Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that the committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services at this time. Marsi cho.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on October 28th, 2020. See this topic in context.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Some Hon. Members
Question.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Question has been called. All in favour? All opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Consideration of the departmental summary has been deferred. Thank you to the Minister and the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.
We will now move onto the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. Does the Minister wish to bring in any witnesses?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses to the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce her witness?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to introduce Ms. Eleanor Young, the deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Minister, and welcome, Deputy Minister Young. The committee has agreed to forego general comments, so does the committee agree that we will proceed to the detail in the tabled document?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Committee, we will defer the departmental totals and review the estimates by activity summary beginning with regional operations on page 62 with information items on page 63. Does committee have any questions or comments? Member for Yellowknife North.
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Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. I recognize there's been a number of discussions about closing our municipal infrastructure gap, but I'm happy to see that the Minister committed to bringing forward some funding both for COVID relief and to close the gap. I'm looking at the $29 million here for capital that goes to communities. Can I just get a sense of how much that number should be if we had closed the gap? What is the actual gap on the capital infrastructure here? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. We did allocate additional funding this year. I will have Ms. Young elaborate on the response. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. The gap, as we estimate it for all communities, is a total of $69 million for capital, and we are currently funding at roughly $45 million. The gap currently is $24.3 million a year.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. My understanding is that, when we actually did the formula, there were a number of communities that were overfunded. I think this has created kind of a bit of a problem in that some communities care about the infrastructure gap and others don't. I think it also doesn't make sense that we identified a policy and then said some people are overfunded and did nothing about it. Is the department looking at addressing the overfunded communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. The Northwest Territories does have a different amount of communities, I don't want to say restrictions, but we do have designated communities, as well. It's kind of complicated how money is distributed. I'll have Ms. Young just elaborate on the overfunded communities. Thank you.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. As the work was done in 2014, based on the policy decisions about what was funded and not funded as part of the infrastructure package, there were some of the smaller communities in particular where the amount of funding they were getting was more than what their annual need was, but the recommendation of the association and the decision of the government of the day was to freeze those communities and not take money away from them to fund the others. We would catch up through a policy growth so that those folks would eventually catch up until we were caught up for the full funding. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. Actually, that's the first time I've understood that we just simply froze them and they will eventually catch up. I am actually happy to hear that because I think, when you get all 33 communities to recognize they are all underfunded, maybe we'll get a little more political will to close this. My other question I'm wondering is that we did this big assessment in 2014 and we have the Community Public Infrastructure Funding Policy, which kind of recognizes that this is the ideal formula, but we're not using it. I have struggled to kind of understand this. The other issue that I know arises is that we did this work in 2014, but communities often go out and get federal dollars unrelated to us and build their own infrastructure. Are we presently monitoring that, or is that infrastructure then being adjusted into the formula? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. With the federal money that is being applied for through the federal government and for the communities, we do support and look at those applications as they are being processed and submitted. We do take that into consideration, as well, but not toward the funding gap. I'll just have Ms. Young elaborate on that. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. We actually support the communities when they are accessing a lot of those federal pots. More to your question, when we do regularly update the numbers, with infrastructure in particular, we choose to use a third-party data source to help us update the numbers. What we use is the NWT Association of Communities Insurance Program and their appraisal process as a way to validate what infrastructure is built and what the value of that infrastructure is for the purposes of calculating the updated numbers. That is the mechanism we use to update numbers for the cost of the infrastructure. