This is page numbers 6125 - 6186 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 land.

Topics

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

I am glad that the department is taking some action. Has relocation been looked at, and what would be the cost to relocate one or two grizzly bears or more?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I know that, from questions from the Member in the past week, he asked about the relocation. I had committed to getting costs. I have not seen those costs yet, but I would imagine that it would be fairly expensive. Again, we need to have a look at it and explore all options in trying to alleviate the grizzly bear problem in Aklavik.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Frederick Blake Jr. Mackenzie Delta

I know that it has only been a week, but have discussions started with co-management partners on increasing grizzly bear hunting tags for bears?

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

We will have to have those discussions with our co-management partners, because, as we know, a number of years ago, they implemented the grizzly bear tags because there was a lot of hunting of grizzly bears, but it seems like it has done what it is supposed to do and brought the population back up. We will have to have those discussions with our co-management partners to see if they would be receptive to maybe increasing the amount of tags. We will have those discussions and see where that takes us.

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. As I mentioned, we have a huge problem, especially after dark. Yesterday we had three bears coming into the community. Will the Minister make sure that the department have officers on patrol in the evenings while they are in the community, just to make sure that there is safety? Safety is always number one for the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I agree with the Member that protection of our citizens should be the number one priority of this government, and as such, as I said before, we do have another renewable resource officer who is going to the community, and I am sure that they will be doing some patrols to ensure that the bears are not becoming a problem and coming into the community. I think we've seen a number of cases of bears in the community, in some of the communities around the Northwest Territories. Our staff are being vigilant and, if we have to, we will bring in extra people to help with that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Question 827-18(3): Manufacturing Policy
Oral Questions

August 19th, 2019

Page 6135

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions will be for the Minister of Infrastructure. When we are looking at the Manufactured Products Policy, and I was looking at it, and it said at least 25 percent has NWT value, the price is no more than 20 percent greater than similar products, FOB the site of a manufacturer, or 25 percent greater than a similar product, FOB the destination for final delivery. Can the Minister, please advise us what that policy entails, and what is the amount of percentage that manufacturers get in the North? 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. You see, this is what happens when someone gives a heads-up and you give a full-hearted answer. There is no cap or ceiling identified in the Northwest Territories Manufactured Products Policy. The Northwest Territories manufactured products, however, is pursuant to or enabled by the Business Incentive Policy, and that means, technically, the ceiling of $500,000 would also apply to manufacturing.

That said, our manufacturing policy only pertains to goods for the maximum bid adjustment of $500,000 to apply. We would need to be in the position of buying $16 million worth of a single product. I think we can agree to deal with that when one gets there.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

The Minister actually answered my next question, so I will go back to the first question. The question I asked is: what is the percentage? Is it 20, 25 percent for a northern manufacturing company? Is that what they are allowed, additional cost to it?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

The Northwest Territories Manufactured Products Policy and the Business Incentive Policy follow the same principles of northern preference. However, our Manufactured Products Policy is an independent process and works slightly different. In order to be able to be purchased by the Government of the Northwest Territories under the manufactured policy, at least 25 percent of the product's value has to be created in the Northwest Territories by an eligible company registered under the Business Incentive Policy. Provided this requirement is met, the product can be priced up to 20 percent higher on a southern product, including freight on site at the manufacturing facility. The product can be priced up to 25 percent higher on a similar product including freight if it is priced at delivery as required location.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I thank the Minister. He kind of answered my third question, so I am just going to go to my last question here. When you look at the procurement policy, at (b), it says, where two or more manufactured supply, approved NWT manufactured products, only those manufacturers will be invited to bid on a contract. Can the Minister advise this House how that part of the policy works when we're talking about the free trade? Because the Minister has advised us in this House that BIP, with some challenges he has faced, and he was able to get it grandfathered, but can he explain how this policy actually is grandfathered in?

Wally Schumann

Wally Schumann Hay River South

As I said in the House the other day, the most important element for Members to understand is the context of what the Canada Free Trade Agreement is. As the Minister of internal trade and external trade, these things have to be negotiated with other governments when we are signing this agreement, and that is the only reason that this government can negotiate an exemption. That is where we have to deal with the other provinces and countries when we are doing these agreements, and that one exemption that we fight for all the time is the Business Incentive Policy.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about transitional housing in Nunakput, and my questions are for the Minister of Housing: can the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation give an update on the transitional housing in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been working with a lot of our community governments as well as NGOs. At the same time, we are working, as the Member has known, as I've made statements in the House, on the Northern Pathways to Housing Program. Those have been successful. They have been pilot projects. In Simpson and Aklavik, we have seen some really good things moving forward, as well as in Behchoko. Moving forward from this program, I think we can work with our community governments to possibly access some of our co-investment dollars or the community housing support initiative dollars to address some of these transitional needs in housing. It is a big issue across the territory, and we will encourage our leadership to work with us to address those needs.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Look at my region. I believe there's at least one community that has a contract for the LHOs. I think programs like that seem to work for smaller remote communities. My second question is: how does the Government of the Northwest Territories implement services that are funded directly from the federal government to Indigenous governments across the Northwest Territories? I am going to use IRC and Housing, for an example.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

One of the biggest things that we have done through the NWT Housing Corporation is we have been really advocating on behalf of the Indigenous governments in all of our communities across the Northwest Territories with the federal government. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is one of the communities that have been able to access funding dollars through ITK, and one of the things that came out of that was we started the housing summit, first housing summit, where we had all our leadership in attendance, and working on trying to build a one voice to take to our NIOs, our National Indigenous Organizations, as well as the federal government to ensure that we get the funding that the federal government has given to the NIOs to meet the needs throughout the territories. The housing summit that we had earlier this year is a good indication that we are getting that information out to our leadership and our non-governmental organizations.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

I appreciate the response. I am a strong believer that, when Indigenous governments get funding directly from the federal government, I think we need to work with Indigenous governments and the Government of the Northwest Territories to ensure that we implement that funding properly so that it is not lopsided. There are a few examples out there, but I won't dig too far. Can the Minister give an update on the community housing plans, and will the idea of tiny homes be a discussion during these planning sessions?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

The community housing plans, as I've said, are going to be a game changer for our communities across the Northwest Territories on how we address housing. Every community has their own special needs, and when we develop these community housing plans, it's going to be the communities that are going to tell us what their priorities are, rather than us telling the communities what they need. This past weekend was also the first time that we just had a meeting with all of our district offices across the territory, on Saturday, as well as our board chairs. It was the first time that we sat down and listened to what the concerns were in all of the regions across the NWT and how do we address them. I want to let the MLAs know that I did let the board chairs know as well as the district office managers know that all MLAs have been bringing up these concerns to me and the office, and we are working on addressing those issues. The community housing plans are going to be a game changer moving forward to addressing our housing needs.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Herbert Nakimayak

Herbert Nakimayak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's good to see that we are having meetings and having discussions about these issues. You know, action plans and follow-up as we move into the next government is very key. It's more of a comment than anything. I am just wondering what the Minister's plans are as we close up these last five days of this Assembly.