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        Whitehorse, Yukon

        Tuesday, November 2, 2004 — 1:00 p.m.

Speaker:   I will now call the House to order. We will proceed at this time with prayers.

Prayers

DAILY ROUTINE

Speaker:    We will proceed at this time with the Order Paper.

Tributes.

TRIBUTES 

In recognition of Diabetes Awareness Month

Hon. Mr. Jenkins:   Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this House to ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Diabetes Awareness Month across this country. More than two million Canadians currently live with diabetes, and that number is expected to increase by 72 percent within the next 12 years. Diabetes is a chronic disease that has no cure and is one of the leading causes of death in Canada.

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The Canadian Diabetes Association has worked very hard for the past 51 years to raise awareness, provide services and support Canadians who are affected by this disease.

In the Yukon we support their belief that all people with diabetes can attain an optimal quality of life, and that diabetes is recognized as a major health issue.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services has long supported the Diabetes Education Centre in the Yukon and other groups and organizations that promote the health of Yukon residents. Health professionals believe that lifestyle is one area where individuals can help prevent, delay or manage diabetes. We support the Recreation and Parks Association of Yukon and their active-living strategies that in turn support individuals attaining and maintaining health. The health promotion unit has been working diligently on a smoking cessation campaign, which is very relevant to individuals with diabetes. We continue to explore other ways to help.

Diabetes is a serious disease and can result in a variety of other health issues including heart disease, kidney disease, eye disease and nerve damage.

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The Yukon is not exempt from diabetes. There is no such thing as a day off from diabetes. Once an individual has it, they have it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s a fact of life. It is incumbent upon us to recognize those living with this disease and fighting it, and those who support them.

Thank you.

Speaker:   Are there any further tributes?

Introduction of visitors.

Are there any returns or documents for tabling?

Are there any reports of committees?

Are there any petitions?

Are there any bills to be introduced?

Are there any notices of motion?

NOTICES OF MOTION

Hon. Mr. Jenkins:   I give notice of the following motion:

THAT the membership of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, as established by Motion No. 21 on March 25, 2003 and amended by Motion No. 301 on May 17, 2004, be further amended by rescinding the appointment of Eric Fairclough and appointing Steve Cardiff to the committee.

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Mrs. Peter:   I give notice of the following motion:

THAT this House urges the government, as soon as the results of the U.S federal election are final, to send a public message to the new Alaska Senator clearly stating the Yukon position on opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Speaker’s ruling

Speaker:   During Question Period on October 26, the Member for Lake Laberge rose on a point of order under Standing Order 19(g). The Member for Lake Laberge argued that the Member for Kluane had imputed false or unavowed motives to him by claiming that a notice of motion tabled by the Member for Lake Laberge on October 25, 2004 expressed a desire to abolish the land application process.

The Chair notes that the notice of motion standing in the name of the Member for Lake Laberge urges the government to “streamline” the land application process. The Member for Kluane described the term “streamline”, in the context of the notice of motion, as a code word for abolition.

The Member for Kluane’s suggestion that the Member for Lake Laberge was speaking in code presents a quandary for the Chair. It does not appear that the Member for Kluane questioned the motives of the Member for Lake Laberge. A suggestion that a member is speaking in code is not a direct accusation that a member attempted to deliberately mislead the House; however, it appears to the Chair that the Member for Kluane suggested that the Member for Lake Laberge meant something different from what he said in putting forward the motion in question. This, however inadvertently, implies some form of deception.

Members are free to express their opinions about the possible consequences of a given course of action. The Member for Kluane may state that the outcome of a streamlined land application process will be different from that imagined by the Member for Lake Laberge. That is a matter for debate; however, members should keep in mind that all members are to be treated as honourable in this House. They should be taken at their word without suggestion that they mean something other than they say.

This now brings us to Question Period.

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QUESTION PERIOD

Question re:   Tantalus School, Yukon College campus at

Mr. Fairclough:   My question is for the Minister of Education. On May 18 of this year, a letter was presented to the chair of the school planning committee in Carmacks that degrades and insults First Nation’s customs and their administration building. This letter is inflammatory, so much so that the committee decided to keep it confidential.

The Yukon government released this letter to the media without any concern for the impact it could have. The minister’s senior officials had the letter back in May so the minister must have seen it. Did the minister base his decision about the College on this letter or on other lobbying he received?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   I’d like to correct the record on the member opposite’s comment. This government didn’t release anything.

I want to start out by saying that the difference between that side of the House and this side is that this side has to listen to every citizen’s concerns. It doesn’t appear to be so for the other side of the House.

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And I do respect the opinions of everyone. When someone decides to write their concerns in letter form, I applaud them for that. Because it’s no longer talking behind closed doors that’s taking place; this is a letter that was written and produced.

I want to remind the member opposite that that letter was not sent to me as minister.

There were a lot of issues around making a decision on the Carmacks College campus. It goes from the responsibilities of the First Nation government, the responsibilities of the municipal government and the responsibilities of this Yukon territorial government.

I think it has to be noted that all of the privileges that happen in the community of Mayo are not donated. The town municipal government has a responsibility to ensure there is recreation, water and sewer, all of those things.

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Mr. Fairclough:   The minister is doing a poor job of avoiding the question, Mr. Speaker. Let’s continue.

The government did release it through ATIPP, Mr. Speaker. The minister’s reason for including the College campus onto the new school sounds a lot like what is in the letter. A list of schools in the Yukon that have College campuses attached are in the letter. The letter says that the present campus is inconvenient, it’s uncomfortable, students are distracted, courses are shortened due to closures, the janitorial services are unacceptable and the coordinator has to clean the toilet. It sounds so bad that we wonder how anyone could learn or even work under those circumstances.

When this letter came to the minister’s attention, what steps did he take to have his advanced education officials work with Yukon College to address the situation? Can he lay that out — what steps?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   Well, Mr. Speaker, my first action was to show the utmost respect to another form of government.

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Mr. Speaker, this was not brought out in the floor of this Legislature or put out in the public newspapers because it was an issue that was dealing with Carmacks. It’s not appropriate for this government to bring those issues out on to the floor.

Mr. Speaker, I respect the First Nation government; I respect the municipal government; I respect the citizens of Carmacks; and this would be the last thing this minister would ever do — try to bring out issues that would cause embarrassment to anyone. Mr. Speaker, I felt that this issue could be dealt with within the community of Carmacks. And, again, this letter was not addressed to me as minister. It was addressed to the advisory committee, and I believe that they had some responsibility to take this letter seriously and it was their responsibility to deal with those concerns, Mr. Speaker. At the end of the day, everything and every issue will be taken into account for the new campus.

Mr. Fairclough:   Well, Mr. Speaker, the kind of respect this minister showed to the community was a slap in the face, a decision made without any consultation with the First Nation or any advice from the advisory committee.

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The Premier heard it all when he was at the meeting in Carmacks. The minister is avoiding the question because he wants to hide something, in my view.

The letter writer shows a distinct ability to analyze the architecture of the new school. This is a skill that’s impressive in someone who has nothing to do with building construction at all. The letter reveals that by May some people already knew where the school would be built. That decision was not made by the advisory committee until much later, after the date on the letter.

Will the minister confirm that the decision for the location of the school was made without input from the whole community?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   The member opposite is wrong again — always making criticisms that aren’t accurate. This minister and this government have absolutely nothing to hide with regard to the building of this infrastructure.

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Why would we want to hide anything? This is such a positive initiative; I can’t help but try to seek understanding of why it is so wrong to build this facility.

Mr. Speaker, everything adds up in support of doing exactly what this government is doing — shared instructors in the College, shared facilities, such as the woodworking shop, the welding shop — everything is right at the fingertips of people going to the College.

There is absolutely nothing that I can understand that should be an issue with this project. However, there is, so at the end of the day I applaud the NDP and the Liberal government for starting this process to begin with.

Question re:  Tantalus School, Yukon College campus at

Mr. Fairclough:   I have another question for the Minister of Education. I’m going to table some information that I’m sure the minister already has. One piece is a news release issued this morning by the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation that addresses allegations in the letter I spoke about earlier.

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The second piece is a letter dated June 25, 2004, from the president of Yukon College, apologizing for the hurt caused by this letter and stating that it does not represent the College’s position.

The third piece is a letter with yesterday’s date from the acting president of the Yukon College saying that the College would respect the decision rendered from the community consultative process.

So will the minister make that same commitment and respect the decisions that came from a well-established community consultative process? In other words, will the minister do the right thing and change his mind?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   This whole process has taken many, many months. Let’s talk about what was involved here. First, there was great difficulty of all three being able to decide on the chair. It took months to do that, Mr. Speaker. Finally we had a chair; then the chair didn’t attend meetings and then quit; so, again, back to the drawing board.

This process has been going on for many, many months.

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At the end of the day, Mr. Speaker, I think, at that rate of speed, there wouldn’t even be a school in Carmacks in the four-year term that this government is in, because there would be no decision made. Mr. Speaker, this government is responsible for providing public infrastructure, and we will do so.

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of issues involved with this. It’s not as clear cut as that member opposite would like the public at large to believe. It’s not a clear-cut case, Mr. Speaker. There has been a lot of discussion, a lot of issues raised and dealt with. This has been one very difficult road to keep afloat on, but this government will succeed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Fairclough:   Mr. Speaker, that government will succeed? The process was going well until the minister made a decision on his own, Mr. Speaker. That’s shameful and not respectful of an intergovernmental agreement that he himself signed. At noon, the Grand Chief of Council of Yukon First Nations expressed a strong disapproval of the letter that we have already talked about. Whatever the minister wants to say about his reasons for locating the Yukon College campus at the site of the new Tantalus School, he has to admit one thing: the decision and how the decision was made and communicated had a very damaging effect on the community. The minister has an obligation to help heal the hurt this whole situation has created in Carmacks. So will the minister now admit responsibility for his role in this mess and make a commitment to work with the community and undo the damage that he has caused?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   I stated on the floor of this House before that the member opposite needs only to look in the mirror to understand where some of the dissension is coming from, and I stand by that comment, Mr. Speaker. Again, the member is entitled to his own opinions, and that’s all it is, his own opinion.

