This is page numbers 6031 - 6090 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 tax.

Topics

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Operational guidelines for serving traditional foods in Northwest Territories Health and Social Services facilities have been developed. Obviously, food safety has to be taken into consideration. These guidelines are being finalized and will be implemented this fall. Test sites, such as the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home, have begun to tailor these guidelines in their facilities.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Are there plans for similar program as the Yukon to ensure that Indigenous patients can access country foods? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bob McLeod

Bob McLeod Yellowknife South

Yes. The operational guidelines for serving traditional foods and NWT Health and Social facilities have been developed following the Indigenous foods program at the Whitehorse General Hospital. 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 on my Member's statement, my question is to the Minister of Infrastructure on the Marine Transportation Service Company, a division of our government. My first question, Mr. Speaker, is: how is the 2019 summer sailing season looking right now on targets of supplying the customers along the route, particularly and mainly the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The 2019 sailing season is actually on schedule right now as we predicted going forward, even with the low water levels that have been on the Mackenzie River. We have already been to every community once. Presently, two tugs are northbound out of Hay River. They are going to be going to Norman Wells, Tulita, and Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. From Tuktoyaktuk, there is also going to be another tow going north to look after the Arctic communities. When we are finished that, if sailing allows, we are going to help with the North Warning defence system to do their deliveries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for that reply. It is comforting to know that progress is being maintained in the schedule. Having experience on my boat ride between the communities, as mentioned, of Norman Wells and Fort Good Hope, the low-water levels, are these low-water levels creating any delays and challenges to the shipping schedules?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Historically, the rivers are at a 10-year low right now from the last time I got an update from our staff. The one thing that MTS did this year was factor in the possibility of that. The way we operated this year is we adjusted our loads for shallower draft. The low-water levels on the Mackenzie River haven't hampered our schedule. The other nice thing was, I have talked about it in this House, with the Steam River bridge that was on fire and the fuel company picked up the slack and delivered the fuel to Hay River by truck. It actually got there earlier than anticipated, so that helped assist with the schedule.

Daniel McNeely

Daniel McNeely Sahtu

Thanks to the Minister for the fuel information there. Our public infrastructure depends on that fuel resupply. My next question is on the training provided on the Marine Training Centre in Hay River. Can the Minister elaborate or brief us on the training plan and student outcomes and how progress is being made from that institution?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

The Marine Training Centre doesn't follow under the Government of the Northwest Territories, but they are leasing space from us in our facility in Hay River. The Member from the Sahtu and myself actually had a chance. I took him there and gave him a little tour of the facility, met a number of students who are there.

I have said earlier in my Minister's statement around Marine Transportation Services they have delivered hundreds of courses through there. A number of people have been picked up by MTS for employment this year, as well as Canadian Coast Guard that also picked up some people. As I said, I think, yesterday, some of them are actually going to be going up to the Arctic coast with the Coast Guard on ice-breaking facilities.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On Tuesday I asked questions of the Minister of Infrastructure and asked him to explain how the Business Incentive Policy worked and how certain levels have increased percentage points. The Minister gave me a whole bunch of information. I would like to follow up to the questions with the Minister here today. Can the Minister please clarify what amount the contract needs to be in order to maximize the incentive of $500,000? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to the Member's question the other day, he did ask me, and this will clarify it a little bit more. Assuming that the full bid is 100 percent Northwest Territories and local content, the contractor would need approximately $16 million to max out the $500,000 bid adjustment. On the majority of contracts, there are a number that are under $1 million. Those contractors can receive a bid adjustment up to $200,000, which represents about 20 percent of the bid adjustment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

When the Minister talked on Tuesday, as well, he talked about there being 46 big projects and 1,501 projects. Can the Minister tell us what the total value of the 46 projects were together and what the total was for the 1,501 projects?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

This information is all publicly available on the Department of Finance's website, but if the Member will give me the questions, if he sends me an email with the questions, I will commit to getting him all of that information back by the end of the session.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I will follow up with the Minister on that question so that I can get that information. My next question is: can the Minister advise this House how many of these big projects ended up being awarded to southern contractors?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

As to my previous answer, same thing. If the Member wants me to get him that information, we can compile that information for him before the end of session.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, and I look forward to providing those questions to the Minister. I will put them in writing and look forward to the answers. I am probably going to get the same answer for the last question I am going to ask, but I am going to ask it anyway. With all these big contracts happening, he talked about the 46, can the Minister advise this House if there were any of the big contracts that were negotiated contracts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

The Member is absolutely right. I don't have that level of detail here, but we can gather that once he sends me an email and get back to him by the end of session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Question 815-18(3): Municipal Lands in Enterprise
Oral Questions

August 15th, 2019

Page 6043

Michael Nadli

Michael Nadli Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am following up my statement with questions to the Minister of Lands in terms of the level the certainty for lands in communities. I think that everyone has the dream about the idea of buying and owning their homes. What is at issue at this point is that the certainty of land ownership is not clear. My question is to the Minister of Lands: how does the Department of Lands work with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs with respect to the provision of land for municipal purposes and interaction with community governments? Mahsi.