Debates of Feb. 21st, 2011

This is page numbers 5979 - 6032 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 5th 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 community.

Topics

Oral Questions
Prayer
Minister’s Statement 112-16(5): Minister Absent From The House
Local And Territorial Learning Fairs
Territorial Energy-Efficient Building Standards
Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
Tamerlane Ventures Inc. And Pine Point Mining Project
Public Housing Rent Scales
GNWT Measures To Stimulate Local Economies In Small Communities
Gender-Based Analysis Policy
Yellowknife Regional Learning Fair
NWT Water Protection Strategy
Public Housing Rent Scale
Gender-Based Analysis
Devolution Agreement-In-Principle
NWT Water Protection Strategy
Territorial Energy-Efficient Building Standards
GNWT Measures To Stimulate Local Economies In Small Communities
Proposed New Wildlife Act
GNWT Public Consultation Processes
GNWT Contracting Policies To Stimulate Small Community Economies
Investigation Of Awarding Of Housing Contracts In Inuvik Region
Tamerlane Ventures And Pine Point Mining Project
Mackenzie Valley Highway
Negotiated Contracts Guidelines And Reporting
Tabled Document 144-16(5): Letter From Mayor Of Tuktoyaktuk In Support Of Joe Greenland Centre
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Report of Committee of the Whole
Orders of the Day

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you. Maybe I ought to wait until page 6-41, but the youth corps, if it’s territorial, we’ve got $675,000 on this page and another $500,000 in regional operations. So maybe I’ll ask the question when we get there.

The other question I wanted to ask on this page has to do with the amount for volunteer contributions and at some point it was increased from $20,000 to $70,000 and I’m glad to see that that has gone up. It’s still nowhere near the money that it should be and we don’t have the structure that we should in terms of volunteers, but it’s a good thing we’ve got a little bit more money.

I did read, though, in the information from business planning, that support for volunteerism is $150,000 and I wondered where the other $80,000 shows up in the budget. 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Ms. Gareau.

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

Gareau

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The other funding for volunteer contributions, or, sorry, to support volunteers shows up in the O and M area of the division. Thank you.

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Okay, I need to know where the O and M expenses are in here and I have no idea. Thank you.

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

Gareau

On page 6-33 there’s a summary of details of other expenses, as well as the program delivery details at the bottom for volunteers. 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Ms. Gareau. Ms. Bisaro, is it clear?

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Yes, it is indeed there. Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Thanks, Ms. Gareau. So if there’s $70,000 in contributions, I guess I’d like to know what the other, the 236 to 180-something thousand dollars, what that’s used for. I mean, I presume its PYs and so on, but is it all expended within the division of sport, recreation and youth for staffing, or does some of it go to programs? Thank you.

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

Gareau

Yes, the MLA is correct; it does go to support volunteer activities of staff in the division. I can provide a breakdown of that program area if the Member requires that information. Thank you.

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks, Ms. Gareau. No, I think if it’s the same information that we got during business plans, I have it already. So if it’s changed, then, yes, I’d like it. 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. No question. We’re on page 6-34, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, sport, recreation and youth, grants and contributions, grants, $100,000.

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

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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 Glen Abernethy

Page 6-35, contributions, total grants and contributions, $3.357... Oh, Mr. Bromley.

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe we’re on 6-35. I just wondered with the Get Active NWT $100,000, that seems to be a new program. Is this federal dollars?

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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister McLeod. Ms. Gareau.

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

Gareau

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, this is not a new program. Get Active NWT has been run by the department for at least three of four years now. We were previously funding this money out of O and M. None of the expenses have changed, it’s just we’re more appropriately reflecting that this is grants and contribution funding. So what we’ve done is an internal reallocation to move it from operations and maintenance funding into grants and contributions funding. 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Ms. Gareau. Mr. Bromley.

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

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Is there an outdoor focus on these dollars or would the Minister consider putting an outdoor focus on these dollars?

That would help focus these dollars on other healthy initiatives that we have. 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister McLeod.

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

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is a very strong outdoor component to the Get Active NWT: snowshoeing, Nordic walking, Dene games, cross-country skiing. So there’s a very strong outdoor component 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Next on my list, Ms. Bisaro.

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have one question with regard to this particular grant as well. I wondered whether or not the Get Active grants and contributions fund has been fully subscribed. 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 Glen Abernethy

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister McLeod.

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

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is fully subscribed.

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

One other question on this page in regard to the Healthy Choices Initiative, I understand it supports after school physical activity programs, which I think is great and my understanding is also that it was quite well used last year. But I am somewhat concerned, and I’ve mentioned this before at other departments, that we have programs related to healthy activities for children and youth in several departments and I wonder whether or not we have the proper coordination of these programs. You know, MACA is spending $615,000 here and Health spends $400,000 elsewhere. My understanding is that departments meet and talk about these things, but are we really achieving a coordinated attack on getting our kids to make healthy choices? I wonder about that. I’d appreciate the Minister’s comment. Thank you.

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

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

With the after school physical activity program, we do work very closely with Health and Social Services, ECE, and our program is fully subscribed to. We have a list of all the schools in the Territories that are accessing some of the funding and some of the programs that they’re offering. So we work very closely with our sister departments to ensure that we’re fairly well coordinated. Thank you.