Michael Nadli

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the 2013-2014 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories and commends it to this House.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy (ATIPP) Act came into force on December 31, 1996. The law was created to promote government accountability by balancing access to government information with the protection of individual privacy rights related to that information.

Under the act, the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to understand the Minister of Public Works and Services in terms of the aging inventory of capital assets that the government maintains throughout the communities. In this particular instance, we have an aging seniors home. There have been efforts to perhaps renovate it.

What is the policy of this government, especially the Department of Public Works and Services, of these aging buildings? Do they become, at some point, just not usable and the government has to demolish it? At what point would the government engage with the local community to determine the fate...

Recent efforts have indicated because of the age of the facility which was built back in 1970, obviously this government will not make an effort to replace it, but make an effort to renovate it. Recently there was review of request for proposal submissions to renovate the facility as early as January 23, 2015.

Has a contract been awarded and when can the community expect an effort to make improvements to the facility? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Elaine Keenan Bengts has served as the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Northwest Territories since 1997. During her time in office, Ms. Keenan Bengts has demonstrated a passion for information and privacy rights and a long-standing commitment to the work of her office that the Standing Committee on Government Operations respects and admires.

The committee is pleased to hear that Ms. Keenan Bengts will be continuing her important work on a full-time basis as the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

As the 17th...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that we can all agree on the importance of elders and seniors in our communities and the importance of respecting our elders. We can show our respect in many different ways. We learn from the traditional knowledge and wisdom of our elders. We recognize their lessons about the land and its history. In our homes and in our families, we celebrate the role of grandparents, aunts, uncles and other role models in raising our children.

But today some of our seniors are at risk. Today I want to talk about the Deh Gah Gotie Senior Citizens Home in Fort Providence.

Communit...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’ve got the blues, but I want to tell you why that’s a good thing. Today I want to talk about LEDs. LED stands for light emitting diode, and these lights offer a way to replace old-fashioned incandescent lightbulbs and less efficient light sources.

LEDs light up the lives of NWT residents every day at home, school, work and while travelling, from household lightbulbs, televisions and laptop computers to vehicles, streetlights, runway lights at the airport in Lutselk’e and even Christmas lights.

Yes, I’ve got the LED blues. Each of these lights uses a unique blue...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a couple of general comments, but more likely leading up to some questions as well. But for the most part I think the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs might understand where I might be coming from today, because we had such a large group today. Just touching base with some of the leaders, there’s some renewed optimism that things could be salvaged, things could be made possible in terms of at least realizing a dream for some of us, the conclusion of land claims and self-government arrangements, especially with the regions that haven’t settled yet, including the...

I’d like to thank the Premier for basically stating that this government is taking this matter very seriously and doing all it can to assist communities and Northerners with the high cost of living.

Several MLAs in Nunavut have made damning statements against Nutrition North. In places like Gjoa Haven, two small bags of groceries cost residents well over $100.

What is this government doing to collaborate with our territorial neighbours in Nunavut to tackle food insecurity across the entire North? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Premier. This government needs to show stronger leadership in taxing the high costs of basic goods. In my Member’s statement I highlighted the Nutrition North Program.

Has the Premier and his Cabinet reviewed the findings of the Auditor General’s report and public health experts who have clearly demonstrated deficiencies in the Nutrition North Program? As an obvious next step, is this government putting pressure on the federal government to fix fundamental problems with Nutrition North or even bringing the old Food Mail back? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This government needs to do more to tackle the high cost of living. In the remote communities the cost of food and household essentials are double or even triple what you pay in Yellowknife. Nutrition North, which is run by the federal government’s department of Aboriginal and northern affairs, has replaced the old Food Mail Program.

In theory, Nutrition North makes healthy food more accessible and affordable. Its key mechanism is a transportation subsidy given to retailers.

A litany of complaints from northern residents and legislators about the program’s effectiveness was...