This is page numbers 31 - 68 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 territories.

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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Guy. We are continuing on with general comments. Mr. Kevin Menicoche.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know that while we did work hard with the capital estimates and trying to do the best with the limited resources that we had, but I am still very disappointed at the zero investment in Highway No. 7 for 2012-2013.

I was just recently in Fort Liard and I was speaking with the chief and the residents there, and one of our focuses, too, of the new Assembly is economic development and jobs and training, and the chief had actually said it’s no use talking about that if we can’t use the highways to get those investments

here. So Highway No. 7 is very critical to Fort Liard and to the Nahendeh riding.

I believe that the future of economic development is dependent on Highway No. 7 and the investment in projects like Canadian Zinc or any new emerging industries that may want to develop around Fort Liard and/or Fort Simpson. So I continue to highlight the importance of Highway No. 7 to the economic development of my region. I certainly would like to see more investment there.

I’m very pleased to hear about the $1.6 million worth of carry-over, and it’s work that should have been done this year. Despite that, at least it’s a little bit of investment for this coming year. I certainly would urge my colleagues and Cabinet and anybody from this House that this is definitely a priority as we move forward. I know that studies were done and proved that severe reconstruction of Highway No. 7 has to occur. However, we can at least start to piecemeal it. So that’s critical and I’ll continue to raise that.

In today’s Member’s statement I spoke about my smaller communities needing new schools. I raised a couple of issues about big megaprojects; I think it was the $100 million school in Inuvik, as well as $180 million bridge. I believe in our small communities. You know, we’re talking maybe a $4 million investment for a new school. It’s not very much money, and that’s why I believe that we can put it in the needs assessment or in our capital plan within the next five years. I truly believe that it is manageable to have investments in our regions and smaller communities. Their needs are just as important and they should be taken care of as well.

Another big emerging issue out of Fort Simpson is the planning study that was scheduled for the Fort Simpson Hospital. It may be in the O and M budget for 2012, but maybe the Minister can confirm that for me, whether it’s in the 2012-13 budget or else the 2013-14. That’s something that is critical. It’s another one of the infrastructures that you cannot defer much longer without getting into some serious issues up to and including even shutting down the hospital if need be.

As well, Trout Lake has always been wanting to get a snow blower for the existing airport. I believe that will assist their community. In fact, it will actually help them, I think, because they’ve had issues about the equipment taking out the runway lights. It’s very expensive to repair and they really believe that a snow blower will assist them in cleaning the airport and maintaining their current infrastructure.

Just in closing briefly, I know that any investment in Highway No. 7 has been red flagged, which means that if we do get any more capital dollars that they’ll certainly be highlighted, but there are other needs there. I’d just like the assurance of the Minister and of our government that if there indeed is any red flag money that Highway No. 7 definitely gets on it

and this does not get punched over to red flag D kind of list there, Mr. Chair. I don’t believe that if we’re going to set up a red flag list, you don’t bump it over again if there are any resources that do come open. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

December 6th, 2011

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. We’ll go to Minister Miltenberger.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to Highway No. 7 and the red flag list, I can assure the Member and this House that if there is an opportunity to put more money into capital through a bump up to our borrowing. We want to look at targeted infrastructure in the capital planning process and the committees will be fully involved. The work that’s been done up to date, the red flag lists will be put out there and we will have that discussion both in terms of the amount of money and how we move forward to put the money that we have available to work strategically. So, yes, I will confirm to the Member that that list will be there and the red flag is there because they’re next in line. So that will be part of the discussion going forward.

The Member raised his concern about the schools in Nahanni Butte and Trout Lake that have been ordered already. The planning study in Fort Simpson, I’ll just point out and I’ll ask Mr. Guy to confirm, but we have roughly about half a billion dollars' worth of health projects on the books. When you add them all in that we now have before us, including Fort Simpson, we do have our challenges when you look at a $75 million capital plan, and just health alone, let alone transportation could spend that amount of money and more to upgrade and maintain the road system we already have. But I’ll ask, Mr. Chairman, for your permission to get Mr. Guy to speak specifically to the health or the planning study for the Fort Simpson Health Centre.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. We’ll go to Mr. Guy.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Paul Guy

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There was funding in the 2011-12 Capital Plan for planning studies and one of the planning studies that was identified in that funding is the one for Fort Simpson Health Centre. That work is underway right now and we’re anticipating having that done this fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Guy. Continuing with general comments, I have Mr. Sonny Blake.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you. As I mentioned before, I really disagree with the process, but I do realize at the end of our term we’ll be setting priorities for the next 18

th government. So I just wanted to state that.