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This government has gone far beyond trying to work in consultation with everyone in Carmacks. One of the options that the member opposite probably gave notice to his First Nation on was that they can build a school anywhere they want in the country. Such a request came, one to be built about three to four kilometres out in the bush where we would have to build a road and a bridge and you name it.

Did this government do the right thing by building where there is already infrastructure in place and where that government already bought the property? This government is not about throwing money down the sink. There was $360,000 paid for by that government for the purposes of an education building to be constructed there. Now the member opposite would like the public at large to believe that they’re totally innocent.

Mr. Fairclough:   Well, that’s a bad attempt to avoid the question again. He’s not willing to go down into Carmacks and undo the damage that he has caused. By not answering the question, that’s what he said.

The Premier has made government-to-government relations a priority for his government, but we have watched minister after minister diminish those relationships. The buck stops at the Premier’s desk and he must do something to restore confidence in his government. He can’t use his chequebook to buy his way out of this one.

So let me ask the Premier bluntly: what will the Premier do immediately to bring this disgraceful episode to a positive conclusion for the whole community of Carmacks and especially for the students and their parents?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   Once again I would like to correct the member opposite. This minister is not responsible for the issues that have arisen in Carmacks. This didn’t happen two years ago. According to the history and the research, this issue has been there for many years.

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I’m almost totally convinced now that that is probably why there hasn’t been a school to date. Those governments ran from this issue because it was controversial. This government is not going to. This government is willing to work with the community. We’re even prepared to look at all the social issues; we’re prepared to work with the community to try to find a good solution to this issue.

Mr. Speaker, it’s not about who’s in charge of what or who’s the boss of what; we’re talking about a whole group of people whom I think we all have responsibilities for. The people of Carmacks have the responsibility for each other.

This is such a good initiative. This is a good project, and I think there is absolutely nothing negative about building a beautiful infrastructure that’s going to increase the education opportunities for every citizen for years to come.

Question re:  Land applications, policy

Ms. Duncan:   Almost a month ago I warned the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources to take action to correct a major mistake this government made over the summer. I’m talking about the minister’s secretive decision to tweak the rules for land applications around Whitehorse.

The Yukon Party made that decision without talking to anyone. There was no consultation with the City of Whitehorse, no consultation with the Kwanlin Dun and no notice to the general public, just more of the father-knows-best attitude that Yukoners have come to expect from this government.

The government’s unilateral decision now has them in trouble with the Kwanlin Dun First Nation. The Chief of the Kwanlin Dun wants these applications rejected until a fair process is put in place. That’s the same solution I recommended almost a month ago.

Is the Premier now prepared to admit his minister’s mistakes and ensure these land applications are rejected?

Hon. Mr. Fentie:   On behalf of the minister, I will respond. I think it’s important to note that the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, under the leadership of the minister, has taken on the majority of federal programs and services that were being delivered in the territory, and he has done a masterful job of ensuring a smooth transition.

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I think, if we talk about any significant change at all, Mr. Speaker, it’s about going from two offices for land applications to one, and a clarity of process that didn’t exist before. Beyond that, we’ve absorbed and inherited all existing policies and programs that were in place.

This is not a distribution of land at all; it’s an application process. All the documentation was forwarded to the First Nation under our obligation to consult. Furthermore, there are many processes yet to be gone through before any decision is going to be made on whether or not land will be distributed.

So I would point out to the member of the third party, the leader of the former government, that, when in office and negotiating the devolution transfer agreement, this would have been a good opportunity to bring up this so-called problem.

Ms. Duncan:   Mr. Speaker, with each new day, this government’s in a fight with a different First Nation. The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in has taken the government to court over the Tombstone Park. The Carmacks-Little Salmon First Nation was here on opening day to show their displeasure with this government’s handling of the Carmacks school. Today, it’s the Kwanlin Dun. And the timing couldn’t be worse, with the ratification vote for its land claim scheduled for this weekend. I warned the minister last week in Question Period and Chief Mike Smith said this morning the timing of the staking rush is suspect for a government that says it wants to resolve land claims.

The Premier can clean up after this minister if he stands up and says the land applications will be rejected until such time as there is a fair, full, public process that includes consultation with all the affected parties, including the First Nation.

Will he stand up and clean up after this minister and reject the land applications?

Hon. Mr. Fentie:   The member pointed out, rightly so, that there needs to be a process, and the member says that we should reject the applications because there is no process.

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I’m not sure which point she was trying to make; however, let us look at the facts. These applications now must go through a full environmental screening under the Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Act. It’s also a requirement that they go through the Land Application Review Committee, and we are obligated in that process to involve the First Nation at the outset, as I believe they are members on the committee.

This committee and these processes may recommend a protracted land planning process. There is much to be done here in accordance with all the existing policies and programs that were in place under that member’s government, under the former NDP government, under the federal government. We have inherited these processes. Our government now is doing the work necessary to improve access to land and how it is done. I think it is time to look at what the department has done, and the minister, and start commending them for the smooth transition that was undertaken under their leadership.

Ms. Duncan:   The Premier is not recognizing the seriousness of this situation. The Kwanlin Dun ratification vote is four days away and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The government should be doing everything it can to ensure that that deal passes. Instead the government is part of the problem.

The Yukon Party this summer made a unilateral decision to accept land applications around Whitehorse. This decision has infuriated the leadership of the Kwanlin Dun, the City of Whitehorse, existing land holders and other applicants. It is not a fair and open public process because of the tweaking of the land policy by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources.

There is a solution. It is a solution that has been recommended by a number of parties: reject the land applications until a proper public process can be outlined and agreed upon. Is the Premier prepared to do that?

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Hon. Mr. Fentie:   Mr. Speaker, I would point out to the member opposite that there is a proper public process. What does the member think the Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Act is? It’s a very proper, public process. What does the member think the Land Application Review Committee is? It’s a very proper, public process. What does the member think a proactive land use planning exercise would be? Well, Mr. Speaker, I would point out to the member opposite that it’s a very proper, public process, no matter what the steps may be. Every step along the way, the First Nation — and I assure the First Nation that they will be involved in a meaningful way, as governments should be. There is no reason to be concerned here. We are a long way away from even making one decision on one square inch of land being allocated because of the very proper, public processes in conjunction with our obligation to consult and work with First Nations in a meaningful relationship.

Question re:  Emergency medical services transfer

 Mr. McRobb:   The Minister of Health and Social Services needs to clear away some of the smoke and mirrors clouding his proposed transfer of emergency medical services to the Whitehorse General Hospital. Can he now inform this House of his intentions with respect to this transfer, and why hasn’t he consulted with the Yukon Employees Union or the public on this matter?

Hon. Mr. Jenkins:   Mr. Speaker, this government is engaged in a process of providing the highest consistent level of service to Yukoners from any of the areas that we are involved in. Health and Social Services is involved in the service delivery in a whole series of areas that Yukoners have come to rely on, and the exercise we’re engaged in is to maintain that system and improve it and make sure it is a hand-in-glove arrangement. What the member opposite is probably suggesting is that we have forced the right-hand glove onto the left hand. We’re not prepared to do that.

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We want a system that Yukoners know will work and know they can rely upon, and we are going to do exactly that.

Mr. McRobb:   Unfortunately, the minister failed to remove any of those smoke and mirrors I asked him to clear away. This is cause for concern and it has created confusion within the public service, but this minister has quite a reputation for creating confusion and concern. Just look at his flip-flop on the Macaulay Lodge issue or the purchasing of the ambulances recently, as well as a host of other issues.

Now, in discussions with the former deputy minister, the union was told the whole concept had died. Was the deputy minister right or was he simply out of the minister’s loop as he was during the purchase of the white elephant ambulances?

Hon. Mr. Jenkins:   Was there a question there? I’m just simply amazed at the content of these white elephants that the member is marching in. I think he’s running some sort of a zoo. There’s probably an opportunity for the member opposite for employment opportunities on the Yukon game preserve.

The issue is that our government is going to provide the highest consistent level of services to Yukoners that we can possibly provide.

Question re:  Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

 Mrs. Peter:   My question is for the Minister of Environment. Today the people of the United States vote in their federal election. By all counts, the country is deeply divided and results from across the United States could go either way. This is true in our border state of Alaska. However, in the Alaska Senate race on an issue of great importance to the Yukon, both national party candidates are in agreement. Both candidates are strongly in favour of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Tomorrow morning, what position is this minister going to convey to the new U.S. administration on behalf of the Yukon on drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge?

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Hon. Mr. Jenkins:   I’m sure tomorrow morning, when the new president is elected, I won’t be called upon for my opinion, nor will the Yukon, but with respect to the Porcupine caribou herd, our position as a government has not changed one iota.

Mrs. Peter:   The Premier and this government have always paid lip service in the past to the notion of protection of the Porcupine caribou herd. He has never come flat out and stated that he is in opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and he has failed to take the necessary concrete steps to make the Yukon government’s position crystal clear.

Will the Premier now make a clear public commitment that this government is totally opposed to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and send a copy of that commitment to the new U.S. government?

