This is page numbers 5027 - 5084 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 services. View the webstream of the day's session.

Topics

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, recognizing that the Status of Women is not under my direction, I cannot. I've been told by the standing committee to be hands-off, so I'm respecting that direction. My understanding from the Status of Women, though, is that they are looking at doing it differently. Like I said last week, or the other day, and I agree with that, community people are very focused on community events. When we do the event, it has traditionally been in Yellowknife. We bring one person, a wise woman, from the communities, and an escort, but they don't get to be around their family and their friends. So the Status of Women, not myself, the Status of Women is looking at a new model where we actually provide the funding to communities so that they can provide those awards within their communities, so that it can become a community event versus a Yellowknife event. That is my understanding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

My follow-up question is: who is going to pay for the new style of recognizing women?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Again, as I stated the other day in answering that question, the Status of Women Council has been successful in accessing -- one of the mines has given them, I believe, either $8,000 or $9,000, and then they are also eligible for at least $5,000 through the Women's Initiative. That, in total, if I look at the lower of $8,000, that's actually a total of $13,000. If we were to honour four women, that would be probably about $3,000 per community. Traditionally, throughout my years of being a Minister here and going to events, usually it's about $500 that we give for a community feast, which leaves an extra $2,500 for the community to use as they want. The extra $1,000, because if we did four, four times three is $12,000, the extra $1,000 should be able to pay for the awards, the trophies that we give out, and any administration. So I do see it as doable. I think it would be cheaper, and I think it would be more effective and more within the spirit of the community to do it as they are looking at it.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. There were two points to the Wise Women Awards, in my mind, and I have a question related to each of them. First of all, the awards were the focal point of the Status of Women Council's celebration of International Women's Day on March 8th. Can the Minister tell us what events, activities, or projects her office is planning in conjunction with the council to commemorate and promote this year's International Women's Day?

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I do not know, actually, what the Status of Women, the NWT Status of Women, is doing for International Day. I do know that I will be doing a speech in the House to recognize it. Other than that, I'm not sure, again, what the Status of Women will be doing, or if they are doing it. That is the direction for the Status of Women to do. It is not for me as the Minister to direct them on what to do.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The second point of the Wise Women's Awards was to acknowledge and promote women's leadership, and to me that is especially important, given our efforts to attract more women to political leadership in the NWT. Can the Minister tell us how she plans to acknowledge and promote women's leadership on an ongoing basis? Mahsi.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Again, that was one of the contentious issues that was brought, and that was why I came to standing committee, was when I had given a direction asking the NWT Status of Women to support me in having more women in the leadership. I was definitely told that that mandate is my mandate. It is not for the Status of Women to do, and that I need to do that. So what are we doing? We are doing the campaign schools. We're just finishing up the draft; I'll be sharing that fairly soon. We will be contracting with the Native Women's Association and the NWT Status of Women to actually do a pilot of those campaign schools. So I promote any campaign schools, any promotion of getting women in leadership, but that is what I am doing as the Minister responsible for Status of Women. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Item 9, written questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the following questions for the honourable Minister responsible for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission:

  1. The classes and subclasses of Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) rates which could be applied to the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), based on the type of work performed by GNWT departments similar to that performed by private industry;
  2. The total number of fees in dollar amount paid to the WSCC by the GNWT in fiscal year 2017-2018;
  3. The four-year average of fees in dollar amounts paid to the WSCC by the GNWT;
  4. The dollar amount of WSCC compensation paid out to GNWT employees in fiscal year 2017-2018;
  5. The four-year average in dollar amounts of WSCC compensation paid out to GNWT employees.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer

Mr. Speaker, I have a provisional Return to Written Question 15-18(3) asked by the Member for Frame Lake on February 5, 2019, to the Premier regarding the Government of the Northwest Territories' Participation in the Association for Mineral Exploration Roundup in January 2019.

A full cost accounting and analysis are under way. Given the level of detail asked for by the Member and the need to consult with NWT Indigenous governments and other key stakeholders as part of the analysis and accounting process, a thorough response will be ready on the first sitting day in May. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to the Commissioner's opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5041

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act. Bill 25 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 29, 2018, and it was referred to the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for review.

On October 25, 2018, our counterparts in the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut began their committee review of Bill 8, which largely mirrors our bill. Mr. Speaker, although it is not common, we again find ourselves in the situation whereby two distinct and independent legislatures are considering amendments to two pieces of legislation relating to a body that conducts business in both jurisdictions. Given the shared nature of the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission and its importance to the residents and workers in both territories, it is important that our respective legislation be harmonized to the greatest extent possible.

Today I am advising this House of committee's wish to extend its review of Bill 25, with the intention to report back to the House at the earliest possible opportunity. This extension will allow us to continue to work with our counterparts in Nunavut and ensure that both Assemblies produce legislation that is in harmony and allow the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission to work effectively and efficiently across both territories.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, in accordance with rule 75(1)(c) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that the review period for Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, be extended for a further 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5041

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

The motion is in order. The motion is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Kam Lake.

Bill 26: Statistics Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5041

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 26, the Statistics Act. Bill 26 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 29, 2018, and it was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review.

To permit time for the legislative drafters to complete the proposed amendments, I would like to advise the House of the committee's wish to extend our review of the bill with the intention of reporting back to the House on or before March 11, 2019.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, in accordance with rule 75(1)(c) of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that the review period for Bill 26 be extended to March 11, 2019. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 26: Statistics Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 5041

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Seniors Planning Study, A Territorial Seniors Housing Assessment." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents entitled "Caring for Our People, Cultural Safety Action Plan 2018-2020," "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 527-18(3), Aging in Place," and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 555-18(3), Yellowknife Adult Day Programming." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Thursday, February 28, 2019, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 28, 2019, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, March 5, 2019, and further, that, at any time prior to March 5, 2019, if the Speaker is satisfied after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice, and thereupon, the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Bill 38: Protected Areas Act
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 5042

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 38, the Protected Areas Act, be read for the second time.

This bill sets out the processes for establishing a protected area in the Northwest Territories. It sets out how to nominate a candidate area to be considered for protected area status. It also provides a mechanism for entering into established agreements with Indigenous governments or organizations for the management of a protected area.

The bill sets out detailed regulation-making authorities so that each protected area may be regulated in a manner that reflects the particular characteristics of that area. The bill also sets out prohibited as well as accepted activities within a protected area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.