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Legislative assembly briefs Hawkins fights for day shelter funding Galit Rodan Northern News Services Published Friday, December 16, 2011
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins questioned Health and Social Services Minister Tom Beaulieu about the territorial government's commitment to continue funding the shelter, which was established in 2009 as a pilot project. The project is scheduled to end in 2012. Hawkins spoke to the importance of the shelter, saying "for some it's the only location where they can go where it's warm during the day where these people ... can access washrooms, phones, get a warm cup of coffee and have a snack." The City of Yellowknife, the Health and Social Services department and BHP Billiton funded the pilot project, but BHP has said it will not extend its funding past the project's scheduled end date. The city has already committed to extending its funding, leaving the GNWT as the only party that had not declared its intentions. Beaulieu said his department had conducted an evaluation of the shelter and is now reviewing the possibility of extending funding through 2012-2013. "Am I correct to hear the minister say in the House today that the downtown day shelter will be protected at least for one more year, the 2012-2013 fiscal year?" asked Hawkins. "Yes, that is the intention," replied Beaulieu. Beaulieu said he hoped his department's evaluation addressed continued funding for the shelter's services, including "access to washrooms, telephone, Internet and so on, and also some counselling to the individuals who are accessing the shelter, to try and improve their lives." Abernethy meets with federal justice minister on omnibus crime bill Justice Minister Glen Abernethy met with his federal counterpart Rob Nicholson Monday to discuss members' concerns about the implementation of Bill C-10, the Harper government's omnibus crime bill. Many MLAs criticized the bill, particularly its imposition of mandatory minimum sentences, which they feared would discourage guilty pleas; burden already overloaded court, legal aid and correctional systems; expose first-time offenders to more hardened criminals; and increase the already disproportionate number of aboriginals in correctional facilities. "Shame on the federal government for doing stuff like this," said Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya. "The residential school days are over. You cannot take the people again in a legal process away from their culture and from their families and their teaching." Last Friday, MLAs passed a motion to urge the federal government to recognize and mitigate the costs and implications of the bill. "Minister Nicholson and I had a positive discussion, recognizing the unique concerns we have in the Northwest Territories," said Abernethy on Tuesday. "We agreed that we will continue to work together on a number of fronts including diversion options, potential options for alternative courts, victim services, aboriginal justice and youth justice." No environmental review before fracking A company called Paramount Resources is already using fracking in the NWT, "apparently without any requirement for environmental review of this controversial technology," said Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley on Tuesday. The company is using hydrochloric or acid fracturing rather than hydraulic fracturing to extract gas from the rock at Cameron Hills near the Alberta border. Bromley said the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board would not comment on the use of fracking because it falls under the jurisdiction of the National Energy Board, which, in turn, said it could not comment because of confidentiality agreements. "The Council of Canadians opposes fracking because of its high carbon emissions, its high water use and the danger it poses to polluting groundwater and local drinking water," said Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro. Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister David Ramsay told Bromley he would look into his concerns over the Cameron Hills site, but reminded him the GNWT currently has no control over the regulatory process. "After we conclude negotiations on devolution, responsibility for managing our lands, waters and resources will rest with the Government of the Northwest Territories, at which time we can take every step to ensure that we know what is happening there."
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