Debates of Feb. 28th, 2017

This is page numbers 1991 - 2054 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 community.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 145-18(2): Progress In Negotiating Land, Resources And Self-Government Agreements

Western Canada Lottery And Sutcliffe Report

Department Of Justice Progress Report On Governance Access And Privacy

New Behchoko Sports And Recreation Complex

Fortieth Anniversary Of Northern United Place

Unified Vision And Strategy For The Northern Territories

Small Business Incentives

Hockey Tournaments In Nahendeh

Supports For Priority Hiring Candidates Under The Affirmative Action Policy

Benefits Of Sport And Traditional Games For Indigenous Athletes

Aklavik Road Repairs

Federal Review Of Laws And Policies Related To Indigenous Peoples

Strategy For Revitalization Of The Great Slave Lake Fishery

Committee Report 7-18(2): You Are Standing For Your People: Report On The Review Of The Members’ Conduct Guidelines

Motion To Receive Committee Report 7-18(2) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Federal Review Of Laws And Policies Related To Indigenous People

Unified Vision And Strategy For The Northern Territories

Critical Incident Investigation Recommendations

Process For Filling Unfunded Positions

Supports For Priority Hiring Candidates Under The Affirmative Action Policy

Arsenic Levels In Kam Lake

Earnscliffe Strategy Group Contract

Western Canada Lottery And The Sutcliffe Report

Aklavik Road Repairs

Housing Engagement Survey

Lobbyist Registry Proposal

Junior Kindergarten Funding And Implementation

Tabled Document 303-18(2): Government Of The Northwest Territories Response To Committee Report 3-18(2): Report On The Review Of The 2014-2015 Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission Annual Report

Tabled Document 304-18(2): Follow-Up Letter For Oral Question 477-18(2): Housing Engagement Strategy

Tabled Document 305-18(2): Federal Lobbyist Registration For Earnscliffe Strategy Group

Tabled Document 306-18(2): White Paper On The Independence And Accountability Of Election Administration In The Northwest Territories

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Justice

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Municipal And Community Affairs, Deferral Of Regional Operations Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Municipal And Community Affairs, Deferral Of Sport, Recreation And Youth Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Municipal And Community Affairs, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Municipal And Community Affairs

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 66-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Justice, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.

February 28th, 2017

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To date, yes, all of the budget allocations should be out. If the Member would like, we can bring back confirmation of that if the Member wishes. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that. Yes, I would really appreciate it if we could see if all this funding is being utilized to this date. Thank you, Mr. Chair. If the Minister can make that commitment.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I will make that commitment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you. On page 333, I talked about the reduction of the one position. Can the Minister advise us why this position is being cut? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This position was cut because we were looking at efficiencies and using our services and supports the best way possible. So not every region has a works advisor position; it was only a couple of them that did. What we're going to do is we're taking away the one position, which will leave two other regions with positions, Fort Smith and Inuvik. Fort Smith will cover the southern side of the lake and Inuvik will cover the northern side of the lake. As well, we have five managers who can actually provide support as well.

With the new technology, the fibre link and the video conferencing that we have in place we are fairly positive that we will be able to provide the same level of services. This also allows us to use our supports more strongly and to be able to share the resources. So if one staff member has skills in one area, we'll be able to time share that with others, so just being more effective and more efficient with the resources that we have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I'm struggling with this decision. If you're taking it out of Fort Simpson, which we have six small communities, four very small communities that are designated authorities, and to keep it in Fort Smith, which is Hay River and Fort Smith, they're not going to use those resources. They're not going to tap into this as much as the small communities need it.

I understand the technology, but my biggest concern is: where is the department's commitment to developing the capacity in these small communities? If you're using technology by Internet and that, great, but where is the face-to-face and why aren't we looking at that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have some funding through our gas tax agreement that will provide for travel. The agreement does not provide for salaries, for wages actually, so therefore we'll be using the money that we are allocated for travel to provide the support for face-to-face as well. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that. It's great that you have the money, but if you're going to be more cost efficient and effective, would you not put it where the position needs to do most of the work? So if it's within Nahendeh, which has the six communities, Fort Providence and Kakisa are closer than Fort Smith is. Why isn't the department looking at it? Unless it's just bigger centres and that's why we're doing it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Deputy Minister.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Ms. Young.

Young

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So we took a look at a number of considerations when we were trying to figure out where the best location was for services as well as looking at where we may have opportunities to support from elsewhere.

We are aware that there are challenges in not having all of these facilities or positions in every region, but we did try to take into account that we did have some travel dollars available, we have new technology available, and we want to build on the strength of some of our capital staff in the regions. So where the cut came or didn't come was not as much of a part of the consideration as it was making sure that we were going to be able to provide services across all of the regions with the number of positions that we had left and then taking a look at where we had incumbents, where we had staff retiring or on other types of leave so we could balance that out a little bit. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Young. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the deputy minister for her answer. I am still struggling with this, though. I am not talking about retirement. I am not talking about leave. I am talking: what is the best service for the residents of the Northwest Territories? When I talk about looking at the position being in Fort Smith, again, we are talking two tax-based communities that don't utilize or need that service as much as the smaller communities. So, when we are looking at these cuts, it was not logically done, in my opinion, because most of the work, the capacity that needs to be done is in the smaller communities. If we are not building the capacity in the smaller communities, we are going to have people who keep on coming back in.

The other issue I have is that this position could have been done by somebody from the Northwest Territories. When I talk about that position, there are lots of people who have developed their skills in the communities who could move up. The capital position needs more of a specialized approach to it. Will the Minister look at this and come back with a more logical approach to this and change it to not be either delete the position or look again at where they are going to put this position? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The works position actually did assume the capital planner position in that region. When we look at restructuring we can take another look at them and see if the placements are in the right places; however, recognizing that not all regions did have this position before. Many regions went without, and that is not only large communities. The two positions not only have to serve the six communities in the Sahtu, they have to serve all of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Mr. Thompson.

Debates of Feb. 28th, 2017

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