This is page numbers 1055 - 1110 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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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Health and Social Services.

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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Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. The heating system, the furnace for the Woodland Manor long-term care facility was failing and no longer could be repaired and required replacement. It's anticipated it will be completed in the prior year. It is for the Woodland Manor long-term care.

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 Health and Social Services. Member for Hay River South.

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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Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. No more questions.

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 for Nunakput.

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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Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Chair. In regards to long-term care in Inuvik in regards to the 48 beds with the carry-over, the $1.446 million, where is that in this project and how is it going to affect my elders in my riding? 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, Member. Minister of Finance.

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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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't know the exact stage of the project. I can find out the stage of the project, and that would hopefully provide the Member with a bit more certainty as to the timing of the project and how that would benefit, hopefully, his members.

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 Nunakput.

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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Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's not going to benefit my riding. Where is the geotech work in regard to this? These long-term beds, you've got 25 beds in Inuvik right now. You're going to get another 48. That's 78 beds. That's probably 200 jobs that's going to create in Inuvik for this project. Now, what are you going to do with the elders in my riding in regard to bringing them in? I brought this up at the start. It's like you're going to be plucking elders out of the community again, when we know the cost of travel between our communities is over, probably, $2,000 from Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Paulatuk, when we should be trying to put a smaller building in the community. Forty-eight beds, that's kind of a big thing. I'm sorry to bring it up like that, Madam Chair. For myself, how I look at it, it's residential school all over again, taking people out of their homes. Families want to take care of our loved ones, our elders. Being an Inuvialuit, you should know that in regard to that. I don't approve of these 48 beds. I need five beds, six beds, in Ulukhaktok. I need the same thing in Paulatuk to take care of our own. Again, it's all the bigger centres that, the blink of an eye, they're going to be ready to spend their money. For us, it's a have-not riding right now. It's not right. I really want to think before, if they didn't start their geotech, maybe they should downsize just a little bit, here, throw 30 beds or 20 beds you don't need,and have 45, not 78. I'm appalled the way that things are going, that this government, the way they are seeing how they're treating our elders. Like I said, we want to take care of our own. Inuvialuit, we take care of our own. I really think this should be rethought instead of just throwing another 48 beds because you could throw 48 beds that was done by the last government. 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, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Finance.

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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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Chair. This project is part of a capital plan that was approved not by any Member here in this Assembly but by the prior Assembly. Certainly, when the next capital plan comes forward, then that certainly will be an opportunity to question why. If there is not a project at that point in one of the smaller communities, that would be an opportunity to press any Member of Cabinet with what those plans might be going forward. At this point, what we are doing is carrying over money on a project that is already underway, that was already approved. I'm not sure that we'll be in a position to create a new project right now, on the fly, in this context. All the departments, of course, are starting to think about their next round of capital planning. In hearing the passion that the Member brings to this, that is certainly being heard both here and, I'm sure, back in the departments, as well, as they are listening to this. 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 of Finance. Member for Nunakput.

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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Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Chair. This seems to be funny for my colleagues across the table here. I'm concerned in regard to the way things happen here, fairness. Like I said before, and I did a Member's statement on this, we're tired of having our members, our elders, taken out of our communities and then the only time they're home is when you're bringing them home to bury them. That's what this is. For myself, I'm passionate about it. Like I said, you don't need another 48 beds. Take 30 beds and give six to my communities; give six to Paulatuk; give six to Sachs or to Ulukhaktok. We need this. I'm really taken aback in regard to how things go. They said this is a changed government; let's change it, pretty simple. They never even started the geotech, so it's easy to change. Make it smaller. They're talking about no problem making it bigger because of COVID-19, bigger common areas, bigger bathrooms, bigger this, bigger that. Other projects in our small communities are the ones that are lacking in regard to providing services to all 33 communities, not just the main centres. 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, Member for Nunakput. Did you have any further comments?

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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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Madam Chair, almost every Minister here is scrambling right now because almost everyone wants to add something. I'm hearing that there are a number of projects that are underway to support moving elders out of Yellowknife and back to their regions, that there are aging-in-place retrofits being looked at for the smaller centres across the Northwest Territories. I'm being reminded, also, that the committee will be seeing, hopefully, a draft of the 2021-2022 Capital Plan by July. Once they see that capital plan, there will be an opportunity for Members from across the Northwest Territories to determine whether or not the plan at that point reflects the projects that they think are reflective of the priorities of the Assembly and they can certainly, at that point, as well, have the questions in place to every department about what steps they are taking to ensure that elders are in fact aging-in-place, simply calling in action on what was said earlier in the House. There may well be a motion on this very issue or a version or a related matter later in this week. In terms of the review of the supplementary estimates and the infrastructure carry-overs, Madam Chair, I'm not sure that this is an opportunity for me to do very much right now, other than to say that this project was approved by the last Assembly and there is some unspent money that they're asking to carry over. Unless there is a motion to change that, which I don't think that is what I am hearing from the Member, I think he is suggesting to us that we need to do things differently going forward. As I said, there was quite a scramble here of everyone saying the things that they are already doing to do things differently going forward, including the fact that this draft plan for the capital expenditures is coming forward to committee probably next month. I think it's very apparent to us that we should be expecting to be answering questions on what in that Capital Plan will be there to support elders in the smaller communities. I'll leave it at that. 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, Minister. I will move on to Member for Thebacha.

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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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

I don't have any questions, Madam Chair, because it was answered.

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 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. On page 11, there is $16 million for what looks, to me, like renovations to the Stanton legacy building. Let me start by saying we do need more long-term care beds in Yellowknife. How much has been spent on renovations to date? What is the total cost of renovations on the Stanton legacy building? 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
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, being an infrastructure supplementary that deals largely with carry-overs, I don't know that I have the total amount spent on renovations with me. I take that back. I might. If I could ask the director to answer the question or attempt to answer the question for me, please. Director of the Management Board Secretariat, please.

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

That's Mr. Courtoreille. How do you pronounce your last name, sorry? I need to get it correct.

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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Courtoreille

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's Terrence Courtoreille. For those two projects referred to by the Member, one project has a total budget amount of $14 million, just over $14 million, and the second project is just under $58 million.

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 for Frame Lake.