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. A general comment is that I consider myself relatively competent, and I've tried to understand this issue multiple times. It's very confusing when you go look at the formula and then you look at the policy and then you look at the different assessments. There seems to lack some consistency. Even community governments, when they submit their plans, are unsure whether they are in compliance, and I think this has caused a lot of frustration in general. Can the Minister speak to efforts we are doing to provide some more certainty to this formula and whether there is any intention to bring it into regulation or legislation? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will revert the question over to Ms. Young. Thank you.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. Although it doesn't show on the formal list of legislative priorities, we actually have all of our funding policies scheduled for update during the life of this government, starting with our water and sewer funding policy, then moving to the operations funding, and then finally to the capital. That clarity will be there, for sure. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am very glad that we will be updating all of those policies, and hopefully, we can bring a little more certainty to this area. My last one is a bit of a political pitch: I really do believe that investing in our communities is the best bang for our buck. I believe they spend that money in the communities and they are far more capable of delivering some of the services we as a government do. I really think the future of the NWT should be devolving more powers to both Indigenous and community governments and delivering those services locally. We have done a lot of that, but we haven't backed it up with the funding, which really just doesn't help anyone and results in worse services being delivered. My final question for the Minister is: I can't vote for this right now without a clearer path on how we are actually going to close this gap, especially given the hit municipalities have taken. Is the Minister willing to increase the municipal funding gap as I see it here? Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. What I will say, and one of the things that was a little difficult this year because of the order of things, the funding that was approved in the spring, we actually were recently consulted with the NWTAC and part of our conversation was using some of that money through their O and M funding to use for capital purposes so that we would be directing some of that mandate increase to capital, which is what we had hoped to do. Unfortunately, the timing of the capital plan and the operating budget didn't allow for the mandate funding to be approved in that manner, but the mandate objective of the government to put $5 million toward the funding gap. That is the mechanism we're using to put funding into capital for this year, and then we will use the processes available to us to keep chipping away at it. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Just in listening to the line of questioning from my colleague from Yellowknife North, designated communities came up, I think. I just want to get that expanded, if I could get a definition expanded of what are designated communities and what they mean by that. Marsi cho.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. There is, not a difference but then these are communities that still have -- I don't want to use the word "jurisdiction," either. They still have federal funding that supports their operation, as well, but they are within the territory, as well. It's quite complicated to explain. I will revert this over to Ms. Young. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to clarify, was it how the designated authorities or smaller communities are funded for infrastructure? I didn't quite hear the question.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. During the questioning earlier, I heard one of my colleagues bring up the term "designated communities." I just wanted to get a definition of what these designated communities are, just to expand on that a little. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
It's a term that we use, but essentially just to recognize the difference between those communities that are created under territorial legislation, such as hamlets and cities and towns and villages, versus the communities where it is a First Nation government, where we have a contract for the provision of municipal services. It's not a legislated arrangement; it's a contract arrangement. At the end of the day, in terms of the way we calculate their funding and the infrastructure that is provided for the provision of municipal services, we calculate it the same way regardless of the type of community that exists. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for that response. Just to expand it a little more, how many of these communities are designated communities and which communities would that be? Thank you.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't have a list, and for the number, I don't have that with me right now. I will just revert this to Ms. Young. Hopefully, she has the list. Thank you.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
