Debates of Nov. 3rd, 2020

This is page numbers 1593 - 1652 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 money.

Topics

Oral Questions
Members Present
Prayer
The Benefits and Importance of the Mineral Resource Sector
Training, Skills Development, and Partnerships across the Northwest Territories
Non-Renewable Resource
Land Leases
Indigenous Language Interpreters
Paulatuk Sewage Lagoon Project
Women in Skilled Trades (STEM)
Seniors
Oral Health
Northwest Territories Power Corporation Board
Dental Services in Small Communities
Retirement of Mark Gerlock
Committee Report 6-19(2): Report on Remote Sittings
Motion to Receive Committee Report 6-19(2) and Move into Committee of the Whole
Committee Report 7-19(2): Report on the Review of the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 Annual Reports of the Official Languages Commissioner
Land Leases
Interpreters
Seniors and Elders Strategy
Northwest Territories Economy Support for Service Industry
Northwest Territories Power Corporation Board
Dental Practice in Small Communities
Extension of Water and Sewer Project in Paulatuk
Non-Renewable Resources Sector Support
Change Dental Auxiliaries Act
Isolation Centres
Tabled Document 218-19(2): 2019 Socio-Economic Agreement Report for Mines Operating in the NWT Tabled Document 219-19(2): Economic Context of Ekati Diamond Mine Closing Tabled Document 220-19(2): 2019 Survey of Mining Employees: NWT Bureau of Statistics Tabled Document 221-19(2): 2019 Ekati Diamond Mine Socio-Economic Agreement Report
Tabled Document 222-19(2): Aurora College Corporate Plan, 2020-2021
Tabled Document 223-19(2): Economic Context of Ekati Diamond Mine Closing Tabled Document 224-19(2): Government Revenues as Reported in the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act Annual Reports from Dominion Diamond (Ekati) Tabled Document 225-19(2): 2019 Ekati Diamond Mine Socio-Economic Agreement Report
Appointment of Law Clerk
Appointment of Sole Adjudicators
Changes to Committees Membership
Extended Adjournment of the House to February 3, 2020
Bill 20: An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act
Bill 17: An Act to Amend the Corrections Act
Bill 18: An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No.2, 2020-2021 - Deletion of $8,277,000 from Department of Health and Social Services COVID Secretariat
Recorded Vote
Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No.2, 2020-2021 - Deletion of $5,000,000 from Department of Health and Social Services COVID Secretariat
Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021
Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Bill 15: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2020
Recorded Vote
Orders Of The Day

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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Yes I do.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

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

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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, today we have the deputy minister of Finance, Sandy Kalgutkar, and Jamie Koe, deputy secretary to the Financial Management Board.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. I will now open the floor for general comments. Seeing no further general comments, we will review the supplementary estimates by department. Committee has agreed to begin the review with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. I will now open the floor to general comments on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. If there are no further comments, does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Committee, we will begin at page 4. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, early childhood and school services not previously authorized, $10,901,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Please turn to page 5. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, income security, not previously authorized, $2,551,000. Member for Yellowknife North.

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I see there is an increase to income security here, but I also remember previously that our projections for income security as a whole and income assistance, which is income assistance, were going to be much higher due to COVID-19. Can I just get an update of whether we have those projections or if we expect another supplementary appropriation under the income security head? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do not have any information. I don't have those numbers in front of me, but I would ask that you check if the deputy minister might have those numbers. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Deputy minister.

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Kalgutkar

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We are in the process of updating our department total variance reports for the second quarter, and as we go through the year and look at our third quarter variances, if some departments are showing some pressures in specific areas, then we might be looking at doing a supplemental for some of those areas. The uptake in income security might be one of those areas. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, income security, not previously authorized, $2,551,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Education, Culture and Employment, total department, not previously authorized, $13,452,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Committee, we will now consider the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, page 8. I will now open the floor to general comments on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. If there are no further comments, does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Committee, we are on page 6. Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, corporate management, not previously authorized, $58,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, total department, not previously authorized, $58,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Committee, we will now consider the Department of Finance on page 7. I will now open the floor to general comments on the Department of Finance. If there are no further comments, does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.