Debates of March 9th, 2015

This is page numbers 6061 – 6102 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 health.

Topics

Oral Questions
Prayer
Office Of Auditor General’s Report And Justice Updates
Conference Board Of Canada Health Status Report
Application Of Payroll Tax On Northern Residents
Candidate Diversity In Upcoming Territorial Election
Contractor Safety Management System
NWT Youth Ambassador Program
Dehcho Process Negotiations
Sahtu Region Sustainable Economic Development
Gender Equity In Corporate Governance Structures
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements 19-17(5): Caroline Bonnetrouge – Wise Woman Award Recipient
Supports For Sewing And Beading Craftwork
Dehcho Process Negotiations
Dehcho Process Negotiations
Application Of NWT Payroll Tax On Northern Residents
Contractor Safety Management System
NWT Youth Ambassador Program
Questions 768-17(5): Conference Board Of Canada Health Status Report
Winter 2015 Fur Prices
Advancement Of Women In Northern Society
History Of The RCMP In The Northwest Territories
Response To Auditor General’s Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories
Conference Board Of Canada Health Status Report
Return To Written Question 34-17(5): Decentralization Analysis
Bill 42: An Act To Amend The Residential Tenancies Act
Tabled Document 216-17(5): Return To Written Question 23-17(5), Decentralization Analysis
Tabled Document 217-17(5): 2014 NWT Survey Of Mining Employees Overall Report, December 2014 Tabled Document 218-17(5): Review Of The Venture Investment Program And The Contribution Programs Of The NWT Business Development And Investment Corporation, March 7, 2013 Tabled Document 219-17(5): Review O
Domestic Violence Death Review Committee
Wellness Centre At Stanton Hospital
Establishment Of A Special Committee On Transition Matters
Bill 49: An Act To Amend The Deh Cho Bridge Act
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Concurrence Of Td 188-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2015-2016
Concurrence Of Td 205-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2014-2015
Concurrence Of Td 206-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2014-2015
Concurrence Of Td 207-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2015-2016
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

March 8th, 2015

Some Hon. Members

Detail.

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, Members. Would you please stand down page 5? We will return to it. Page 6, revenue summary, information item. Are there any questions?

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 Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Active position summary, information item.

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 Jane Groenewegen

Expenditures on behalf of Members, operations expenditure summary, $8.999 million. 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, Madam Chair. The biggest increase in the budget for the Legislative Assembly is the compensation and benefits, $1 million roughly. Could I get just some explanation of what this is about? 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. Bromley. Mr. Mercer.

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

Mercer

Thank you, Madam Chair. Two primary reasons for that, one is the payment of a transition allowance to an expected six Members who we are budgeting for and may not be returning. The second one is a reflection in our pension accounting for the fact that we have adopted Canadian, as opposed to American, mortality tables, which has resulted in an increase to the accounting treatment for the MLA pension plans. Thank you, Madam 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 Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Mercer. 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, Madam Chair. The second one, I’m not astute enough to understand or have the context to understand that one, but I’ll explore that one maybe out of the House. Thank you for that response.

I also see the increase of operating expenses, and perhaps that’s included in the response I got, but operating expenses of about $600,000 and the Member’s pension expenses are about $400,000. I think that was part of the explanation I just heard. But the first one, are there some details I could have on that? 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. Bromley. Mr. Ouellette.

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

Ouellette

Thank you, Madam Chair. It’s actually a combination of a number of expenses. As Mr. Mercer had mentioned, one of them was due to a pension expense increase, which is sort of a non-cash expense that has to be provided on the books of the Assembly according to the Public Accounting Standards for pensions. Then we also have, I guess, cost of living increases that are calculated in there on an annual rate. Then we also had some transition costs for moving to the next Assembly. Mr. Mercer mentioned that there were transition allowances. We make some assumptions in terms of how many Members will be outgoing, how many new Members will be incoming, and for the new incoming Members we also have to account for new office expenditures and that sort of thing.

There are also a couple of other allowances in there, retraining allowances that we make some assumptions on in terms of how many of those allowances we’ll have to budget for in the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you, Madam 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 Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Ouellette. That’s everything. Are there any further questions on expenditures on behalf of

Members, operations expenditure summary, $8.999 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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, operations expenditure summary, $1.65 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

The Chair Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, active positions, information item.

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 Jane Groenewegen

Thank you. Office of the Clerk, operations expenditure summary, $8.409 million. 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, Madam Chair. I just want to check on that contract service, the slight increase over last year’s. I’m just wondering if there are details available for that. 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. Bromley. Mr. Mercer.

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

Mercer

Madam Chair, the majority of that increase in contract services is as a result of renovations required to the first floor of the Laing Building to accommodate the three new statutory officers.

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. Mercer. Office of the Clerk, operations expenditure summary, $8.409 million. Mr. Yakeleya.

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

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Madam Chair, I just want to let the Speaker know and also the Office of the Clerk that I appreciate the work that their staff do to accommodate us during our busy work as MLAs. Thank you.