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.

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Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you are aware, two of the communities from the Nahendeh Region are hurting right now. Our people are heartbroken and displaced, and many have lost everything they own. While we are dealing with the flood, I was amazed and awed of the residents and businesses inside and outside of our two communities who made donations of funding, food and services, cleaning supplies, and clothing during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, this is my way of reaching out to those who helped us in their own way. I want to tell you how much we appreciate your kindness and willingness to come to our aide, so please accept this Member's statement from all of us in these two communities as I say "thank you”.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to try to keep my thank you short. There will be appendixes in the statement which I would like to have deemed as read.

On Sunday, May 9th, I received a call from a friend in Yellowknife saying that he had spoke to Walmart and Walmart Canada, both Independent grocery stores (Rochi and Glen), YK Motors, Shoppers Drug Mart and Northern Food Services. Working with a logistics coordinator, there were four planes of food and water during the flood period. The two airlines, Air Tindi and Buffalo, helped get the food and supplies to Fort Simpson.

The Gwich'in Tribal Council purchased four brand new 14-cubic foot freezers and stocked them with meat supplies for the residents of Jean Marie and a similar amount to the community of Fort Simpson. The community of Deline had a fishing derby and shipped the caught fish to Fort Simpson for the residents of Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River to enjoy. As well, they provided two deep freezers, tarps and four coolers.

We had over 800 pounds of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pepsi and chips shipped to Fort Simpson. Talk about lifting the spirits of the community. 101 buckets of chicken fed over 300 families.

We saw groups, such as the Jean Marie River support group and the Fort Simpson support group formed to hold auctions to help raise funds. Thanks to the businesses and individuals who donated products to bid on. There was GoFundMe page that was also set up. We saw an anonymous donor donate 55,000 pounds of food and water for the community of Fort Simpson. The Dene Nation provided supplies to both communities as well as other communities.

I realize I have missed businesses and individuals, and I am sorry for this. However, please realize my praise goes out to all of you and I thank all donors for their generosity and kindness that was shown to both communities. God bless you all.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Acknowledgements. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. My question is for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Yesterday, I tabled meeting summaries from the GNWT-Chamber of Mines COVID-19 recovery working group. Can the Minister tell us whether she was aware of and authorized the full scope of discussions being held between senior ITI officials and the Chamber of Mines throughout these meetings. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this group was set up, if you can think back now a long 12 months back to June, when we were still just fresh coming out of the lockdown and we were still a long way from having the Business Advisory Council or Emerging Stronger or any other type of document, when the Department of ITI then reached out to the industry representatives that represent almost a third of our GDP to start to talk about COVID recovery, COVID relief, and, really, economic recovery and economic relief more generally.

So I can't take credit for the decision to get that going at that time and to get that work moving, but I've certainly have been aware that that working group exists. And I have often asked, you know, what the reaction of the group has been and what work they're at. I have certainly received briefing notes, which I think were included in this some-hundred page document that I received yesterday. And, again, you know, certainly well aware that that work is ongoing and intended to look at where industry and private industry can come together with government to find overlap to discuss efforts for economic recovery and regrowth of the mineral resource sector in keeping with the mandate of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. The records of these meetings show that the chamber, and even ITI staff, are been pushing to stop or remove land withdrawals, most of which support good faith negotiations of Indigenous land rights. Can the Minister explain why her department is pushing to stop or remove land withdrawals in light of Cabinet's commitments and mandate to settle and implement Indigenous rights? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no one department has a position or an opinion about land withdrawals. There is a position of the Government of the Northwest Territories on land withdrawals, and that alone is the position, not one offs or, you know, statements made out of context, perhaps in these notes. Although on that note, Mr. Speaker, I received this only yesterday. I have also gone through it. I've gone through the unredacted version.

Mr. Speaker, it is clear to me-- and it shouldn't be any surprise-- industry, indeed municipalities, have long said that the lack of certainty around land is a real barrier in the Northwest Territories. And it should be no surprise that solving and-- land claims, resolving the land claims and moving those negotiations forward is a mandate of this government for a very good reason. There's nothing new there. That is very clear to every department, and it's clear to the Department of ITI. It is also not a surprise that industry continues to ask what is being done on that and they advocate for a solution to that challenge, but the solution is going to be a whole-of-government one. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. She may need to discuss this matter further with her staff.

But the summary seemed to indicate that the Chamber of Mines is having direct input into ministerial correspondence in changing the work done by a consultant hired through a public procurement process. Can the Minister tell us how much access the Chamber of Mines has been given to ministerial correspondence and the draft work of publicly hired and funded consultants. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's no impropriety in the sharing of information that-- again, I've reviewed both of the redacted and unredacted versions and I spoke to the department. And it's very clear that when there's correspondence going between levels of government, between governments, between government officials, while we may well want to share the efforts and the work that we are doing, for example in a remediation economy, a number of letters were I believe tabled here in the House in order to put forward the kind of advocacy that is happening between governments. That correspondence and that sharing is just that, it's sharing. They're certainly not going to be editing any materials. Or if they are writing, if industry is writing on their own lobbying efforts, it may well be to their benefit to share that with the government. And that's a benefit of having working groups like this, whether it's in the mineral resource sector, the fisheries sector, in the remediation economy, that is the kind of work ITI does, and it's the same level of access that's being provided here.

