This is page numbers 1435 – 1456 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 budget.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Transportation. Earlier today I spoke about support for roads within our mandate, and we know that recently we made a joint announcement between the territorial government and the federal government with regard to the all-season road, the Tlicho all-season road. My question to the Minister is: can the Minister provide us, for public record, an update on what the all-in cost is going to be for that road, and maybe what the government's responsibility will be for their portion and how we'll finance that portion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Transportation.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The announcement on January 11th from the federal government was a conditional funding for this project from P3 Canada. As this project moves forward, the proposed or the estimated cost is $175 million for this road. However, the procurement for this project is undertaken through a competitive process, and the overall anticipated cost is not being released until the closing of that tender. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. That leads me, I suppose, into the next question of asking, then: what are the next steps and when can we expect, knowing what's expected for the tender process and the RFQ and RFP process? If the Minister could elaborate on that and, in particular, as it relates to potential schedule or timelines that affect that.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

First of all, the project is currently undergoing an environmental assessment by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. That was submitted or it was referred to an assessment in, if I remember correctly, end of July of 2016.

As we move forward and it works through that process, the next part of it was that we actually release the request for proposal to get assistance in developing the procurement documents for this project. Moving on from there, the next step will be going out to an RFQ process to see to get qualified bidders who can handle this project, the building of it and the financing of it. From there, we'll move to an RFP process and, from there, hopefully into construction. So I hope that answers the Member's question.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Again, thank you to the Minister for his reply. Mr. Speaker, often when we have to build projects which such technical expertise, we end up having to rely on southern contractors to do this work. Can the Minister tell us what we can expect in terms of assurance for Northern companies' involvement and, maybe even more particularly, the Tlicho companies' involvement in this project?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

When we get to the RFQ and the RFP processes, we will be sure we do our due diligence to incorporate as much northern content as possible. It would be my best understanding, I think, that whoever the proponent would be moving forward on this project is going to have some Tlicho involvement. I can't see that not happening. Who knows what's going to happen in the tendering process, but we will do our due diligence to make sure that all Northerners get to benefit from this procurement on this project.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, over the noon hour, we had the pleasure to hear from the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment about the purchase of the NTCL assets in Hay River and elsewhere on the Mackenzie River system. There were lots of issues raised about environmental liabilities, and I'm just wondering if the Minister of Lands could give us a few highlights of what the department is doing with regard to these environmental liabilities with the NTCL assets that we've now acquired? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we did hear at lunch, of course, these assets have been turned over through the process, the bankruptcy process, from NTCL to our government. Detailed questions might be better addressed to the Minister of Public Works and Services.

The Department of Lands, of course, is regulator of these properties, and there has been a very preliminary inspection of the vessels and certain parcels of land, but there was no environmental testing of soil or land. I understand also that it was noted that there were some untended barges moored off the dock in Tuktoyaktuk which would be the responsibility of the federal government. That has been reported to the federal government, as it is their responsibility.

So there has been some very preliminary examination of these properties. We are, the Department of Lands, of course, the regulator. The operator is the DPW. As to historic responsibility for any environmental liabilities, that is a complex issue which I think my department, perhaps with Justice and Lands, will have to look into. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I'd like to thank the Minister for his response there. Maybe he's going to be wearing a different hat for this one. Can he tell the House whether GNWT has actually contacted the federal government with regard to liabilities on any of these properties?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

I don't believe the federal government has been contacted about the specific lands that have been turned over to us from NTCL. As I did mention, there was a report made to the federal government about some barges moored off the dock in Tuktoyaktuk because that is their responsibility. We're still going through the paperwork of the acquisition of these properties, and I don't think we have been in contact with the federal government to discuss any potential long-term liability. Their position is likely to be that they have none in view of the time that has gone by, since NTCL was a federal Crown corporation.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. Look, I recognize there's a lot of work that's being done on this issue by a number of departments, but if we haven't even actually started to contact the federal government -- earlier today at noon we heard that it was the position of our government that there was some federal responsibility here, so what is going on? Is there some federal liability for these lands or not? If there is, can the Minister share with this side of the House, in a legal opinion or whatever, what basis do they believe that there is some federal responsibility?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

As we heard in the presentation at lunch, the government is going through a great number of documents that they did receive as part of the bankruptcy proceedings. We'll have to examine those documents to determine whether any responsibility still remains with the federal government.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate the response from the Minister. Perhaps while he's looking through those documents, he might think about the devolution agreement, as well. Can the Minister tell the House whether the devolution agreement and the provisions in there pertain to these lands. Would they cover these lands? Because, I guess, through the agreement, we have the ability to go back to the federal government and work out some remediation details. Does the devolution agreement cover any of the NTCL lands? If the Minister can't answer us now, can he get back to us and let us know? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, this is a complex question. I think we will have to go through the documentation. These lands are not only in Hay River. Those are the ones we often think about when we think about this bankruptcy, but there are Inuvialuit lands and there are lands in Norman Wells. I think we need to go through the documentation before we can give the Member an informed response. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about junior kindergarten. With the Finance Minister talking about the program being fully funded, can the Minister please clarify in this House, because I have received numerous phone calls from teachers -- this is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment -- when are we getting the full funding for junior kindergarten? Is it this fiscal year for the budget or is it going to be next year, fiscal budget, or by the end of this term? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After the announcement yesterday, staff at the department is going to be contacting all the superintendents of all the boards. Once we get those initial discussions completed, I myself will have a meeting with all the board chairs to look at how we are going to be allocating this additional funding throughout the schools in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I appreciate the Minister's answer. I guess my question, though, is: is it going to be funded by the end of this fiscal term or this fiscal year, next fiscal year, or by the end of our term? In the Finance Minister's statement there was $2.7 million by the end of this term. I am just trying to get it clarified because I have had a number of parents and teachers phone going, "Great, we are fully funding junior kindergarten." I am going, "Have to confirm."

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes, it is great news, and I am glad the Member is getting calls because it has been quite the announcement that we made yesterday. As I mentioned, our department is working with all the superintendents and the education authorities to look at how we are going to be allocating this additional funding. I can't give him a timeline until we have those discussions with the superintendents and then the board chairs.