Debates of March 2nd, 2017

This is page numbers 2115 – 2164 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 information.

Topics

Oral Questions
Prayer
Progress Statement – Governance: Office Of The Auditor General Of Canada Performance Audit
Online Service Improvements
Pursuing An Agreement With The Federal Government On The Management Of Offshore Resources
Health And Social Services System Transformation Implementation
Snow King Winter Festival
Chief Julian Yendo School Annual Trip To Alberta
GNWT Land Lease Rates
Diamond Mine Environmental Agreements
Community Support In Response To K’atlodeeche Tragedy
Deline Got’ine Library Proposal
Elders’ Residence For Tsiigehtchic
Indigenous Wellness And System Of Care
Health Information Act Implementation
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Elders’ Residence For Tsiigehtchic
Yellowknife Airport Improvement Plan
Diamond Mine Environmental Agreements
New Generators For Yellowknife Power Plant
GNWT Land Lease Rates
Junior Kindergarten Funding
Deline Got'ine Library Proposal
Health Information Act Implementation
New Generators For Yellowknife Power Plant
Diamond Mine Environmental Agreements
Return To Written Question 17-18(2): Impact Of Proposed Aurora College Program Changes
Return To Written Question 18-18(2): Instructional School Hours
Committee Report 8-18(2): Report On The Review Of The 2014-2015 And 2015-2016 Annual Reports Of The Information And Privacy Commissioner Of The Northwest Territories
Motion To Receive Committee Report 8-18(2) And Move Into Committee Of The Whole
Tabled Document 311-18(2): Strategy For Revitalizing The Great Slave Lake Commercial Fishery - March 2017
Tabled Document 312-18(2): Follow-Up Letter For Oral Question 572-18 (2): Social Services Facilities In Downtown Yellowknife
Tabled Document 313-18(2): Letter From Giant Mine Oversight Board Dated February 28, 2017 Regarding Giant Mine Oversight Board Roll Over Provision
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity
Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Finance
Report of Committee of the Whole
Orders of the Day

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

MR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If there was a change in our tax rates, is it the director who would be responsible for implementing that change? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Yes; it would be in the Management Board Secretariat as we go further in the document. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. That will be the fourth activity. Mr. Testart.

MR.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Nothing further. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. I have no one further on my list. I will call this activity. Mr. Testart again.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

MR.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move this committee to defer further consideration of the directorate activity in the Department of Finance, Main Estimates 2017-2018 on page 132 at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. There’s a motion to defer. The motion is on the floor and being distributed. The motion is in order, non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Committee, we have deferred the activity directorate. As such, we shall move on to the next activity. This activity two of five, human resources. It can be found on pages 135 to 137. It is a $19.5 million activity. Human resources, pages 135 to 137. Mr. O'Reilly.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I have had some constituents contacting me about ongoing negotiations with our main union, Union of Northern Workers, and I am concerned about the pace of negotiations. It has been some time since we have actually had a briefing on the negotiations, and I am wondering if the Minister could commit to providing a briefing to probably priorities and planning on what is happening with the negotiations? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, Mr. Chair, I would be happy to appear before committee and give them a briefing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I do appreciate the commitment from the Minister to do that, and I am hoping it can be done in a timely fashion; probably, I do not know, sometime before June would be great. Do you think he can do that? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Once we are through the budgeting process and we pass the budget, then I can commit to the Member that we will have a briefing to committee before June.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. O'Reilly.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I do appreciate the Minister and thank him for that commitment and look forward to getting the briefing. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

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

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I notice that we are losing two positions in this area. Are these areas in management and recruitment services or another section of the budget? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Stewart.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Stewart

Thanks, Mr. Chair. There were two positions that were reduced. They were involved in the devolution implementation. One is in the management and recruitment services and one is in strategic human resources.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Mr. Thompson.

Committee Motion 74-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Finance, Deferral Of Directorate Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the deputy minister for that answer. Could the Minister advise us if these two positions were vacant or if they were reduced through a package at the end of the day? Thank you, Mr. Chair.