This is page numbers 365 - 396 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

The committee will now come to order. What is the wish of the committee? The chair recognizes the Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to recommend that we deal with Committee Report 10-12(6), Report on the Review of the 1995-96 Capital Estimates. And, subsequently, Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Does the committee agree?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Okay, we shall begin immediately following the short break.

---SHORT RECESS

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 18th, 1994

Page 378

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

The committee will again come to order after the short break. I hope you all had a chance to refresh yourselves. Prior to the break, it was agreed that we would be discussing Committee Report 10-12(6), Report on the Review of the 1995-96 Capital Estimates, and Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96. Chairman of the Finance committee, Mr. Antoine, would you prepare to...May we have order in the House, please?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

An Hon. Member

Excuse me.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you. Mr. Antoine, now I can hear you. May we have your report, sir?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96Committee Report 10-12(6): Report On The Review Of The 1995-96 Capital Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee Report 10-12(6) is the report on the review of the 1995-96 capital estimates. We read the report to the House already, so it's in the record. There is one recommendation that we would like to deal with before we get into departmental reviews. So I will deal with recommendation 1.

Arctic Resupply

Mr. Chairman, this is Arctic resupply, and this is a very important initiative to the territorial government and the constituents. There is a large potential for cost saving in this resupply initiative. We learned that there are two different departments that are responsible for this initiative of resupply study: the Department of Public Works and Services is responsible for resupply in the Baffin; while the Department of Transportation is responsible for the resupply in the Keewatin. So Members feel that the whole resupply initiative could function much more efficiently if one department took the lead role. As a result of that, we have this recommendation.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 378

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

I move that the committee recommends that the government examine the issue of resupply across the entire Arctic, and that the Department of Transportation assume the lead role for planning, design and implementation. Thank you.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Antoine, Member for Nahendeh. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

An Hon. Member

Question.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

The chair continues to recognize the Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Also included in our report are reviews of the departments and government agencies which had capital expenditures included in the 1995-96 capital estimates. Departments which did not submit budgets for capital expenditures are not reviewed here. The Legislative Assembly had two capital projects for 1995-96 relating to the Legislative Assembly building and site. The committee accepts the Assembly's capital budget as presented.

As was discussed previously, the committee has focused on policy and major financial issues. The committee's comments and recommendations on the individual departments will be provided as we proceed department by department. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That concludes this portion of our report. If we could get right into departments, Mr. Chairman, we have the Department of Education, Culture and Employment appearing first for the review of the 1995-96 capital estimates. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Does the committee then agree that we go into the details of the capital estimates?

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Department Of Education, Culture And Employment

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

The document that we will be dealing with is the blue book, the main estimates, beginning at page 16-7; and in the committee report, the items will be found on pages 8 to 10. Would the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment be prepared to make his opening remarks? Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Nerysoo.

Minister's Introductory Remarks

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 379

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Legislative Assembly, we are working to improve our organization so that it operates more efficiently, gives people more authority for programs in communities, and offers improved programs and services to the people of the Northwest Territories. Later in this session, I will be tabling the strategic plan for Education, Culture and Employment, which was developed in consultation with the people of the Northwest Territories. The plan will guide the development and delivery of our programs and services into the next century.

As everyone knows, capital planning is an important process in the department which results in the physical infrastructure necessary for the support of departmental programs. Education, Culture and Employment's capital planning process has undergone a number of changes in recent years, which I believe are making it more effective and responsive to the needs of people across the Northwest Territories.

Following the recommendations of this committee, the department has revised its planning process to give more careful consideration to critical factors such as trends in population. We continue to discuss capital planning with our partners in education to improve upon and refine these methods.

We have received approval for new capital standards and criteria which now provide for projects which are modern and reflective of program needs. The department continues to update its infrastructure inventory that documents our current facilities. The inventory will assist us and our delivery partners in tracking trends on demographics and user rates, and will help with the identification and anticipation of needs much more quickly than before. We want our capital planning process to be able to anticipate and meet capital needs in a pro-active way, rather than responding to situations after they have occurred.

Although there have been changes to the proposed projects in the department's capital plan recently, these are simply the result of refining the planning process and of improved consultation, and we expect fewer changes in the future.

We are aware, however, that events could occur that will quickly change the population characteristics in a community or region, such as, for example, the establishment of a diamond mine or a new gold mine close to a community. I would like to assure this committee that our planning process is flexible enough to accommodate this sudden change, however, our government's ability to respond to the financial demand would be more problematic.

Although these refinements have improved our ability to equitably allocate our capital resources, Education, Culture and Employment faces a number of challenges in its capital planning. Financial restraint across government is limiting capital resources, but the need for program services continues to increase. Some of this increase has resulted from the natural growth in the Northwest Territories population, which is the highest in the country. More of the increase has also resulted from a rise in participation rates as students stay in school longer, and through such initiatives as the extension of secondary grades into the communities and as a result, increases in students dropping back into school.

In the past five years, the number of students enrolled in senior secondary grades has almost doubled -- in 1989-90 there were 1,382 students enrolled, compared to 2,695 in 1993-94.

Education, Culture and Employment is now accommodating a greater number of programs through its capital plan than it has previously. For instance, the department is now responsible for the early childhood program, which was transferred from the Department of Social Services. Although we now have capital standards and criteria for child care facilities, and, while we can all agree on the need for these services...

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Mr. Ng has a point of order. Mr. Ng, go ahead.

Point Of Order

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask for a copy of the Minister's opening comments. They're quite detailed and it's hard to digest as he's bringing it forward.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ng. It's probably not a point of order in the true sense of the word, however, I'll ask the Minister if he's able to provide copies to the Members immediately so that they can follow what he's saying. Mr. Minister, would you be prepared to have copies presented to the Members in order that they follow you a little more clearly?

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you. I'm don't have a problem providing a copy, but historically, the Minister was able to give the statement and then provide copies. That was my assumption. That was the practice.

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Again, I recognize the fact that it may have been historical as to what you are doing, but history is always meant to change and it would be quite convenient to the Members if this were possible. Do the Members agree?

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

An Hon. Member

Agreed.

---Agreed

Committee Motion 28-12(6): To Adopt Recommendation 1, Carried
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 380

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Mr. Ng.