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

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

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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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Yes. Thank you, Madam Chair. It's not so much that I want it. I just believe I would like it to be publicly reported, so can I get a commitment that it will be made public? I can go look who won in 2015, where the money went, but then it just kind of fell off the map when MACA got hold of it. I am looking for public reporting. 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.

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 am not too sure about the reporting because I am just thinking about the privacy and whatever, but I will complete a recognition of the recipients that have received the NGO stabilization fund. 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, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

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

February 23rd, 2021

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will follow up with the Minister about getting this money reported. My other question is, and this is one of the siloed issues, is that I am not really sure when I look at -- I cannot see who has received this money, but when I look at the application criteria, this fund, it seems to more be just another general place NGOs can go get money, similar to the millions of dollars we hand out across multiple departments to NGOs. I know EIA has a special executive policy where they can sometimes give money to NGOs. I really do not think that it makes sense for this government to have all these different pools that are kind of doing the same thing, and I think there is great possibility to probably roll them into one place and give all of our NGOs a little bit more stability of here is some year-to-year funding and not rely so heavily on these grant applications. I imagine, if I looked at this fund year over year, the same NGOs are getting it. That is part of the reason I want it to be publicly reported. My question is: will the Minister somehow have a conversation with Finance or EIA about how we fund NGOs and whether this is actually doing anything different from all of the various other NGO funding pools? 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

Page 2046

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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. Yes, I will commit to providing 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

Page 2046

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member.

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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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I just get confirmation that this section also includes all the information items for MACA? Thank you, Madam Chair. I am seeing you nodding. Can I have an update on the New Building Canada Plan, Small Community Fund? My understanding is that this fund is about 10 years old now. It was instituted by the Harper government. I see that it's about $20 million a year of municipal infrastructure funding. When will that money end? 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 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.

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

Deputy Minister Young.

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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Young

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to clarify, we have jumped out of sport and recreation, youth, into our work performed on behalf of others?

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

[Microphone turned off]

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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Young

Okay. Okay.

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

[Microphone turned off]

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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Young

[Microphone turned off] ...so each of the programs you see listed -- thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry about that. Each agreement with Canada is slightly different. The New Building Canada Plan for communities was called the Small Communities Fund. That program, construction of projects must be complete by December of 2022, and all of our reporting into Canada must be done by March of 2024. There are a number of projects in each community that were funded through this program. As I say, each one is slightly different in terms of how it was done, but that one was done through an allocation for each community. They chose the project they wanted to pursue. We had it approved by Canada, and then they received their funding to proceed. 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 Yellowknife North.

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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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank, Madam Chair. My question is: are all communities on track to actually spend all of the money in the fund by 2022? 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
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 2046

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

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

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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Young

Thank you, Madam Chair. As far as I know right now, yes, they are all on track. In cases where we have had issues in the past, we have been able to work with Canada to either find an alternate project or an extension to the project so that the communities do not lose the money, wherever possible, or find an alternate program for them to apply to so that we make sure the communities can finish their projects. 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

Page 2046

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.