Hon. Mr. Jenkins:   With respect to the critical habitat area occupied by the Porcupine caribou herd, our government’s position has not changed one iota. It has been the subject of debate that was unanimously agreed upon by all parties in this House on two separate occasions that I can recall, and I was involved in the debate on both of them and supported it without reservation or hesitation. That was a position taken in the 1990s and again reaffirmed, and we are not going to back down from our position as to where we stand with respect to development and drilling on the 1002 lands. It’s on the record; it has been stated time and time again; our position has not changed. I don’t know how I can make that more abundantly clear.

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Question re:  Whitehorse Correctional Centre repairs

Mr. Cardiff:   My question is for the Minister of Justice today, Mr. Speaker.

The taxpayers of the Yukon have spent millions on corrections in the past few years. The previous NDP government did an extensive consultation on restorative justice. The previous Liberal government actually began site preparation for a new facility. Unfortunately that was more money thrown into the wind when the Premier single-handedly scrapped the project because he knew better. The Yukon Party government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the last year on renovations to the present jail. This year they’re spending nearly another $1 million on the same questionable exercise.

My question for the minister is: does he really believe that all of the money that’s being spent on patching up the problems at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre addresses the issues?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   Well, Mr. Speaker, I have to start by saying that this government is concerned, and maybe that’s what was lacking with the other people who did all the consultation. I don’t know.

But, Mr. Speaker, nothing is ever a waste of time.

I acknowledge the work that was done by the NDP and I certainly acknowledge the work that was done by the Liberal government.

Mr. Speaker, the Justice portfolio is more than just building a jail. There are a lot of issues at play here — major concerns in the communities, major concerns in the Yukon. All of the issues that come around Justice are not just a jail. This government has embarked on a process to try to identify what needs to be changed in the justice system, other than building a jail, and I want to make it perfectly clear that the correctional facility is a must. It has to happen, because that’s the way it is in society. There must be a correctional facility.

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Mr. Cardiff:   The minister just admitted that a correctional facility is necessary. It would be nice if this government would address the issue at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre before it crumbles around the people who are working there and the people who live there on a daily basis. 

Last fall the previous minister announced a half a million dollars to address the fire marshal’s recommendations. She announced that in the fall for what should have been a winter works project. Fast forward to the first day of summer, and this government announces that they are actually going to do something, and now it going to cost a million dollars. Meanwhile, we still have inmates who are escaping and the minister has yet to actually communicate with the public around what happened in this last escape and explain it to the public. Again, this government knows best.

My question is this: how will the millions of dollars that are being spent on renovations to the jail give the Yukon public the security it is paying for?

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   I would like to state for the record, Mr. Speaker, that it is my opinion that the member opposite is really exaggerating the condition of the correctional facility. Nothing is crumbling around anybody’s necks.

Some Hon. Member:   (Inaudible)

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   I rest my case, Mr. Speaker. This government is taking more steps toward ensuring that there are things happening at the facility. This government has done more programming in two years than has been done in that facility for a number of years; for example, small engine repairs, fire suppression programs, and this winter the facility will be conducting log building programs.

Things are going quite well at the facility at the present time, and this government is working toward providing training to the staff and ensuring that the staff are well looked after.

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Speaker’s statement

Speaker:   Before the final supplementary, the Chair is uncomfortable with some of the terminology being used today. I am concerned that it will lead to discord, so I would ask all members to just focus a little bit more on the questions and the answers.

Member for Mount Lorne, your question.

Mr. Cardiff:   Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ll do our best.

For the past two years, we have heard the same refrain from this government. Unfortunately, I think that they’re the ones who are exaggerating the work that they’re doing, and they want to research the problems once again, redo the work that has already been done, and the jail is still crumbling, and it is still full of safety and security problems, both for the staff, the inmates and the public. In the latest budget we have another $700,000 being spent on correctional reform — another year and a half before there are any results. And the public isn’t fooled by this. They know when the next election is due, Mr. Speaker. It’s due in 2006. Well, surprise — that’s when the Premier is going to have to call an election. So let’s ask the Premier — the Premier wanted to wade into this previously — if this is part of his hidden agenda to drag out this process so that he can finally announce a new jail as part of a vote buyer in 2006.

Speaker’s statement

Speaker:   Before the minister answers, obviously you misinterpreted my earlier interruption. The term “exaggerating” is, in effect, intimating that the members are not telling the truth. That will not be allowed any more, on either side.

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won’t use that word any more.

I would like to begin by addressing the previous comments the member opposite made about inmates escaping. I need to remind the member opposite that it happens all the time, right across the country. Inmates escape. In fact, it even happened in the escape-proof Alcatraz. So let’s not be too hard on this little facility in Whitehorse.

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This government has embarked upon a process to review the correctional reform. This is a very positive initiative.

Once again, I attended the opening across the road. I might add that I didn’t see any of the opposition there, probably because they have their own agenda and they’re working on that now for the next election.

Trying to accuse this government of doing things just for their own purposes is just a bunch of ideas that are coming from across the floor again.

Speaker:   The time for Question Period has now elapsed.

Notice of opposition private members’ business

Mr. McRobb:   Pursuant to Standing Order 14.2(3), I would like to identify the item standing in the name of the official opposition to be called on Wednesday, November 3, 2004. It is Bill No. 107, Democratic Reform Act, standing in the name of the Member for Whitehorse Center.

Ms. Duncan:   Pursuant to Standing Order 14.2(3), I would like to identify the item standing in the name of the third party to be called on Wednesday, November 3, 2004. It is Motion No. 209, standing in the name of the Member for Porter Creek South.

Withdrawal of motions

Speaker:   The Chair wishes to inform the House of changes that have been made to the Order Paper. Motion No. 183 and Motion No. 307, both standing in the name of the Member for Porter Creek South, have been removed from the Order Paper as they are outdated.

We will now proceed to Orders of the Day.

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ORDERS OF THE DAY

GOVERNMENT BILLS

Bill No. 12: Second Reading — adjourned debate

Clerk:   Second reading, Bill No. 12, standing in the name of the Hon. Mr. Fentie; adjourned debate, the Hon. Mr. Edzerza.

Speaker:   The member has 15 minutes.

Hon. Mr. Edzerza:   There has been a lot of very interesting discussion over the last couple of days. I must say that there has been a lot of controversy around the issue in Carmacks. My sincere hope is that, at the end of the day, things will work out in a positive manner. We must not start criticizing and making people feel as though they cannot speak or say anything without being ostracized or condemned. I do commend people who do write their concerns.

It’s our job as a government to listen to everyone and we have to acknowledge anyone who wants to write letters. Again, I think there’s an awful lot of work to do and this government is up to that task. We will work with all citizens in Carmacks and try to come out on a very positive note.

I ended yesterday talking about the late French immersion program. The Yukon government committed to implementing a late French immersion program this past fall. Heritage Canada has increased their funding contribution by $121,000, of which $115,000 has been allocated for the late French immersion program this year.

The Yukon government took the lead in the creation of the late French immersion pilot project that was implemented at Whitehorse Elementary. With the Yukon government’s guarantee of support, the program will go ahead while we continue to negotiate funding from the federal government.

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There are 14 students enrolled for the late immersion and many parents have indicated an interest in enrolling their children if the program is offered next year. We are very pleased with the positive uptake on this program as we continue to do our work and to provide the kind of education opportunities the Yukon wants.

An additional $42,000 has been allocated for Canada study grants. This funding is 100-percent cost-recoverable from the federal government. Mr. Speaker, more Yukon students are pursuing post-secondary education opportunities so, in addition to indexing the Yukon grant, we have allocated an additional $200,000 for this fiscal year to meet their needs.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education is also requesting a new capital budget increase of $494,000. This is made up of a number of projects, including the Teslin school renovations at $146,000 for the design of the gym, the Watson Lake school technology wing upgrade at $91,000, the building of an addition and the upgrading of the heating system for Eliza Van Bibber School at $85,000, the Mayo community school improvements at $61,000 to finalize completion of a cold-storage shed, PA system upgrades and mezzanine guardrail modifications.

And I am pleased to say that we have allocated an additional $500,000 to the community training fund. This funding will be used to meet increased demands for more training in trades and literacy.

With the revote of $44,000 for projects that carried over into the year, the total increase is $544,000. The funds will help ensure that we have a skilled workforce that enables individuals to participate in the Yukon’s economy.

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Our government wants to provide Yukoners with the best opportunities to adapt to the changing world of work. Continuing education and training plays an important role in keeping Yukoners engaged in the workforce. Some people need to learn basic life skills to acquire and maintain employment. Some people need training to start new businesses. Some people need training so they can fill labour shortages in crucial sectors such as the trades. Thanks to the opportunities provided by the community training funds, Yukoners from every walk of life are finding their role in part of a skilled workforce. Community training funds are an important investment in our people, in our workforce and in our communities.

Projects funded with the new money to community training funds are as follows: the Teslin Carcross carpentry pre-employment program will receive $180,000; the literacy action committee had a shortfall of $48,000 on the last round of proposals. There were many worthy projects that went unfunded, so we are requesting $60,000 to meet the need.

Skills Yukon will receive $50,000 to continue its work with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to reposition trade and technology careers as a first-choice option for youth. $50,000 is designated toward the workplace literacy pilot; $50,000 will be provided to the community training fund in Haines Junction, which has identified some outstanding training initiatives that require funding.

These capital supplementary budget increases are reduced by unexpected and other capital projects, including the Tantalus School replacement project funding, which was deferred by $325,000 to 2005-06. This building project is on schedule, and we plan to have the school completed by August of 2006.

This money is not being used because construction cannot begin until the summer of 2005.

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The Porter Creek Secondary cafeteria project funding was deferred by $150,000 to 2005-06. Again, this money is not being used because construction cannot begin until the summer of 2005. Over the course of the project planning, changes to the scope and delivery of the building project meant that the building designs have not yet been finalized. I can assure the House that these projects are still proceeding and will be delivered on schedule.

