This is page numbers 43 – 62 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 community.

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you to the Premier in terms of highlighting some of the major initiatives that are happening at the national level. The impacts of residential schools are prominently and significantly, of course, felt at the community level, and that's where families that have gone through this experience, from my parents to their parents, generations. The impacts are deep-rooted. What steps is this government undertaking to ensure that the federal initiatives of healing and wellness are brought to the community level?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

We have interacted significantly with the commissioners of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I met with the Prime Minister; he reconfirmed his priority to deal with Aboriginal people, and we as a government have responded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s recommendations and we will continue to work in that regard. With regards to the residential schools and the communities, we will continue to look to improve in that area, and as the Prime Minister has said, reconciliation should be a commitment by everybody in Canada.

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

My final question is just a follow-up in terms of some of the information that the Premier has shared. One of the things that is disappointing is that there wasn't an exercise in terms of working with elders for them to document their experiences. One example in my home community that served the Sacred Heart Mission School, there was a society that was established to help former students to deal with the traumas of the past, but at the same time to guide the process in terms of giving expertise to the federal government. Has this government undertaken steps to ensure that bodies of that nature, like the Sacred Heart's Residential School Society, are consulted? Or else groups at the community level are brought into at least the stream of trying to build frameworks in terms of how these federal initiatives will come to the local level? Has there been work in terms of preparation work, and also, at the same time, a level of consultation with these bodies?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Those would be areas that I would have to follow up on, with regards to some of the specifics that the Member raises, but I do know that the federal government provides $5 million a year through the Department of Health and Social Services for community wellness programs. Certainly, in my mind and in my view, the examples the Member raised certainly would fit into that area.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there have been many questions over the last while on the level of support the Government of Northwest Territories would provide to the City of Yellowknife should the City decide to bid on the 2023 Canada Winter Games. Can the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs clarify for this Assembly and the residents of Yellowknife, the GNWT's commitment to financing the operations and infrastructure requirements to host the games? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First, I need to preface anything I say about the Canada Winter Games by stating that I can’t speak for the will of the House, its Members, committees, or the actions of future government. It is understood that a games bid by the City of Yellowknife would require the GNWT to support its share of the operational infrastructure requirements as per the standard Canada Winter Games tri-party agreement. If the City makes a bid, the GNWT will mobilize our departments to come up with potential financing models to meet the GNWT funding obligations. Our initial take was that this is an exercise that was doable. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thanks to the Minister for his reply. One of the other complaints I hear is that given the current state of the economy, it will be difficult for the GNWT and the City to come up with the required funding. Can the Minister comment, please, in this regard?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

One of the things we need to remember is that it is seven years until the Canada Winter Games in 2023, and there are seven GNWT planning cycles prior to that. This gives us some time and flexibility to come up with the necessary funding to support our part of the Canada Winter Games.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you again to the Minister for his reply. One of the other concerns I hear is the GNWT’s support for the building of an athletes' village. Can the Minister shed some light on the GNWT's role in the construction of an athletes' village?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Speaking as the Minister responsible for Infrastructure, I can tell you that if the City decides to proceed with the bid, and subject to direction from the Financial Management Board, the NWT Housing Corporation is prepared to enter and negotiate a 70/30 split on the construction of an athletes' village that will meet the needs of the Canada Winter Games and the NWT Housing Corporation for public housing. Given the expected increase in the number of seniors, this would also be a project that would benefit the seniors in the Northwest Territories as well. There is a possibility that we can use some federal social infrastructure money to pay for the government's share. We will obviously work with the City to see what they can come up with as far as their 30 per cent.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I again thank you for the response from the Minister. I have a sense that most folks do want the Canada Winter Games, but the biggest question continues to be how will the City afford their part. City council is giving consideration next week toward the possibility of a hotel levy, which could have considerable ability to support costs for the games. My question to the Minister is: Will the government support working with the City of Yellowknife to possibly enact a hotel levy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

The Canada Winter Games 2023 is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the city of Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories to those across the country with the national exposure it will get as far as media coverage goes. As far as a hotel levy, I think there are some amendments that need to be made to municipal legislation that would allow the local municipal governments to, through bylaw, create, collect, and administer levies on hotels. Until that legislation is done there is nothing stopping them from creating a destination-marketing fee that would apply only to the city or to each municipality as they decide to do so. It is a priority of Municipal and Community Affairs, and I think the initial work is going to begin during the life of this Assembly, to give the communities the opportunity to enact one, if that was the community's desire.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've heard of the slowdown in our economy and the decline in mineral exploration. I'd like to ask the Premier what is being done to reverse the course of the slowdown in exploration and what concrete actions we're moving forward on.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Honourable Premier.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories and the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment have been working very closely with the Chamber of Mines and we have developed a Mineral Development Strategy that encompasses a number of factors. Exploration is the key to finding new projects, new opportunities for development. One of the areas that we are trying to do is to help stimulate exploration and we have a Mining Incentive Program, which we implemented in 2014 and are again funding for 2015. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

The Mining Incentive Program is very similar to a program they have in Yukon as well. However, the Yukon program is nearly twice as large in available funding and has additional funding for late-stage advancement projects. Will the Premier commit to reviewing the program and possibly expanding it, given the importance of getting exploration back on track in the Northwest Territories?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

The Yukon has a similar program and they spend $1.4 million in their Mining Incentive Program. We have identified $400,000 on an annual basis for our Mining Incentive Strategy. It's application-based and this year we received 12 corporate and nine prospector funding applications for a total of $1.1 million. We have to go through a review process to identify which ones we will fund. Certainly recognizing that mining is the largest part of our economy, it represents 40 per cent of our economy, we want to not only maintain what we have but we also want to find new prospects. Our experience with the Mining Incentive Program is that it has already provided for success in a number of claims that have been discovered using these funds, so certainly, I would want to entertain and look at the possibilities of what we can do to improve on the program.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

That is exactly why I asked these questions today. We have heard at length of how great the program is and how it is achieving results. Those are the kind of the results we need to move our economy forward and I'm pleased to hear that that the Premier will be looking at expanding the program and the possibility there.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

When we have successful programs it becomes a matter of priorities and with the mandate that will be tabled on Monday and once finalized that will allow us to go forward with our business planning. Certainly, this would be an important area for consideration.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of years it has been well publicized that the Power Corporation has received large amounts of money from this Legislature to keep the costs of power down to the residents of the NWT. I'd like to ask the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation if he can tell the House what the water levels look like at Bluefish Dam. Thank you.