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

Oral Questions
Prayer
Minister’s Statement 55-18(2): Development Of The NWT Agriculture Strategy And Food Production Plan
Minister’s Statement 56-18(2): Changes To The Income Assistance Program
Minister’s Statement 57-18(2): K’atlodeeche First Nation Implementation Of Public Housing
Minister’s Statement 58-18(2): Development Of The Revitalization Strategy For Commercial Fishing
Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits
Trout Lake Traditional Place Name Change
Acknowledgement Of Skills Canada Participant And Mackenzie Delta Page Gordon Papik
Condolences On The Passing Of Lucy Dillon
Public Legal Education And The Closure Of The Court Library
Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake
Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits
Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous Peoples
Progress On The Recommendations From The Truth And Reconciliation Commission Final Report
Economic Potential Of The Oil And Gas Industry
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Allain St-Cyr Graduation
Community Access To Homelessness Funding
Increased Sole Source Contracting Limits
Increased Sole-Source Contracting Limits
Price Difference Between Modular And Stick-Built Housing Construction
Environmental Remediation Sites Along Great Bear Lake
Closure Of The Court Library
Adherence To The United Nations Declaration On The Rights Of Aboriginal Peoples
Development Of An Oil And Gas Strategy
Dempster Highway Maintenance
Information On Fort Simpson Ferry Service
Public Reporting On Sole-Source Contracting
Contract Midwifery Services In Yellowknife
Written Question 6-18(2): Cost Of Visual Identity Program
Tabled Document 71-18(2): 2015 Annual Report – Office Of The Fire Marshall
Tabled Document 72-18(2): Correspondence From Yellowknife Chamber Of Commerce – Request To Reduce Corporate Tax Rates
Extended Adjournment Of The House To June 23, 2016
Extended Adjournment Of The House To June 23, 2016
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Report of Committee of the Whole
Orders of the Day

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Would the Minister like to respond?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr Chair. I just want clarification on the question. Is he asking the number of staff? Or is he just wanting clarification that it is what is covered under here?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Mr. Beaulieu.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr Chairman. Mr. Chairman -- indicated to me, like, for Mr. Martin's response that this was an accounting reduction, and it is a reduction in the programs. But my assumption was that this was -- the North Slave and South Slave district offices were fully staffed. I just thought that if there was $2 million less spent in the North Slave office only two fiscal years ago, if there was a reduction in the staff that caused that. That was what my question was. So maybe I will ask the question: was there a reduction in the staff in either of those two offices, North Slave or South Slave?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Anderson.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Anderson

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In our active position list sheet, you would notice that we had 116 positions in 2015-16. We have 116 positions for this year as well. So there has been no change in any of the districts for this year. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Anderson. Mr. Beaulieu.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can I get another explanation from Mr. Martin? I will try to follow it a little bit better now. It is just that I am not sure that I fully understood what the response was. So I will try to quantify what I think that would be. It is just that I was listening for something else and heard something else. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Martin.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Martin

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We started off the year with a certain sum of capital project dollars. At the end of the year, we deliver those dollars. At the end of the year we do review the scopes of the projects and ensure that we have proper accounting at the end of the year. In some cases, when we review the scopes, we realize that it is more of a minor O and M nature project as opposed to a major capital project. As a result of that, those capital dollars, we end up with less capital expenditures for that particular year, in this case 2014-15, and more O and M expenditures than previously planned. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Mr. Beaulieu.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That’s good. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Do we have any further comments or questions on page 370? Seeing none, I shall call the page. NWT Housing Corporation, programs and district operations, operations expenditure summary. Total activity: $32,440,000. Agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Looks like we have one information item on page 372. Do we have comments or questions on this? I'll give committee a moment. Ms. Green.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I realize that in order to meet demand the Housing Corporation rents or leases units from private landlords. Is there the interest or the budget to phase out their renting of places from private landlords? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you. I'll let Mr. Anderson answer that, 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Anderson.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Anderson

Yes, Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We do have a few, about 200 units that we rent out of the marketplace right now. So that's 200 units of about 2800 rental units. So we have over time looked at opportunities to build when we had the capital to. Because you can potentially save money in brand new energy efficient buildings rather than leasing in some cases, but it's not something that we're actively pushing towards getting out of units in rental market through lease at this time. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Anderson. Ms. Green.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

That's good, thanks.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Nadli.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In terms of leases and the work with the Housing Corporation and LHOs, earlier I think I understood the Minister alluding to the idea of perhaps at some point there could be an arrangement where responsibilities could be arranged so that First Nation organizations that maybe have self-government negotiations in place or already completed, could be a party for a self-government arrangement so that they could be responsible for at least administering and maintaining housing programs at the local level. Could the Minister maybe explain in terms of what she had envisioned in that process? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Minister.