Thanks for the info. I guess my last question would be, are you quite confident then, Mr. Minister, that what MACA is doing for healthy choices initiatives is complementary to what all the other departments are doing? Thank you.
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
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
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 Inuvik Twin Lakes
The answer is yes, I’m very confident that what we’re doing is working in conjunction with our sister departments. 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 Glen Abernethy
Thank you, Minister McLeod. We’re on page 6-35, grants and
contributions, $3.357 million, total grants and contributions, $3.457 million.
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 Glen Abernethy
Moving along to page 6-36, Municipal and Community Affairs, information item, sport, recreation and youth, active position.
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
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to reference the latest amendment to the Commissioner’s Land Act. I note that regional land staff assist community governments with community land administration planning activities and administer leases for Commissioner’s lands. Has all our regional staff been brought up to speed and what is the mechanism for informing staff to make sure that they’re up to date on our legislation? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Aumond
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senior managers or the regional superintendents in each of the regions meet weekly with the senior management team and the department. We also have newsletters that go out. We also have our website that staff get directed to. I know probably two or three times a year all the lands people will get together at various workshops and be brought up to speed. We also consult with our regional staff when developing legislation or policies or amending them. There are various ways that we bring staff up to date and seek their input into the various activities that we’re going to be asking them to undertake.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
I appreciate those comments. I wonder if the Minister would eventually, I assume after six months or something or a year, have experience. I don’t know how fast experience will accrue on administering this new amendment, but I’d be very interested in what sort of, how smoothly it goes and if there are any kerfuffles along the way. I just think it would be something committee would be interested in. I just float that out there for the Minister to consider, comment on, if he wishes.
I want to mention the water and sewer services that are delivered through the regional operations. I note that the costs have slowly been going up there and this is an area where, I understand from the professionals that work in the field, there are some impacts from the changing climate that are being felt. Has the department taken note of that and have they got some lessons learned there? Are they tuning up that program in regard to those sorts of changes?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Aumond
Certainly our experience over the last three or four years in putting in and helping communities put in new infrastructure around water and sewer, there have been lots of good lessons learned from that. We’ve been trying to stay ahead of the curve with respect to the impacts of climate change and planning for the type of infrastructure on water and sewer and where we’ll actually get our water takes place. Certainly that’s something that we’re going to be constantly working on and learning on because the climate’s constantly changing. It’s nothing we can really say, okay, now we’ve done our bit, we’re going to move on. It’s something we’re going to have to keep doing.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Last question, again I’m wondering what the mechanism is for capturing those lessons. Presumably some of them could be transferable to other regions and communities. Is that something that’s passed along through the NWT association, for example? I’m wondering what the mechanisms are for that.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Aumond
Yes, certainly the NWT Water and Wastewater Association would be one forum where we would pass on those lessons and try to get knowledge from our sister territories as well as the northern provinces who operate in the northern part of their areas as well. We do have a northern working group, as well, that’s working on water and wastewater that we can use to share experiences and information and what’s worked and what hasn’t.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you, Mr. Aumond. Page 6-39, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, regional operations, operations expenditure summary, $73.208 million.
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 Glen Abernethy
Page 6-40, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, regional operations, grants and contributions, community government grants and contributions, grants, $51.902 million.
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 Glen Abernethy
Page 6-40, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, regional operations, grants and contributions, community government grants and contributions, contributions, $13.485 million.
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 Glen Abernethy
Page 6-40, Municipal and Community Affairs, activity summary, regional operations, grants and contributions, total community government grants and contributions, $65.387 million. Mr. Krutko.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Are you seeking unanimous consent to go back to page 6-39? Page 6-40? We’re on page 6-40 right now. Mr. Krutko.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With regard to the additional funding of $1.140 million for mobile utility costs, I’m wondering exactly how much that dollar has been allocated. Is it in all communities? It’s a grant program. You mentioned eligible community governments. Who are the eligible community governments? Is it all community governments or only tax-based community governments?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters