Debates of July 5th, 2000

This is page numbers 467 - 532 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 3rd 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
Review Of Child Welfare Services By The Child Welfare League Of Canada
Canada Day Celebrations
Incentive Policies For The Northern Business Community
Mackenzie Youth Summer Games
Proposed Hotel Tax
Manufacturing In The North
Recognition Of Yellowknife Participants In The Calgary Marathon
Accountability Of Cabinet Ministers
Northern Manufacturing
Tribute To Mary Beth Miller
Item 4: Returns To Oral Questions
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Alleged Contraventions Of The Financial Administration Act
Land Claims And Self-government Negotiations
Projected Hotel Tax Revenue
Using NWT Suppliers And Manufacturers
Diamond Training Success Rates
Policy To Assist Northern Manufacturers
Proposed Hotel Tax Administration
Basic Education Services For Adults
Support For Northern Manufacturers
Proposed Hotel Tax Projections
Impact Of Free Trade On Procurement Policies
Student Financial Assistance Loans
Profiling Revenues From The Proposed Hotel Tax
Premium Paid Due To Manufacturing Incentive Policies
Written Question 5-14(3): Support For Northern Manufacturers In Interjurisdictional Ventures
Written Question 6-14(3): Information Regarding Douglas Anderson
Written Question 7-14(3): Palliative Care
Written Question 8-14(3): Fibreglass Water And Sewer Tanks
Tabled Document 26-14(3): GNWT Business Plans 2000-2003
Tabled Document 27-14(3): GNWT Results Report 1998-99
Tabled Document 28-14(3): It Takes A Community: A Report To The Northwest Territories Department Of Health And Social Services On Child Welfare Services In The Northwest Territories
Tabled Document 29-14(3): Summary Of Indemnities And Expenses For Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2000 For Members Of 13th Assembly
Tabled Document 30-14(3): Annual Report Of Members' Indemnities And Expenses For Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2000 For Members Of 14th Assembly
Tabled Document 31-14(3): Declarations Made By Members Setting Out Their Place Of Residence
Tabled Document 32-14(3): Modernizing Our Electoral System: Report Of The Chief Electoral Officer Of The Northwest Territories
Development Of A Comprehensive Literacy Strategy
Extended Adjournment
Bill 10-14(3): An Act To Amend The Adoption Act
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
General
Expenditure Reductions; Highway Strategy And Federal Funding
Winter Roads, Community Access Roads And Ferries
Public Safety
Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Committee Motion 20-14(3) Recommendation For Continued Cooperation With Other Jurisdictions Regarding The Provision Of Any Restored Public Housing Funding (carried)
Committee Motion 21-14(3) Recommendation For Continued Lobby Efforts To Access Aboriginal Housing Funding
Recommendation To Form An Interdepartmental Working Group To Study Processes For Streamlining And Integrating Services Offered To Seniors (carried)
Recommendation That New Business Plan Strategies Or Policies Be Provided In Advance To Committees (carried)
Co-ordination Of Negotiations
Negotiating Tables
Budget
Recommendation That Aboriginal Affairs Press For Negotiations To Take Place In The North (carried)
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 22: Orders Of The Day

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

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Steen. We are on page 10-31, motor vehicles program, operations expense, total operations expense, $2,636,000.

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

Page 504

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. Information item, active positions.

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

July 5th, 2000

Page 504

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. Detail of work performed on behalf of others, information item.

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

Page 504

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. Revenues, recoveries and transfer payments, another information item.

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

Page 504

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. We will move back to page 10-7, department summary. Mr. Roland.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 504

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a committee motion.

I MOVE that this committee recommends that the government not make any further reductions in funding for the Northwest Territories transportation system;

AND FURTHER that the government increases pressure on the federal government for additional funding for the Northwest Territories transportation system. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The motion is being circulated. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

Page 10-7, department summary, operations expense, total operations expense, $68,496,000.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 504

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. Capital acquisition, page 16 of capital, Department of Transportation, capital acquisition plan, ferries, $263,000.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 504

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 504

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you. Under highways, $15,383,000. Mr. Roland.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just under the highways section of the capital, once again, the point I made earlier is that we see here you have a number of locations where you have reference to Highway No. 3, reconstruction and paving, in three different locations here. When it comes to Highway No. 8, it is just reconstruction and one allotment for that amount. I understand we have two different sections here of work, Highway No. 3, kilometre 243 to 330, reconstruction and paving, Highway No. 3, kilometres 154 to 243, reconstruction and paving. Then Highway No. 3, kilometre 0 to 154, reconstruction and paving. Is that all related? Certain sections, one from the other? They are all adjoining here. Can we have further explanation of that? Thank you.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Steen.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

Vince Steen

Vince Steen Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I believe they are all related in the reconstruction and paving program, but I will have Mr. Howard explain the differences that are actually taking place and the type of activity.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Howard.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

Howard

Mr. Chairman, those projects have been identified in the department's capital plan for a number of years now. It was a matter of convenience. In the initial years of reconstruction of Highway No. 3, Members may recall that we were doing work at both ends.

So, we started with a project that went from the junction of Highway No. 1 and No. 3 to about midpoint between Providence and Edzo. We are doing work at both ends and we did not do any work, really, on anything towards Yellowknife from that midpoint between Rae and Providence.

The second section was the part of the highway that was from Yellowknife to Rae and, again, we started, as you can see, to do a little bit of work at both ends.

So it was a matter of convenience that we included the breakout of the projects, in that manner, because it was, really, three separate sections of Highway No. 3 that we were doing work on at any one time. You will see that kilometres 0 to 154, which has been completed in hard surface for some time, is still included in the five year plan and that is because the chip-seal has to be rehabbed periodically as well. So that is basically a periodic surface rehab after the reconstruction is complete.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Roland.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So between kilometres 0 to 154 reconstruction, this year is $1.5 million. Is that, as you say, just a resurfacing, chip-seal? Further definition, Mr. Chairman?

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Howard.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

Howard

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, that project is entirely chip-seal repair and that project itself is based on an annual spring inspection of the condition of the chip-seal on all of the parts of the highway that have been reconstructed. Some of that money will be spent on Highway No. 3, I think, in the vicinity of Chan Lake. Some more of the money will actually be spent in some minor repairs south of the lake. It will be on Highway No. 1. Some more of that work will be spent in the Yellowknife area on the area right near the Legislative Assembly, I believe. Last year, that project funded the re-chipping of the road at Edzo and so forth.

So it is based on the spring inspection, what the needs are. We allocate money to the points where the chip needs repairing.

Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 505

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Roland.