This is page numbers 161 to 182 of the Hansard for the 16th 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 public.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

I thank Ms. Bisaro for that question. The fact is that it is targeted for a two-year time frame. There is a portion of it that we are looking to reinvest back into those priorities we set as the 15th Legislative Assembly. As we’ve found

out, I guess one could say, from past practice, even though we may target for a two-year window, some of the actual results may not prove themselves up for even the time beyond that. But the target is that we have a two-year window to operate in to try to find enough savings as well as the reinvestment portion.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you for that clarification, Mr. Minister.

Can the Minister provide an overview of the reinvestment segment of this fiscal strategy? How and when will the money be put back in?

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, in my sessional statement, I highlighted the number of areas that we are going to use as strategic initiatives that align themselves with the goals of this Assembly. As we find the revenues to reinvest, that would be combined through reducing overall expenditures of government — identifying dollars within departments that could be reinvested — our goal was to try to invest, starting this year, and building up over the life of this Assembly.

I’ll have to put a caveat on that. Depending on the choices we make and the quality or quantity of the overall number that we do get in our first year of reductions, that will give us the amount we can look at reinvesting. So if we find less in the first year, there’ll be less for reinvestment.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you for that, Minister.

With the implementation of that fiscal strategy, I am wondering if the Minister can advise whether or not there will be a reduction in the number of public service employees.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, our goal in this area is to look at how we spend our dollars on programs, the value for the investments we are making and the results we are actually producing. We have to look at that type of investment.

When you look at the total overall number and our compensation benefits package and the people we have working for us, it looks to be almost half the overall budget that we have in the Northwest Territories. There will be some impact.

Our work is not to target a number of people; our work is focused on programs.

As we make

decisions on how we proceed, we will be working through the channels to inform all those affected, in a timely manner, so they have a lot of time to look at what options may be available to them.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I want to lend support to the Member for Mackenzie Delta with respect to the one-rate zone. That's a topic that's near and dear to myself and all the people in Nahendeh. We've been struggling a lot in the last couple of years, particularly the residents and the businesses. I don't know if the government is going to include this in part of their evaluation of cost savings and assisting us with the cost of living.

I want to know, perhaps from the Minister of PUB, where they're at with evaluating the one-rate zone, or levelized rate zones, for the Northern residents.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

The question was to the Minister Responsible for the Public Utilities Board, but I…. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

The question is best put to ourselves, or at least myself, at this point.

The Public Utilities Board will review under existing conditions and operations. At one point, questions were asked about the PUB and a one-rate zone. The PUB has put it on record that they're working with the existing rate structure that's in place. If we're to change that, it would have to be directed from this level, this Assembly. That is something that would be looked at.

We have a number of factors. One of those is the strategic initiatives committee on reducing the cost of living. That will be looking at a number of factors across the North — energy and how we deal with that. The refocusing piece is another piece. We also have an Energy Ministers committee that will look at a number of factors. There are a number of opportunities there that we can review as to how we direct the next stage.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I'd like to thank the Premier for answering that question. That's a very important one. We should examine that, because I do believe there is enough support from Members on this side of the House to be moving forward to some kind of revitalized electricity rate structure out there. We are living with an old, archaic system that I believe needs changes and needs reviewing, and I hope this government can look at that.

Once again, does the Premier commit to having a good look at our rate structure and reviewing it for this year?

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

In the process we would look at for doing that, there are potentially two areas: our energy committee of Ministers, as well as reducing the cost of living, which is an initiative underneath the plans. We would like to go with that plan. Those processes would involve Members. As well,

recommendations from Members of this House back to us could help us in adding that to the work that's going to be reviewed.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Absolutely, you will get lots of support. As well, the Member for Mackenzie Delta did mention that we'll be moving a motion in this sitting of the House to help direct the government in that direction. Once again, it is hurting our communities; it’s hurting our businesses. In fact, in one of my smaller communities, Wrigley, a store shut down in the fall because they couldn't sustain the O&M from power rates. That’s something that needs immediate attention. Once again, I ask the government to have a serious review and look at this important issue. Mahsi.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

The high cost of energy is a serious issue in the North for a lot of our communities, smaller communities, as well as the forced growth costs of the government that we deal with. It is an area where we will have to do a review. We’ll have to look at options, and options will be presented, whether it is in rate structure or structure of our power support program — all of those factors would have to be reviewed and the options presented to Members to see where we go in this area.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Given the clear opportunity for improving lives, increasing revenues and reducing costs that improved literacy skills provide, and given Cabinet’s recent meeting with literacy specialist Mr. Scott Murray, brought in by the N.W.T. Literacy Council, what changes are you proposing to support and enhance literacy education in the Northwest Territories so we can enjoy these returns?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi. I appreciate the Member’s question on this specific topic. It is very important to our government system and also to the N.W.T. as a whole.