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to providing the best possible educational opportunities for Yukoners. This supplementary budget continues commitment to lifelong learning and providing Yukoners with the skills they need to take advantage of the economy.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to just make mention of some of the expenditures that are being put into the operation and maintenance. For example, $840,000 to the Yukon government collective agreement, $667,000 to the Yukon College collective agreement, $1,704,000 to the Yukon Teachers Association collective agreement, $261,000 toward FASD initiatives, $119,000 toward the Association of the Yukon School Councils, Boards and Committees, $100,000 for student grant indexing and $111,000 toward aboriginal language trainees. Mr. Speaker, the aboriginal language trainees positions have been sought after for many years, and this government embarked upon it because it’s very important to ensure that the First Nation languages do not become extinct. $500,000 was put to First Nation languages and cultural materials development.

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$335,000 toward the alternative pathways to education — again, this is a very important initiative because it targets the youth who have dropped out of school and who may be able to proceed with just a little bit of a different environment; $375,000 toward the home tutor program — again, this is a very important initiative because there has been a lot of criticism of students not doing as well in the achievement tests as they could. Well, this government recognizes that and developed this home tutor program; so, again, a very positive initiative.

The Yukon College has been seeking increases to their base grant for many years. This government increased that base grant by $1 million. We have put $107,000 toward student training and employment, STEP, which adds 32 new jobs for students. We put $100,000 toward literacy initiatives, $74,000 toward a Yukon government apprenticeship program, and $468,000 toward education reform. Again, this education reform is to mirror the process of the Children’s Act review, a very positive step in ensuring that all the stakeholders in the Yukon are going to be involved with the education process and how it will best serve all citizens in the territory.

We have put $200,000 toward an increase to the Yukon grant to meet demands, and $115,000, as I mentioned earlier, toward the late French immersion. This government took that step without the federal government. It was done because it was a necessity and this government will deal with the federal government in the future.

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We put $42,000 toward the Canada study grant; $25,000 toward the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, which enables a student, upon request, to get into the veterinary college.

I also hold the portfolio of Justice, and it does give me great pleasure to introduce the 2004-05 supplementary budget for the Department of Justice. I would like to acknowledge all the hard work the Premier and my fellow Cabinet ministers put into this supplementary budget. This budget shows how this government can adapt to the changing situations that our departments present us after the regular budget is tabled. The hardworking staff at the Department of Justice has been busy over the many months since we last sat in the House working on preparing for the consultation on corrections.

In addition to moving into their new offices on Lambert Street here in Whitehorse, the project team has begun work on background materials for the consultation and has been preparing for the active part of the consultation. This consultation will take place over the next year and a half and will look at all aspects of corrections in the Yukon.

It is our expectation that out of this consultation we will have a corrections model that will better serve our citizens well into the future. This consultation will be much broader than the building-centred consultation that had been carried out in the past.

Mr. Speaker, Justice staff has also been working with Property Management to bring the Whitehorse Correctional Centre up to standards acceptable to the fire marshal.

I would like to talk just a bit about the criticisms we have had about not working with First Nations. Here’s an example: aboriginal language teachers, $2,280,000; YNTEP, $540,000; First Nation curriculum materials and resources, $500,000; Native Language Centre, $352,000; department staff who work directly on First Nations curriculum and programming, $200,000; aboriginal language teacher trainees, $111,000, and this will rise to $200,000 on an ongoing basis when all six trainees are in place.

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And the list goes on, for a grand total of $4,143,000 that’s put directly into First Nation funding. Mr. Speaker, I hardly believe that this is not working to the interest of First Nations. I applaud this government for being responsible for doing a good job.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Fairclough:   I’d like to respond to this supplementary budget and also to the words that came from the previous speaker, Mr. Speaker.

When it comes to consultation, this government said they would do it. But in reality, consultation doesn’t take place as well as it should. This has been conveyed over and over again.

When it comes to the Carmacks school, an agreement that this minister signed and then broke immediately, the community voiced themselves. And how did they do it? By a demonstration outside of this House. The minister ought to be ashamed of that consultation process that he is so proud of. It’s wrong; the minister knows that.

When it comes to consultation in communities, it seems like a quick trip in and out. If they talk to someone in the community and the First Nation, that’s consultation. I don’t believe that that government knows the definition of what that word really means. Over and over, we bring it up in this House, and over and over again we see the relationships between government and First Nations diminishing. It’s sad, because we’re going backwards, all because of the actions of some of the ministers in this House. And the sad part of it is they all work for the Premier and the Premier allows it to happen. It’s unfortunate, Mr. Speaker, that communities have to go to the point of challenging things in this House with the government in the Yukon courts.

Speaker’s statement

Speaker:   Order please. I allowed the minister to carry on for a brief period of time after Question Period with regard to the issues that arose during the day. I have allowed the Member for Mayo-Tatchun the same privilege, but now I would ask that you go on to your supplementary budget debate, please. 032a

Mr. Fairclough:    Okay, Mr. Speaker, but it is related to the budget because everything that the members opposite say here in this supplementary budget should be about consultation with the public. So we bring up issues, examples, over and over again, and we will continue to do that. I believe it’s right in line with how a debate should take place on budgets and in response to the Premier’s remarks and the minister’s remarks of what they believe their government is doing with this supplementary budget.

So, Mr. Speaker, we have to draw their attention back to their commitments. We have to do that.

The public does not forget, Mr. Speaker. Just think about when the Yukon Party first got elected. What did they do? The first thing they did was to cry poverty to the public: “There are no monies there for you, for your little projects. There isn’t any. The Liberals spent it all.” That’s what they did — they cried poverty.

And then they were going to do something about it, Mr. Speaker. It’s well known. The budget they presented to this House was all about government spending and the trajectory. The word was used over and over again by the ministers and the backbenchers in response to the Premier’s budget speech and so on. It was listed right there. It was in big bold letters — that their budget was about government spending trajectory. It was going up, it was too high, it was not sustainable, and the Yukon Party was not going to deficit finance. They weren’t going to do that.

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That was a promise and a commitment right here in this House. What have we seen since? Did this government follow what they said they were going to do in this House? No, they didn’t. They went the other way; spending got bigger. Of course more monies are coming in. We have devolution; we have to take that into consideration.

There are people who do not forget about this government pleading poverty and so on. This government went into negotiations with Yukon teachers: “We have no money; we can’t give you what you are asking for.” Basically that’s the message that was given.  They took the government at its word. They settled an agreement and all of a sudden there was a big pot of money — a big pot of surplus money, which we said existed all along. We just had to wait for the Auditor General’s report to see it and prove it to the public again. Even though the members opposite all said there was nothing, the Auditor General said it and they wouldn’t even believe it. It was tabled in this House. They couldn’t believe that there was a surplus.

Then they went into negotiations with the public service and made a settlement with them and the teachers were not happy with the messages that were given to them by this government. Today they are still not happy.

Then something else happened. We’re talking about finances here. The Yukon Party decided — I think they put the Member for Klondike in charge of this one — that government should have a bigger surplus, so they moved the numbers around, looked at what their assets were. Here we have a building; let’s throw it in as a surplus.

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All of a sudden the surplus grew to over $300 million. The government had a $300 million-plus surplus. What kind of message is that sending to Yukoners? Is it saying that this government has the ability to spend that kind of money on community priorities and priorities of the territory? Is that really the message? After all, we do have a surplus and it’s big money. It’s listed in the books today.

I think maybe the Yukon Party thought a lot about that. They couldn’t reverse their decision. They’d never do that. It takes a lot to get those members opposite to admit mistakes in this House, mistakes they’ve made that we and the public feel are mistakes. They wouldn’t admit to that. I think that they realize perhaps that $300 million could not just be spent like that.

They looked at other options, threatened things, we feel, across the territory like entering into public-private partnerships on things they didn’t really campaign for at all. The bridge was one of them. People were upset about how this government conducted business. They couldn’t deal with their own ministers — out-of-control ministers in my view, rogue ministers. The Premier has to constantly clean up after his ministers, and I’m sure that’s really weighing heavily on him right now. I’m sure they had many meetings in making sure the ministers are following proper process and protocol as required of them by the public.

So we have a government that says there is all kinds of money out there and projects will get built — whether you like it or not, is almost the way they do things. They make a decision and then they ask the public, “How do you like us so far?” In other words, they make a decision and then they go out and consult.

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That is backwards from what they promised. Didn’t we hear those big-C words, Mr. Speaker, that the Premier said over and over? They would compromise, they would consult, and that didn’t happen. First Nations and municipalities all came forward and expressed their concerns. And I think that this Yukon Party government likes to feel the power that they have. They’ve gone to the point of disrupting our democratic system, in my view.

Let’s have a look at Dawson City, the mayor and council. The people elected them. The Yukon Party government threw them out and then they decided to spend money however they want in bringing people forward — big money too. It is not forgotten. This is a big topic up in Dawson City. It scares the heck out of the Member for Klondike to know that people are not happy with that member, especially given that this government promised to deal with the loans issue. He promised to deal with his ministers. He said he had a permanent solution and will have a permanent solution by June of this year. Well, months have gone by since then and, guess what? Nothing has happened. It’s unfortunate, because the Premier allows his ministers not to deal with the matter.

One of the big discussions that’s taking place in communities is on elections. Of course, people can’t wait for an election. That’s for sure, here. But for municipalities, when people owe money to municipalities, they can’t run in elections. It’s okay for the Premier here to allow his ministers to walk away with public money. And I say that because there are no payments being made. I know the Member for Klondike did admit that he is fully part of it, and he did it by putting a $10,000 payment on his loan in 1996 before he ran in the election, to put him in the good books, Mr. Speaker. That he’s in the good books now is what he wanted to portray to the public.

