Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Further questions. Seeing none. We shall move on to detail on page 250, Industry, Tourism, Investment, tourism and parks, active positions. Questions? Seeing none. Moving on, page 251, Industry, Tourism, Investment, lease commitments. Any questions? Recognizing Ms. Green.
Debates of June 16th, 2016
This is page numbers 673-724 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 thanks.
Topics
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Julie Green Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'd like to hear from the Minister some detail on the future lease payments. So if this office is winding down, for how much longer is the government going to pay the lease on this office? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The business of government continues. Other positions are being moved into those offices, and the government will continue to utilize that space. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just keeping in continuity with our procedures, I'm wondering if through you, Mr. Chair, are we going to actually give approval on the tourism and parks portion of the ITI budget? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daniel McNeely
Yes. We're going to go back to that activity total afterwards, and 251. Questions on 251. Seeing none. We shall go back to 248, Industry, Tourism, Investment, tourism and parks, Operations Expenditures Summary, Activity Total, $14,283,000. Agreed. Page 252, Industry, Tourism, Investment, Northwest Territories environmental studies research fund. Questions. Mr. O'Reilly.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. As I understand it, this is something that was set up as a result of requirements in the federal legislation. We simply mirrored it, but I have some questions about how that was done and so on. I want to start with the revenue line here. There's a big drop between 2014-15 and 2015-16. Can someone explain what that drop is all about? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. The money came from the feds, and there's been no activity whatsoever, so it's down to zero. The money is provided by industry as well normally. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just so I understand it, this was some money that was given to us for devolution implementation as a pot or something, and now we've spent it all? Is that what I'm hearing here, Mr. Chair? Thanks.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
June 16th, 2016
Bob McLeod Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It wasn't--the money was collected from the oil and gas industry that required to put the money into this environmental studies research fund, and normally, it would--there was a going concern, there would be additional funding going into the revolving or research fund, but the fact that there's no activity in the oil and gas sector, so there's no industry putting any money into it. The money that had 974, I'll ask through you, Mr. Chair, I'll ask Ms. Archibald to provide further detail. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Archibald
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member is correct that the environmental study's research fund was established under the Petroleum Resources Act. It's a special-purpose fund, and the purpose is to provide funding to environmental and social studies designed to assist in decision-making processes related to oil and gas exploration, development, and production. It was exactly mirrored as was a requirement under the devolution agreement, so we did not make any changes. It was formally established in September of last year.
Just to clarify a point, the monies represented here are money from industry that are derived from levies on them, and the levy is calculated on the basis of the size or the acreage of their interest holders. Part of the reason that there has been a decline is that the amount of levy is tied directly to the amount of--the dollar value of research proposals that we receive, and so for this year, the amount, the total dollar value of the proposals was $100,000, and the levy was established and divided up amongst the oil and gas interests on that basis to support those. This year, it's four projects related to looking at the effects on caribou and water. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the answer. I'm somewhat familiar with the fund and what it does. We're not actually collecting any revenues this year to support work under the fund. Is that what I'm getting here, Mr. Chair? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. As I understand, I think there is, though, some sort of a research agenda or a strategic plan or whatever for research under this fund, so there's still more work to be done. We haven't been collecting any money to do it. Is that where we're at, Mr. Chair? Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters