This is page numbers 4635 - 4688 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 know.

Topics

Richard Edjericon

Richard Edjericon Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned earlier that I was in the community of Lutselk'e for a constituency meeting and I had mothers came up to me that were crying and with a baby and couch surfing in the community. And it's really disturbing and hard to hear that from the community when you go there, and it's right throughout the whole Northwest Territories. You know, I'm just thinking, you know, this year we got $30 million from Ottawa, and next year as well. I'm assuming this money that has been already allocated, and probably even next year, but I'm just thinking in the spirit -- in the spirit of the document that I mentioned, the mandate letter, if there is a way that we could work with Indigenous governments to build new relationships. So given the difficulties of housing the NWT is having delivering these results, would the Minister commit to reallocating the recent $30 million of federal housing monies for this fiscal year and next fiscal year to no -- with no strings attached through a contribution agreement to support Indigenous governments leading housing strategies and programs in their own governments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I also want to highlight that with our work with the federal government, and I specifically want to mention Minister Vandal, Minister Hussen, and MP McLeod, together we were able to work very strongly in collaboration, recognizing the housing needs in the Northwest Territories, also highlighting that we have not had a replenishment of new public housing stock within the last four decades. We were successful in receiving to the Indigenous governments throughout the Northwest Territories $500 million. Housing NWT continues to work in collaboration with the Indigenous groups.

The other that I'm very interested in accomplishing is we've just signed an MOU with the Tlicho government on housing issues for their region. Also just recently with the Sahtu. And also we are in talks with the Gwich'in as well too and hopefully we're able to come to a common understanding on how we could further work together in addressing those housing issues in the Northwest Territories.

But I also want to take this time that Housing is trying to work very strongly in such a short time, also recognizing that we did work through COVID and we were still able to accomplish these successes for the people of the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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, at the Northwest Territories Association of Communities AGM, it was announced that the territory had an intent to sign an MOU with the Canadian Red Cross. Can the Premier please give us an update on where this MOU is at? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Honourable Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that when we met with the Association of Communities, it was brought up. I do want to say a shout out to the Red Cross; their work has been phenomenal. I know that I've made a commitment to meet with them, and I do believe that the departments are in discussions with them. But I will need to take notice on where exactly we are at with that discussion, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the Premier's update on the territorial MOU, and it is my hope that it will be a territorial MOU and not a health and social services MOU or a MACA MOU.

Given that the flooding occurred -- the Red Cross first got involved with us here this time around during the 2020-2021 flooding, can the Premier explain why she's taken so long to meet with the Red Cross given that I believe they made that request through the Minister of MACA about a year ago. Thank you.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I'll take that question on notice so I can get the information that the MLA requested. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Honourable Premier. 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 Lands.

The Tlicho government asked for a regional study of the so-called Slave Geological Province Corridor over a year ago, and a large workshop was held in June of this year. Can the Minister of Lands give us an update on the current status of proposed regional study? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Lands.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this going to be a little bit longer answer because it's that much important question the Member asked.

As mentioned in my August 2022 update with SCEDI, the Mackenzie Valley Impact Review Board hosted a workshop introducing participants the concept of regional studies and started a conversation on potential regional studies and how it should look. The GNWT responded to CIRNAC requesting for feedback on the July 29th -- or sorry, responded to the July 29th. The response did not articulate a GNWT position but outlined some of the GNWT's key interests and consideration. As previously communicated, GNWT's position on a potential regional study will not be confirmed until after the GNWT has heard the views of Nunavut, Indigenous governments, and sought input from MLAs.

CIRNAC has not yet communicated its process, next steps, or the time of the federal decision. Under the MVRMA, the Minister of Northern Affairs makes decisions on whether to conduct a regional study. Lands staff will continue to engage CIRNAC on this matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. But surely to goodness we have some sort of sense of whether this is a good thing or not before we have to go and consult with everybody. But I know that the time decision's up to the Minister of Northern Affairs. You know, geographic scope and name for this initiative are probably still up for grabs but hopefully we can avoid the colonial and racist term "slave."

Can the Minister tell us whether GNWT's taken a position on the name and geographic scope of a regional study? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT has not taken a position on the name or geographical scope or the regional strategic environmental assessment. Crown-Indigenous relationships in Northern Affairs Canada has authorized authority for regional studies under the MVRMA, and they have been gathering perspectives and views regarding potential regional strategic environmental assessment. Our message to the federal government has been that if the federal government moves ahead on this, it is important that they hear the views of governments, Indigenous governments, and other stakeholders in the NWT and Nunavut before decisions are made, and that they provide adequate funding for participants. If a regional study does proceed, the GNWT would like to see it completed in a timely manner and provide guidance to how future development in the region has responsibility of that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. Look, our government just can't hide in the weeds forever on this. As several Indigenous governments and the Chamber of Mines have already written to the federal minister, I've written to the federal minister with views on the regional study, and I think it's fair to say that all the parties actually support this in one way or another. So, you know, and the Minister said that our government supports participant funding; that's great. But in the letter that was submitted, it also said that no ongoing projects should be affected while a regional study is in process.

