This is page numbers 11 - 42 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 1st 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 assembly.

Topics

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you to the Premier for that. My next question was partly anticipated by her last answer. In addition to talking to Ministers about their tasks, what kind of direction will the Premier provide about working with Regular MLAs and, in particular, strengthening the consensus part of consensus government?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Any Member who is sitting in this House today who did not hear very clearly during the candidates' debate who were all vying to become either Premier or Ministers, it was very clearly heard that MLAs were not happy that they did not have a say. The public, I believe, was not happy that we did not work as closely as we had to. Again, that will be in my mandate letter of expectation from Ministers.

Not everything will be in a mandate letter; it is impossible to do that, but I personally will be holding Ministers and departments to account when they do not provide standing committees and Regular Members as much information as possible, recognizing that sometimes decisions have to be made in a hurry. Our commitment is that this government is to work as closely and respectfully as possible with the Regular Members.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Premier for that answer. My final two questions are whether there will be any input from Regular Members into the mandate letters and when the mandate letters are expected to be complete. Thank you.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I'm conscious of time. We began the process of developing the mandate from the list of priorities approximately a month ago. We are still in the draft stage. We are presenting to standing committee again, I believe, on the 14th, and that will be a process. We have committed to tabling our mandate in the next sitting in February. We will abide by that.

My fear is that providing the mandate letters after that will take another two or three months, and so what I am proposing is that Regular Members who have an interest in having some feedback into the mandate letters, aside from the mandate commitments because those will be defined, but if they think that there are areas, then I am more than willing to accept their feedback. They can send them to me. They can walk into my office. I will not commit that I will meet every one of them because that is a decision that has to be made, but I am open to hearing their feedback. In fact, I am soliciting their feedback, is what I am doing at this point.

There are also other chances for Regular Members to have feedback. The mandate letters is one area. The mandate process that we are going through is one area, but we also have main estimates that will be coming up, capital budgets, business plans. During that process, Cabinet Members will be providing to standing committees their projections, their wishes, and standing committee will have time in that to actually give feedback to Ministers, as well, and then, of course, challenging on the floor and Committee of the Whole. The mandate letters, the mandate commitments, are not the only opportunity for Members to have feedback.

I have heard clearly that Members will be holding us to task. Their job is to hold us to task and keep us accountable, so I expect that to come forward throughout this Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Finance. Mr. Speaker, for many years, we have discussed the modernization of the Public Service Act. With over 5,000 public servants providing essential programs and services to nearly 45,000 Northerners, it is our responsibility to ensure our public service is competent, efficient, skilled, results-oriented, managed in a transparent manner, and supported to maximize their effectiveness.

A modern Public Service Act would allow us to provide clearer staffing processes, build a framework for successful union-employer relations, strengthen and celebrate teamwork, and implement a fair process for the safe disclosure of wrongdoing. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm that the Government of the Northwest Territories intends to update the Public Service Act during this Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a matter that is of significant importance to me, as well. I am pleased to have this question from the Member. The need to modernize the Public Service Act is really overwhelming, the last substantive review, of course, being back in 1988.

With that, I am pleased to be able to say that it is my intention to bring a bill forward to amend the Public Service Act early in 2020. A significant amount of work was actually already completed on this during the previous Assembly, back in 2017. I have already been briefed on that work, and I have already requested that the department work without delay to bring this matter to a point where we can have it dealt with within the current Assembly.

We are conducting some final pieces of consultation with some of the key stakeholders who played a role in that initial work from two years ago, and it is again my intention to have a legislative proposal to standing committee for consideration in the February 2020 session. After reviewing and responding to any questions standing committee may have, of course, the bill would then be drafted for Cabinet approval, with my hope that it will be introduced in the Legislative Assembly in due course.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

As part of the legislative review process, what public bodies will the GNWT engage as they modernize the Public Service Act? How will constructive participation be assured? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Again, I appreciate the question in that ensuring that we engage the stakeholders, in particular the unions, Union of Norther Workers and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association, is critical. Both of those organizations, as key stakeholders, were significantly involved two years ago, during the initial consultations, and it is critical that they be involved again before this matter can actually progress in any real way. Again, making sure that they are involved and that the relationship with those unions is renewed between the government and the unions is of critical importance to me and to this government. It is important that we strengthen that relationship.

I am pleased to say that both the UNW and the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association have been provided already with reading materials about our intention to proceed with proposed updates to the Public Service Act and that their feedback will be taken into consideration, of course, as we progress to have amendments done on this act. Currently, the Department of Finance is doing that engagement, and that kind of engagement is what will make this a success, ultimately.

