This is page numbers 1111 - 1152 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Topics

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

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, committee. I am going to go right to detail for this Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, $36,398,000. Questions? Comments? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I'm just looking at some of these line items. I probably will have questions for any time I see "various" on it because it's good to know, a good breakdown. Again, jobs are hard to come by. Contracts are hard to come by, especially in the small communities, and it will be just nice to know some of the breakdowns of this because it does mean a lot, have an impact on jobs for this fiscal year. Just get the Minister to give us a breakdown, what the various items mean? Marsi cho.

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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance, the ones that have various beside them.

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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, Madam Chair. I do note a list of them, and I anticipate that the ones that are along roadways, for instance, Highway No. 8 reconstruction, various meaning along the roadway. I'm not sure that we'd be in a position, at this point, to breakdown. I'm just double checking what I do have in front of me. I don't think we're in a position, Madam Chair, to breakdown each and every location at which, for example, culvert replacement would have occurred or which bridge anywhere in the Northwest Territories might necessarily would have been worked on. It certainly can be provided. Madam Chair, I think I would have to provide a more detailed breakdown and commit to provide that more detailed breakdown at another time.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Madam Chair. Maybe I could probably just make it a little more simplified again. What I'm trying to get is: to make sure that small communities, and there's more of an equal opportunity there for small communities. If you get a breakdown of, say, Yellowknife and larger centres, how much they get, and what did the rest of the small communities get is what I'd like to ask. Thank you.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Certainly, if it's broken down in that way, that's not a problem. I anticipate, though, the needs assessment is not so much in order to give money to the communities so much as it's to ensure that assets are being maintained to a certain level. It matters not to me how the Member wants to take the information. We'll get the information to the Member, and he can use it in however he sees fit.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

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

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm okay with that, just as long as we get something. Just so we know, it will give us a good snapshot of where these allocations are going, and I think the people know. Marsi cho.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

You have no further questions? Thank you. Any other further question, comments, for page 14 under asset management, not previously authorized? Asset management, not previously authorized, $36,398,000. Does committee agree?

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

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Now, we'll move onto corporate management, not previously authorized, $12,365,000. Questions? Comments? Member for Yellowknife Centre.

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can the Minister tell us how much of this spending is going to be spent in the North and/or with Indigenous northern companies? Is that something that's known at this point?

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, these are carryover amounts. They'd already been committed as part of the project, so it would really be a breakdown of the entirety of the project, which is not necessarily information I have right in front of me here in terms of each and every contract that's been awarded under the project or that might yet be awarded under the project. Although, we can certainly provide a more detailed breakdown of those projects. Both of these are fairly long-term projects and I expect will be part of capital planning process that's getting started next month. That information should be readily available.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

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

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Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, I appreciate the Minister pulling this information together. We learned sometime recently that 10 percent of the Slave Geological Province contracts have actually gone to northern contractors. I'm interested to know what it looks like for the Mount Gaudet access road and for the Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment. I would appreciate receiving that information. Thank you.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Did you have any other questions? Member for Frame Lake.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. This page, there is an amount of over $10 million for Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment. When I look at the review board public registry for the environmental assessment of the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the last document posted there is November 28, 2018. Can someone tell me what's happened for the last two years with this environmental assessment and why GNWT doesn't seem to be doing anything? Thanks, Madam Chair.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Finance.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Some of the negotiation processes that went on were with the Indigenous governments along the highway. For instance, an MOU was signed between SSI chairperson and the Minister of Infrastructure back on April 10, 2019, so that was a fairly significant step that took some time to get to. With that underway, now those organizations need to undertake the work there contained therein. With that, at this point, that then allowed them to move forward and take the next steps required to continue the environmental assessment process. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. The last piece of correspondence I can see from GNWT on the public registry is dated November 29, 2018. It's a promise that there is further work that's going to take place and that government's going to update the board with regard to its anticipated timelines. When does this government expect to re-engage with the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board restart this process? It's been like a year and a half since they've communicated with the review board. What is going on? Thanks, Madam Chair.