This is page numbers 4919 - 4952 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 youth.

Topics

Question 1260-19(2): Suicide
Oral Questions

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.

Question 1260-19(2): Suicide
Oral Questions

Page 4928

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I'm glad to hear the Minister speaking about a change in the way that we're approaching things. There's definitely a lack of aftercare for people that are released from our correctional facilities. Can the Minister speak to anything that has been done in the last year, so that's innovative or different to the Northwest Territories when it comes to our vulnerable Indigenous men? Has there been something within the correctional system that he can point to as a success. Thank you.

Question 1260-19(2): Suicide
Oral Questions

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So one of the major things that has happened in the past -- or just over a year -- I guess a year and two days ago was the new Corrections Act came into force, and that act restructures our correctional system with more of a focus on rehabilitation as opposed to punishment. We are still, you know, in the process of implementing that Act. It has only been a year, and much of that was COVID times so we haven't quite gotten to the point where I think we want to. But there's a recognition that doing the same old thing doesn't work, and so we are trying to move in a direction where we -- while we have people in the facilities, that we work with them and we help them so that they don't wind up back in there again. Thank you.

Question 1260-19(2): Suicide
Oral Questions

Page 4928

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Question 1261-19(2): Negotiations and Settling Claims
Oral Questions

October 31st, 2022

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Premier is a very compassionate leader when it comes to Indigenous issues. But when you have so many claims to work on and cannot concentrate on two or three that can be done in a single term, that's a problem. I would like to see at least one claim finalized within this term since we have only one year left. Does the Premier agree? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Honourable Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I agree that I'd like to see at least one claim settled within the term of this government. We have been focusing on the relationship building that was a little bit fractured in some of the Indigenous governments. We took a beating with COVID. We had a couple years that we couldn't meet in person, so that affected. But we have been listening, and we have been working, and we do feel that we're close with a number of them, although there's three parties to every table. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Speaker, I understand at negotiations there are too many opinions. Speaking with one voice is extremely important when at negotiations. I've been there and done that. I'm also very respectful of the Indigenous leadership in their meaningful negotiations, and we must be able to mediate conclusions to some of their outstanding issues to succeed. Does the Premier agree with that? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It's hard to disagree with things that are philosophical in nature so absolutely I agree that, you know, we need to mediate some conclusions to some of the outstanding issues. When I began my term, when I was able to meet with Indigenous governments and talk to them, two of the largest outstanding issues were the core principals and interests and then the other one was the publishing the mandate. We did both. We heard that those were the major issues, and so we published our mandates and we took away the core principles and interests, and yet we're still having difficulties at the tables. So Madam Speaker, what I've come to realize is that there's many issues at those tables. And so when you deal with what you think is a major issues three more pop up. So we're trying the best we can, Madam Speaker, but we don't give up trying. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Speaker, the negotiating team that goes to these negotiations must have a mandate and needs to be able to call people to make decisions, otherwise meetings later on will be months away and decisions are never made. That is how the federal government operates. The territorial government needs to follow the same standards and process with meaningful decisions. Does the Premier agree with that? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Again, I absolutely agree with that. The thing is, Madam Speaker, it's really important to recognize, like I said, that it's not as easy as just one person making decisions. There's three parties. When I had first heard about the key principles and the interests, like I said we took them off the table. But that didn't stop things. The point is that whenever I hear of a major issue at the tables, and I do get regular updates on every table that's going on, if we're close and there's a standing issue, then I will try to negotiate with the department and find out what is going on. I'll talk to Cabinet, because they're Cabinet decisions, to see if we can be a little bit more flexible. And we have been flexible in this government, Madam Speaker. But any time that we're close or that a chief or Indigenous government reaches out to me, I do my best to try to see if we can unblock the obstacle on our side. However, like I said, that doesn't always work. But we keep trying the best we can do. And I am certain that all of these claims eventually will be settled. It's just a matter of when. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Speaker, negotiations and implementations of claims is probably the hardest task of this government. The will of the leader to help mediate the process is crucial to the outcome. Does the Premier agree with that? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I absolutely agree with that. I know that Northerners want to see faster progress on the negotiations, and we continue to work towards that. However, Madam Speaker, it's really important that all Members realize that this is about the Indigenous governments. This is their future. So sometimes when we want to hurry things, it may be at the detriment of all of our governments. So I have a mandate to make sure that I take care of the public government, that I try to meet Indigenous governments, that I'm honest with Indigenous governments, and we have clarity in all of the agreements we sign. And we'll continue to do that as we go forward. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madame la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Lands. The department seems to have placed top priority in our request from the mining industry to use surety bonds as an acceptable form of financial security. Ernst & Young has apparently been contracted to tell the government that surety bonds are good financial security. So can the Minister tell us how much this contract with Ernst & Young is going to cost and when a report is going to be finished? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of ENR.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Lands. Sorry.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Lands/ENR. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Ernst & Young have been contracted to do research on the use of surety bonds as a form of financial security, including how they were used in other jurisdictions. GNWT's position continues to be that security must provide GNWT with immediate, unconditional, and revokable access to the full amount of the security. The contract value is approximately $230,000, and the report is expected to be available early in 2023. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I'm still trying to pick up my jaw because I couldn't find the contract anywhere in the OpenNWT contract website. But Madam Speaker, I think the fix is our government seems to be poised to accept surety bonds without a real plan to prevent further public liabilities like Cameron Hills and Mactung. So can the Minister tell us why his department has identified surety bonds as the top priority when it comes to financial security in preventing further public liabilities? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I think me and the Member are going to probably have to agree to disagree on this. The research of security bonds is only one of several initiatives that the department has undertaken related to securities. The department's top priority is the development and implementation of regulations under the Public Lands Act which will include provisions for land restoration and security. Surety bond review has been planned and aligned with work under the Public Lands Act regulations. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. Let's start with some easy stuff. Our government spent millions to develop some sort of a tracking system for financial security. That's good, but none of that information's been made public in an easily accessible form. Can the Minister tell us whether and when this government will actually post that information in a publicly accessible format, like a financial security data base, on a GNWT website? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The public lands requires public reporting on all securities held, and the department is currently reviewing how best to make that information available to the public. Information on security is also available on the land and water board's public registry. This aligns with the top priority of the department to develop and implement the regulations under the Public Lands Act. We need to get this important piece of legislation in force. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Final supplementary. Member for Frame Lake.