I’m hoping that within the next year here, in the fall, we have the new school on our agenda for the community of Aklavik. As I mentioned, it’s getting

close to 40 years old and I believe it’s well above the 28-year assessment needs.

I do realize in history with this government the Mackenzie Delta is getting not very much in terms of projects. I know there’s a bunch of renovations planned. I’d like to see change before our February budget. It needs to match our priorities and I hope to see those changes. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Blake. We’ll go to Mr. Miltenberger.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The school in Aklavik would have to go through, at this point, the normal process in a very competitive environment with a limited amount of money. I appreciate the Member’s comment in that the terms of what’s going to happen in February, in February we will be doing an interim appropriation, which will be giving us as a government enough money to do business so that we can do the final budget debate and approval in May/June. The business planning process is now currently underway and we will be, right after Christmas, engaging fully with committees on reviewing all the business plans for all of the departments, which is for their O and M budget. There will be an opportunity there, which is why we’ve delayed things to have that fulsome discussion about all these program issues, some of which the Member has touched on. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Any other further general comments? I’d like to recognize Mr. Nadli.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it’s been fairly clear in terms of the path that is before us, at least for the past couple of weeks that we’ve been here. It’s fairly clear that we’re challenged with limitations and fiscal resources. At the same time we’re challenged with continuing to deliver programs and services and links that are vital to ensuring that our citizens and residents of the Northwest Territories enjoy their lifestyle here in the North, and ensuring that they bring up their families and ensuring that we have a future for all of us to share this part of Canada. It’s been very eye-opening for the past couple of weeks in terms of the challenges that are before us.

At the same time there are still needs and wants that our communities bring up periodically. Quite often we hear that there needs to be infrastructure at least brought to the communities in terms of schools, roads and so forth. There are still aspirations of local communities to ensure that there are programs and services at the same time delivered to communities and residents. There are still needs of communities that are not really reflected in this whole initiative at this time. I realize that.

What is very interesting for me, at least from my perspective, is that some common themes I’ve heard from all of us thus far is that there is a need because we’re challenged with delivering the programs and services to our residents at the same time we’re challenged with creating new capital infrastructure projects. We need to try to make less; we need to do more with less resources at this time. Some common themes that I’ve been hearing is that we need to integrate. Perhaps we need to decentralize, or else we need to maybe look at better cooperation with communities and local governments, or regional governments and partnerships. Those are a few signals that I’ve been seeing thus far.

I like what I’m hearing. I think we’ve started off at the gates where we kind of took off and I see some positive signals that we’re undertaking. My hope and sense of optimism at this point is that all is not lost in terms of the communities that still aspire to get the services that they want. For example, in Kakisa they’re still very interested in a central heating system so that they have an alternative to the fossil fuels that they burn at this point. In Enterprise there’s still a need for them to realize their wish to see a school established in their community. On the reserve in Hay River – K’atlodeeche – they still aspire to create services for their youth. My hope is that those wishes of the communities will not be lost in the shuffle, that somehow governments and departments will ensure that in the spirit of trying to work with everybody that people will listen. At the same time, try to be creative and work with communities and local leaders, residents, to ensure that, yes, we are challenged with finding the funds that perhaps are non-existent at this time, but ensuring that we could perhaps make things possible by realizing the aspirations of communities by working together.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Miltenberger.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Once again, just to point out that the money that’s there, the $28 million for communities has been maintained, and over the years that I’ve been around, we’ve maintained the level of growth at a higher level than all other program areas, probably with the exception of health.

The Member talks about money while we talk about the struggles. We do have to keep in mind that we are still spending $1.34 billion across the North and we’re going to continue to spend that amount and probably more with all the growth pressures.

