Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

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So I take it that if we don't get any money from Ottawa there will be no changes; that's not too good. Will the Minister take a serious look at the sale of public housing as a reduction in core need in the small communities? Thank you.

As stated earlier, my goal is to ask the communities what they want in each community. It's not up to me. If I'm doing the process according to accreditation standards and best practices, it's not up to me to define what the community needs. It's for the community to define what they want. We will be making choices whether the federal government gives us extra money or does not. We will be trying to base the Housing Corporation’s programs on what the communities need individually. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have some questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I mentioned, my constituents also want a school that could provide subjects -- for example, automotive. You know, many of our schools in the territory do not have, whether it's a two-bay garage or anything like that, that students can actually bring vehicles in and do automotive work or welding, carpentry; that sort of thing. I'd like to ask the Minister: The 20-year capital needs assessment dated 2011 showed a $24.8-million replacement of Moose Kerr School being funded over four years, starting with $2.9 million in 2018-2019. A later five-year capital needs assessment dated 2013 shows the replacement of 3,600 meters squared, Moose Kerr School, but without any funding. Can the Minister please clarify: What is the current status of Moose Kerr School replacement project in the capital plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Typically, for capital planning purposes, the replacement or major renovation of a facility is planned at 40 years from the date of construction or 20 years from the date of a major renovation. My understanding is that a large capital project was completed in 1999, and there were additions to the building including a community library, three classrooms, and a science room, and that there also has been some small capital funding included in the 2014-2015 capital that had been carried over into 2015-2016. Any maintenance upgrades in the amount of about $2 million from 2008 to 2012 was spent on Moose Kerr School in that time, and there's various amounts of projects that happened in that time as well. I just want to let the Member know that as a Minister early on in this government, we are planning on getting out into the communities and the schools to do visits to the communities as well. One of our first tours will be up in the Beaufort Delta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Will the Minister ensure that a planning study is undertaken as soon as possible, as the community of Aklavik expects?

As mentioned, based on the typical planning model, Moose Kerr School would be identified for renovations or replacement in approximately 2019 or 2020, but the existing condition of the building would need to be assessed prior to a recommendation for renovation or replacement. As I mentioned, technical assessments and numerous elements have been replaced or repaired through the maintenance funding, as I mentioned earlier, and that addressed a lot of issues. Once again, I would be willing to work with the Member to do a community visit and look at the building. One of our policies as well is with school utilization. It’s good for all Members to know, I think, that once school utilization hits an enrolment of about 85 per cent, then a school will be looked at in terms of being replaced or additions would be added to that. The utilization over in Moose Kerr School is at 48 per cent.

As you may recall, the former Minister committed to actually replacing this school, and so I ask the Minister: Will the Minister commit to red-flagging this project in the Capital Plan, so that the students can get into a safe, modern school, without the aging relic of a bygone era that they are currently stuck in.

As mentioned, if there was to be a replacement or major renovations to the Moose Kerr School, it would be in 2019, and that is during the life of this government. I will go back to the department and look at how we can put that possibly into the planning study before it gets into the building stages. I once again want to assure the Member that we will be doing a community tour up in the Beaufort Delta during the month of March.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I mentioned in my Member's statement a made-in-the-North immigration policy could be a key element in the Northwest Territories' goal to increase its population and generate wealth and economic activity. The department had targeted last April 2015 as the date for implementing the NWT Nominee Program, which would identify and fast track opportunities for immigration. Can the Minister advise the House of the status of an immigration strategy for the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, enhancing the Nominee Program is critical for the Northwest Territories, as the Member had stated in his Member's statement, in achieving its population as well as economic growth objectives, and also meeting some of the staff needs for northern businesses and northern employers. We have had success moving forward, but the department, I'll have to say, is currently developing an immigration framework, which will provide an integrated approach to implementing and monitoring long-term objectives of the Nominee Program, while also supporting territorial population growth. The framework will be developed with extensive consultation with all stakeholders, and as mentioned in previous answers to other questions during this session, we do have the labour market review that's coming out, as well as our Skills 4 Success Initiative that's going to help drive us to see what needs we have throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his reply. Has the department had the chance to learn from any successful nominee programs in other provinces or territories, and if so, what have we learned?

Yes, as best practices, the department does go look at other jurisdictions to see what's happening with their programs, and we try to fit that and adapt that to northern situations. We have also a consolidated program delivery and dedicated specialized resources to the program. We've engaged employers and stakeholders that do need some of the personal resources to help them do their jobs, and just for the Member, in 2015, there were 106 nominees and their dependents approved under this program, and 460 since 2009.

Thank you to the Minister for sharing those numbers because that answers my next question. I'll jump to my last question. Can the Minister identify any new ways in which we could help prospective employers and immigrants to find opportunities in the Northwest Territories?

The department is currently working on an immigration communication strategy, which will continue to promote and raise awareness about the program. Increasing the awareness is critical for all employers, as well as stakeholders in the Northwest Territories. We also have a 1-800 number and employers can check online to see how they can get into the program, and we are, I believe, looking at a goal of 60 nominees for 2016.

Mahsi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that the Department of Lands now coordinates GNWT participation in environmental assessment. Since the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act came into force in 1998, participant funding has been made available for exactly three of the more than 70 environment assessments or impact reviews that have taken place. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House who is responsible for participant funding for environment assessments in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the national scale participant funding is part of the overall federal environmental assessment regime in Canada, which also applies to the Inuvialuit Settlement region. The absence of participant funding in the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act is a long-standing issue. The GNWT takes the view that the Government of Canada is responsible for participant funding based on the fact that the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act remains federal legislation and Canada has retained key authorities, such as policy direction and appointment to boards on the basis the boards are funded by Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and I'm glad I'm not a pencil today.

---Laughter

The current federal government has realized the mistakes associated with excluding Canadians from pipeline project assessments and has announced changes in the way that citizens can be involved in such decisions in the future. Can the Minister of Lands tell this House what he is prepared to do to ensure NWT residents have access to the resources necessary to meaningfully participant in environmental assessments?