Another critical stakeholder, Mr. Speaker, is, of course, the public servants. Department of Finance, back in 2017, held focus groups in person in Fort Smith, in Inuvik, and in Yellowknife, with the assistance of a facilitator, as well as collecting feedback broadly online and through other forums. The public employees were also encouraged to provide that feedback anonymously in the online tool.

I would also note that we are conscious that the Northwest Territories Power Corporation also needs to be engaged and have their feedback taken into account as they were in 2017 and as they would need to be in the renewal of that process.

All of the employees, the unions, and the general public, of course, will have an opportunity to be engaged throughout any consultation progress that would be led by the standing committee as this matter proceeds, again, hopefully, in early 2020. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. During an ENR presentation last month to the Priorities and Planning Committee, there was mention of a caribou management plan. What was amiss was the Bison Management Plan. I would like to recognize that the community of Fort Providence is on the doorstep to the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary. My question to the ENR Minister is: I am interested to know if there is an updated Bison Management Plan and if the community of Fort Providence is aware of such. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mackenzie Bison Management Plan was finalized in 2018 to provide guidance on the management of the herd. The plan was developed collaboratively by the Mackenzie Bison Working Group, which included representatives from GNWT, Indigenous governments, and other key stakeholders.

In regards to community of Fort Providence, I have similar issues in Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte. Bison are known to come into the communities of Fort Providence and cause conflict in the community along the highway. ENR works collaboratively with the communities to respond to bison in a number of ways, taking steps to avoid attracting bison into the community, highway, and airstrip; herding bison out of the community if they come in and are causing injuries; and ultimately removing persistent bison that cannot be herded out of town. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

It is kind of ironic that I chose this topic today as I went into the local restaurant here and they were serving bison stew. I had myself a hearty bowl of bison stew. I guess what I am trying to get at is that we really miss having that stuff as part of a food staple in our community. The residents of Fort Providence had previously been issued bison tags to harvest bison for food. Since the anthrax outbreaks a while back, all that has ceased. I am just wondering: what is the update on the issuance of bison tags to the community of Fort Providence?

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Under the Mackenzie Bison Management Plan, the community can harvest up to 1 percent of the population for cultural, ceremonial, and safety concerns through a permit issued by ENR. ENR has received a request from the First Nations and the Metis Council for a permit to harvest four and two bison, respectively. We are working with Indigenous governments right now to see how we can help them.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

My final question to the Minister is: how often are the bison tested to ensure a disease-free bison herd within the sanctuary, and when was the last testing?

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I haven't been briefed on that depth of it right yet, but I am willing to work with the Member. We will set up a briefing with him with the department so he can get that information moving forward, the same as if committee wishes to have further information.

I think Minister Simpson talked about it: it is trying to work together. We are willing to do as many technical briefings as we can to engage the other side and the public to make sure we are informed and we make wise decisions. I will make that offer to the Member to set up a meeting.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The fact that the final report for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was released on June 3, 2019, which both the Premier, who was then the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, and I had attended this event, can the Premier advise if there is any progress to the national action plan to address the 231 Calls for Justice from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report that the NWT has agreed to, as part of my understanding.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Honourable Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Normally, questions on this topic would go to the current Minister responsible for the Status of Women. However, in discussion with it, because I was the previous Minister responsible for the Status of Women, it is appropriate that it would come to me.

There were commitments made in the 18th Legislative Assembly on behalf of Cabinet. We had committed to being part of the national action plan that would be done by the federal government, of course waiting if they got elected again, which they have been. We did a high-level review of the report, and we identified not specific questions, but more of a thematic kind of approach to the inquiry itself, to the release of the report. That was tabled in the House in August last year.

My commitment is carrying it forward. We do have a new federal government. I have brought up the government to Minister Carolyn Bennett when I met with her two weeks ago. Our current Minister for Status of Women has just taken part in the federal-provincial-territorial meeting two weeks ago. That was in Victoria. We are committed to carrying forward this work.

Many of us in this House are Indigenous women. We know the pain. We know the suffering. We hope that not all of us are impacted by missing and murdered, but women in general are being hurt on a daily basis. We have heard that. Indigenous women have been neglected by society; I know that. This government commits to moving forward with this file, to doing whatever we can within our power to address the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and, of course, the needs of the LGBTQ2S population.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

I am happy to hear that. Can the Premier advise if there is a plan or any progress on an NWT action plan to address the 231 calls for justice from the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

During the end of the last Assembly, we did develop an interdepartmental working group to address this issue. It was put on hold through the election because we had to be respectful of the incoming Legislative Assembly. Very happily, I am now the Premier of this 19th Legislative Assembly, so we will definitely be picking up the work. We will be reinstating the interdepartmental working group to look at every recommendation in the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls report that was filed. Like I said before, we are committed to working with the federal government and across jurisdictions to address this issue. It is not acceptable, Mr. Speaker, and we are committed to doing our part.