I do. Thank you, Madam Chair. I will run through it quickly. It's 10 communities. It's Colville Lake, Detah -- sorry, I'm just running down my list very quickly, here -- Jean Marie River, Kakisa, K'atlodeeche, Lutselk'e, Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake, and Wrigley. I believe I've got them all. Sorry. Although it's not a designated authority, we do count Deline in that for the same reason. It's not territorial legislation; it's its own self-government agreement. It is just not under municipal legislation, and that's why we are calling it that for that purpose only, recognizing that it is a full self-government. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Do you have anything else?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Thank you for that. It's good to know who of that list who are in my riding. I have nothing further. If I have anything else, I'll probably do it in writing. Marsi cho.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. The mandate commitment from Cabinet is to reduce the municipal funding gap by $5 million. I'm just wondering, the $5 million, is that the total funding gap, or is it just on the capital side, the O and M, the water and sewer, which I guess I was calling environmental? Where is the intention to make up $5 million? Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. What Ms. Young had explained is that this was not a part of our budget that we last had put forward. We did speak about this just prior. I'll have her just elaborate on the $5 million and how it's calculated and what funding would be used for. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. The intention is to reduce the total gap by $5 million, and then we've engaged with the NWTAC, as I've said, for the first portion of that, the $2.5 million that was approved in April, to have a conversation about where to put the priority. Just for sake, we mentioned the number of $20.4 million in the capital gap, that's roughly 60 percent of the gap currently. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. What is the total funding gap right now, then? I'm sorry. I don't have a calculator in front of me. Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll revert this question to Ms. Young again. Thank you.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. The total gap is currently $40.4 million per year.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. Wow. That's a lot of money. Forty point four million dollars a year that we're shortchanging our community governments and we have a mandate commitment to help reduce that by $5 million. Not terribly ambitious, in my point of view. I was in the last Assembly. I know the work that went into the municipal funding gap review. There were GNWT people on it; there was NWTAC; there were people from the tax base communities, the non-tax base communities. There was a lot of work that went into that, too. Try to move us away from a per-capita funding formula to something that's more evidence-based and needs-based. We've got to change the policy that's in place. The question for the Minister is: all we're going to achieve in four years is to reduce the funding gap by $5 million when it's actually $40 million? We can't get a little more ambitious than that? Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm going to revert this to Ms. Young again. Yes, I hear that. It's just only $5 million. The municipal gap, like she had said. Is $40.4 million. It's a large number. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. We are using all of the processes available to us to try to seek additional funding. I do recognize that we're competing against many other departments, as you're aware, for limited funding. As you know from the past government, we did struggle to even keep pace with the gap. If we can achieve $5 million that's a significant accomplishment compared to what we have done, although there is a long way to go. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. I guess I'll try to find a diplomatic way to say this. When I ask a political question, I'd like to get a political answer from the Minister. I appreciate that her staff work very hard. I appreciate all the work that they do, but that was really more of a political question. I'm worried though. With inflation and so on, we're probably still losing ground at this rate. If we could only get an increase of $5 million in the gap by the end of this Assembly, I think we may still be losing ground. I'm already on the public record saying I'm going to find it very difficult to support the capital estimates without an increase in funding to our community governments. That's a political statement. I don't expect an answer. We just can't continue to underfund our community governments and expect that our residents are going to have the quality of life that people deserve. Not quite sure what else I can say at this point, Madam Chair. Cabinet needs to find more money to put into the capital estimates to support our community governments. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to come back to the work done by the association of communities around determining the gap and such. I know at one point that they had done some work around climate change on infrastructure. I'm just curious: there was some debate at the time, put it that way, with some of the professional associations that as to the methodology maybe or the numbers that were arrived at. I'm wondering how much that has factored in that specific study or the climate change impacts on infrastructure to your estimates here for the gap?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
[Microphone turned off] ...Madam Chair. I recognize that we do have climate changes throughout our territory. We have receding riverbanks and deteriorating shorelines, and this is federal funding approach that we would be working with the communities to submit additional requests for funding. I just cannot remember the name of the funding program. I'll just have Ms. Young elaborate on the response. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. For the calculation of the funding amounts in gap, this study that you're referencing didn't factor directly into it. It was replacement costs of infrastructure within categories that was calculated into it. Although, as the Minister said, we're using the other programs, such as the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program and other tools such as that to address the climate change parts of the infrastructure challenges that we're facing. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you. I would just like to clarify. You're saying is that, while you didn't use that specific study for that amount, you are addressing the climate change issues by looking to other pots of funding, not this gap funding? She's nodding yes, so I don't need an answer.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