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Then, in 1997, he proceeded to negotiate, tried to negotiate with the Yukon government to find a better way to deal with this matter. It didn’t go anywhere. The member hasn’t made a payment since and the public is not happy. They are not happy with this government and the way in which they handled it. It is the Premier allowing his ministers — two of his ministers, I should say, I shouldn’t say all of them — to continue to take the public money without paying any of it back. This is unfortunate because businesses that have received loans attempted to pay them back. Years and years of paying the money back. He treats his ministers differently than he does other businesses.

Take a look at Carmacks school, for example. They got a business development loan from the Yukon government for their administration building. They have almost paid it off now. How did they get treated? Wow, that’s incredible: $750,000, worked with the College and government to design this building — a really nice building, by the way, Mr. Speaker. I’d invite you to take a tour of that. I believe that you would be impressed with it. And they’re paying back their loan. It’s just about done, and there’s no mention of that through this Yukon Party government.

In the meantime, this Yukon Party government gives good contracts to some of their friends, puts money in their pockets, says it was money well spent. We’ve questioned some of that in this House, Mr. Speaker — about where the money is going, what the results are of where the money went — and many times really there isn’t any. The money has gone. It’s just incredible because it happens one after another after another, and these are big monies. When an organization gets turned down for $5,000 to put on a program in their community and they look at this government putting $120,000 into someone’s pocket for a 12-page photocopy, it doesn’t make sense to me.

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Is that building healthier communities? Is that what this supplementary budget is all about — carrying on that line that the Yukon Party has tried their best to tell the public what they are doing? We know that perhaps not all the members on that side of the House have control of the spending. We know that. It’s done through Management Board. I know that backbenchers basically have little say on the matter — little say at all. It is up to those on Management Board who approves monies.

I heard the Minister of Education say that he is committed to better learning facilities in the community of Carmacks. Let’s pick that one for instance. He said that we voted against the budget that had the school in it. I thought, did this government already write another budget? Because it’s not in there. It’s not in the budget, so how can you vote against something that’s not in there?

I have four minutes.

I think the minister finally realized — he just said it today — that they are reducing the amount of money for the design of the school. It will be in next year’s budget. The Yukon Party — what did they do where they were in opposition? Now that they are in government, do they bring this up? The fact that they voted against Mayo school, and they voted against the school in Ross River and the one in Old Crow; they voted against the building of Yukon College — all the programming that has been put in place through the community development fund. How come they didn’t say that?  They conveniently left it out.

There are certainly a lot of issues in my riding. I’ve said it to the members opposite over and over again in this House. It was never reflected in the budget, so I am wondering why the heck I should even bring them up in this House?

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Is it going to go on deaf ears? Are the minister and people in Management Board, in putting together a budget, actually going to hear this? I think not. I certainly hope that members opposite do a lot better in their jobs than they are doing right now when it comes to government-to-government relationships and respecting the final agreements as they were written and signed by the Yukon government. That’s what is needed here and it’s lacking. We’re in the position of going to court. It’s very bad timing. We have other First Nations who still want to finalize their agreements. We’re going to court. We have the minister who overrules a board on their suggestion. Look at the renewable resource council with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. That is wrong, and the minister knows that. That’s wrong. That’s not building better relations with communities; it’s going the opposite way. I think that this government really realized right now that they’d better do stuff for themselves because in four years’ time they know they’re going to be out.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Hon. Mr. Kenyon:   It gives me great pleasure to make general comments on the budget that’s on the floor. I would certainly like to thank the member opposite for his speech, which was obviously very much to the point and covered, I’m sure, a couple of points somewhere in there, although they were difficult to find at times. What bothers me about this, just to make a couple of comments to lead into this, is that the member opposite criticizes this side of the House for including assets in the budget. It’s called full accrual accounting, but the member opposite doesn’t understand full accrual accounting. He doesn’t understand that we did it at the request of the Auditor General. He doesn’t understand accounting and budgetary processes. He asks the question, “What are they trying to accomplish?” Well, what we wanted to accomplish was accuracy, and that’s something that this side of the House takes very seriously.

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He mentions Dawson City; but again he doesn’t understand budgeting, he doesn’t understand accounting and he certainly doesn’t understand the municipality that’s going virtually bankrupt. He also can’t read the Municipal Act, because all of this is covered under the Municipal Act, if he would take the time to read it.

I’m further concerned about the Member for Whitehorse Centre, who made the comment that there are no mines right now. Well, Mr. Speaker, the whole process of the mining community requires exploration, requires the process of locating and identifying mines that can be proofed and mines that can be opened over a period of time. It was that very process that had died an ignominious death over a number of years, and so therefore very few properties could be developed into a mine. We have gone from around $6 million to, I believe, over $30 million in mining exploration. So in that short period of time I suggest that there are a number of mines on the verge of opening, and it has taken two years to do that. It has been a long process.

The other thing that bothers me in the whole process, Mr. Speaker, is — maybe there’s a reason, and I’ve tried now for six months to get my head around this, but I do have difficulty with the Liberal philosophy that the way to stimulate the economy is to kill the Department of Economic Development. There may be some reason for this. I would love to have that discussion someday.

Our government recreated the Department of Economic Development. We need specialists. We need business analysts. We need strategic investment counsellors. We need regional development. That is what we heard at the door, over and over and over again. Single mothers whose husbands were working outside of the territory, families moving out, one fellow in Porter Creek North fixing his truck so he could drive out — that was his way of solving the economic problems here. But we’ve tackled that, Mr. Speaker, and in the past year we’ve developed a whole new strategic direction, with constant and continuing input from our business community, our First Nations and from labour and industry.

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The new strategic direction was put to use right away, and we’re reaping the benefits of this new economic strategy now. Exploration is up; jobs are up; the economy is up; most businesses are doing well. Are all? Probably not, but more and more every day, and that’s what this is about. It has taken this much time to try to recover from what I suggest is a very disappointing choice by the previous government to kill the very department that our economy depends on.

Our key focus was to improve the Yukon economy and get Yukoners back to work. I think the numbers speak for themselves. I hear from the side opposite that nothing is happening. Well, let’s see what’s not happening in this territory.

The Yukon’s labour force increased by 500 new workers entering the workforce between September 2003 and September 2004. The number of people employed in the territory increased by 1,100 from a year ago to 14,100. I believe that doesn’t include 100 more part-time workers. Employment rate — 73.6 percent of our total population aged 15 and over.

I remember reading the front page of one of our newspapers some time ago where a former government leader made the comment that nothing was happening; we weren’t accomplishing anything by what we were doing. But I do notice that, in that very newspaper, five pages of want ads for jobs, and good jobs too — some careers, some long-term, some very high-paying, the whole spectrum. Perhaps the reporter who wrote that article didn’t bother looking at the back pages of his own newspaper.

The average weekly earning for Yukoners as of August was $790.84; the average in Canada, $697.94 — $100 a week more in the Yukon. There are good jobs available here, Mr. Speaker.

The Yukon number of employment insurance recipients has decreased by 11.7 percent; Canada as a nation saw a 6.2-percent reduction — almost twice as good as the rest of the country.

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Mr. Speaker, if this is accomplishing nothing, I look forward to accomplishing nothing in the remaining two years of this mandate.

The unemployment rate in the Yukon right now is about six percent, in Canada 7.1 percent. The high in Canada, in Newfoundland and Labrador, where I had the good fortune of being a few weeks ago, is 15.9 percent. They’ve got some major problems there. The Canada low is Alberta — 4.8 percent.

The interesting thing about Yukon being six percent is that many economists and many statisticians consider roughly 6.5 as full employment, and what we have seen now is really a difficulty in getting tradespeople to work and filling the jobs that we have. It’s a problem that we’re glad to have. What I’ve seen already is a number of people moving in. Personally I know a number of families that have moved back or have seen the opportunities here and moved up from British Columbia and up from Alberta. I talked to a good friend who is in Alberta, moved down a number of years ago, and he’s returning because he can see the opportunities that are developing here.

We’re seeing the increased optimism. I had a business owner the other day complain to me that his biggest problem is he can’t keep product on the shelf. He had a truckload sale, sold out in a couple of days and had to bring in another truck. Again, problems like this we can work with.

Yukoners believe in the government now. They believe in the economy and they’re making investments for their families and for themselves. This is very evident in the real estate market. This is one place where we go to look at this. It’s a very vibrant real estate market. Low interest rates, speculation on the Alaska Highway pipeline project — all of these things are certainly factors. But overall, the value of real estate transactions in the Yukon for the second quarter of 2004 increased by 26.4 percent from the second quarter of 2003. In Whitehorse, the value of transactions increased by 29.8 percent while in the rest of the Yukon the value for transactions increased 13.9 percent. The average selling price of a home in Whitehorse increased by eight percent, or $13,500, from the second quarter of 2003 to the second quarter of 2004.

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We really are doing a poor job here, aren’t we?

Commercial property is very active. Investors are coming in. The department is in the process of hiring staff and establishing operating structures and trying to recover from — I would say “decimation”, but I would rather say “complete wipe-out” by the previous government. Gold, silver, copper, coal, lead, zinc and jade are all drawing increased attention to the Yukon’s mineral wealth and opportunities.

We’ve had a number of investors. China is not the only one. We’ve had investors from South America, from Chile, from the United States. We’ve already hosted a number of recent visits by Chinese investors looking at mining properties, but the problem is that because of the lack of increased enthusiasm over the last number of years and with the decrease of exploration, we don’t have an awful lot of mines ready to go. So there will be a flurry of activity with those, and we will see exploration take off.

