MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_01CDB12F.1A80A470" This document is a Web archive file. If you are seeing this message, this means your browser or editor doesn't support Web archive files. For more information on the Web archive format, go to http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/office/webarchive.htm ------=_NextPart_01CDB12F.1A80A470 Content-Location: file:///C:/B1334696/036.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii"
&n=
bsp;
Speaker: I will now call the House to order. We will proceed at this t=
ime
with prayers.
Prayers
DAILY ROUTINE
Speaker: We will proceed at this time with the Order Paper.
Tributes.
TRIBUTES
In recognition of the Rick Hansen Foundatio=
n
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: I rise on behalf of the House today= to honour the Rick Hansen Foundation, whose goal is to build a healthy and inclusive world. Twenty-five years ago, Rick Hansen wheeled through 34 countries in 26 months to complete his now-famous Man in Motion Tour. His incredible worldwide journey electrified and inspired an entire nation to believe that anything is possible and moved thousands of people to make a difference in their communities.
Since 1988, the foundation has fund=
ed
research to provide better care and outcomes for those who sustain a spinal
cord injury and contributed to improving accessibility for people with
disabilities.
The results are tangible: more acce= ssible physical spaces and modes of transportation, more services and programs for those with disabilities, more people walking again after spinal cord injuri= es, and improved medical treatment for those with spinal cord and related injur= ies.
This government, and in particular,= the Department of Health and Social Services, shares the foundation’s goa= ls and supports people with disabilities in a number of ways.
The Family Supports for Children wi= th Disabilities unit promotes early intervention to increase a child’s lifelong learning potential, coordinated access to supports and interventio= ns and inclusion of children with disabilities in community life.
Adult community services provide employment, counselling, income assistance and supportive outreach services. The department also houses a suite of decision-making legislation to protect Yukoners, whether temporarily or permanently disabled.
The Decision Making, Support and Protection to Adults Act, the Care Consent Act, which applies to children as well as adults, and the Public Guardian and Trustee Act, protect the rights of Yukoners who are unable, through disability or illnes= s, to make decisions for themselves.
As well, through its Mental Health = Services palliative care program, residential care programs, and respite care servic= es, the department offers support to Yukoners at all stages of life and at all levels of ability. Also, almost every other department in government offers some form of assistance to help Yukoners dealing with disabilities. =
Earlier this year I had the honour =
and
privilege to meet Rick Hansen at an event with the Yukon Council on DisABIL=
ITY
and the Yukon Solutions Team right here in the legislative building. It was=
a
great opportunity to acknowledge the success of this government’s
investment in the Rick Hansen Institute’s 20th anniversary
legacy fund initiative. Five years ago, in 2007, the
What we found encouraging then and =
now is
that this money was used in the
I would also like to take the oppor=
tunity
to talk about a couple of people I know personally who have been inspired by
Mr. Hansen. First off, at the meeting with Rick Hansen and the Yukon Counci=
l on
DisABILITY.
Mr. Darryl Tait was in attendance. Mr. Tait belon=
gs to
a lifelong
On May 22 there is an event in
Applause
In recognition of
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; I rise today on=
behalf
of the Legislative Assembly to pay tribute to the Yukon Association of Comm=
unity
Living. I am here to pay tribute to the work that the staff and the volunte=
ers
of YACL do to include persons labelled with intellectual disabilities in our
communities and in our lives. May is Community Living Month.
At the Yukon Association of Communi=
ty Living,
every month is Community Living Month. That is their goal and what they str=
ive
to achieve in the
Community living supports an individual’s right to choose where and with whom they live. Too often, availability and funding for programs depend on a person’s diagnosis = and the severity of needs. When emphasis is placed on choice and supports, inclusion happens. Community living happens. Community living supports individuals having full access to community-based recreation and leisure. <= /span>
Segregated activities should not be=
the
only option for individuals with intellectual disabilities. That is why you
will see YNCLUDE performing in Nakai Theater’s Homegrown Festival next
week, and in the Local Light Cinema Night with a four-minute film titled
“Grace & Beauty”. Community living supports individuals to =
make
and maintain friendships, to have life partners and to feel love. Community=
is
the place we all live in. Inclusion means being fully involved in our commu=
nity,
to make choices about employment, housing, recreation and relationships by =
including
all people with a disability into community life. That is the ultimate goal=
of
the Yukon Association for Community Living. Respect and equality for persons
with intellectual disabilities will be the result of their work. We extend =
our
gratitude to this hard-working organization, without which we would be a po=
orer
community.
Applause
In recognition of the pages
Ms. White:= 8195; This is an unus= ual thing, Mr. Speaker, but I would ask the House to join me in thanking Zane Hansell, who had his last day earlier this week, and Katie Doerksen, whose = last day is today. Thank you so much for the work you have done for us this sess= ion.
Applause
Speaker: Introduction of visitors.
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Hon. Mr. =
b>
Applause
Speaker: Are there any returns or documents for tabling?
Reports of committees.
Are there any petitions for present= ation?
Are there any bills to be introduce= d?
Are there any notices of motion?
NOTICES OF MOTION
Ms. McLeod: I rise to give notice of the follow= ing motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to proactively approach its space management needs by investing $884,= 000 of the 2012-13 budget in space planning and tenant improvements.
Further, I give notice of the follo= wing motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Yukon to work with the Government of Canada to allow increased immigration = for those willing to take on entry-level jobs that employers find difficult to fill.
Further, I give notice of the follo= wing motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen=
t of
Yukon to continue funding the FireSmart program to reduce the risk of wildl=
and
fires near
Mr. Hassard: I rise to give notice of the follow= ing motion:
THAT this House urges the Governmen=
t of
Yukon to explore physical upgrades to
Mr. Tredger:= I rise to give = notice of the following motion:
THAT the Select Committee on Rules, Elections and Privileges shall convene as soon as possible to begin conside= ring changes to the Standing Orders and other rules of conduct that would improve the fair, open, efficient and modern operation of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, including:
(1) ensuring thorough debate on bud= gets and other government legislation;
(2) including provisions for member= s’ statements in the Daily Routine;
(3) applying reasonable time limits= on speeches and replies during motion days, in departmental budget debate, and= in debate on legislation;
(4) providing equal party represent= ation on all standing, select and special committees of the Legislative Assembly;
(5) including provisions to increase opportunities for members of the public to appear as witnesses or to make p= resentations about matters currently before the Legislative Assembly;
(6) establishing a code of ethics f= or Members of the Legislative Assembly;
(7) establishing fixed dates or ext= ended notice periods for legislative sittings;
(8) providing for an automatic legi= slative sitting within 30 days of any special warrant authorizing additional govern= ment spending;
(9) prohibiting members wishing to = leave the party of their election from crossing the floor;
(10) allowing the submission of ele= ctronic petitions;
(11) revising the rules governing t= he use of electronic devices in the Legislative Assembly;
(12) providing members with French = language translation services upon request; and
(13) reviewing best practices in ot=
her legislatures
and their potential applicability in
THAT the Committee report its progr= ess on the aforementioned considerations in each legislative sitting and bring for= ward recommendations on the same as soon as practicable.
Ms. Stick:= 8195; I rise to give = notice of the following motion:
THAT this House urges the Departmen= t of Health and Social Services to assist families caring for adult children with disab= ilities and to implement inclusion for adult children with disabilities by:<= /p>
(1) providing= a range of day programs for disabled adults;
Actually, I am going to withdraw th= is motion, and I would like to redo it for tomorrow. It has poor language. Sorry.
Speaker: Are there any other notices of motion?
Is there a statement by a minister?=
This would normally bring us to Que= stion Period, but not quite. Prior to proceeding with Question Period, the Chair = will rule on a point of order raised yesterday by the Member for Copperbelt Sout= h.
Speaker’s ruling
Speaker: During yesterday’s Question Period the Minister of Ener=
gy,
Mines and Resources, in response to a question from the Member for Mount
Lorne-Southern Lakes, said, “I point out that they want housing to be
developed but it would be somewhat hypocritical of the members to argue that
housing should be developed, but not in his backyard.”
At that point, the Member for Coppe= rbelt South rose on a point of order and said, “I believe you have ruled in= the past that using the word ‘hypocritical’ to describe the positio= n of a member in this House or a party in the House is out of order.”
In his defence, the minister said t= hat he was not using the word to describe the position of the Member for Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes. Rather, the minister said, “I did say it would = be hypocritical of him to argue against housing in his backyard if that’s what he was doing while saying housing is in a crisis.”
The Chair believes there is a point= of order in this case. Members will recall that on March 22 of this year, the Premier used the word “hypocrisy” to describe statements made by the Leader of the Official Opposition. The Chair ruled the use of the word = out of order and the Premier withdrew the word.
The Chair appreciates that the mini= ster’s use of the word yesterday, and the context in which it was used, were diffe= rent from what occurred on March 22.
The Chair also appreciates that mem=
bers
may, at times, find inconsistencies in statements made by other members.
However, using words like “hypocrisy” and
“hypocritical” is problematic.
When used to describe the words or = actions of another member, those words carry a negative connotation, regardless of = the intent of the person using them. These are words that are best avoided in a= ny parliamentary context, hypothetical or otherwise.
The Chair thanks the Member for Cop= perbelt South and the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources for their contributio= n to resolving this point of order.
We will proceed with Question Perio= d.
QUESTION PERIOD
Question re:
Health statistics
Ms. Hanson: The 2001 Auditor General’s report=
of
The
Auditor General also tried to find statistics about diabetes, another chron=
ic
condition, but the Auditor General found: “The Department does not
collect all community based diabetes data. The diabetes data is incomplete,=
and
the diabetes rate may be understated.”
If not
properly managed, chronic health conditions can be a significant health care
cost driver. We know the number of alcohol-related emergency admissions. Can
the Minister of Health and Social Services tell us if he has information on
emergency room admission due to chronic conditions, other than alcohol-rela=
ted,
such as diabetes?
Hon. Mr. Graham: As the member opposite probably well knows if she has read the Auditor General’s report, the Department of Health and Social Services does not currently have an electronic health rec= ords system. Consequently, many of the things we would like to follow and track,= we are unable to do at the present time. Many of the statistics that we do have also do not always meet the requirement in terms of reporting or tracking. =
So, no, I don’t have all that= data currently available. Hopefully, at some point in the future, we will have a system in place that will provide it.
Ms. Hanson:&= #8195; For the minister’s information, I have read the Auditor General’s report numerous times.
Mr. Speaker, the Yukon Party has sa=
id that
it intends to allocate funding for a “new emergency department at
Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of H= ealth believe that expanding the emergency department is a good way to meet the n= eeds of Yukoners living with chronic conditions?
Hon.
Mr. Graham: No, Mr. Speaker, I don’t nece=
ssarily
believe that. Consequently, we are looking at a number of different options=
. As
we’ve just announced recently, there will be a medical-facilitated de=
tox
available at the
Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; I thank the min=
ister
for his comments. Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge all the front-line workers su=
pporting
those who are managing chronic conditions, whether addictions like alcoholi=
sm,
or chronic health concerns like arthritis, heart disease, mental health and
diabetes. The Auditor General made these comments about the emergency room =
admission
data provided by the Hospital Corporation: “This information was not
provided to the Department and the Department did not request this data from
the corporation in order to determine what it might be able to do to assist
these high-risk individuals.”
The question is really this: How ca= n we track our progress when the hospital and the department aren’t sharing information, when they are not talking to each other about these very criti= cal issues? As we move forward, how will we know if our efforts are helping? = span>
My question for the Minister of Hea= lth and Social Services: Can he tell Yukoners if the hospital is now sharing inform= ation with the department and can he confirm that this information is being used = to plan the best quality patient-centred care for Yukoners living with chronic conditions?
Hon.
Mr. Graham: First of all, I have to say that the
Hospital Corporation and the department communicate on a daily basis. To me,
the member opposite appears to be making the issue a whole lot larger than =
it
is based on an Auditor General report that is prepared by a number of people
who come here and take a snapshot at any one particular moment in time.
I’m not so sure that the Auditor General, in all the reports they do =
on
every government, is always interested in doing reports that are actually g=
oing
to assist departments in future endeavours. I find sometimes that the Audit=
or
General is more interested in making a splashy headline than in actually
assisting these departments to improve services. However, we are taking into
consideration all of the Auditor General’s comments and we will be
dealing with them in due course.
Question re: Cellphone
regulation
Ms. Moorcroft: A different que=
stion
about communications —
Will the minister tell this House w= hether the Yukon Party government would consider regulating cellphone contracts to protect Yukoners’ pocketbooks?
Hon.
Mr. Dixon: Of course, when it comes to the
regulation of the telecommunications industry, that’s done by the CRT=
C.
Of course, the Department of Economic Development, on behalf of
Ms. Moorcroft: There is a seri=
ous
power imbalance between consumers and cellphone companies. Consumers can fa=
ce
outrageous cancellation fees and hidden charges in these one-sided contract=
s.
As the minister referred to, the pr=
oblem
has become so rampant that Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Manitoba h=
ave
laws that protect cellphone customers from what can only be described as
profiteering by some companies.
Will the minister commit to getting= out in front of this problem and introducing legislation to protect consumers from unfair cellphone and mobile data contracts and fees?
Hon. Mr. Dixon: As I said, of course, when it comes= to the regulations of the telecommunications industry, the CRTC is the lead th= ere and we do understand that the CRTC is perhaps considering whether or not to regulate cell service. It’s something they haven’t regulated in= the past, and it is something they are assessing — whether or not they wa= nt to step into that. As the member opposite indicated, a number of other jurisdictions are taking steps. I’m aware of the steps they are taking and watching with great interest.
Ms.
Moorcroft: I’m glad =
that the
minister is watching with great interest, and he should know that the
legislation that
Once again, we hear that the Yukon = Party Cabinet’s position is that they don’t recognize that one of the functions of legislators is, in fact, to enact legislation, and what is nee= ded here is legislation that protects consumers from profiteering. Again, will = the minister commit to getting out in front of the problem and introducing legislation to protect consumers from unfair cellphone and mobile data contracts and fees? Other jurisdictions have done it; he can’t punt it off to the CRTC.
Hon.