I'm just going to get it for the record. Deputy Minister Young, did you want to answer that on record? Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that is correct. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
Thank you, Madam Chair. Can the Minister explain to me how she collaborates with the communities in order to hear what their needs are? I just want to reiterate what my colleague was saying, that I do agree, as well, with the sort of devolution of infrastructure to the communities. I'd just like the Minister to maybe elaborate a little bit further on that. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. The collaboration, at the community level, we do have the consultation that happens between our office and the municipalities. When this study was done -- I would like Ms. Young to just elaborate on that a little bit. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think the exercise we used for the funding gap was indicative of pretty much everything we do with communities. As MLA O'Reilly mentioned, we had, I believe it was 17 members of community governments, both elected and staff, sit on a committee on the funding gap. Any initiative that we do, whether it's review of funding policies, review of legislation, negotiating a new federal agreement and trying to understand where to put the priorities for it, any of these kinds of things, we do engage either at the elected level through the association of communities or through the staff level as what's called the local government administrators, to get both the staff and the elected official perspective on whatever it is that we are dealing with. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Katrina Nokleby Great Slave
I had a question. It just went out of my head, so I think that is it. If not, I will just send it over to the Minister later. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I am going to start off with a comment. I agree with what my colleagues on this side of the House are saying, that this is not going to help us close the municipal funding gap and that the 19th Assembly needs to do better when it comes to closing the municipal funding gap. Closing the municipal funding gap, we have talked a lot about empowering communities if we want communities to be able to take on greater decision-making capabilities, if we want them to do program development. This week alone, we have talked a lot about after-care resources, we have talked a lot about addiction supports. If we want to be able to work with municipalities to be able to run these kinds of programs, then we need to empower them financially to do so.
There is also the element of jobs. The Conference Board of Canada has come out and has said that municipalities create twice the amount of jobs per million that territorial or provincial levels of government are able to create, and so it's a job piece, as well. It turns around and creates jobs in small communities, which is also another mandate item for the 19th Assembly. On top of that, I do not think it's a stretch to say this funding is a mental-health piece. Right now, in the middle of COVID, this funding goes directly to our municipalities and our communities to be able to build and create and run facilities that keep our kids active and that keep our kids busy, and so this money is very important in order to play a key role in keeping our kids active at a time when we desperately need it. I would definitely like to highlight that these dollars have to do with community wellness and our imperative to being able to allow communities to grow programs and grow facilities so that our Northerners have stuff to do.
The question I have is: if this is the capital money going towards communities -- we have communities like Yellowknife that are looking at major capital projects. For example, the City of Yellowknife is doing the water submarine line right now, and they have gone through the process of getting capital dollars through the federal government to be able to fund that. That funding leaves on the table a need for $8.6 million to be able to fully fund that project. With this kind of closure of the municipal funding gap, we are not there yet, so is the GNWT prepared to support the need for an additional $8.6 million for the water submarine pipeline for the City of Yellowknife? Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am familiar with the water sewer line for Yellowknife. We also have a similar situation in Inuvik, as well, and looking at that, the funding that is available. I am familiar that they did have a federal application going forward, but I will refer the response to Ms. Young for a further update. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. This funding would be one of the tools to assist in supporting that cost-share requirement for federal programming. There are other opportunities that we are trying to support the city with. As you can imagine, an amount like $5 million, even if we were to say it was $5 million going strictly to this funding pot, it does get distributed to a formula, so it does not go specifically to one community or one project. That is the way that our funding program works, so we do not have specific community projects on the GNWT capital plan. It's done through a formula basis, and those are choices the community makes. However, we have tried to support them to identify other cost-share opportunities.
