This is page numbers 5569 – 5610 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.

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 Robert Bouchard

Page 186, active position summary. 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 Robert Bouchard

Page 189, administrative and supportive services, operations expenditure summary, $82.464 million. Mr. Dolynny.

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

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As was eloquently just spoken by some of my colleagues, there are a number of initiatives on the go here in the Northwest Territories within this department. A lot of them have to do with legislative framework, and I just want to mention some of these here.

As I said earlier, we have the Health and Social Services Professions Act. We’ve got changes to the Child and Family Services Act. We’ve got the Mental Health Act, which is pending. We’ve got a Human Tissue Donation Act, which might have some dollars attached to it potentially during this year. We have, potentially, a Pharmacy Act that we haven’t seen yet that might have some dollars attached. We’ve got the Health Information Act with respect to privacy and a plan that might be underway. We know that there are changes to the ground and ambulance and highway plan, and we’ve got French language services that is an action plan that we have.

That’s not the whole list, but it’s a small list. Yet in this category, being a directorate, I’m looking at we’re putting very little provisions in place for a lot of these one-time costs that might be attributed to a lot of these initiatives. To the question, I know there is some growth here, but as I said, the list is fairly extensive. How is the department and how is the Minister going to deal with a lot of these one-time costs up for this upcoming year which clearly will be well beyond the budget that we have before us? 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 Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister Abernethy.

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

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In this area, the areas of significant growth are as a result of the French language services, around $1.1 million, and there’s also some growth around the Information System Services Centre. A lot of those costs in the Information Services Centre, there are about $1.5 million of one-time costs and that’s actually built into the budget.

The other areas that the Member is talking about, we have provisions for the work that’s being done. A lot of the work that’s being done is being done by staff, which is covered by staff dollars. The other one-time costs, some of them may not actually occur in this fiscal year; some may be pushed off to next fiscal year. But with the budget we have in front of you, I believe we are in a position to move forward on the initiatives that were identified. One or two of those initiatives aren’t actually occurring in this fiscal year, but the work to get us to the position where they might be rolled out will be.

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 Robert Bouchard

Thank you. Mr. Abernethy, did you have anything to add? Committee, I’m just going to call a three-minute break here and I’ll be right back. Thanks.

---SHORT RECESS

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 Robert Bouchard

Thank you, committee. We’ll resume and I’ll go back to Mr. Dolynny.

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

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister’s response. I’m still a little bit concerned with all of these initiatives we have. Although the French language one is dealt with in this activity, as you heard, we have a lot of initiatives that are on the go and we’ll talk about them more in the programs. But because we’re talking about directorate, I’m feeling that the department here is going to be a little shy on delivering at a high level, from what they expect to, without the monies being brought forward.

With that said, the only other question I have on this activity is under the systems support. We see a substantial increase this year, about $2.5 million over last year. If I can just get a little bit more detail. What exactly is the increase for? 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 Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Minister Abernethy.

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

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The significant increase here is the service centre where the increase is around $2 million. Then there are also some other increases, Microsoft licensing for $1.12 million and licensing and maintenance, the inflation we experience on our health programs. So those are the main areas for increase in that particular line.

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

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

I don’t think I have any more questions on this activity. 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 Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Next I have Ms. Bisaro.

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

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move we report progress.

---Carried

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 Robert Bouchard

I will rise and report progress. Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Thank you, deputy minister and director. Sergeant-at-

Arms, please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber.

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

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Can I have the report of Committee of the Whole, Mr. Bouchard?

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

Robert Bouchard

Robert Bouchard Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 188-17(5), NWT Main Estimates 2015-2016, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Report of Committee of the Whole
Report of Committee of the Whole

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you. Do we have a seconder to the motion? Mr. Nadli.

---Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

February 16th, 2015

Tim Mercer Clerk Of The House

Orders of the day for Wednesday, February 18, 2015, at 1:30 p.m.:

1. Prayer

2. Ministers’

Statements

3. Members’

Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

6. Acknowledgements

7. Oral

Questions

8. Written

Questions

9. Returns to Written Questions

10. Replies to Opening Address

11. Replies to Budget Address

12. Petitions

13. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

14. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

15. Tabling of Documents

16. Notices of Motion

17. Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

18. Motions

19. First Reading of Bills

- Bill 45, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act

20. Second Reading of Bills

21. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of

Bills and Other Matters

- Bill 38, An Act to Amend the Jury Act

- Bill 41, An Act to Amend the Partnership Act

- Committee Report 10-17(5), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2013-2014 Annual Report of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories

- Tabled Document 188-17(5), NWT Main Estimates 2015-2016

22. Report of Committee of the Whole

23. Third Reading of Bills

24. Orders of the Day

Orders of the Day
Orders of the Day

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 18th , at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 5:54 p.m.