Mr. Dixon: Of course, as I said before, we mai=
ntain
a positive relationship with the CRTC, in terms of providing our input to t=
heir
regulatory activities in the territory. The CRTC made a recent ruling, whic=
h is
very interesting and indeed groundbreaking, related to the introduction of
possible competition in the telecom industry in
As I said, we are going to take a m= easured response to this and look at what other jurisdictions do before we jump to = conclusions and act ourselves.
Question re: Old Crow=
ice
road
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; Six weeks ago, I tabled a motion in this House urging the Min=
ister
of Highways and Public Works to facilitate the construction of a winter road
connecting Old Crow and the
A winter road would bring tangible = benefits to residents, governments and companies doing business in the area. Some of these include the ability to bring in bulk building materials for housing a= nd other projects, as well as bulk loads of fuel. There would be a chance to b= ring in private vehicles, large household items and remove old equipment and contaminated waste, not to mention industry achieving their business goals = as well.
Given the demonstrated need, will t= he minister commit to getting a winter road built for 2013?
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: This government does identify Old C=
row —
our most northerly community — the only community that is not accessi=
ble
by road. This is something that I have been in discussions about with the
department. We have collaborated in the past with Vuntut Gwitchin First Nat=
ion
when we needed to get supplies up to build the school after the school burn=
ed
down. That was something that we couldn’t get up there by air so we d=
id
that, and it has been done in the past. We have been contacted by many
different people in the industry, such as in the mining development industr=
y,
who have expressed an interest in this winter road, too.
This government is committed to wor= king with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, working with the member opposite on = looking at putting a plan together to see the feasibility of this and looking at all the different options out there.
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; It’s also important to mention that this would be a
cost-saving to taxpayers since the government wouldn’t need to use la=
rge
Hercules aircraft to fly in its equipment and supplies. A number of partners
have been coming together to make a winter road a reality next year. To dat=
e,
these partners include the community of Old Crow, the Vuntut Gwitchin
government, the Vuntut Gwitchin Development Corporation, the Yukon Electric=
al
Company and its parent company, ATCO, and Northern Cross Limited. Now, we j=
ust
need to get the
Looking across the floor, I can see=
at
least four ministries that would benefit greatly from winter road access in=
to
Old Crow. Will the minister, on behalf of the
Hon. Mr. Istchenko: Highways and Public Works has been approached by Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation about this possibility and the collaboration on construction of a winter road. In the near future, our officials will meet to discuss this project and determine the potential rol= es and responsibilities of each party moving forward. So, Highways and Public Works has collaborated with the Vuntut Gwitchin in the past, and we’re more than willing to collaborate with them again, looking at planning, unde= rstanding that there is no money in the 2012-13 capital budget for this. YESA planning and a lot of other stuff needs to get written into this, so we’re committed to meet in the near future to discuss this project and identify r= oles and responsibilities for each individual of interest.
Mr. Elias:= 8195; I believe the YESA process has already been approved for this period of time.
The last winter road to Old Crow wa= s eight years ago. It proved to be cost-effective for getting goods in and out of O= ld Crow. This was a good investment of public funds in the past and that investment would still make sense today.
This year’s budget includes $=
38 million
for
Will the minister allocate the fund=
s needed
to make a 2013 winter road a reality and help maintain Old Crow as a healthy
community that has access to the goods and services its residents need and
other
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: Identifying the million dollars for=
the
road — that is the exact cost that is close to what we’ve ident=
ified
in the past. Back when they built it in 1998, the cost was almost $700,000.=
This is something that this governm= ent is committed to working on. As I talked about, we have been waiting for a busi= ness case from the interested parties. Our officials are going to meet in the ne= ar future, like I alluded to in my previous answer, and discuss the project, t= he terms and the potential roles and responsibilities. We understand the price= of fly-in materials; it costs money to fly. If we can save money by building a road and get a lot more accomplished, we will work with the interested part= ies on this.
Question re: Adults w=
ith
disabilities, day programming
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; I mentioned in =
the
tribute to community living this afternoon that every month is Community Li=
ving
Month. In this same vein, every day should be community living day for fami=
lies
caring for their adult child with disabilities. Every day, many
Hon. Mr. Graham: At the present time we offer a numb= er of respite programs, not only for adults with disabilities, but others as well. We offer respite progra= ms in Macaulay Lodge, and we have a number of NGOs, a perfect example of which is Helping Hands. I know from my use of the Canada Games Centre how the Helping Hands people are out there on a daily basis, and it is wonderful to see. <= /p>
So we do have a number of respite p= rograms in place. I know right now there is a waiting list of approximately four individuals who are looking for respite on an ongoing basis, and the depart= ment is making every effort to accommodate those folks.
Ms.
Stick: =
The minister partially ans=
wered my
next question. Initially, I was speaking about day programs, which is a com=
munity
involvement — being in the community, being active, and having
purposeful, daily activities.
In terms
of respite care, many adults with disabilities require 24-hour,
seven-day-a-week care, and their families are not always receiving the resp=
ite
they need.
Can the
minister tell us of any other respite programs that might be available and =
that
are appropriate to an individual? Sometimes it is not appropriate that a
30-year-old man or woman go to Macaulay Lodge to receive respite, as that is
seen in the community as a seniors facility.
Hon.
Mr. Graham: Mr. Speaker, I think the member opp=
osite
is probably aware of most of the respite facilities or services that are
offered in the City of
Again, the department is working in= that area. We will continue to provide respite in the areas we currently do. As I said, though, there appears to be a very small waiting list at the present time, but we’re working on it.
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; The parents and
caregivers of adults with disabilities are aging. I know of more than a few
cases where the caregivers are now in their 60s, and this is in
It is often the parent who is doing= much of the work in the home providing the care to the adult child and may even be looking after an aging spouse or aging parent, who also requires care. We a= re seeing more and more parents who are themselves becoming seniors with their= own care needs. These parents worry about what will happen to their adult child when they are unable to provide the care to their child. They worry about w= ho will be responsible for this care.
Can the minister tell us if there is long-term planning in place to assist parents and caregivers providing this care that takes into account the caregiver’s age and ongoing ability = to provide that support?
Hon.
Mr. Graham: I believe I have already answered t=
he
question in some manner. We are not only aware of the age of some of the
caregivers, but we are also in the process, or we have identified people who
will be moving from the young persons category to the youth category. We are
also tracking when they will become adults and what their disabilities are,=
and
we are projecting into the future the requirements for care for those
individuals. So, we are very aware of who the young people in our society a=
re
who currently need care. We know what the ages are as people progress. Not =
only
are we extrapolating that information and considering what we’re goin=
g to
need in the future, but we’re taking a more active look at things that
will be needed, both in the short term and long term.
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Mr. Barr:= b> I would like to introduce to the House former colleagues Robyn Findlater, Elecia McLelland = and Ben Gribben, Duran Henry and Mr. Fred Stick, carvers from the Northern Cult= ural Expressions Society.
Applause
Question re:
Mr.
Barr:=
195; When the Hamlet=
of
Mount Lorne local area plan was adopted in 1995, 17 years ago, there was a =
provision
built in to review the plan after five years. On behalf of the residents of=
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: I would point out, in response to t=
he
member’s question, what I have indicated to the chair of the local
advisory council and another member of that body when we met. At this point=
in
time, what we are currently doing in the
Mr. Barr:= 195; The hamlet coun= cil and the residents are not opposed to development, but they want development in respect to the local area plan. Mr. Speaker, the local area plan calls for phased-in rural residential lot development and agriculture development whe= re the land supports viable and suitable agricultural operations.
If the
Hon. Mr. Cathers: What I would point out to the membe= r, again, as we saw yesterday in Question Period, the member had some of his f= acts wrong, including yesterday when he had the wrong department conducting the current review in the Mount Lorne area. It is, as I mentioned to the member= yesterday, the Land Planning branch within Energy, Mines and Resources, not the Depart= ment of Community Services that does this.
Again, as I’ve indicated to t= he member, currently we’re reviewing issues particularly around the possibility of developing land in that area through two methods — one being the possible development of McGowan option lands and the second being= the reduction of minimum lot size for existing residents. I believe you were indicating that I should wrap up my response, Mr. Speaker, so I will do so.=
Mr. Barr:= 195; I would just li= ke to say that some of the member opposite’s response did not lend to posit= ive decorum and are not conducive to the positive decorum of this House, I beli= eve.
Will the minister commit to moving =
forward
and directing his department to immediately work with the Hamlet of Mount L=
orne
to implement elements of the existing local area plan that address land
development needs, implement an immediate review of the local area plan, and
develop a process for the subdivision of existing serviced lots?
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: Again, what I do have to point out =
to the
Member for Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes — and I am sorry if he is offen=
ded
by me pointing out that he does not have some of his facts correct, but I do
have to bring that to the attention of those listening to this debate.
I’d also point out to the member that, in fact, the
Question re: Literacy
programs
Mr.
Tredger:=
Many
What is the Minister of Education d=
oing to
ensure that this successful program continues in our schools?
Hon. Mr. Kent: I’ve heard positive reviews o= n Wilson Reading from not only the member opposite but a number of the educators and people involved in the education system that I’ve visited in the communities. So with respect to continuing that initiative, as well as other initiatives such as Reading Recovery — I’ve not been advised of= any changes or departmental initiatives to make any changes to those programs, = so I would assume that we would be continuing on, business as usual, with Wilson Reading, with Reading Recovery and with all the initiatives that the depart= ment undertakes with respect to literacy.
Mr. Tredger:= I thank the min= ister opposite for his answer. I noticed there is an advertisement published for a half-time position with the department to work with the Wilson Reading prog= ram. However, it is concerning to see that this half-time teacher would also be responsible for students affected by FASD and English as a learned language= . Any one of these areas of responsibility — Wilson Reading, FASD, or Engli= sh as a learned language — are worthy of increased attention, research a= nd development.
Mr. Speaker, how does the minister =
ensure
that the ongoing training and support of classroom teachers and
Hon.
Mr.
I guess when it comes to the operat= ions of the department and the staffing allocation, we do have the staffing allocat= ion advisory committee that’s in place and they work very hard. They̵= 7;re certainly committed to maintaining a number of the guiding principles, including equity, transparency, predictability, timeliness, responsiveness = and accountability. So I think that’s a very important aspect of the new staffing allocation that was introduced by my predecessor and continues tod= ay.
So again, when it comes to allocati= on for literacy there is Reading Recovery teacher allocation, literacy interventio= n specialist allocation — there are a number of different FTEs that are allocated = to different aspects of literacy within the public schools and then of course there are substantial programs that occur for adult literacy as well. I sho= uld also mention the tremendous amount of investment that we’ve made in public libraries.
Mr.
Tredger:=
Many schools ha=
ve
included the Wilson Reading System in their school growth plans. Others wou=
ld
like to. Often schools rely on individual and small group instruction as pa=
rt
of their overall literacy strategy. As well, many primary classes have succ=
essfully
used Fundations, which is a part of the Wilson Reading System. There are ma=
ny
students and schools benefiting from the Wilson Reading System. If their sc=
hool
growth plans are to be supported by the department, it will be absolutely
necessary to continue to train more teachers in the
How is the minister planning to pro= vide sufficient support to enable the Wilson Reading System not only to expand, = but to continue?
Hon.
Mr. Kent: In the numerous visits that I’=
;ve
made to public schools throughout the territory in the last number of month=
s, I
think the one thing that many administrators and teachers have said is that
certainly compared to their previous experience in other jurisdictions, Yuk=
on
schools are very well-resourced. Again, when it comes to the school growth
process, it’s to use evidence and work collaboratively with the staff=
and
the community to improve the success of each
So I certainly support the departme=
nt’s
initiative on the school growth process, because I believe every school has
unique needs, and again, the needs of the school. A number of schools the
Member for Mayo-Tatchun used to be staff on certainly had different needs f=
rom those
of
Speaker: The time for Question Period has now elapsed. We’ll pro= ceed with Orders of the Day.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
GOVERNMENT PRIVATE
MEMBERS’ BUSINESS
MOTIONS OTHER THAN GOVERNMENT MOTIONS
Motion No. 197
Clerk: Motion No. 197, standing in the name of Ms. McLeod. = p>
Speaker: It is moved by the Member for
THAT this House urges the Governmen= t of Canada to continue to financially support the Northern Cultural Expressions Society.
Ms. McLeod: I rise to speak to this motion as i= t is one that I believe we can all support. Originally founded by the owners of Sundog Retreat centre, the program reorganized itself as a non-profit organization called the Northern Cultural Expressions Society. Whatever the name — Sundog or Northern Cultural Expressions — the mission of= the organization has been to open up opportunities for young people to channel their energy into artistic expression and business development.
Many of these young people are desc=
ribed as
at-risk youth. Addressing the needs of at-risk youth has been a national pr=
iority
for both
The National Centre for Education S= tatistics lists the following factors that lead to an at-risk label for students: low socio-economic status; living in a single-parent home; changing schools at non-traditional times; below-average grades in middle school; being held ba= ck in school through grade retention; having older siblings who left high scho= ol before completion; and negative peer pressure. Without intervention, at-risk youth may make poor life choices that lead to greater if not perpetual engagement with the social safety net of society.
I would like to talk about the fina=
ncial
aspect of this motion.
On
This project works with at-risk Fir= st Nation youth who have prior involvement with the criminal justice system. T= he program focuses on arts-based programming, specifically carving, and includ= es one-on-one counselling, cultural programming and resource development that enables the participants to strengthen their social and emotional competenc= ies, develop their artistic abilities, learn new coping skills and enhance their sense of self-worth.
The Government of Canada supported =
an
important project that helped youth at risk make better choices and prevent=
further
involvement in criminal activity. A few minutes ago, I noted that addressing
the issues of youth at risk is a national priority and the national crime
prevention strategy, which is administered by Public Safety Canada, is one =
of
the ways
The NCPS’s priorities are the=
se:
addressing early risk factors among vulnerable children, youth and young
adults; preventing recidivism among high-risk offenders; fostering crime
prevention in aboriginal and northern communities; and preventing youth gang
and drug-related crime.