The other thing that we are trying to do is have some significant conversations with Canada about this 75-25 cost-share component because it does put a significant burden on communities when they are applying for federal funding. There are lots of federal opportunities that come out there, but if they have to put 25-cent dollars to every one that they apply on, they very quickly run out of the money that is available for cost-share. We are also using that approach to see if we cannot work with Canada specifically on the city program because, that particular funding program, depending on the type of applicant, some projects were 100-percent funded and some were 75 percent. We are trying to advocate that the city's application should have been considered as 100-percent funded to help them out of this situation. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thanks very much, Madam Chair. No. I value what the deputy minister has just pointed out, and I think it's a really important message for the government to hear. I find it ironic at times that, with a federal government that is pushing so heavily on social supports and housing, that really it's this 75-25 that ends up tying up a lot of our territorial dollars in stuff like infrastructure, which is definitely valuable and definitely important. It means that there are no dollars left over for capital projects like housing and capital projects that support addictions treatment in the Northwest Territories, which we have heard so much about on the floor this week. I think that the federal government hearing that message, that 75-25 just simply does not work for the Northwest Territories, is so important. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Frieda Martselos Thebacha
I am also concerned about the municipal funding gap, especially when it comes to the community of Fort Smith. The question is, for me: the formula funding is based on per capita; am I correct?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. There was a study that was done and a report that was done, I think, in the last government, and how they determined and came up with those numbers, I am going to refer the question to Ms. Eleanor Young. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will try to do this in a few sentences, and then we will offer a briefing with more detail if Members are interested. The way that this was built was: we started with capital and core capital needs for every community. Then we built on what the operating costs would cost for each of those types of infrastructure. If it was running a water plant or running a gym, what would the operating costs be that were tied to that infrastructure? Then on top of that, built program dollars that were not specifically tied to the infrastructure. For example, if you are running a recreation program that can run out of any facility, how much on top of that would be required for recreation programs or council expenses or things that were not tied to the specific piece of infrastructure. It was a multi-layered approach, but it started with the core infrastructure in the community and then built from there. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Frieda Martselos Thebacha
On page 63, we have all the communities listed, and it says "estimated completion," or they don't have any allocations. I am wondering if the allocations to the communities are equal per capita with the formula funding.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Frieda Martselos Thebacha
[Microphone turned off] ...who decides that? I want to know who actually decides, who makes those decisions.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to revert the question to Ms. Eleanor Young because the communities operate very differently in the Northwest Territories, and I will have her explain. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. The first thing to clarify is it is not calculated per capita, so it is not designed that way for communities. It is based on the replacement cost of the infrastructure that exists in the community. There are differences, for example, in the type of water plant that a community needs, based on the source water and the size of the community. It's not equal per community, because those costs are significantly different in each community. The amount of funding for each community does differ, and it's based on that formula calculation that makes the determination on what funding goes to what community. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Frieda Martselos Thebacha
Thank you, Madam Chair. My other question was not answered: who decides on which project is going to be replaced or an old infrastructure is going to be replaced within a community? Because a lot of our communities, including Fort Smith, have a lot of old infrastructure that has never, ever been replaced, from the time that I can remember. I'm just wondering: who decides that? Is it one person? Is it a board? How is that decided, the criteria, the terms of reference? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Within our budget, 87 percent of the budget is allocated to the municipalities. At that time, they submit a capital plan. They decide what money they are going to be investing into what capital projects, what infrastructure projects, what their budget is going to be looking like for the next year. The decision lies within the community. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Frieda Martselos Thebacha
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I'm getting at the point that a lot of our communities, including our smaller communities and regional centres, have a lot of aging buildings and infrastructure. How is that addressed within this capital allocation?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Those determinations are that we do look at the infrastructure projects or buildings that are existing in the communities. We do look at their lifespan at the community level, but once again, the decision lies within the community. Whether they are going to be addressing those issues or replacements, it lies within the community. Whether they decide that that is going to be a priority of their budget for that year, ultimately, the decision lies there. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Frieda Martselos Thebacha
