This is page numbers 557 - 606 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 thanks.

Topics

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Norn. Does committee agree?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

We will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we will call the committee back to order. We have agreed to consider Tabled Document 30-19(2), Main Estimates 2020-2021. Does the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources have any opening remarks?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yes, Madam Chair, I do. I am here to present the 2020-2021 Main Estimates for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $10.7 million, or 12 percent, over the 2019-2020 Main Estimates. These estimates support our fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending while matching the modest expected revenue growth over the upcoming years.

Highlights of these proposed estimates include:

  • $5.9 million in additional federal funding to support activities related to boreal caribou habitat protection under the Section 11 agreement, new measures to support recovery of the Bathurst and Bluenose-East barren-ground caribou herds, and the establishment and management of three new protected areas under the Canada Nature Fund agreement;
  • $4.6 million in forced-growth funding to address increased costs with the UNW collective bargaining, air tanker contract renewals, and wildlife surveys along the Inuvik Tuktoyaktuk Highway;
  • $175,000 in funds to complete negotiations for candidate protected areas; and
  • $774,000 in funding decreases due to program sunsets related to French-language communications, the Bathurst caribou Jay pipe project, the feasibility work for the Centre for Northern Sustainability, and one-time funding received for climate change reporting and outreach.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly by:

  • strengthening the government's leadership and authority on climate change through research and monitoring to help understand the cumulative impacts on our ecosystems and to ensure these are considered when the government makes decisions;
  • ongoing work with the federal government and co-management partners to complete boreal caribou range planning and enhanced actions to support barren-ground caribou conservation and recovery in the Northwest Territories;
  • advancing conservation planning through the establishment of two protected areas, Thaidene Nene and Ts'ude Niline Tuyeta, as well as continued work towards the establishment of Dinaga Wek'ehodi; and
  • advancing transboundary water agreements; this includes our existing agreements with Alberta and British Columbia as well as negotiating an updated agreement with Yukon and the establishment of an agreement with Saskatchewan.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Does the Minister wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yes, I do, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

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

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Chair. With me today are Deputy Minister Erin Kelly, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of Operations Brett Elkin, as well as Director of Finance and Capital Planning Joyce Taylor. As well, in the witness room, we have Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change Nathen Richea. With committee's approval, we would like to move water up the scale because of a prior commitment for the acting deputy minister. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Does the committee agree if that is okay?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

All right, so does the Minister want to do that section now?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Right now, once we get this part done. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

All right, so 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?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

All right, committee. We will defer the departmental summary and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning with corporate management, starting on page 68, with information items on pages 70 up to 71. Questions? Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I just want to say one quick remark, that it's a pleasure to see this department actually get an increase in resources this time. That was not the case in the last Assembly, where each of their budgets was cut over four years, and that was not a great place to start. I want to ask, though: ENR has a strategic plan that goes from 2015 to 2020, and I am just wondering if there are plans to develop a new strategic plan? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Chair. Presently, that is what we are looking into moving forward. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Can the Minister just provide a little bit more detail? Is the department going to prepare a new strategic plan or not, yes or no? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of ENR.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yes, we can. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I will take that as a "will." I want to ask; there were a couple of things from the last strategic plan that I don't think have been completed. One was a regional studies policy under the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act. I know that this is federal legislation, but I guess GNWT has been delegated the ability to carry out a regional study. Do we actually have a policy completed for that function? Thanks, Madam Chair.