This is page numbers 5945 - 5992 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 public.

Topics

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

We can always have those discussions with not only the City of Yellowknife, but we can have those discussions with all of the communities that do have liquor stores in them. I mean, we all know how sneaky smart a lot of these bootleggers are, and they will always find ways around everything. Everything that you try to do to combat the problem, they will find ways around. I think there was a rationing system that was tried. I know that, in my home community, a number of years ago, they found ways around that. We have to be vigilant in trying deal with this. Again, we will have discussions with anybody, any time, on the effects of alcohol on the people of the Northwest Territories.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

In Iqaluit, recently, they opened a beer-wine store, and they put some restrictions and limits on the amount of wine and beer that can be purchased by an individual, I think, like, 24 cans of beer and maybe four bottles of wine, or a combination of something. In our liquor stores, we also have that added hard liquor.

I was wondering if we should start to think about putting restrictions on the amount of alcohol an individual can purchase in one day. I know that, sometimes, these programs or ideas backfire. Preventing people from getting alcohol sometimes doesn't work. However, I think that preventing people from buying cases and cases of alcohol might work.

I would like to ask the Minister if his department could start looking at restrictions, dealing, again, with individuals that are directly involved, like the councils and the liquor store operators, but to start looking at ways of restricting the amount of alcohol an individual can buy in one purchase.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

The Liquor Act provides for provisions for community control on the sale and distribution of liquor in the community. A community can request to hold a plebiscite on these types of controls. The department works with the communities on that process, including developing the question.

Any broader change that would apply across the Northwest Territories would likely require a legislative change. This is something that the 19th Assembly could look at, but the department, in anticipation of that, could develop some options for consideration.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is exactly what I was thinking of: a legislative change. I think that going to the communities and having the communities vote on this type of thing sometimes works, sometimes doesn't work. People are upset over those types of decisions, but I was thinking of making a legislative change saying that an individual person can only purchase a certain amount of alcohol in a day. The limits could be adequate for most people who are using alcohol, but certainly not adequate for bootleggers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Like I said before, we can have those discussions with the operators, or we can have those discussions with communities. It is something that I believe has been tried before. As I said before, they do always find ways around it. I agree with the Member 100 percent that this is an issue that really has an adverse effect on the people of the Northwest Territories. Always has; always has.

We hope, with some of the changes that we have made, some of the education out there, and people seeing first-hand the effects of alcohol, that they would make a decision to change their lifestyle. There is always support there for them, but we do realize that a lot of these people need help. By putting in some of the changes that the Member is suggesting, that might be a start. Again, we could start the work, and then we would hope that the 19th Assembly would come and carry the ball. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. I just want to say that I absolutely do appreciate and respect the boundary agreement between the City of Yellowknife and the YKDFN. I think that that is a positive move and would be beneficial to the residents of Yellowknife, Detah, and Ndilo.

With that said, I do have a few questions for the Minister. I want to be able to best inform my constituents, so I want to start by asking the Minister: what is the process if a band council or a city council wants to change their boundary? What is the process for a community to request a change to their municipal boundary, and what is our government's role in that process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to let the Member know that we did have a meeting with the City of Yellowknife and the chiefs from the YK Dene. I won't say that the process is pretty simple, but all of our communities across the Northwest Territories do have to submit a Community Land Use Plan. In this case, I am honestly glad to see that the City of Yellowknife and the YK Dene are working together to address some of these boundary issues here in the region. However, communities have to submit a Community Land Use Plan, and before it does get signed off through myself or the ministerial approval, the department does review the plan. It normally goes through the community planning division to ensure that Community Land Use Plans meet the requirements of the Community Planning and Development Act.

Now, on top of that, there is section 35 under the Constitution Act. That does require that consultation with Indigenous groups happen, and we want to make sure that any Indigenous groups that are in the area are consulted with when these plans are looked at and approved. That is the process.