We have a group from Hunan province who are looking at developing jade processing and jade carving. They’re also looking at the possibility of educational opportunities, private schools, clothing manufacture. Another group from Jiangsu province is looking at coal prospects and possibly steel in the very long term. Another group from Guangdong is coming in, we hope, in another month or month and a half. Their interest is gold, copper and jade. Orient Mining Limited announced on September 13 that they’re opening an office in Whitehorse and that they’re seeking investment opportunities in Yukon-based mineral properties and projects. This is an extremely active group and an extremely well-funded group, and they’re here for the long haul.

One of things I found most interesting was in my opportunity to spend some time in China and to meet some of the players and see the absolutely explosive growth in China. China has taken an interesting attitude. Are there problems in China? Of course there are. Are there social problems? Are there political problems? Yes, of course there are, but they have come at the highest levels to understand that unless they join with the rest of the world in the 21^st century — unless they really come in, develop their economy, loosen up on human rights and everything else, they have no future. This was very clear when we travelled there. We had no difficulty getting into the Internet anywhere we went. I could get into any site I needed to get into from the Internet. People were well spoken about Internet issues, well spoken about world events.

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And I had an opportunity one evening to have a marvellous dinner with Mr. Man Li.

Some Hon. Member:   Point of order.

Quorum count

Speaker:   Member for Mount Lorne, on a point of order.

Mr. Cardiff:   Pursuant to Standing Order 3(2), there doesn’t appear to be a quorum.

Speaker:   Order please. According to Standing Order 3(2), if, at any time during the sitting of the Assembly, the Speaker’s attention is drawn to the fact that there does not appear to be a quorum, the Speaker will cause the bells to ring and do a count.

Bells

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Speaker:   There are 11 members present. Quorum is present. We will now continue debate.

Hon. Mr. Kenyon:   Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for a slight interruption there.

To revisit what I was talking about, Mr. Speaker, I am certainly very glad that we had the opportunity to draw more people into this debate, but I had an opportunity to have dinner with Mr. Man Li. Now, Mr. Man Li is president of MCC, which is the parent company of 70 different corporations, which includes Minmetal, the company that has put the $7 billion bid on Noranda.

In the course of the evening, he told an interesting story of speaking with a Canadian politician, whom I probably shouldn’t identify. But he was trying to be polite and made the comment that Canada has socialism too, you know, and Mr. Man Li made the comment to which he appended — the Canadian politician didn’t appreciate it very much. But he made the comment back that in China the whole idea of socialism is to make everyone rich and to work together so that everyone wins. In Canada, Mr. Speaker, socialism seems to want to make everyone poor.

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Somewhere in between there has to be some degree of reality, and we look forward to working with the Chinese delegations.

Another group is coming from Chile in South America — on and on — of other people who have shown an interest in the development of Yukon’s economy.

I noticed that Yukon emeralds are now available commercially. Again, the one member opposite who said there were no producing mines in the Yukon missed that one slightly — we can’t forget that.

Energy, Mines and Resources announced that the Yukon government had issued a licence to Devon Canada for an oil and gas drilling program in the Kotaneelee. It’s the first well to be drilled under the new regime and the first drilling licence authorized in over 20 years. I think we can do better than that. Devon will spend approximately $20 million to establish the new Kotaneelee wells.

We had a fairly high-level delegation from Prince George who came up and wanted to talk about developing things between our two jurisdictions. There are all sorts of things that can be developed there: the use of the medical school at Prince George’s University of Northern British Columbia in the training of nurse practitioners, a very rare and valuable breed. We have much more experience than they do with this.

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There is also the recruitment of doctors and nurses to train there, who are more likely to stay in the north; to hopefully re-establish an air corridor between Prince George and the Yukon to utilize their MRI unit, shorten waiting times, increase health care and increase their financial position — all sorts of possibilities on that. We’re working very actively to bring White Pass & Yukon Route up into the Yukon farther and hopefully eventually into Whitehorse directly.

So all of these things are really good things that we’re working on and again, Mr. Speaker, the employment statistics and such are just staggering. For someone to say that nothing is happening in the territory is beyond reason. Somebody is simply not — they’re seeing pink elephants perhaps and not white elephants, but they’re certainly not dealing with what the real thing is.

The Yukon’s economy is growing. The forecast is three-to four-percent increase in GDP, a substantial number. Our economic sectors are showing signs of improvement. I’ve mentioned mining, forestry, tourism — for all of our problems last summer, Mr. Speaker, tourism is actually up and growing.

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Employment opportunities. People are coming home — 900 new residents. I just came from lunch where the Atco delegation is being hosted to talk about their involvement in the Canada Winter Games. As that gets closer, we are seeing more and more involvement of people outside of the territory. We are approaching the whole issue in a pan-northern way involving all three territories. The optimism is just staggering.

The one thing that does bother me, however, is support and involvement of other levels of government — particularly the federal government of course. I just had the opportunity — and one of the members opposite was asking about this — of a meeting in Chibougamau, Quebec, for the ministers of northern development. They refer to these meetings as FPTs — federal/provincial/territorial meetings. Interestingly — and I can understand our federal government’s problem that they have in the House right now in not allowing people to go out or go very far, I should say — I can see why a minister might not come. I can understand why a parliamentary secretary might not come. A deputy minister would have been nice. An assistant deputy minister probably would have been acceptable. A director? Well, you know, that’s pushing it, but that’s possible. A manager? Well, we’re getting down there. They sent a policy analyst. One. She sat and took a few notes and avoided any discussion with any of the territories.

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I have difficulty when the federal government highlights in the throne speech that their intention is to support the north, to promote the north and to look at not only what the north gets from the federal government, but what we have to give back. Let’s face it; everything that is spent up here is taxed. It buys supplies, it buys air transportation, it buys fuel, it buys vehicles, and it buys everything, which also goes back south. So, it is a two-way street here.

For the federal government to not send anyone who could adequately participate in the discussions definitely did not go unnoticed. It was a point of very serious contention. One of the things that came out of that was an opportunity to sit down with my colleagues, the ministers responsible for Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, and we are agreed and firm that the territories — continuing the effort that our government has made and the other governments have made — will continue to act in concert, will continue to meet independently and will continue to present to our federal government the vision of the northern territories.

We must do this because certainly it was obvious from those meetings that there was simply no support from the federal government at the political level to hear the territories. We got a very nice letter from the minister wishing us a good conference and I do credit the Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories for that, but somehow it would have been nice to actually send someone to talk.

Interestingly, the one comment that I thought was quite funny, from Quebec, was that even if the federal NDP had sent a backbencher, it would have been a nice touch. We didn’t even get that.

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So with those comments, I’m very happy to present the supplementary budget for the Department of Economic Development and regret that I don’t have the opportunity to get into the corporations, but we’ll be happy to deal with those in line-by-line. I’m sure there will be the odd question or two, perhaps on point.

Mr. Cardiff:   I appreciate the opportunity today to talk about the spending priorities of the Yukon Party government and to give credit where credit is due and, at the same time, to represent my constituents and the concerns they have and to hold the government accountable for the priorities they’ve taken and to point out the flaws we see.

I’d like to actually take this opportunity publicly in the Legislature to thank the Minister of Community Services for the response south of Whitehorse on the windstorm cleanup, the expanded FireSmart program —

Some Hon. Member:   (Inaudible)

Mr. Cardiff:   That’s probably a first, Mr. Speaker, to have the Member for Southern Lakes applauding something I would say.

But I have to say that the residents are very pleased with the announcement and the expanded opportunities to do cleanup work and the assistance that’s being provided. There are even new ideas still coming forward, looking to try to coordinate the cutting of firewood and the provision of that firewood to people in need in the community, in the subdivisions — people who wouldn’t normally be able to get out and cut their own firewood. There’s an opportunity for residents to assist their neighbours. Some of that work has already been done. I’d like to thank the minister publicly for that.

There are a couple of other initiatives the Minister of Community Services has also taken up on behalf of my constituents. I had an opportunity to raise these issues with the minister previously. The minister’s officials have indicated that the Mile 9 dump will become a transfer station for one year in the spring, and that is a very welcome announcement to be made in the Hamlet of Mount Lorne.

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People are really excited about that. The minister has also given us assurance that there will be an order-in-council. If it isn’t in place already, it will be in place shortly providing access to the salary grant for the Lorne Mountain Community Association. I was at the meeting last night, and they’re looking forward to being able to receive that salary grant any day now. So give credit where credit is due. Those are some of the areas where the government has listened to the concerns that I’ve brought forward and responded in a positive fashion, and I’d like to express my appreciation for that.

There are some areas that have been issues that I’ve raised and the minister has addressed some of them. Both the Minister of Community Services and the Minister of Health and Social Services have talked about the supply of water and the need for reliable access to drinking water. There are a couple of problems there. There is a problem in municipalities and communities around the Yukon with actually having a supply of clean drinking water available in those communities. Some of the areas around Whitehorse, within my riding, in the riding to the north of Whitehorse and in the Southern Lakes riding, have issues around the cost of water delivery. I don’t know if there’s any money in the supplementary budget to address the well-drilling program and its accessibility to people who live within the City of Whitehorse or live within a municipality somewhere else. They don’t have access to that well-drilling program.

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I hope the minister has taken up his colleague’s urging to work with municipalities. He has indicated that he is willing to do that, and when the opportunity presents itself — which will be guaranteed shortly — I’m hoping that he will work with municipalities and the Association of Yukon Communities to find a way to make the well program and clean, reliable sources of drinking water available to all Yukoners.

I think it’s very important.

It appears to me, though, Mr. Speaker, that if you look at water and sewer and clean, accessible drinking water, one of the issues is affordability. They haven’t totally addressed the issue of affordability. There’s even a written question on the Order Paper that has appeared every Monday, I think for probably the last year, asking the Minister of Health if he’s going to address the issue of affordability in the drinking water consultations. He has yet to respond to that written question, which has been there for over a year.