I would like clarity, Madam Chair. You only have $29 million, okay? You have 33 communities. If you ended up having to say that some communities are going to be left out, I just want to know, when a community puts in what their wants are, who decides on who is going to get what? That's what I'm asking. There has to be somebody. We hold the funds here. It's not up to the community. It has to be up to somebody saying, "Yes, you can have it this year," or, "You can't have it this year and only next year," because there seems to be kind of a cloud that I'm not getting clarity on. I just want clarity, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
[Microphone not on] ...we're looking at the allocation of funding and when money is distributed at the community level. I want to just use a grass-roots explanation. I come from the community of Fort Good Hope. They have a deteriorating arena right now, and it's up to them whether they are going to continue that project and whether they are going to use those capital dollars for what the intention was, should they decide to say, "Well, no. We're not going to use this for our arena. We're going to put the money into road maintenance." Looking at that decision, it is made at the community level. MACA also does understand and does see. When we realize that we have deteriorating infrastructure, we do lobby, and we do work with the federal government to make sure that we have additional partnerships to make sure that these infrastructure projects are recognized. We do work with them. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think the Minister is very correct. The local councils are the ultimate decision-making authority. The one thing I would add, though, is that there are a number of things that the department does to assist with some of that information so that they have all of the information to make those decisions. We do have, for example, asset management information for the communities to help understand what lifespan is left in a building or whether it is past its lifespan and what the cost of replacement is. Where possible, we try to share information between communities to help get cost efficiencies and replacement of infrastructure. There are a number of things we try to do to facilitate that process and help with the decision-making, but the ultimate decision on whether or not to go ahead with the project does lie with the community. That is where the decision-making authority lies. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. No. Just in regard to Mr. O'Reilly's statement earlier about short-changing our communities: my riding is the most northerly riding, with the highest cost of living. I have the capital funding gap that we do have, and we pushed the pressure on the community so much. For the busing, for instance, for Tuktoyaktuk, we don't have a bus that drives from Reindeer Point, which is 5 kilometres out of the community. Reindeer Point is a subdivision of Tuktoyaktuk. That's where Tuktoyaktuk is being built, now. We don't have any new buildings north of the graveyard in my home community of Tuktoyaktuk.
That being said, the stress on the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk right now to provide busing and the safety of my residents of Tuktoyaktuk, it's not there. I got another email today. We have a council meeting tomorrow. They're trying to find funding for busing. If our government is short-changing, it's just like -- again, Tuktoyaktuk for instance, our fire truck is 33 years old or 31 years old. It's obsolete. We're putting them in a position where we don't want to be putting them. Where does that come into effect, in regard to making our communities make too many tough choices in regard to trying to provide services with what little they get? Tell me now, with this $5 million that we're getting over the next four years, is it $2.5 million a year or is it $5 million for this year and another $5 million for the next three? I'll let them answer those questions. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Right now, we have $2.5 million, and we are in conversation with the association of communities on how we are going to look at distributing this money throughout the territory. I understand your concern is looking at the transportation for, what is it, Reindeer Point in your riding? We have worked with your community in looking at trying to find alternative solutions. We do lobby the federal government, as well, for transportation services throughout our territory and look at our isolated communities, as well. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Jackie Jacobson Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. Going back when I was younger and sitting on hamlet council, I remember a former Premier coming to Tuktoyaktuk and offering the New Deal. It's the greatest thing that ever happened to this territory, the New Deal. They told us in our hamlet council meeting, "You are never going to have to worry about busing for your community, because the government, we're going to make sure you have it." That's when we were moving out of Tuktoyaktuk. We had no choice but to leave the community. That being said, we've been trying to find that in writing. We can't find it, for the busing, to hold this prior government accountable for busing for the community. That being said, though, I guess if you're dealing with the association of communities, I really think that there should be a line item in there for busing for the small communities, especially above north of 60, in regard to safety of our children.
