This is page numbers 3131 - 3164 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 know.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think there's one more person after me. So I'd like to request a really quick speed date with the Minister of ITI.

Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if the Minister is willing to commit to consolidating their procurement policies under one shop and if she will also commit to a shift in focus from a service to government for procurement to service to NWT businesses. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for ITI.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are two different things I'm being asked to commit to.

With respect to bringing things under one shop, that was one of the items that was recommended in the review. It is something I certainly have spoken about the importance of. But as to how that will unfold, I am still going to abide by the process that we are in the middle of, which includes a defined process of engagement with Indigenous governments. So I'm not going to make any formal commitments other than to refer back to things I've already said in that regard.

And as to the philosophy underlying it and the commitments thereof, again Mr. Speaker, it's what is the purpose and the objective of procurement. Bringing it under one shop would allow us to have a clear purpose and principles of objectives attached to procurement.

So that may well come to pass, Mr. Speaker. And I hope that we all stay tuned as the process unfolds. I think the process is a good one. It's been good so far. I'm convinced it'll be good going forward. Thank you.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm wondering if the Minister sees this as an incremental process where we can see implementation of change as they go, or does the Minister anticipate this happening in one large change at the very end once all of the consultation engagement is done, and can the Minister speak to that process. Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's always been my intention and vision, and I've said this before, to make changes as we can. And when we saw that there were changes that were implemented with respect to the contracting terms over the last year to see what that might do, and we are already working on vendor performance management. So there's things underway already.

As far as what the next date for the next changes might be, I -- my hope is that early 2022 some small things could start to be impacted. Again, I'm mindful that as this process has unfolded, a complementary process working with Indigenous governments at the Modern Treaties table and now also at the Council of Leaders around Indigenous procurement has evolved. So I want to be respectful of that; I want to be mindful of that before we make too many changes too quickly that might impact or impede on those discussions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I'm wondering if the Minister can provide some clarification on how we -- how we got here and how we intend to not get here again. Times change. Needs of communities and needs of the government, needs of the people of the Northwest Territories evolve, and so does the Minister see procurement as a living process and, if so, how does the Minister intend to ensure that our policies and processes stay current from here on in? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a big question, and I'm trying to be brief, but it's an important one and I'm happy to have a chance to speak to it very, very briefly. But there needs to be a balance between being flexible and responsive and providing certainty to the business community. The business community needs to know what they're dealing with when they're making a bid. At the same time, things do change. COVID has showed us that things do change.

So it's certainly been my view in this role that we can have certainty and have clear processes, transparent processes, but also make it clear that we will make changes when we need to and when it's pointed out to us that they are required. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Before we continue, I think the speed date has got the interpreters in overdrive here. So just slow down a little bit, and we'll get through this. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm trying to make sure that my colleague from Monfwi has time to ask questions.

Mr. Speaker, the next commitment I'm looking for from the Minister is a better evaluation and picture of the landscape of procurement so that we know that the government is being held accountable and businesses have a clear indication of what is happening with GNWT procurement. I'm very thankful, first of all, to the Minister of Finance actually, with her other hat on, who did produce an infographic of what procurement looks in the Northwest Territories. But what businesses want to be able to see is more data and more data being analyzed as to how the government is actually spending public money in the Northwest Territories. And I'm wondering if the Minister is willing to commit to an annual report card of the sorts. Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I'm not mistaken, that infographic grew out of a series of questions here in the House maybe this time last year. I've also had positive responses to it. If we can improve it, I'm committed to doing that. So let me start by saying perhaps I'll check in with my colleague to see what gaps she sees, and we can continue to improve the report card that we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be questioning the Housing Minister. She had mentioned that we will be receiving ten houses. What kinds of houses are we expecting? And also are we also going to have houses for homeownership? Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can provide those further details to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

[Translation] Also we'd like to know which locations these housing are going to. We know that there's a lot of shortage of housing in the communities. They did allocate ten houses. I'm sure it's not only from Behchoko. Whati, Gameti, Wekweeti also need -- are in need of housing. I'd like to know the locations and also what kind of houses, how big of a house are they getting? Are they getting prefab or trailers? What type of housing is it? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct, we have units going into the Member's riding but they're not only specific to Behchoko. They're throughout the surrounding communities as well too. But with those specific details of the size of the units, what type of units, land tenure, I will follow up with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

I said all the four communities needs housing. And I want -- we would like to know where, because the Tlicho region would like to know if they're going to be getting a house, Whati, Gameti, or Wekweeti as well. And does the Minister have a plan in place to increase the number of houses in Tlicho region for homeownership program? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, we have all of the single family housing units, public housing units that are up for sale right now. We have been corresponding and working with those tenants that may be interested in acquiring homeownership for their units. And right now, specifically, we don't have any new homeownership units going into the communities. What we are building are duplexes, three - fourplexes into the smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Monfwi.

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Thank you. Okay, I'll do it in English, okay. Minister said that -- the Minister said they had -- she has an agreement in place with Tlicho government, with the working group. So can the Minister update and when was the last time she -- they met with Tlicho government working group? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are working towards an MOU with the Tlicho working group. I'm not too sure on the specific date that we have met last. But we do also have our engagements with the Indigenous groups as well, the Council of Leaders. So we actually just met with them, I want to say, two weeks ago. But then I will follow up with the Member on a specific date of when we had last met with the Tlicho solely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral Question 831-19(2): Tlicho Region Housing
Oral Questions

November 29th, 2021

Page 3141

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, our time for oral questions has expired. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Aurora College Corporate Plan 2021/2022; Revised Aurora College Capital Budget 2021/2022; and, 2020-2021 Annual Report on Official Languages. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Finance.