This is page numbers 2819 - 2866 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 mrspeaker.

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 of ENR.

HON. SHANE THOMPSON; Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. The work started Monday. The people are out there. We were able to work with the Hamlet of Coppermine, getting permission from the Nunavut government and their CPHO and the municipalities. So we have the workers out-- or the people out there surveying a herd presently. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for FrameLake.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. That's great to hear because I know one of the reasons why it's here again is because the work couldn't be done last summer with COVID restrictions. So can the Minister tell us when the department expects to have the survey results available to us as MLAs and for the public? Thanks, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of ENR.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you. My understanding, with all the data and that, we're hoping to have it at the end of the summer but I will get back confirmation with that to committee. 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 for FrameLake.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. And the reason why this is so important is the last time the survey was down, the herd-- or done, the herd was down to 8,200 animals compared to a high of almost 400,000. So this is a critical piece of information we need to make the best possible decisions about that area, including whether we should be building roads or not. Thanks, 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.

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Oh, sorry. I didn't know if it was coming to me or. So, yeah, we'remaking sure that data is critical. That's why we were able to work with the Nunavut government and the hamlet of Coppermine to get the survey done, and it was probably unfortunate because COVID. You know, it hit us last year but we're able to start continuing to manage our survey, moving forward. Thank you.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Great Slave.

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. So it's my understanding, just reading, yeah, that this is just the money being brought forward to pay for the project that didn't happen last year. However, because COVID has happened and we do have additional expense and such, do we anticipate that you can still do the-- that the department can still do the caribou survey for the same costing as they had originally budgeted, or do we think we'll have to come back later on for more money for this work? Thank you, Madam Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

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Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

I have not been given any indication that this is going to be-- that the project scope or the budget needed to change. So for the time being, the project budget is the same.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. All right. Any further questions, comments? Seeing none, I'll call the page.

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, wildlife and fish, not previously authorized, $163,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Environment and Natural Resource, total department, not previously authorized, $2,329,000. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we will now consider the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs on page 7.

Supplementary Estimate, (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Cabinet support, not previously authorized, negative $45,000. Does committee agree? Member for Yellowknife North.

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would just like to make a comment that this is the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs almost having their travel budget, and when I look at the few million dollars we took out the GNWT travel budget and what it's paying for, you know, investments in mental health and wellness, investments in the poverty fund, I think this is a great work, and I think it was this Cabinet leading by example. And I know we've had no controversy about Ministers, MLAs, and senior management travelling, but I just commend this Cabinet. They made lots of sacrifices, and it hasn't been an easy year, and you didn't get to go to Vancouver or Calgary or Ottawa or all the other places that Ministers usually get a lot of flack for, so. This is by far the biggest proportional cut to any travel budget, executively anyway. That's all, thank you.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

All right. Any further questions, comments?

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Cabinet support, not previously authorized, negative $45,000. 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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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, directorate, not previously authorized, negative $105,000. Does committee agree?

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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

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, executive council offices, not previously authorized, negative $313,000. Does committee agree?

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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

Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2021-2022, Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Indigenous and Intergovernmental Affairs, not previously authorized, negative $91,000. Does committee agree?