Thank you, Minister McLeod. Mr. Thompson.
Debates of Feb. 27th, 2018
This is page numbers 3489 – 3546 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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 going.
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is just a little bit of a comment. I appreciate the Minister following through on that.
I actually have to give credit to the Minister and his department and their survey. I had a number of local Aboriginal people, or local hunters, I guess you would call them, who have been employed by the department, and they have said nothing but positive things. They appreciate the department actually utilizing traditional knowledge in the areas. I have to give credit where credit is due, and I would like to thank the Minister and his department for that. That will be it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
No. I appreciate the Member's comments. We appreciate the comments from his community. Again, that's one of the advantages of using traditional knowledge, because who knows the land better than they do, right? 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 Daniel McNeely
Thank you, Minister McLeod. Committee, any further comments to the page under wildlife? If not, I will read the page. Wildlife, operations expenditure summary, $14,389,000. Does committee agree?
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daniel McNeely
Thank you, committee. Next, we have information items from page 93 to page 102. Any questions? Mr. O'Reilly.
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. It's on page 96, the Inuvialuit Water Board. I think I know the answer, but why is the Government of the Northwest Territories paying the operating expenses for this board and not the other land and water boards? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
February 27th, 2018
Craig
Thank you, Mr. Chair. This board operates a little differently because it was established under the Waters Act, and we are required through that act to provide the funding to the Inuvialuit Water Board. As well, the employees are to be employees of the public service. This was carried over from devolution from Indian and Northern Affairs, where they were within corporate management, and that is where they remain within ENR. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is what I thought I was going to hear.
We received funding under the devolution agreement, then, from the federal government to actually help us pay for this. This was part of the devolution agreement, so we are using the funds that we got to help pay for the board. Is that correct? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. The employees, are they employees of the Water Board or of ENR? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
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Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. As Ms. Craig pointed out, they are employees of the public service, so ENR. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can see where this could lead to some potential difficulties. If our government comes before the Inuvialuit Water Board seeking a water licence at some point, it puts those staff in a really difficult situation. Has there been any discussion with the Water Board in terms of transferring the staff to the administration of the board itself as is the case for the other land and water boards? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
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Craig
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The employees are within corporate management to remove that perceived or real conflict of interest within the water resources divisions or the water resource officers in the regions. That keeps them separate from the operational side.
They report to corporate management for all administration, human resources, and financial matters. They report to the chair of the Water Board for the business of the board. The department does not get involved in the business of the board. As for transferring them to their own entities, such as other boards, as the Member knows, we are currently looking at the Waters Act through our legislative initiatives. It is one topic that was discussed. At this point in time, due to economies of scale, really, the Inuvialuit Water Board is not interested in creating their own entity where they would have to get their own payroll system; they'd have to have their own overhead, and they're currently in GNWT leased space. If they had an increased cost, which we estimate they would, they would simply come back to the GNWT for additional resources. As the Member said, we received money through devolution for the funding of the board, but if there are increased costs, those would be costs to the GNWT. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
I think I understand some of that. I'm not sure I necessarily agree with it all, but is there an MOU or some formal agreement between GNWT and the Water Board over reporting of the staff and who is responsible for what? Thanks, Mr. Chair.
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Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters