Debates of March 1st, 2022

This is page numbers 3603 - 3664 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

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Yellowknife Airport

Update on Health Human Resources

Tourism Supports Across the Northwest Territories

Lifting of Pandemic Restrictions

Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy

Lack of After-Care Facilities and Transitional Housing in the Northwest Territories

Opening of the Snow Castle in Yellowknife

Mactung and Cantung Contaiminated Sites

Accountability and the RCMP Territorial Police Service Agreement

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service

Supports for People Parenting with FASD

Use of Biomass Energy in the Northwest Territories

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Costs and Services Related to Substance Abuse

Increasing Costs of Policing Services in the Northwest Territories

Government of the Northwest Territories Remote Work Policy

People Parenting with FASD

Labour Market Supplement for Health Care Workers

Mactung and Cantung Mine Sites

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Customer Service

Three-year Energy Plan

Prohibition Creek Access Road

Tabled Document 578-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2021-2022 Tabled Document 579-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2021-2022 Tabled Document 580-19(2): Northwest Territories Tourism - Welcoming Visitors - 2022-2023 Marketing Plan

Tabled Document 581-19(2): Article from The Daily dated February 16, 2022 - “Black and Indigenous people's confidence in police and experiences of discrimination in their daily lives”

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Infrastructure - Deferral of Department

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 193-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Infrastructure - Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of ECE.

March 2nd

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. I'd ask Mr. MacDonald to answer. Thank you.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Deputy minister MacDonald.

March 2nd

Page 3628

Macdonald

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's always a bit difficult predicting when we can conclude formal negotiations with the federal government but we're actually optimistic that we'll be able to complete this fiscal year. And as the Minister I think mentioned when responding to a previous question, we're looking for a three-year extension to the existing Indigenous languages agreement. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 2nd

Page 3628

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the next thing that I wanted to talk about really quickly was the Indigenous languages broadcasting line item which is found on page 37. It's been a stagnant number for a number of years now at 878. And the reason I wanted to point this out is in looking at different ways that different areas -- or different areas of the world have been able to do language revitalization, one of the places that was able to have quite a lot of success was Hawaii, and they found about 50 years ago that they had lost quite a bit of language speakers and, through radio and television broadcasting, were able to increase their language speakers by nine times. And I thought that was really interesting. And so I'm wondering if there is an intent to increase this line item? Thank you.

March 2nd

Page 3628

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of ECE.

March 2nd

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. In this current year, there is not an intent. Thank you.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 2nd

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Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, one of the things that I think is really exciting is the opportunity for young kids to hear the languages that they're learning in schools or from family members on TV, on the radio and such. And so I'm wondering if there is a -- I know there's not a line increase this year. I'm wondering if there is intent to add to this line item or grow this line item in the future? Thank you.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of ECE.

March 2nd

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. So there is Indigenous, you know, language programming on the radio, and it is much appreciated, and I know that we utilize it every time we need to get information out to Indigenous communities. But while this line item might be stagnant, the way that people can communicate has changed over the years. And so, you know, Facebook, YouTube, there are other ways that people now communicate and I'm not sure that, you know, a focus on radio is necessarily the way to go. That being said, I can ask the deputy minister if there's been any conversations in the department because I could be totally off base. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Deputy minister MacDonald.

March 2nd

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Macdonald

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are -- I should back up and say that a number of our initiatives under Indigenous languages all link back to our Indigenous languages strategy and action plan, which was built upon engagements with Indigenous governments and organizations and other partners. Those actions include funding for broadcasting societies for radio, community radio. Those are in different budget lines. And there are also funding that's provided to create regional resources, products, apps. They've been used for applications, you know, for phones and for tablets and so on and so forth. So there are various funding streams that allow for these types of innovative solutions. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Kam Lake.

March 2nd

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Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I'm wondering if the Minister can -- and I know that this is slightly out of scope of the budget a little bit, but maybe not so much. I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to what kind of work the Indigenous Languages and Education Secretariat does with ITI as far as their film division and building Indigenous languages into films coming out of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

March 2nd

Page 3629

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of ECE.

March 2nd

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. I'll pass that to the deputy minister. Thank you.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Deputy minister MacDonald.

March 2nd

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Macdonald

Thank you, Madam Chair. To be honest, not a huge amount of interdepartmental work on that issue has occurred in the past but it is an area of opportunity.

One of the things that the Indigenous Languages and Education Secretariat has done of late is establish a new committee across government with all departments. So Indigenous language coordinators in each department now have a form to meet regularly with ILE staff, share information, provide feedback on initiatives, and to move the needle forward in terms of the ability of departments and agencies to provide services. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Monfwi, did you have questions for this section?

March 2nd

Page 3629

Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi

Yeah. Here, Indigenous languages revitalizations, it says -- can you clarify that for us please; what does that mean? Because you said development towards Indigenous language diploma program, etcetera.

March 2nd

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The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of ECE.

March 2nd

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R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. So under the Indigenous languages line, there's a number of different initiatives that are taking place. The Member's correct that there's work being done to develop an Indigenous languages diploma. We have a mentor apprentice program. Perhaps I can get the deputy minister to point out detail on some of the number of programs that we have. Thank you.

March 2nd

Page 3629

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Deputy minister MacDonald.

Debates of March 1st, 2022

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