I wonder if the northern and aborig= inal crime prevention fund may be an option for the Northern Cultural Expressions Society. This fund assists communities experiencing multiple risk factors a= nd other challenges that affect their ability to respond to crime issues, such= as remote geographical location and limited capacity. It achieves this by providing time-limited funding to support culturally sensitive initiatives = that foster the development and implementation of crime-prevention approaches in aboriginal communities, both on and off reserve and in the north. In additi= on, it assists building the knowledge and capacity required to develop or adapt culturally sensitive, effective ways to prevent crime. I mention it because= it seems that much of the work that the Northern Cultural Expressions Society = does is based on interacting with First Nation cultural traditions.
I also want to mention the youth ga=
ng prevention
fund, as it helps reduce youth gang activity and youth violence by investin=
g in
community-based prevention programs in communities across Canada that target
youth at risk. The youth gang prevention fund is used to support programs t=
hat
provide the following: community-based educational and cultural opportuniti=
es
for youth at risk, such as enhanced conflict resolution and problem-solving
skills as alternatives to gang involvement through paid part-time work
opportunities and vocational training; homework and school support;
opportunities to socialize and participate in recreational activities; and
intensive and individualized mentorship to help youth at-risk make positive
lifestyle choices; and care for children with serious emotional, behavioural
and mental health needs and their families.
In looking at these funds and revie=
wing the
material, I see that
The Northern Cultural Expressions S= ociety offers the participants the opportunity to acquire new carving skills. In t= he process of carving, they learn not only a marketable skill; they also learn important life skills. Originally funded by Service Canada, the Carving Our Path project ran 44 weeks and supported nine young people under 30 as they began to carve and sell their work. Youth who have largely experienced fail= ure in traditional school or work opportunities succeeded through the individualized attention and their tangible artistic successes. Youth recei= ved a weekly stipend to supplement their initial self-employment income.=
The Journey Far carving project, wh=
ich
I just want to mention that their g=
oal
seems to coincide with some of the funding program goals. The Northern Cult=
ural
Expressions Society goals are to increase development in the Yukon First
Nations arts and culture sector; expand the Yukon First Nation presence on =
the
local and national arts scene; enhance tourism experiences for visitors; mi=
tigate
the effects of residential schools; share with Yukon public school students
First Nation educational opportunities; and provide positive role modelling=
and
cultural opportunities for Yukon First Nation youth. I think these are
commendable goals, and I wish the society well in achieving them.
I want to encourage the Northern Cu= ltural Expressions Society to continue to build partnerships with governments and agencies such as the Government of Canada and the National Crime Prevention Centre. Given the strong First Nations component, I would encourage First Nations to continue supporting this program.
I think this is a good motion, and I commend it to the Legislature.
Mr. Barr:= 195; I would like to= say that I’m honoured to be standing here today to speak on this motion, and I would like to also say that I will be putting forward a friendly amendment = to also add later on the continued support of Yukon government along with Canada’s government to allow this program to flourish and to grow and= to be what I know it has been and what it is struggling to continue to be.
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Mr. Barr:= b> I would like to= again introduce visitors, because a couple more people have come: Ben Gribben, ca= rver and friend; Robyn Findlater, colleague and friend; Elecia McLelland, collea= gue and friend; Duran Henry, friend and carver — we call him “Hollywood” sometimes; Fred Stick, Jr., carver; Naomi Crey, colleague, and the young fellow who came after I had left, but I have seen = his work and I saw him before he could carve or ever hold a knife, and I know t= hat it is amazing what he has been able to achieve with his artistic abilities.= If you take the time to go down there, you will see how amazing his work is. I= cannot do that kind of stuff.
Applause
Mr.
Barr:=
195; This program is=
for
individuals who did not succeed in the academic education system we seem to
have and that also seems to reward academia in our grade schools and further
on. The folks I have introduced today and who attend Northern Cultural Expr=
essions
Society and who would like to be a part of that are contributing members of=
our
society, in such a way that when I saw them enter this room I had to hold b=
ack
my tears because, to me, they are my family, friends of extended family, our
citizens, our family and the responsibility of our territory.
It’s often said it takes a co=
mmunity
to raise a child, and I believe this is so true. We are all our own childre=
n,
and I believe we all need support at various times in our lives, no matter =
what
walk of life we come from — gender, race, creed, age.
I’m happy that the member opp= osite has brought forward this motion. I’d like to give you a little bit of history about Sundog, as we fondly call it, and now called Northern Cultural Expressions Society.
It was an idea that Andrew Finton h=
ad many
years ago. He and his wife Heather worked with youth all their lives, in va=
rious
countries, and they loved the folks, and they worked endlessly and tireless=
ly.
Andrew saw folks falling through the cracks and that our academic education
system doesn’t seem to fit the needs of all of our folks. He wanted to
develop a program that would assist the other various needs. He came to me =
at
CAIRS many years ago and said, “We want to do something about this. Do
you know any young guys who might want to learn how to carve and have any
artistic abilities?”
So we started to seek out some folk= s. James Babineau went out to Sundog, a former artist in residence, because we knew = at CAIRS that dealing with the residential school — the intergenerational impacts of those kinds of things — we had to tap in with people who h= ad an ability to be comfortable and to be able to move forward to build relationships. So what better way than to just meet on the common ground of art?
Some names were put forward and the= re was the first retreat that enabled some folks to go out to Sundog. From there t= he program became successful and more successful, to where there was a first — I guess we would say a house or a storefront over at the Qwanlin Ma= ll. Some of the carvers are still involved since those first days.
INTRODUCTION OF VISITO=
RS
Mr. Barr:= b> I need to intro= duce Sara Villeseche. She’s sitting above the group. I just want to apolog= ize for that, Sara. Sara is another carver. Please welcome Sara.
Applause
Mr. Barr:= 195; As I was saying= , as this program went on, it became so successful that not only did it finally = give people a place to go, but as you will see in this House itself, it also sta= rted to give a reality to the struggles of many within First Nations, many cultu= res, to gain the ability to share a proud culture and a proud artistic ability. =
If you look in the House here ̵=
2;
I’ve said it before: this is Calvin Morberg, this plaque here; this is
Mike Morrow from Tagish with the wrought iron. Calvin Morberg — on the
other side Jared Kane, this plaque. If we start to travel around this
territory, we are going to see works of art that we didn’t see in this
territory in the prevalence — we did have carvers and we do have carv=
ers
that did come before, and there are pieces of their artwork that are on
display; however, not from the age group that we have now on a continual ba=
sis
that serves to drive our economy. I’d also say that this program touc=
hes,
because it deals with a holistic approach, the Health and Social Services
— our minister across the room — our Justice minister across the
room; our Economic Development minister across the room; the Tourism and
Culture minister across the room.
I’ll come back to this, but I= just want to say that this program has to do with the medicine wheel and takes t= he approach of child, adolescent, adult and elder and all of these are part of this program. Without one, as we know, it doesn’t roll like tires. If= you flatten out one, it doesn’t go forward. So what we’re dealing w= ith today is the ability for this program to succeed with all of those elements= .
I have seen this program change liv=
es and I
have seen the support and love that is extended by the folks we have visiti=
ng
us here today to anybody who walks through those doors — the people w=
ho
oftentimes society would choose to overlook, and there is a home there. It =
is
so wonderful to witness this and be a part of this and it’s in our
community and not only in this community, but this program reaches out to a=
ll
the communities.
The advanced carvers also — i= s this in jeopardy? There are 100 elementary school students that the carvers we s= ee here today are sharing their skills with and they are young carvers; they a= re the ones who will be filling their shoes, as we know and I speak of the medicine wheel. It’s a circle of life and there has to be a beginning= . As we all go back to the earth, it starts again.
What we’re looking at is not =
only
this one particular group that meets every day, but it also goes out to the
communities to foster growth. They’ve been to Teslin; they’ve b=
een
to
As a person who has struggled with = alcohol and drugs in my own life, I know I was overlooked so many times and it was = the love and the care of people who allowed me into their lives and said, “Hey, it’s going to be okay. Today is another day. All you need= to do is do better next time. It is okay. They are not mistakes, they are oppo= rtunities to learn.”
This program gives that. How many t= imes in our lives do we need just that — a place that we will know we will be= accepted, cared for, challenged — it’s not a free-for-all — challen= ged to grow in a loving way? This program does that. I couldn’t say enough about the positive things that we may be at risk of losing if we do not cho= ose to continue to fund this at a level that is adequate.
Some of the programs that have exte=
nded
from this — some people may have seen the canoe project, the dugout c=
anoe
project. It’s on display now over at the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre
— the new house down that way.
Not only was I honoured — I h=
ad an
adze and I did some of the work on that thing. The carvers who are up here =
and
everyone who is in here — Sara, you couldn’t stop her. You could
not hold her back from going into the bush. Her feet were cracking and blee=
ding
and she said, “No, I’m going to get more wood because we need t=
he
wood for our fire. We need it for our spiritual fire whenever we’re g=
oing
to be doing the steaming of the canoe.” You would not believe the aud=
acity
of that young woman and the other carvers. That’s just one example. Y=
ou
don’t get that at youth camps, okay? You just don’t get where
somebody would be looking for any excuse not to go out and physically work
through the mosquitoes, across the water, getting branches in your face =
212;
with wounds. Finally her mom and all of us sat down and said, “Hey, n=
ot
right now. You can go back, but let’s tend to these cuts.”
Work all day, swinging that thing. = I mean, I said I adzed a bit. After five minutes, I was pretty darn tired and these guys went for 10 weeks. They paddled it out. They went in with a log. There’s a movie about it now. There’s a book that’s being written about it now. It’s being used across the country and it has b= een shown in various parts of the world. I’m involved with other folks do= wn throughout the States who’ve said, “So, we need support. ItR= 17;s important to be able to know how we can help folks such as folks who attend Northern Cultural Expressions.” He says, “What do you need help for? We’re learning from you.” We are leaders with people who a= re identified as leaders. White Bison program for one — world-renowned.<= /span>
Within the program and that canoe, =
elders
are involved in this from all various communities all over and from differe=
nt
parts of
I heard the member opposite say tha=
t there
are these things that are in place. and that is exactly what we are talking
about today — that these things are not in place at the present fundi=
ng
level. There is not a counsellor; there is not a master carver any more; th=
ere
is not an executive director; there are no stipend fees any more, as was sa=
id;
there’s not even the possibility of a continued — and it has be=
en
like this for a few years — a continued program as it exists. Yes, th=
ere
are federal dollars in the amount of close to $500,000 that are there for t=
he
next three years. That, I must clarify, does not have anything to do with t=
he
existing program. That money cannot be used for the counsellor, for the car=
ver,
for the stipends, for the beginners program that is no longer in existence.
This beginners program used to be funded by Service Canada; that’s $3=
00,000.
I was speaking with the chair of the board for the cultural society who said
that Service Canada employment sees no value in this program — shame,
shame — no value in this program.
I can’t swear in this House, =
so I
will not. I will respect this House. However, shame on us if we do not. We =
have
an opportunity. What has been given is the $345,000 from the Minister of
Tourism and Culture. I commend Tourism and Culture for putting forward that
amount of money. What was originally asked for was $898,000 that would allow
this program to have a beginners program and would allow for a master carve=
r. I
mean, if you’re teaching carving, you should have a teacher. And if
we’re dealing with folks who are overcoming all these obstacles in th=
eir
lives, as the member opposite spoke of — I did counselling there; I w=
as
one of those folks. That’s not there now. Those are two integral parts
— if we’re looking at the success of this, let alone no beginne=
rs
program. What has happened with the advanced carvers, the Journey Far secti=
on
that this $345,000 begins to cover, is only that. As I was saying, they can
sell their artwork, and they’ll make money off of that. But what used=
to
happen with the stipend — anyone who is an artist knows the phrase
“starving artist”. With today’s rent, the stipend —=
and
it varies. When you start, you get a full stipend that might give you in the
neighbourhood of $800 a month — something like that.
As you progress, that goes down, so= you will get $400 a month. So although it is a job, and it is meant to help you learn how to work — show up for work, get there, be on time — t= here all kinds of life skills are involved and those of us who do not have them = can learn from this experiential learning.
This amount of money is not cutting=
it, so
even though there was $898,000 asked for, that would have been split up by =
the
Health and Social Services minister, the Justice minister, the Economic
Development minister, the Education minister and the Tourism and Culture
minister — divide that up and how much is that? It would be approxima=
tely
$130,000 each — for each department — that would allow this to
operate in a way that would have a counsellor, a carver, a stipend, and a b=
eginners
program. It would have all these things that are not there now.
It states in the numbers here that = it could be $619,000. That would begin to address some of the needs — so I thi= nk that’s $125,000. I think that would cover that, but no, it’s $345,000. And as the motion states, I do encourage the territorial governme= nt to increase the amount of money, and we can continue to lobby. But, as I stated, there seems to be no value with the federal government, as far as Service Canada proposes.
We’re looking at — and =
what
I’ve had in discussions is that it’s most likely that all the b=
enefits
and all the lives we see here today — the ones to come forward —
that we will not have this program if we choose not to — if we choose=
to
turn our backs on it. And that would be that we’re turning our backs =
on
our family, our extended family, my family, your family.
All of us have been touched by resi=
dential
school impacts. It’s cost-effective. I think of one fellow — th=
is
is the kind of program that it is; just another example — I won’=
;t
mention any names and it comes and goes with various folks living at the
shelter. They don’t even have a place to live, right, and this is for=
a
few years. This isn’t something that is just temporary. They
haven’t had a place to live for a few years, so they live at the shel=
ter.
Before Christmas, as I was saying before, he was coming out because he
didn’t want to spend Christmas in the shelter, and there had been abo=
ut
four folks living in an abandoned house at 40 below. This is a program that
helps some of those folks who don’t have a place to go at night when
it’s 40 below, because our youth shelter is not even open at <=
st1:time
Minute=3D"0" Hour=3D"22">10:00 p.m.
I don’t know if I have expres= sed enough around this, but I’m just begging you guys to find it here amo= ng us to do the right thing. I would like to make an amendment at this point.<= /span>
Amendment proposed
Mr. Barr:= 195; I move= p>
THAT Motion No. 197 be amended by a=
dding
the phrase “and the Government of Yukon” between the words R=
20;
This is a friendly amendment for th= e House. With that, thanks for your time, everybody.
