This is page numbers 1459 - 1499 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 community.

Topics

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

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The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Murray.

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

Page 1485

Murray

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, the reason that money is still unallocated is because we had not heard in from all of the tax-based communities at the time we had to submit the budget whether or not they will definitely need any money for water and sewer. Some communities did come in. I believe we have Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Simpson that we have definitely received submissions from. This money is still being held and will be used for that purpose. We still, as I recall, have not heard in from all of the communities. It is meant for water and sewer to be cost-shared with the tax-based communities on a 50/50 basis. Thank you.

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

Page 1485

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Murray. Mr. Roland.

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

Page 1485

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Are there any emergency funds held by the department? For example, if a community finds out during the year that they have had a section of their utilidors or water sewer pipes fail, is there anything there for communities to tap into? Especially the tax-based municipality, is it going into a debt sort of thing? Thank you.

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

Page 1485

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Murray.

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

Page 1485

Murray

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Potentially, this would be a source as well. This was discussed at length at committee review. We had attempted to have some funding for these kinds of extraordinary situations that arise. Yes, there would be some. If that happens, we may have to go and seek additional assistance from FMB or Cabinet. It depends on the situation and the magnitude on whether or not we could absorb it and assist the community or not.

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

Page 1485

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Murray. Mr. Roland.

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

Page 1485

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the cost-shared basis, you mentioned on a 50/50 basis. Is that standard for all water sewer projects in the community? Is it cost-shared by the community and the department 50/50?

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

Page 1485

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Murray.

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

Page 1485

Murray

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No, that is just the tax-based communities. In the non-taxed base, by and large it is 100 percent GNWT.

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

Page 1485

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Murray. Page 4-15, community financial services, grants and contributions, contributions, total contributions, $500,000.

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

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

March 1st, 2001

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The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Total grants and contributions, $500,000.

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

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Page 4-17, emergency services, budget summary, operations expense, total operations expense, $722,000. Mr. McLeod.

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

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Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

I want to ask a quick question on the search and rescue aspect. I want to know if that is something that is targeted for each community or at least for somewhere in each of the regions. Is there a desire to do that? Is that something that is done? I am not sure how the search and rescue training and the setup of the search and rescue operations operate.

I know in Hay River, for instance, it is a volunteer, kind of stand-alone operation. I do not see it happening in the other regions. I was just wondering if you could just quickly tell me what the process is to set them up. Is it just done by request from the community?

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

Page 1486

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Murray.

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

Page 1486

Murray

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In terms of search and rescue, there is quite an elaborate structure set up that involves the communities, the RCMP, and the military, depending on the type of search. If you are talking about ground search and rescue, the RCMP actually has primary responsibility in that area. They take responsibility for managing those kinds of public searches. There is also something called a community-organized search, where they may not want to wait until the RCMP officially declares someone as being missing. They start the search on their own. We provide training for those community organizations, primarily through the regions. That in some cases is by request. It is usually by community, but it can be done at the regional centre and people come in.

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

Page 1486

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Murray. Mr. McLeod.

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

Page 1486

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

The reason I ask is because it is my understanding that the RCMP only have about a $500 -- I believe it is $500 -- gas budget and that is all that is available. I am not sure. I live in the smaller communities. I do not see any organized setup, any plans available to the community. I realize there is money available for assistance through the department, but that has to be applied for. It seems like the searches, whenever someone drowns or someone is lost, will get going. As soon as the RCMP budget is gone, the search has to stop until we can find some more money to continue the search. Can the Minister tell me what is available in terms of dollars for the communities to assist the communities in search and rescue?

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

Page 1486

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Murray.

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

Page 1486

Murray

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under the present program, the government's policy is up to $1,000 per search to be used for things like the extra cost of the fuel and things like that. There have not been a lot of complaints about that, whether it has been high or low. If it needs to be looked at, that certainly can be looked at. The amount, that is.

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

Page 1486

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Murray. Mr. Murray.

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

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Murray

Sorry, I just wanted to make it clear that the $1,000 is provided to the community government and then they would reimburse whoever was involved in that particular search and rescue exercise.

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

Page 1486

The Chair

The Chair Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Murray. Mr. McLeod.