This is page numbers 2659 - 2688 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 housing.

Topics

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Finance, human resources has quite a wide range of programs that are meant to actually avoid roadblocks and overcome roadblocks.

I'd point, for example, to the Indigenous recruitment -- well, sorry. Not to the framework but to the Gateway Program, to the Internship Program, to the Regional Recruitment Program. There's quite a number of opportunities for people from across the Northwest Territories to become involved.

The department of human resources offers counselling in terms of preparing one's resume, of how to prepare for interviews. So quite the opposite, Mr. Speaker. I would say the Department of Finance is trying to take roadblocks down. You know, and of course there's always more that can be done department by department to ensure that when the hiring managers are out there that they are using those tools, that they're aware of those tools. And there is work that happens regularly already with them, and we're going to continue to do that so that they're aware of those tools and using them to their best availability. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister recognize that more widespread issues other than that of the affirmative action exists within the department of human resources in relation to hiring practices. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, Affirmative Action Policy is obviously one aspect of what goes on during the course of a hiring practice. It's a very important one. But with respect to more widespread issues, again, Mr. Speaker, the department of human resources supports all of the departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories. All of the departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories have a role to play here.

And, indeed, earlier in the Member's statement, I heard describing of a hiring culture and of a hiring structure. Well, again, we've already put out the Living Well Together training module to help improve the hiring culture. It's mandatory for all staff across the GNWT. And as far as a hiring structure, again, as I've mentioned, there's quite a number of programs, and the Recruitment and Retention Framework Program is underway in its development right now.

So as far as making ourselves even better, that is certainly our goal, and I believe we are going to be attaining it on both the culture front and as well as on the structure front. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister commit to creating departmental changes to ensure that deputy Ministers, assistant eeputy Ministers are provided ministerial direction to follow policies that are neutral, professional, and that all competitions are open to equivalencies, and the job competitions are not arbitrarily closed for no reason, and ensure that the best candidate for the job is hired. No friends of friends or family friends or acquaintances hiring each other anymore. Does the Minister agree with that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am also on the special committee. I also heard the recommendations that were put to us just last week with respect to the fact that governments have to ensure that direction comes from the very top.

So I appreciate the fact that the Member routinely gives the opportunity for us, all of us in this room as elected leadership, but particularly for me as the Minister have the opportunity to speak here in the House and speak to the public service to say that this is the vision of what we have for an inclusive public service, to have a diverse public service, and that none of us should be reaching in and hiring friends and acting in a way anything other than transparent and open and in a process that is fair.

So that, Mr. Speaker, I certainly appreciate that routine opportunity. Specifically, education and experience equivalencies, I would note come before a competition actually goes out, before candidates are screened. And so, in fact, that is a process that while I can look at it, it is already a process that's not meant to happen at the back end; it happens at the front end. And, Mr. Speaker, we're going to continue to refine those processes through all the tools that I've mentioned already today.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions, Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to first thank the NWT Housing Corporation for the units that are going into my community this year. It's very much appreciated. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement expressed concerns with the lack of consultations with the communities by the housing corporation.

My question to the Minister is why is there no consultations with the communities, especially the local housing organizations' board of directors.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Minister responsible for Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, the commitment for the housing corporation is to making sure that, you know, we do work with the Indigenous groups in the specific communities. But acknowledgement letters were sent out to the First Nations -- I'm not too sure how to pronounce it -- Deh Gah Gotie First Nations. Yeah. And the Fort Providence Metis Council and the mayor. They were sent letters April 28th just acknowledging what type of units are going into their community and having an opportunity for them to respond to us. But as of today, we haven't received a response. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that. Specifically, I was asking about the local housings organizations board of directors, because in speaking with them and even the staff, nobody's ever approached them. They never heard of anything.

I'm aware the original plan was for two single duplexes for my community. Now I understand this has changed and now will be constructing a four-plex. That change in plans could delay construction, as new plans have to be drawn up.

Is the Minister aware of these changes and the need for new design plans. Mahsi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just also want to go back to the original question of the information provided to the local housing authorities. I will follow up on that, and I will follow up with the Member, that should have they been consulted, that they should have been working very closely with the district office.

But the community is going to be receiving a stick-built four-plex. And looking at the design, the design has already been completed. But constructing a stick-built in the smaller communities creates employment, and I'm really big on employment. And that was the opportunity for the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker and mahsi to the Minister for that and her willingness to follow up with the LHO. She mentioned stick-built, but I was hearing otherwise. There was talk that these units will be sandwich panel construction with the panels being built by a Yellowknife company.

Has there been a cost benefit analysis or cost comparison to determine if this method has significant savings versus stick-built construction?