Speaker: Order please. The amendment is in order.
It is moved by the Member for Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes
THAT Motion No. 197 be amended by a=
dding
the phrase “and the Government of Yukon” between the words R=
20;
The Member for Mount Lorne-Southern= Lakes has 20 minutes on the amendment.
Mr. Barr:= 195; Thank you, Mr. = Speaker.
I’ll try not to repeat myself=
, but
maybe just go in a little bit more depth, if I can, and say that, once agai=
n,
these are our family. This is my family, your extended family, our communit=
y.
We in the north take care of each other. I remember when I first came up he=
re. I
grew up in northern
I remember the Member for Klondike sitting in Mon=
tana
Services in Carcross with his friend at the time on the way to
“Well, my car is —”
“Well, let’s get at her=
.”
We drove up there and along the way, you know, we just figured out if
we’d just take one nut off each tire, because it flew off, right? Ther=
e
are no nuts. I mean, even if you had a spare, you can’t put it back o=
n,
so, “Well, geez, this is — put our heads together.” We wo=
rked
together. We worked together for a common goal. We thought about it and
realized that we could even use the tire that flew off and went down in the
ditch, so the Member for
The point of the matter is that jus=
t seems
like the right thing to do. When I first came to the Yukon, I was told it w=
as
the law — and I believe it still is — that if we as Yukoners see
somebody on the highway in the cold of the winter, it’s our duty to s=
top
and help that person — even if I don’t want to. What does that =
say
about us? That’s amazing; check it out if you’re not sure. It m=
ight
be on the books; it might have been taken off, but to me it sure makes sens=
e,
because we have extreme temperatures and we can’t let people die. I
relate that to folks sleeping at 40 below. We have a responsibility to not =
let
them die.
This is where I would like to empha=
size
what is happening now. This program is without adequate funds and with this
amendment, it will be topped up to the point where it can exist — bec=
ause
I am told that, at $345,000, it will not. With this amendment, you might ha=
ve a
drop-in centre, but you won’t have all the rest of it. That’s n=
ot
going to cut it. As I was saying about the medicine wheel, without this
amendment you’re going to be losing a part of it. You’re going =
to
lose the beginner program. You’ve got to have new people coming into =
this
program as the ones are going on and moving on. I will say that some of the
folks aren’t here because they’re at Emily Carr. They’ve =
gone
on to Emily Carr. They’ve gone on to other prestigious art schools.
They’ve gone on and decided, “I’m not a carver. I’m
working in the trades. I’m in the mines.” We will offer money f=
or
people to go on to university in our present system. We’ll offer mone=
y to
go on to college in our present system. We’ll offer money to go on to=
do
trades. Why does this
Hon.
Mr. Cathers: In speaking to the amendment put fo=
rward
by the Member for
What I do have to draw to the
member’s attention is that what we have here is an issue which is not
uncommon in dealing with the federal government, and has been a long-standi=
ng
matter under federal governments of all stripes. The federal government has=
a
tendency sometimes to fund programs, provide significant amounts of money, =
and
then, after the initial term of the program, treat it as a pilot project or=
a
“boutique” program, as they are sometimes called, withdraw that
financial support, and leave the territorial government — or province=
s,
in some cases — in the position of having to decide whether to keep t=
he
good work going that was being funded and step into the void the federal
government has left, or allow the program to not continue.
The grid option is the one we are
advocating here today through the motion brought forward by my colleague, t=
he
Member for Mount
In response to specific comments ma= de by the member, suggesting that the government should guarantee that if the fed= eral government doesn’t fund it, the Yukon government will pick up the sla= ck — the member should be able to connect the dots and figure out what t= he federal reaction to that would be if the Legislative Assembly or the govern= ment were to send the message to the federal government, saying, “This is = an important program. We want you to continue funding it, but if you don’= ;t, we’ll just pick up the slack and pay for what you have pulled out of.” That would be a very weak message from the Yukon Legislative Ass= embly.
The message the government believes=
we
should send to the federal government is, “It is a program that has b=
een
supported by a great many people. This is an area where the
So, again, I hope the members will = join us in sending that signal to the federal government to continue funding this p= rogram — find a way to fund this program under one of their many programs and out of their much larger resources than the territorial government, rather = than sending a weak-kneed message that we’re only going to hold their feet= to the fire on this issue and only going to ask them to fund the program.
So, Mr. Speaker, again, the governm= ent will be supporting this amendment, but I hope the members will join us in sendin= g a strong message to the federal government that they really should maintain t= heir support for the program.
Mr. Silver:&= #8195; I’d like = to just make a brief statement that we would absolutely be supporting the amendment= to this motion. We’d like to thank the Member for Mount Lorne-Southern L= akes for his impassioned speech today. I would just like to add to his story abo= ut helping me at Christmas. I don’t think, even if there wasn’t a = law, I’m sure the member would still pick me up, even though he knows I’m on a different team.
Hon.
Mr.
Again, the organization goes back to 2006-07, I believe, and we have had many departments support many different projects from the Department of Justice and, of course, the Department of Education. The figures I have in front me show that the Education department was one of the initial funders at a substantial amount — close to $130,000 at that time. Health and Social Services has funded projects, as h= ave Tourism and Culture, the Executive Council Office and Economic Development.=
Just a quick rundown of the project=
s that
have been funded, either multi-year or one-time funding: Journey Far projec=
t;
dugout canoe project; First Nation art education project; additional funding
for the Journey Far carver project; the Sundog carving program manual has b=
een
funded; miscellaneous funding for NCES; fee-for-service funding for youth to
attend the program; the Totem Pole project; some transitional activities; a=
nd
then, funded through the Department of Economic Development, the developmen=
t of
a business plan. Total
There has been significant commitme=
nt made
by the Government of Yukon. Again, as the Member for
Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; I rise to speak=
in
support of this amendment, and I will just give a quick comment with respec=
t to
the Member for
We present a much stronger voice and
stronger pressure on
Hon.
Mr. Nixon: I will also speak briefly to the
amendment brought forth by the Member for
It is a real honour for me to be the Minister of Tourism and Culture and support projects like the Northern Cult= ural Expressions. It is also a real honour to see a number of the carvers in the gallery today, a number of which I have known for many, many years — = Ben and Owen.
Tourism and Culture will be support= ing Northern Cultural Expressions in the amount right now of $345,000 a year, a= s we all are well aware, and with the support of my colleagues, the Minister of Health and Social Services and the Minister of Education.
I do support this friendly amendmen=
t, but
as a previous business owner, I know what it takes to operate a business and
this, at the end of the day, is like operating a business. It takes
partnerships within the community and not just government to bring success =
to
NGOs such as the Northern Cultural Expressions Society, which I might add i=
s a
very worthwhile program.
At the end of the day, we want this= program to run effectively and efficiently. I’m happy to see that my colleagu= es on the floor of this Legislature will support this friendly amendment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Amendment to Motion No. 197 agre=
ed to
Speaker: We’ll continue with debate on the amended motion.
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; I rise to suppo=
rt this
amended motion before us. I know this program and I’m very familiar w=
ith
many of their staff and many of the participants, both past and present. Th=
ese
young people are fortunate to have a program that trains, supports and guid=
es
them, but they are the ones doing the hard work in this program. They are t=
he
ones who are going out to our communities, to our schools, working with
different people, with other young people and teaching and training them an=
d sharing
their carving skills.
I know the support is there from th= e staff for these young people and for these individuals, including my nephew, who = has left now. I am proud of what he has accomplished and what he has created and continues to create. I am proud of the opportunities he has taken advantage= of in this program. I have many pieces of his work, and it’s not just because he’s my nephew, but because it’s beautiful. I have some= in my office. I invite any to come down and see. I have carvings; I have sewing that he has done, and it is all beautiful.
This program does deserve the ongoi=
ng
support of our federal government and our First Nation governments, but this
government, too. We’re all happy — we’re happy as a gover=
nment
to purchase the art, to display it in our Legislature, to give it away as g=
ifts
to dignitaries and to friends. But we should also be happy — no, we
should be proud to support this program and the community it supports. These
individuals are our citizens, our community, our friends and yes, my family=
.
They work hard, they try hard, and = they are deserving of financial support. We have heard about the surplus this govern= ment has. I say, take a small part of it, guarantee it, give it to this program = — not so it can maintain the status quo, but that it can grow and offer more opportunities to more young people in our communities. I don’t want to talk about youth at risk or those types of terms or labels we put on people. These are our youth — they are my nephew; they are his friends, and t= hey are other people’s families. Hats off to this program and what it has done for these young people. I admire it and respect them and feel they need our unreserved support. Thank you.
Hon.
Mr. Kent: It’s my pleasure to speak in
support of not only the original motion brought forward today by the Member=
for
Watson Lake, but the motion as amended with the friendly amendment from the
Member for Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes.
I’d like to speak about this,=
maybe
from more of an education perspective and how important this program is. I
think we need to send that message to the federal government — that t=
his
is more than just a carving program. I know the Member for
It’s a tremendous program, and I’ll also offer toward the end of my remarks a perspective on how thi= s is contributing to our community from a fundraising initiative that I did for = the Yukon Hospital Foundation that involved a piece of work from two of the art= ists — two pieces of work, in fact.
When we look at the strategic plan =
for the
Department of Education, our commitment to New Horizons, we’ll find a=
reference
to experiential education, and I’ll just read that into the record no=
w.
In experiential education, a student constructs knowledge, value and skill =
from
direct experience.
They can be instructed from within =
and
outside the classroom, making use of a diversity of learning environments. A
number of
Again, the department continues to =
support
the application and integration of experiential teaching strategies in all =
When we talk about the
That initiative was designed in col=
laboration
with the
I think that is certainly a tremend= ous experiential learning or First Nation programming option that compares very well to what is being offered through the carving program that we are talki= ng about here today. Of course, a northern strategy project is the Old Crow experiential learning that happens by working with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation to help implement the Old Crow northern experiential project for 2011-12. The Department of Education is certainly pleased to partner on tha= t. I have heard tremendous things about that program and the success, not only f= or the Member for Vuntut Gwitchin, but a number of the people who have been involved.
One of the main instructors now liv=
ing in
There have been presentations by consultants with respect to this program at a school-wide teachers conferen= ce, education summit and the Canadian Council of Ministers of Education to share those best practices.
We continue to work on a number of =
other
initiatives when it comes to experiential learning. One only had to attend =
the
bison feast recently held at
Of course, we have other experienti=
al
learning opportunities more on the academic side as well such as the science
fair. I know it was before Christmas when we had the winners of the science
fair come into this Chamber for a tribute that I was very pleased to give to
them. I should let all members of the House know that those fortunate stude=
nts
are off to the national science fair on May 12. We certainly wish them luck,
and I know they will represent the
Another experiential opportunity wa=
s the
bridge building competition that was held here in
They really offer a tremendous oppo= rtunity for students to gain new skills and for adults to learn new skills as well = and to participate in something that is very worthwhile. Of course, I know the Minister of Justice — and also with his responsibility for Tourism and Culture — will speak more to the specifics of what this program does,= but I’d like to offer just a little bit of information as to what the Department of Education has contributed since 2006-07.
I spoke briefly to this in respondi= ng to the amendment put forward, but the First Nations art education program is o= ne that has received consistent funding since the second year of operation thr= ough our department. The Journey Far carver project received Education funding earlier on in the program and we assisted with the Sundog carving program manual. Off course, there is also miscellaneous funding to the society for materials and carving workshops that are being held in our schools.<= /p>
I am very, very pleased to speak in=
support
of this motion as amended. It’s a tremendous program.
I’ll close on my experience w=
ith them
— I know the Member for
We see that, I think, through the Department of Education with programs that are being offered at the Individ= ual Learning Centre and the Teen Parent Centre, which is another program that is offered by the Department of Education that does exactly that, which is changing lives. So I can certainly relate to what he has mentioned. =
With respect to another way that
they’re contributing to this community — a number of years ago,
when I was president of the Yukon Hospital Foundation and working with the
manager of special events for that organization, we were always trying to f=
ind
new ways to raise money and we were just beginning the campaign to purchase=
an
MRI machine for Whitehorse General Hospital. One of the fundraising events =
that
the manager of events came up with was something called
“Chair-ity”. It’s not spelled the traditional way. ItR=
17;s
“Chair-ity”. So what we did was solicit donations of plain wood=
en
chairs and enlisted the support of a number of visual artists across the
community to use their talents and manipulate those chairs any way they felt
would be creative and that type of thing.
It didn’t take very long for =
—
I believe it was Sundog carvers at the time or perhaps it had morphed into =
its
new title — but we had two chairs from that organization. The final
amount of funds raised through the auction I think of about one dozen chairs
was over $15,000, so just tremendous. Events like that aren’t possible
without the support of the artists, including those two young carvers from =
the
Sundog carvers, I believe it was called at the time. When we’re sendi=
ng
this message to the federal government, this program is life-changing as th=
e member
opposite alluded, and it’s also contributing to our community in other
ways, such as contributing to the purchase of an MRI machine for
Again, I wanted first of all to tak=
e time
to thank the Member for
So, again, thank you, Mr. Speaker, =
for indulging
me and allowing me to really relate this to experiential education and the
community improvements that this organization is making to help make the Yu=
kon
a better place to live. So, again, thank you to the Member for
Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; I rise to speak=
to
amended Motion No. 197 regarding federal funding for the Northern Cultural =
Expressions
Society. This society gives marginalized youth a chance to learn essential
skills that can be supported as they begin to apply to them.
Participants receive direction in t= hree key areas: carving skills, business and marketing for artists, and life and work skills. This introduction provides students with the tools to become succes= sful, self-supporting artists. Opportunities through the Northern Cultural Expressions Society are particularly important in that they are provided to youth at risk. With these new skills, these young people can rely on a part= of themselves that is real, that is tangible and that is always growing. As a musician, I know that my skills are sometimes the only thing that I can rea= lly call my own, and attention to my trade has made me the person I am today and I’m sure that the Member for Mount Lorne-Southern Lakes and the stude= nts who were in the gallery today can attest to this as well.
