to invest in these.
I'm also not convinced that the math is being done because now what you have is you have an increase in outofterritory services and payments we're making to the Alberta health system, and you have an increase to our ever and growing medical travel budget, Mr. Speaker. If we just worked with the specialist, who was initially here, to provide those services, work to slowly grow the practice and provide that continuity of care, I believe our patients would be better off. And, Mr. Speaker, I'm not convinced that the department worked with those patients because I am now hearing from many people, who have rheumatoid arthritis, of the struggles they are going through to work in that Alberta system. They much would prefer to have access to a rheumatologist here and someone who has that continuity of care to fill the gaps when a rheumatologist is not in our system.
I will have questions for the Minister of health about what we can do to bring this service back to the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate the following young Indigenous Tlicho citizens who participated in Arctic Winter Games 2023:
Jimmy Joe Drybones;
Tenisha Steinwand;
Joshua Wedzin;
Patsy Wetrade. Patsy is originally from Whati but she is living in Behchoko to attend Chief Jimmy Bruneau school;
Rusty Mantla is an admission coach; and,
Ryan Barbeau is a teacher and a coach.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of these young people’s dedication and commitment to sports. They work hard and represented the NWT, especially the Tlicho Nations, but we do more participants from the outlying communities. We have less representation at the Arctic Winter Games.
Mr. Speaker, sports and recreation is critical to life in the NWT. We need to ensure that our children and youth always have outlets and opportunities to play and compete in sports. We know that sports give discipline, structure, and opportunities. Exercise and sports is good for mental health as it is widely reported, and it is a healthy outlet.
Mr. Speaker, one of the Tlicho community governments, specifically Behchoko, the recreation budget is about $2 million but they get very little support from MACA for recreation program, less than $100,000. The funding and recreation programs are using the funds by renting out the sportsplex to other people to generate funds. And even the rent is not enough to sustain the program and services delivered.
Our infrastructure funding, the community government funding, CPI and gas tax, is about $1.7 million, which is nowhere near our infrastructure need, for example, replacing aging pipe in Behchoko and Edzo. This project will take up – Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous consent to conclude.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you. The infrastructure funding CPI and gas tax is about $1.7 million, which is nowhere near the infrastructure needs of the community to replace the aging pipe in Behchoko and Edzo. This project will take up to $30 million, and this is a big challenge. The community government operation and maintenance and water and sewer subsidy funding are not increasing. And as you are aware, the fuel prices, power costs, food – the increase in groceries are all increasing. The cost of living are increasing, and it is –fficult to make ends meet. Sports is so important to children and youth it is recognized to reduce the risk of suicide.
Mr. Speaker, due to lack of funds, community government are struggling to deliver program and services. Communities in my ridings are having to do cutbacks in workers. Mr. Speaker, we must ensure that we do not cut the recreation department. We need to ensure that above all else that children and youth always have access to playing and competing in sports. Thank you. I will have questions for the Minister of MACA.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members’ statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I get into my Member’s statement, I’d just like to wish my two daughters, Nancy and Deborah, a Happy Birthday today.
Mr. Speaker, Brian Kotchea was born on June 7th, 1970, in Fort Liard, to Frederick and Martine Kotchea. He was one of 11 children. They raised their children at the family's traditional camp at Francois, British Columbia. This is where Brian gained many traditional skills from his parents and spoke fluent Slavey. At the camp, Brian developed his traditional skills and knowledge to become a successful hunter and trapper. Over the years, Brian was always known to be good in the bush and a very skilled hunter. According to his brothers, "Brian was one-of-a-kind hunter who would skin a moose fast and would always be happy when he was on the land."
In 1987 Brian had met Alma in Trout Lake, and in 1988 they had their first child Bianca, then followed by Neil, then four more children Brianne, Blair, Brett, and Briant. His family was his everything, including Alma's oldest daughter Tanya who lived in Trout Lake.
Not only was Brian a skilled hunter and trapper but he was also a selftaught mechanic and carpenter. It did not matter if it was crafting a boat or a toboggan, fixing snowmobiles or outboard motors, or fixing log cabins or fireplaces, he was at home in the outdoors, As Brian had knowledge of making birch bark basket and canoes which he loved doing with his wife.
Brian was a good teacher and taught his children the importance of appreciating the land and using the resources that were presented. He always had his children or young nieces and nephews with him. Brian was the happiest when his children were helpful with tasks at the camp, boating or hunting.
Brian loved to go moose hunting along the Liard River. He was well known as a skilled moose hunter and enjoyed hunting with his family and friends but, most importantly, he was able to share his teachings with them, especially with his son Brett.
Brian enjoyed the traditional way of life and shared his skills of harvesting moose meat and sharing whatever he can. He was considerate of others. Brian was passionate about being on the land and often spent much of his time in the bush. Beside loving his family and being in the bush, he enjoyed listening to Elvis. Elvis was always being played at his house or in his vehicles and he would love singing to his children.
Brian was known for his sense of humour and always had a way to make you laugh. He was happy and did not spend much time on negative feelings. The family said that Brian lived a full life. He loved and cared for those close to him, especially his children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, Brian passed away on December 9th, 2022. Brian will be dearly missed by Alma, their children and grandchildren, and forever missed by others, and loved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and community.
