This is page numbers 6469 - 6510 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 6th 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 territories.

Topics

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Wildlife Act has been long awaited by all residents of the Northwest Territories. The current bill is a large piece of work and I’d like to see it done justice, as well. I’d like to see it properly reviewed, and I will get actively involved in that as it tours my region. I really think that we have to review it and all the different aspects and that I don’t believe that it should be rushed at all.

Just a couple comments there. I’d really like to have it passed or, well, I’d like to have it out in the community so that people can review it and have the proper information that they can make the proper decision and I look forward to helping the committee review that. Mahsi cho.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a similar vein, I want to stress, like Mr. Menicoche did, I think we still have a lot of work to do, which is to hear from people in a broad sense. Right now a number of us have heard from certain groups that they’re worried about their particular areas. For example, as mentioned, Mr. Abernethy had pointed out the NWT mining had made contact, and I certainly received an e-mail from them. I think their concerns are valid in the sense that they need to be looked at and examined and see how it’s weighed. I’ve been contacted by the tourism industry concerned about their particular issues. I think that there are a lot of people who have different perspectives on this particular bill coming forward and I think we need to take the particular time to ensure that we weigh and measure them all fairly.

I’ve heard from my colleagues that a lot of the community governments are supporting these types of measures that are coming forward, and I would like to reach out and certainly hear from their perspective, as well, to make sure that this bill does come forward. As we all know, it’s taken almost a lifetime to build and, hopefully, this is the initiative that will kick it off in the right manner. I wouldn’t want to see us prejudicing this by coming out and saying it’s flawed or whatnot. Let’s give it a chance and let the people guide us. On that particular note,

Mr. Speaker, I’ve even offered my own self to go on the road if committee needs extra participation to ensure that they have as many people out for public hearings. I certainly look forward to any feedback people provide to me on their perspectives on the Wildlife Act.

I just want to mention as a closing point, the chance for us to turn this into a divisive act is quite easy and we must find ways to transcend that resistance and rise above this. Because, I mean, we have to look well beyond emotion at this stage and ask ourselves what is best for the people of the Territories over the long haul. Certainly, time will tell as we pick it apart and I encourage the public as well as Members to pick every clause apart, and we ensure it is done right and every clause is justified and it makes sense. We would ask that on any particular bill presented to this House and not just this particular one because it’s the Wildlife Act or not this particular one because it’s presented by Minister Miltenberger, but the fact is it’s such an important dynamic and a lot of work has gone into this. I would encourage people to invest the time, learn about what they’re criticizing about and maybe get some sense and understanding as to why things were written in a particular manner as they were. Only with that, Mr. Speaker, will we truly understand why it was constructed in a way and certainly get the sense from the people as to what they truly need.

Mr. Speaker, it’s quite an occasion to see so many people speak to the second reading of a particular bill, but with that noted, though, this is a very emotional bill but it’s also a significant milestone being passed by this government. Thank you.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to, as well, take a few minutes to talk briefly to the principle of this bill, which I consider a very good bill. It is unprecedented in terms of the length of time it’s taken, the amount of work, the amount of money, the amount of effort and the process used to get us to this day. I would like to acknowledge the work, of course, of the working group and the staff of the department who are still working, and in many cases have often worked themselves to near exhaustion because we’re a very small operation and we have some of the best people in the business.

I’ve heard lots of questions: where, where are the answers? The answers are here in this House and the bill you have on the desk before you. That is where the proof is. That is where the test is. That we will give you the minutes. We will give you the feedback from across the land, but that is almost incidental at this point, because the product now is

here. The proof is here and we are prepared to bring it to this House and have it stand that test.

I can assure you that I don’t think committee members are any more eager to have committee go on the road than I am. I can hardly wait for committee to go on the road, to go and talk to the people, to look at all the work that’s been done. As has been said, you can take it apart word by word, clause by clause and I’m convinced it will stand the test.

We will travel with committee. We will work with committee. Committee will have access to every scrap of paper, every bit of work that’s been done. Anything that the committee needs to do their job fully will be provided.

I also want to point out that in this bill, as it’s been taken out and as it has developed, there has been a lot of talk, a lot of things said, and a lot of concerns raised. Many issues, I believe, are mixed. We’re mixing and putting on the back of this Wildlife Act concerns about development. We have a Sustainable Development Policy that lays out very clearly the position of this government. It is not the purpose of a Wildlife Act to set out how we do development. There are other places like the Sustainable Development Policy, and we just announced and all celebrated the fact that the Mackenzie Gas Pipeline got the thumbs up today. We have to separate some of these issues and look clearly at what the purpose of the Wildlife Act is.