Many of the students come to the so=
ciety
after unsuccessful experiences in traditional schools and workplaces and it
gives them another chance to develop necessary life skills and financial
independence. As a teacher in
The Northern Cultural Expressions S=
ociety
has experienced significant funding uncertainty in recent years. The carvers
are funded by a variety of partners, including Arts Underground, the Indivi=
dual
Learning Centre, Teslin Tlingit Council, Kwanlin Dunn First Nations, Little
Salmon, Carmacks First Nations, and Gwich’in Council. The
As all members are aware, significa=
nt
federal budget cuts are being felt across federal departments. We are certa=
inly
seeing the effects here in the
This motion urges the Government of=
Canada
to continue funding the society, and we can certainly support that, as we d=
o support
the amendment that the territorial government does the same. The society
members do good work. They teach the skills that help a selection of our yo=
ung
people live in ways that are healthier and self-supporting and outside of t=
he
justice system.
This is good for all members of the community, well beyond just the students and their families. This motion has our support today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Hon.
Mr. Nixon: I’d like to thank the Member =
for
I spent many years working in a gro= up home setting and as a former business owner of a company that catered to young p= eople, I have some experience in dealing with young people from various background= s. Having a son with autism, I also know that a one-size-fits-all approach oft= en does not work.
In responding to the many requests =
that
cross my desk, I am guided by our platform commitments. We have committed t=
o provide
resources directly to NGOs assisting Yukoners with substance abuse and
addiction issues. We also committed to continue to work with First Nations =
to
explore opportunities for land-based treatment of substance abuse. I will
remind everyone that indeed it was the Yukon Party that initially funded th=
is
program.
I want to speak first to the “why” of this program. The vision of Northern Cultural Expressi= ons Society is to help emerging artists develop the artistic, social and busine= ss skills required for personal success by providing opportunities for young people to channel their energy to artistic expression and to business development. Mr. Speaker, I think that’s a great vision.
I’m a firm believer that an o= unce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. We know that young people at risk and without assistance sometimes get themselves into a world of trouble and that trouble can be very expensive, both to themselves and society. We also know that with some assistance, these same young people can become productive, contributing members of society. Early intervention can and does provide a better quality of life for both a young person and for those around him or = her.
That brings us to the “who=
221; of
this motion — who are the people involved? The first part of that ans=
wer
is to focus on those receiving the services. The young people receiving the
services in education are typically youth at risk or those who excel in
settings, other than the traditional classroom setting.
How do we respond to these young pe= ople in a way that’s effective? That brings us to the second part of the answ= er, the part where we talk about who is providing the services. The organization was founded by the owners of Sundog Retreat, and was originally known as the Sundog carving program. The initial or introductory program called “Carving Our Path” was founded in 2004 with the assistance of Service Canada funding. This program grew rapidly, and in 2006, with the assistance of the Government of Yukon, an advanced carving program entitled= the “Journey Far Project” was added for youth who had completed the beginner program. In 2009, the Sundog carving program changed its organizational structure from Sundog Retreat Inc. to a dynamic non-profit organization called the Northern Cultural Expressions Society.
I am given to understand that a key=
reason
was that becoming a non-profit organization would enhance the opportunities=
for
funding. I’m hopeful that I will have enough time at the end to come =
back
to the “who” question and talk about the success stories from
Northern Cultural Expressions Society.
Having talked about the “who&= #8221;, I’d like to talk about the “what”. What is the Northern Cultural Expressions Society carving program?
It offers life skills development f= or individuals who may be at risk. It assists in skill development for Yukon F= irst Nation youth that creates positive leadership opportunities, preserves traditional practices, and helps change intergenerational patterns resulting from the impacts of residential schools. It helps to develop entrepreneurial skills to increase self-sufficiency and confidence for artists and their families.
The organization offered four progr= ams. The first, Carving Our Path, for young adults with multiple barriers to employm= ent, aged 16 to 30, who were not in the school system and did not have full-time employment. It was previously funded by Service Canada, which is a part of = the Government of Canada. Due to lack of funding, the beginner program is not currently being delivered and I would like to see the Government of Canada re-engage with the society as a funding contributor.
The second, Journey Far advanced ca=
rver
program, is for high-risk youth and people with multiple barriers to employ=
ment
who have graduated from the Carving Our Path program or who have demonstrat=
ed
basic carving abilities.
The Yukon
The fourth program is the cultural
resilience project. This is funded through the federally funded National Cr=
ime
Prevention Centre. It receives $482,000 per year until
I would now like to talk about how = the program works. Participants of the Carving Our Path and Journey Far programs receive a small per diem which is based on the minimum wage hourly rate. Th= is practice has been proven to be effective for helping participants to access basic necessities.
I am given to understand from discu= ssions with the department officials that clients who receive the per diem would m= ost likely be receiving social assistance. The per diem they receive is in plac= e of social assistance and is used as a tool to encourage the youth’s participation in that program. I believe it also helps establish the work e= thic of showing up and showing up for work on time. I commend Minister Graham and his department for their work with these young people.
The program participants learn both= carving and life skills through one-on-one and small group programming. In the proc= ess of teaching participants to carve, the instructors are also able to establi= sh a link with the participants that allow them to discuss substance abuse and o= ther personal issues.
I’d like to mention some of t=
he past
carving projects. The Carving Our Path project ran 44 weeks and supported n=
ine
young people — young people being defined as those under 30 — as
they began to carve and sell their work, some of which is incredibly well d=
one.
This project was funded was Service Canada.
Each intake of youth allowed for ni= ne participants aged 16 to 30, to learn carving skills, life skills, business planning and marketing skills. The program is life-changing. Youth who have largely experienced failure in traditional school or work opportunities blo= ssom under the individualized attention and their tangible artistic success.
The Journey Far project is for more experienced carvers of all ages. It started in October of 2006 and was desi= gned to provide 2.5 years of support to the carvers. This project has been funde= d by Yukon Justice in the past, and I have to commend the Minister of Justice for his work on that file. It had a similar structure to the Carving Our Path Program, with a greater emphasis on advanced carving and skill development. Both programs focused on a mix of carving skill development, business and m= arketing skill development, life skills and work skills development in order to facilitate successful careers and artists.
These programs also encourage the a=
rtist to
contribute to the wider community through various outreach initiatives. The
First Nations art education project connects emerging artists who serve as
instructors to help Yukon First Nation students in the public school system.
This project began in October 2007 and is funded by the First Nations Progr=
ams
and Partnerships unit, Yukon Department of Education.
School students from six schools at= tend the studio and are taught by more experienced carving participants. These mento= r-artists encourage students to build on their talents early and to stay engaged in school. I’m told that both the students and the mentors find this pro= ject very rewarding.
One part of the program is to encou=
rage
young people’s entrepreneurial skills. These young carvers’ ran=
ge
of artwork includes masks, prints, panels, plaques, rattles, paddles and bo=
wls.
This work has been sold locally, nationally and internationally. I’m =
told
beginner pieces sell in the range of $25 to $125 and advanced carvers sell
their work anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the size and comple=
xity
of the piece. I’m also advised that companies from outside
The participants have been featured=
in four
gallery shows at Arts Underground in
I’d now like to mention the c=
anoe
project. This involved a number of young males who participated in a 10-wee=
k substance-free
intensive carving program. It took place on an island in the
As I spoke with those involved with=
the
project — some of whom are Yukon government employees; some are paren=
ts
of kids in the program; some of them are the young people in the program
— I was impressed with how frequently I heard the words “life-c=
hanging”
to describe that program. As I look over their website, I see that one of t=
heir
Tlingit carvers started out as a student and is now an instructor for the
beginner program. One of his masks was presented as a gift to the Prime
Minister and another commissioned by the Canada Winter Games Host Society. =
This
artist represented Russia
A Kwanlin Dun carver presented his
“Dancing Wolf” print to the Governor General in 2007 during her
visit to the Sundog Retreat carving studio in
Another Tlingit carver presented a =
mask to
the Governor General at a state dinner during her 2007 visit to
In closing, I’d like to reite= rate a comment I made earlier that it takes partnerships with the community, not j= ust government, to bring success to NGOs like Northern Cultural Expressions Society, a very worthwhile program, and we want this program to run effecti= vely and efficiently. I believe this program has been successful in its goals, a= nd I believe we should all support this motion. Thank you.
Hon.
Ms. Taylor: It is indeed my privilege to rise t=
oday
to speak in support of this motion, as amended, and I’d like to thank=
the
Member for
A lot has been said today, and I do= not want to be repetitive, so I am going to do my very best to really reflect u= pon some of my own personal experiences with this particular program and how I = have seen it evolve over the years.
When I was Minister of Tourism and =
Culture,
I recall reflecting upon every time there would be an opening of an art exh=
ibit,
whether it be Arts Underground, or the ODD Gallery in Dawson City, or the Y=
ukon
Arts Centre, or other places — and I would often reflect, and I still=
am
of the view that, when it comes to the arts, the arts have this powerful
ability to transform the way we think. They have the power to change or alt=
er
the way we view the perspectives that we hold about an initiative or an iss=
ue.
I can say that, when it comes to this particular program, the arts have and
continue to have that ability to transform lives.
This I have come to know to be true=
over
the years. I was looking back and I recall the program was commenced back in
2006-07. It started as a vision and certainly has continued to evolve over =
the
years, since it was first initiated. I certainly thank and commend all of t=
hose
who had the vision. And I won’t go through the names of the individua=
ls
who have been involved because there are many. Also, I want to recognize my
predecessors and colleagues: John Edzerza, who served as Minister of Educat=
ion,
and also the Minister of Justice at that time, who was Marian Horne, as wel=
l as
our former Premier, Premier Fentie, for their leadership, and for taking th=
at
leap of faith on a program such as this.
It was perhaps not proven at the ti=
me, but
it was very much a vision of some to invest in individuals and invest in an=
experiential
form of education and reach out to a number of individuals who, for one rea=
son
or another, may not have been reached through other traditional, convention=
al
forms of education in the past.
I recall when that program first ca=
me
about. I know that the Government of Yukon chose to initially contribute ju=
st
over $100,000 for the Journey Far carver project at that time, as it was on=
ce
known. Of course, now we see that the
It’s a very unique initiative= . It combines training and wellness, in support of individuals becoming self-sufficient in their communities and achieving a better quality of life= . It has been a tremendous success, and I don’t think there is any dispute among members here today, as we have all heard.
It has provided opportunities for m=
any,
many of our youth over the years, some of whom were here in the Legislature=
earlier
today, such as Duran Henry and William Callaghan. They are stellar examples=
of
individuals who entered that program, probably taking their own leap of fai=
th,
as well, and probably saw their lives transformed. Now, today, you hear of
great success stories. Some of those initial, original students have now be=
come
master carvers. They have carried on their pursuits at Emily
I know a lot has been said on the f= loor of the Legislature about different funding sources coming through the Governme= nt of Canada, whether it was through the crime prevention strategy or other fo= rms of funding, and that too is good.
I think it’s really important= that, sometimes, one-time funding — these “boutique” programs, = as the former MLA for Klondike used to refer to them years ago — it̵= 7;s important to continue to take that leap of faith and to invest in stable, o= ngoing funding and I’m pleased to see that Yukon government has continued.= span>
I recall that the first three-year =
funding
came — I think it was back in 2009, if I’m not mistaken —=
and
it was announced at that time that we would invest $345,000 for each of the
next three fiscal years and that was to help continue and help grow the Jou=
rney
Far carver program, and whether it’s advancing skills in carving,
marketing — you know, essentially paving the way for carvers to ensure
their future success as individuals who contribute to our economy, who
contribute in a meaningful way to the quality of life as we know it and, in
doing so — you know, contributing to their own personal wellness.
I know that having spoken to indivi=
duals
like William and like Duran over the years has much touched me and touched =
many
others, to be sure. I had the privilege of being able to visit the dugout c=
anoe
project some years ago when it was first initiated, along with the Chief of=
the
Kwanlin Dun First Nation, Mike Smith, at that time. I remember arriving =
212;
it was a beautiful day; it was a very warm day, to be sure. There were lots=
of
bugs, but the weather was fantastic. I remember coming down the river and a=
ll
of a sudden it was like the waters opened, and there in fact was this place
where it was very inviting. There were a number of the participants who were
waiting there for us and pulled us in.
I remember we arrived and just clim=
bed up a
bit of the hill to get to the actual — there was a shelter that cover=
ed
the dugout canoe. By the time that we had arrived there, it was a really
exciting time because these participants, these students, had been there for
quite awhile, and I was surprised at how intact each of these participants
were, because they had been there without any another contact with their
families or their friends over the course of that time. It was a very excit=
ing
time, because it was about the time just prior to the birthing of the canoe
itself. I recall hearing about this, and of course it was a very spiritual =
ceremony,
one which I did not have the privilege of taking part in because that was to
take place a couple of days thereafter, but to hear firsthand from the mast=
er
carver himself, who was leading the project, and hear the experiences of ea=
ch
of these participants and all that they have contributed to the project
unfolding — it was not just an investment in the project and in the
canoe, it was an investment — it was really a story about the lives of
these individuals.
I just recall seeing when we arrive= d that the canoe was full of these wood chips and of course the smell of cedar jus= t enthralled or encompassed all of us. It was a very spiritual time because they were ab= out to take these wood chips and they were about to — as soon as they had completed the digging out of the project, so to speak, and it was a process= of digging. Sometimes they would reach a crevice. At one time, I heard directl= y, first-hand, that a piece of the canoe had actually broken off and it was a setback, but you know, due to the determination and through learning and through skills which made them stronger carvers, they were able to put that initiative back together.
Of course the project, though, evol=
ved to
the point that they were ready to give birth to this project — to the
canoe. So by taking all of these chips and literally burning the chips and
then, of course, filling the empty canoe thereafter with water and then sea=
ling
it and heating it so that it could birth itself; it could expand — and
certainly it did.
It was tremendous and of course everyone’s expectation was how far the canoe was going to move. In tu= rn, the chips that were going to be burned, as was later told by the participan= ts, each of those chips spoke to really a life of the participants’ membe= rs who may have passed, who may have suffered from abuse, who may have suffered from addictions, or it may have represented an experience in their life. It really was a privilege and a significant project and I just want to commend them for that.
