Debates of March 8th, 2022

This is page numbers 3837 - 3896 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 indigenous.

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

International Women's Day

Housing Delivery Status Update

Electric Vehicles

International Women's Day

Indigenous Recruitment and Retention

Defunct Wage Top-Up Program and Poverty

Audiology Services

International Women's Day

Indigenous Recruitment and Retention

Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery

Committee Report 24-19(2): Report on the Statutory Reviews of the Species at Risk (NWT) Act and Wildlife Act

Electric Vehicles

Indigenous Recruitment and Retention

Sports and Recreation Support in the Communities

Audiology Services

Fuel Costs

Wage Top Up and Poverty

Integrated Service Delivery

Indigenous Recruitment and Retention

Expedition Licensing

Adventure Tourism

Written Question 36-19(2): Mental Health Supports for Residents

Tabled Document 589-19(2): 2021-22 Amended Capital Budget - Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation and Northwest TErritories Power Corporation

Bill 46: An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Motion 196-19(2):Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Municipal and Community Affairs - Deferral of Department

Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Executive and Indigenous Affairs - Deferral of Department

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

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

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 198-19(2): Tabled Document 561-19(2): Main Estimates 2022-2023 - Legislative Assembly- Deferral of Department, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 3860

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yeah, no. It's the one position. Thank you.

Page 3860

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Page 3860

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Look, I love Norman Wells, been there, a great place, lovely hiking and so on, but why is this position located in Norman Wells? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Page 3860

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Lands.

Page 3860

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

So we looked at the best place location for it. We feel that the staff would be better suited in Norman Wells which would be able to address our work up in Inuvik region as well, and then we're able to meet the needs right now. So we feel this is the best position -- place to have it, and as well meeting our mandate to decentralize moving forwards. Thank you, Madam Chair.

March 8th, 2022

Page 3860

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.

Page 3860

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. So will this position be doing any work with other departments on health and safety matters? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Page 3860

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Lands.

Page 3860

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

For -- with your permission, I'll turn to the assistant deputy minister. Thank you.

Page 3860

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Mr. Chapman.

Page 3860

Chapman

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, this position will actually have some responsibility. We do have cross-appointments with some of our positions that are cross-appointed with other departmental responsibilities. For example, under the Waters Act, we have diamond resource officers who facilitate water -- or water licence inspections, and those are going to be part of the component of the overall training and responsibility that we need to manage and ensure we are facilitating with our employees. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Page 3860

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Page 3861

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. I guess I'm just not clear on whether we actually have, like, some sort of government-wide approach or policy framework for health and safety across the whole GNWT. You know, you've got one department hiring somebody in Hay River; we've got another department hiring somebody in Norman Wells. I guess the one position in Norman Wells might be working with some others. But I think what I'm getting at is the need for some kind of government-wide approach to make sure that all of our workers, whatever they're located, you know, have access to health and safety officers training and so on. And I'm just not getting a -- I guess a clear sense if that's in place. I'd be happy to hear any views from the Minister on that. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Page 3861

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Lands.

Page 3861

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you. So we work with Finance. They have a policy in place. And my understanding is that the training that we'd be doing is very clearcut in how it is used for departments. But we also have some specific training for lands and the positions that the assistant deputy minister talked about. So we do work with the Department of Finance, we get clear direction from them, and then we also have some stuff that we work -- that has to be very specific to Lands and ENR. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Page 3861

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Page 3861

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm going to have some questions then for the Minister of Finance about this government-wide approach when we get there. But I want to just move on to -- I've observed this in the past with this department. There's only three activities. It's very, very unclear where almost anything kind of falls within this department and it's not really to -- at least my mind, as an outside observer, really clear where different kinds of activities and things are necessarily done. And I think it's probably the fewest activities of any department I've ever seen.

Can the Minister commit to kind of look at how this is organized to maybe get something that's a little bit more functional or transparent in terms of how Department of Lands operates and where different programs and activities are nested? If the Minister can commit to look at that, I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Madam Chair.

Page 3861

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Lands.

Page 3861

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Yes, we will look at it. Thank you.

Page 3861

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Page 3861

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Yeah, I'm hoping that he's going to come back to committee with some thinking about that before the next main estimates are developed. Can he commit to do that? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Page 3861

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Minister of Lands.

Page 3861

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

So we'll look at it and then once we've looked at it, we will come back to committee.

Page 3861

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Member for Frame Lake.

Page 3861

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

That's all I have for this activity. Thank you.

Debates of March 8th, 2022

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