This is page numbers 4803 - 4830 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 funding. View the webstream of the day's session.

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Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is not that I don't like the comments but that the comments are confusing, and I think a reasonable person would assume differently from the logical contrast of the two comments made. Mr. Speaker, the Minister just said that he is not happy with all of the sections of the legislation. If he could speak globally, what would he like to see come forward that wasn't included? Thank you.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

That is getting into the content of the bill, and the bill has not reached the floor of the House. If the Member wants to ask me that question when I am sitting in the Committee of the Whole, have at ‘er. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following up to my statement earlier, my questions today are to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Is the Minister or his department aware of the Astro gold property that I referred to earlier? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am well aware of the Astro gold project in the Sahtu. They have been doing some work out there. They actually accessed our geodatabase that we have housed in the Northwest Territories geoscience department. In discussions with them, when I was talking to them at roundup, this actually came from a presentation when the Premier and I were at PDAC, and the department laid out a water-till sample that they did in the Sahtu region, and that is where these guys got some actual information to start having a look at that district. Evrim also used our Mining Incentive Program last year. They got $160,000 to go towards their work, and they are also engaging our community and client service unit regarding our activities in the Member's riding.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for that reply and information here. It seems that there is some dialogue going back and forth, which sounds encouraging. My next question: what are Evrim's plans to keep the project moving forward?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

This is early in the ball game with these guys, but, the exciting news release that they put out, that was right when we were all down at the mineral roundup. It was very timely because we actually had a meeting set up with them, with Evrim and Newmont, and had some discussions about what they are planning on doing and, as I said in my earlier comments, how they got to where they are. They are going to do a drill-test program. I think it was in their news release, but, if it wasn't, they are going to do one this summer, which is hopefully going to take place earlier on in the summer. The one thing that I want to state is that this is an early discovery.

It is a new gold discovery, an entirely new type of gold deposit in the Northwest Territories that hasn't been seen before. If we are lucky, maybe we are going to be witnessing something that is very similar to what just took place in the Yukon with the new White Gold District that is happening there. They are very bullish on this piece of property, and we look forward to working with them going forward.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. It seems that the cost of going to Vancouver is bearing some fruit. My third question to the Minister of ITI is: will the GNWT be signing a SEA with Evrim to ensure that the Sahtu residents and businesses benefit from the work in their region?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

I think that might be a little premature, about doing a SEA. These guys haven't even put a drill in the ground yet, but they are very bullish, as I said, on their project. The department has demonstrated time and time again that we want to focus on getting benefits to residents in the Northwest Territories, to the people working, to small businesses, and getting all benefits we can out of resources from these types of projects. We will be following these guys closely.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question to the Minister: are there any plans for these two companies, Newmont and Evrim, to come into our capital in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

I am not aware of them coming here anytime soon. They will probably get a hold of me if they are going to come here and have a discussion. The last thing that I left on the conversation on the table with them when we were meeting with them was about the community engagement. I strongly suggested that they involve the residents of the Sahtu in their project, to keep them updated, not on a day-by-day basis but on a very regular basis, so they get an idea of what is going on out there.

I continually stress that, particularly in Sahtu, because that has been an oil-driven and gas-driven resource area of the Northwest Territories, and mining history goes a long way back there. There has not been any mining activity in that region for a long time, so I want them to engage early and often. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been approached by a number of leaders to explain how the Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement worked. From what I have been able to find, prior to implementation of devolution 2014, the GNWT and Aboriginal groups signed the NWT Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement with 25 percent of the net profit going to Aboriginal groups according to our formula. It is my understanding that allocation is made each year of the signatories of the development devolution agreement. In that, the formula says: "Aboriginal population not yet party to the agreement shall be retained by the GNWT." My questions are for the Premier. Can the Premier please explain what is meant by "retained by the GNWT"? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The Honourable Premier.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The retained portion is an estimated calculation for those Indigenous governments who have not signed on to devolution. Each year, once annual net fiscal benefit figures are available, these retained amounts are distributed according to intergovernmental council negotiations that are guided by the provisions of the Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement. These negotiations occur after intergovernmental council members receive their respective allocations of the net fiscal benefit under their Intergovernmental Resource Revenue Sharing Agreement.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I appreciate the Premier providing that answer. Mr. Speaker, does the government hold the shares for Aboriginal organization populations that have not signed on to the agreement?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

No. The Government of the Northwest Territories identifies for the other parties to the agreement that there are retained revenues available and begins discussions on how they are to be allocated. The other parties are the Indigenous governments that have signed on to devolution, and they see this as Indigenous government money.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I thank the Premier for clarifying that answer. Mr. Speaker, does the government allocate funding from the retained part of this part of the money to the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow in Inuvik? If not, how does the GNWT help support this conference and trade show?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

No. Once again, retained amounts have not been used to support Indigenous governments to attend the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow in Inuvik. The Government of the Northwest Territories' infrastructure department has not provided funds for Indigenous governments' delegates to participate in the Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow and does not anticipate doing so in the future. Indigenous governments, however, are free to allocate the funds however they see fit.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, thanks to the Premier. This is probably a redundant question, but I'm going to ask it to the Premier anyway: does the government allocate funding from the retained part of the pot to be set to send to Aboriginal group government delegates to the Association for Mineral Exploration in Vancouver?

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

No. Retained amounts have not been used to support Indigenous government delegates to attend AME. For AME Roundup, the GNWT ITI department uses funds allocated under the Mineral Development Strategy to client services and community relations for Aboriginal capacity funding. From those funds, a certain amount is used to support Indigenous government delegations to attend AME. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.