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

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

So, I guess what I am looking at is, this is a fiscal cut; this is why we did it. So it is going to have a hindrance to the smaller communities in my riding, and I don't care, we can call it potato or potahto, it is still going to have a hindrance in my communities. They are still going to have the issue of trusting the individual from Fort Smith or Yellowknife, and those individuals need to know what is going on. I understand that the works guy moved into the capital position. I am well aware of that, but I am not talking about him. I am talking about the position that needs to be done within the communities, for the communities.

Again, I am starting to feel that you are going to look at it again after the fact, and that is a concern for me. If you are going to reorganize and look at things again, then why are you making these cuts? You shouldn't make a cut until after looking at where it is best fitted. This is my concern. I understand that the Minister will follow through on what she has to do, but it is still hindering the smaller communities and the communities that I represent. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. For clarity, direct questions to the Chair. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The commitment to look at the positions isn't because we are doing the cuts now and looking at it later. The commitment to actually look at restructuring of the whole department is because we have a new Minister and a new deputy minister, and so it makes sense that, with new upper management, we would be looking at efficiencies and revisiting the whole of the department's services and programs.

I would also like to say again, to reiterate, that only three regions actually had this position before, so two regions were totally off the map and, those two regions, we never had any complaints; the services were still provided. So I am not so sure that we do need to have a sole person to just take care of one region when four other regions were getting served by two people. So we will go down to the two people, and we will look at it after and see if it is the best usage of the time. If we have complaints or if it does not work, then we can look at that later, but, yes, I am not going to fix anything that is not broken. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. During the review of the business plan, we talked a little bit about the community governments' compliance with the gas tax reporting requirements. I am wondering, because the business plan review took place six months ago, whether the Minister can update us on the level of compliance with gas tax reporting. Has it improved at all? Thank you.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we have been working diligently with the communities to get the reporting in, and we are anticipating that by March 31st all communities will have their reporting in. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is good news. How has the department been able to turn this situation around? Thank you.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The department provides supports to all community governments in the administration of their obligations as a government. When we notice that communities are having a little bit of difficulty, we actually bump up our support to those governments and offer to go in. It can be one-on-one. We can be working with them intensely. Again, once communities have identified a problem or we see a problem, we intensify our support to that community. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the response. That is not what the Office of the Auditor General showed, but I am happy to hear that this is now the approach that the department is taking. Will this be the approach that the department will take on those issues that were identified by the Office of the Auditor General as needing more attention from the department? Thank you.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. All of the recommendations through the Auditor General's report have been taken very seriously, and we are working diligently to fulfill all of the recommendations. One thing we should note is that one of the biggest areas that we recognize that we need to step up is just the paperwork. There were a lot of visits done into communities, there were supports provided, that we actually didn't keep track of, so, as part of our commitment to the recommendations of the audit, we are actually increasing our tracking of supports we provide to the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am wondering about the recreation funding. I don't know if this is exactly on the right activity line. Often we find that the arenas around some of the smaller communities are not operational all year or sometimes not operational for a year or longer. In the past, I think there has been longer. Lately, we have built some youth centres. Again, a little bit of difficulty funding youth centres.

I am wondering if I could ask the Minister if the recreational funding activity is the money that would be used to support the ongoing operation of an arena or a youth centre? Thank you.

February 28th, 2017

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With the New Deal in 2007, it is up to communities to decide what they are using their funds for. We provide the funds to the communities. They decide within their capital planning process what type of infrastructure they would like, whether it is an arena or youth centre, whatever it may be, swimming pool, et cetera, and then they use the operating and maintenance funding that we provide them as well to be able to operate those facilities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Cochrane. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If there were funding needed to operate an arena or keep the youth centre open, the Minister is advising me now that that money is coming from the community government funding on page 331 and not the recreational funding, which is also on that page as a community government contribution. Is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Cochrane.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, if they are looking at an arena, then they do have to use that from their operator maintenance funding. We do have a small funding for youth centres. It is $500,000 a year that we provide, and that is specifically for youth centres. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of Feb. 28th, 2017

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