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

Anderson

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we've been working for quite a while with the communities to try to get this program up and running to deal with homelessness in our rural and remote communities. Our initial approach to it was to try and renovate a single house that we had in inventory in our communities. The cost of that was so--was out of the--over and above the ability at that time we had to fund it, so what we've done with the new federal money, we've put these little four-plexes in place. We have designed a four-plex concept, pretty small, 320 square feet to address this population or try to address it.

So we think three is the right number to move forward at this time to see if we can get the proper supports in place, and that's with the community groups, but also they're partnering with the community services agencies as well to provide some of the clinical supports. So if this model is successful, it's something that we'll look forward to expanding on in the future, but for now, we want to stay with the three and see how it works out. 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. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Anderson. I'm not arguing about, or I totally understand the concept. I'm just trying to understand, the budget is $280,000, and you have three-- it's $70,000. You have three projects. It's $210,000, so there's a savings of $70,000, unless that--is that $70,000 for over expenditures, or over cost runs for these communities so you make sure you don't fall or they don't, I guess, stop the success of the program? 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Ms. Cochrane.

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 didn't catch that. Yes, correct. We haven't finished the project yet, so we want to actually leave the money where it is because sometimes projects do come in over expenditure. If the projects come in under costing, all of the savings will be re-profiled to stay within the homelessness initiatives that we have. 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer, well thought out. I have to congratulate the department on doing that in thinking, being proactive instead of, have to do supps. afterwards. I like the idea where you're going with the money. My last or my next question is, this seems to be one of the favourite topics, is where is RCMP housing in the scope of things? Is it in this area here or the maintenance and operation stuff or is it somewhere else? 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. 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, Mr. Chair. I'll let the deputy minister answer that question.

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. Yes, the RCMP project is one of the projects that will be identified in our revised capital estimates, because this year is the construction phase of that project, and also acquiring land in some of the other regional centers, so it won't show up on the operating side until next year once we've got revenue flowing on that. 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. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank Mr. Anderson for his answer. Just to clarify, so for next year, is this the area it's going to be in or is there going to be another section in your guys' business plan? 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Cochrane.

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'll let Jeff Anderson answer that again. 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.

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. It will show up in this area for sure under our non-residential building operations. Those are all of the projects and buildings that we lease out on to other agencies of government, and so we would include it in that line object as well. 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. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

No, I'm good. 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. 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

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I know that we've started to talk a little bit about RCMP housing. I wanted to ask, so somewhere in the budget for this year, though, there must be some resources devoted to actually building or managing the construction of RCMP housing in 2016-17. Would that be right? 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

June 15th, 2016

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Cochrane.

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. Actually, on page 356, you'll see the capital amount of $3.4 million, and that is to purchase land, and it's also for one six-unit in Fort Smith, $37.5 million on page 356. 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

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. 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

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So we don't actually have any O and M resources devoted to the construction or management of that work? Thanks, Mr. Chair.