I also want to add that we were very pleased to contribute to that as well, in addition to the ongoing dollars — but it’s that initiative in itself that those participants can see from beginning to end and take a piece of them and to learn so much more about their lives; to learn so much more about where they’ve come from and where they want to go. = span>
That canoe, I was very pleased to s=
ee later
on, was moved to the Yukon Arts Centre. As the Minister of Justice just all=
uded
as well, it was later showcased in a documentary produced by Allan Code. I
think Allan Code did just a superb job of interviews and really collecting =
the
entire project, not just about building a canoe, but about all the stories =
that
went with it and how that was showcased almost a year ago coming up this fa=
ll.
It’s that kind of story that keeps participants and key programs like
this alive and well. It has been a real privilege to see it evolve. In fact=
, I
know that it being housed within the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre was always=
the
vision of the Kwanlin Dun First Nation. I recall having the opportunity to =
tour
Haida Gwaii and see first-hand, with elders from Kwanlin Dun and
The elders shared with me at that particular event their vision of seeing the homecoming of the dugout canoe = as an example of what could actually transpire. Speaking to revitalization of = the culture of those peoples who have been lost, and that is what investments n= ot only this program, but investments in infrastructure like the Kwanlin Dun F= irst Nations Cultural Centre, which has been a great partnership all along. I ju= st want to make reference to that again, I am very pleased to see it back wher= e it belongs, and it was great to have seen it also on the water as well and to = have it seen it actually come home.
The Minister of Education has also =
made
reference to a number of other programs that we have helped invest in over =
the
years that have perhaps not been as expansive or extensive as the dugout ca=
noe
or perhaps in this program all together, but the carving facility at Carcro=
ss
— that is a tremendous facility that was developed in partnership with
the Carcross-Tagish First Nation and the Yukon government as part of the
efforts to improve the waterfront, but also to serve as a place to expand
capacity and training initiatives provided by First Nation members themselv=
es.
We’ve heard about the bison f= east, of course, and I think if anyone has not had the opportunity to take part in t= he actual annual bison feast held at Elijah Smith, I encourage everyone to do = so, because it’s quite an experience and again, the pride in those studen= ts’ faces, as well as the teachers and the stories that go with those experienc= es, are bar none.
I know there have been investments =
when it
comes to Old Crow. There’s the bicultural program, as well, delivered
through Education in collaboration with
It’s unfortunate I don’= t have a lot of extra time. I see I’m running out of time. But I do want to ju= st say that this program that we’re talking about today has and continue= s to produce significant positive outcomes, which is why our government has supported its operation through a number of funding sources over the past s= ix years and continues to work with the board on seeing its vision through, as well. Again, I would like to thank all of the departments who have helped t= he society over the years, but most importantly, I’d like to just commend and congratulate all of the participants and the many individuals who have contributed to the success of the program. Thank you.
Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: I’d also like to thank and co=
mmend
the Member for
This motion that we speak to today = can send a strong message to the Government of Canada that it is an effective progra= m in our territory to help young folks break free of the bad life cycle and embr= ace the position to turn their lives around through this.
I want to speak to the importance of helping people help themselves. The program offered by the Northern Cultura= l Expressions Society helps people under 30 who have difficulties in life — abusive lifestyles and relationships — by giving them a focal point for their energies and open up new opportunities and provide them with the skill sets= to create and sell artwork.
Self-reliance begets self-confidenc= e; self-confidence begets responsibility; responsibility begets self-reliance. This is a healthy cycle that many of us as parents try to urge our children into. Often we don’t have the tools or understanding of how to guide other human beings, even if they are our own children, into a healthy set of behaviours and a healthy lifestyle. Even if we do, we aren’t always successful. In the end, many people end up in a negative cycle of abuse = 212; physical abuse, emotional abuse, substance abuse. These people may not have= the self-confidence to take care of themselves.
They become reliant on others. They= give up the responsibilities for themselves and for other aspects of their lives. T= his lack of responsibility leads to lack of respect for themselves and the peop= le and things around them. Again, the lack of respect leads to abuse, and the = negative lifestyle continues.
Programs such as this and some of t= he other programs that have come out that we’ve been talking about today are o= f utmost importance. The Northern Cultural Expressions Society starts to break this cycle by focusing the energy not on abuse and destruction, but on creativity and creation, which is important. After the initial expression of positivit= y, the participants realize that their energy created something that can help = support themselves. They can show that selling their art will provide for them to f= eel responsible and respected. The initial break from their bad life cycle has carved — no pun intended — a new path to a healthy lifestyle. Programs such as these — the ones offered by the Northern Cultural Expressions Society — are far more productive to the individuals of o= ur societies than simply providing welfare or housing and food.
Those latter acts enable a bad life=
cycle
to continue, fuelling it forward. These programs — Carving Our Path a=
nd
Journey Far — break those cycles and bring people out of their funk a=
nd
into a productive society.
I want to speak a little bit about = carving and the art. A lot of this is about tradition. It is about First Nation tradition, whether it be carving, whether it be beadwork, whether it be sew= ing some of the potlatch vests we see people wear, and our members wear in the House — I was very impressed to see on the 25th anniversar= y of the Champagne and Ais= hihik First Nations bonspiel that they got Mr. John Bur= dek to come back and carve the trophies. He carved the trophies for years; they are beautiful. I have one in my office — a paddle that he carved. He is an excellent person and a role model for other members.
Ron Chambers, who is a very good fr= iend of mine and a respected citizen, is a carver. Some of his carving implements a= nd some of the stuff that he has, he uses for many cultural events. I have a s= et of beaded mukluks that my grandmother got from Grandma Marge many years ago= , and they hang in my office. Some of this stuff is incredible art. Most of it, y= ou cannot put a value on it because it is traditional art.
I commend this motion. I voiced my = thoughts on this a bit and I urge the Government of Canada to continue to financiall= y support this Northern Cultural Expressions Society.
Speaker: If the member now speaks, she will close debate on the motion= as amended.
Does any other member wish to be he= ard?
Ms.
McLeod: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank y=
ou to
the Member for
Speaker: Are you prepared for the question?
Some Hon. Members: Division.<= /p>
Division
Speaker: Division has been called.
Bells
Speaker: Order please. This is on the motion, as amended. Mr. Clerk, p= lease poll the House.
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Agree.
Hon. Ms. Taylor: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Graham: Agree.
Hon.
Mr. Hon.
Mr. Nixon: Agree. Ms.
McLeod: Agree. Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: Agree. Hon.
Mr. Dixon: Agree. Mr.
Hassard: Agree. Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; Agree.=
p>
Mr.
Tredger:=
Agree.=
p>
Ms.
Moorcroft: Agree.=
p>
Ms.
White:=
8195; Agree.=
p>
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; Agree.=
p>
Mr.
Barr:=
195; Agree.=
p>
Mr.
Elias:=
8195; Agree. Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; Agree.=
p>
Clerk: Mr. Speaker, the results are 18 yea, nil nay. Speaker: The yeas have it. I declare the motion, as amended, carried.<=
/span> Motion No. 197 agreed to as amen=
ded Motion No. 198 Clerk: Motion No. 198, standing in the name of Mr. Hassard.=
p>
Speaker: It has been moved by the Member for Pelly-Nisutlin: =
p>
THAT this House urges the (1) working with farmers and indust=
ry
associations including the Yukon Agricultural Association and the Growers o=
f Organic
Food (2) developing a “Yukon-Grown=
Food
Policy” aimed at significantly increasing the production and use of
locally-grown vegetables, meat and food products; (3) supporting the development of
agriculture infrastructure th=
at
improves food security, facilitates access to market, and encourages local
production of food; (4) supporting the development of l=
ocal
markets for (5) working with Mr. Hassard: Mr. Speaker, it=
’s
a pleasure and a privilege to rise today and speak to Motion No. 198 —=
; a
motion to support the development of the agricultural sector. If we are to know where we are head=
ed going
into the future, one only needs to look back on our past. I would remiss if I did not mention=
my own
hometown of Teslin where the First Nations youth engaged in a community food
security project that included interviews with elders, Teslin Tlingit citiz=
ens,
outfitters and youth alike. Farming north of 60 presents special
farming opportunities and obstacles. Although southern imports may be avail=
able
at lower costs, several farms locally raise pesticide-free and free-range f=
oods
for prices lower than imported organic food. The report Strengthening Yu=
kon
Local Food completed in 2010 was prepared by the Canadian Centre for
Community Renewal with funding from the community development fund and spea=
ks
to the importance of decreasing our reliance on food that is transported fr=
om
southern jurisdictions and farms thousands of kilometres away. The term use=
d in
the report describes this as an “oil addicted food supply”. With
the price of gas continuing to increase at break-neck pace and with only one
road in and one road out, there are serious concerns about the security of
Yukon’s food supply on multiple levels. There are certainly examples in the=
past of
empty shelves at grocery stores throughout the Mr. Speaker, there’s a strong,
intelligent and progressive agricultural community that has been working
tirelessly on the strategic vision that will require some action on the par=
t of
this government. In fact, there are proactive consumers who are making a co=
nscious
choice to buy locally grown foods. Many are working to build on partnership=
s and
are creating farmers’ markets, buying clubs, cooperatives and communi=
ty
gardens or greenhouses. We can support this momentum in building a sustaina=
ble If you have toured the Fireweed Mar=
ket in
the summer as I have, you would see that there is an amazing mix of vegetab=
les,
meats and various other foods, all I look forward to hearing from all =
members
of this Assembly today, as I believe this is an important motion and truly
deserves input from all. Thank you in advance for your time and input, and I
hope to see unanimous support of Motion No. 198. Mr.
Tredger:=
I’d first=
like to
acknowledge the Agriculture branch. There is a committed group of people, a=
nd
they have done a marvellous job in preparing this. I’ve spent some ti=
me
on the webpage. I’d like to just point out a couple of things that I
would like to commend them for. They have just released information.
I’d like to congratulate them on that. It is 25 years now that the
information has been circulated to Yukoners. It’s kept them abreast of
recent things in agriculture and it has very well done. I have also availed myself of much =
of the
research that the Yukon Agriculture branch has taken part in. I know, parti=
cularly
out at my place, I have several varieties of raspberries that were experime=
nted
with and recommended by the Agriculture branch. I attended the Gunnar Nilss=
on
and I would also like to commend them f=
or the
master gardener’s course they are putting on and acknowledge that it =
has
helped many people get introduced to the industry and become part of the
agricultural production in the Also, the Yukon agricultural land l=
ink,
where they have begun an internship where people can work on the land and g=
et
supported by the Department of Agriculture, and people who have various
endeavours in the agriculture industry are able to connect with people who =
want
to learn about working on the land and get involved in the agriculture
industry, and that has been very beneficial to a number of people. <=
/p>
I would like to also commend the pe=
ople of
the We in the New Democratic Party supp=
ort the
intent of this motion, which is furthering the development of This vision is inspiring to us and =
history
inspires us, as well. During But it’s pretty impressive wh=
at the
Yukon Agriculture branch is doing and what the people of the They have been operating since the =
gold
rush; 1897 was when it was first established. At that time, they were provi=
ding
grazing and it was a stop-over place for horses. Later on, it became a plac=
e to
fatten up cattle so they would go on the river boats to Community markets are growing up, n=
ot just,
as the motion mentions, in the Fireweed Community Market, but there has also
been a Stewart Valley Community Market. They operate once a month through t=
he
summertime, beginning in May and through into September. They’ve been
very successful. There are a number of spinoffs from that. For one, people =
realize,
yes, it is possible to grow and produce our own food. There’s an
educational aspect to it, too. People share varieties. People learn that
healthy, viable food can be grown in the Many of the operations, as I mentio=
ned, are
small scale and with small-scale operations comes a couple of important poi=
nts
to consider. When I talk to people in my area, they are concerned about a
couple of things. One is cold storage. I know that the department has worked
with a number of people. I would encourage them to keep working with them to
develop cold storage facilities so that small-scale people can produce good=
s,
have them kept over, and they are available. A second concern for people in my a=
rea is
the idea of having a feed lot abattoir set up. I haven’t heard any
announcement on it yet, but I noticed that an order-in-council reallocated =
some
land alongside the I’ll just recite a story that=
my
friend Dale Bradley was telling me about, in terms of production of meat.
Currently, they do their slaughtering at their ranch. That meat then must be
kept in cold storage and delivered as in farm gate sales. What that means is that because the=
y are a
distance from the market, he has to put it into his refrigerated truck and
drive into Whitehorse, go door to door to sell it to his customers and deli=
ver
it to his customers. This usually takes him anywhere between two weeks and =
one
month before he can do it. That’s far too long for a working farmer t=
o be
away from his farm. If there were an abattoir and feedlot set up in a centr=
al
area, he could drop those off, they could be finished, slaughtered and he w=
ould
not have to be there to go through the process. I’m sure that’s
what the Agriculture branch and the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources=
is
looking at when they request the rezoning. So I look forward to that. We noticed a slight change between =
Motion
No. 25, standing in the name of Minister Cathers, and Motion No. 198, stand=
ing
in the name of Mr. Hassard, where increased annual funding has been replaced
with — Some
Hon. Member: (Inaudible) Mr.
Tredger:=
My apologies, M=
r.
Speaker. I was referring to Motion No. 25, standing in the name of the Memb=
er
for Increased funding has been replaced=
with
supporting the operation of — we in the New Democrats would like to t=
ake
this opportunity to say we are in favour of supporting all of our community
markets. They contribute much more to our communities than just food and ot=
her
agricultural products; they are educational, cultural and social hubs. The
markets in I also would like to reiterate my r=
equest
for a rural perspective to be included when developing the territory’s
agricultural sector. This means consideration should include the distance f=
rom
market, impacts on the time for the local farmers, the cost of transport and
the freshness. I notice that 70 percent of I believe that with some work this =
could be
expanded. I know most of the requests for land are for land in the <=
st1:City> We believe in the development of the
agricultural sector on both a small and a large scale. I’ve also wond=
ered
if consideration has been given to developing incentives to increase market=
s,
like at mines. We know now that many of our operating mines and our larger
exploration outfits are having their food trucked in all the way from That again, with some incentives, m=
ay be
able to be replaced. We could build on Development of Having said that, I would like to p=
ropose
an amendment be made and I’m not quite sure of the order — do I
read this into the record and then people get copies of it? Amendment proposed Mr.
