Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Premier.
Debates of Feb. 17th, 2014
This is page numbers 3643 – 3682 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 positions.
Topics
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. There is no provision for cost of living increases. It’s approved on an annual basis.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Mr. Chair, to the Minister, I would like to know how we expect these two organizations to maintain the services and the programs that they provide when we don’t give them any kind of an increase. Every other department or every other aspect of this government deals with forced growth every year, but we’re not giving any kind of an increase due to forced growth for these two organizations. Can I get an explanation as to why not? Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
This funding is consistent with the government’s policy on third-party accountability. There are different definitions of third party. I believe some portions or some groups are eligible for different increases, different categories. I will ask, through you, Richard to go into more detail, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Robertson
Thank you, Mr. Chair. These funding agreements are definitely core funding covering operational costs for the staff as well as running the offices. The current funding agreements are multi-year in nature and would include fixed amounts over the course of a three-year period and will be reviewed after each of those terms – I believe the next term is up at the end of the next fiscal year – and be part of our submission going forward for the future business planning process. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
Thank you, Mr. Robertson. Committee, corporate management, grants and contributions, $1.145 million. Does committee agree?
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
Thank you. Page 4-15, corporate management, active positions. Are there any questions? Agreed?
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
The Chair Robert Bouchard
Page 4-17, negotiations, operations expenditures, $2.640 million. Mr. Bromley.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Premier stated in his opening remarks that the GNWT is now the lead in land negotiations. I’m wondering if I can get a little more explanation on this. I understand this is a result of devolution.
How has our role changed in negotiations and how is the federal role changed in terms of lands, or generally for the federal government, I suppose? Mahsi.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess the main change is that the Government of the Northwest Territories is now responsible for
management of Crown lands, which formerly was under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada. That will take effect on the transfer date of April 1, 2014, but through you, Mr. Chair, I will ask Mr. Goldney to go into more detail.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Martin Goldney
Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the key changes, as a result of devolution, is that it will be the Government of the Northwest Territories now that will be administering the lands and resources, as the Premier mentioned. That means that operationally the Government of the Northwest Territories, when we’re in negotiations with Aboriginal governments, will be the government that has a lot of the information related to public lands and resources. We’ll be the government that has and is administering all the third-party interests, for example. So, we do foresee the role changing and shifting from Canada in those discussions to the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of the Northwest Territories taking more of a lead role in informing those negotiations. The interests, of course, will stay the same, but we are going to be the holders of all that additional information.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In my simplistic view of things, of course, I see quite a difference between the lead role in informing and the lead role in negotiations. The Premier said we are taking over the lead role from the federal government. I also asked how the federal government’s role has changed. It could be simply the mirror image of what I’ve heard, but that doesn’t seem to go very far to actually explain how the fiduciary role of the federal government has changed in relation to these questions. Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Martin Goldney
The interest-owned change at the negotiation tables, Canada will still be there with the same objective of settling these questions around Aboriginal rights and Aboriginal title respecting lands, but fundamentally does change, though, as I mentioned, the Government of the Northwest Territories will be leading some of the discussions when it comes to land selection and negotiations because we are going to be the government that is administering those public lands and resources. It doesn’t mean that the Government of Canada is completely out of the picture. We still expect and require the Government of Canada to engage fully in questions around Aboriginal rights and Aboriginal title and we will be working with Canada when it comes to making offers with respect to the land quantum. We just see more mechanical pieces for those negotiations when it comes to informing those discussions and those negotiations coming to the GNWT.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you very much for that response. Just on the negotiating tables that are active today, has there been a change, or are we still chugging along with roughly the same number? I don’t know if that information is public. Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Martin Goldney
We are currently with the same number, 15 negotiation processes underway. Some are more active than others. That’s something that we have to manage, but it is still 15.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you for that information. Taking over lands, I imagine, and informing about lands, will be the Department of Lands. The Premier, again, has said the increase in budget here is due to our role of this department in meeting lands negotiations. I see there’s one additional person in this budget for this division. Is that the lands person? Is that where our expense is there? Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member is correct; it is a land negotiator position. Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(5): Deferral Of Human Resources Department Summary, Defeated
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and other Matters