This is page numbers 1347 - 1388 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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.

Topics

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstaining? One. The motion is carried.

---Carried

To clause 1 as amended.

---Clauses 1 through 6 approved

Any comments to clause 7? Member for Frame Lake.

Committee Motion 38-19(2): Bill 11: Legislative Assembly Officers Standardization Act - Deletion of subclause 7(4) and (5), Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 21st, 2020

Page 1369

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I'd like to move the amendment here that Bill 11 be amended by deleting subclauses 7(4) and (5). Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I know there are some eager beavers in here, but I just want to explain what this all about. This is the part of the bill that sort of changes the mandate terms for the Ombud, and the effect of this amendment would be to keep the term of office at five years. We received, as MLAs, written communication from the Ombud this morning suggesting that there's something called the International Ombudsman Institute, and their best practices paper from 2017 says that terms of fewer than five years should be avoided. I think she sent out some additional rationale here, which I think is good reason to look at keeping the current term. That's why I thought it would be worthwhile to bring forward this motion. Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll just note that essentially what the Member is doing is not changing the legislation. The current term in the act is five years. Our current Ombud was appointed under that, so their contract will continue. Where we're at in this motion being made, the next one will also be five years. Once again, the difference between four and five years I don't believe is a substantive point. I will simply abstain from the motion. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Does committee agree clause 7 as amended?

---Clauses 7 through 10 approved

Committee, to the bill as a whole. Does committee agree that Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Officers Standardization Act is now ready for third reading as amended?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, committee. Bill 11: Legislative Assembly Officers Standardization is now ready for third reading as amended. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 11, Legislative Assembly Officers Standardization Act?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. And thanks to our witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses from the Chamber. Committee, we have agreed to resume consideration of Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2021-2022 with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Minister, do you wish to bring any witnesses in?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Yes, please.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Chair. Today, we have my deputy minister, Ms. Rita Mueller, as well as the assistant deputy minister of corporate services, Mr. Sam Shannon. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The committee has agreed to forgo general comments. Is the committee agreed we will proceed to the details contained in the tabled documents?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we will defer the department totals and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning at page 12 with information item on page 13. Education, Culture and Employment, junior kindergarten to grade 12 school services, infrastructure investments, $30,148,000. Are there any comments? Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I see there are three, essentially, schools: the new school, Sissons, in Yellowknife, Mangilaluk in Tuktoyaktuk, and a new school in Colville Lake. I'm happy to see this. I believe, when we look at the capital needs of a number of our school districts, they are significant, and we need to improve our schools. The Colville Lake school replacement is long overdue, and I'm happy to see that. However, I was hoping I could just get a sense from the Minister of how on pace we are to meeting the needs of our school districts in new infrastructure. I believe it's quite well accepted that we have a giant infrastructure deficit across the NWT, but can I get a sense of how that all applies to education infrastructure. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Chair. There is always additional wants and needs coming from communities regarding their schools. That said, the safety of schools is always prioritized, so if there are pressing safety concerns, those are treated as urgent and dealt with so that the health and safety of students is not compromised. That being said, we have a lot of schools. We have 49 schools, and at some point, they all need to be replaced. We will never, ever catch up to where I wish we were, but we do a good job of maintaining the safety of schools. I can hand it over to my assistant deputy minister who can elaborate, perhaps. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Was it to the deputy minister? Sorry. Mr. Shannon.

Shannon

Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Minister. Like the Minister said, it's an ongoing process to make sure that all the schools are up to the specs that we all wish them to be at. In terms of process each year, we reach out to all education bodies to gather a survey of all their upcoming and wished-for capital needs. All those go into a list, and as the Minister said, we asses those based on a number of criteria, with safety utmost in that list. From there, we identify our priority projects going forward on an annual basis. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Shannon. Member for Yellowknife North.