Tredger:=
I move <=
/p>
THAT Motion No. 198 be amended by:<=
/span> (1) adding the phrase “First =
Nation
governments” between the words “farmers”, and
“and” in the first clause, item (1); and by (2) adding the words, “that d=
oes not
include or promote in any way the use of genetically engineered or modified=
seed
or organisms” after the word “research” in item (5). Speaker: Order please. The amendment is in order. It has been moved by=
the
Member for Mayo-Tatchun THAT Motion No. 198 be amended by:<=
/span> (1) adding the phrase “First =
Nation
governments” between the words “farmers”, and
“and” in the first clause, item (1); and by (2) adding the words, “that d=
oes not
include or promote in any way the use of genetically engineered or modified=
seed
or organisms” after the word “research” in item (5). Mr.
Tredger:=
On item (1) add=
ing
“First Nation governments” to the groups, I think almost speaks=
for
itself, but I would like to add a few things. The history of farming in the=
I know I’ve had interest expr=
essed
from all three First Nations in my area. The Na Cho Nyäk Dun, the Litt=
le
Salmon-Carmacks and the Selkirk First Nations have all expressed an interes=
t in
encouraging their citizens to get into the agriculture field and ways that =
they
can support them. I know that after seeing the success that Little
Salmon-Carmacks had, the Selkirk First Nation is currently working on a
greenhouse development and have, indeed, operated it for a year or two now.=
The second aspect, involving First =
Nations
early in discussions around agriculture, is that they’re major landow=
ners
in the area. The First Nation governments have say over settlement lands, a=
nd
they also have an interest in — they have a say over category A and B
lands, and they have an interest in their traditional territories. I believe
there have been some disputes in the past. Those may be alleviated to a cer=
tain
extent by involving the First Nations early on to arrive at solutions and t=
he
identification of what land is available and what would be appropriate for
agricultural use. On the second item, a few years ago=
, close
to 1,700 Yukoners petitioned the The opportunity may help to disting=
uish
Yukon-grown products at the consumer level and possibly open up opportuniti=
es
for production and trade with other GMO-free areas. This motion doesn’=
;t
speak to making a GMO-free area. What it does is to say that does not inclu=
de
or promote in any way the use of genetically engineered or modified seed or
organisms in research. Thank you. Hon.
Mr. Cathers: In speaking to the amendment, I
appreciate the intent of the Member for Mayo-Tatchun in this; however, we w=
ill
not be supporting the amendment, in large part because the approach that was
brought forward and outlined in the motion by the Member for Pelly-Nisutlin=
is
reflective of dialogue that has gone on with farmers and Yukoners in this a=
rea.
It is something that is reflecting =
the
spirit of what we committed to certainly in proceeding when re-elected to g=
overnment.
The insertion the member has proposed of First Nation governments in the ro=
le
related to the multi-year development plan does not really reflect the deta=
ils
of that plan and how that role would occur. What I would point out to the membe=
r is
that we have worked with First Nation governments on projects such as commu=
nity
greenhouses in Haines Junction, one that the then chief and re-elected chie=
f,
Chief James Allen, had brought forward as a request to me at the time for
government participation joining that First Nation’s funding of the p=
roject.
We did fund that. We have also worked to support the
agricultural activities, many including those that have partnerships from F=
irst
Nation governments or First Nation citizens who are not connected to the
governments. The role proposed by the member, I think, would lead more to
confusion for those reading this than anything else. So, while emphasizing the fact that=
we are
very much interested in working with First Nation governments and First Nat=
ion
citizens in pursuing opportunities to increase food production —
including if there’s interest by First Nations to consider developmen=
t of
their settlement A land, we would certainly be prepared to talk to them abo=
ut
how we might support them in that regard — the place in which the mem=
ber
proposed inserting it in the motion would, I think, lead to confusion and
misunderstanding about how the multi-year development plan is actually laid
out. Secondly, the other amendment propo=
sed by
the member referred to research and began talking about genetically enginee=
red
or modified seed organisms. Again, what I want to emphasize to the member is
that We see there being potential upside=
s to the
We will not be supporting the amend=
ment
brought forward by the Member for Mayo-Tatchun, but in fact I would say that
some of the spirit of what I think he may be intending to achieve are matte=
rs
that we could look at, and again, emphasizing that with First Nation
governments in particular, we want to work with them on matters beyond the =
farm
development plan the member has referenced. Ms.
Moorcroft: I rise to speak=
in
support of the amendment introduced by my colleague, the MLA for Mayo-Tatch=
un. In preparing for this debate this
afternoon, I read through the Multi-Year Development Plan for Yukon
Agriculture and Agri-Food, and would note for the member opposite who j=
ust
spoke against the amendment to the phrase “First Nation governments=
8221;,
in clause (1), is that, in fact, the Yukon agricultural multi-year developm=
ent
plan was prepared with involvement of First Nations. My colleague from Mayo-Tatchun spok=
e about
some of the history of agriculture in the We in the New Democratic caucus tak=
e a
position that we support the governance goal of implementing land claims and
self-government agreements. Accordingly, we believe that it is important to=
add
the phrase “First Nations governments” when we’re debatin=
g a
motion that urges the The One of the items identified in this
multi-year development plan, when it discusses the objective of maintaining=
or
improving on the Yukon’s reputation as a clean, minimal disease, mini=
mal
pest, low-intensive production area, speaks to an objective of investigating
the advantages and disadvantages that may exist in a genetically modified
organism-free, or GMO-free, environment. I understand that a GMO study has b=
een
promised. This study would look at the benefits and opportunities and risks
that would be created if a GMO-free area were developed. Currently in the <=
/span> Some countries do not allow the imp=
ortation
of GMO products. I believe that the evidence supports making the Yukon a
GMO-free area and that it would not be of value to promote the use of
genetically engineered or modified seed or organisms when so many other pla=
ces
have examined this question and concluded that GMO food is not healthy and
safe. It has a lot of repercussions on the agriculture industry and indeed,=
on
our health — and good food is vital to good health. So, Mr. Speaker, I will conclude by=
saying
that I support the amendment brought forward by my colleague and I hope that
members will agree that adding the phrase “First Nation governments=
8221;
to clause (1) of the motion would be of benefit. Also, that adding the phra=
se
that we would not promote the use of genetically engineered or modified see=
ds
or organisms would also be a good thing. Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; Whereas we woul=
d be in
support of the first clause of this amendment to add the phrase, “Fir=
st Nations
governments” between the words “farmers” and the word
“and”, we do believe, however, that the second clause pertainin=
g to
a genetic modification is to be too large and too divisive of an issue to be
tagged on to a motion to support the agricultural amendment. I do urge the =
NDP
to develop a new motion, one specific to genetically engineered or modified
seeds and organisms. Speaker: If no other member wishes to be heard, are you prepared for t=
he
question? Are you agreed? Some
Hon. Members: Agree. Some
Hon. Members: Disagree. Speaker: I believe the nays have it. The amendment is defeated. Amendment to Motion No. 198 nega=
tived Hon.
Mr. Cathers: In rising to support the motion, th=
e one
thing I’ll just very briefly point out with reference to the points p=
ut
forward by the Member for Mayo-Tatchun and the Member for Copperbelt South =
is
that one of the areas we as government believe is important in proceeding
forward with areas related to agriculture and developing the farming and ma=
rket
gardening sectors of the economy is trying to, as much as possible, gain so=
me
level of agreement and acceptance within the farming community of initiativ=
es
that are being proposed prior to proceeding with them. So, again, we are very much support=
ive of
people working among themselves to try to reach a consensus on major policy
issues affecting that sector. I’d like to again thank the M=
ember
for Pelly-Nisutlin for putting forward this motion. It gives me pleasure bo=
th
as minister responsible for agriculture and as MLA for That, I would note, is a matter tha=
t came
up through requests from farmers, who happen to be constituents of mine and=
who
identified the fact that developing a policy focused more specifically than=
the
2006 agriculture policy on addressing our opportunities for supporting the
growth of local food production would have merit and look forward to working
with farmers and industry associations and others to develop that specific =
food
policy. “Supporting the development of
agriculture infrastructure that improves food security, facilitates access =
to
market, and encourages local production of food” is (3) in the motion=
, of
course. It is also an area that we believe is very important to supporting =
the
growth of the It has been identified by many farm=
ers that
the needs of the industry, really, in many cases relate to infrastructure on
the fact that, although the Yukon’s agriculture sector in some cases =
uses
extremely modern technology, and in other cases our infrastructure, both fi=
xed
and mobile, is often well behind other areas of the country. Some of the fi=
xed
infrastructure, in particular, has at times in earlier eras in many of the
provinces had support by the government in developing that infrastructure a=
nd
in some cases may be a key component. Examples of where we have funded in=
frastructure
in the past include the purchase of the mobile abattoir, which came at the =
request
of Yukon farmers, and purchasing a no-till drill and purchasing other mobile
equipment that can be available for rental to farmers, but is not really fe=
asible
for many individuals, particularly some of the smaller operators, to purcha=
se
specifically for their own use because of a very limited demand for that pi=
ece
of equipment. Developing local markets for It is really important for us to wo=
rk with
people who are producing the products to understand their needs, and to loo=
k both
on the basis of research that has been done in the past and current feedback
from industry to determine what, really, are the smart investments, both in
terms of infrastructure and program support. Working with Yukon farmers to
conduct agricultural research is again an area that has had investment in t=
he
past through programs including the Growing Forward program, and is an area
that we see there being continued opportunity for learning more about the
Yukon’s climate and what can be grown well here. What I specifically note with that,=
as
members may recall, is that in fact some Yukon products grow quite well in =
our
climate with the extended daylight hours in our growing season; others, bec=
ause
of the nature of that individual plant, do not grow well, and need specific
steps taken to assist their growth, or do not grow and produce very well he=
re
at all. A few areas I’d like to highl=
ight in
terms of land development is that in 2011, 582 hectares of At the request of farmers and throu=
gh the consultation
and development of the 2006 agriculture policy, we heard very strongly from
farmers, including many of my constituents who participated, that they beli=
eve
that really did two things. It made it very hard for new farmers in particu=
lar
to get into developing a farm. In fact, because of the structure where exis=
ting
farmers for new pieces of property could go through a one-for-one pricing,
where they had to put in development equivalent to the value of that proper=
ty
for those subsequent parcels, it actually gave an advantage that was unfair=
to
existing farmers while making it harder to new farmers and particularly you=
ng
farmers who are more likely to have limited financial resources to actually
acquire land, let alone develop that and get it into production. So, considering the significant inc=
reases
in land prices that have occurred within the past seven years — I bel=
ieve
the average housing price has gone up over 90 percent — the value of
agricultural land has gone up significantly as well. I would point out that=
the
change of the 2006 agriculture policy to the one-for-one pricing policy was=
a
critical step, without which it’s quite unlikely that we would have t=
he
59 agreements for sale for agricultural land that are currently in place. <=
o:p> That being said, of course, we need=
to
continue to respond to the needs of A few things that I would note unde=
r the
Growing Forward agreement that I signed some years ago and that is currentl=
y underway
and expires at the end of March 2013 — examples of projects funded un=
der
that agreement to date include the reclamation of 320 acres of farmland;
wildlife damage prevention; market development initiatives, including commu=
nity
gardens and farmer market support; farm infrastructure including value-added
processing facilities for cheese making and shearing wool; environmental fa=
rm
plans and funding for best management practices; and, additional support
programs funded through the Growing Forward program. This includes operation
and maintenance of the mobile abattoir; the annual agriculture conference a=
nd
banquet; and, commercial soil, feed and water testing as well as disease
testing. I would also like to highlight the =
fact
that the Yukon Agricultural Association’s annual general meeting is t=
his
weekend. I look forward to attending and to again hearing from members of t=
he
Yukon Agricultural Association about their priorities for government contin=
uing
its support for One thing that I would note as well=
in the
Growing Forward agreement that was put in place — the multi-lateral
agreement between provinces, territories and the federal government —
there is a specific Canada-Yukon agreement which we were successful in gett=
ing
more flexibility around funding for infrastructure projects than is allowed=
to
most jurisdictions. That is something that we hope we will be able to get a=
greement
for in this next development of Growing Forward. The Growing Forward agreement ̵=
2; the
“Growing Forward 2” agreement as it’s sometimes referred =
to
— is currently in the process of being developed and we anticipate be=
ing
able to sign that agreement along with provinces, territories and the feder=
al
government when the Yukon hosts the Canadian Agriculture ministers in Septe=
mber
of this year. So I’m looking forward to hosting colleagues from across
the country at that time. It provides us with a good opportunity to make su=
re
that our priorities and the specific issues, challenges and opportunities f=
aced
by In recognition of the time, I will =
truncate
my remarks from what I had originally planned on saying. I do want to highl=
ight
the fact that We believe that there is significant
opportunity for the growth of the amount of Yukon’s food needs that c=
an
be met from local food production, as was alluded to by another member earl=
ier
in debate — the fact that back around the Klondike Gold Rush and shor=
tly
thereafter, the Yukon had a significant portion of its food production
occurring in the Dawson area. Really, that was a reflection of the time tha=
t,
in those days, being able to obtain locally grown food was often the differ=
ence
between eating and going hungry. As a result of improvements in transportat=
ion
infrastructure, one effect has been that a greater share of our food is bei=
ng
imported from the south, but with a growing understanding from many citizens
that locally grown food, which is healthy and more is known about its origi=
n,
is not only good for investing in the local economy, but is something that =
is a
good practice for yourself, your family and your community. It’s also notable that with t=
ransportation
infrastructure and an increased reliability of the A few other things that are worthy =
of note
— the value of the Yukon’s agriculture sector has been noted as
being in the range of — well, even as far back as 10 years ago, the
Yukon’s industry production was estimated at $4.2 million, and the to=
tal
farm investment, including lands, building, equipment and livestock, was
reported at $50.2 million. That’s according to the 2001 Canadian cens=
us
numbers. Again, the availability of Yukon fo=
od and
food supply is not perhaps as evident to everyone on a daily basis but, rea=
lly,
the Fireweed Community Market — I want to acknowledge the work done by
all those who have made that market run and continue to operate it through =
their
time and their personal contribution and volunteer hours to support the
organization, as well as participate as vendors. Really, I think that has been somet=
hing
that has gained a larger awareness by many Yukoners, who had not previously
thought much of the With your indication there, Mr. Spe=
aker, I
see I have actually used more time than I thought I had in my remarks and, =
in
the interest of allowing other members to speak, I will conclude my comment=
s. I
would encourage all members to support this motion. Again, I want to acknowledge the fa=
ct that
the Official Opposition did suggest an amendment to the motion and, without
dwelling on the previous question, what I would note is that the issues aro=
und
First Nation governments and the opportunities to work with First Nations in
advancing the growth of the Yukon’s farming sector and increasing loc=
al
food supply is something we very much support and we will, in other areas,
continue dialogue with Yukon farmers. With that, I commend the motion to the
House, and I encourage all members to vote in favour of it. Mr.
