This is page numbers 6659 - 6698 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 disabilities.

Topics

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government and the Department of ECE takes the concerns raised by the school representatives very seriously, and of course, our children and our students' safety is of utmost concern. For that reason, we are working closely with the Aklavik DEA as well as Public Works, and certainly, we will facilitate that work gets done to deal with this issue.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

I'd like to thank the Premier. That sounded like a definite yes that this work will be completed. But we've had four months to ensure that this work is completed, and in the Mackenzie Delta the ground is starting to freeze. We are running out of time to build this parking lot. We'll be lucky if we have another week or two before everything starts freezing up, the material. You know, that makes costs go up slightly. I'd like to see this work completed within the next week or two if the Premier can ensure that that happens.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We first became aware of this issue in the summer of 2014 when the hamlet raised concerns with potential public safety issues. When ECE met with the DEA in February of 2015, the hamlet indicated that they would use signage to restrict parking in the area around the school, and they put up appropriate signage to that effect. But to fix the problem longer term, the hamlet has advised that they need to do some drainage improvements, so we see the solution as being part of that, and certainly, we will follow up with them to see if we can get the work done this year.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Just so I'm very clear, will the Premier ensure that that $27,000 is provided to make sure this work is done?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

The hamlet advised us that they needed to make some drainage improvements along one of the streets near the school, and they see it as an opportunity to make some further enhancements to allow for some off-street parking. The total cost for the drainage improvements including creating a leveled area for parking is in the order of $32,000. This work will be done by the hamlet, and the hamlet has infrastructure money to do that. Our Public Works and Services will contribute surplus gravel for the angled parking area and they will contribute something in the neighbourhood of $3,000 worth of surplus gravel.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is clearly the government's property here. We're putting a lot of burden on the community that have those funds designated for other projects. They have done all the work to the drainage that is needed. This property is Public Works' property and I feel that these funds should come from this government, from Public Works, because that is their building.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Public Works consulted with ECE and the DEA. We have received confirmation that the hamlet is agreeable to establish some off-street parking in conjunction with the proposed drainage improvements. Now it's a question of the timing. As the Member indicated, winter is coming, so we will follow up to see and to try to make sure that the work is done on a timely basis.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the much needed Fort Simpson replacement health centre. I'd like to ask the Minister of Public Works a few questions on the planning study and, as a result, the capital planning process as well.

I'd just like to ask the Minister, what stage is the planning study at currently?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In February 201, an RFP was issued for phase one of the planning study, including needs assessment, operational plan and a functional program and feasibility analysis. A planning study services was awarded to Western Health Planning and Associates since then.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I'd like to thank the Minister for that answer. I'd just like to know, well, that's the current stage of the planning study, perhaps the Minister can explain how the planning study affects the capital planning process. The Fort Simpson Health Centre was slated for '17-18 but it's, like, five years further down the line. I'd like to ask the Minister, why has that been deferred so far down the line? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you. There will be two phases in the planning study. The first phase will be completed in February of 2016. Phase two, which will be complete with schematic design and class C estimate and then used for the peer review committee. The peer review committee will be discussing the need, the capital need for the Fort Simpson Health Centre in comparison to all of the other capital needs put forward by all of the departments. We're expecting the peer review process as part of phase two, the planning study, will be completed by fall of 2016. Thank you.

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much. That provides a little bit of clarity about how far they're progressing with the planning study.

Is it typical for the department to go to the communities to show them the type of floor plans and the layout that they have at these facilities? Thank you.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Yes, it is. Once the planning study is done and the peer review has indicated that this is going to go into a capital plan, then the people that are putting the project together will consult with the community. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the multiple number of reports being tabled in the past four session days, and no doubt right up to the bell later this week, I think Cabinet is hoping that Members will be a little too busy to follow up on all the plethora of paperwork before us. But there is one tabled document, 314-17(5), that was tabled on September 30, 2015, to which I'd like to ask the Minister responsible some questions.

The Minister of Finance tabled the NWT Liquor Licensing Board and Liquor Enforcement Board's 61st Annual Report, 2014-2015, and within this report it indicates the number of class A to class B liquor licence holders in the NWT. Interestingly, Yellowknife holds 40 percent of these class establishments in the territory. It is plagued with 66 percent of all inspections in the NWT.

Can the Minister indicate why Yellowknife businesses are so unevenly targeted with his Liquor Enforcement Program? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't believe anybody is being unfairly targeted. Thank you.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Again, the numbers don't lie, and to take this one step further, the report also shows from 2013-14 to the 2014-15 year a decrease in inspections of licenced premises in every community in the Northwest Territories except the Yellowknife community. In fact, inspections are up in our community by 3 percent.

So, can the Minister offer an explanation to this trend? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

One of the benefits to Yellowknife is they have potentially a full complement of liquor inspectors. I know that in the smaller communities it is much more problematic finding qualified liquor inspectors. Thank you.

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

The report also indicates that enforcement offers what is called server training and conducts these courses free of charge to all NWT licence holders. This is voluntary, but the Liquor Board can order a business to attend at their discretion. Interestingly, for the past two years of this report, three communities, Fort Simpson, Inuvik and Norman Wells, had zero server training participants, yet once again it appears that in this 2014-15 report, 67 percent of the participants targeted and voluntarily forced to attend were from Yellowknife.

So once again, can the Minister indicate why the perceived unbalance toward Yellowknife businesses? Thank you.

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

I don't believe it's unbalanced. Yellowknife also has just about 20,000 people, the majority of establishments and the majority of people in a high, high influx as a territorial centre where folks come in and out of town. So they have way more volumes than anywhere else as well.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.