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, going with the stick-built is a lot more expensive than putting the panelized and the modular homes on the ground. But the opportunity that I wanted to explore was creating employment for the Northwest Territories. Through the delivery of the 60 units that we are working with the Eco Investment Fund, 40 of them are modular, and 20 of them are stick-built. And the opportunity, once again, is to create employment in the smaller communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary, Member for Deh Cho.

Ronald Bonnetrouge

Ronald Bonnetrouge Deh Cho

Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that. I'm glad that she's understanding construction and creating employment in the communities. That's good. The flavour of this government is about energy savings, to help combat greenhouse gas emissions by incorporating biomass boiler systems.

Will this new building be incorporating wood pallet boiler system. Mahsi.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to get back to the Member for that further detail. I'm not sure if we have pellet boiler material available in his riding. I'm not too sure about that. So I'd have to reach out to the Member. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions, Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of ITI. The earlier GRIT funding for tourism operators was a much needed, if somewhat delayed, relief for our tourism sector. This relief which includes money from CanNor has not been renewed for the upcoming year. With the easing of the restrictions delayed, it apparent that we will not see a viable tourism sector this year.

Will the Minister commit to providing a phase 2 of the GRIT funding or something similar for the upcoming year? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism, and Investment.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, the GRIT program isn't being renewed. But the good news is that a lot of work has gone into identifying what can be rolled out.

As we've been saying, I think, since early on, the role of the Government of the Northwest Territories is to complement and to help fill gaps when federal partners are not providing certain resources or have maximized what they are able to provide. And in this case, certainly have been waiting to see what CanNor would make available through or directly to Tourism or Hospitality.

As it is now, of course, I can say that we do have more coming. We have more coming, I think, I hope, this session. Certainly, the process of the consensus government model is one wherein we'll have to go through the necessary processes here in the House, but I think there will be good news in the course of this session. I know I've had a lot of conversations and connections from the other Members, and everyone in this House is recognizing the need to support initiatives for tourism. And, again, that work has been underway with ITI, with the Department of Finance for some time.

And also I would just last note that the industry partners, NWT Tourism, we are also certainly doing our best to keep them aware so that they can start to signal to their operators that they're far from forgotten, that, in fact, quite the opposite. A lot of work has gone into making sure we're ready to support them for this fiscal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't need to remind the Minister that she definitely has to be very vocal at her federal tables to ensure that they recognize the time frames in the North and our very, very short seasons.

Onto my next question: Insurance is very expensive in the North. And with the economic downturn from COVID, rates are only increasing. For example, a remote lodge could have an insurance bill of $12,000 for this year with no revenue coming in.

Will the Department of ITI grant a temporary waiver on the insurance requirement in the Tourism Act if a business is operating at reduced capacity? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the insurance waiver wasn't intended to be a one-year initiative; however, it was focused on those who aren't making offerings to the public. So there certainly are going to continue to be a requirement for some regulatory oversight and some insurance oversight for tourism operators when they are offering their services to the public.

That said, Mr. Speaker, there are, as I've said, programs that are imminently, I hope, going to be rolling out, other programs that I expect will -- that are ready available through various other, you know, funding pots, whether through ours or through CanNor. And if there are operators that are still struggling who are hoping to get back open this season, that I would encourage them to directly reach out to ITI, and we'll do our best to help them navigate what programs are available to support their insurance costs.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased with that response. I just urge the Minister to encourage her department to actually proactively reach out to some people because they don't always know that they should come and ask for help.

One of the biggest complaints we hear from small businesses is the amount of hoops that they have to jump through to access funding and government programs, something that was really a problem even before COVID.

Can the Minister explain how the work of the Red Tape Reduction working group is reducing the burden on small business and, in particular, for artists and tourism businesses?

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this involves more than one department, including the Department of Finance, and my primary message, Mr. Speaker, please, if anyone out there has a specific example of red tape that is impacting on a small or medium sized business, please, please send that example to [email protected], and -- because, shockingly, we haven't received as many responses as we would have hoped.

So while the red tape committee is focused on, again, small, medium-sized businesses, you know, at this point, I would say just send the examples that you have, because I hear it too. I hear the sense that there's too many hoops; there's too many hurdles; there's too many paperworks. But we need to know what the paperwork is; we need to know what the disconnects are, and we need to understand them.

I mean, I can come -- I've -- you know, try and come up with a few; the department's trying to come up with a few. There's a working group composed of industry members. But, again, please, by all means, I would encourage everyone out there to send those stories in. There is a structure that's now been set up with the working group. There's a structure within government that the departments have to respond to the working group when they've raised an issue. So there is that structure there. But we will do better when we have more.

The one example I can give, though, is that recently on the theme of the Member's question is that, indeed, ITI has worked with MACA with respect to remote tourism lodge owners and some of the hurdles and hoops that they had been complaining of for some time, and that as a joint department initiative, we were able to work those things through and I believe -- I understand from the businesses in a way that is going to be functional for them and a lot less red tape. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.