If you look at the community services infrastructure budget, Mr. Speaker, when it comes to water and sewage issues, and if you look at the capital expenditures side in this budget, what we see is a whole bunch of negatives. We see a total of $9 million being taken away from sewage treatment and disposal, Canada strategic infrastructure fund projects and municipal rural infrastructure projects.

When the Government of Canada announced some of these monies that were available previously, the municipal rural infrastructure fund was to have a green infrastructure focus and would target projects such as water and waste water treatment infrastructure, municipal environmental energy improvements, public transit infrastructure and solid waste treatment infrastructure.

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Obviously, when you look at this budget, we mustn’t have any problems because we’re taking money away from those projects. The minister hasn’t identified the fact that there is an aid and hasn’t done the work to identify the projects to allow us to actually recover that money from the federal government and provide this needed infrastructure to communities. I’m sure you can look around or you can go to Dawson, you can go to Carmacks. There is need for affordable, clean drinking water and sewage treatment facilities in lots of communities.

I’d like to address another issue that’s important to constituents in my riding. That is land development. The land development is actually another one where we have a negative in this supplementary budget, so we’re going to do less land development by the looks of it, or we’re not doing some land development that we had planned to do. I’m not sure. We’ll ask the minister that when we get into general debate in that department, I guess. But land development is a hot topic, actually, these days, Mr. Speaker, as I’m sure you’re aware. Land development in the Hamlet of Mount Lorne and in the Wolf Creek area in particular is a very hot topic, and my constituents are very disappointed with the response that this government has had. The Premier mentioned in a letter to me and my constituents when I raised the issue about an environmental screening, which, by the way, if we listen to the Premier today talk about environmental screening is cold comfort to the residents of my community, and the Premier should recognize that. He made a promise that a full environmental screening would address all of the concerns of residents, that they would be addressed before any development took place. Well, Mr. Speaker, the residents still have concerns. The environmental screening did not allay their concerns.

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Yet the Premier today — he’s also the minister responsible for Executive Council Office, which is where the responsibility for the Yukon environmental assessment process lies, so he is responsible — is citing that this is going to comfort people around this new land development up on Fish Lake Road. It didn’t address the concerns of the constituents in my riding around land development. In fact, they consider it was a sham, that it was not even meant to address the concerns that they had. As far as they are concerned, the concerns that they brought forward were ignored and they are finally getting their voices heard at city council.

One other thing I would like to address, in looking at the budget — yesterday there was a question around the money that is being spent in Dawson for the trustee since the municipal government has been tossed out of office by this government. It is interesting that we can ask questions in this House and sometimes we get answers. Most of the time it is a bunch of bafflegab that doesn’t make any sense or it doesn’t actually answer the question. They skirt around the question and give us an answer to something that wasn’t even asked. And when we ask questions about money issues we think it’s important to get answers. I asked the minister yesterday about an expenditure of $120,000 on a CAO for Dawson. Unfortunately, today I had to find out from the press that the City of Dawson actually wasn’t paying the CAO $120,000. They are paying him exactly what the CAO of the previous municipal council was getting.

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What the minister failed to tell me and the Yukon public was who was topping up his wages. Well, the minister should have been able to tell me and the Yukon public that, but no, he chose to go outside of the Legislature and tell the media. I think that is a disservice to this Legislature. I think it’s a disservice to the public to not give answers here but to walk out of the House five minutes later and give answers to the media. Why aren’t we all entitled to the same information? I think the minister could have provided that information and it would have answered part of the question yesterday. Unfortunately, it probably raises more questions, which maybe we’ll have to ask the minister when we get into general debate in this department.

I’m not sure how much more time I have, but I would like to touch briefly on another area that I’m responsible for as critic and that’s the Department of Justice.

Today there was an announcement — if you look in the budget, they’re asking us to vote another half a million dollars for correctional reform. If you look through budgets over past years there has been a lot of money spent on — you can call it what you want. You can call it correctional reform. You can call it restorative justice. You can call it community justice initiatives. A lot of money been spent in this territory discussing how the correctional system should address the problems that face Yukoners and the justice system. There has been lots of money spent. There has been lots of talk. There has been lots of papers produced. We’re engaged again in another discussion that basically, in my mind, gets away from one of the things that really needs to happen.

I’m not saying that the programming that has been offered over the years at the Whitehorse Correctional Center or in Teslin or any correctional facility has been perfect. There’s always room for improvement. We know that. I know that. The Minister of Justice knows that. Members on this side of the House know it. The Premier knows it. The former Minister of Justice knows that we can always improve what it is that we’re doing.

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I don’t think we should lose sight of that. I think we should. What I think this government has lost sight of is the health and safety of the people who work, day in and day out, in what I consider to be squalid conditions. I don’t know if the Minister of Justice has been to the correctional facility — I’m sure he has — but he should have taken off his rose-coloured glasses because I did a tour. I spent a couple of hours up there walking around, looking at the doors that are being replaced, looking at the windows that are being replaced, looking at the improvements. The improvements will do nothing to improve the working conditions of the people who work there.

There are some safety issues that will be addressed. The doors will be more fireproof so, when they close, fires will be contained. It will be a safer facility for the people who are there, but if you look closely at the structure — this is a 37-year-old structure, not something that was built recently and is an unnecessary expense. I think it’s important for reasons of health and safety of the inmates and workers.

It was interesting, Mr. Speaker, but the minister actually compared it to Alcatraz. Well, it’s far from it. It’s not Alcatraz. If you look at the escapes that have happened, I think the public is worried about it. I’ve been here since 1976; I’ve witnessed through the media many escapes that have happened, and some of them have had tragic consequences. Before we have an escape that has tragic consequences again, I think we need to address those concerns. I don’t mean we should put another band-aid on the problem. The facility needs to be replaced and all the issues of health and safety and of public safety with regard to escapes need to be addressed.

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So I, too, would like to talk about issues of affordable housing and social housing. I’d like to talk about lots of other things and I know that we’ll have an opportunity soon to do that. I look forward to listening to some of the comments from the members opposite and thank you for this opportunity.

Mr. Rouble:   Mr. Speaker, it’s my honour and my pleasure to respond to the Premier’s supplementary budget speech today and to recommend to all members of our Assembly that they support this budget.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I recognized a new theme coming from the opposition. They can correct me if I’m wrong but here’s my take on it. It appears that they would like the Yukon people to believe that, when things go right, it isn’t a result of the government, but when things go wrong it’s all the government’s fault. I think they want Yukoners to believe that the government doesn’t have any role in helping to improve the quality of life for Yukoners — and I find fault with that — but, at the same time, they want to put all of the responsibility for every negative thing that happens to any Yukoner squarely on the shoulders of this government. Well, I know that Yukoners know that isn’t the case. Yukoners know better than that. But I guess that’s the role of opposition again, to oppose, but again I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s growing tired of the negative, “just say no”, attitude.

Mr. Speaker, I’m pretty excited about this supplementary budget. It builds upon an excellent budget that was put forward last fall. We put forward a vision, listened openly to input, considered and analyzed information and put forward a budget that responded to the needs and the abilities of the territory.

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Now, Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased and proud to report that the Yukon government is building a revitalized, diversified economy that is putting people and communities back to work. The Yukon government is tackling a wide range of social and economic issues, ensuring that Yukoners can live and work in healthy, thriving communities, and the Yukon government is creating meaningful and effective partnerships with First Nations and other governments to the benefit of everyone in the Yukon. Mr. Speaker, that’s progress.

This builds upon the momentum. Goals are being reached, objectives are being accomplished and momentum is building. This supplementary budget continues to move the Yukon in the right direction.

Now, Mr. Speaker, we don’t hear a lot of this in this Assembly — that is, reporting progress on issues. Normally, we discuss an awful lot about what we’re going to do. Now, let’s take a look at what we said we were going to do in the last budget and report some progress on it. I’ll start with some of the initiatives that occurred in the beautiful Southern Lakes.

The Premier announced that the Carcross waterfront project would qualify under the federal strategic infrastructure program. Well, Mr. Speaker, that application is well underway. The federal government has the application and we’re waiting for them to live up to their commitment, and we are committed to working with the community on this project. During the budget speech, we heard a desire to see the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad return through Carcross to Whitehorse and that our government would facilitate discussions to see how this could be expedited. Well, Mr. Speaker, I’m pleased to report progress on this. Plans are well underway to bring the train back to Carcross this summer.

We allocated funds to do major work on the Tagish Road to bring the route up to an 80-kilometre/hour standard and to improve safety conditions. Done.

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BST has to be done next year but we need the year to let the road settle and do a little bit more compaction. $140,000 has been designated for the planning and design of a community centre at Marsh Lake. Done. Clean water was recognized as a fundamental service and an initiative to create a well-digging program was set in place; $700,000 was budgeted for that.  People are drilling wells as we speak.

There was a commitment to reinstate the community development fund and FireSmart. Done. Our government committed to upgrading the hourly rate for volunteer firefighters from $10/hour to $20/hour. Done. $28,000 was budgeted for that, and I would suggest that that was money very well spent.

Additionally, money was spent this summer to pay volunteer firefighters to be on-site during extreme fire warning days in Marsh Lake, Tagish, Carcross and Mount Lorne. I know a lot of the volunteers who were out in attendance at the fire hall or conducting roving patrols throughout the community, and I personally know that saved fires from spreading. It was money well spent. It helped save and protect our community.

Let’s see, another $65,000 was made available to increase the contribution available to communities under the winter activities program for communities like Tagish, Marsh Lake and Mount Lorne. Done.

