This is page numbers 5203 - 5254 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. View the webstream of the day's session.

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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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Mr. Marchiori.

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Marchiori

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, there is going to be some communications material as it relates to these bills. Once the bills receive assent in the 18th Assembly, we'll have some public materials that will be provided. This way, individuals can see what the bills are and how they relate to themselves. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I appreciate that. I guess I was hoping for some communications materials before the bills actually receive assent. That might help the public understand what's being proposed. Are there any plans for doing any communications work before royal assent for these bills? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Minister.

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do plan on doing some communication to the public so they can understand. That's just a given. As far as a dollar figure, I don't have an exact dollar figure, but the money will be from within the $88 million that is appropriated for Environment and Natural Resources. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. That's good news, and I look forward to seeing that material. I think it would help the standing committee. There were four areas that have been cut within the overall departmental budget. There's a functional review that seems to have been carved out for $250,000, community-based monitoring and research of $375,000, science budget cut $15,000, and then the Fire Boss planes at $1 million. Can someone tell me about what this functional review is all about? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Dr. Dragon.

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Dr. Dragon

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the things, I'll, first of all, go through the functional review. During the planning phase of the functional review, that was done in terms of 2016, so before I arrived in the department. So looking at that functional review, what I wanted to do was really get a sense of coming into the department, what was the reality? What was going through the various divisions, and where were the pressure points? What I ended up doing was I ended up contracting and having an operational review done, as well. Then I had two very strategic meetings with my senior management staff, where we talked about the operational and the functional review to determine whether or not these were appropriate reductions.

On the basis of that, what we ended up doing, and I must say as well what I did, I looked at the OAG report as well, because it came out at around the same time. So having the ability to see all of those recommendations, we ended up undertaking a reorganization within ENR and looking at moving some divisions around, moving staff so that it was more comparable in terms of staff complement per director. I think we've been able to do that. Really, when we look at the reduction, what we decided to do was, from the 250 departmental review, we decided to take $175,000 from corporate management, and that is reducing the $325,000 WSCC budget allocation to $150,000. For the last three fiscal years, we've had no expenses within that count.

This is a program that is for a traditional harvester who is actively engaged in hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering for a livelihood, and at least 25 percent of the harvester's gross income must come through traditional harvesting. This includes any amount of value for traditional country food, as well. Trappers' claims are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and as I said, we had no claims for the last three years, so we decided to take $150,000 from that, leaving an additional, what is that, that's $175,000 within the account, and then risk-manage that in the department depending on the year.

In addition, we looked at $75,000 being taken off in terms of environment stewardship and climate change, and that's a reduction in salary costs and other O and M. This is not fully funding an analyst position within one of the activities, and we feel that it could be adequately handled at the existing level. Those were where we came up with the $250,000 that was initially identified in 2016 as the departmental functional review. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Brief final comments, Mr. O'Reilly.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I appreciate the explanation of this functional review. As a result of the functional review, then, the department cut $250,000 out of its budget? Is that what happened with the functional review? Or why is this reduction being made? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. I note that the time has expired, so I'd like a brief response from the witnesses. Dr. Dragon.

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Dragon

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's correct.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Next, I have Mr. McNeely to corporate management. Mr. McNeely.

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Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In recognizing the statements made by the Minister here on the opening comments, and attending some of the previous meetings back home, is there a budget allowance here for, say, a multi-partnership workshop with the land corporations and the renewable resource councils to cover on a shared cost basis for various subjects, including caribou range planning conservation and the protected area in the Ramparts, and also taking into account traditional knowledge, progress, and other related issues? Country foods security, for example. Just a multi-subject, multi-organization, so rather than have individual meetings with individual plans, are there plans for one multiple-partner workshop? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Minister.

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. I directed the department after we've had some conversations with many of the Aboriginal partners on coming forward with a plan to take some initiative with the caribou issue. Part of that plan, I think, would be travelling to the regions and chatting with the different Aboriginal groups, and getting their input and coming up with a bit of a plan. That's how we want to deal with the caribou issue collaboratively. We've already mentioned the Tlicho, and hats off to the Tlicho. They showed tremendous leadership in trying to deal with the caribou issue. As far as the other initiatives that the Member spoke about, the exact dollar figure, I'm not sure of, but I'm sure we do have some initiatives that we're working on as far as the Ramparts go. I believe I touched on a couple of the Member's issues, but as we go forward now with some of the new initiatives, a lot of the issues that the Member has raised will be some that we would be taking a look at and moving those forward. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Mr. McNeely.

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Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Are there allowances or resources available for a woodland caribou study on the west side of the Mackenzie in the Sahtu? 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

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Dr. Dragon.

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Dragon

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. One of the initiatives that we're going to be working on and having to do with the section 11 agreement is looking at boreal caribou habitat and coming up with range plans. Strategically, we'll be looking across five different regions across the Northwest Territories and coming up with range plans. Those range plans will be in very strong collaboration with our Indigenous governments and organizations that we will be coming with and looking at doing strategically, starting in the southern part of the Northwest Territories and then moving our way up. We will definitely have the opportunity to be able to work with Indigenous governments and organizations in the Sahtu on that specific herd. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Next, I have Mr. Blake.

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Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just under the Fur Price Program, it is a great initiative. I think we are one of the leaders in the country that offer this program to trappers. I would just like to see this continue over the years. I have heard, in the Yukon, people struggle there because they have to basically wait until the auction, until they get paid. This is a great incentive for our trappers to get an advance. That way, they can get back out on the land. I just want to ensure that that program will continue without any deductions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Minister.