NORTHWEST TERRITORIES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 5th Session Day 10 16th Assembly HANSARD Thursday, May 13, 2010 Pages 4829 - 4862 The Honourable Paul Delorey, Speaker Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Members of the Legislative Assembly Speaker Hon. Paul Delorey (Hay River North) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Glen Abernethy Hon. Sandy Lee Mr. Kevin Menicoche (Great Slave) (Range Lake) (Nahendeh) Minister of Health and Social Services Minister responsible for the Mr. Tom Beaulieu Status of Women Hon. Michael Miltenberger (Tu Nedhe) Minister responsible for (Thebacha) Persons with Disabilities Deputy Premier Minister responsible for Seniors Government House Leader Ms. Wendy Bisaro Minister of Finance (Frame Lake) Minister of Environment and Hon. Bob McLeod Natural Resources Mr. Bob Bromley (Yellowknife South) (Weledeh) Minister of Human Resources Minister of Industry, Tourism Mr. Dave Ramsay and Investment (Kam Lake) Mrs. Jane Groenewegen Minister responsible for the (Hay River South) Public Utilities Board Hon. Floyd Roland Minister responsible for (Inuvik Boot Lake) Energy Initiatives Premier Mr. Robert Hawkins (Yellowknife Centre) Minister of Executive Hon. Michael McLeod Minister of Aboriginal Affairs (Deh Cho) and Intergovernmental Relations Mr. Jackie Jacobson Minister of Transportation Minister responsible for the (Nunakput) Minister of Public Works and Services NWT Power Corporation Mr. David Krutko Hon. Robert C. McLeod Mr. Norman Yakeleya (Mackenzie Delta) (Inuvik Twin Lakes) (Sahtu) Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs Hon. Jackson Lafferty Minister responsible for the (Monfwi) NWT Housing Corporation Minister of Justice Minister responsible for the Workers' Minister of Education, Culture and Safety and Compensation Employment Commission Minister responsible for Youth ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Officers Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Mr. Tim Mercer Deputy Clerk Principal Clerk Principal Clerk, Law Clerks of Committees Operations Mr. Doug Schauerte Ms. Jennifer Knowlan Ms. Gail Bennett Ms. Sheila MacPherson Ms. Sarah Kay ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Box 1320 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Tel: (867) 669-2200 Fax: (867) 920-4735 Toll-Free: 1-800-661-0784 http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories TABLE OF CONTENTS PRAYER ........................................................................................................................................................... 4829 MINISTERS' STATEMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 4829 23-16(5) – 20/20: A Brilliant North, NWT Public Service Strategic Plan’s Action Plan and Results Report (B. McLeod) ............................................................................ 4829 24-16(5) – Family Law Reform (Lafferty) ................................................................................................... 4830 25-16(5) – Public Service Capacity – Community Governments (R. McLeod)........................................... 4831 26-16(5) – Premier Absent from the House (Miltenberger) ........................................................................ 4832 MEMBERS' STATEMENTS.............................................................................................................................. 4832 Employment Opportunities in Nahanni National Park (Menicoche) ........................................................... 4832 Proposed Changes to Supplementary Health Benefits Program (Groenewegen) ..................................... 4832 Housing Repairs for Seniors in Fort Resolution (Beaulieu) ........................................................................ 4833 Proposed Changes to Supplementary Health Benefits Program (Ramsay) ............................................... 4833 Medical Travel Policy Relating to Residents of Ulukhaktok (Jacobson) ..................................................... 4834 Proposed Changes to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program (Abernethy) ...................................... 4834 Proposed Changes to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program (Bisaro) ............................................ 4835 Proposed Changes to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program (Bromley) ......................................... 4836 Proposed Changes to the Supplementary Health Benefits Program (Yakeleya) ....................................... 4837 Legacy from the 15th Legislative Assembly (Hawkins) ............................................................................... 4837 RECOGNITION OF VISITORS IN THE GALLERY .......................................................................................... 4838 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................................. 4838 ORAL QUESTIONS ................................................................................................................................ 4838, 4849 WRITTEN QUESTIONS.................................................................................................................................... 4859 PETITIONS ....................................................................................................................................................... 4860 TABLING OF DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 4860 NOTICES OF MOTION ..................................................................................................................................... 4861 8-16(5) – Referral of Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard (Abernethy) ....................................................................................................... 4861 MOTIONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 4861 7-16(5) – Referral of Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits (Bisaro) .......................................................................... 4861 8-16(5) – Referral of Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard (Abernethy) ....................................................................................................... 4861 ii CONSIDERATION IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OF BILLS AND OTHER MATTERS ........................... 4861 REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE .................................................................................................. 4861 ORDERS OF THE DAY .................................................................................................................................... 4862 May 13, 2010 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HANSARD Page 4829 YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Thursday, May 13, 2010 Members Present Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Krutko, Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Hon. Sandy Lee, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Michael McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. Menicoche, Hon. Michael Miltenberger, Mr. Ramsay, Mr. Yakeleya The House met at 1:37 p.m. MR. RAMSAY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do respect your ruling. I do withdraw those remarks. It Prayer was basically my interpretation of the government’s policy which led me to make the remarks that I ---Prayer made and I respect your ruling. Thank you. MR. SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Thank SPEAKER’S RULING you for that. With that, I think that resolves the DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Krutko): I will now matter. Again, colleagues, the debate we are provide rulings on the points of order raised in the having in this House is important and serious. House on May 12th. All of the points of order dealt There are lots of real issues to focus on and there with unparliamentary language. In dealing with is no need to use disruptive language and name unparliamentary language, the Speaker takes into calling to make the good points on both sides of the account the tone, manner and intention of the debate. I encourage all Members to tone down their Member speaking; the person to whom the words language and treat one another with respect. were directed; the degree of provocation; and, most Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. importantly, whether or not the remarks created The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. disorder in the Chamber. Bob McLeod. The point of order raised by Ms. Lee objected to the use of the word “doublespeak” by the Member for Ministers’ Statements Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy. Ms. Lee felt that the use of this word suggested she had lied to the MINISTER’S STATEMENT 23-16(5): House. Mr. Abernethy gave a different definition, 20/20: A BRILLIANT NORTH, NWT PUBLIC suggesting that the Minister had been ambiguous SERVICE STRATEGIC PLAN’S ACTION PLAN and evasive. I accept Mr. Abernethy’s word on this AND RESULTS REPORT and find that there is no point of order. HON. BOB MCLEOD: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In The points of order raised by the Government October 2009, I announced that the implementation House Leader referred to Mr. Ramsay’s Member’s of 20/20: A Brilliant North,