Silver:&=
#8195; I rise to offer
comments from the Liberal caucus on Motion No. 198 regarding This motion identifies a number of
government actions to support our agriculture sector. They include implemen=
ting
a 2008-12 multi-year development plan for agriculture, developing a local f=
ood
policy, and investing in agricultural infrastructure, markets and research.=
The
overall goal of these initiatives would be to encourage an agriculture sect=
or
that is active, highly productive and profitable. In turn, the agricultural sector wi=
ll
provide Yukoners with fresh, high quality agricultural products close to ho=
me,
while improving local food security. Yukoners import the vast majority o=
f their
groceries today. This makes us dependent on outside markets for our basic f=
ood
stuffs. It also means that our groceries require significant consumption of
fossil fuels as they are trucked up to our communities. Increased local
production will decrease this dependency. Local produce is fresher food, ma=
king
it both more enjoyable and more nutritious than produce trucked in from dis=
tant
farms. We have heard from members today ab=
out the
Fireweed Community Market, but I do want to speak a little bit about On a side note, the Bradleys also p=
roduced
great quality kids and I’ve had the honour of teaching them in I also agree with the Member for
Mayo-Tatchun with the need for an abattoir. The Bradleys’ customers a=
re
not only in This motion specifically references=
working
with farmers and industry associations. Partnerships like this produce bett=
er
quality government policies because they are informed by the people who know
first-hand about industry and how it works and what needs to be expanded to
prosper. The Yukon Agricultural Association and the Growers of Organic Food=
The motion being discussed today st=
ates
that the It would certainly be possible to s=
pend the
full day today on this plan. I would like to focus my comments on the agric=
ultural
infrastructure. The plan identifies several areas where infrastructure needs
improvement: permanent buildings, storage space and freezer space at the
Fireweed Community Market would help. Improved local access to livestock
veterinarians and parts and services for farm machinery would also be usefu=
l.
The plan also highlights the need for a multi-use processing facility. A 20=
06
study by the Yukon Agricultural Association advocated for such a facility,
including a fee-for-service, red-meat processing component; a white-meat sl=
aughter
and abattoir component; and a community kitchen for food processing. We have heard the need for meat-pro=
cessing
facilities repeated many times since then. It is key to increasing producti=
on
and it is a necessary service for our agricultural producers. We would hope
that this would finally see some progress under the implementations called =
for
in this motion. We hope to see those infrastructure
improvements made. We are also hopeful for the other improvements to our ag=
ricultural
sector that are identified in this motion. This motion accordingly has our
support. Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: I wanted to speak a little bit to t=
his
motion, but I’d like to commend the Member for Pelly-Nisutlin for this
Motion No. 198. Most of the farms locally that we have in the The Near and dear to my heart, Mile 101=
9 is the
experimental farm out in the Haines Junction area which I remember as a kid.
That’s near Haines Junction and it was operated by the Government of
Canada from 1945 until 1968, and we’ll get to the fact that the reason
the location was there is that has the least amount of frost-free days, at =
21.
The rationale of this site was that anything could grow in this location. T=
hey
grew a lot of stuff there. Eventually, the land was leased to the Tait fami=
ly
for market gardening and potato production. Yukoners, when they think of
potatoes, think of Yukon Gold — that will come to mind. Yukon Gold
potatoes were genetically the first Canadian-created potatoes. They were
created at the University of Guelph School of Agriculture, and it was in =
span> Some of the best growing conditions=
in the I’d like to talk about one of=
my
constituents, Kevin Moore, who has a son that runs the farm at Mendenhall. =
He
has different animals. They have greenhouses. They grow. He has a lease. He
farms the right of way. He gets a permit from us and then he farms the righ=
t of
way to feed his livestock, but he also grows. He wants to meet with the Mem=
ber
for In addition to livestock, northern =
farms
are also engaged in marketing gardens, such as potatoes, sod — the sod
farm is a great place — greenhouses, community-shared agriculture,
specialty co-ops, and out of that you will get some niche markets.=
p>
A growing number of farms are also =
implementing
organic production practices. As a market for organic crops expands, farmers
continue to develop new expertise in this area, and that goes into the rese=
arch
end of things in the north. A clear indication of the growing relevance and
importance of the agricultural sector to the I commend this motion. I thank the =
Member
for Pelly-Nisutlin for bringing it forward. I encourage agriculture. I enco=
urage
the fact that people who apply for agricultural property get out there and =
try
to feed 200 families in the Ms.
Moorcroft: I am pleased to=
rise in
support of this motion, although I am disappointed that the government chos=
e to
defeat the amendment put forward by my colleague, the Member for Mayo-Tatch=
un. Good food is vital to good health. =
I think
we need to think of farmers as essential service workers and we need to make
agriculture sustainable for farmers. The People’s Food Policy —=
and
I will speak much more about that in a minute — says that the root
problem is that food is treated as a market commodity, rather than as a
necessity of life. This motion begins with talking abo=
ut the
agriculture multi-year development plan, which sets out several goals that =
it
contends are achievable to increase and sustain production, sales and
profitability in the It represents collaborative work of
industry and government and in its consultations they included producers,
retailers, processors, governments and First Nations. So, achieving the goa=
ls
of the plan is key. While the plan title covers 2008 to 2012, and we are, I
note, in the year 2012 already, the plan sets out targets for 2016. On page=
8
of the document it states that, “Government will make best efforts to
reach the following government targets by 2016 … to make 25 percent of
new farmland available through planned development areas.” I wonder w=
hat
progress has been made in the past four years since the plan was developed =
to
make farmland available through planned development areas. Secondly, the re=
port
indicates, “Government will make best efforts to help industry to ach=
ieve
industry-related targets by 2016.” One of those goals is to see a
“200-percent increase in the production and sales of Yukon-grown
agricultural products.” At the present time, only one to two percent =
of
the food we eat comes from here. We fully support the goal of increa=
sing
production, and sales will follow, of Yukon-grown food. But I just do wonder what progress =
has been
made toward the goal of a 200-percent increase in the production and sales =
of
Yukon-grown agriculture and how this goal is being monitored. Another indus=
try
target government will make best efforts to support is the completion of
primary infrastructure projects, which should be financially self-supportin=
g by
the fifth year of operation, according to the plan. Has the government done=
any
work to assess the mobile abattoir, and is it financially self-supporting? =
In speaking about how growth can be
achieved, there is a goal for the agriculture sector to foster an environme=
nt
of inclusiveness between all stakeholders of the agriculture sector.
Agriculture is not inclusive because of the very high agricultural land cos=
ts
that prohibit many farmers from buying land to grow food. As previous speakers have said in d=
ebate on
this motion, food producers are located in urban and rural areas. We have
spoken about the historical record at the time of the Klondike Gold Rush, w=
here
it’s estimated the population was as large as 30,000 people. Local
agriculture produced vegetables for feeding the people who were resident in=
the
I also know from reviewing the reco=
rds of
residential schools in the Yukon that the church societies who ran the Choo=
tla
residential school in Carcross had, as part of their annual reports, a reco=
rd
of how much food was grown and produced by the children who were not, as we
know now, getting a very good education, but who were, in fact, working. Th=
ere
were hundreds of pounds of potatoes and carrots and cauliflower grown by the
children, who were taken from their homes and forced to attend residential
school. Now, to improve the further process=
ing of
vegetables and other Clause (2) of this motion says that=
we will
support the development of the agricultural sector by developing a Yukon-gr=
own
food policy, aimed at significantly increasing the production and use of
locally grown vegetables, meat, and food products. I completely agree that =
we
need a sound agricultural research plan that is achievable, that is support=
ed
by farmers, and one that would help produce more local food. I am very happ=
y to
report that one exists. The average net farm income in Food security is when all people at=
all
times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy
and active life. Food sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and
culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustain=
able
methods and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. T=
hat
is the food security definition prepared by La Via Campesina. We want to ensure that food that we=
eat
comes from, as close as possible, to where it’s produced. We want to
support food providers in a widespread shift to ecological production in bo=
th
urban and rural settings. We need to see strong federal poverty elimination=
and
prevention programs to ensure Canadians can better afford healthy food and =
encourage
the public to be involved in decisions that affect the food system.<=
/p>
Mr. Speaker, the People’s Foo=
d Policy
also talks about the need for change in our food system, which is being
recognized at both Canadian and global levels. In 2008, the World Bank and =
the
UN convened 900 experts to carry out a comprehensive three-year assessment =
of
world agriculture. Their findings called for fundamental shifts in farming =
away
from industrial production models and toward agri-ecology. Most recently, t=
he
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food released a report th=
at includes
calls for a widespread global move from chemical to ecological agriculture,
demonstrating that this approach could double food production in key areas =
of
hunger in 10 years or less. So it’s well-recognized that =
organic
agriculture food production is healthy for the environment and for the publ=
ic.
I think it’s of great value that there was strong citizen and civil
society involvement in developing this food policy that needs to be adopted=
by
governments and supported here in the So food sovereignty calls for a fun=
damental
shift in focus from food as a commodity to food as a public good. Food prod=
uction
can strengthen communities, ecosystems and economies. Food sovereignty also
recognizes that women bear primarily the responsibility for food provisioni=
ng,
production and preparation, as well as the disproportionate effects of pove=
rty
and other forms of marginalization. I earlier read the definition of food
sovereignty, which was first proposed by La Via Campesina, the global peasa=
nt
movement co-founded by the Canadian National Farmers Union at the World Food
Summit in 1996. The People’s Food Policy plat=
form and
the report they prepared addresses indigenous food sovereignty, food sovere=
ignty
in rural and remote communities, access to food in urban communities,
agriculture infrastructure and livelihoods, a sustainable fishery and
reasonable livelihood for fishers. It also covers environment and agricultu=
re,
science and technology for food and agriculture, food trade and internation=
al
aid, healthy and safe food for all, and finally, food democracy and governa=
nce. We know there are challenges. We kn=
ow there
is a need to provide infrastructure and support for research and post-secon=
dary
training in food production that reflects the diversity of rural and remote=
bioregions
and is inclusive of a range of food sources. Other members have spoken about
the climate and geography of the One of the initiatives that the agr=
iculture
development plan spoke to was incubator farms and working to see farms that=
are
not in production be put into production. I would be interested to hear from =
the
government whether that has been evaluated and whether that has been addres=
sed.
Another strategy in considering res=
earch
and development needs that is proposed is to look at greenhouse production =
systems
in other circumpolar regions. Has this been done? We know I think that there is value in supp=
orting
better public awareness about The motion before us speaks to supp=
orting
the development of local markets for The multi-year development plan sug=
gests
developing a new Yukon-grown logo with tag lines and messages. Farmers sugg=
est
that a fair-trade The Multi-Year Development Plan =
for
Yukon Agriculture and Agri-Food has recommended that a compilation of t=
hese
studies be available for farmers and for the industry stakeholders. Perhaps=
at
the agriculture conference that the minister mentioned is coming up this
weekend, we might hear whether progress has been made on that initiative. <=
/span> One of the challenges that I would =
like to
address is that low-income urban residents often rely on DawsonYukonYukonLake PellyValley
We also have to acknowledge that pa=
rt of
agriculture is the indigenous foods; people hunt and fish to provide some of
their food. We need to encourage indigenous fisheries and the continued abi=
lity
of the
Speaker: If the member now speaks, he will close debate. Does any other member wish to be heard?
Mr. Hassard: Just a couple of points: first, I= 8217;d like to thank everyone for their input on Motion No. 198 today. I’d j= ust like to correct the Member for Kluane. The best-kept secret is, in fact, Fa= ro.
I’d just like to read an exce=
rpt from
the Dawson Daily News dated
It reads: “Careful and system=
atic
farming operations, with due regard to the peculiarities of the climate, wo=
uld
abolish the importation into the
It’s just interesting to list= en to everyone here today and to see that things really haven’t changed that much since 1909. I’d just like to thank everyone again and hope that = we get full support for this motion today. Thank you very much.
Speaker: Are you prepared for the question?
Some Hon. Members: Division.
Division
Speaker: Division has been called.
Bells
Speaker: Mr. Clerk, if you are prepared, please poll the House.=
Hon. Mr. Pasloski: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Cathers: Agree.
Hon. Ms. Taylor: Agree.
Hon. Mr. Graham: Agree.
Hon.
Mr. Hon.
Mr. Nixon: Agree. Ms.
McLeod: Agree. Hon.
Mr. Istchenko: Agree. Hon.
Mr. Dixon: Agree. Mr.
Hassard: Agree. Ms.
Hanson:&=
#8195; Agree.=
p>
Mr.
Tredger:=
Agree.=
p>
Ms.
Moorcroft: Agree.=
p>
Ms.
White:=
8195; Agree.=
p>
Ms.
Stick:=
8195; Agree.=
p>
Mr.
Barr:=
195; Agree. Mr.
Elias:=
8195;Agree. Mr. Silver: Agree. Clerk: Mr. Speaker, the results=
are 18
yea, nil nay. Speaker: The yeas have it. I decl=
are the
motion carried. Motion
No. 198 agreed to Speaker: The time being close enough to The
House adjourned at
1058 &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; &=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; HANSARD &n=
bsp;  =
; &n=
bsp;