It is a good bill and there will be lots of discussion; there has been already. The recognition of who’s going to be involved at the table to manage, the difference between rights and privileges. There are things we have built in and we consider absolutely fundamental to this government as territorial residents. As Canadian residents, Section 35 says very clear things. We have land claims, self-government agreements, treaties. Those are enshrined. They have paramountcy and they have a clear place in the work that’s before you. We also recognize that there are many issues to deal with resident hunters, but the right to hunt and harvest is a privilege. We have to be clear about that distinction.

We will work on all the ways to make sure that this bill is the best bill possible. I believe that it is, for the most part, there. I look forward to the work of this committee. I look forward to this bill coming back. We’ll have an opportunity to make amendments and adjustments that we can, hopefully, collectively agree on and bring this bill back into the House whenever the committee says it’s ready, either May or August, but our goal has to be in the life of this Assembly to have this bill finally, finally a northern, made-in-the-north, tailored to the Northwest Territories bill that deals with the wildlife issues, that deals with unmet obligations under Section 35 finally, finally addressed. Thank you.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the principle of the bill.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 9: Wildlife Act
Second Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Question is being called. Bill 9 has had second reading and is referred to a standing committee.

---Carried

The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 10, Northwest Territories Heritage Fund Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill establishes the Northwest Territories Heritage Fund. The Heritage Fund is a trust fund for the benefit and use of the people of the Northwest Territories, and the Financial Management Board serves as trustee. Excess funds will be received into the Heritage Fund but nothing can be transferred from it for 10 years in order to build up the principal, which is to be retained and invested. Transfers of income from the Heritage Fund to the Consolidated Revenue Fund will be authorized by a special act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak to the principle of this bill. This bill is very late in coming, Mr. Speaker, but it is highly desirable and provides an important opportunity to begin capturing some lasting benefits from the exploitation of our richest resources, an opportunity we have simply not had in the past.

The bill has, however, a key shortcoming, and that includes that it fails to directly connect building the Heritage Fund to the exploitation of our resources as they are exploited and shipped afar. This bill leaves this role to future legislators and that, in my opinion, is passing the buck.

Again, this bill is necessary and overdue. I look forward to public input on this potentially key law.

I have to note, Mr. Speaker, that our gold mines have come and gone. Perhaps we will have some more in the future. Our diamond mines are also now saying they have a very limited lifespan. These are our richest resources, the ones that stick out so much, they are so rich that they are found

immediately and exploited immediately. We have missed this opportunity, Mr. Speaker.

The resources are finite. We can learn from the lessons of others such as those of Alaska and Alberta, which I regard as failures, and that of Norway, which I regard as an amazing success. There are lessons to be learned. I am happy to see that some of those things are captured in this bill, but not all.

Nevertheless, we need to proceed. I note that this bill provides a very modest window of 10 years to build the fund. That is a very modest window, Mr. Speaker. It is certainly not what I had in mind, and perhaps my colleagues, when we initially discussed this legislation. This is a very short time, Mr. Speaker, especially given the lack of identification of funds to be appropriated for it.

Mr. Speaker, I often hear about devolution. Devolution will be the answer to everything. It will provide us with a huge net fiscal benefit and we are going to dump it in the Heritage Fund. With good luck, Mr. Speaker, devolution may happen, according to the Premier, in six or eight years, which I think is probably reasonable and with luck. I can guarantee the net fiscal benefit for the first few years will be in high demand and will be quickly allocated. I suspect it will be very difficult to direct those funds into this Heritage Fund. The fund is a necessary and good idea.

I support this bill, but it does have shortcomings. We will need to move as a Legislature to address those shortcomings and start giving some thought to how we are going to actually put meaningful dollars into this fund, because the purpose of the fund, of course, is to provide some benefits to our future people. We have an obligation to, as we exploit these resources and we all know that resources are finite to gain some benefits not only for ourselves, but for our future.

Mr. Speaker, I will be supporting this bill, but I think we have a lot of work to do. I appreciate it being brought forward this time. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. To the principle of the bill.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Question is being called. Bill 10 has had second reading and is referred to a standing committee.

---Carried

Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Item 21, report of Committee of the Whole. Item 22, third reading of bills. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Bill 1 has had third reading.

