This is page numbers 159 - 190 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 going.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has indicated that there is some initiative to look at what type of RCMP officers they could have without any communities that have RCMP members. I want to ask the Minister, in terms of the creativity that he brings or his colleagues bring, to ensure that the people in Colville Lake know when they go to sleep at night there is someone there that they can call and respond as quick as possible. I want to ask the Minister what other ideas he can bring to Colville Lake to ensure the safety there.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Justice

I’ve outlined previously some of the issues or some of the ideas that the RCMP are bringing forward, but for me what I’d really like to do is actually get into the community and listen to the community as to what kind of ideas they would like to see or what ideas they’d like to bring forward, what solutions they would like to see, and I’m open to anything at this point. It depends on whether it will work or not, but really I want to talk to the community and get a sense of what they think some of their own solutions would be. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my statement and ask some questions of the Minister responsible for the Executive, also the Premier, with regard to the NGO Stabilization Fund. I mentioned in my statement that it is gratifying at this point that the funds have been awarded. The various organizations have received their funding, finally. Thank you very much. But I’d like to know if the Minister could advise me and the House why it took five months for the NGOs to receive a response and to receive notification of their awards. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There was an election that was held right in the middle of those five months, so it pretty well put the government out of commission for at least two months. I believe we had a protocol in place that said we weren’t going to take any actions or make any decisions unless we had it approved by all parties. That’s my understanding of the situation.

I should point out that as soon as the new government was put in place and Premier and Cabinet, I think the money rolled out within two or three weeks after we were put into office. Thank you.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I’m not sure if I should thank the Minister for that response or not. I have a really

hard time believing that the government does not work while an election is in progress. Ministers are in place until the new Ministers are elected, so I really have a hard time believing that between June of 2011 and even the beginning of the election period, September of 2011, that some work could not have taken place for these applications.

The Minister also mentioned that these had to be approved by all parties. I would like to ask the Minister, before people were advised of the grants and the awards from the NGO Stabilization Fund – and I presume by all parties he means Regular Members and Cabinet Ministers – when were Regular Members given an opportunity to be advised and/or to have input into these grant applications and awards? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

I was referring to a protocol that was put in place where we had to respond to committees by the end of July of 2011 I believe it was. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Before we go on, colleagues, when we’re questioning, on the preamble, the first question will be fine with it being a little longer, but on your second questions, if you could shorten up the preamble just a bit, because it’s the second person and I’ve got 49 minutes left for oral questions. Shorten it up, please and thank you. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will do what I can to shorten my comments. I understand the protocol that he’s referencing. This was hardly an emerging issue or an emerging program. This is something we’ve been doing for a while. I would like to ask the Minister, in retrospect, in knowing that it was five months to go from call for applications to awarding, what will the Minister do to make sure that the process is reviewed so we don’t have this happen again. Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

I think this year was an anomaly. I’m confident and we’ll make sure that in forthcoming years the money will go out a lot faster and a review will be undertaken that involves all of the departments that have social responsibilities and will process it very quickly. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. My last question has to do with this anomaly, which is going to happen every four years. I’d like to know from the Minister, is there any opportunity to start the process earlier. This call went out in June. Why can’t we have a call going out in early May or mid-May? The funds were approved the 1

st

of April. Can

the Minister look at putting the call for applications out at least a month or two months earlier? Can we not get the awards done within a month or a two-month time period? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

We will make sure that we put out the call for applications as soon as we know what the budgets are this year. For example, we won’t have our business plans and funding approved for 2012-13 until the end of June or middle of June, so we would put the call out as quickly as possible.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Question 52-17(1): Inuvik Natural Gas Reserves
Oral Questions

December 12th, 2011

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is also for the Premier of the Northwest Territories in regard to my Member’s statement that I did earlier today on the gas shortage that is happening in Inuvik and the urgency on that matter.

My first question is: Can the Minister provide me with an update on what the government has done to date since knowing of this urgent matter, whether it was from the 16

th

Assembly or even ongoing

talks? What has the government committed to and done since knowing of this urgent matter? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Premier, Minister McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been meeting and getting briefings as soon as we heard of this issue. We met last week with the mayor of Inuvik. He updated us on the issue. We had a Ministerial Energy Coordinating Committee meeting where we were briefed by the regional director and the Power Corporation so that we are aware of the magnitude of the problem.

We understand that we have to move fast. We have to make some decisions early in 2012, but we are still in an information gathering stage. We have to do due diligence to make sure and confirm what the problem really is. We also have some legal areas where we have contracts for the provision of natural gas for generation of power. We recognize that if we agree with the plan that is put forward, the life of the gas will extend by double, to about three and a half years. Also we are aware of some discussions with regard to Parsons Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

I would like to ask the Premier, after all of his briefings and all of his information sessions, will the Premier commit to supporting the residents and the businesses of Inuvik by participating in a joint effort to create an action plan to find a solution for a long-term gas supply. After the briefings and the information sessions, will he commit to that development of an action plan?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Yes. As a government we are already engaged. We have put together a team of deputies to examine options, to look at what the

possibilities are. We will be putting forward a decision paper for Cabinet probably very early in the new year.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, just one final question for the Premier. Once the discussion paper is finalized, will that information be available for all Members of the Legislative Assembly?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

I expect that as for our normal course of doing business we would brief committees. As well, I should point out that as we speak the Northwest Territories Power Corporation is taking steps so that we can deal with any emergency situations if they occur between now and…the decisions that we make that are required on a longer term.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Minister McLeod. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Robert Bouchard

Robert Bouchard Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Transportation. He made a presentation on the Deh Cho Bridge. I am concerned with the extra costs of the toll to the public of the Northwest Territories. What is the purpose of the toll? Is it meant to be a maintenance fee? Is it meant to be a repayment fee? Thank you.