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

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I can’t specifically talk about programs that are offered by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, but I can say as participants in the capital planning process with other government departments, the government considers distribution of projects so that we don’t overtax individual communities with excess projects in one year. The NWT Housing Corporation relies on the BIP, Business Incentive Policy when contracting projects and this process includes adjustments for local involvement. The Business Incentive Policy evaluation process was designed to support local contractors in bidding on projects.

As well, all of the social envelope deputy ministers are working together to breakdown program and policy barriers that may impact our residents of the NWT. Another partnership I’d like to mention is the Apprenticeship Program that the Housing Corporation is involved with. It’s one example where we’re trying to train our local residents so that they can succeed in the trades and we can get more proponents within the communities. Currently, we have up to 15 apprentices annually.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I thank the Minister for her answer. It seems like there’s some work there. I would hope that the two departments, Education, Culture and Employment and Housing would start working together to see what the impact of modular homes are versus stick-built because of the income support issues. Mr. Speaker, in the last sitting, the Minister answered a question from Mr. Blake, the quote from the Minister of Housing Corp. “though in all honesty are still using our community members to do the repairs, so you’re not forgetting about them.”

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please clarify what she meant? Does she mean the repairs on these modular homes or the stick-built homes?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Repairs, renovations and minor capital projects need to be completed annually on both public housing and home ownership programs. The NWT Housing Corporation has a significant capital plan for 2016-17, $47 million, which includes repair and renovation budget of $18 million. $10.5 million is for repairs and renovations for NWT Housing Corp assets $6.5 million is for home ownership repairs and renovations. $1.1 million is for minor capital repairs.

Renovation and repair work for the Housing Corporation assets and home ownership units has been consistent and predictable and represents a huge opportunity for local contractors. It provides economic opportunity for contractors that they can sustain their operations and employees year after year. In some communities, it’s been a challenge for our Housing Corporation to find contractors to do the repair work that we offer every year. Sometimes we put tenders out up to three times and not receive responses.

New construction is really irregular and difficult for businesses and contractors to organize their businesses around. The repair and renovation is always there and is sustainable. Like I say, we’re really putting a focus into apprenticeships to build up the capacity in each community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I thank the Minister for the well-thought-out and answered question. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House if the department is looking at moving away from modular homes to a more community-based solution? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

The NWT Housing Corporation is always open to cost-effective solutions to provide needed housing within our communities. Should opportunities within the communities arise, then we’re certainly open to exploring them.

The community involvement is really important to the Housing Corporation and all contractors hired by the Housing Corporation are actually expected to maximize our Northern and our local content whenever possible. The Housing Corporation also monitors the contractors to ensure that they meet all the agreed terms and conditions in the contract including their local and their Northern context.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned earlier, my address would be circulated around the contaminated sites along the shores of Bear Lake which I think raise a huge opportunity during these times of low economic employment in the smaller communities such as the neighbouring community to the sites in Deline. My question to the Minister is through federal funding access through a Brazilian stimulus approach, is there ongoing negotiations for those sites along the shores of Bear Lake? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Finance? Oh, sorry. Minister of Lands.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, through devolution, through the contaminated sites, Canada kept the responsibility for the remuneration of a lot of the old contaminated sites along Great Bear Lake and I think there were about seven sites. There is a Waste Site Management Committee, inter-governmental committee that monitors the implementation of the waste sites charters. So the government, short answer is, the Government of Canada still has the responsibility for the remediation of those sites. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Now that we’ve identified there’s seven potential sites here, I don’t know the scope of work or the budget involved and the remedial costs of these sites here. But would the Minister respond by giving us some information on whether these have potential federal funding approvals to clean up these sites?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure exactly what stage they’re at. Through the committee that I had spoken of earlier, they do provide some advice and recommendation to Canada on their clean-up activities.

So what I can commit to the Member is that I will have some discussion with this particular committee and see where they are with their discussions with Canada and see if there’s been any kind of a price tag attached to the potential clean-up of the sites around Great Bear Lake.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

I thank the Minister for that positive reply which I’m sure the general public in Deline or the other opportunities that created with other communities will be happy to hear that. Knowing the flexibility of the territorial government’s procurement process compared to the federal process, I ask the Minister if it’s all possible or is there negotiations underway to solicit through a transfer agreement with the remedial funds going to this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I’m not sure what the process is right now. If Canada has committed any money to the clean-up of these sites, if there is opportunities for, say the regional government to enter into some type of an arrangement with for the remediation of these sites, I would suggest that they would have to speak to Canada directly and through this, the committee here, the regional government in the Sahtu are represented on this committee, so they would have a general idea of where these sites are at and many of these sites are very old. Again, I will do what I can from my end to see if there has been any money that has been earmarked for remediation of these sites and I will share the information that I receive with Members across.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral Questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you to the Minister for the additional positive comments here. I look forward to receiving that information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. I'll take that as a comment from Member. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I spoke about the Department of Justice closing the law library and sources of public legal information in the Northwest Territories. I'd like to ask the Minister of Justice what kind of consultations were undertaken with the users of the library? Were lawyers, the Law Society and legal advocates consulted in this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, at the time the budget was rolled, if I could put it that way, a letter was sent to the Law Society asking for their concerns or input. I can say that informally over the years I have consulted with my fellow practitioners and I took what they told me to Cabinet when we did discuss this very matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Mr. Speaker, the department indicates that it will be replacing the library with a new research centre. Can the Minister give us more detail about what this research centre is going to be all about? Are we talking about a few surplus computers in a dimly-lit room or is this something more substantial? Thank you.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, the department is very focused on issues of access to justice and we're looking at the feasibility of establishing a resource centre in the courthouse which would allow counsel, legal counsel, and the general public to access electronic materials and a limited number of hard-copy books.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Those are scant details but I'll take the Minister for his word. Perhaps he can commit to giving a tour of this new research centre to MLAs. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister elaborate on what this inter-library loan program will entail? Has the department spoken to a law library in Alberta? I'm somewhat troubled when I see the assistant deputy minister in the media saying "a law library somewhere in Alberta." Does the Minister know which law library that is?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I'm not certain which law library was spoken to or are they are planning to speak to. I know that there's two law schools in Alberta at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and the University of Calgary obviously in Calgary. I know little more than that. There will be communications with one or both of those libraries.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.