Deputy Minister.
Debates of March 9th, 2021
This is page numbers 2383 - 2438 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 work.
Topics
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kelly
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not specifically up to speed on case law specifically, but what I can speak to is the fact that we have participated as the government in environmental assessment processes for site-see and some other developments. The transboundary agreement, while it's cooperative in nature, we have a bilateral management committee for that. That management committee includes the assistant deputy minister from the NWT and from Alberta, and it has an Indigenous member, which is Tim Heron from the NWT Metis Nation, who sits on that bilateral management committee. That's where we bring concerns and address any issues that come forward for the transboundary agreement.
There's a whole dispute resolution mechanism that is built into the transboundary agreement, as well, if we can't come to an agreement, but the process there does not preclude us from using a legal method if required. What we are trying to do is collaboratively, through that bilateral management committee, as the first step. Then we take the opportunity to participate in environmental assessments as required, and then we have that dispute resolution mechanism. As I mentioned, we could still use legal recourse, if needed. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you. Are there any further questions under water management and monitoring? Seeing none, please turn to page 88. Environment and Natural Resources, water management and monitoring, operations expenditure summary, 2021-2022 Main Estimates, $9,780,000. Does committee agree?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
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The Chair Lesa Semmler
Thank you. Committee, we will now go to wildlife and fish, beginning on page 91, with information items up to page 94. Questions? Any questions? No questions? Member for Frame Lake.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. Let's talk about caribou. The barren-ground caribou surveys were supposed to happen last year. They didn't because of COVID. What's happening this summer? Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. How much does it cost, and where is it found in the budget? Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Kelly
Thank you, Madam Chair. The surveys cost around $430,000. They are done every two years. The budget was set up to have that funding there every two years, and now we are off-cycle because of COVID. What we are doing is we are lapsing the $430,000 that we didn't spend on the surveys this year, and then we will be able to use that funding next year. We are going to adjust the cash flow so that that funding is available for every second year from then on. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. I appreciate that. I just want to be crystal clear. The money can be carried over from last year to this year to allow for the survey work to be done? You don't have to cut internally, look for unused funds in other parts of ENR, or even within wildlife and fish to do the work? I just want to be really clear about that. Thanks, Madam Chair.
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Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you. My understanding is: we are lapsing it this year, and then we are able to pick up the money next fiscal year to do the job that we were going to do this year. Because of COVID, we aren't able to. We do have the money. I wouldn't say we are transferring; we are lapsing it this year and getting the money next fiscal year to do the survey. For any additional detail, I will ask the deputy minister to talk about the finances to it.
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Kelly
Thank you, Madam Chair. The only addition that I will make is that we will need to put forward a supplementary request for next year, but the Department of Finance is aware that we are lapsing the funding this year and that the work needs to be done next year. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Madam Chair. I will put in a good word for you guys right now with the Finance Minister that I want them to approve that, and if they don't, they will have to answer to me. I am deadly serious. These herds are in a very, very desperate state. One of the most reliable ways that we have to determine their health is through the calving ground surveys. If the work is not done, we have no idea what's going on with the overall population. I shouldn't say "no idea." Our ability to predict and project is diminished dramatically. I know I am talking to scientists about this, so they get this. We have to have that work done. I expect that all of Cabinet is going to line up behind that. I do want to ask, though, about the wildlife research and management line on page 92. There's a $700,000 drop predicted or projected from what we spent last year. Can someone tell me why that is being reduced? Thanks, Madam Chair.
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