This is page numbers 6091 - 6124 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 environmental.

Topics

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have follow-up questions for the Minister of Infrastructure. Can the Minister advise us, in the contracts, does it have a clause which states how many Northerners will be used on the job and where the company will get their accommodations, fuel, and food, especially when we are using southern companies? 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. Infrastructure is not in charge of BIP. ITI is in charge of BIP, but Infrastructure follows the BIP policy in our procurement process. When we put out a tender, depending on the size of it, say it's under $1 million, because that's the conversation that we have been having, $1 million under and $1 million over, there is a line in there that you can put, which encourages local use of labour, local use of northern content, local of use of business, and that helps you do your bid adjustment to how much northern content you have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Since this could be part of the tender process or tender contract, how does the department ensure that part of this is actually being followed by the contractors?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

When a contract is awarded saying that it has these conditions tied to it, the department follows up on the reporting from the contractor on the person that is doing the tender, and we track those things on a regular basis.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I guess that will lead me to my next question. What happens if the contract does not fulfill the commitments that they say they are doing in the contract?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

I didn't quite hear the question. I believe the Member said: what do we do if the person isn't following the conditions that they said they would do in the tender? Well, first of all, if a person is not following the conditions of the contract that they were awarded, I suspect that they are subject to penalty or even disqualification of being able to continue to do the work until they rectify what they have bid, to get the bid adjustment to determine that they were awarded this tender that they would have to follow the contract that they signed.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you. I thank the Minister for his answers moving forward. My last question is basically: we are seeing a lot of southern companies come in and take contracts from northern companies. Has the department or the government looked at making sure that they have a socio-economic impact and economic multipliers as part of it because right now, when we see money, southern companies get contracts? That money is going down south with limited money staying back. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

We are talking apples and oranges here because on the local procurement, when we are going through procurement for the Northwest Territories, again, let's put it under $1 million. We use our BIP policy to ensure that the most money stays in the Northwest Territories through, as I said, locally used, local northern content, local business. That bid adjustment gives you the upper hand on someone from down south to bid on it. If we are talking about larger projects, say the Slave Geological Province or the Taltson project, the department certainly, along with finance, will sit down and have a look at these projects and the social and economic benefits that these things are going to create.

Someone asked me the question yesterday about "How did we include these local content in the Tlicho Road project?" That was an approach the Government of the Northwest Territories has taken on that P3 project. We will follow those closely. The Department of Finance will certainly have the capacity to access the impact that these projects will have on the greater economy of the Northwest Territories. 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. I would like to direct my questions today to the Minister of Lands. I would like to simply start by asking the Minister: I have travelled up and down the valley now. I have learned a lot from different communities about their need to want to have control over inner-boundary municipal lands. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of this and what the Minister's opinion and the department's opinion is on the likelihood that they can transfer municipal lands over to municipal controls. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a former municipal councillor, as is the Member opposite, I have been aware of this issue, which is an important issue in many of our communities. There is no overall policy to transfer all Commissioner's land in municipal boundaries to municipalities. Applications can be made by municipalities to obtain portions and parts of that land. I do realize it is an important issue. As I mentioned yesterday, MACA and Lands staff are currently finalizing a strategy on the process with the transfer of land assets specifically to community governments. We do recognize the importance of this issue. We are working on it. I, like the Member opposite, do understand the needs of communities. Thank you.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you to the Minister for the reply. I am happy to hear that there are some small steps being taken in this direction. If there is no overall policy to turn all land over to the municipalities, that also kind of sounds to me like there is no overall policy to not turn land over to the municipalities. What considerations is the department making in terms of taking these progressive steps forward so that municipalities can get a little bit better understanding, a little bit more confidence, and a little bit more certainty that our government really is committing towards this effort?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

As mentioned, MACA and Lands are working on a strategy, which, hopefully, will clarify to municipalities what they need to do to obtain land in the communities. As I say, it is now currently done on a case-by-case basis. I do understand the frustrations of some of the communities, including some of the larger ones.

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Just one last question to the Minister: does the Minister believe that we will actually get to a point in time where our government will turn over municipal, uncontested lands to municipal corporations or to municipalities?

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

It is rather difficult to predict the future. However, as I said, Lands and I expect MACA, also, is very well aware of the concerns of the municipalities, which we will take into account as we move forward.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the Commissioner's opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Nahendeh.

Bill 45: Corrections Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 6103

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Development has reviewed Bill 45: Corrections Act. Mr. Speaker, committee wishes to report that Bill 45 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 45: Corrections Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 6103

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Member for Yellowknife North.

Bill 34: Mineral Resources Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 6103

Cory Vanthuyne

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment has reviewed Bill 34: Mineral Resources Act and wishes to report that Bill 34 is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 34: Mineral Resources Act
Reports Of Committees On The Review Of Bills

Page 6103

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I have two documents I would like to table, the first being "CBC News Article posted July 2, 2019, 'Here's what you need to know as carbon tax takes effect in Yukon.'" The second document is a copy of the "Yukon Government Carbon Price Rebate Implementation Act." Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Tabling of documents. Item 15, 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. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act; Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act; Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products Tax Act; Bill 43: An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 56: An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2; Committee Report 27-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Bill 39: Environmental Rights Act; Committee Report 28-18(3): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Review of Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act; Committee Report 30-18(3): Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Review of Bill 56: Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act and Draft Code of Conduct; Minister's Statement 151-18(3): New Federal Infrastructure Agreement; Minister's Statement 158-18(3): Developments in Early Childhood Programs and Services; Minister's Statement 211-18(3): Addressing the Caribou Crisis; and Tabled Document 442-18(3): 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework 2019-2023 Action Plan.

By the authority given to me as Speaker by Motion 7-18(3), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House, with the Member for Hay River North in the chair.