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Legislative Assembly briefs
Spending liquor commission profits
Laura Busch
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 10, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
MLAs passed a motion June 7 asking cabinet to consider spending 10 per cent of the NWT Liquor Commission's profits on alcohol abuse prevention awareness campaigns.
"By dollar value, our government sells more liquor per year than anything else," said Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya, who brought the motion to the house.
Last year, the commission made roughly $24 million in profits from alcohol sales, and spending part of this revenue on substance abuse prevention would send a strong, symbolic message to constituents, he said.
The motion passed by a vote of eight to zero. All seven cabinet ministers abstained from voting.
Cabinet now has 120 days to respond.
Bug biomass?
Mosquitoes and black flies plague the people of the NWT throughout the summer, so why not create a government program that traps some of these pests and burns them as biomass, asked Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli on June 6.
"Bug biomass helps us tackle the issues that get under our skin," he said, adding they are likely to burn just as well as wood pellets.
When asked about the idea later by News/North, Nadli chuckled and said, "It was a lighter take on the biggest problem we have in Fort Providence."
Many people are taking their first drives across the Deh Cho Bridge, however those who want to stop their cars to get a better luck have to battle the bugs to get a good view, he said, suggesting it is time for a creative approach to solve the problem.
"It was kind of taking a light swing at (the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs)," he said. "There used to be an abatement program."
MLAs want formula for spending devolution money
MLAs want clear guidelines on how government will spend the new resource royalties attached to the devolution of lands and resources.
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins brought a motion to this effect on June 7, proposing one-quarter of the money go toward infrastructure investments, one-quarter go to one-time assembly priorities, one-quarter to the Heritage Fund, and one-quarter to debt repayment.
However, this formula is only an example of how the money should be divvied up, Hawkins said. The main point is finding consensus on how the money is spent to avoid the expected $60 million to $70 million annually from becoming a "slush fund" for cabinet.
He also called for the government to consult with the public before finalizing the guidelines on how to spend the new income, adding this may be a way to address criticisms regarding a lack of public consultation during the devolution process.
"If there is a cabinet slush fund, I'd like to know where it is because we're constantly borrowing money to meet the needs of this house," said Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger, who has previously lobbied for all of the additional revenue to be spent on infrastructure.
However, cabinet abstained from voting because the motion is a direction to cabinet, not a binding directive.
The motion passed by a vote of six in favour, two against - Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Alfred Moses and Mackenzie Delta MLA Frederick Blake Jr. - and seven abstentions.
Cabinet now has 120 days to respond.
Time to update organ donation program
"One of the saddest things in the world is seeing a loved one die when they could have been saved," said Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny while introducing his motion to update the Human Tissue Act to create a framework for organ donation in the territory.
The current act, which has only been updated once since becoming law in 1988, has major flaws, said Dolynny.
These include not providing guidelines for transplants from living donors, not defining "tissue," and failing to explicitly ban the sale of human body parts.
Health and Social Services Minister Tom Beaulieu raised concerns about the feasibility of creating an organ donation program in the NWT, because it would require costly specialized equipment and specially-trained medical professionals.
However, he ultimately committed to redrafting the bill and will bring a legislative proposal to committee for
consideration, possibly as soon as during the legislature's fall session.
Dolynny's motion passed with a vote of eight in favour, zero against, and seven abstentions.
Cabinet abstained from voting and now have 120 days to respond.
Offering Norman Wells a helping hand with energy issues
The territorial government is prepared to assist Norman Wells with their energy woes in the same way it is currently assisting Inuvik, Premier Bob McLeod said in the legislature
June 6 in response to questions from Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya.
With less than a year's supply of natural gas left, community members are concerned about the potential for increased heating costs, said Yakeleya.
The use of synthetic natural gas is being considered as an alternative for the community, said McLeod.
Also on June 6, minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation Michael Miltenberger clarified a statement
he gave the week prior on liquor natural gas storage plans in Inuvik.
The power corporation plans to store just less than one week's supply of liquid natural gas in the community, not one month's worth, said Miltenberger.
However, there is one year's supply of back-up diesel fuel on hand in the community, he said.
If, after the year-long liquid natural gas pilot program is complete, it is decided liquid natural gas is the permanent solution to the town's energy crisis, storage space for 30-days worth of the fuel will be built in Inuvik, he said.
Riding on someone else's wheels
Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Alfred Moses spent the day in a wheelchair on June 7 to test how accessible the legislature is for those living with a handicap.
During question period, he asked Health and Social Services Minister Tom Beaulieu for an update on the status of the NWT Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities, a plan released by the legislature in 2007.
Of the 88 recommendations made in the plan, 41 have been completed, 38 are ongoing and nine were considered not applicable, said Beaulieu.
When pushed for more information on why less than half of the recommendations have been complied with, Beaulieu cited a lack of funding. Also, most of these services are handled by third-party organizations, he said.
"I can go back to the organizations and discuss further why some of these actions in the plan could not be carried out," said Beaulieu.
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