This is page numbers 2019 - 2082 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 communities.

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

Are there any further questions under Municipal and Community Affairs, public safety? Members, we are going to take a short, five-minute break, and then we will get back to the same activity.

---SHORT RECESS

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

I will call committee back to order, and we will carry on with the 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. I have some questions about the 911 program. I know that, when the legislation was passed in the last Assembly, there was a cap placed on the fees that were going to be charged to phone lines. I think it's $1.70 and it's in place for three years. The fees clearly are not covering the cost of the program. Where is the rest of the money coming from? 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 for Frame Lake. Minister of MACA.

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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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Ms. Eleanor Young respond. Thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Young.

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Young

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just one quick thing I want to reference on the fees because, when we look at the actuals from the prior year, it is a little bit confusing or misleading because, when we had done our budget exercise, we had thought we'd be starting to collect fees in the June/July time frame, and by the time we were actually up and operating collecting fees, it was November/December. Just to clarify, the revenue from the prior year, that is part of the reason why you see the difference in the revenue. In essence, the expenditures for 911 are recorded under the department's main estimates. The revenue goes into the general revenue for the government, so if we are short on revenue collections, it is impacting the general revenue for the GNWT and then impacting our overall budget. It is not a separate fund, per se, within MACA, just to clarify that. It does get reported in our annual report, though; I should say that. 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, Deputy 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. Okay, and I'm looking at the annual report. I can see that there is a revenue shortfall for 2019-2020 of about $425,000, roughly. That money, is it coming out of the consolidated revenue fund, essentially? Is that the source of the money? 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.

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll have Ms. Eleanor Young just elaborate on the $425,000 and where that funding is coming from. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister Young.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Young

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, my understanding of finance, that is how it's recorded. It comes out of consolidated revenue. 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 Frame Lake.

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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. What work are we doing to prepare for this time, November 1, 2022, where the cap can be taken off the fees? Are we looking at potentially increasing those fees? What work has the department started to do? 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 MACA.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will have Mr. Gary Schauerte respond. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Schauerte.

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Schauerte

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would expect, at the conclusion of this fiscal year, April 1st or March 31st, we'll be initiating the evaluation of the 911 program. Part of the evaluation will look at the system itself and whether or not it's credited as a fully accredited 911 system based on service standards and those kinds of things. It's also going to delve into our governance and funding morals around the program, in terms of issues that have been raised, for example, whether or not we have the same number or the appropriate number of staff to deliver the service. I would expect it's also going to look at revenues and the concept of the break-even model, which was presented when the system was originally approved.

The other point I would make, in addition to those raised by the deputy with reference to revenues, is: at the time of the budgeting for the 911 program, we ultimately as a government had to project the number of phones that existed in the Northwest Territories, which is what the call levy is; it's tied to the number of phones. That information typically is proprietary information that is owned by the telcos, so they didn't provide that information to us when we were budgeting for this program and designing it. Now that we have the benefit of that information, because the telcos are bound by the legislation, we do now have an accurate number of the number of telephones that are within the system, so that's a factor that contributes to how much money we can raise. The call levy times the number of phones will generate the amount of revenue. It's that kind of information that we have now that will help to inform that discussion about whether or not $1.70 is an appropriate number or not.

Ultimately, at the end of the day, that's contained in the legislation. It does have a sunset clause, I believe, in the legislation, as the Minister pointed out, but any discussion about the levy going forward would be informed by the evaluation and by those kinds of factors. I would suspect it would come to the floor of the House for discussion. 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, Mr. Schauerte. Member for Frame Lake.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yes. That's good to know. Is there money in the budget for the actual evaluation? Is the money in the 2021-2022 Main Estimates for this evaluation of the 911 program? 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 for Frame Lake. Minister of MACA.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am not too sure how the evaluation would be identified in the main estimates. I'll ask Gary Schauerte to respond. Thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Schauerte.

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Schauerte

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would expect that, in the contract budget in public safety, there is $308,000 identified for contracts. That's where we would complete that evaluation work. Thank you, Madam Chair.