NORTHWEST TERRITORIES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 6th Session Day 14 14th Assembly HANSARD Friday, February 28, 2003 Pages 405 – 436 The Honourable Tony Whitford, Speaker Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Members of the Legislative Assembly Speaker Hon. Tony Whitford (Kam Lake) Hon. Stephen Kakfwi Hon. Joseph L. Handley Mr. Bill Braden (Sahtu) (Weledeh) (Great Slave) Premier Minister Responsible for Energy and Executive Council Hydro Secretariats Mr. Paul Delorey Minister Responsible for Minister of Finance (Hay River North) Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Responsible for the Financial Minister Responsible for the Status of Management Board Women Minister Responsible for the Northwest Mr. Charles Dent Territories Power Corporation (Frame Lake) Hon. Jim Antoine Minister of Transportation (Nahendeh) Minister Responsible for the Workers' Mrs. Jane Groenewegen Compensation Board Deputy Premier (Hay River South) Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Responsible for the Hon. J. Michael Miltenberger Mr. David Krutko Intergovernmental Forum (Thebacha) (Mackenzie Delta) Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Minister of Health and Social Services Economic Development Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities Mr. Leon Lafferty Minister Responsible for Seniors (North Slave) Hon. Roger T. Allen (Inuvik Twin Lakes) Minister of Justice Hon. Jake Ootes Ms. Sandy Lee Minister Responsible for NWT (Yellowknife Centre) (Range Lake) Housing Corporation Minister of Education, Culture and Minister Responsible for Public Employment Mr. Michael McLeod Utilities Board (Deh Cho) Minister Responsible for Youth Hon. Vince R. Steen (Nunakput) Mr. Steven Nitah Minister of Public Works and Services (Tu Nedhe) Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs Mr. Floyd Roland (Inuvik Boot Lake) Mr. Brendan Bell (Yellowknife South) Officers Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Mr. David M. Hamilton Deputy Clerk Clerk of Committees Law Clerks Sergeant-at-Arms Editor of Hansard Mr. Doug Schauerte Mr. Dave Inch Ms. Katherine R. Peterson, Q.C. Ms. Nicole Latour-Theede Michele Vanthull Mr. Charles Thompson 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.....................................................................................................................................................................................405 MINISTERS’ STATEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................................405 26-14(6) - 2003 SOCIAL WORK WEEK .............................................................................................................................405 MEMBERS’ STATEMENTS .......................................................................................................................................................406 MS. LEE ON KOINONIA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN YELLOWKNIFE.................................................................................406 MR. ROLAND ON INCREASING COST OF ELECTRICAL POWER.................................................................................406 MR. DELOREY ON CELEBRATING THE 24TH ANNUAL SCIENCE FAIR ........................................................................407 MRS. GROENEWEGEN ON CHANGING THE WAY GOVERNMENT DOES BUSINES IN THE BEAUFORT-DELTA ...407 MR. STEEN ON TRIBUTE TO WISE WOMEN AWARD WINNER, THE LATE LENA ANIKINA.......................................408 MR. BRADEN ON EDUCATION WEEK JOB SHADOWING AT MILDRED HALL SCHOOL ............................................408 MR. DENT ON ADEQUACY OF STUDENT SUPPORT FUNDING FOR SPECIAL NEEDS.............................................408 MR. LAFFERTY ON CONDOLENCES TO THE WHITFORD FAMILY..............................................................................409 MR. BELL ON RECOGNITION OF BHP BILLITON'S LITERACY PROGRAM..................................................................409 MR. MCLEOD ON PUBLIC HOUSING POLICIES IN NUNAVUT......................................................................................409 RETURNS TO ORAL QUESTIONS ...........................................................................................................................................410 RECOGNITION OF VISITORS IN THE GALLERY....................................................................................................................410 ORAL QUESTIONS....................................................................................................................................................................410 REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES ......................................................................................................420 TABLING OF DOCUMENTS......................................................................................................................................................423 CONSIDERATION IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OF BILLS AND OTHER MATTERS....................................................423 REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE............................................................................................................................434 THIRD READING OF BILLS ......................................................................................................................................................435 ORDERS OF THE DAY..............................................................................................................................................................435 February 28, 2003 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HANSARD Page 405 YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Friday, February 28, 2003 Members Present Honourable Roger Allen, Mr. Bell, Mr. Braden, Mr. Delorey, Mr. Dent, Mrs. Groenewegen, Honourable Joe Handley, Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Mr. Krutko, Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Lee, Mr. McLeod, Honourable Michael Miltenberger, Honourable Jake Ootes, Mr. Roland, Honourable Vince Steen ITEM 1: PRAYER professionals and support workers. This partnership is key to -- Prayer building on family and community strengths in a proactive manner and to providing the necessary supports during times DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr. Krutko): Thank you. Item 2, of crisis or need. Ministers’ statements. Mr. Miltenberger. The Department of Health and Social Services has a ITEM 2: MINISTERS’ STATEMENTS leadership role to promote and nurture the profession of social work within the health and social services system. As Members know, Mr. Speaker, the department continues to work in Minister’s Statement 26-14(6): 2003 Social Work Week partnership with health and social services authorities to implement an action plan that responds to recommendations of HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. the child and family services review done in May 2000. Our Mr. Speaker, next week is NWT Social Work Week. Today I accomplishments include: rise to recognize the valuable contribution of social workers to children, families and communities in the NWT. - providing funding for social workers to access professional development; Mr. Speaker, the strength and wellness of a community is most clearly reflected in the care and concern it places on the most - increasing the number of social workers in the GNWT vulnerable of its residents. The practice of social work in the workforce by 20 positions in the past two years; NWT reinforces this premise as the profession is dedicated to building community connections and family supports that ensure our most vulnerable individuals, including children, - creating a new mentorship program for the social work seniors, persons with disabilities and people in crisis, have profession; safe, respectful and nurturing environments. - improving the electronic information system that social The social work profession is as diverse as the people who fill workers use to deliver child and family services; the positions. Social workers bring their strengths, their skills, their education and their life experiences to their work. In - developing system-wide standards of practice as well as addition to child protection services, social workers provide guidelines of best practices; services in a variety of specialty areas including: - supporting the development of a territorial Foster Parent - community corrections; Association; and, - community development; - supporting non-government organizations to provide services and to advocate for community members. - addictions services; I am also pleased to announce, Mr. Speaker, some new - seniors and disabilities services; resources that are being released as part of Social Work Week. The department partnered with the Association of Social Workers in Northern Canada and Aurora College to develop - mental health services; career booklets, an interactive CD and a toolkit to market the profession of social work in the NWT. - adoption services; These resources are being highlighted during the social work - family counselling; and, conference and AGM that’s being held today and this weekend. - crisis intervention counselling. Mr. Speaker, this year’s theme for Social Work Week is aptly titled “Social Work - Leaders for Social Change.” Join me in As you can see, the social work profession offers much to the recognizing social workers throughout the NWT who bring well-being of our communities and to the NWT