Debates of March 30th, 2000

This is page numbers 425 - 456 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 2nd 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

Members Present

Item 1: Prayer

Position Reports

Non-renewable Resources Sector

Community Energy Planning

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Resource Development Infrastructure And Training Opportunities

Consultation On Timber Permits

Regulatory Regime For Resource Development

Community Spirit Demonstrated By Yellowknife Residents

Budget Resources For The North Slave Region

Caribou Carnival Festivities

Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Non-renewable Resource Policy

Resource Development Regulatory Regime

Stakeholder Consultation On Non-renewable Resource Policy Development

Consultation On Timber Permits

Transportation Infrastructure In The Slave Geological Region

Incorporation Of An NWT Heritage Trust Fund

Resource Development Environmental Concerns

Rwed's Contradictory Departmental Mandate

Cumulative Impact Of Resource Development

Seniors Housing Programs

Pilot Projects

Interjurisdictional Agreements

Interjurisdictional Agreements And International Contracts

Return To Written Question 12-14(2): Residents Of The Home For The Homeless

Bill 7: An Act To Amend The Workers' Compensation Act

Item 13: Tabling Of Documents

Tabled Document 37-14(2): Workers' Compensation Board For The Northwest Territories And Nunavut 2000-2004 Corporate Plan

Tabled Document 38-14(2): Changes In Growth, 1997 To 1999, For Headquarters And Regions

Tabled Document 39-14(2): 2000-2001 Capital Plan Comparison

Tabled Document 40-14(2): 2000 Housing Needs Survey

Bill 8: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1999-2000

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

To Amend Clause 3(2) Of Bill 6: Interim Appropriation Act, 2000-2001 (carried)

To Amend The Schedule To Bill 6: Interim Appropriation Act, 2000-2001 (carried)

To Delete $75,000 From The Ministers Offices In The Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1999-2000 (carried)

To Delete $85,000 From The Cabinet Secretariat In The Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1999-2000 (carried)

To Amend The Schedule To Bill 8: Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1999-2000 (carried)

Item 20: Report Of The Committee Of The Whole

Item 22: Orders Of The Day

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 443

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on Saturday, March 19, 2000, to review the interim appropriation for the Legislative Assembly and to review issues with government-wide implications that arose in the Standing Committee of Governance and Economic Development and the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

Under the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Chairman, we noted under the office of the languages commissioner that the term of the languages commissioner expires on May 31, 2000. This requires a timely response from the Legislative Assembly. Further noted is that the Official Languages Act is required to be reviewed in the first sitting of the Assembly in January, 2001.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes the remarks from the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight.

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

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The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Dent. I would like to ask the Speaker if he would like to bring in any witnesses?

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 443

The Speaker

Yes, Mr. Chairman, with the permission of the Assembly.

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 443

The Chair David Krutko

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 443

Some Hon. Members

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

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The Chair David Krutko

Sergeant-At-Arms, would you please escort the witnesses in?

For the record, Mr. Speaker, could you introduce your witnesses please.

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

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The Speaker

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to introduce to the committee Mr. David Hamilton, clerk of the Assembly, and Mr. Myles Moreside, director of corporate services.

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

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The Chair David Krutko

Welcome, witnesses. At this time, I would like to ask the committee if they have any questions or comments for the Speaker? Mr. Miltenberger.

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 443

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, during the committee review, the issue of staff came up. In the switch from a 24 Member Assembly to a 14, and then up to a 19 Member Assembly, and the no-layoff policy.

At the time, it was indicated by the Speaker that the issue of staffing and the no-layoff policy in the departments had been looked at. I would like to ask the Speaker, when? When can we expect to see a document that would outline the staffing requirements with all of those factors in there for us?

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

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The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Speaker.

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

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The Speaker

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would suspect as soon as the government comes out with a new layoff policy.

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 443

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Miltenberger.

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

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Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, are we to assume there was a slip of the tongue and that there is going to be a new no-layoff policy? The question to the Speaker then would be, could he indicate whether he would anticipate having that kind of information for the business planning process?

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 443

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Speaker

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

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The Speaker

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think I may have said something there that was not intentional. We do not intend to lay anybody off because there is a policy that does not allow that, unless that changes.

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 443

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think there was another question, but I will ask Mr. Miltenberger to clarify his last question. Mr. Miltenberger.

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 443

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The question was, given the issue of the no-layoff policy that was there for the 13th Assembly, and the lack of clarity as to what is in place at this point, I was asking the Speaker whether he anticipated that he would be able to have his human resource plan ready for the business plans in our next gathering in May. 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 443

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Speaker.

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

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The Speaker

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we will be ready sometime in May.

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

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The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Miltenberger.

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 444

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also have a question in regard to the money in the budget for the pension reform. Given the fact that we were told in the House that we were given three years of extra coverage by the federal government, are the requirements anticipated to be the same for the need to plan for what we thought was a one-year window and is now a four-year window. Will that change the budgetary requirements in the budget?

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

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The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Speaker.

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 444

The Speaker

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will defer the question to Mr. Moreside.

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 444

Moreside

Mr. Chairman, the Assembly has been transferred, from the Financial Management Board Secretariat, $35,000 that goes into the interim appropriation. I believe it is $106,000 for the fiscal year 2000-2001.

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 444

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Miltenberger.

Debates of March 30th, 2000

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