Mr. Speaker, would the Minister agree and consider three standalone facilities for aftercare to be built, one in the South Slave, one in the central region, and one in the Beaufort Delta, to help clients who do not want to go back to the communities upon return for recovery centres? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What I heard when I was on the Standing Committee for Social Development and we toured the treatment centres in the South is that people were most concerned with housing, in particular. They wanted to not return to overcrowded housing, housing over which they had no control of their environment. They were living on a couch and that kind of thing. What they really wanted was a house of their own. Not necessarily even a house but an apartment of their own. That seems to be one of the key factors in making after-care work, and there is, in fact, some language in the mandate about trying this approach to see if, in fact, it will assist people to return North, first of all, and to maintain their sobriety.

Then, of course, the other thing we're doing is this survey next year, early next year, to find out what's working for people and what isn't. We certainly will make MLAs aware of that work so that they can consult their constituents. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Premier and I differ on types of camps that should be at the border. She comes from a mining background, and I'm from the other side of the tracks, which is oil and gas. We are used to something fairly comfortable.

I've been getting complaints and concerns about the accommodation at the border, and partly because it is a tent-type facility similar to a weather haven facility. I understand the camp will be there for the rest of the winter. Just to alleviate some of the concerns by the people that are staying there because they're talking about possibly quitting and not going back, I just want to make sure that we address it before we get too far into it.

The first question for the Premier: my understanding from local service providers that they were never made aware that those services were to be contracted out, camp services. When I hear concerns about questionable hiring processes and now the contracting-out services, it makes me wonder who's in charge. I ask the Minister: was the camp infrastructure for Highway No. 1 put out to tender? If not, why, considering I made you aware of this well in advance? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will start with the first part of that because I heard two questions in that one. Who's in charge? Definitely, the buck stops here is what people have told me. I'm in charge of it. However, as the Minister responsible for the secretariat, at no time do I micromanage. My direction to departments is not which contractor to hire or which person to hire. My direction to departments has been: make sure the money stays in the North that you're contracting with Northern companies, especially during the time of COVID-19 and our economy in a slump. My other direction to departments isn't about whether you hire one individual or another; it's: make sure you're hiring affirmative-action candidates is my direction. I just want to clarify that that's -- after that, then, I trust my deputy minister, associate deputy minister in this case, would heed my directions and move appropriately.

With the other question in the same question which was: was the camp infrastructure put out to tender? In this case, Mr. Speaker, it wasn't. There are allocations within our financial act that says that, if procurement is under a certain amount, you don't have to go through that process. I think that's just recently been changed, though, if I remember right. This time, time was limited. We approached a number of northern companies that could provide the service. We also asked for other companies' names that we thought could provide it.

In the end, Mr. Speaker, though, we did contract with a northern company to provide the services for the camp, and because the camp actually -- at this point, when we first put the camp facilities in, we did realize that we were one unit short. In that case, we did contracts with a South Slave company who had agreed to put that camp in place. Two northern companies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Premier for that answer, and I am glad that she is looking to companies out of Hay River because there are a lot of camp shacks sitting in Hay River, a lot of equipment sitting there that could do the job. The other issue that I have is with respect to camp services. You have water delivery, sewer pump-outs. You need diesel and propane delivery. You need snow clearing, fueling of generators and heaters, communication. I am asking the Premier: was or will these services be tendered out, as well?

A lot of those services actually were needed throughout the summer. We have been operating at the border in that area since COVID-19 came to the North, so a lot of those actually are services that are currently provided by South Slave companies. We recently just put out requests for quotes for snow removal, camp cleaning, and garbage removal. Again, we have asked those from South Slave companies, so more than just northern companies, from regional based companies.

We are dealing with electrical, fuel, and propane equipment. Some of these components require tradespeople when things go sideways. Are those persons, whether it be staff or contractors, qualified to provide the camp maintenance service if there are even camp maintenance services available? My understanding is that we are expecting those monitoring the border to provide some or all of those functions. This just does not make sense to me, so I am just asking the Premier what the department is doing to ensure that those services are provided in a safe manner and that we have got qualified people.

