This is page numbers 2341 - 2382 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.

International Women's Day
Members' Statements

Page 2344

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I am very pleased to congratulate my constituent Anna Seagrave for her selection as the Youth Category winner of the 2020 Outstanding Volunteer Awards. Ms. Seagrave has practiced the art of Inuit throat singing from her early years, and last year, volunteered her time teaching Weledeh Catholic School students her traditional art. Her instruction provides fulfillment for young women seeking cultural expression and creativity. Congratulations to Anna.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Acknowledgements. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to give recognition to an exceptional Great Slave constituent. Congratulations to Marino Casebeer for receiving the Outstanding Elder Award. Marino is a 2020 recipient of the NWT Outstanding Volunteer Awards and contributes to making the community of Great Slave and our entire territory an excellent place to live. Congratulations to Marino. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It seems my quest to get a small satellite recycling depot in downtown Yellowknife has been caught up in some of the larger review of how our depots operate and the licences under them. My first question to the Minister of ENR: when was the last time we put our recycling depot licences out to tender?

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These depots were renewed in July 2020, and they will expire July 31, 2022. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Perhaps there is some misunderstanding by me on exactly how we give out the licences. I understand they were renewed and that previous licence holders got them in 2020. In 2022, we will once again decide whether to renew them, but I'm asking when they went out for a proposal process. I know the department has done this in the past, and there have been some issues. What I'm asking is: was the 2021 the result of a competitive process to run the depots, which can actually be quite profitable?

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

It was renewed in July 2020, so that means the company was able to renew their bid or their business licence with us. No, there wasn't a competitive bid in 2021, and it does expire in 2022.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

I'm actually not all that concerned about the tendering of the licences, but I have been previously told that this was one of the barriers to adding a satellite station in downtown Yellowknife. I will get to the point. Is the Minister willing to implement the option of, whether it be a reverse vending machine or a drop-and-go or a partial-hours, some sort of way that those with mobility issues can drop their recycling off downtown and get money for it?

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Since the Member has brought this forward, we at ENR have looked at various options for automatic deposit in Yellowknife. The staff are putting some tech packs and specs together so we know that the equipment we do have to put out there would actually stand up to our weather in the Northwest Territories. We are in the process of looking at that. Thanks to the Member; he keeps on asking us questions. We are working on it, and we are moving forward.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the department is working on it. Our beverage recycling program is one of the best in the country. We have extremely high rates of return, and it's a model for success. Does the Minister have an idea of when someone will actually be able to return some recycling in downtown Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

We are very supportive of piloting an automatic deposit. We are looking at doing this with the new licensing process for 2022. We are looking at it during that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have questions about having medevac services and delays in the Beaufort-Delta, especially my riding of Nunakput, in the last weeks. How many medevacs in a 24-hour period, how many planes are dispatched out in my riding are in the Delta at any given time, and is there a backup plane available if the pilot's times are maxed out? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to take this question on notice because I have no information with me with which to answer these questions. Thank you.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

There has to be a backup plan in regard to providing services when people are maxed out on timing. Is there a backup plane? She could take it as notice like she just did, but I want to just make sure. I will meet with the Minister at break and give her the questions that I do have to provide answers to my constituents who are quite concerned right now.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

I am taking this question on notice because I don't have the information available to answer it.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services who has responsibility for the GNWT Anti-Poverty Strategy. In my statement, I referred to the recommendations put forward in the first poverty report card produced by Alternatives North. Is the Minister aware of these recommendations from this report, and does she intend to respond to the report publicly? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have read the report card, I have met with Alternatives North, and I am very appreciative of the effort that they put into the first ever report card. The government is not planning to provide a response to the report card. Thank you.