This is page numbers 1945 - 1988 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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Our government released our energy and climate change strategy as we understood the need for them to work together to adapt to climate change and transition to a lower carbon economy. To this end, the climate change action plan annual report includes updates on relative activities from the energy strategy and the NWT carbon tax. Specifically, these updates can be found in the section on the goal number one, transition to a lower carbon economy. The GNWT has developed a plain-language overview report to update the public on climate change action. This report includes information on implementation of a carbon tax energy strategy and climate change strategic framework. We will continue to deliver an integrated, whole of government approach to tackle the challenges of climate change and energy efficiency in our territories.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

I fully recognize that COVID has obviously affected our ability as a government to address a number of important policy areas including climate change. The federal government and many others around the world are moving to a target of net zero by 2050. Can the Minister tell us when our government is going to review the less than ambitious pan-Canadian framework target and adopt net zero as part of our economic recovery approach and to deal with the climate emergency?

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Again, this is information that I had to get from the Department of Infrastructure, and I thank the Minister and her staff for it. Under the 2030 energy strategy, GNWT committed to a full review after five years. The strategy was released in 2018, which means review will occur in 2023. This will provide enough time to properly re-evaluate the strategic objective to ensure that they represent what is achieved, given new technology and opportunity. These reviews will involve public and stakeholder's input. This input will both inform the future review of the energy strategy and future GNWT decisions on emission reductions.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Clearly, we're not going to make the target. The Auditor General of Canada chronicled how our government's last two plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions were dismal failures, and the current one is certainly heading in that direction, too. The Auditor General said that a lack of leadership, policies, and legislation to give ENR the proper authority was largely at the root of the problem. What specific Cabinet decision-making tools or requirements have been changed to ensure government is taking climate change, the climate emergency seriously. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

I believe the GNWT is fulfilling its mandate to show leadership on the climate change by being one of the first Canadian jurisdictions to take a consistent and systematic approach to ensuring meaningful consultation on climate change decisions in all departments. In December 2020, Cabinet and the Financial Management Board decision-making templates were revised to incorporate consideration of climate change mitigations and adaptation factors, including Executive Council decision papers, financial management submissions, joint Executive Council/Financial Management Board decision papers, and legislative proposals. Mr. Speaker, I can honestly tell you: during those conversations, we've heard the Member, we've heard the public, and we're trying to make sure the Executive and all departments make decisions based on climate change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I've got paper now, so I'm good now. Just in line with my reply to the budget address, I mentioned the Frontier Lodge, so I had some questions for the Minister of MACA. I'd like to just start, at least hear from the Minister, just to give us a quick update because I know there was some developments, and just to let the public know what the rest of us know what the latest developments are? Marsi cho.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the application that has been submitted, we had identified some complications with that. We haven't received a number of lodges throughout the Northwest Territories that needed to be, that were sold, and that ended up leading into required legislation and amendments to accommodate those sales and those transfers. My department has reached out to the owner, and they have been in correspondence. Also, correspondence has just been sent out to them yesterday, and then, also, acknowledging them this morning, as well. I will follow up with the Member with their current status. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Yes, I look forward to hearing some of that correspondence from this morning. I will table here shortly, the Chief of the LKDFN wishes to meet with her department. I wonder if I can give that to the Minister to follow up and meet on that?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Absolutely. I will be available to meet with the Member and with the leadership, as well. This, actually ignited a different approach that we would have to look at this as an example of how we are going to be dealing with lodges outside of the municipal boundary and also looking at the acts and regulations that it had affected as a result of the sale.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

That's encouraging. I mentioned in my speech earlier, it shouldn't have taken a year to get to this point, and I'm hoping that her department and maybe some other departments who follow suit, what are some lessons learned here? What can they give back? What are some of the things that the Minister could tell us they have learned here through this process, and does that prevent this from happening again?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

This ended up by resulting in a new way, not a new way but an updated way of how we are going to be looking at sales for any lodges throughout the Northwest Territories. The delay for the renewal and for the transfer of permits had resulted in a lot of different conversations, and also looking at the amendments and two acts, as well. I will follow up with the Member. It became quite complicated, to be honest, making sure that we do things and that we do comply with what is presently existing. One of the ones that we are looking at is the Fire Prevention Act, and that one will be brought up and brought forward, too. It did become very complicated. I will follow up with the Member.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Through all of this, I had to include the Premier in on this. I am hoping to get some input from Madam Premier on this. It is an appropriate time to develop new standards. Does the Premier have any comments on this, and will she consider some of the impacts that these current policies have on the remote lodge industry? Marsi cho.

Question 549-19(2): Frontier Lodge
Oral Questions

February 11th, 2021

Page 1954

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

I don't have the in-depth knowledge that the Minister has. Again, it's not my portfolio, but what I can say is that I do recognize that we need to support the lodges throughout the Northwest Territories. They're a major industry, and it's a huge part of our tourism, and for the economic development for regional centres and small communities. I do know that the Minister is working diligently to make sure that we can not only address this issue -- as she said, we didn't expect it, but we are doing the best we can within this government to address those issues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of housing. Yesterday, I asked the Minister to commit to first connecting NWT residents to social supports before eviction. The Minister responded that her number one concern was safety, and I agree that safety is number one. Not connecting residents to safety is a safety hazard. I am asking the Minister to make connecting NWT residents to support services within the GNWT part of the existing process followed for evictions. Will the Minister make this commitment? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Member. I hear her passion when she is addressing our eviction process and looking at public housing tenants throughout the Northwest Territories. We are reviewing our tenant relations manual right now, and hopefully, we will be able to bring that forward in March. Looking at those specific connections that she is requesting, I would have to come forward and look at the review once we speak with the local housing authorities and the local housing organizations. Once we have those determinations, it will result in looking at connections that we need to acquire throughout the Housing Corporation connecting with social programs throughout the GNWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

When somebody does not pay their rent in the Northwest Territories, they get a slip of paper shoved under their door in their public housing that says, "Pay your rent." When their rent continues to not be paid, they get an email, maybe, and then they get a notice to come in and talk to their LHO or LHA. When they come into their LHO or LHA, the person is then put on a payment plan. If the rent still is not paid, they're given a last chance agreement and evicted.

What I am asking here today is for the Housing Corporation to tell their LHOs and LHAs that they have a responsibility to stop and ask people, "What's wrong?", "Are you okay?", because as it turns out, some people have lost their jobs during COVID-19, something else is going on in their lives, they cannot pay rent, and they have not been connected with supports like income security.

All I am asking is for a checkbox on a form when they are going through an eviction that says that the person was connected with a support. I don't think this needs to wait until March. I don't think it needs to wait until next year. I think that providing a connection between NWT residents and supports services that are paid for and delivered by the GNWT should be a natural thing, and all I am asking for is a commitment to do that.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you for your comments, Member. Yes. Thank you.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much to the Minister. I really appreciate that. I am wondering when we can expect to see drafts of such policies and the mission statement committed to yesterday.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

The Member had just raised the question yesterday. I still need to speak to my department to have a look at further conversations happening with the LHOs and the local housing authorities. I will keep the Member informed.