At no time, actually, should border personnel be providing services such as camp maintenance, especially if we are talking about things like electrical and things like that. Those are trades that need to have skilled personnel. Now, I do know that sometimes people will go above and beyond and kind of help out with things as needed. It's not a requirement, Mr. Speaker, and, in fact, it's not even promoted. If it is a skilled trade, no one who does not have that trade certification should be doing it. At this point, all of the camp maintenance is being provided by South Slave companies.

For camps to be established in the NWT, in most instances, there are inspections and permitting required. I would ask the Premier: were the fire marshal, WSCC, health, electrical, and gas inspectors provided advance notice that the camp at the border was to be installed? For the safety of the employees, has the process for installation of camps been followed, or is it not required in this instance? As well, I would ask the Premier: if these shelters that they have out there are not sufficient, will the Premier consider replacing them with self-contained modular units?

The MLA is getting a lot of questions in these four questions. What I can say, Mr. Speaker, is that, when we put out a contract, we do not go to the fire marshal, WSCC, health, gas inspectors, et cetera; we expect the contractors to do that. Otherwise, we would never get any projects off the ground. Any contractor who applies on things is expected to have those in place. If there is a complaint or an issue that is concerning, let me know, and we will check into it because all contractors should be following the legislation and the regulations. If not, that is a more serious issue than camp borders. What I can say, though, as well, is: I made a commitment to the MLA, and I am upholding that, is that right after session is finished, I think it's mid-November, I have committed to going down and seeing those camps myself, recognizing that I am a diamond-driller's daughter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This goes back to my Member's statement on the fire hall in Detah. With the firefighting, it's such a dangerous job. All these guys, all these men and women, put themselves in harm's way. Shout out to all the firefighters in the territories. Hard job, very hard job. Now, with this news of the Ingraham Trail, they are going to be cut off for the services here in April this year. I imagine that it might cause some alarm for the residents. When we are here as MLAs, we have got to try to think out of the box to try to find solutions for our people, and I think this might be a good way. If the Detah hall expanded, it might be a good way to serve the residents of the Ingraham Trail. My question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, and my first question is, Mr. Speaker: will the Minister commit to have MACA explore increased capacity at the Detah fire centre, including additional funding for equipment, vehicles, and training? Marsi cho.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear the Member's concern about the fire services provided. Right now, MACA is in conversation with YKDFN in looking at fire services to be provided. I will keep the Member informed. Also, as those conversations progress, we are looking at alternative solutions, as well, and we are open to doing things differently. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you for the response from Minister. My next question is: will the Minister consider contracting out firefighting services for Ingraham Trail to Detah since the City of Yellowknife stated they will no longer provide services?

This situation right now is quite complex, and I have expressed previously that we do have similar situations like this throughout the Northwest Territories where we have built-up areas outside of the municipal boundary and outside of the community built-up area, as well. However, it does not stop the department from exploring alternative ideas and solutions. Right now, as we progress with the communication with the YKDFN, right now, I cannot commit to offering further services, but I would like to look at the enhancement that is currently offered in Detah and looking at what we can do to provide adequate equipment and services for that community to respond to fires within that area.

Thank you for that response. I understand. It's still early in discussion phases right now. Like I said, it is early on, and this idea is in its infancy right now, so let's see where this goes. I am hoping we could move forward and have something positive come out of it. My last question, Mr. Speaker is: what issues will need to be resolved to get this idea moving forward, and will the Minister commit to meeting with the YKDFN to discuss this idea further?

Municipal and Community Affairs weighs very heavily on the communication and the relationships we have at the community level and also with the Indigenous groups. Absolutely, I will keep the Member informed and looking at what will progress out of the meetings coming forward and looking at solutions to providing fire services.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Housing Corporation does have a silly acronym, CNIT, but it is the core income need threshold for the Northwest Territories. It is determined by zones throughout the territory and looking at the specific needs for household incomes, as well, based on household income and also looking at the power, the water, the heat, and basically the utilities and the insurances for the core income threshold. I will be able to provide the Member with documentation just to further explain how we come up with the calculations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.