---Carried

The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Bill 2 has had third reading.

---Carried

Madam Clerk, could you ascertain whether the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable George Tuccaro, is prepared to enter the Chamber to assent to bills.

Assent to Bills
Third Reading of Bills

George Tuccaro Commissioner Of The Northwest Territories

Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, good afternoon.

As Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I am pleased to assent to the following bills:

• Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, and

• Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act.

Thank you, merci beaucoup, mahsi cho, quanami.

---Applause

Speaker's Closing Remarks
Third Reading of Bills

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Colleagues, this has been a very busy and eventful sitting of our Assembly. You have considered and debated 12 pieces of legislation including three appropriation bills. You have debated 10 motions. Ministers and committees have met together at over 20 meetings on a variety of issues and there have been four public hearings related to legislation. Not included in this tally are the daily meetings of all committees and Cabinet as well as the ongoing work we carry out for our constituents.

The Fifth Session of this Assembly also prorogued during our sitting and began the Sixth and final session on March 7, 2011. Colleagues, for the first time an honorary presiding officer was seated at our table.

---Applause

During our spring recess I know that committees are planning travels to review legislation and the work of government will continue, but I hope that you can take some time with your families and your communities during this beautiful time of year.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pages who we have had in this House during this lengthy session. We have had students from Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Kakisa, Tsiigehtchic, Hay River, Trout Lake, Fort Resolution and Sachs Harbour.

---Applause

To each and every one of you, I extend the thanks of this House for your diligence and enthusiasm. Your role is important to the smooth operation of our Chamber and assists us in the work that we do here.

I would like to thank the interpreters present during this session: Jim Hope, Margaret Mackenzie, William Firth, David Black, Sarah Cleary and Mary Rose Blackduck.

---Applause

Colleagues, there are several other integral parts of our operation that aren’t always front and centre. Our contractors assist us in a variety of ways and I would like to recognize and thank them today.

Firstly from PIDO, for sitting through dozens of meetings and operating the controls day after day in the Chamber and ensuring that our words are recorded for posterity, Mr. Rick Poltaruk who is in the recording booth today.

---Applause

Mr. Dave Sveinsson, also from PIDO operations, operates the camera when the House is in session. I am not sure if you can turn a camera on yourself in the AV room, Dave, but I thank both of you.

---Applause

Appreciation is also extended to our Hansard contractors, Ms. Janet Schreder and Ms. Michele Vanthull, all for allowing us to see our words on the page, often with mixed feelings.

---Applause

In the gallery, we also have Mr. Ray Jahner from SecureCheck. Our thanks to you and your excellent staff for the work you do, not only with regards to the security of our Assembly but also as a hospitable point of contact for our visitors to our Legislature.

---Applause

Also in the gallery this afternoon is Putte Nielsen. I’m sure Members join me in extending our appreciation to Putte and her staff for the excellent catering service that we have all enjoyed particularly during this session.

---Applause

However, Putte, I must inform you that you’re also responsible for the surge in gym memberships and diet books.

---Laughter

Finally, I would like to thank Thien Nuyhn for the janitorial work that the staff perform every day. Thien and his staff do a great job during the day, every evening and in the early morning after a snowfall to ensure our building is clean and safe.

---Applause

The contributions of each and every one of you assist all Members of this Assembly in so many ways. In the busy life of a Legislature, we do not often take the time to say thank you and I wish to publicly extend the thanks of this House to each and every one and your staff today.

---Applause

Colleagues, as we depart, I wish you and your families a happy Easter and safe travels as you go about your work this spring. I look forward to meeting you once again in the Chamber in May.

Colleagues, March 4th to the 20th is the Rendezvous Francophone, also known as French Language Week. I will now ask our Clerk to read the orders of the day in French. Madam Clerk, orders of the day.

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

Acting Clerk Of Committees (Ms. Langlois)

[Translation] Orders of the day for Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 1:30 p.m.:

1. Prayer

2. Ministers’

Statements

3. Members’

Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

6. Acknowledgements

7. Oral

Questions

8. Written

Questions

9. Returns to Written Questions

10. Replies to Opening Address

11. Petitions

12. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

14. Tabling of Documents

15. Notices of Motion

16. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

17. Motions

18. First Reading of Bills

19. Second Reading of Bills

20. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of

Bills and Other Matters

21. Report of Committee of the Whole

22. Third Reading of Bills

23. Orders of the Day

---Applause

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, May 11, 2011, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 5:30 p.m.