These are some very significant accomplishments of things that have happened in the beautiful Southern Lakes. We committed to doing them — they’re done. Cross them off the list.

There are other initiatives that are well underway. At the Premier’s recent community tour, we also heard other concerns expressed; things like needing more home care in Tagish; needing assistance with community governance in Carcross; and with an emergency response vehicle in Marsh Lake. I’m proud to say that this government is actively taking steps to address those needs.

I’ve brought to light some of the accomplishments in the beautiful Southern Lakes but there has been an awful lot more that has happened in the territory.

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This government has taken steps to build a healthy economy. I am pleased to report that there have been no tax or fee increases, that FireSmart has been reinstated, that the community development fund has been reinstated, that a Department of Economic Development has been established, that there has been the development of the strategic industries development program, that this government has reinstated the stand-alone Department of Tourism, that it has developed the enterprise development fund for business, developed a strategic industries investment fund, developed the tourism cooperative marketing fund, developed a regional development program that will improve economic health in Yukon communities. It has extended the mineral exploration tax credit for three years, negotiated the pan-northern economic development, reinvested in community training funds. In fact there is another $500,000 in this supplementary for community training funds. The Yukon mineral incentive program has been fully subscribed to, another great investment in the Yukon. The government has developed a geoscience database for industry and land use decision making. It has implemented a tourism cooperative marketing fund. It has funded the Old Crow visitor reception exhibit and funded the Tombstone Interpretive Centre. It has implemented improved access to Kluane National Park, which facilitates partnerships with Holland America and Parks Canada, and implemented a craft strategy where over $60,000 was spent for training and marketing. We’ve supported the Yukon First Nations Tourism Association, drafted the Yukon tourism brand strategy, improved Yukon airports by investing close to $1.5 million at the Whitehorse Airport. In Old Crow the new air terminal building will see, I believe, over $4 million in improvements there. 

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We’ve worked to improve air access to the Yukon. Condor is now continuing to fly twice a week from Frankfurt to Whitehorse, Air Canada Japan has extended the interline relationship with Air North and we have extended the hours of operation at the Whitehorse Airport. We have enhanced the gateway cities program by providing an additional $100,000, contributed to First Nation cultural centres such as the Carcross-Tagish First Nation cultural centre, and contributed $220,000 in funding to support Dawson, Teslin, Pelly and Carmacks First Nations’ cultural centres. We have invested in water and sewer and used the Canadian strategic infrastructure fund, $26 million, for water and sewer in Dawson, Carmacks, Teslin and Burwash. We have invested in highways and public works infrastructure — $32 million matched from the Canadian strategic infrastructure fund for highways has been spent on projects such as the Teslin bridge, almost $12 million for Alaska Highway upgrades between Champagne and Haines Junction, $200,000 for erosion control on the Dempster Highway, over $2 million for reconstruction of the Klondike Highway, almost half a million dollars for work on the Campbell Highway and work on the Top of the World Highway.

There has been a signed MOU on forestry with the Kaska First Nation. There has been a signed north Yukon economic development partnership agreement. We have helped to form the aboriginal pipeline group. We’re in the process of implementing the draft Alsek strategy forest management plan. We’re completing the north Yukon pipeline assessment. We’ve completed a subagreement on oil and gas with the Northwest Territories. We have secured funding for care and maintenance for BYG, Mount Nansen, Clinton Creek and United Keno Hill mines. We have preserved the roundhouse and provided $25,000 to MacBride Museum to develop an interpretive plan. We’ve signed the tourism and sport development accord with B.C. and, Mr. Speaker, we’re working hard on our commitment to building healthy families and communities.

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We’re doing this with increased funding from the federal government. We’re increasing hospital funding — over $3 million and more increases in funding in this supplementary. We’ve increased drug program funding. We’ve established a primary health care transition fund. We’ve added continuing care beds. We have recruited internal medicine specialists. We’ve negotiated a Yukon Medical Association physician agreement. We’ve completed a new Health Professions Act. We’ve completed coordinating a strategy for prevention of family violence. We’ve completed skill development training sessions. We’ve established a domestic violence treatment court in Watson Lake.

We’ve improved child support and increased the amount of money in people’s pockets by excluding child support payments and calculation of tenant rents in Yukon Housing units. We’ve negotiated with Canada the implementation of the municipal rural infrastructure fund.

We’ve expanded alternative education apprenticeship programs. This includes programs such as a carpentry pre-employment program in Dawson, a piping trades program offered at Yukon College, supported efforts to train Yukoners for oil and gas jobs by offering petroleum industry training services certified courses at Yukon College. We have invested $200,000 for youth employment programs, provided $50,000 for access to College programs and trades promotions.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve initiated resource exploration training courses. We’ve reinstated the Yukon excellence awards. We’ve indexed the Yukon student grant. We’ve enhanced teacher professional development, improved access to the Yukon native teachers education program, conducted a community needs assessment and community needs project fund. Mr. Speaker, that was a great program in which the Minister of Education went out to visit many of Yukon’s schools and student councils. He talked with them about what they needed, found out about it and then invested the money in what they needed.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve implemented a five-step fetal alcohol spectrum disorder action plan. There has been an investment in substance abuse programs.

We’ve improved the signage and displays at the Whitehorse fishway and hatchery. We’ve enhanced the Yukon child benefit. We’ve increased the Yukon pioneer utility grant — increased it by 25 percent, indexed it against inflation — which is a pretty good marker to index it against — and again this year announced a further 10-percent increase.

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We’ve established a crisis line in partnership with our partners from British Columbia. We’ve improved legal aid. We’ve improved local hire by expanding the definition of local residents to include students who have left the Yukon but still consider themselves residents. We’ve established a decade of sport and culture. Canada Winter Games — I could spend the whole 20 minutes talking about the Canada Winter Games and how they’re going to benefit the community. We provided funding for the Canada Senior Games, a very popular event that happened this past summer. We opened Copper Ridge phases 10 and 11. Why? Because more people want to live in the beautiful territory. There is a demand for land out there, so we have opened phases 10 and 11 in Copper Ridge. We released more land in Haines Junction, invested in replacing the Tantalus School in Carmacks, completed an assessment of the gasifier at Yukon College, launched the rural domestic well water program, and increased funding for volunteer firefighters.

We’ve built on building our relations. We’ve signed the consultation protocol. We’ve established priorities for the Kaska economic table. We’ve signed the Kaska MOU on forestry, signed the north Yukon economic partnership agreement, helped to form the Aboriginal Pipeline Coalition, implemented the draft Alsek strategy forest management plan, signed an MOU on forestry with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, completed a subagreement on oil and gas with Northwest Territories. This list goes on and on and on. We signed a bilateral accord with Alaska, signed intergovernmental accords with British Columbia, and became a full partner in the Council of Federation.

This is a can-do government. This is a government that is willing to try. This is a government that believes in the Yukon, that wants to invest in the Yukon and wants to see Yukoners prosper.

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This is a great supplementary budget. It addresses the need of the territory. We’ve heard from the ministers on how their different departments are affected by it and what will be accomplished.

Now, Mr. Speaker, this is all good stuff. This will help the territory build a revitalized, diversified economy and put people to work and communities to work. It will help to tackle a wide range of social and economic issues, ensuring that Yukoners can live and work in healthy thriving communities. It will help to create meaningful and effective partnerships with First Nations and other governments.

This is a positive budget; it’s a step in the right direction. I would encourage all members to build on the momentum because I know they can feel it too. When you talk to Yukoners in the street today and ask them, “Is life better now than it was two years ago?” The answer I get is, “You bet.” Life is good, life is grand. People are making plans. Let’s continue to build on the momentum; let’s continue to work toward a better Yukon. I would encourage all members to support this budget and help us accomplish those goals.

Mrs. Peter:   It’s my pleasure to speak to the supplementary budget.

Two years ago this government was elected on promises they made to the Yukon public, on commitments that they made to the people of the Yukon. Today we live in very challenging times. We have two levels of government throughout our territory: we have the First Nations governments and we have the territorial government. And we have to have somewhat of a relationship with the federal government.

When I think about government, or a government body, I think about transparency, accountability and trust. I believe that these are key to building any kind of important relationship.

As a result of land claims, the land claims agreements in our territory, the Yukon First Nations are exercising their powers of self-government and responsibilities in many areas. Each community within our territory has visions, long-term visions for their people.  One only has to look in my own riding of Vuntut Gwitchin where families are working very hard to try to make ends meet to keep their families fed and secure.

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We appreciate what this government has done for the community of Old Crow. We have come to this government with our plans for projects in Old Crow; we’ve come to this government with plans for infrastructure for the community of Old Crow; and the people appreciate that they have come through.

I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of the Chief and Council of Vuntut Gwitchin. I would also like to acknowledge the resource people we have in our community. They’re the ones who keep the community going.

Our communities are run by very limited resources. We have a very small pool of resources in Old Crow. At the First Nation administration level, we have about 30 people who are employed to run a government. We talk about building capacity for our community, but that process is slow. However, our people and the leadership of Old Crow have a very solid direction. We know where we want to go and how we want to get there. We do our homework; the plans are put in place before we bring our plans to the Yukon territorial government.

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The Premier and some of his colleagues came to the community of Old Crow a couple of weeks ago. They heard from the people what the priorities are; they heard what the issues are. We have a five-year plan, Mr. Deputy Speaker, for the people. Some other issues that are important are lack of program delivery, and social concerns are of great importance to our community.

We face many challenges in that area. Over the past two years, violence against women has been in the forefront of issues that we as a society have to deal with. I’m happy to see that the Women’s Directorate is finally reaching out to the communities to build the relationship that needs to address these issues on a united front. It’s a shame that the older women’s program that’s being