This is page numbers 2581 – 2616 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 4th 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 report.

Topics

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

I can clearly commit to the territorial government’s, our government’s commitment to this process. There are discussions underway with the federal Minister

in regard to the federal funding. We have not yet concluded the discussions, but the goal clearly is to maintain that funding and keep it available between ourselves and the territorial government so that the work has been done, and the money that was voted by the Parliament of Canada remains there for the use that it was voted for. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. My question is related to the Highway Emergency Alerting Protocols. Can the Minister give an update or an explanation as to what that protocol is and how it’s implemented? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In 2007 MACA, in collaboration with the RCMP, Health and Social Services and DOT, developed an NWT Highway Emergency Alerting Protocol. This protocol is intended to help guide the RCMP and community responses to highway emergencies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, since 2007 has the department had the occasions to use this protocol and what occasions? Thank you.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I would have to get that detail for the Member. Obviously, if something does happen on the highway, there’s a protocol that has to be followed. For specific events, I will gather the information and share it with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Mr. Speaker, this protocol, as I highlighted, called the Highway Emergency Alerting Protocol, goes to ensure that all emergency responders understand the roles and responsibilities with respect to accidents. Of course, this is for accidents outside the community boundaries, to ensure training is available and community governments are deprived the opportunity to provide this type of rescue. I’ve been so informed that these protocols were ignored in the most recent accident. Is the Minister aware of the impacts of not following through on these types of protocols?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I’m not aware. That would require some investigation from MACA, that part of it, and see if protocol was followed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask Mr. Premier some questions about the devolution consensus agreement that we have signed. Devolution is mostly known for decision-making and control of resources. However, Chapter 7 has a big human resources component, more specifically with regard to transfer of jobs. I’d like to ask the Minister… Well, just quoting from Chapter 7, it says, “We want to have a knowledgeable, experienced and stable workforce as of April 1, 2014.” I know there are roughly 150 jobs in Ottawa. I just want to know how our government is working towards that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the big number in the Devolution Agreement is the amount of money. Obviously, we want as many people or federal incumbents that are in those jobs to come over. But at the end of the day, we make the decision of how many jobs we will have. Obviously, we will be making job offers and the agreement requires us to make sure that every federal employee that comes over is no worse off than they are now financially, and we are required to adhere to that for three years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I’m a little concerned about the human resource plan to fill these positions. I know that the agreement speaks about offering the current federal incumbents and in Ottawa, six months prior to April 1, 2014. I’m concerned that I’m hearing that not many of them will actually come here. So how are we planning to fill these positions?

Also, I’d like to hear the Premier’s experience when Arctic Airports transferred in 1995 and, as well, when Forest Management was transferred to us in 1987. What was the experience there of transferring federal employees north? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

I think we’ve had very good success with devolution in the past. As I’ve mentioned, we’ve had about… I think every program that’s with the Government of the Northwest Territories was a federal program at one time. At every instance we’ve been very successful at getting the incumbents to come over. I think the airports transfer was very successful as well. I think we’ve got some of the best airports operating around. The reason we’re using six months is so we can get an early indication from those who are not intending to come as part of the devolution, so we can either go out to competition or fill from within. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

A lot of these jobs, of course, are in lands and resources. I imagine most of them are technical and specialized positions. We haven’t seen the list. We’re still working, of course, with our Cabinet colleagues to pay attention to this.

What is the current strategy to look at these positions? Is there a plan B for those positions that people don’t want to transfer north? What is the plan B for our government to fill those positions? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

We also learned a lot from division of the Northwest Territories, where Nunavut had transition agreements with the Government of the Northwest Territories. So we are looking at the possibility of doing that. We are also fully committed to decentralization. I expect that we’ll be able to handle the human resource requirements during the transition so we can continue to function without missing a beat. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I think that’s my concern, is we don’t want to be missing a beat on April 1, 2014. What is the strategy for our government to ensure that these positions are filled from anybody from Ottawa who doesn’t want to come over? I know it’s the Northwest Territories; in fact, I would encourage them to come over. But in the event that does not happen, I know a lot of them have families and they’re entrenched in Ottawa. So what is that plan B? What is our strategy and is there a team set up to review this and come up with a good plan to fill those positions here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Premier

We do have quite a number of committees that are working on all these different issues and we’ll be providing that information in the very near future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was very glad to hear the Minister’s statement, the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, and the work that he’s doing, and the agreements that he’s signed for the liquefied natural gas, looking to address the energy needs in the fuel needs that we have for our community of Inuvik. So I have a couple of questions of clarity and to get some specifics.

I’d like to ask the Minister how long, the agreement that he signed, how long is the agreement for. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the term is five years with a clause in there that would allow us to renegotiate, should a source become available that’s closer to us than is currently the case. Thank you.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Mr. Speaker, with the agreement signed, when can the residents and businesses start seeing the prices drop with the transportation and the delivery of this LNG to the community of Inuvik? When can we start seeing that type of energy coming into the community? Thank you.