This is page numbers 13 - 38 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st 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 assembly.

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ultimately, it is the Premier’s decision to assign those portfolios. Of course, one of the things I will take into consideration is Ministers say they’d like areas in order of importance or priority, they won’t get everything they want in that sense. As well, I intend to hear from Members if there are concerns out there but, at the same time, I have to look at the workload, how it’s distributed and working with Members. We need to work cooperatively in this

environment, but ultimately not everybody from either this side of the House or that side of the House may be happy on certain appointments, but we’re going to do the best we can in balancing the workload out. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up a little bit on the Deh Cho Bridge, if I could. As everybody knows, climate change is going to affect our food, it’s going to affect our caribou, our fish; many of these are already declining or changing their patterns of behaviour. It’s going to affect our waterways, our water quality. It’s affecting our infrastructure and, of course, our budgets and so on. Transportation causes over half of our greenhouse gas emissions. What consideration -- and I don’t know whether this is legitimate to look at the past here or what -- has been given to climate change impacts in the design of the bridge, and has there been consideration or will you give consideration to making sure that there’s a train trestle as part of the design of the bridge as an important way of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions in the Northwest Territories? Thank you very much.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. A couple of questions there. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in any design we move forward on, looking at the development of the Northwest Territories and environmental impact and footprint is considered as we proceed. Right now, the bridge design that’s been put in place does not have a train trestle as part of it. That would definitely increase the cost and bring back the question of affordability of the project. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Premier. I think one of the methodologies I would like to see this House adopt is full cost accounting. When we look at the cost of climate change and the cost of allowing our greenhouse gas emissions to continue to climb -- I think we’ve doubled, almost tripled them in the last decade -- we need to recognize the costs that go along with those. For example, the increasing cost of infrastructure, school roofs caving in and so. Will the Premier commit to full cost accounting in all government processes involving the expenditure of funds from now on? Thank you very much.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess I go back to the fact that it’s the beauty of the system we’re in, consensus government, the fact

that as we begin our business plan process review, how that’s structured, the number of years that that is reviewed under that, this is one of the considerations that can be put into place as we proceed. So I’d be happy to sit down with Members as we begin that process to see if that is one of the things that I can do and how it affects the business planning as is prepared now by the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Premier for that response. I understand that I was straying a little bit, covering a couple of different topics and I want to apologize for that. That’s all I had wanted to say, to express my appreciation for that and I look forward to further discussion.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. No question there. Oral questions. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to opening address. Petitions. Mr. Clerk.

Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of illegal activity in public housing in Hay River. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 111 signatures of Hay River residents. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request as follows: that the Government of the Northwest Territories do something about the lack of action on the part of the Hay River Housing Authority regarding illegal activity in public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Petitions.

Reports of standing and special committees. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that this Legislative Assembly formally adopts the "Members’ Conduct Guidelines," as appended and which forms part of this resolution. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Notices of motion. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that the following Members be appointed to the Board of Management for this Assembly: the Hon. Paul Delorey, Member for Hay River North; Mr. Tom Beaulieu, Member for Tu Nedhe; Mr. Robert McLeod, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. David Ramsay, Member for Kam Lake; the Hon. Norman Yakeleya, Member for Sahtu; and further, that the following Members be appointed to the Board of Management as alternate Members: Ms. Wendy Bisaro, Member for Frame Lake; Mr. Jackie Jacobson, Member for Nunakput; the Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Member for Monfwi. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate at this time that I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Notices of motion. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by rescinding Rule 85 and substituting the following:

Standing and Special Committees 85 (1)

At its first sitting after a general election, the Assembly shall appoint a Striking Committee of five Members to report and recommend, with all convenient speed, Members to comprise the following standing committees of the Assembly:

on Economic Development and Infrastructure;

on Government Operations;

on Priorities and Planning;

on Rules and Procedures;

on Social Programs;

and any other standing and special committees as directed by the Assembly.

(2) The Standing Committee on Economic

Development and Infrastructure shall consider the following matters with respect to the departments of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, Environment and Natural Resources, Industry, Tourism and investment, Municipal and Community Affairs, Public Works and Services, Transportation and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation:

(a) review multi-year business plans and

budgets, bills, boards and agencies, including the Workers' Compensation Board of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the Northwest Territories Power

Corporation, the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation and the Public Utilities Board;

(b)

review departmental performance, including that of boards and agencies; and

(c) consider any other matter referred by the

House.

(3) The Standing Committee on Government

Operations shall consider the following matters with respect to the departments of the Executive, Finance, Human Resources and the Financial Management Board Secretariat:

(a) review multi-year business plans and

budgets, bills, boards and agencies;

(b) review departmental performance and

official language issues, including that of boards sand agencies;

(c) review, as necessary or appropriate, the

annual and other reports of the statutory officers of the Legislative Assembly, including the Languages Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Equal Pay Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission;

(d) examine the reports on the annual financial

statements and public accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the report of the Auditor General

(i)

in the event that the Assembly is not in session, the Speaker may provide the Auditor General's report and the Minister of Finance may provide the public accounts to the committee for review, which may include public hearings, in advance of tabling; and

(e) consider any other matter referred by the

House.

(4) The Standing Committee on Priorities and

Planning shall:

(a) review issues which have government-

wide implications, including the overview of the budget and fiscal framework;

(b) review Government of the Northwest

Territories reports on financial and performance results and program and policy evaluations to ensure anticipated outcomes are being achieved and accountability is maximized;

(c) coordinate

sessional business scheduling

and planning in cooperation with appropriate ministerial representatives;

(d) coordinate committee public consultation

efforts with respect to budget and fiscal matters;

(e) coordinate committee strategic planning

efforts;

(f)

monitor and evaluate ministerial performance issues;

(g) consider the budgets and financial

management of any boards and agencies that are outside the responsibility of any standing committee; and

(h) consider any other matter referred by the

House.

(5) The Standing Committee on Rules and

Procedures shall:

(a) review the reports of the Chief Electoral

Officer on the conduct of elections, plebiscites or votes conducted in the Northwest Territories in accordance with statute;

(b) review, as necessary or appropriate, the

annual and other reports of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner;

(c) review and make recommendations on the

implications and impacts that the implementation of self-government agreements will have on the powers, structures and procedures of the Legislative Assembly; and

(d) inquire into such matters as may be

referred to it by the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker or the Board of Management.

(6) The Standing Committee on Social Programs

shall consider the following matters with respect to the departments of Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment and Justice:

(a) review multi-year business plans and

budgets, bills, boards and agencies, including the Status of Women Council and programs for seniors, youth and persons with disabilities;

(b)

review departmental performance, including that of boards and agencies; and

(c) consider any other matter referred by the

House.

And further, that Rules 87(1) and 87(2) be amended by striking out "Accountability and Oversight" after "Standing Committee on" and substituting "Priorities and Planning".

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Notices of motion. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Robert C. McLeod, Mr. Menicoche and Mr. Ramsay be appointed to the Striking Committee for this Assembly. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Notices of motion. Honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that the appointments of the following Members to the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight be revoked and that the following Members be appointed to the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning: Mr. Glen Abernethy, Member for Great Slave; Mr. Tom Beaulieu, Member for Tu Nedhe; Ms. Wendy Bisaro, Member for Frame Lake; Mr. Bob Bromley, Member for Weledeh; Mrs. Jane Groenewegen, Member for Hay River South; Mr. Robert Hawkins, Member for Yellowknife Centre; Mr. Jackie Jacobson, Member for Nunakput; Mr. David Krutko, Member for Mackenzie Delta; Mr. Robert C. McLeod, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes; Mr. Kevin Menicoche, Member for Nahendeh; and Mr. David Ramsay, Member for Kam Lake. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Notices of motion. Honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, October 22, 2007, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that the honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. David Krutko, be appointed as Deputy Speaker. As well, Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you.

---Applause