I have met with Mr.

Scott Murray doing data

analysis and also a survey that has been conducted. There is really a lot of helpful information within the package. This is all preliminary. I just met with him last week. Certainly, this is a document that we as a department can work with, along with Mr.

Bromley and other

Members, to just move forward on this. We do provide various literacy programs and funding in the 33 communities we serve. We are looking into this.

Thank you for the question. Mahsi.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I am aware of the adult literacy and basic education programs in the communities. I

understand that most of those positions are currently filled, which is great. That’s progress.

I’m also interested in what role this department will take in leading a coordinated response, which seems to be a core kernel of this opportunity. Coordination of both federal and industry roles has the benefits of sharing costs and program delivery, but again, I would like to see this government take a leadership role. We know our people. We know their needs.

What role is this department taking to ensure that that leadership is provided as well as the direct support for the programs?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

We do have a strategy in place that’s been conducted since last year: the N.W.T. Literacy Strategy summative evaluation. It consists of our department — Education, Culture and Employment — and also Health and Social Services, Aurora College, N.W.T. Literacy Council, non-government organizations, literacy service providers, aboriginal organizations, and industries. There is a strategy in place that our department is pursuing, and recommendations are being brought forward. The target date for completion of the draft N.W.T. Literacy Strategy is April 2008. Mahsi.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I’m looking forward to that strategy. I realize it has been a five-year program review. This apparently is a huge opportunity for economic development and should catch the ear of this government.

What role will the Members on this side of the House have for input into that strategy?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

As other Members would indicate, we value input from Regular Members on any initiative that we pursue as a government, because we are doing this for Northwest Territories. This strategy, as I stated, is in a draft format, and it will be coming through our department to review. Prior to that happening, this information will certainly be shared with Members, because we would like to share in the feedback they receive from the communities they represent. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr.

Lafferty. Final

supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I understand that literacy programs can be most effective when they are targeted for particular groups of people. There are something like five or six different groups of people that have quite different needs. I want some assurance that the program will recognize those needs. It is sort of a new insight in the last few years, so I am looking for some assurance from the Minister that that sort of detail will be addressed in that strategy. Thank you very much.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Surely. That information will certainly be taken into consideration, as we do have different sectors on the committee. They provide various inputs from different jurisdictions, so certainly that will be available.

Mahsi.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

During my Member’s statement, I talked about transparency and accountability, particularly related to the Deh Cho Bridge project. My question is directed to the Premier.

I am glad to hear that information related to the cost-of-living analysis is going to be coming our way — hopefully, by the end of this session — and I think that is a great first step, but it’s just a first step. I hear people in the community, residents, whether they support the bridge or whether they are opposed to the bridge, asking questions. They don’t even understand what is going on. And they are looking for the cost-benefit analysis as well.

In addition to getting it to the Regular Members, I would like the Premier to commit to sharing that information and communicating information around the bridge and the process that has been followed to date to the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, the information will be coming. It will be before the end of session. Hopefully within the next few days we will be able to get that into the hands of Members.

The other piece of information going out with it…. I am aware that the bridge corporation is planning to do some information sessions. I’m not sure just how they have structured that, but I am aware they are looking to get information out there about the project as well. We can have a discussion about the cost-benefit analysis that we provide to Members and see if we want to distribute that further.

Question 9-16(2) Deh Cho Bridge Project
Oral Questions

February 5th, 2008

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Once again, to the Premier, it’s great that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation is planning to do some of those information releases, but the government is still on the dime for this to a tune of $160 million. I think we have a responsibility as a government to share some of the information with the public, because they are asking us as well.

So once again, I’d like to get the Premier to commit to developing some sort of communications plan about our role in the bridge and the costs to the residents of the Northwest Territories and Yellowknife.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, we can provide, from our side, the information and get it out there. It would be those communities that are affected by a decision like this — Providence, Yellowknife and

some of the other communities. We can share that information.

When we talk about the overall project of $165 million, when you look at the government’s piece of it outside of the O&M cost…. When you look at that additional cost, at the end of 35 years the additional investment would be more in the area of $70 million, and tolls would be paying for the rest.