This is page numbers 5949 – 5976 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 deline.

Question 740-17(5): Winter Road Maintenance
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much. Just following up on my Member’s statement I’d like to ask the Minister of Transportation about the planned air terminal building that wasn’t completed in the capital plan this year. When will the community of Trout Lake be getting their air terminal building? Thank you.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We completed this Trout Lake Airport with Building Canada Plan funds. We had $7.2 million to build the road to the new airport and the apron, the airport itself and the new terminal building, but at the end we had expended all the money. We didn’t have enough money left in the budget to complete the $450,000 air terminal building, which is designed and ready to go but we didn’t have the money to do it. Thank you.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much. They couldn’t complete it this winter. So the Minister is saying it will be delivered on the winter road in December of 2015 or January of 2016. I didn’t hear a clear answer there. Thank you.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

As indicated, the entire project was over budget. Therefore, we do have to go back to get the money through the regular process. Our intention is to include this air terminal building in the next cycle of the capital planning process, which would be ’16-17.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Well, the Minister clarified exactly what process. Where the air terminal building is, there is none. So he’s got to actually request another one and that’s too bad. As well, like I indicated, the capital planning process is upon us and will be starting soon.

What steps will the Minister be taking to ensure that the community of Trout Lake gets a new airport snow blower for the new and larger airport as well? Thank you.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Right now we are using equipment that exists in the community. The hamlet grader actually is doing the work at the airport. We think that is going to be sufficient, but we’re going to evaluate that after this winter and see if there were any issues at all with the current equipment that’s in the community. If we find that the equipment is inadequate and that we’re not able to do the job and that there are any issues whatsoever with the airline companies, medevac, anything in there whatsoever, then we need to take a look at perhaps bringing more equipment in. The problem with the plow truck or snow blower basically is these are expensive pieces of equipment and they’re also very expensive to maintain and repair if something goes wrong. A grader is something we find that’s durable and can do the job, and we’re hoping that the results of our investigation on how the past winter had gone with the airport will be good, the results will be fine and that we wouldn’t need anything else at the airport. Thank you.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Hopefully they do a proper and thorough investigation, because using the old community grader, they’re doing a much larger surface area than they did with the smaller airport. You have 3,500 feet of runway, you’ve got a large apron, so I just don’t believe the speed is there and the ability to clear the snow quickly. I would like to ask the Minister one more time for proper evaluation. I know there are some communities out there that have a snow blower, but they rarely use it so they also have to evaluate how snow blowers are distributed throughout the Northwest Territories. With that, I will ask the Minister to do a proper evaluation and look at the capital planning process for a snow blower for the community of Trout Lake. Thank you.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

We are currently monitoring the situation and we will evaluate once the season is over and see if there are issues at all. As I indicated, if there are issues and we found the grader was inadequate, especially as the Member pointed out with the lighting, some danger with the lighting on this type of plow, we will look at that, and if we think there is no way we can continue with just a grader on the airport, we will look at the capital planning process to put in proper equipment.

Question 741-17(5): Trout Lake Airport
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

March 3rd, 2015

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today in my Member’s statement I shared my dismay on the way our Department of Justice is handling our corrections services. Ironically, the office of the Auditor General agrees with me.

As set out in our NWT Corrections Act, there are consequences and processes clearly defined for the contravention of the act. My questions today are for the Minister-designate. Without belabouring the long list of contraventions and violations of this act in the wake of the recent Auditor General’s report, can the Premier indicate if the Department of Justice reviewed its legal obligations and responsibilities for the administration of its correctional facilities as per the Corrections Act? Thank you.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Justice has accepted all of the recommendations of the office of the Auditor General and has made a lot of progress and introduced a lot of changes already. If the audit had been done now, it would have been a very different audit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Clause 49(1) of the NWT Corrections Act states: “The Minister may appoint persons to investigate and inquire into any matter connected or affecting the administration and operation of the corrections service or correctional centre.”

Can the Premier, given the seriousness of the circumstances, indicate to the House when such an investigation will take place? Thank you.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

I will take that question and respond very quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Clarification, Mr. Premier?

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

I thank the Member for the question. I will get the information and respond to him as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dolynny.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

Daryl Dolynny

Daryl Dolynny Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Section 52 of the act under general offences and punishment reads: “A person other than an inmate who (a) contravenes this act or the regulations, or (b) conducts himself or herself in a manner that is detrimental to the good order and discipline of a correctional centre, is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $500 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or both.”

Can be Premier indicate to the House, will the Minister of Justice authorize an independent investigation into whether charges should be laid under Section 52 for alleged contraventions of the act and its regulations? Thank you.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We just received the Auditor General report today. It was just tabled yesterday, so I will have to take the question as notice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 742-17(5): Auditor General Report On Corrections In The Northwest Territories – Department Of Justice
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.

Question 743-17(5): Fort Providence Health Centre
Oral Questions

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. The new Fort Providence Health Centre has been under construction for some time.

Can the Minister confirm the dates of the opening of the Fort Providence Health Centre?

Question 743-17(5): Fort Providence Health Centre
Oral Questions

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Abernethy.