Debates of Feb. 20th, 2017

This is page numbers 1779 – 1836 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 program.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 138-18(2): Slave Geological Province Access Corridor

Minister’s Statement 139-18(2): Education, Training And Youth Development: Education, Culture And Employment Progress Statement

Expanding The Economy Through Investments In People

February Statutory Holiday Proposal

Return Of Fort Providence Minor Hockey Program

Regional Benefits Of Mackenzie Valley Highway Construction

Status Of Transboundary Water Agreements

Territorial Marine Resupply Services

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Overflow Water On Beaufort Delta Highways

Connie Loutit Memorial Soccer Tournament

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Territorial Marine Resupply Services

Status Of Transboundary Water Agreements

Supports For The Agriculture Industry

Whati All-Season Road

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Programs

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Status Of GNWT Open Government Policy

Overflow Water On Beaufort Delta Highways

Increased Investment In The Mineral Incentive Program

Impact Of Slave Geological Province Access Corridor Impact On Caribou Populations

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Programs

Tabled Document 287-18(2): Follow-Up Letter To Oral Question 525-18(2): Sahtu Regional Health Council

Bill 17: An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act

Bill 18: An Act To Amend The Health And Social Services Professions Act

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Education And Culture Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Labour Development And Standards Activity

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

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 54-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Labour Development And Standards Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate that. I think that at every opportunity we need to exploit these community learning centres in an effort to further advance the goals and the objectives of the communities, but of course our own.

Something that we might be considering with regard to this researching of possible options is maybe even partnering up with other institutes and/or other partners that might be able to use or access the community learning centres to put on programs or workshops of same nature. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Currently, we do have partnerships; that's already happening in some of the small communities, specifically with our Aboriginal governments with the access training, so we're definitely looking at partnerships to utilize our community learning centres a bit more and providing that training and skill development that our residents need. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and this will be last question. Maybe the department can't speak on behalf of the board or Aurora College on this matter, but in this effort to try to fill skills gaps, will Aurora College be able to start developing kind of custom-made skills programs for employers, let's say? I know right now most of the programs are set programs, but if there was a program that needed to be kind of identified specifically to be custom-made to fill a certain gap, would Aurora College be able to, or have the capacity to be able to do that in the future? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not sure which specific on-the-job training that the Member is referring to, but I know the college does provide that type of training already for certain areas that do need those skills developed, and the training opportunities. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Next we have Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I will try my best to be brief. The line description for the information item mentions the Aurora Research Institute. How much of the building and works line in the amount of $7,385,000, how much of that is allocated to the Aurora Research Institute for laboratory and other research equipment?

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's pretty detailed information that we don't have in front of us, so we're going to have to get that information for the Member and we will share it with him. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you. As the department will be looking into that, I'll also ask if they could split that between the three campuses so there's a clear understanding of where ARI's facilities are located and what they have available to them. Furthermore, the Yellowknife campus at the NUP building is somewhat notorious for glycol leaks and other maintenance issues that could impact the health and safety of students. Those needs to repair those issues and make those improvements to the building, have those been taken into account in this building and works funding? Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do work closely with Public Works and Services, and they do provide that service on behalf of the department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm a bit confused. I've asked this question before, and previous to this it was not the responsibility of departments but the responsibility of the college itself. Perhaps the Minister can clarify: is this budget sufficient to solve this problem once and for all, or are students going to go through another academic year or fiscal year struggling with glycol leaks and general unpleasantness in their learning environment here in Yellowknife? Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Obviously, there are a lot of partners at play in terms of this question; Aurora College, our department, Public Works and Services. Public Works and Services does provide work on behalf of us. With the Aurora College working with NUP, it's also the landlord's responsibility to look at some of these deficiencies in the maintenance. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

I have nothing further. Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Any further questions or comments? I see no further questions or comments on these information items; we'll now return to the departmental total. Please turn to page 27. There are two information items related to the departmental total found on pages 28 and 29; these include the revenue summary and the active position summary. Any questions or comments on these information items? Ms. Green.

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on page 28 I see there is an item called "capital transfers" in the transfer payments, and this year it's worth $4,079,000; last year it was worth $100,000. I am wondering if the department could tell us about why it is almost $4 million more in the next fiscal year? Thank you.

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.

Debates of Feb. 20th, 2017

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