This is page numbers 2603 - 2636 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 community.

Topics

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

It's important that we highlight the proposals that are going forward with the GNWT and the federal government, talking about the technical work that the Minister alluded to. I would like to ask more specifically: regarding the hydro hook-up for Whati, what technical work needs to be completed for this government to finalize its application for the Investing in Canada infrastructure program?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

I may have to get back to update the technical work regarding the route. It is at the early stage of where we're at with the planning, so it's hard for me to be able to speak technically about this issue without understanding a little bit more on what it would take.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Mr. Speaker. The Minister touched on the formation of a working group to deal more specifically with the Whati transmission line project. I would like to know whether that will be established during the life of the 19th Assembly? We still have two and a half years. Obviously, I would like for this to be expedited because the community wants to prevent this from happening, the 20-plus-hour power outage, so could we expedite the process of establishing the working group and, during the life of this Assembly, a proposal be submitted to the federal government? Is that possible, Mr. Speaker? Masi.

Question 688-19(2): Lack of Power for Whati
Oral Questions

March 30th, 2021

Page 2608

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

The Member will be happy to know that we hope to have a funding application to Canada within the next 12 months. I do want to make note that, on April 17th, I'll be meeting with the Tlicho Government in Behchoko, and we have five subject matters on the menu: the Whati access road off Highway No. 9, Highway No. 3 safety concerns, the Slave Geological Province Corridor, the Whati transmission line, and Gameti mini-hydro. Those are some of the subject matters that I will be speaking to the Tlicho Government about on April 17th. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the Minister's recent visit along with her senior management to the Taltson Dam site, does the Minister agree that this expansion project is one of the most important pieces of infrastructure for the future of the NWT economy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister of Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I agree. This is a priority of the 19th Legislative Assembly because it's a critical piece of infrastructure. The Taltson expansions is critical to the future of the economy of the Northwest Territories and also to be able to meet some of our greenhouse gas reduction targets. We remain committed to advancing this project and also working with Indigenous partners to explore some economic development and job creation opportunities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

I know the Minister has seen the trends within the automobile industry regarding electric vehicles and the future. Does the Minister consider this economic trend as a key indicator for the importance of this expansion project?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes; another yes. Growth in electric vehicles has been considered in the business case. We all know that we need to be able to head towards electrification of the economy to be able to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions but also to stay competitive. The best way to be able to do this is through renewable hydro power such as the Taltson expansion.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Does the Minister agree with the need to supply energy to the information technology and digital economies of the future? Does the Minister consider these as essential factors for the business case for this project?

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

While the information technology and digital economies were not specifically considered in this business case, as I said, we need renewable power to green industry and electrify our economy. We also need to be able to attract green investment in mining and also reduce some of our greenhouse gas emissions.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope I get a yes on the last one, too. I want the Minister to understand that, to prepare for the Taltson expansion, the superintendent must be reinstated in a central office in Fort Smith with proper office support and the lines must be under that superintendent. Would the Minister consider this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

The Taltson expansion project is in the business case, like I just said, development phase. This work is led by the Department of Finance with support from the Department of Infrastructure. The GNWT and the Indigenous government partners have established a working group and have actively engaged in the scoping and the development of the proposed Taltson hydro expansion project and also exploring options for a business partnership. I think the Member will be happy to hear that. I also relayed to the community members that, should the expansion project proceed through the business development phase, NTPC will consider what impact this will have on staffing for the region. Further to this, with my NTPC and Infrastructure hat on, NTPC regional offices are staffed by employees from a cross-section of divisions, with some reporting to supervisors who may not be based in their communities. The crew line is one example where safety, efficiency, and availability of resources uses this structure, which is considered best practice in the utility industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My first answer, I am hoping for a yes. Presently, right now, if you want to access the law resource centre, it is behind a locked door. Is the Minister willing to unlock the door? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Justice.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I love it when I can say "yes," so I wish the Member would have asked me a different question.

---Laughter

In this case, Mr. Speaker, having access to the library through a FOB allows there to be 24-7 access for lawyers in the territory, which is valuable for small law firms and independent lawyers who have the ability to go to the courthouse any time of the day, after hours, and get into the legal resource centre. During the day, members of the public can access that resource, as well. They just have to talk to staff, and they will let them in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

I was really hoping that we could free the books there. I think there is a larger question here about, since the cut was made to the law library, whether there are any plans in this area. That would begin with reinstating a law librarian position. Does the department have any plans to reinstate a law librarian?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

No. I want to thank the Member for bringing this up because, really, what the issue is, as I see it, is access to justice. A law librarian in Yellowknife is a way to increase that access to justice. Primarily, though, it is a tool for lawyers. I think that we share the same ideal of increasing access to justice, and there are other ways to do it. If we were to put resources into something, I don't think that a law librarian in the downtown Yellowknife courthouse is necessarily the best way to do it and the best way to reach the most citizens of the territory.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

I tend to agree with the Minister, but my concern here is that we seem to have no plans in this area to increase access to justice. Right now, I know that we have done some good work. We have one outreach lawyer. They run a Legal Aid clinic that does some of this work in poverty law, but I think there is definitely much more that can be done in that area. I think it starts by having it be a more public-facing law centre, one where people can find access to resources. Are there any plans to expand our current Legal Aid outreach clinic so that, perhaps, people looking for information can start there?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

We just went through a lengthy budget process, and as the Member is aware, there are no additional resources in that budget for the Legal Aid outreach clinic. That being said, I think that it is a very valuable area, and it is one area that I am pushing for and trying to figure out how we can expand it. I think that it is one of those areas that we could have even located outside of Yellowknife. We could have a position somewhere else and expand the access to residents across the territory. There are opportunities for outreach lawyers to create educational materials for residents to give them better access to justice.

This is one area that I am definitely looking into. We are gathering the statistics. We are making the cases. Hopefully, we will be able to add something in the future. We are lobbying the federal government. I will note that the Northwest Territories probably has, maybe next to Nunavut, the most generous Legal Aid services in Canada by a long shot. The budget is already stretched pretty tight, but I think that it is a place that we really should be looking at making more investments.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.