With respect to the work of consultants, I think I have a hunch as to what exactly the Member is speaking to. You know, and, again, at this point, it's-- I suspect, Mr. Speaker, although I haven't had an opportunity to speak to the Member about this document that was tabled, there is a study that was commissioned. It involved all three territories and CanNor around how to increase investment in the Northwest Territories in the mineral resources sector. And that work indeed did look at the position of the Chamber of Mines, because they represent the industry that we are trying to increase investment in accordance with the mandate.

I'm happy to speak to the Member further about that work, but where it's at, it is progressing. Again, it's tri-territorial, Mr. Speaker. And as tri-territorial but knowing that we are looking to increase investment in private sector. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.

MR. O'REILLY; Merci, Monsieur le President. Thanks to the Minister for that response. Now that this information on these meetings has been made public, the Minister has several options as I see it, and they are not mutually exclusive. She could stop these meetings, confine them to their original and stated purpose of economic recovery, allow other interested parties to observe and/or participate, make complete summaries of these lobbying meetings made public, and afford other economic sectors and nongovernmental organizations the same opportunity for consultation and lobbying.

What, if anything, is the Minister prepared to do about these GNWT-Chamber of Mines COVID-19 recovery working group meetings that have moved well beyond their original purpose? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think as I said at the beginning, this is an industry that contributes one third of the GDP of the Northwest Territories, over 1300 direct jobs in 2019, not to mention indirect jobs, over $813 million is spent in procurement. That's supporting all the other industries. If the Department of ITI wasn't having regular meetings with the industry representation, I would be facing very difficult questions in the House to explain why we aren't. There are regular working group meetings with the fisheries sector right now. I have regular meetings with Northwest Territories tourism, as is the department working often very closely with them.

The list of options that the Member has proposed, I have not seen. I don't have it in front of me. But every industry should have access to the Department of ITI. That is exactly the role of ITI, and certainly the sector that is the size of the mineral resource sector should have a role with the Department of ITI. It should always be focused on the well-being of the Northwest Territories, on the economy of the well-being-- the well-being of the economy of the Northwest Territories, and always in keeping that there is work that can be done in the private sector and work that must be done in the public sector. And where we can find common ground we move forward and where we cannot, so be it, both parties still need to advance, because, again, I think at the end of the day, we're all working for the same thing, which is really the growth of the Northwest Territories and our betterment of our economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, the Taltson Hydro Expansion is setting the groundwork for future development of industry and ensuring that the power rates across the territory are more reasonable. Therefore, this is probably the number one mandate item for development in our list of priorities. Does the Minister agree with that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I agree. The Taltson Hydro Expansion is one of four major infrastructure projects as a priority of this government. And in no particular order, but it's the Mackenzie Valley Highway, the Tlicho All-Season Road, the Slave Geological Province Energy Communications and Transportation Corridor. Also, Mr. Speaker, this is a mandate to advance any of the infrastructure projects as Minister of Infrastructure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, the snowball effect that the Taltson Hydro Expansion will have for our economic recovery will be enormous since we know, that by 2030 all major auto companies will be going electric for their vehicle lineups. We cannot wait until the last minute to plan, assess, and complete this major consumer change without this project. Does the Minister agree with that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I agree again. The Taltson Expansion Project is a critical piece of our strategy to connect ten of our communities around Great Slave Lake to one hydro grid that will stabilize the cost of energy for all residents and also set the stage for more of a sustainable resource development so that we can rely on green energy to be able to grow our economy for the next 50years. In our time between the Snare and the Taltson system will provide essential green energy, infrastructure to fuel the clean electrification of the transportation sector here in the Northwest Territories for the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, the Minister must mediate a truly strong agreement with the Indigenous groups with majority ownership if possible. We must start walking the talk and show concrete action that the major shareholders are the Indigenous groups that are affected. Does the Minister agree with that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, this is three for four perhaps. I agree. And we are doing this. You know, we have the Akaitcho Dene First Nation, we have the NWT Metis Nation, and the Salt River First Nation have signed off on an MOU to work together on this project, which is very important milestone in moving forward to be able to engage with Indigenous groups along-- you know, along this project. So we are in the process of shifting our focus to the implementation of the MOU and also a key area of focus on the commercial structure and the business case for this project and ownership opportunities will certainly be available to our Indigenous partners, but we need more time to define the overall costs, the risk of this project, and also all the parties to the agreement that are prepared to accept this. 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, to conclude, the Taltson Hydro Expansion will be and should be one of the major priorities in our recovery plan for the Government of the Northwest Territories after the pandemic. The Minister should be asking the federal government to fund this project 100 percent to stimulate the economy of the North and to ensure our Indigenous shareholders will benefit from this project. Does the Minister agree with that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are pleased to be operating right now at 100 percent funding for all eight -- for $18million from the Government of Canada to be able to support a feasibility stage of the project. Funding is being used to define the commercial structure, including costs, risk to the nature of public sector and our private sector to support that is required to make this project a reality. We expect that various levels of public sector support will be required, including the GNWT to be able to unlock the benefits of a long-term potential of this Taltson Hydro Expansion. So, again, Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to be able to agree with the Member on this subject, because sometimes we don't always agree on other subjects. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 has created much anxiety and this has affected the mental wellness of the population. We're at a crossroads where it is possible to expect court challenges based on the premise that the public health emergency declared does no longer meet the test for "significant risk" and therefore the orders may be fine and reasonable.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Justice confirm his department's participation in reviewing those public health records created due to the current public health emergency to ensure they meet all legal requirements, and how far does that participation go with the Department of Health? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Justice.