Debates of June 6th, 2006

This is page numbers 151 - 208 of the Hansard for the 15th Assembly, 5th 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 going.

Topics

Members Present
Item 1: Prayer
Aklavik Flood Emergency Response
Minister's Statement 15-15-(5): Report Of The Expert Panel On Equalization And Territorial Formula Financing
Search And Rescue Initiatives
Fairness In The Justice System
Catholic Schools Overcrowding
Representative Public Service
Day Care Concerns
High Cost Of Living
Support For Small Business
Recognition Of Chief Jimmy Bruneau School By The Society For Advancement And Excellence In Education
Adequacy Of Student Financial Assistance
Passing Of Fort Good Hope Resident Bruno Ritias
Surgical And Specialist Services At Inuvik Regional Hospital
Multi-year Funding For Non-government Organizations
Item 5: Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
Support For Small Business
Assistance To Ngos
Inequities In Day Care Support
Need For Bylaw Officers In Tlicho Communities
Northern Residence Income Tax Deduction
Rental Subsidy Program
Public Service Performance Review
Comparative Analysis Of The Novel Housing Project
Student Financial Assistance Amounts
Funding Support For Day Care
Written Question 6-15(5): Comparative Analysis Of The Novel Housing Project
Written Question 7-15(5): Compliance With The Valic Decision
Tabled Document 16-15(5): Report On The Staff Retention Policy - Year Ending March 31, 2006
Tabled Document 17-15(5): Government Of The Northwest Territories 2005 Public Service Annual Report
Tabled Document 18-15(5): Letter From Tlicho Grand Chief George Mackenzie Recognizing The Value Of Elders' Knowledge
Appointment Of Two Human Rights Commission Members
Bill 6: Engineering And Geoscience Profession Act
Bill 7: Pharmacy Act
Bill 8: Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2006
Bill 10: Forgiveness Of Debts Act, 2006-2007
Bill 11: Tourism Act
Bill 12: Garnishment Remedies Statutes Amendment Act
Extended Adjournment Of The House To October 17, 2006
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
To Delete $100,000 From Maca's Regional Operations Activity In Bill 2
To Delete $367,000 From Nwthc In Bill 2
Motion To Extend Sitting Hours
To Delete $222,000 From Transportation's Airports Activity In Bill 2
To Delete $320,000 From Pws's Asset Management Activity In Bill 2
Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Bill 3: An Act To Amend The Legislative Assembly And Executive Council Act
Bill 4: An Act To Amend The Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act
Bill 5: An Act To Amend The Territorial Parks Act
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 175

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Clause 4.

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 175

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

Page 175

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Clause 5.

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 175

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

Page 175

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Clause 6.

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 175

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

Page 175

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Clause 7.

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 175

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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

We are on page 2 of Bill 1, preamble to the clauses.

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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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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. To the bill as a whole.

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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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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Mr. Villeneuve.

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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Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Chair. With the committee's indulgence, I wonder if I can ask a question on Transportation. With the $230,000 with respect to ice road maintenance, from what I recall, the ice roads didn't last half as long as they were supposed to last last year. I am wondering why the over-expenditure of $230,000.

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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Does committee agree that we can return to the detail?

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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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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, committee. Mr. Roland.

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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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The over-expenditure of $230,000 within the Department of Transportation, as I stated in my opening comments, was due to the fact that we had an unseasonably warm winter, which the department on a normal basis would have budgeted for salt materials and materials for runways to keep them clear, as well as keep the runways safer for planes landing as well. For winter roads, it took more maintenance to keep them operating as long as they did and that was the reason for the over-expenditure. 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

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The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Villeneuve.

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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Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Chair. I can understand that, but didn't we save any money on the winter ice road maintenance because of the short winter ice road season? Isn't there some kind of a balance? 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

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The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

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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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam. Chairman. If we can have the Minister of Transportation respond to that. He, I believe, has more detail. 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

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The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Minister McLeod.

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 McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Madam Chair, this year we had unusually warm weather and it really caused a lot of problems in the area of building the roads in the North Slave region, especially to the communities of Wekweeti and Gameti that required us to do some extras in the actual construction of the roads. It required lighter equipment because of the very thin ice. We had to get lighter equipment that was not in the contract and we also had to...In a number of cases, the rivers or the creeks started flowing so we had to go back and reconstruct some of those roads, or in some cases provide detours. This was all over and above the standard contract and we did have success in getting the communities resupplied, but we had costs that were over and above what was included in the actual contract and we had to have our own maintenance crews out there in a lot of cases. We had to pay a lot of overtime because of the amount of time they were required to spend out there maintaining and ensuring the road was safe and providing the detours and constructing, in some cases, new roads because of the washouts.

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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Villeneuve.