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. Vanthuyne. Ms. Young.

Young

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The land and assets transfer project is a project that results from properties that were developed for communities prior to the implementation of the New Deal in 2007. There were a number of garages, water plants, assets of that nature, that were built, but they were built on Commissioner’s lands or other types of land at the time and not officially transferred legal tenure to the community government. What we are doing is we are currently validating that inventory to make sure that those assets are still on the ground and that they haven't been written off or that transfer hasn't already been effected by the community. We will be taking a look and seeing if there is any survey work that needs to be done and coordinate it with the Department of Lands. We are just trying to figure out the best approach, whether it will be community by community or type of asset by type of asset, to be able to proceed with the transfer initiative. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Ms. Young. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

I thank the deputy minister for the answer. No further questions. Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Next, Mr. Thompson. My apologies. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am looking at page 315. The line item is community planning. There seems to be a catastrophic drop-off of funding for this line from $421,000 in 2015-16 to $54,000 in the budget next year. Can someone explain to me why there is this ongoing reduction under the community planning function for MACA? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Schauerte.

Schauerte

The Member has identified an actual error in the statement of the main estimates. The community planning area, where it states $54,000, that number should be $162,000. Right above it, the community governance area, where it says $384,000, it should read $274,000. The changes there represent the reduction of two positions within this unit, including a junior governance advisor position and a community planner position. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Schauerte. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that the Members have now been straightened out. I guess I am looking for an explanation as to why there is a reduction, why this reduction is being made. Is there less work to do? I would like an explanation. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. When the department was looking at some restructuring to see if there were ways that we could be more efficient with our resources, we decided that the two positions could be terminated -- they are through headquarters -- and that we would have enough staffing to actually do the extra work that was required. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So it sounds like this is part of the fiscal reduction targets set for the department. Can we just have a little bit more information about what these individuals do? Do they support community governments? It says "community planning," so I know maybe this isn't the right place, but are these people within MACA who, say, review land use planning bylaw changes, zoning changes that have to go to MACA for approval? Some more detail on what the functions are of the positions that are being cut would be helpful. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

The community planner position was actually responsible for assisting in the development of the community plans, but, with the New Deal, actually we have changed it so that communities actually develop their own plans now and we allow them to hire their own planners within the new funding arrangement that we have. Then, at headquarters, we still have two positions. We have a planner and a technician. Like I say, these two positions that are currently here will take over the overlap, and it is not as in-depth anymore. Now that we are not doing actual community plans and we are allowing the communities to develop their own and hire their own planners, the level of work is less. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. I would to remind everyone to just make sure the little light is on before they begin speaking so that we can get it on the record and get it into Hansard. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is getting closer. Are these the people, though, within the department who give advice to the Minister about whether the Minister should be signing off on zoning changes, general plans, those sort of things that require ministerial approval? The reason I ask this question is because, if we have fewer people giving advice to the Minister or we have a diminished capacity here, is this going to delay the ability of communities to carry out the land use planning that the department seems to want them to do? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, the positions actually do provide advice and support to the Minister. However, we still have two positions in headquarters -- like I said, the planner and the technician -- who will be able to provide the support. There should be no delays to the communities actually doing their community plans because of these reductions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate getting that information out. So the Minister says that it won't cause any delays, but does the department actually track the time that the department takes?

It is fine for the Minister to give her word, but I am looking for a little bit more objective information or data. Is the Minister committed to tracking the amount of time that is taken by the department in reviewing these changes and seeing if this reduction actually increases the amount of time the department requires to sign off on those changes? That is the kind of tracking and evidence-based decision-making that I would suggest the department put in place. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we can commit to actually starting to track the time that it takes for us to reach out to the communities and actually have their community plans. However, there may be extenuating circumstances. It is not always the responsibility of the person providing support. Sometimes there are community issues that make delays in the planning, but we will track what the reasons are and how long it takes.

Like I said, we are looking at, once we get a little bit of time on our hands, actually looking at the whole department and seeing if there is a restructuring that needs to be done. At that point, then we will be pulling in that information to give us information on whether we need to restructure or not. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Debates of Feb. 28th, 2017

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