The other piece – and I have to take this opportunity to say it since the Member gave me this opportunity as we talk about the communities and their needs and wants – because we do not have a Devolution Agreement, we’re going to leave over $60 million on the table this year. The last five

years, if you can visualize a pile of cash worth $300 million sitting in the middle of this Legislature that we’ve left on the table that we’ll never be able to spend to meet all the needs that we’ve just spent the last hour talking about, because it’s not retroactive. As we go forward and we talk the talk about the money for our communities, we have to walk the walk and we can get the money in one way that we know: through devolution.

Some other opportunities are not as palatable given our tough economic times, which are revenue increases and tax increases. We do know, year after year, $60 million and rising goes to the federal government that we don’t get to put into these varied services that we all so passionately talk about. We’re going to have an agreement hopefully within a year and implementation hopefully shortly thereafter, and then that money will flow to us and to the Aboriginal governments and will help us address some of those needs.

The specific issues about the central heating in Kakisa, I know there’s work underway. I’d have to ask Mr. Guy if he has any specific information on that. I know the Member has raised the issue of the school in Enterprise, which would have to as well get onto the list. It’s not there yet. The services for youth sounds very specific about a very good subject to discuss through the business planning process as we look at the O and M budget. I would have to ask Mr. Guy, or do any of the Three Wise Men on capital have any… I see a shaking of heads. I’d have to commit to get some information on the central heating project that is underway in Kakisa. I know that there’s been work done and that there was some involvement of the government, but I’d have to commit to get that information for the Member.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daryl Dolynny

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Looks like one of our final general comments. Mr. Moses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a couple of comments here. Being back home in Inuvik on my last time out, I had a few constituents approach me about the lack of jobs in the community and how some of them had to take their pride into consideration and go on income support. Creating these jobs and putting people back to work will affect some of our social concerns that we have in the Northwest Territories and also help with a good discussion we had earlier today on the Anti-Poverty Strategy.

I’m really happy to see that there has been $1 million earmarked to complete the planning for the Inuvik-Tuk highway. It will go to use and a lot of people will benefit from that within our departments, social departments as well as people up in the Beaufort-Delta going back to work. I just wanted to congratulate the government on looking at that for this next fiscal year.

We spoke a little earlier, just listening to comments about if the government decides to go beyond its debt wall for the new fiscal year, we will be looking at the red flag projects. I would also like this government to look at some new possible projects that some of our new Members that have come into the Assembly might be bringing forth, that they not be put on the waiting list. Specifically one project that I made reference to in my Member’s statement is the Children First Centre in Inuvik. The community itself has invested a lot of time and energy, and when you have a vested interest like that, you know the community will go forth and do good with the project and make sure that it’s successful. If we get the government behind them, you know it will be a strong and good investment, especially with all these infrastructural projects that we have lined up for years to come. It would be very smart for the government to look at helping create that so when the new school opens and the existing facility is gone, professionals and people coming up to Inuvik will have a place for their children to go to school while they’re working and contributing to the economy of Inuvik.

We had some talks in terms of devolution, and personally, with all the social issues and money that we have and stresses that affect all our communities, we’ve heard it here over the last hour. Like you said, I’m really hoping that we can come to terms and get an agreement signed this year, because it is a lot of money that can be going to communities. I do look forward to being part of that and giving the best advice, and influence and encouragement that I can.

So you guys are doing a great job and I really look forward to this. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Miltenberger.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do appreciate the Member’s comments, and just to reiterate the commitment that should there be a successful conclusion to our borrowing limit talks – and we do have some room to make additional strategic investments – that we collectively will fully engage through our processes to identify the amount of money and how and where it will be targeted.

I will point out for the new Members that they will quickly come to learn how interested and intense the discussion is about capital, given the long list of demands and the always short list of resources. I thank the Member for his comments.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister Miltenberger. Does the committee agree that that concludes... Mr. Moses, did you have further comments?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

That’s fine. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Does committee agree that that concludes general comments? Mr. Menicoche.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

I’d like to thank Minister Miltenberger for his presentation and his staff here today. I’d like to thank the witnesses for their participation here today and I’ll ask the Sergeant-at-Arms if he would please escort the witnesses from the Chamber. I will now rise and report progress.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

May I have the report of Committee of the Whole, please. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 2-17(1), Northwest Territories Capital Estimates 2012-13, and would like to report progress. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.