Ice is coming in; ice has formed, now. Polar bears are coming into communities like Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Tuktoyaktuk. Finding a pot of money that is a line item, it's more of a comment, but this has to be done. We can't keep pushing this aside. I have been bringing it up prior to this, with no avail. We have to find a line item in the MACA expenditures under community associations to have busing. In regard to this, it's a safety issue, and that is how it has got to be looked at. I am not going to say, down in Yellowknife, they have buses; you see 25 buses here. That is not the point. All I need is a little bus that is going to take my people to be able to go shopping instead of paying a $30 taxi ride there and back to go get groceries. I am not saying nothing about my taxi companies now, but that is what the cost is. My community of Tuktoyaktuk and the mayor and my councillors, the pressure that they have from the community, we need to help them. I am here to help them, so help me help you. I will make you look good. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just for the Member, we are working with your community. This is a concern that was brought up, and we are working with them to identify solutions. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you. Any further comments, questions? All right. Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Member for Hay River South.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I guess, some comments: the community government of Hay River, they are feeling the impact of the gap. The residents are feeling the impact. In Hay River, we have got flooding issues. There are costs associated with that, so we are feeling that, as well. This year, we have been on an 80-day boil-water advisory. We have problems with our water treatment plant, which looks like it may have to be replaced. We have trouble with our water line that is extended, I think, 8 kilometres out into the lake. There are a number of issues there. I know our infrastructure is aging. We need highway rescue equipment. We have talked about it for years, and funding never seems to come.
When I listen to the conversations here, I am under the impression that we are not going to solve this in our time. We are going to continue this conversation next year and the year after and the year after. When I hear that and I look at that, I wonder where the federal government is because, really, at the end of the day, that is where we have to go when we are in a bind. I would like to ask the Minister: what discussions have we had with the federal government to try to close that gap so that our communities can operate properly? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Paulie Chinna Sahtu
Thank you, Madam Chair. Earlier this year, I did have a conversation with the federal Minister and just speaking about the underfunded communities, as well, and brought this to their attention. However, going forward, I do hear the Member's frustration, looking at his riding, as well, and the amount of significant work that needs to be done there. I am going to revert the question over to Ms. Eleanor Young to give a more current update. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Young
Thank you, Madam Chair. Absolutely. As the Minister said, every opportunity we can, particularly with Infrastructure Canada, we have lobbied for many years to have additional funding to the territory beyond the per-capita approach that has been used in the provinces, we have called it a base-plus approach, so that there can be additional funding. We have always, even internally within the GNWT, how much comes to communities versus how much goes to territorial infrastructure is a conversation every time there is a new funding pot. However, we have been very successful getting a lot of money over the last number of years, and we need to continue to do that.
I am happy to say, specific to the example that you raise, we actually had staff support the Town of Hay River to do a review of their water plant, and they actually did a presentation to council earlier this week and are starting to support the town in writing an application for the Investing in Canada Plan. We are just in the process of rolling out an application process for $82 million that is left in our Investing in Canada Plan money for community governments. They all received application forms over the last couple of weeks, so that is the next opportunity for federal funding that we are trying to support, communities applying for money under that particular program. We do everything we can with any new program coming up to try to get money for communities that fits within whatever priority the federal government has put to the infrastructure program. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Rocky Simpson Hay River South
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think most of the questions and concerns have been raised, but one thing is that, with the way the economy is with COVID, I don't expect the gap to be filled by the residents of the Northwest Territories. Taxes just are not there anymore. Our revenue from mining, et cetera, just is not there. I think that I would urge this government to seriously sit down with the federal government and see what we can do in these times because this is not going to be over next year or the year after, so this is going to be an ongoing thing. We can talk about it. We can spin it whichever way we want, but at the end of the day, we have to find the money from somewhere. It's not going to come from the residents, and it's not going to come from the businesses at this point in time. I would urge that we look at the federal government, and I urge the Minister to move in that direction. Thank you.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Member. I did not really hear a question. Just a comment? Okay. Are there any further questions or comments under this activity? Seeing none, I will call the activity. Municipal and Community Affairs, regional operations, infrastructure investments, $29 million. Does committee agree?
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 43-18(3): Tabled Document 181-19(2): Capital Estimates 2020-2021 - Health and Social Services - Deferral of Department (page 29), Carried
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Members. Please return now to the departmental summary found on page 61, Municipal and Community Affairs, 2021-2022 Capital Estimates, $29 million. Mr. Norn.