As I did mention to the Member, we did meet with the City of Yellowknife and the chiefs and their staff earlier this summer in June, and we have started that process, but that is the process moving forward for any of the Members who want to look at their Community Land Use Plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you to the Minister for his reply, and I am happy to hear that the department is working with the respective governments. The Minister mentioned that there is a review process, so maybe he can expand a little bit more on what that is, what does that really entail. Does the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs undertake some kind of assessment on maybe what impacts such a boundary change may have? For example, in my case, the boundary is going to leave houseboaters who were once upon a time inside the municipal boundary now on the outside of the municipal boundary. What does it mean for residents such as them?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

As I mentioned, all communities submit a community land use plan, and we appreciate the work that they do in terms of consulting with their residents and taxpayers. I also mentioned under section 35 that they also have to consult with Indigenous groups in the communities before it is approved. We feel that our staff and the staff of the municipalities and the communities do their due diligence to make sure that everyone is consulted with when these discussions, and more importantly, decisions are made.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you to the Minister for the reply. I appreciate that there are some levels of consultation that will take place, and as it relates to section 35, and that's important, but notwithstanding section 35, will the department be engaging in a public consultation process to inform residents of such a change? Is that part of the Government of the Northwest Territories' responsibility? Is that part of this review? Will the residents that could be affected by this have the opportunity to be informed and provide input?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

As I mentioned, there are a couple of acts that we have to follow, and that is the Planning and Development Act, Community Planning and Development Act, as well as the Constitution Act with section 35. Some of this responsibility also has to fall on the municipality, whoever puts in their community land use plan. In this case, I know the Member is mentioning the City of Yellowknife as well as the Yellowknives Dene and the Metis all play a part in this, and I think the consultation needs to be put on the responsibility of all those involved. As a government, we follow those two acts to ensure that we are following our due diligence and making sure that those that need to be consulted, and the partners that we're working with, do the work that they need to do, as well.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for his reply. Some time ago, the City of Yellowknife through one of their respective committees started a harbour planning committee, and there were a number of recommendations in there with regard to a number of aspects around the waterfronts of Yellowknife. One of them was about starting a harbour commission. Now that lands and water has been devolved down to the territorial government, is there any interest from the territorial government?

I will put it to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, since this would certainly affect their department, in working with the city and other key stakeholders in starting a harbour commission so that we can start to better understand what uses can be made in the waterfronts around Yellowknife; Back Bay, Yellowknife Bay. Is there any interest in the government in starting a harbour commission with the respective stakeholders? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

I can't make that commitment at this time; however, I can let the Member know and interested stakeholders know that we have had these discussions with the City of Yellowknife and their officials, as well as the Chiefs of Detah and N'Dilo, and let the Member know that these are discussions that we are going to continue to have. In terms of the community land use plans under section 35, that is something that we need to get out there to make sure that everybody is on board should the boundaries change for this region or any other communities throughout the Northwest Territories. I want to assure the Member that we have had these discussions already, and I think it is going to be something that is going to be in the 19th Assembly, and I think further discussions are going to happen. I thank the Member for his concerns and his questions. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. The time for oral questions has expired. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to the Commissioners opening address. Item 12, petitions. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 766-18(3): Aboriginal Sports Circle Funding." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Northern Employee Benefits Services (NEBS) Pension Plan Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2018, and including updated Information to June 2019."

I would also like to table the following document as Minister of Environment and Natural Resources: "The Natural Resources Conservation Trust Fund Financial Statement for the year ended March 31, 2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Tabling of documents. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Community Futures Program 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 Annual Reports." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Tabling of documents. Item 16, notices of motion. Item 17, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 19, Consideration of Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters: Bill 36, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Resources Act; Bill 37, An Act to Amend the Oil and Gas Operations Act; Ministers' Statement 151-18(3), New Federal Infrastructure Agreement; Ministers' statement 158-18(3), Developments in Early Childhood Programs and Services; Ministers' statement 211-18(3), Addressing the Caribou Crisis; and Tabled Document 442-18(3), 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework 2019-2023 Action Plan, with the Member for Hay River North in the chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 5977

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

I will now call the Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Testart.