So can the Minister explain why our government continues to steamroll ahead with a Lockhart all-season road while the Bathurst caribou herd is still in decline and a regional study is being discussed. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're not steamrolling ahead. We're advancing the Geological Slave Corridor Project as it is a mandate commitment of the current Legislative Assembly. All 19 of us agreed to our mandate. Some of them may not agree with every one, and I didn't agree with all the mandates on there, but we collectively all agreed with it, that we would have a mandate and that was one of them.

So, Mr. Speaker, with the federal government -- federal funding secured to advance Lockhart all-season road to a shovel-ready state, along with planning, engineering, and environmental baseline collection of remaining proposed alignment to the Nunavut border. So that's going on right now.

As the Geological Province Corridor Project is likely to undergo environmental assessment, concerns related to Bathurst caribou will be assessed through that process. So, again, we are going through it -- that environmental study will be in there, and that will be about the Bathurst caribou. Trust me. Caribou are on my radar every day. I see it. I look at it. I'm dealing with it. And I'm working with Indigenous governments on this.

So the GNWT believes that planning and environmental baseline work relates to the corridor project will benefit not only the project but the information should also support a regional study if one proceeds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. It's a very interesting position. It's okay to plan and build roads into the range of the Bathurst caribou herd while the herd is in a precarious state but it's not okay to pause this work while we look at the future of the entire region. You know, I'm worried, Mr. Speaker, that this government is going to go ahead and file this project for regulatory approvals, land use permit, water licence, no matter what. We're heading straight for another Mackenzie Valley Highway Environmental Assessment that is now over nine years long, full of project splitting, delays and, quite frankly, wasting public resources.

So can the Minister tell us how this government is going to avoid such a mess while saying it supports a regional study? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Environmental assessments, in general, are specific to a project. While a regional strategic environmental assessment is much broader than looking at a single project and, in this case, a proposed much larger geographical scale. A regional strategic environmental assessment is designed to assist with the potential environment, social and economic effects, including cumulative effects are alternating strategies initiatives, policies, planning or programs for a particular region. Environmental assessments and regional studies processes do not compete with each other. They can be seen as working hand-in-hand. The GNWT continues its work to advance environmental baseline planning and ensuring work to advance the corridor project. This information's also benefits a regional study if one proceeds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Question 1190-19(2): Liquor Act Changes
Oral Questions

October 18th, 2022

Page 4655

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I spoke to in my Member's statement, the Department of Finance has come forward with a number of recommendations, changes to the Liquor Act. One of the ones I was specifically happy to see was four changes to special occasion permits. These are the permits that, you know, festivals often have to get and special events such as weddings. One was to streamline the process. Another one was to perhaps allow an annual special occasion permit for those events that happen every single year. And another one was to allow, in certain cases, whole site consumption. So not necessarily to have a beer garden but to be able to just sell alcohol on the site of the festival or event. My question for the Minister of Finance is when will these recommendations be done? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Finance.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process of getting a significant piece of legislation like this together requires, firstly, that there be a legislative proposal. I can certainly commit that that is going to happen in the life of this Assembly. It then does go over to committee and then would back and then go out for drafting. So it's a more complex and lengthy process than what perhaps a lot of folks realize. I would say, though, some good news, Mr. Speaker, out of the four items that are listed as four recommendations, the first of the four, to streamline processes, streamlining a process should always be a priority and while, you know, the other recommendations should form part of a cohesive legislative proposal, I can say that certainly looking at ways to streamline that process now doesn't need to wait for that, and I will certainly look at doing that in an expedited fashion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm happy to hear that we will be streamlining the process. I know it has been quite difficult for many and, you know, it's not fun to have a special occasion and then not be able to sell alcohol. And in many cases, the non-profits running them is -- it's how they actually fund the entire festival.

My question, I guess I'm still a bit confused about whether this is actually going to happen. I heard we're going to get a legislative proposal. And another one of the examples in the recommendation report was that the recommendation to remove the requirement for retail outlets to be closed on Sundays, holidays, and election days. So I guess my question to the Minister is, is this actually going to happen; are we going to see that requirement removed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the actual question is whether we're going to see requirements removed or not, it's really not a final decision that rests with me to pass the legislation all on my own. I am going to bring forward the legislative proposal. As I've said, it then goes to committee, and upon committee's recommendation is when the drafting instructions do go out. But I think really what we're getting at here is the time that it does take to craft, firstly, complex legislative proposals; and secondly, to do the drafting instructions for complex pieces of legislation. I mean, the Liquor Act itself is almost 70 pages. The regulations are well over 70 pages. And they have been modified piecemeal over the years. We don't want to do that again. We want this to be modernized. We want it to be cohesive. So, again, the LP's going to come forward -- sorry, the legislative proposal will come forward, and I certainly will, and am now, do whatever I can to ensure that we have processes in place to see that it does get where it needs to go in the life of this Assembly but some of those timelines will be out of my hands. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.